CHAPTER 109: CHAPTER 109: LIKE A HOMELESS, FRIGHTENED DOG

Below the cliff was a range of mountains.

It was the season when the trees were most lush, their branches and leaves blocking out the sky.

Tang Xiaobai stood outside the forest, watching the people she brought disperse into the woods, their figures disappearing in just a few blinks.

She pressed her lips together and turned to search along the mountain stream by the forest edge. She couldn’t rest easy waiting for news at home, so she pleaded with her brother to bring her along.

After all, no one cared about Ah Xiao as much as she did. She was terrified of missing any message of rescue.

Tang Xiaobai walked around by the water, focusing her gaze on the stones protruding in the middle, seeing how the water was so clear, almost transparent, she extended her foot—

"Tang Xiaobai!" Tang Ziqian pulled her back with a rare look of anger on his face, "Do you believe this water can go over your neck!"

Tang Xiaobai replied timidly, "I wanted to see if there’s anything on that stone over there..."

Tang Ziqian glanced over, "There’s nothing!"

Tang Xiaobai: ...

Indeed, it was right for her to come out. Although her brother came out at her request, how much effort could he really put into finding a servant?

Yet she dared not complain, pulling on Tang Ziqian, she asked, "Do you think he might have fallen into the water and been washed downstream?" That way, the chances of survival might be higher, right?

Tang Ziqian saw through her hopeful thinking, chuckled, and said, "Falling from such a high place, even if into water—" Ultimately, he didn’t say anything to hurt her.

Tang Xiaobai lifted her head to look at the cliff above, her vision gradually blurred, "Perhaps he was caught by the trees halfway down, maybe he fell into the forest and walked out, following the water downstream, or maybe a nearby hunter saved him..."

Perhaps a beautiful girl saved him and would take great care of him, just like in the books.

This is like a storybook!

How could falling from a cliff result in death?

Tang Ziqian sighed, wiping her tears away, gently pressing her head into his chest, secretly wanting to curse.

The Crown Prince should have said goodbye to his sister earlier—

But earlier wouldn’t have helped, no one expected to run into Li Shu at the mountain top today.

What’s more—

Didn’t he remind the Crown Prince not to follow his sister everywhere to play?

If they stayed at the mansion, could they have run into Li Shu today?

His courage was indeed impressive, to jump off a cliff...

Looking up towards the dusk-tinted eastern sky.

The evacuation route had long been planned, even if sudden circumstances led to an early departure, the impact wouldn’t be significant.

However—

Tang Ziqian patted the still sobbing little girl in his arms.

His sister was bound not to find her Ah Xiao again...

...

Li Mu stood in the forest across the stream, watching the sibling pair by the water from afar.

After being held by Tang Ziqian, the little girl disappeared from his sight.

"This girl actually managed to get Tang Ziqian to come personally, tsk tsk tsk..." Li Xingyuan shook his head in amazement.

Li Mu wasn’t surprised.

He knew from the start that she would personally come to find him, so he waited here to bid her farewell.

But she must be very sad now, she liked him so much...

"Your Highness, it’s getting late, shall we go?" Li Xingyuan urged.

Li Mu nodded.

Just as he was about to turn around, he suddenly glimpsed the girl break free from Tang Ziqian’s embrace and run along the water’s edge.

"Where is she going?" Li Xingyuan also saw, confused.

This little girl from the Duke Yan Mansion was always odd.

Li Mu said nothing, watching her intently.

Yet, she hadn’t run far before being caught by Tang Ziqian—

"Calm down!" Tang Ziqian said, meeting her unusually calm gaze right after.

Calm in a way unlike a ten-year-old child.

"The river flows rapidly, if Ah Xiao fell into the water, it’s very likely he was washed downstream, any traces would have been washed away, Brother, I’ll go downstream to look for him, I will find him!" Tang Xiaobai said.

How could she find him?

Tang Ziqian rubbed his brow, irritated, "It’s almost dark, it’s hard to search at night, I’ll go with you to look downstream tomorrow, alright?"

"Tomorrow..." Tang Xiaobai murmured, clutching his sleeve tighter unconsciously, "Brother... tomorrow... tomorrow..." Her voice gradually filled with a choking sob.

In wilderness rescues, every second counts.

After one night, how much chance of survival is left?

Yet given the primitive conditions of ancient times, the dangers in the mountains at night were unpredictable; how could she ask Tang Ziqian, a noble family member, to risk himself for a servant without hesitation?

She murmured incoherently for who knows how many times, eventually losing her voice, falling silent.

Tang Ziqian sighed deeply, bent down to pick her up, patting her trembling shoulder, "Let’s go back..."

...

Li Mu watched her lying with her head buried on Tang Ziqian’s shoulder, her small body half-hidden and half-exposed in Tang Ziqian’s arms, looking calm and quiet.

As long as she never finds him, she’ll accept reality in time.

Will let go. Will forget.

He wouldn’t be back for at least half a year.

Half a year, neither long nor short.

Moreover, even after returning, he couldn’t reveal his identity to her right away.

Even if he did, things would never go back to the days of being together all the time—

"Your Highness, the message is out from the Crown Prince’s Palace!" someone urged from the side.

Li Mu let out a low "hmm", and turned around in silence.

As dusk covered the mountains, the night grew quieter, even his footsteps were quietly hidden by the soft grass beneath them.

Suddenly, a mild sobbing reached his ears.

"Ah Xiao..."

"Wait for me..."

The girl’s choked voice, in the silent mountains, blew into his ears and swiftly, was carried away and scattered by the wind...

Li Mu stopped and looked back, seeing the dim view across, their figures no longer visible.

"Did you hear something?" he asked.

"Heard it, the Second Miss is crying," Mo Ji had enough of his hesitation and pace, "So does the Young Master plan to wait here for the Second Miss?"

Li Mu turned to face the direction of the Crown Prince’s Palace.

The palace walls were secluded, with a thousand brilliant lights within, yet all exuded a cold gleam.

"Like a lost dog without a home..." he murmured softly.

"Your Highness!" Li Xingyuan’s face changed at his words.

It was his idea for the Crown Prince to go to Zhenzhou, never expecting the Crown Prince to have such thoughts.

What did this mean now?

Not going anymore?

Just as he thought, Li Mu had already stepped towards the Crown Prince’s Palace.

Though it was unclear what his thoughts were, each step seemed more firm and solemn than the last.

Li Xingyuan frowned, feeling the Crown Prince seemed to have become a bit peculiar after spending so much time with that Second Miss Tang.

Quickly catching up, he heard Li Mu instruct in a calm tone, "The Crown Prince is critically ill, the Duke Yan Mansion has a Divine Doctor, it’s only right to recommend them."

Li Xingyuan’s expression changed again, "Your Highness, what does this mean?"

Li Mu gazed distantly at the horizon, a slight smile on his lips, "I have my plans."

Those five words spoken, the path ahead seemed suddenly clear.

Leaving behind a girl who treated him so divinely to become a stray dog thousands of miles away.

What has his mind grown to?