Chapter 192 Maybe I heard it wrong
Before Helian Feng finished speaking, Mingying's body had already rushed to the edge of the forest like a ghost.
His figure was as fast as lightning, but when he broke into the jungle, he startled a group of egrets again.
The snow-colored bird flapped its wings and flew into the air. The shadow left for a moment, then returned and knelt on one knee:
"Your Highness, there's no one in the forest. It must be a startled night heron that disturbed the commotion. If there were someone there, they wouldn't be so agile."
Helian Feng nodded slightly and did not delve into it further.
Xiyan's heart skipped a beat.
She clutched the hem of her skirt to suppress her pounding heart. At that moment, she clearly caught a glimpse of a black corner flashing in the twilight.
"Maybe I heard it wrong!"
Helian Feng turned around and wrapped her cloak tightly around him, his fingertips touching her cold earlobe:
"Go home first, don't catch a cold."
Xiyan nodded, but saw stars reflected in his eyes. It turned out that he also knew that the black corner of his clothes was not an illusion.
The night wind suddenly blew, and the branches and leaves of the camphor tree rustled.
Xiyan followed Helian Feng away from the Taiye Lake and walked towards the carriage.
The jungle behind him fell silent again, with only a few night herons flying over the water, making long and melodious calls.
Xiyan suddenly felt that the night at Taiye Lake was much colder than during the day.
After getting on the carriage, Helian Feng looked at her profile. Compared with when she came, there was a hint of sadness in her face.
He suddenly reached out to tidy up her hair that was messed up by the wind, and said softly:
"In the future... I will move some of the lotus flowers from Taiye Pond to the Crown Prince's Mansion so that you can see this beautiful scenery every day."
Xiyan nodded slightly and let him hold her hand.
A melodious tune came from the distant pleasure boat, and she suddenly remembered Nan Zhao's nursery rhyme:
"The lotus is beautiful, the lotus is delicate, don't wait for the flower to fall and break your back."
Perhaps these beautiful flowers shouldn't bloom in the pond of this imperial city...
The wind swept across the water, bringing a whiff of lotus fragrance. Xiyan leaned against the wall of the box, lowered her eyes and said nothing.
Helian Feng also looked out the car window quietly. There was silence between the two of them, with only the squeaking sound of the wheels rolling over the gravel.
Xiyan suddenly hoped that this moment of peace could last longer, longer—
Even if it is just a mirage, it is better than facing the swords and shadows hidden in the dark.
…
Two days later, the Dragon Boat Festival will arrive.
According to the old custom of the Tianqi period, on the Dragon Boat Festival, concubines and female members of the royal family could be granted special permission to leave the palace and go to Shuiyue Temple to burn incense and pray for blessings.
Helian Shu is no exception.
It was a rare opportunity for her to leave the palace, so she dressed neatly early in the morning, took a few maids with her, and left the palace under the protection of several guards.
Just as they arrived at the palace gate, they saw a fragrant carriage with green feathers slowly approaching. When the curtain was lifted, Su Wan's jade-like face was revealed. A cinnabar mole between her eyebrows made her look pitiful.
"Sister Shu'er, I know you'll be going to Shuiyue Temple today like you do in previous years. Why don't we go together?"
"OK!"
Helian Shu was very happy. She abandoned her own carriage and got into Su Wan's carriage with the help of her maid.
Su Wan took out a small brocade bag from his sleeve:
"This is a new five-poison sachet I made. It's filled with mugwort and realgar. It's the best way to ward off evil spirits. I'm giving one to you."
Helian Shu smiled and took it:
"Oh, Wan'er, you're really clever. I actually forgot that when offering incense, one must also offer the Five Poisons Sachet to show piety."
Helian Shu grabbed Su Wan's wrist and laughed so hard that her body shook. The aroma of the mugwort sachets in the car was so strong that it filled people's hearts.
"In previous years, I always watched those old nuns chanting at Shuiyue Temple. This year, I must pester Abbot Shuijing to ask for some new Buddhist beads..."
The two of them laughed and chatted, and before they knew it, half an hour had passed.
The hustle and bustle of the downtown area outside the car gradually faded away. Even the sound of the guards' horses' hooves was replaced by the whistling wind, and the car body became more and more bumpy.
Helian Shu and Su Wan seemed to realize that something was wrong. They looked at each other and hurriedly lifted the gold embroidered curtains on both sides, but their faces suddenly changed.
The green bricks on both sides of the official road had turned into withered yellow weeds at some point. The earthen mounds in the distance rose and fell like the backs of giant beasts, seemingly heading towards wild cemeteries on the outskirts of the city.
Looking behind the carriage again, the original guards and cavalry were nowhere to be seen, and even Helian Shu's carriage carrying several maids was nowhere to be seen.
"parking!"
Helian Shu was shocked, shouted loudly, and pulled down the curtain of the sedan chair in front of her.
"You damned slaves, where are you taking me?"
However, when he looked towards the driver's seat, the original driver was gone. The man shrouded in shadows turned his head when he heard the sound, and only a pair of eyes with a cold light were revealed under his black veil.
Helian Shu's scream was stuck in her throat - those hands were covered with calluses, and there was a hideous scar at the base of the palm, clearly the hand of a warrior who had been holding a knife for years.
Su Wan was also horrified and exclaimed, "Who are you? What do you want to do?"
The masked man sneered:
"You two ladies will know soon!"
With that, he jerked the reins, and the horse neighed and turned toward a more desolate path.
Helian Shu and Su Wan were shocked, but the car was going so fast that they didn't dare jump out of the window to escape, as they would be smashed to pieces.
Helian Shu scolded harshly:
"Traitor, you are so bold! I am the princess of Tianqi, are you tired of living? If you dare to harm me, my father and mother will cut you into pieces!"
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