Chun Di glanced at the black cloak in Song He'er's hand, and her face instantly turned pale.
"My fifth sister, these clothes were given to you by His Highness. It's probably not appropriate for you to give them to your fourth aunt. Hurry up and put them on yourself."
"No, she'll look ridiculous like this. Quickly help her get dressed, then let her rest in the carriage for a while..."
Chun Di hesitated for a long time before declining Song He'er's offer. "Your clothes are all torn, you should wear them yourself. My clothes are still intact, and the bandit didn't touch me. Take off my outer garment and give it to your fourth aunt..."
As she spoke, Chun Di took off her coat and draped it over Chun Rao.
The nights are already chilly, and this newly bought cotton coat is now tattered and dirty, offering no protection against the cold. If we continue south, we probably won't encounter any more towns. We'll have no choice but to climb the snow-capped mountains like this. If we encounter another hailstorm, we'll likely freeze to death on the way.
Song He'er sighed. Now she could only leave it to fate; there was no point in thinking about it too much.
"Then you should quickly help Fourth Aunt to rest in the carriage. Third Aunt has already cleaned it up inside. We won't go in for now. You should comfort her first."
Chun Di nodded gratefully and helped Chun Rao walk into the carriage.
The wind grew even stronger at midnight, and Zhang Xiu'e put up the tent, wanting to call people inside to rest.
Just as Song He'er was about to turn around, she suddenly noticed that several military tents had appeared around the carriage, each with a fire burning in front of it. Song He'er couldn't understand it. Could it be that Jiang Huaifu was spending the night here?
As she was thinking this, her legs began to move forward uncontrollably.
Jiang Huaifu was very tall, and the firelight made his shadow appear long and slender.
"Your Highness."
Hearing the sound, the person in front turned around and saw Song He'er standing there with a surprised expression. Suddenly, she smiled and asked, "What? Afraid that my soldiers will bully you?"
Song He'er looked embarrassed. "No...no, I just wanted to ask, aren't you going back to the palace tonight? This place is too harsh; it's not a place a royal prince like you can stay..."
These were just polite words; in reality, Song He'er didn't think that way at all.
She couldn't wait for this man to leave so he wouldn't try anything funny with her! Even if she liked handsome men, she would never accept a sick king who was using her as a substitute.
“If a young lady from a general’s mansion can stay here, why can’t I?” Jiang Huaifu retorted.
She saw a wanton and untamed look in his eyes. Could it be that this scoundrel really wanted to...?
No way! She's from the future, how can we have a cross-time romance? Wilderness survival! Making money is the most important thing!
"...Your Highness, please rest well. I'm going to take care of my mother."
"Wait a minute!" Jiang Huaifu suddenly grabbed her arm from behind.
Song He'er forcefully shook him off, staring blankly at him: "Is...is something wrong?"
"Keep talking to me."
Song He'er's expression froze instantly. After a long pause, she rejected Jiang Huaifu without even thinking.
“Your Highness! I know I resemble the young lady in your heart, but as I have said, I am not her. She is her, and I am me. I can never be a substitute for anyone. I am very grateful to Your Highness for letting me go that day, and I am also very grateful to you for saving me today. But I only feel gratitude towards you, nothing more.”
Jiang Huaifu froze instantly. The usually aggressive young prince was speechless for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. After a long while, he finally spoke indifferently, "Things are not as you think at all. Perhaps you and my mother have both misunderstood."
“Your Highness, I really have many things to deal with. I have no mood to learn about your own conflicts. My stepmother was frightened, and Madam Tian and Third Aunt even fell off the carriage. As for my Fourth Aunt, you saw it yourself…”
Jiang Huaifu seemed to understand her feelings at that moment, so he stopped stopping her and let her leave.
When Song He'er returned to her tent, Zhang Xiu'e and Li Qiang's wife were cleaning her wounds, while Qin Xiaoniang was holding a lamp nearby.
However, Qin Xiaoniang seemed somewhat absent-minded, completely unaware that lamp oil had dripped onto her clothes.
Zhang Xiue stretched out her hand and waved it in front of her eyes. "What's wrong with you? You've been so distracted ever since you came in. Were you frightened?"
Qin Xiaoniang shook her head awkwardly and moved the oil lamp in her hand closer.
Huan Ge'er and the other children were also quite frightened. They were wide awake and kept eating potatoes and playing around.
“Mother, let me light the lamp…” Song He’er knew why Qin Xiaoniang was absent-minded, so she took the oil lamp from her hand and used it to apply medicine for Zhang Xiu’e.
Li Qiang's wife grimaced in pain as she looked up at Song He'er's expression.
After holding back for a long time, he finally couldn't contain himself any longer and looked at Song He'er, asking, "He'er, I just saw you talking to that young prince for a long time. What were you saying?"
"Huh? No."
"He might have taken a liking to you, He'er. Let me tell you, these royal men are completely unreliable. Besides, you're now the daughter of a disgraced official. Even if he takes a liking to you, it might not be a good thing. What if he uses you in the future..."
Before Li Qiang's wife could finish speaking, Song He'er interrupted her, "What are you saying, Madam Tian? He's only here on official business. There's no way we could be together! Besides, he wouldn't even look at me!"
"Then why doesn't he leave? He even set up a tent, planning to come to Xinzhou with us?"
Song He'er was amused by her words, "What are you thinking, Madam Tian? What kind of place is Xinzhou? It's a wilderness! Once we leave this snow mountain, we'll be out of Xizhou territory. Why would someone give up a good life to suffer in the wilderness with us!"
While applying the medicine, Zhang Xiu'e chimed in, "He'er is right. I think this prince from the Western Regions is only interested in our young lady because she is young and from the Central Plains. Her appearance and personality are completely different from the women here, so he is intrigued. But this enthusiasm won't last long. Just you wait, he'll have to go back to his residence soon!"
Li Qiang's wife stopped talking, lowered her head, and focused on her wound.
Song He'er quietly lifted the curtain and looked into the distance. She saw Jiang Huaifu sitting by the fire. The warm firelight made his profile glow red. His slender fingers rested on the flames, just like the gentleman playing the piano in a fairy tale. His hands were so beautiful and long.
........
Let's guess, is the unfamiliar woman who always appears in the story the dream lover of the prince from the Western Regions?
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