Bai Yu touched the back of his hand, which was red from being slapped, and smiled slightly. "If you have the ability, then come on over."
Xu Yuehuai stopped and turned around to glare at him.
"Madwoman!" she cursed, then walked into the tent without looking back.
As the autumn wind rises and the grass turns yellow, the prelude to the autumn hunt begins with the gentle dance of falling leaves.
Xu Yuehuai stood quietly at the edge of the camp, her gaze drifting towards the golden grassland, her heart in turmoil.
She was forced to hunt with the renowned White Feather Emperor. Although she was reluctant, the emperor's command was absolute, and she had no choice but to obey.
Bai Yu, clad in gleaming silver armor, resembled a cheetah on the battlefield, each step exuding power and majesty. His eyes, sharp as an eagle's, seemed to pierce through layers of mist, discerning the slightest movement of his prey.
His hunting skills were truly astonishing; every hunt he took resulted in a bountiful catch, earning him the admiration of everyone.
Xu Yuehuai, though she tried her best to imitate, always came back empty-handed.
Her arrows always seemed to miss their prey, and her sense of frustration grew heavier.
Whenever this happened, she would secretly glance at Bai Yu. His composed figure and calm, decisive eyes made her feel inferior to him.
"Xiaoyue, look at the bushes over there, there seems to be some movement." Bai Yu's voice was like a spring breeze, calming Xu Yuehuai's agitation a little.
She looked in the direction Bai Yu pointed and indeed saw a strange ripple in the grass.
"Aim at its eyes, keep your hand steady." Bai Yu's voice was like a command, guiding Xu Yuehuai's actions.
She slowly aimed her arrow at the prey in the grass, but just as she was about to release it, a gust of wind blew by, and the prey in the grass suddenly disappeared.
"Sigh, another failure." Xu Yuehuai sighed in frustration and threw the bow and arrow in her hand to the ground.
Bai Yu didn't blame her. Instead, he bent down to pick up the bow and arrows, gently patted her shoulder, and said, "It's okay. Hunting requires patience and skill. Let's try again."
In the days that followed, Bai Yu patiently guided Xu Yuehuai, explaining every detail from observing the prey to aiming and shooting.
Xu Yuehuai gradually mastered hunting skills. Although she couldn't always return with a full load like Bai Yu, her progress had already impressed those around her.
However, during a hunt, Xu Yuehuai encountered a life-or-death crisis.
While she was tracking a wild beast alone, she was accidentally tackled to the ground by it.
Just as she was about to be bitten by the beast, a flash of cold light appeared, and Bai Yu appeared before her like a god descending from the heavens. He killed the beast with a single stroke, saving Xu Yuehuai.
"Are you alright?" Bai Yu asked with concern.
Xu Yuehuai struggled to her feet. Looking at the blood in Bai Yu's hands and the beast's corpse lying on the ground, she felt a complex mix of emotions.
"Stop pretending. You arranged all of this, didn't you?" Xu Yuehuai suddenly said, her voice filled with anger and dissatisfaction.
Bai Yu paused for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I never intended to hurt you, and I would never stoop to using such methods."
Looking into Bai Yu's sincere eyes, Xu Yuehuai's anger gradually subsided.
She knew she might have misunderstood Bai Yu, but she still chose to turn around and return to her own tent.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, she recalled the events of just moments ago and felt a wave of fear wash over her. If Bai Yu hadn't appeared in time, she would probably be dead.
Just then, the voices of officials outside came through: "This girl has such a bad temper. His Majesty has always taken good care of her, how could she treat His Majesty like this?"
"Everyone knows that this person is Miss Shen, whom His Majesty used to like."
"What? She's the Lady Shen who died before? I was wondering why His Majesty would suddenly take a liking to a strange woman. So it's her."
"Lady Shen has sacrificed so much for our Dong Sang, and now she can do whatever she wants."
Hearing these comments, Xu Yuehuai couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself.
She chose to fake her death to leave because she didn't want to bear so much responsibility and expectation.
But now, she has once again become the focus of everyone's attention.
After the commotion subsided, she got up and left the tent.
Night had fallen outside. Xu Yuehuai looked up at the twinkling stars in the sky and thought of her promise to Qi Guze. She had to persevere, complete her mission, and then meet up with him.
The night sky was like a splashed ink painting, so thick that it was almost suffocating.
The autumn wind howled across the empty grassland, taking away the daytime hustle and bustle, but seemingly bringing a heavier sense of oppression.
Xu Yuehuai stood quietly outside the tent, gazing at the few clusters of flickering firelight in the distance, her heart churning like a turbulent sea.
Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats broke the silence of the night, followed by the clanging of metal against metal and the terrified cries of the soldiers.
"Something's wrong! Enemies..."
Xu Yuehuai's heart tightened suddenly. She knew that this sudden commotion meant that the assassination operation had begun.
She turned around hurriedly and ran towards Bai Yu's tent, praying that he would be safe and sound.
However, when she arrived at the camp, panting heavily, the scene before her made her heart sink – the area outside the camp was a mess, stained with blood, as if a brutal battle had just taken place.
Xu Yuehuai gripped the sword tightly in her hand and carefully lifted the curtain of the tent.
The tent was dimly lit, with only a few faint fires flickering and casting dappled light on the surroundings. She looked around warily, when suddenly she heard a faint groan.
She followed the sound and saw Bai Yu lying in the corner with multiple wounds on his body, his armor stained with blood.
His face was as pale as paper, and his eyes were filled with fear and resentment, but when he saw Xu Yuehuai, he showed a hint of relief.
"You... how did you get here?" Bai Yu asked with difficulty, his voice so weak it was almost inaudible.
Xu Yuehuai did not answer, but silently walked to his side, squatted down, and gently wiped the bloodstains from his face with her sleeve.
Looking at his once arrogant and haughty face, now so disheveled, she suddenly felt a mischievous urge.
"I won't let you die," Xu Yuehuai whispered, standing up to face the approaching enemy.
The next instant, many people approached from outside the tent.
Several men in black rushed in, wielding long knives and staring fiercely at Xu Yuehuai and Bai Yu.
Xu Yuehuai fearlessly stepped forward. Her agility and sharp swordsmanship deterred the men in black from approaching easily.
Although Bai Yu was seriously injured, seeing Xu Yuehuai protecting him so desperately filled him with a sense of heroism. He struggled to his feet, picked up his sword, and fought alongside Xu Yuehuai.
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