Chapter 79 079 She felt she was seeing some kind of cold-blooded...
The next morning, Lu Yuanyuan understood what the two palace maids meant by the little monster "never dying."
Just one night later, the little monster, who was lying on the verge of death in the cage yesterday, had all the terrible whip marks on its body completely healed, as if it had never been injured at all.
Lu Yuanyuan, her black hair flowing freely, sat on the chaise longue, hugging her knees. Her current body seemed naturally sensitive to the cold; even in the sweltering summer heat, she had to wear layers upon layers of clothing, including a floor-length brocade robe. Two palace maids stood behind her, helping her with her hair and makeup.
The golden cage was placed not far in front of her. After the little monster's wounds healed, it got up and curled up like a child, its limbs like four dry sticks, black and thin.
It seemed to lack any sense of shame, as if it were born without it, and felt no embarrassment at being naked. Its posture was merely a way of alerting itself to the outside world and protecting itself. Its two thin, dark hands gripped the piece of meat that had been fed to it the day before, chewing and swallowing it without making a sound.
Noticing that Lu Yuanyuan was staring at it, the little monster slowly raised its head. It did not show any cowering fear from being abused so much; its two eyes rolled straight at it, and it continued chewing without stopping.
Lu Yuanyuan's fingers, which were resting on her knees, twitched.
For a moment, she felt as if she were seeing the eyes of some kind of cold-blooded snake.
Crystal clear, spotless, and cold, it reflects no emotion whatsoever.
She had to admit that the little monster's self-healing ability was truly astonishing, far surpassing that of many low-level cultivators.
Could this be an innate talent of its? Otherwise, it's really hard to explain why it has such a strong recovery ability but lacks a matching powerful demonic force, and can't even break through this ordinary cage.
However, since it's already lively and energetic, we can release it on the way back to the palace.
Two palace maids carefully styled Lu Yuanyuan's hair and were about to insert various jingling hairpins into her hair. As soon as Lu Yuanyuan saw the intricate and shimmering gold beads, she felt her cervical spondylosis eagerly beckoning to her, and hurriedly said, "Let it be like this, no need for decorations."
Two palace maids responded and closed the lid of the ornament box.
Lu Yuanyuan deliberately yawned, pointed to the cage, pretending she hadn't noticed it before, and asked, "By the way, where does it usually stay when I'm not looking for it?"
"Your Highness, it is usually cared for and fed by Eunuch Jinzhong."
Lu Yuanyuan said "Oh": "Then let's send it back later and have Jinzhong take good care of it so it doesn't go hungry. I'll take it with me when I go back to the palace."
After all, it's better to release them after they've been fed.
"Yes, Princess."
Jinzhong was Shen Gonggong's godson. He was a fair-skinned and chubby man with cheeks like two steamed buns, which was quite endearing. He quickly brought four palace servants over and together they carried the cage to a small wooden sedan chair outside the door.
The sun was blazing, and the area outside the corridor was lush and green. Jinzhong quietly closed the palace door, wiped his sweat, glanced at the little monster in the cage, and muttered, "Strange... the wounds are healing so quickly this time."
"Father-in-law, what did you say?"
Jinzhong immediately became serious, gathered his sleeves, and put on a stern face, saying, "It's nothing, just be careful with your movements, carry it back."
...
While waiting to return to the palace, Lu Yuanyuan experienced firsthand what it meant to live a life of extravagance and indulgence as a princess. However, she did not become addicted to pleasure, because she discovered that several new textbooks had appeared in her system inventory, such as "Introduction to Puppetry" and "Advanced Puppetry"... which must have been sent to her by the system.
Lu Yuanyuan quickly flipped through a few pages and found that these books were very similar to the textbooks used by cultivators in cultivation sects, written in a simple and easy-to-understand style. This suited her perfectly; she could study this course on her own during the mission. Once she returned to the original timeline, she could immediately start making it.
In the blink of an eye, four days and nights had passed, and the day to return to the palace finally arrived.
This summer palace is five days' journey from the capital of Yong Kingdom. Given that the original owner of Lu Yuanyuan's body was a fragile, easily broken person, the carriage had to travel slowly. Therefore, their journey would take longer than expected.
On the day of their departure, they set off early in the morning and traveled twenty miles in a day.
At midday, the air in the mountains grew increasingly muggy. After a few rumbles of thunder, a heavy rain began to fall from the sky. Deep in the mountains, the sounds of thunder and rain seemed to echo and reverberate, amplified countless times between the mountain walls, as if huge boulders were rolling down from all directions.
The group braved the heavy rain and arrived at the post station without any major incidents.
The post stations of the Yong Dynasty were essentially government-run guesthouses. Only members of the imperial family or officials traveling on official business with a pass could stay there; it wasn't something money could buy.
If it weren't for the fact that the original owner was a princess, they would have had to spend the night in the wilderness.
Perhaps it was fate playing a trick on them, for just as the group arrived at the post station to rest and led their horses to the stables, the torrential rain that had raged all afternoon stopped.
The sunset painted half the sky red, and the verdant mountains were gilded with a faint golden hue, as birds returned to their nests.
Lu Yuanyuan stayed in the best room in the inn, located on the second floor. When she opened the window, she could see the endless forest behind the inn.
Eunuch Shen, who was standing by, said with a smile, "Your Highness, dinner is ready."
"I'm not hungry yet." Lu Yuanyuan narrowed her eyes and said, "Find a few people, bring that cage, and come with me for a while. Don't make a fuss."
Shen Gonggong was stunned, clearly a little puzzled, but he dared not ask any questions. After responding, he immediately went to make arrangements.
Leaving the post station, a path leads into a dense forest. Further in, one encounters towering, layered mountains.
Lu Yuanyuan walked into the woods, with two guards leading the way and two others carrying the cage containing the little monster behind her.
Eunuch Shen and Jinzhong seemed to be her two guardian deities, anxiously standing beside her. Their hands were placed under her elbows, maintaining a distance that would neither touch her nor prevent her from being steadied if anything happened. They followed her closely, constantly nagging, "Your Highness, these rough mountain paths are not easy to walk on. Please be careful with your step if you are in danger..."
"Your Highness, let me help you..."
Lu Yuanyuan frowned slightly as she observed her surroundings.
Her original plan was to find a secluded spot on the way back to the palace and release the little monster. But when she checked into the post station earlier, she learned from the head guard that once they left the post station tomorrow, they would be completely out of this foothills. At that time, the population along the road would become increasingly dense.
In other words, today is the best time to release animals.
The rain has just stopped, so let's get things done in one go.
Perhaps it was because it was too close to the post station; traces of human activity were everywhere in the woods. There were paths trodden in the grass and wheel tracks left by horse-drawn carriages.
Lu Yuanyuan said, "Let's keep going forward."
The deeper they went, the quieter the forest became, the dense canopy of trees blending together, making the light increasingly dim. Fortunately, the Yong Dynasty was not yet in a period of war, and there were troops stationed at the post station, so there were no reports of bandits causing trouble in this area.
Lu Yuanyuan signaled everyone to stop only when they reached a point where the outline of the post station could no longer be seen when they turned around.
This is a high point in the forest, with old trees and gnarled roots, and weeds that are knee-high. The air is humid, carrying the unique, fishy smell of mud washed away by heavy rain.
Jinzhong walked slowly toward the cage and lifted the black cloth covering it.
The little monster in the cage remained silent throughout the swaying and rocking journey. When light streamed into the cage, its two gazes bypassed the people in the middle and landed precisely on Lu Yuanyuan's face.
Lu Yuanyuan stood far away, her knuckles curling slightly beneath her sleeve. For a fleeting moment, she had a strange thought, as if the other person was scrutinizing her.
But perhaps it was just an illusion, because the little monster quickly lowered its head.
Meanwhile, Jinzhong opened the cage door as she instructed. The lock clicked, and he immediately took a few steps back in alarm. All the guards around him drew their swords warily. Eunuch Shen swallowed hard, standing protectively in front of Lu Yuanyuan.
The little monster had clearly not left its cramped cage for a long time. Unable to tell whether what was presented to it was a trap or something else, it arched its body, warily and stiffly confronting the group for a moment before tentatively extending a finger. The next second, it burst through the door and vanished into the dense grass.
Lu Yuanyuan breathed a sigh of relief: "Let's go back too."
Eunuch Shen was eager to leave this gloomy place and rushed ahead to clear a path for her. But an accident happened at that moment—he stepped on a moss-covered stone, cried out in alarm, slipped and fell flat on his back, bringing Lu Yuanyuan down with him.
Lu Yuanyuan: "..."
The dense weeds obstructed the view, and the torrential rain that had lasted for several hours had softened the soil in the woods, causing it to slid down into a small hill. As soon as Lu Yuanyuan fell, she slid down the slope, her arms instinctively reaching out to grab a branch protruding from the hillside. But the branch was too thin and brittle, offering absolutely no cushioning. Like riding a roller coaster with failed brakes, she slid to the bottom of the hill, landing in a muddy pit covered with grass.
Compared to the dangers Lu Yuanyuan had experienced, this was merely a slide. However, the body she was currently inhabiting was far too fragile. The jolting caused her brain matter to slosh around inside her skull, and her retinas to go black in waves. She only vaguely remembered that her hand had pressed against something cold and rough. Then, that thing suddenly moved, quickly wrapping around her leg.
...
"...Princess! Princess!"
"Your Highness! Are you alright? Don't frighten me, wake up!"
Lu Yuanyuan heard someone calling her soul back to its source. She opened her eyes groggily and saw two heads crowding above her.
Eunuch Shen and Jinzhong's eyes were red, and their voices were already trembling with sobs: "Princess! You've finally woken up!"
Lu Yuanyuan felt weak all over. The two men helped her sit up, only to find that the guards had caught up and surrounded her. A few meters away in the mud, lay a python as thick as her calf, already hacked to death. Not far away was a snake's nest, with some translucent snake skins scattered inside.
Lu Yuanyuan: "..."
Was she just swept away by this thing?
I never imagined that a snake as thick as her calf could carry away someone as big as her.
One reason is probably that she's too thin. Another reason is that snakes are incredibly strong. I've heard that snakes can effortlessly coil up trees to eat prey many times their own size.
Lu Yuanyuan's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she pursed her lips.
Whenever she talked about being coiled by a snake, she thought of one person.
She... actually has quite a bit of experience in this area.
Snakes are indeed very strong.
Jin Zhong, still shaken, said, "This must be a snake that has just finished molting and is out hunting. Your Highness, you slipped into the mud and were dragged away by this snake. Fortunately, you are blessed with good fortune!"
The eunuch, pale-faced and with white lips, knelt on the ground, anxiously examining her: "Your Highness, is there any pain or injury on your body?"
Thanks to the afternoon downpour, which softened the woodland, Lu Yuanyuan didn't bump into any hard objects like rocks. However, as soon as she raised her hand, she noticed a small splinter stuck in her fingertip, drawing blood.
It must have been pricked by a branch when it slid down.
Upon seeing this, the four guards immediately knelt down, while Eunuch Shen and Jinzhong trembled with fear.
Lu Yuanyuan frowned slightly, pulled out the splinter, and said, "It's alright, it was an accident, it's not your fault. Only we know about releasing the animals today, so don't tell anyone when we get back, understand?"
Understanding that she meant she wouldn't pursue the matter, everyone was both surprised and relieved by her magnanimity today, especially Eunuch Shen, who kept expressing his gratitude.
Lu Yuanyuan stood up, wiped the blood from her fingertip, and suddenly heard a guard whisper, "This snake...did it eat something just now?"
Lu Yuanyuan was startled and looked closely. Sure enough, below the python's neck, there was a bulge that was clearly disproportionate to its size. Judging from its location, it must have just swallowed its prey!
Lu Yuanyuan made a quick decision, pointing at it: "Quickly peel it open and see what it is, maybe it's still alive!"
The guards swarmed forward and, in a few swift movements, severed the snake's head. A dark, viscous mass, covered in digestive fluids and seemingly lifeless, slid out, causing everyone to stare wide-eyed.
Lu Yuanyuan was also taken aback.
Isn't this the little monster she just released?
How did it end up here, and get swallowed by a snake?
She clearly released it in the opposite direction from the snake's den... How did it accidentally end up in the snake's mouth?
Was it a coincidence or an accident?
Lu Yuanyuan frowned, pondered for a moment, but could not come to a conclusion, so she could only say, "...Never mind, let's take it back to the post station first."
.
This attempt to release the animals ended in failure.
Having been eaten by a snake, the little monster's skin looked as if it had been burned by digestive fluids, a far cry from its previous state of being covered in whip marks. Upon returning to the inn, it remained unconscious. Its condition was unsuitable for release, so Lu Yuanyuan ordered Jinzhong to continue caring for it, hoping it would heal itself like before.
Several days later, they arrived at the capital of Yong Kingdom.
Upon returning to the palace, a host of tedious tasks awaited her. After paying her respects to everyone she was required to and meeting with all the people she needed to see, the first day was over.
The plan to approach Yue Hong had to be postponed until the next day.
This time, fate smiled upon her; before Lu Yuanyuan could even finalize her plan, the person she was looking for delivered himself to her doorstep.
It was noon on the second day after she returned to the palace. Lu Yuanyuan was sitting in the garden basking in the sun when she suddenly noticed a small head peeking out from above the palace wall, looking at her curiously and furtively.
Eunuch Shen also noticed and roared in a powerful voice, "How dare you! Who's spying!"
The little head froze, as if startled, and then cried out "Ah!" before falling off the palace wall.
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