Lu Zhaoling wanted to explain further to Chu Tianjiao, but she had already ordered the troops to move out.
When Lu Zhaoling heard that Chu Tianjiao's next target was Fire Cloud Mountain, fifty miles away, he pleaded, "Sister Chu, can you please give me back my horse?"
Chu Tianjiao looked troubled and once again urged Lu Zhaoling to return to the city.
Lu Zhaoling reluctantly gave up on getting a horse.
As they left the valley, Chu Tianjiao rode away swiftly with the others, leaving Feng Jia behind to look after Lu Zhaoling and his three companions.
Feng Jia, the leader of the Twelve Warrior Maids, was in charge of maintaining military discipline. Chu Tianjiao had left her behind, ostensibly for protection, but in reality to keep an eye on them.
Lu Zhaoling had no choice but to walk obediently.
After less than ten miles, Lu Zhaoling was exhausted and crouched by the roadside, panting heavily.
Feng Jia dismounted and stood at a distance, not urging him on.
Shun Xin handed Lu Zhaoling a water flask and advised, "Your Highness, why don't we return to the city?"
Lu Zhaoling stubbornly persisted, "Those who achieve greatness must endure hardships. If I retreat now, Chu Tianjiao will surely look down on me. It will be even more difficult to win her hand in marriage."
Shun Xin sighed. At Lu Zhaoling's insistence, he helped him up, and the two continued on, supporting each other.
After a short distance, they caught up with Jiang You, who was limping along.
The three looked up at Jiang Zuo, who was waiting for them in a tree, and a plan formed in their minds.
Lu Zhaoling called Jiang Zuo down and asked him to carry him for a while.
Feng Jia stepped forward to remind him, but Lu Zhaoling glared at her, and she decided not to say anything more.
Just as Lu Zhaoling was starting to feel comfortable on Jiang Zuo's back, he saw that annoying girl riding back on horseback.
Lu Dingfeng pulled on the reins, stroking the mane of her brown mare, and mocked, "Fourth Prince, is this a military march or a leisurely tour? You're even getting a piggyback ride?"
Lu Zhaoling glared at her, but Lu Dingfeng was unfazed and threatened, "I'm going to report this to the Young Miss right now!"
Seeing the girl about to turn her horse around, Lu Zhaoling hurriedly jumped off Jiang Zuo's back and shouted, "Don't go! I'll walk on my own."
Only then did Lu Dingfeng stop, urging, "Fourth Prince, walk faster. If you delay the army's progress, you'll be punished again!"
Lu Zhaoling gritted his teeth as he walked, with the little girl's voice constantly nagging, "Hurry up, hurry up!"
Even Jiang You and Shun Xin, who were stumbling along with Lu Zhaoling, felt that this little girl was too unlovable, resembling a taskmaster driving laborers.
Seeing that Lu Zhaoling and the others had started walking again, Lu Dingfeng finally rode away.
Once the little girl was out of sight, Lu Zhaoling quickly asked Jiang Zuo to carry him again.
However, just as he climbed onto Jiang Zuo's back, the sound of hooves approached, and Lu Dingfeng returned on her brown mare.
"Fourth Prince, I knew you'd slack off again..."
Lu Zhaoling had no choice but to get down from Jiang Zuo's back.
"How did such an annoying girl end up by Sister Chu's side?" he complained.
Lu Dingfeng let out a cold laugh, thinking to herself, "Unfilial descendant! Now that I'm in this girl's body, I can't beat you, but I'll torment you to death!"
Throughout the journey, whenever Lu Zhaoling tried to slack off, Lu Dingfeng would appear.
By the second half of the trip, even when Lu Dingfeng rode away on her horse, Lu Zhaoling dared only to walk honestly.
By the time Lu Zhaoling and his three companions reached Fire Cloud Mountain, night had fallen.
Chu Tianjiao and Lu Dingfeng had already finished exploring the mountain and confirmed that there were no fire turtles in the area.
At this point, Lu Zhaoling, Shun Xin, and Jiang You were in a terribly disheveled state.
The luxurious embroidered vest Lu Zhaoling had been wearing was long gone, revealing the dust-covered white brocade robe underneath.
The hem of the robe was hitched up and tucked into his waist, and his cloud-patterned boots had a hole, exposing his big toe.
Lu Zhaoling no longer bore any resemblance to a dignified prince.
The fifty-mile forced march was the most grueling experience of Lu Zhaoling's life.
What's more, he was starving.
Seeing that the Warrior Maids had already prepared food, Lu Zhaoling could no longer maintain his dignity. He rushed to the pot and ordered the maid who was distributing porridge, "Give me a bowl."
Lu Dingfeng wanted to intervene, but Chu Tianjiao held her back.
Chu Tianjiao whispered, "That's enough."
Only then did Lu Dingfeng give up on her plan to further provoke Lu Zhaoling.
When the maid handed Lu Zhaoling a piece of dry rations, he devoured it ravenously.
Lu Zhaoling suddenly realized that this coarse food tasted even better than the delicacies he usually ate.
After finishing a bowl of porridge and three pieces of dry rations, Lu Zhaoling finally felt alive again.
He lay back, collapsing onto the grass.
Chu Tianjiao walked over and looked down at him, smiling as she asked, "Fourth Prince, are you alright?"
Lu Zhaoling immediately sat up, instinctively adjusting his clothes.
When he realized his brocade robe was as dirty as a rag, he retreated a few steps in embarrassment. "Sister Chu, let me go freshen up before I speak with you."
Shun Xin quickly grabbed some clean clothes and followed Lu Zhaoling as he rushed to the riverside.
When Lu Zhaoling took off his boots and saw the blisters covering his feet, Shun Xin said sympathetically, "Your Highness, we should really go back to the city!"
Lu Zhaoling spat angrily, "If we leave now, wouldn't all this suffering be for nothing? After tonight, I'll have Chu Tianjiao begging on her knees to marry me!"
After washing up, Lu Zhaoling, though still walking with a slight limp, managed to regain some of his former noble appearance.
Lu Zhaoling and his three attendants huddled by the river, quietly discussing their plans for the night.
Lu Dingfeng, who had been keeping a close eye on them, noticed something was amiss but couldn't hear what they were saying.
She returned to Chu Tianjiao's side and warned, "Young Miss, I think my grandson is planning something devious. Be careful."
Given Lu Zhaoling's eagerness to marry, Chu Tianjiao could easily guess what underhanded tactics he might employ.
Chu Tianjiao glanced at the four whispering figures by the river and whispered a few instructions to Lu Dingfeng.
After hearing Chu Tianjiao's plan, Lu Dingfeng raised an objection:
"Little daughter-in-law, that scoundrel is still a descendant of the Lu family. If he's badly hurt, it'll be hard to explain when we return. Besides, I can't help but feel a bit sorry for him."
Chu Tianjiao raised an eyebrow and said sarcastically, "If you were still in power, would you keep a grandson like this?"
When Lu Dingfeng thought about how Lu Zhaoling had ruined the empire he had worked so hard to build, he wanted nothing more than to have him drawn and quartered. How could he still care about his own bloodline?
Seeing that Chu Tianjiao hadn't understood his meaning, he leaned in and whispered his own plan.
Chu Tianjiao turned to look at Lu Dingfeng in shock and remarked:
"I finally understand where the Lu family's rotten core comes from. It's you!"
Seeing that Chu Tianjiao agreed to his plan, Lu Dingfeng rubbed his hands together excitedly and went to make arrangements.
Chu Tianjiao thought coldly to herself: Lu Zhaoling, I had planned to settle our past life's grudge slowly. But since you're so eager to court death now, I'll collect some interest first!
At the third watch of the night, everyone in the camp except for two Warrior Maids on night duty had retired to rest.
Jiang Zuo and Jiang You floated down from the treetops, each delivering a swift chop to knock out the guards and lay them on the ground.
The two took out smoke bombs from their robes and headed for the large tent of the maids and Chu Tianjiao's separate small tent. A quarter of an hour later, they reconvened in Lu Zhaoling's tent.
"Your Highness, it's all taken care of!"
Lu Zhaoling, supporting his exhausted body, stood up with a look of disgust on his face:
"If it weren't for the greater cause, I wouldn't have the slightest interest in bedding that brute Chu Tianjiao right now."
Shun Xin flatteringly held open the tent flap for him, "Your Highness, you've worked hard!"
Lu Zhaoling stood in the open air, taking a deep breath of the fresh mountain air. Feeling invigorated and full of confidence, he ordered:
"I'm off to take care of business. You all keep watch outside and make sure those Warrior Maids don't wake up and disturb my good time!"
Jiang Zuo and Jiang You's faces broke into lewd grins.
Shun Xin maintained his concerned demeanor and advised, "Your Highness, please take care of yourself!"
Lu Zhaoling strode purposefully towards Chu Tianjiao's tent, first calling out tentatively, "Sister Chu..."
