The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!

Chapter 386: I Adore You

Tian Zhenlin, who had endured for two years, was no fool. He could guess Xue Wei’s plans without even being told.

He let out a cold laugh and said, "I’ve already given you a chance, but don’t think you can fool me, or fool the Lord Imperial Envoy. If you try any tricks, no one will be able to save you then!"

Xue Wei was startled and hurriedly said, "I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare!"

Tian Zhenlin continued to cut off their retreat: "Don’t think Lord Kong has any chance of turning things around. And why is that? Lord Kong slept with Lord Yu! This is a scandal of monumental proportions. Even if the Lord Imperial Envoy spares Lord Kong, would Lord Yu let him off?"

These words turned the active minds of Xue Wei and his two companions into dead ashes. Exactly, why sleep with anyone else? Of all the charming young men, why sleep with Lord Yu?

It was one thing to have slept with him, but to cause such a stir, even alerting the imperial envoy!

Public trial, parading through the streets, flogging!

The uproar had everyone in Yanglu County gossiping over meals, at least for the next two years!

What is Lord Yu’s status? He has connections in the Capital City, and having lost face so badly, would he spare Lord Kong? Surely not.

He better quickly distance himself from this!

Now, the three dared not entertain any ideas, and looked at Tian Zhenlin with a touch of fear. Tian Zhenlin further intimidated them, pressing them to prepare quickly.

Xia Wenjin met with Huangfu Jingchen at their agreed location, seeing the joy in his eyes, a thought arose in her heart: is he joyful at seeing her, or because he can finally retrieve the jade pendant?

The two headed toward the verdant mountains, beyond which lay Liangzhou.

While she went to the public trial platform at Wangshan Town, Huangfu Jingchen prepared food and supplies, in case they had to camp out in the mountains. Even with resources aplenty in the mountains, preparation was still necessary.

Huangfu Jinxuan planned to gift them two fine horses, but considering the difficulty of riding through the mountains, they declined.

At their pace, they soon reached the foot of the mountains. Looking back, Wangshan Town lay in a tranquil silence.

Xia Wenjin asked with a smile, "Will Huangfu Jinxuan really parade people through the county?"

That reckless, willful young master, his actions are so impulsive, and yet there’s a certain charm to that recklessness.

In their past lives, they were adversaries, yet Xia Wenjin harbored no grudge against him.

Truth be told, it was because Huangfu Yuxuan pushed too far, and she was but a weapon of his—a single snowflake in an avalanche has no power over its fall. She wasn’t innocent either, and had no right to foster any resentment toward Huangfu Jinxuan.

Huangfu Jingchen gave a slight smile and said, "I think he’ll take your suggestion and run with it!"

Xia Wenjin nodded earnestly, "I’m greatly comforted by that!"

The corners of Huangfu Jingchen’s smile deepened.

On the third day, they entered the borders of Liangzhou.

However, it was still about a two-day journey from the Glazed Pavilion.

During this time, Huangfu Jingchen suggested that when it was time to eat, they should dine well in a restaurant, and when it was time to sleep, they should rest peacefully in an inn.

But Xia Wenjin was restless as an arrow in flight, unable to have a proper meal or rest in an inn for an entire day.

Travelling in such a rush often ended with them missing lodging and camping outdoors.

While on the mountain, they could hunt for game, but at the base, where was the game to be found? Their meals were even more haphazard. Although Xia Wenjin’s culinary skills were good, there were times when they went hungry for lack of ingredients.

Huangfu Jingchen’s heart grew heavy; was Xia Wenjin’s urgency to distance herself from him, to sever their ties sooner?

Was their current connection really only because of a jade pendant?

That evening, they missed another opportunity for lodging and camped out in the open. On the vast grassland, they lit a fire and buried a few potatoes in it, which would be their dinner.

Following Xia Wenjin, Huangfu Jingchen didn’t care much for food. But her urgency left him feeling a bit despondent.

Xia Wenjin must have known his intentions, and it was precisely because she did, that she chose to avoid them.

If it hadn’t been for nearly two months spent lingering in Wangshan Town, would they have parted ways long ago?

Did he cause her trouble?

Should he let go, allowing her to leap into the sea, or should he keep trying, using his heart to melt hers?

Xia Wenjin tended to the fire, the flame casting a halo over her under the night sky, as Huangfu Jingchen quietly watched her silhouette beside the fire.

The girl was slightly slender, but her features were delicate and her eyes were like stars.

She focused intently on building the fire and roasting potatoes, so much so that she spared not a glance in his direction.

Huangfu Jingchen thought the potatoes were quite fortunate to earn such dedicated attention from her.

He couldn’t help but say, "Wenjin, didn’t you say you wander the world with nowhere to go? Come back to Yunzhou with me! My father... my parents and siblings are all wonderful people. They’ll surely love you!"

Xia Wenjin paused slightly and looked up at him, her gaze seemed to plunge into an ocean of stars—deep, expansive, bright, and brilliant, as if it intended to envelop her entirely.

A feeling, seemingly warm yet strange, welled in her eyes and rushed toward her heart.

Then, it collided with the defenses she had built within her heart.

She came to her senses and replied with a radiant smile, "But I prefer the feeling of wandering, settling wherever I please. In the future, if I happen to pass through Yunzhou, I’ll be sure to visit you!"

Does she truly prefer this life? Huangfu Jingchen wished he could roam the world with her, settle as they pleased. But he knew her plans certainly didn’t include him.

In recent days, he had hinted, implied, and even declared his feelings plainly—his heart was an open book, and yet hers remained heavily guarded.

During their time in Wangshan Town, they fought side by side, each performing their duties, and that was when they were most in sync.

But it was for the townspeople, a shared cause, untainted by romance, and neither of them entertained such thoughts.

In the face of so many lives, many things became trivial.

But now, those lives they struggled to save had been redeemed through their efforts. In a different time, in a different place, with a different frame of mind, he felt even more distant from her.

Physically, they were close, but emotionally, it seemed they were growing apart!

Huangfu Jingchen said with bitterness, "Wenjin, once you have the jade pendant, will you never see me again?"

Xia Wenjin replied lightly, "If fate allows, we will meet again!"

"If fate allows!"

Carefully pondering these four words, Huangfu Jingchen only felt a deep sense of helplessness. Leaving it all to destiny, to time, to uncertainty felt far from reassuring.

He fixed his deep gaze on Xia Wenjin, slowly, sincerely, and solemnly declared, "Wenjin, I love you!"