CHAPTER 350: CHAPTER 334: THE INNOCENT REMAIN INNOCENT

"I really didn’t expect it! The King Qin not only taught her riding and archery but even the Beast Taming Skill?! Is he giving away all his knowledge? I wonder what else he taught her?"

"Maybe he’s taught her everything, both what should and shouldn’t be taught? Seems like Princess Qin is going to be the heir to all of King Qin’s skills!"

"Wasn’t it rumored in the capital before that the eldest daughter of the Lin Family is weak and foolish, really useless? Who knew she learned so fast! Apparently, she has quite a high talent!"

"Maybe it’s a case of becoming influenced by those you spend time with; after being with King Qin for so long, she’s become smarter?"

"Why do I feel like she’s gotten more arrogant? Remember how she used to be like a little lamb, and look at her now, bold and unrestrained, wild and rampant! She truly matches the unpredictable, violent, and eccentric King Qin!"

"Now that you say it, it seems quite true!"

...

Nangong Mo sat in the tent, listening to Ye Xiao reporting today’s happenings outside.

This included all the rumors, of course.

Yet, his brows were as picturesque as a painting, and his expression was elegant, calm, and unflustered. Sitting quietly in his wheelchair, he held a scroll in his hands, flipping through it absent-mindedly.

Ye Xiao couldn’t fathom the thoughts of his master, so he cautiously glanced at him, rubbing his nose, "Master, who would have thought the princess holds such deep feelings for you!"

"Surely it’s your extraordinary personal charm that has fascinated her, infatuated her, making her conquer the world for you! Master, are you particularly excited now? Do you want to say something?"

"By the way, the princess also caught a white fox, and it’s said to be quite intelligent! Do you think she’ll give it to you as a token of love?"

Nangong Mo finally lifted his gaze, giving Ye Xiao a light glance, his thin lips slightly moved as he coldly spat out a word:

"Leave."

Ye Xiao: "Huh? Leave? Master, after hearing so much about the princess, is this the only word you have to say?!"

Ye Xiao felt it was unreasonable!

He had reported so much about the princess, and it was his master who asked him to keep an eye out and report everything in detail. How could he not have any thoughts?

Thus, Ye Xiao braved the risk of his life to suggest, "Master, how about you think it over again?"

Nangong Mo squinted his eyes, coldly calling out to the air:

"Xiange."

"Take him away, bury him."

"Yes, Master!"

The air lightly rippled, and Xiange in black attire immediately appeared in the tent, grabbing Ye Xiao who was wide-eyed and looking aggrieved and sorrowful, dragging him out without a word.

"Master? Do you mean to bury him alive? Or kill him before burying? Maybe you should reconsider? I..." mmm mmm!"

Before Ye Xiao could finish speaking, Xiange covered his mouth and continued dragging him away.

Ye Xiao: "..."

Such injustice? He was merely coming to report, and now he’s to be buried? It’s unreasonable!

In the tent, Nangong Mo continued flipping through the scroll in his hands, yet his thoughts were somewhat adrift, images of a girl’s charming smile filled his mind.

Soon after, he put down the scroll, turned the wheelchair, and left the tent,

She had a dispute with Nangong Ning, and afterward, Nangong Ning spooked the horse. Knowing that girl, if she had attacked, others naturally wouldn’t find evidence.

But Nangong Ning was no ordinary person, for her to trouble someone didn’t require evidence.

Nangong Ning had the Crown Prince backing her and was surrounded by countless flattery-seeking people.

He couldn’t let that girl be bullied.

...

As predicted by Nangong Mo, just as Yun Ran descended the mountain, she was surrounded by a squad of the imperial guard.

The leader was the Deputy Commander of the imperial guard, a towering presence, with a face full of righteous sternness.

"Princess Qin, someone has accused you of harming the Tenth Princess, please come with me for investigation."

Having heard the rumor that she captured a Tiger King and tamed it to obey her commands, the deputy commander even brought a troop of three hundred crossbowmen.

Those crossbowmen were divided into two circles to ambush all around, encircling Yun Ran, Shen Weixi, and Golden Fur, the bows drawn fully, icy arrows pointed directly at Golden Fur.

With a single order from the deputy commander, a swarm of arrows could be unleashed, raining down like a storm. Their aim was to kill Golden Fur, and if people were accidentally hurt in the chaos, it would be their own fault!

Beside the deputy commander were twenty imperial guards wielding sharp swords, all eyeing Yun Ran and her companions with intense hostility.

This setup seems to leave no room for refusal.

Seeing Yun Ran not speaking, the deputy commander furrowed his brows and raised his voice, speaking again, "Princess Qin, please come with me."

Yun Ran casually twirled the dog’s tail grass between her fingers, "What if I say no?"

The deputy commander’s face turned grim, the twenty or so imperial guards simultaneously drew their swords in a unified motion, an instant burst of murderous intent filled the air.

Shen Weixi immediately stepped forward, shielding Yun Ran behind him, his gaze coldly fixed on them, "You accuse Yue’er of harming the Tenth Princess, what evidence do you have? If there’s no evidence, it’s slander, why should we go with you?"

The deputy commander’s gaze was intense, tightly focusing on Yun Ran, "Evidence or not, whether there was harm or not, it will be clear upon investigation. If Princess Qin is truly innocent, why fear this trip?"

Shen Weixi listened and frowned deeply, "If according to you, not going with you equates to being guilty? What kind of logic is that!"

"Princess Qin only needs to cooperate in the investigation, if the matter of the Tenth Princess truly has nothing to do with you, the Crown Prince himself will clear your name."

Shen Weixi coldly glared at them, his right hand subtly grasped the sword hilt.

Ha! Bringing up the Crown Prince now? Who are they trying to scare?

"Vice Commander He, innocence speaks for itself, the princess’s horse was startled on its own, it has nothing to do with Yue’er, why would you be clearing her name?"

Although he was the deputy commander, hearing someone deliberately emphasize the ’vice’ title made him extremely displeased.

"Miss Shen, I’m merely following orders, please don’t make things difficult for me, otherwise..."

The threat was subtle, but Shen Weixi didn’t comply, coldly looking at him, "Otherwise what?"

The deputy commander slowly raised his right hand, making a gesture as if to issue an order.

"Then I’m afraid I’ll have to offend you!"

With the words said, he waved his hand abruptly, and the twenty or so imperial guards rushed forward, the cold sword light weaving a web, reflecting the afterglow of the sunset, red and glaring, red and imposing.

"Roar—"

Golden Fur sensitively sensed the killing intent permeating the air, immediately shook its golden fur, and let out a furious roar to the sky.

The archers surrounding them instantly aimed their arrows at Golden Fur, front circles half-crouched, back circles standing, two layers of arrows pointed at Golden Fur.

The atmosphere was tense, and battle was imminent.

Suddenly, a neat and swift sound of footsteps approached from afar, entering the ears along with the wind.

It seemed like thousands of warriors and horses galloping forth, trembling the ground slightly.

The deputy commander and his men’s expressions changed as they swiftly turned around to look behind, and at a glance, they were shocked.

In the distance, a dense, black mass came pressing down like fast-moving dark clouds, and in an instant, the place was completely surrounded.

The three hundred archers were entirely encircled.