He was an upright gentleman who adhered to proper etiquette. He would never cross his own moral line or get so intimate with an innocent young lady before marriage.
Gu Ying didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As expected, honest people also had downsides when it came to being honest. At critical moments they didn't know how to be flexible.
She had no choice but to make a compromise, "There really are wild beasts in this forest. I didn't intend to take advantage of Master Fu. Let's use our sashes to tie each other's wrists to prevent getting separated. What do you think, Master Fu?"
Fu Xunzhi was embarrassed. He felt like he had embarrassed himself. "Second young lady, you misunderstand. I didn't mean that..."
Gu Ying nimble removed the sash around her waist. She tied the two ends together into a long rope. She tied one end around his wrist and the other end around her own.
Fu Xunzhi's face grew even more flushed. He didn't know where to put his hands.
Gu Ying no longer had any other thoughts. The deeper they went into the dense forest, the more she just thought about how to get out alive. After all, in her previous life, someone had lost a leg to a tiger during a winter hunt.
She had some martial arts skills and could climb trees. But Fu Xunzhi looked like a weak scholar without any fighting ability. If they really encountered a tiger, they would likely end up as a meal.
She pulled Fu Xunzhi along, her gaze firm. "Let's go."
The two walked towards Jixue Cliff again. After about an hour, Gu Ying's biggest worry happened.
The wind and snow suddenly grew stronger and the weather became severe, affecting their hunting progress.
She was still fine alone, but with Fu Xunzhi, it became somewhat difficult.
Before long, the cold wind intensified. The horse under them panicked and Fu Xunzhi was thrown off. In a flash he was gone.
The situation was urgent. Gu Ying could only give her horse to Fu Xunzhi. In the fierce wind and snow, she used all her strength to push him onto the horse's back. She told him to hold the reins tightly and head out of the Black Forest. "Master Fu, I'll go find your horse. Ride my horse out of the Black Forest first. Otherwise when it gets dark, it will be even harder to find our way! This forest is huge and deep. It's impossible to walk out on foot!"
Fu Xunzhi's face stung from the icy wind. The world around them was dark and blurry. He couldn't clearly see the woman's face, but his heart pounded anxiously. "No! Second young lady! I can't leave you alone here!"
Gu Ying didn't care what he said. She slapped the horse's rear and let it take Fu Xunzhi away.
Watching his disappearing figure, she breathed a sigh of relief. But she didn't dare linger and hurried in the direction Rufeng had run off.
After walking for a long time, she felt her strength draining away. She still hadn't found Rufeng.
She decided to just head to Jixue Cliff. There would naturally be hunters there. She could ask them for help getting out.
Exhausted, she stubbornly walked through the swirling snow.
Just as she was about to reach Jixue Cliff, suddenly she heard the muffled sound of galloping hoofbeats behind her.
Whose horse could gallop so smoothly through this deep snowy forest?
She struggled to stand up straight in the fierce cold wind. Before she could see the person's face, her foot slipped on the slope and she tumbled sideways.
"Ah - help!"
Even someone as calm as her turned pale now. She desperately reached out, trying to grab onto something!
She didn't want to die. She had been reborn once. She hadn't had a chance to avenge herself yet. How could she die such a meaningless death in this vast Black Forest!
But her rapid descent made her feel hopeless and helpless.
She even shamefully wet her eyes and closed them in despair.
However, just as she was panicking and thought her death was certain, a long arm suddenly reached out from midair and easily encircled her slender waist.
That person's figure was like a startled swan, leaping over nimbly like a bird. His speed was extremely fast, blending into the wind and snow. His billowing black cloak was powerful and made one's breathing turn cold.
Gu Ying was startled. She suddenly felt light as a swallow. After a dizzying spin, she found herself pulled back onto a horse's back, safely nestled against a sturdy, broad chest.
She still hadn't recovered from the close call. Her breathing stopped for a while as she stared blankly with wide eyes. It wasn't until the icy snow seeped into her eyes that she finally blinked her sore eyes.
"Thank you for saving me, sir—"
"Keep quiet."
Hearing the familiar low voice, Gu Ying lowered her head and noticed the "Qilin" pattern on the man's sleeve.
"Prince Zhao?"
Zhao Changdu wrapped his arms around her delicate body. His right hand tightly held the reins. He didn't speak again.
The horse under them was very different from her pampered warhorse in Bianjing. Each powerful and agile step showed its fine muscles and noble head, just like its master - handsome and aloof.
She had wanted to ask Zhao Changdu to put her down first, but the situation suddenly reversed. A cold arrow flew out from somewhere, narrowly missing her feet and making her heart leap to her throat.
Before she could react, more arrows rained down behind them.
She turned pale with fright.
"Prince, what's going on? Could it be... someone is trying to assassinate you?"
She didn't think she was important enough for someone to ruthlessly attack her like this.
But Zhao Changdu was different. He commanded a powerful army and had long held control of the border. Now he held great power and had just been appointed Supreme Commander by the Emperor. It was no surprise someone resented him. This assassination attempt was surely aimed at him.
Gu Ying didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
What terrible misfortune had she encountered to have so much go wrong since entering the Black Forest?
First Rufeng had run off, she sent Fu Xunzhi away, and was left alone. Just as she thought to head to Jixue Cliff to find help, she had accidentally slipped and fallen.
It was one thing to be saved by the Crown Prince she had tried to avoid. But she never imagined Zhao Changdu would drag her into this deadly assassination!
She did have some martial arts skills, enough to deal with the young ladies of her household. But that was far from sufficient against these trained killers.
To preserve her life, she had no choice but to cling to Zhao Changdu's arm...
The spirited horse galloped swiftly as lightning. The fierce wind and snow stung her delicate cheeks, instantly turning them red.
The man seemed to notice her discomfort.
Even at such high speeds, he freed a hand to wrap her small face in his thick cloak.
Gu Ying's vision went dark, but she felt strangely reassured.
"Prince, you don't need to be so concerned about me..."
"Don't speak."
As always, he was taciturn and cold.
