Chapter 8: Dangerous Game

Chapter 8: A Dangerous Game

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty." Mu Lan smiled through gritted teeth, replying in her most sincere tone, "Your Majesty truly is the most perverted monarch in history."

"Perverted?" Dongling Jue naturally could not understand modern slang.

"In Xia Liang, it means... something unique," Mu Lan explained. Don't think she didn't know; there was certainly no good intention behind that fox-like smiling face of his. If that wasn't perverted, what was?

Dongling Jue nodded as if gaining enlightenment. "In that case, Princess Jin Ning is also the most perverted princess I have ever met."

*You old fox!* Under her long sleeves, Mu Lan's fists were clenched so hard her knuckles turned white. However, he was talking about Princess Jin Ning, not her, Mu Lan. Technically, she was still the winner, right?

Dongling Jue did not delve further into the matter, only saying one thing before the banquet ended: "Remember, you owe me a favor today."

Mu Lan ground her teeth and smiled good-naturedly, "Rest assured, Your Majesty. When the opportunity arises in the future, this concubine will surely repay you with 'fists' (springing泉/repaying kindness)."

Perhaps due to her professional habits as a writer, Mu Lan still harbored much curiosity regarding Xiao Yi. For instance, his calm acceptance of the arranged marriage; the hidden sorrow and loneliness in his eyes; and his proactive request to escort the bride.

However, the rush of time did not allow her to dwell on these trivial matters. After a day and a night of frantic preparations and packing, Mu Lan was dressed in her finest attire and ushered into the carriage bound for Western Chu the next morning.

Jin Yuanfu, accompanied by the Empress and the various princes and princesses, led the civil and military officials to see them off all the way to the palace gates. Seeing the elderly Emperor, whose hair was graying at the temples, actually redden his eyes, Mu Lan felt an inexplicable sense of sadness in her heart.

She thought of her father and mother in another dimension; she thought of the hard-earned savings in her bank account; she thought of the friends she could talk to, and those enthusiastic readers waiting for her to update and tease them...

Dongling Jue mounted his horse. Although he did not urge her to leave, Jin Yuanfu tactfully interrupted Mu Lan's sentimental thoughts, saying, "Ning'er, take care of yourself. Let us depart."

Settling into the carriage, the wedding procession set off grandly toward the outskirts of the city. Through the gaps in the carriage curtains, she watched the ancient streets and buildings recede from view; the events of the past few days felt like a dream. Thinking that she would soon be able to escape all of this, Mu Lan felt both trepidation and joy.

The trepidation came from the fact that no matter where she went, this was ultimately a foreign dimension. The joy came from the fact that she had a mountain of gold and silver treasures to accompany her; at least survival would not be an issue.

As for the timing of her escape, Mu Lan wasn't too worried. She had heard that traveling from Xia Liang to Western Chu would take at least two months; she would surely find an opportunity. However, it would be best to choose an escape location after leaving Xia Liang but before reaching Western Chu. Furthermore, as the only means of transportation in this era, Mu Lan decided she must first learn to ride a horse.

Thus, when they stopped at a relay station at dusk, Mu Lan took advantage of mealtime to proactively strike up a conversation with Dongling Jue. "Your Majesty, the Soul-Sustaining Grass must have already been sent to Western Chu at full gallop, right?"

Dongling Jue gave her an unexpected glance, but without much reaction, he simply responded with an "Mhm."

Ever since they left Xia Liang City, Mu Lan had noticed that his entire aura had become much colder. This man possessed an inherent, domineering strength; when he wasn't smiling, he carried an indescribable majesty that made people afraid to look up at him and unwilling to approach him.

However, communication had always been her strength. While serving him food, Mu Lan continued, "At our current pace, it will take many more days to reach Western Chu. So, I was just thinking—if there were a way to return to court sooner, wouldn't Your Majesty be able to see the Empress Dowager earlier? Once the Empress Dowager has the Soul-Sustaining Grass and sees that Your Majesty is safe, her health will naturally recover faster."

This time, Dongling Jue shifted his gaze completely toward her.

It had to be said that this fellow had very formidable eyes. The color of his pupils was a blackness unlike ordinary people, making them difficult to read, yet they were so sharp they seemed capable of seeing through everything.

Mu Lan felt a bit guilty. Fortunately, Dongling Jue did not seem to overthink it; instead, he curled his lips into a familiar smile and said, "So, you have thought of a way?"

Mu Lan nodded hurriedly. "Riding a horse is much faster than a carriage. As long as Your Majesty teaches me to ride, I dare say we can get home at least half a month early." Of course, she used the words "get home" intentionally.

Dongling Jue looked at her and said, "Riding a horse is very tiring."

He wasn't saying this out of concern for her, but rather stating a fact. Especially for such a long journey, even a man might not be able to endure it.

"Rest assured, Your Majesty, my body is quite sturdy." Mu Lan immediately patted her chest in guarantee, while simultaneously acting like a sycophant, "Besides, Your Majesty's mother is also my mother. I want to arrive in Western Chu early to show my filial piety."

In truth, based on their only two encounters, it wasn't hard to judge the truthfulness of her words. But sometimes, lies can be quite pleasing to hear; there was nothing wrong with a concubine traveling from afar for a political marriage wanting to put in some effort to please the Empress Dowager.

Therefore, seeing the smile on Mu Lan's face that was written all over with flattery, Dongling Jue raised his lips and said, "Fine."

Learning to ride was not actually difficult. Mu Lan summoned the courage and perseverance she had used when learning to ride a bicycle as a child. Under Dongling Jue's guidance, she was soon able to trot along on a horse. She had always enjoyed sports, and once she experienced the joy of galloping against the wind, she fell in love with it immediately.

"You are very clever." Dongling Jue rode another horse beside her, a rare hint of appreciation in his eyes.

"That is because of Your Majesty's excellent teaching," Mu Lan flattered him without stint, though in her heart, she was already longing for a life of riding alone for thousands of miles and venturing into the unknown.

After being "poisoned" by too many historical dramas, she had always felt that in her past life, she must have been a wandering heroine traveling the martial arts world to uphold justice. Looking at it now, perhaps she really could indulge in that heroine fantasy.

Once she had finished her daydreaming, she suddenly realized that Dongling Jue's gaze had fallen upon her at some unknown point, and he was looking at her with an expression of disbelief.

Mu Lan's heart tightened, and she quickly suppressed her smile, instinctively asking, "What are you looking at?"

"I just find it strange." Dongling Jue looked straight into her eyes. "How is it that ever since leaving the Xia Liang Imperial City, you have actually become happier?"