The closer you get to the border of Jiangnan, the more humid the air becomes, and you can see mountains stretching as far as the eye can see, one after another, lush and green.
Looking at the scenery, which was completely different from that of the imperial city, Zhao Ruyue felt refreshed and relaxed.
Zhang Jie wasn't one to procrastinate. He simply felt the atmosphere was good, with his beloved girl in the carriage and only two people behind him. He had sent the others away after receiving the Crown Prince's letter, sending them off to gather information.
He left only two guards with him, dressed as ordinary servants, and headed discreetly towards Jiangnan.
A guard just came back and said there's a beautiful little river ahead.
Suddenly, Zhang Jie had an idea: "Ruyue, there's a water source ahead with nice scenery. Why don't we rest there for a while? It's almost noon."
Zhao Ruyue readily agreed. She had been riding in the carriage for several days and her bottom was numb: "Great! I can finally get some fresh air."
As the carriage rounded a bend, a long river came into view in the distance.
The small river I mentioned earlier was too hasty. This river is quite large, about 10 meters wide, but fortunately, the water is not deep.
It's probably not the flood season now, as there are many stones exposed.
Zhao Ruyue got off the carriage, stretched her back, and slowly walked towards the riverbed.
"Ruyue, watch your step!" Zhang Jie saw her go down and followed her.
The two guards had long understood Zhang Jie's feelings for Zhao Ruyue, so they simply pulled the horse aside to graze and went to see what food was available nearby.
Zhang Jie looked at the woman squatting by the water washing her hands and face, and wondered how he would confess his feelings.
Now that they were all alone, it was the perfect time for them to confess their feelings.
He secretly decided that he would confess his feelings as soon as she got up and turned around.
Zhao Ruyue had no idea that he was thinking so much behind the scenes.
She had just washed her hands and dried her face, and her eyes happened to be looking into the water. She wasn't sure if she was seeing things, but she felt there was something strange in the water.
"Lord Zhang! Come here for a moment!"
"Oh! They're here." Zhang Jie's train of thought was interrupted, and he rushed forward without having time to think.
I was worried something might have happened to her, so I scanned her closely, but thankfully she was alright.
Zhao Ruyue remained in the same squatting position and pointed to a spot in the water: "Lord Zhang, I think I just saw something there. Can you come and see what it is?"
Zhang Jie squatted down and took a closer look.
Good heavens, if I'm not mistaken, this is clearly a woman's hand!
He quickly grabbed Ruyue's hand: "Don't look, let's go!"
Zhao Ruyue guessed, "This...could it be!"
Zhang Jie hugged her tightly and patted her back reassuringly: "Don't be afraid! I'm here."
Zhao Ruyue actually wanted to say that she wasn't afraid, but the other person was so considerate that she couldn't bear to interrupt.
It felt so good to be cared for like this, and she was a little reluctant to leave.
Two guards caught a pheasant outside and were happily preparing to take it back for a meal when they spotted the two embracing from afar.
The two remained silent, exchanged a glance, and quietly watched the show from a distance.
We've been hugging for so long, isn't it time for a kiss?
The journey was so boring. We were finally looking forward to something interesting, but after waiting for ages, this was all we got?
Even the pheasants couldn't stand it anymore; they held the same position and started flapping their wings.
Hearing the commotion, Zhang Jie looked over and saw the two men holding a pheasant, winking at him, seemingly lost in thought.
He frowned. What kind of time is this? Honestly, you two, be normal! We have important business to discuss.
The two men rushed over: "Sir, we've killed a chicken."
Knowing they were busy, Zhao Ruyue quickly stepped forward and took the chicken, saying, "Give me the chicken, you two have important business to attend to."
Zhang Jie asked uncertainly, "Can you, a woman, do this?"
"Who do you think you are? Go ahead and rest assured!" Zhao Ruyue swiftly killed the pheasant with a single slash.
Seeing that she did understand, Zhang Jie led the two of them toward the place where they had found it.
When they arrived at their destination, the two looked in the direction Zhang Jie was pointing and their expressions became serious.
The three jumped into the water and began throwing mud from where their hands were exposed.
Soon, a female corpse was dug out and carried to the shore.
This is a very young woman, her eyes are closed, she is not breathing at all, and there is a small black mole on her lip.
What's most noticeable is the woman's slightly protruding belly.
We still don't know who the other party is.
An enticing aroma wafted over; it turned out that Zhao Ruyue had already roasted a pheasant.
Zhang Jie led his men over and saw that Zhao Ruyue had already cut the pheasant into four pieces with a knife, so that no one would refuse to take it.
"Let's eat first, a few more minutes won't make a difference." Zhao Ruyue picked up a dish and started eating.
Zhang Jie also picked up a serving: "Eat quickly. After you finish, you two run errands to the nearest county government office and report to the authorities. Tell them that you two discovered this. Go back with them and find out who this person is. The princess and I will wait for you at the inn."
"Yes!" The two quickly picked up their portions and started eating.
The man ate very quickly, and the two guards finished quickly, mounted their horses, and left.
Zhao Ruyue slowly finished eating, took a closer look at the female corpse, and then walked away.
Zhang Jie followed behind: "Let's hide in the shadows first, pull the carriage away, and wait for someone to come and take the body away before leaving."
Zhao Ruyue agreed, and the two walked around in silence. After crossing a low hillside, they came to a quiet, grassy valley.
Zhang Jie pulled the horse over and tied it to a big tree. There was plenty of lush grass around the tree, and the horse grazed obediently there.
The two went back again, this time hiding on a high hillside, lying on the ground, where they could see what was happening below.
A woman's corpse lay quietly by the river.
The sun's rays felt warm on my skin, making me want to sleep.
Zhao Ruyue squinted her eyes several times. Zhang Jie watched her adorable appearance and felt a sweet warmth in his heart. Even just lying on the ground seemed incredibly amusing.
Just as Ruyue was about to fall asleep, a group of soldiers came over noisily.
The two men saw clearly from above. The officers and soldiers came over, questioned the two who had reported the incident, and quickly carried the man away on a stretcher. The group left in a short time.
After everyone left, Zhao Ruyue felt sleepy and simply lay still, intending to take a nap first.
Seeing that she was asleep, Zhang Jie lay still and felt the sunlight getting hotter and hotter. Ruyue's brows furrowed slightly; it must be getting a little hot.
He gently got up, took off his coat, and held it above her.
Sure enough, this made her feel much more comfortable, and Zhao Ruyue slept much better.
Zhang Jie was extremely satisfied to see her sleeping so soundly.
Zhao Ruyue slept for two hours before waking up; she really slept well today.
As soon as I opened my eyes, my senses returned slowly, and I felt the coolness above my head. I slowly got up and realized that my comfort was because someone had shielded me from the sun.
"Lord Zhang! I... I feel that words of thanks are not enough." Zhao Ruyue's voice was somewhat dry.
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