Chapter 14 Springtime Blessings Grant Me a Fierce and Mighty Demon, Why Is the Princess Not Afraid? ...

The person who was bitten seemed unaware, not even uttering a sound, only showing a slight surprise in their expression.

Chen Jingyang, who was standing to the side, had a good tolerance for alcohol. Although his eyes could make others intoxicated, he himself remained sober. He had been so engrossed in drinking and chatting that he hadn't paid attention to Fu Sui. Now, as Yue Shanling turned his head, he saw the princess with Yue Shanling's finger in her mouth.

Chen Jingyang's eyes widened suddenly, the effects of the alcohol vanishing instantly, leaving him drenched in cold sweat. He stiffly moved his eyes, feeling awkward whether looking at the princess or Yue Shanling, so he simply stared at the table, barely daring to breathe.

Fu Sui bit down for a while and felt the bone grinding against her teeth. Disgusted, she let go and examined the few tiny teeth marks on the man's fingers, which were wet and shiny from being licked by his tongue.

Yue Shanling took a deep breath; the cool air eased the burning sensation and drowsiness caused by drinking. He gently moved his little finger, and seeing that Fu Sui didn't make any other move, he took the wine glass from Fu Sui's hand and placed it on the other side. He then told Chen Jingyang to keep an eye on Fu Sui and got up to leave.

Chen Jingyang looked at Fu Sui with suspicion and uncertainty, and after observing her for a while, he realized that the princess was extremely drunk. For a moment, Chen Jingyang didn't know whether to be happy or worried. It was already improper for a group of men to drink at the same table with the princess, let alone let her get drunk. If something really happened, he wouldn't have enough heads to lose.

He patted Tian Ganyou, who readily clung to him. Chen Jingyang, seeing Tian Ganyou's drunken state, knew he couldn't be relied upon, so he could only anxiously keep an eye on the princess himself.

When Yue Shanling returned, he had a kettle and a bowl of honey water in his hands. He put down the kettle and coaxed Fu Sui to drink the honey water. Whether it was because he felt guilty for biting Yue Shanling or because his mind was foggy from drinking, Fu Sui was very obedient except for refusing to hold the bowl himself. He drank most of it in small sips from Yue Shanling's hand.

Yue Shanling put down the bowl, took another clean cup, poured in a little half a cup of water, and held it to Fu Sui's lips again to cleanse her mouth.

Chen Jingyang, who hadn't dared to breathe loudly, watched as the princess obediently drank the water, rested her chin on her hand, and dozed off. She didn't seem like she would misbehave, so his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, was slightly relieved.

Tian Ganyou clung to Chen Jingyang for a while, then grabbed Chen Jingyang's collar and started climbing up. Chen Jingyang tried to pull away, but Tian Ganyou wrapped his arm around his neck. Tian Ganyou then hugged Chen Jingyang and challenged him to a drinking contest. Chen Jingyang, not wanting to argue with a drunkard, pulled Tian Ganyou off him.

Feeling snubbed, Tian Ganyou stumbled and pounced on Yue Shanling, pulling her along to dance. He didn't give up even after stumbling a few times, and they started dancing in a wobbly, unsteady fashion.

Chen Jingyang found it amusing. Tian Ganyou's antics had lessened the fear he had felt earlier from the princess, so he simply picked up his chopsticks and tapped them on the table to accompany Tian Ganyou. Tian Ganyou became even more interested and circled Yue Shanling several times before his legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground.

Yue Shanling reached out to help him, but he refused to dance. Unable to do anything else, Yue Shanling drew a plum branch from a vase and used it as a sword, twirling it in her hand before thrusting it straight out.

Startled by the knocking, Fu Sui regained his senses and opened his eyes to see Yue Shanling wielding a plum branch, performing a sword dance. Unlike the delicate and graceful movements of skilled dancers, Yue Shanling's moves were expansive and powerful, as agile as a dragon in flight. His lean and strong waist and abdomen were like a taut bowstring, his leaps like a tiger pouncing on its prey, and his spins like an eagle flapping its wings.

She stared intently at the Yue Shanling Mountains, the wind carried by the plum branches brushing against her cheeks and fluttering her eyelashes.

After crossing the mountain ridge, Chen Jingyang stopped eating, tossing the plum branch back into the bottle. He paused a second later.

"Awake?" Yue Shanling asked.

She didn't answer, but her gaze followed Yue Shanling.

Yue Shanling glanced at the night sky, then pulled up Tian Ganyou, who was leaning on the edge of the table and cheering, and said, "It's time to go back."

Tian Ganyou still had a conscience; even at this moment, he didn't forget Fu Sui and stammered, "I'll take Yong'an back."

Chen Jingyang raised an eyebrow, his eyes full of doubt and disdain: "You have to carry her back yourself, and you still want to escort the princess?"

Tian Ganyou shook his head: "No, it's too late, I can't go alone..." Perhaps feeling that he was indeed not up to the task of escorting Fu Sui back to the mansion, Tian Ganyou paused for a long time before saying: "Uncle will escort you." As he spoke, he solemnly patted Yue Shanling's shoulder, and then leaned his head on Yue Shanling's shoulder.

Chen Jingyang resignedly took Tian Ganyou from Yue Shanling's arms and reached out to touch Tian Ganyou's body.

Yue Shanling asked curiously, "What are you looking for?"

"Find something to prove my identity. At this hour, we need to find someone to open the gate. I can't afford to lose face," Chen Jingyang said, his hands constantly moving.

As they were talking, Chen Jingyang pulled out the fish-shaped tally of the Thousand Bull Guard from Tian Ganyou's waist, weighed it in his hand with satisfaction, and then helped Tian Ganyou up to say goodbye to Yue Shanling: "Then I entrust the safety of the princess to Uncle He."

Yue Shanling nodded, and Chen Jingyang dragged and helped Tian Ganyou away.

Only Yue Shanling and Fu Sui remained in the room. Yue Shanling squatted down beside Fu Sui and whispered, "Let's go, I'll take you back."

Fu Sui had sobered up a bit after a short nap. Because of their posture, Yue Shanling was tilting his head back, waiting for Fu Sui's answer. Fu Sui only needed to lower his eyes slightly to clearly see Yue Shanling's appearance.

The lamplight caressed his sharply defined face, played with his nose that rose like a mountain ridge, and stroked his deep, dark eyes. Without hesitation, it leaped into the starless night, turning the night sky into a mirror, reflecting Fu Sui's figure. Fu Sui stared at his reflection, embedded in the darkness, both hazy and clear, so close yet so far, their gazes intertwined, eroding, and confronting each other.

"Snap." The oil lamp burst open with a tiny flame, its light swaying vigorously like ocean waves, washing everything in the room. As it flowed over the mountains, it washed a thin, long scar across his neck. The scar disappeared in the shadows and then leaped up in the light, transforming into a thin, cicada-wing-like sword that pierced towards Fu Sui.

Fu Sui was startled awake.

After waiting for a long time across the mountain ridge, Fu Sui still didn't respond. He only saw Fu Sui sitting there blankly, her expression wooden. A look of doubt appeared in his eyes, and he softly called out, "Princess?"

Fu Sui composed herself, casually got up, straightened her clothes, and walked out of the room first.

Kou Yun had been waiting anxiously for a long time. General Yue had come once to tell her that the princess was alright and that she could rest assured, but she couldn't help but worry. When she saw Fu Sui come out, she quickly went forward to help her up. Because Yue Shanling was nearby, she couldn't ask too many questions and could only walk silently to the outside of the shop.

When he finally saw the magnificent and spirited horse after crossing the mountain ridge, he realized something was wrong. He had assumed Fu Sui had arrived by carriage, but in her current state, who would dare let her ride a horse?

Kouyun hadn't expected Fu Sui to drink so much. With curfew in effect, they couldn't find a car at all, and Kouyun was frantic.

Fu Sui shook his head slightly, feeling that he was still quite sober, and tried to mount his horse on his own. Kou Yun was startled and cried out in surprise. He quickly reached out to support Fu Sui's waist and put his shoulder next to Fu Sui's legs to prevent him from falling. He earnestly advised Fu Sui not to ride a horse.

The shopkeeper didn't have a carriage to lend, and sending someone back to the princess's residence to fetch one would take a long time. Yue Shanling stepped forward and asked, "Can you sit still?"

Fu Sui looked down at Yue Shanling from his high vantage point: "You underestimate me?"

Yue Shanling reached out and stroked the horse's face a couple of times. This horse had a good temperament; it wasn't afraid of strangers touching it and even rubbed against Yue Shanling on its own.

Yue Shanling scratched the horse's ears a few times to soothe it, then turned and led his own horse over.

Fu Sui's horse was naturally playful. Back in the shopkeeper's stable, it had been very curious about the several unfamiliar horses around it. When Yue Shanling led it over, it stretched its head to sniff them. The horse, being led by Yue Shanling, took a few steps to the side to avoid it, but seeing that Yue Shanling's hand holding the reins didn't move, it reluctantly moved back.

After leaping over the mountain ridge and mounting his horse, he reached out and grabbed Fu Sui's reins, wrapping them around twice and tightening them: "It is late at night and the dew is heavy. It is dark and difficult to travel. I am afraid of disturbing the princess. Please allow me to lead the horse."

Fu Sui originally intended to ride back herself to avoid causing too much disturbance, but since Yue Shanling was willing to lead the horse, she was happy to save herself the risk of riding a drunken horse.

Seeing that he couldn't persuade Fu Sui, Kou Yun had no choice but to follow her. He also instructed his attendants to be extremely vigilant and ensure the princess's safety.

Although Yue Shanling currently holds no official position and has only been in the capital for a short time, he has spent over a decade in the military and can quickly familiarize himself with the patrol routes and times in the capital. He led Fu Sui to avoid the night patrol teams to prevent their horses from colliding and being startled in the middle of the night.

Fu Sui let Yue Shanling lead her around. The guards of the Princess's mansion were quite skilled, so Fu Sui wasn't worried at all that Yue Shanling would dare to hurt her.

She sat swaying on her horse, and looking down, she could see Yue Shanling's hand holding the reins beside her. His knuckles were large and prominent, the veins on the back of his hand were knotted, and his skin was not smooth, with several slightly deep marks, as if left by frostbite.

The noble sons of the capital all have smooth, fair hands. Even Tian Ganyou, who has more calluses and scars from his love of woodworking and stone carving, is not as good as Yue Shanling.

"How are things between you and Lady Liu?" Fu Sui asked in a light tone.

Yue Shanling turned to look at Fu Sui, whose eyes sparkled like stars in the darkness.

"I have no connection with Lady Liu," Yue Shanling replied calmly.

"If there's no connection, why didn't you enter Fuyou Pavilion that day?" Fu Sui persisted, determined to get to the bottom of it, even while drunk.

Yue Shanling chuckled and retorted, "Didn't the princess consider me an impolite person and forbid me from entering?"

"You're blaming me for not going yourself? Do you think I'm disturbing your meeting with your young lady? Think of how Lady Liu tried to kill herself for the general, only to be told by him that it had nothing to do with her. The general is truly heartless." Fu Sui leaned slightly towards Yue Shanling, lamenting her husband's fickleness with deep sorrow.

Yue Shanling caught a glimpse of Fu Sui's restless appearance on horseback, tightened his grip on her hand, stared intently at the road ahead, and said in a deep voice: "Princess, please don't speak nonsense. The Liu family are my mother's old friends, but I do not know Lady Liu."

Fu Sui finally figured out who was messing around with them, and mumbled indistinctly, "I was wondering why she got involved with the registrar's wife."

Yue Shanling was also somewhat puzzled by Fu Sui's appearance that day. Taking advantage of Fu Sui's drunkenness, he asked, "There aren't many people in the capital who still remember me. How did you, Princess, know about these private matters?"

Fu Sui had no intention of deliberately hiding anything, and when Yue Shanling asked, he told her everything: "I just happened to see Lady Liu and a young man confessing their feelings to each other at Qingyun Terrace, and they mentioned the general in their conversation." As he spoke, his playful gaze swept over Yue Shanling: "I'm not lying to you that I'm willing to die for you. Lady Liu said that if she were to marry a fierce and wicked man like you, she would hang herself with a handkerchief."

Yue Shanling didn't even know what Lady Liu looked like. Since she already had someone she admired, Yue Shanling had no intention of stealing his love. As for Lady Liu's silly, girlish talk, Yue Shanling didn't care at all. However, Fu Sui was clearly polite and distant towards Chen Jingyang, whom she knew better, yet she was eager to inquire about her private affairs, whom she had only met a few times. So Yue Shanling took the opportunity to ask, "I look fierce and intimidating, why isn't the princess afraid of me?"

Fu Sui was momentarily stunned as he recalled the Yue Mountain Range illuminated by lanterns on the Lantern Festival.

The horse beneath him was probably a little annoyed from the slow trot, and its new steps stomped on the ground.

Fu Sui's mind wasn't on controlling the horse, and she was thrown about unprepared. The reins were in Yue Shanling's hands, and when she reached out to grab the saddle, she unexpectedly grasped something warm.

In the spring mornings and evenings, it was still a bit chilly, but Yue Shanling wore thin clothes, and Fu Sui could clearly see the shape of Yue Shanling's wrist bones in his palm.

Fu Sui slowly released his grip, no longer daring to shake the horse, and sat obediently on its back. No one mentioned the question from Yue Shanling again; the only sounds in the quiet night were the clatter of hooves and the distant barking of dogs.

A note from the author:

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