Chapter 38

Mu Wanqing was becoming increasingly confused. Her master had said that most men in the world were not to be trusted, so she regarded men as filth and believed she would never look at a man properly in her life. However, Zhao Yougong's actions today left her deeply puzzled. The villain was a coward, timid as a mouse, and had no martial arts skills at all, yet he still shielded her from a knife. According to her master's teachings, was this villain good or bad?

Perhaps he was bad, but why did she feel a bit of joy in her heart?

Having lived a life isolated from the world since childhood, Mu Wanqing had no concept of the value of human life. For her, killing was just a matter of mood; if she wanted to kill, she would, without any hesitation. Because of this, she had killed countless people without mercy, as she had just done with the dozen bandits, who died at her hands without causing her any distress.

Her heart was cold and hard, like that of a demon who killed without blinking. But now, there was not a trace of the female demon in Mu Wanqing. She gently laid Zhao Yougong on a grass mat, lightly touched his wound with her jade-like fingers, and softly said, "Bear with it, I'll pull the knife out first!"

"Ouch... be... be gentle... it hurts so much!" Zhao Yougong said weakly, his shoulder wound was manageable, but the knife in his buttock was deeply embedded, and even a slight touch made his bones ache.

"Okay!" Mu Wanqing took out a dagger and cut a slit in the fabric on his buttock. At this point, Zhao Yougong's once fair buttocks were soaked in blood, looking terrifying. Mu Wanqing bit her lip, her heart pounding, as this was the first time she had seen a man's buttocks.

Calmly, Mu Wanqing took a deep breath. The knife was deeply embedded, and it had to be pulled out in one go to avoid aggravating the wound. She pressed the artery above the wound with her left hand, gripped the knife handle with her right hand, and pulled it out with a sudden force. A jet of blood spurted out, splashing onto her veil.

Zhao Yougong's face changed with pain, and he fainted.

When he woke up, the sky was already slightly bright. Mu Wanqing was hugging her long sword, dozing against a tree, and Zhao Yougong was covered with a black cloak.

Mu Wanqing, in her deep sleep, looked exceptionally serene, with a smooth forehead and black hair. Her head leaned against the tree, and her legs were curled up lightly. This night had been too exhausting; anyone who had experienced a battle would be drained.

Glancing at his shoulder, he saw a black bandage wrapped around it, and the pain in his buttock had lessened. Looking at the black bandage, he felt a sense of familiarity, realizing it was torn from Mu Wanqing's outer garment.

Trying to push himself up with his left hand, he made some noise. Mu Wanqing opened her sleepy eyes and, seeing that Zhao Yougong was fine, couldn't help but feel delighted. "You're awake? How are your wounds?"

"Much better... do you have water?"

Having lost so much blood, his body felt weak, and his mouth was dry.

Mu Wanqing made Zhao Yougong lie on a stone and quickly fetched a water bottle from Black Rose.

Zhao Yougong drank greedily from the water bottle, and Mu Wanqing opened a paper package, took out a piece of pastry, and softly said, "Drink slowly, have some food first!"

"Huh?" Frowning, Zhao Yougong felt a bit uncomfortable. Previously, Mu Wanqing had either hit or scolded him, often calling him a villain. Now, her gentleness was hard to adapt to.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"You were nice to me, so I'm nice to you. You saved my life before!"

Mu Wanqing's answer was simple. In her world, everything was pure and straightforward. Looking into those bright eyes, Zhao Yougong felt a twinge of guilt. Blocking the knife for her was purely accidental; why should he deceive this straightforward woman?

"Miss Mu, you don't have to be like this. That time was an accident; I was tripped by something..."

"Hmph, why do you need to explain? Is it bad for me to be nice to you?"

Mu Wanqing frowned slightly, and for a moment, the two of them stared at each other, not knowing what to say.

The morning breeze carried a chill, and a thin mist rose around them. Mu Wanqing's gaze was deep and innocent. Her personality was peculiar, and she was naive about human affairs, but in her eyes, Zhao Yougong saw something different.

She was stubborn, really stubborn. Mu Wanqing and Yingzi were so alike; they both had something they were determined to uphold, and once they made up their minds, they wouldn't change, even if it meant death.

Suddenly, Zhao Yougong felt a surge of determination. He had to return to the capital as soon as possible; otherwise, Yingzi would be in trouble. If he went, Yingzi would surely follow him. As a prince for over a decade, the only person who truly cared about him was Yingzi. Perhaps, from today on, there would be another woman, Mu Wanqing.

The playboy of the capital, a guest among the flowers, had many women around him—Mushu, Yurou, and Nianruo. But did these women truly care about him, Zhao Yougong?

A ray of sunlight pierced through the mist. Whether it was dew from her hair or condensed mist, there were tears in Mu Wanqing's eyes. "Villain, why are you so nice to me?"

Grinning, Zhao Yougong turned his head and winked, mimicking Mu Wanqing's tone, "Why so many reasons? If I want to be nice, I'll be nice... ask more, and I'll spank you!"

At this moment, Zhao Yougong had finally returned to his usual self. Mu Wanqing frowned, wiped the moisture from the corner of her eye, and scolded, "Don't imitate me..."

"I'm not..."

"You are!" Almost habitually, Mu Wanqing raised her hand to hit him, then remembered the villain's injured buttock and reluctantly lowered her hand. "Hey, who wants to kill you, to the point of hiring the Mangshan bandits?"

Who wanted to kill him, Zhao Yougong knew clearly. Perhaps the order wasn't given by Emperor Zhezong himself, but without his tacit approval, who would dare to harm a prince? However, there were some things Zhao Yougong didn't want to tell Mu Wanqing.

"Who knows? If you want to know, go ask Muyizhao, that bastard! Hmph, I hope that bastard doesn't die. When I return, I'll lead an army to raze his den."

"Stop being so tough, let's get out of here first!"

At the hour of Si, the morning sun dispelled the mist, and Zhao Yougong and Mu Wanqing set off again. At first, it was fine, with Black Rose carrying Zhao Yougong, who lay on the horse's back without much trouble. But when they reached the southern part of Mangshan, the mountain path became rugged, and lying on the horse's back was no longer feasible.

Looking at the narrow and rugged mountain path, Zhao Yougong smiled helplessly. "Wan'er, find me a stick!"

"Will a stick help you walk?" Mu Wanqing turned her back and gently patted her shoulder. "Come, I'll carry you!"

"Carry me?" Zhao Yougong was surprised. A woman carrying a man?

"Do you want to be carried or not? If your wound worsens, don't expect me to treat it again!"

"Well... Wan'er, you might not know, but I'm quite heavy!"

Zhao Yougong was telling the truth. By modern standards, he was over 1.8 meters tall and weighed about 170 pounds. Lying on a woman's back, could she bear it?

"Whether you're heavy or not, I decide, not you!" Mu Wanqing glared and carried Zhao Yougong without hesitation.

The two of them, a man and a woman, struggled along the rugged path, with Black Rose following behind at a steady pace.

Smelling the faint fragrance, Zhao Yougong was deeply intoxicated. Mu Wanqing's body was plump, and her neck was as white as jade. Her skin was not just fair but had a baby-like pinkness, making him want to bite it.

Sniffing, Zhao Yougong took the opportunity to take advantage. His chin rested on Mu Wanqing's shoulder, and his mouth breathed hot air.

Feeling itchy by her ear, Mu Wanqing scolded, "You villain, if you keep teasing me, I'll throw you off the cliff!"

"Hehe, if you're willing!"

"What's there to be unwilling... I can kill you whenever I want..."

Before she could finish, she stopped. Mu Wanqing knew she couldn't bear to kill the villain because he had saved her life.

A gentle breeze blew, and the black veil fluttered, with a few drops of red blood like plum blossoms. The veil not only hid her face but also separated her from the world. Zhao Yougong scratched her hair and whispered, "Wan'er, it's just the two of us here, why not take off the veil?"

As soon as he spoke, Mu Wanqing stopped, placed Zhao Yougong by the roadside, and sat down in silence. She held a pebble, tossing it back and forth, but it never left her hand.

"Do you really want to see?"

"Yes!"

"But I've made a vow. Any man who sees my face has only two choices!"

"Marry you, or be killed by you?" Zhao Yougong tilted his head and smiled.

"Yes, villain, how did you know?"

"Guess, hehe!" Zhao Yougong didn't want to continue this topic. He desperately wanted to see Mu Wanqing's beautiful face, but now wasn't the right time. If he saw it, Mu Wanqing would be attached to him, and he didn't know if he could survive and leave the capital. Giving Mu Wanqing a reason to worry would be harmful to her.

Although it had only been two days, Zhao Yougong knew he cared about Mu Wanqing, just as he cared about Yingzi, because this woman truly treated him well.

Mushu, Yurou, and Nianruo were good, but they didn't truly care about him, at least not now. If he died, he would be just a fleeting figure in their hearts. But Yingzi and Mu Wanqing wouldn't; their thoughts would linger for a long time, for years, until death.

Zhao Yougong was silent for a long time, looking up at the sky. He didn't insist, and Mu Wanqing felt a bit disappointed. "Villain, you don't want to see anymore?"

"Don't want? How can I not? Of course, I want to. Wan'er's veil belongs to me. If anyone dares to take your veil, I'll chop them up. But... now isn't the right time..."

Zhao Yougong was domineering, like a playboy in the capital. He was unreasonable and even a bit cruel. But Mu Wanqing was a unique woman; she liked such a villain.

The black veil, though black, was like a red veil. Lifting a red veil meant a bond, a feeling, a longing.