“You’ve said ‘I don’t want to go’ many times today. Do you think I would agree? I will go. No matter what happens, I will be there. You don’t need to worry.” As if to reassure Xi Xizhi, An Honghan patted the child, putting her at ease.
But Xi Xizhi just couldn't put her mind at ease. She thought to herself, "You're the one who insisted on her going. If she causes any trouble, you'll have to take responsibility!"
Noticing that the ink on the pen tip was too light, An Honghan dipped it in the inkstone and said, "After all this time, your ink-grinding skills have improved quite a bit."
Xi Xizhi gritted her teeth in anger. Wasn't she being forced to grind ink by someone? Before, Xi Xizhi never had to serve others like a servant, grinding ink for them.
They looked at the culprit, who was very seriously dealing with government affairs.
Was she born to be oppressed?
Thinking of this, Xi Xizhi angrily bit her finger.
This adorable demeanor immediately captivated the palace maids and eunuchs in the imperial study, who exclaimed that the little girl was simply too cute.
The hunting festival activities were mainly participated in by military officers, while most civil officials were just there for the fun of it. Because the hunting festival was about to begin, the military officers were all on high alert, practicing their horsemanship and archery skills diligently over the past two days, hoping to have a good start on the day of the hunt.
The ultimate winner of this hunt will still receive a reward. This reward is a promise from His Majesty, and as long as it does not harm the foundation of the nation, the winner can make any request.
How precious is the promise of an emperor? Everyone would naturally try every means to obtain it.
The hunting festival was blessed with exceptionally good weather. Xi Xizhi shielded her eyes from the sun with the back of her hand and looked around.
The area was filled with ministers and women, their ranks standing in neat rows along the roadside.
A magnificent golden carriage was parked in the middle, its exterior exquisitely crafted, with a golden dragon proclaiming the carriage owner's status.
As soon as Xi Xizhi stepped outside, her gaze was drawn to the carriage.
The two white horses kicked their hooves, panted, and exhaled a ring of white mist.
This is absolutely a top-notch horse!
After looking at the carriage, Xi Xizhi looked at the horses.
The pomp and circumstance of this trip out of the palace was vastly different from the previous two, which shows how much Fengze Kingdom values the Hunting Festival.
An Honghan walked through the crowd, took Xi Xizhi's hand, and they got into the carriage together.
"Let's go." With An Honghan's command, the carriage slowly moved forward.
Military officers rode to the sides on horseback, while civil officials followed behind in carriages.
The entire procession was very orderly. Xi Xizhi lifted the carriage curtain and kept looking out.
The carriage traveled out of the city outskirts without stopping for a moment.
The scenery outside the city is very different from that inside the capital. Outside the city, there are almost mountains upon mountains, with lush greenery covering the mountains.
Looking at the lush mountains and forests, Xi Xizhi immediately recalled the secluded life she had lived with her master...
As her thoughts drifted away, Xi Xizhi found herself missing the old man who tormented her cultivation every day.
I wonder if she'll have a chance to meet her master again when she ascends to heaven? I guess the chances are slim.
Seeing that Qi Xizhi was lost in thought, An Honghan turned her face to face and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Just now, Xi Xizhi gave the impression that there was a veil between them; even though they were very close, it seemed as if she was about to disappear...
What An Honghan could not accept most was that Xi Xizhi would leave him one day. Seeing this expression, alarm bells rang in his heart.
"I..." I miss my master.
Xi Xizhi didn't say anything, and she and An Honghan were speechless.
"Stay obediently by my side, understand?" These words, which sounded like a warning, came from An Honghan's mouth. If Xi Xizhi really dared to leave him, he couldn't guarantee what he would do.
Xi Xizhi paused for a moment, gritted her teeth, and dared not answer the question directly.
When she achieves success in her cultivation, Xi Xizhi will undoubtedly choose to ascend, because ascension is the only way to return to her previous world. Although she has stayed in this world for several months, she is still an outsider in the end.
There's a saying that goes, "fallen leaves return to their roots." Xi Xi's roots aren't here, so how could she not leave?
Xi Xizhi's prolonged silence caused An Honghan's mood to plummet, and his voice grew increasingly cold and piercing, "Answer me."
An Honghan rarely spoke to Xi Xizhi in this tone, so when Xi Xizhi heard these words, she couldn't help but shudder.
"I..." Xi Xizhi stammered, unable to utter the words, and even she didn't know why she dared not tell An Honghan...
Because she knew that perhaps sooner or later, she really would leave? She was a cultivator, and her lifespan was inherently different from that of mortals…
An Honghan's face was terribly gloomy. Xi Xizhi's avoidance of the question had already made him vaguely guess what was going on.
"I'll give you one last chance. Speak quickly, or I'll make you regret it." An Honghan narrowed his eyes coldly as he sized up Xi Xizhi.
What he wanted to obtain never escaped his grasp, and Xi Xizhi was no exception.
Even if Xiao Diao were a cultivator, assuming she dared to run away, An Honghan would definitely have a way to keep her by his side, but the method would make everyone unhappy.
Xi Xizhi was so frightened that the hairs on her body stood on end, and she chose to tell a lie: "I... won't leave."
At least I won't leave for now.
Xi Xizhi silently thought to herself, not daring to tell An Honghan the truth.
Looking at An Honghan's expression, she was certain that if she really said she wanted to leave, the days ahead would be anything but pleasant.
An Honghan's expression softened somewhat, but the icy coldness still lingered. "Remember what you said. Your indenture is still with me. Even if you want to leave, you'll have to see if I agree."
Recalling that contract of servitude, Xi Xizhi was naturally furious.
She thought to herself that once she returned to Panlong Palace, she would definitely find that indenture and secretly tear it up, to see how An Honghan would threaten her in the future.
Seeing that Xi Zhi was unconvinced, An Honghan raised an eyebrow and said, "Do you remember the characters I taught you the other day?"
Xi Xizhi's heart skipped a beat. If An Honghan hadn't brought it up, Xi Xizhi would have almost forgotten about it. These past two days, she had been preoccupied with the hunting festival and hadn't focused on learning to read at all; that calligraphy practice book had long been forgotten.
"It seems there aren't any left." An Honghan deliberately dragged out the last syllable, startling Xi Xizhi so much that her heart skipped a beat.
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