The original heroine, being the only secondary consort in the prince’s mansion at the time, reluctantly went with Prince Jian'an to attend the royal hunting expedition.
Because of her status, her tent was pitched way out at the edge, and then a bunch of messy supporting female characters kept trampling all over her.
Even at midnight, while trying to sleep, she was nearly knocked flying by a startled horse.
And that would have been enough, but in such a crowded setting, it was basically a gathering of dense male supporting characters.
In those old-school cruel female lead novels, what do the male supporting characters do? Are they the angels who rescue the heroine?
No.
They only feed the heroine “dog poop.”
It wasn’t just the female supporting characters bullying her; she kept having all kinds of “chance” encounters with the male supporting characters, and then the male lead’s spies would report these meetings back to him.
This only made the male lead’s heart grow colder and his contempt for the heroine deepen. But at the same time, it attracted his attention.
And so the male lead began his torment of the heroine’s body and heart. What did he do?
He dragged the heroine into the forest, tied her to a tree, and then balanced an apple on her head.
Then he shot arrows at it.
He interrogated her about her relationships with those male supporting characters—from the Fourth Prince down to the eunuchs, including Prince Jian'an’s own bodyguards.
The heroine was so scared she nearly wet herself... Okay, that was Lu Meng reading the book, not the heroine herself. The heroine was actually very stubborn and not afraid at all!
Then!
Here comes the crucial part.
The male lead was, of course, a paragon of the Six Arts, excelling in everything. Every arrow he shot grazed the heroine’s face, hitting the tree just behind her, but never actually harming her.
But Lu Meng forgot that one of the male supporting characters noticed the male lead treating the heroine this way and, going crazy, disregarded all status and etiquette to rush over and grab the male lead’s arm. The male lead’s hand twitched, and *pfft*—
The arrowhead pierced the heroine’s shoulder.
Lu Meng at that moment: “... Damn all eight of his fathers.”
And that wasn’t all. This royal hunting ground’s autumn hunt was a masterclass in melodrama.
Several rollercoaster-level plot twists unfolded here.
Lu Meng recalled, among others:
The heroine was used as the male lead’s target practice.
Her tent was smashed by a horse.
She was tricked by a male supporting character into getting shot with an arrow.
She was emotionally tormented by female supporting characters, who boasted about how they would marry the male lead in the future.
She was ordered by female supporting characters to pick mushrooms in the forest, only to be mistaken for a deer and shot at by the young noblemen competing in the hunt.
Along the way, she also developed several male “third leads.”
She was almost forced by female supporting characters into sleeping with another man.
After enduring so much humiliation and bodily and emotional abuse, when the male lead’s startled horse was about to fall, she rushed out to save him and ended up being trampled.
On the way back, she even took a sword thrust meant for the male lead from an assassin.
And that’s just what Lu Meng could remember. What she couldn’t recall, well, she just couldn’t recall it.
In any case, this autumn hunt—only ten days long—kept the heroine so busy that Lu Meng once checked: just this one autumn hunt alone was written into 300,000 words.
Three hundred thousand words, and the heroine was suffering the whole time.
Using arrows that pierced through her heart and wounds deep enough to see bone, she bought just a tiny bit of the male lead’s softening and emotional stirring.
Just a little—like a blessing—he shared the carriage back with her, and after returning to the mansion, he even summoned the imperial physician to examine her. He was there in person!
What a true blessing!
But as Lu Meng reflected on everything, she realized… this was only the beginning of the hardships for a heroine in a tragic romance.
Lu Meng had been living so comfortably these past few days that she had completely forgotten the suffering her character was destined to endure.
Her life had just reached its peak, only to be about to plummet…
She shook her head like a rattle.
“I’m not going!”
“What did you say?” Wu Linxuan put down his chopsticks. He was already in a foul mood from eating leftover rice, and now this damned woman was being disobedient.
Lu Meng knew her tone was too harsh, so she softened it. “Your Highness, I really can’t go.”
Lu Meng explained, “Everyone else goes with their wives, but I’m just a concubine. If I go, I’ll only embarrass you.”
Now that Lu Meng was at least a secondary consort, a rank above a mere concubine, she still knew that women’s status was low and unchangeable in this world. Most women cared deeply about their rank—if someone was openly called a concubine, they would be shattered with shame, even brought to tears.
But Lu Meng spoke without hesitation; her ideal was to be a “concubine” who lived in peace and avoided conflict.
Wu Linxuan overheard this and thought she was hinting again. He was about to make her a proper consort and had already let her live in the inner court. Anyone should understand that by now. Yet she still lacked that little bit of patience!
Hurry, hurry, hurry—what’s the rush? Such little ambition!
“Hmph.” Wu Linxuan sneered, ignoring Madam Meng’s protests. He was very hungry and grabbed another bite of meat, stuffing it into his mouth fiercely.
He didn’t even realize that, because he was annoyed with Madam Meng, he had already taken from the same dish more than three times, revealing his preferences. This had never happened before.
Lu Meng was still trying to persuade Wu the Big Dog.
“Your Highness, I don’t know how to ride horses or shoot arrows, nor do I know how to socialize with the other consorts.”
“Women aren’t supposed to ride horses or shoot arrows anyway,” Wu Linxuan said coolly, glancing at Lu Meng. “Just keep your eyes open. If you don’t want to mingle with those consorts, fine. As Prince Jian'an’s consort, you can ignore them. I don’t expect you to spy on court affairs for me, just don’t offend anyone.”
In other words, he was openly telling Lu Meng that she was going as Prince Jian'an’s consort—no one would dare bully her. She just needed to avoid causing trouble herself. He wasn’t counting on her for anything else.
Lu Meng selectively ignored the implied meaning in Wu Linxuan’s words.
Still unwilling to give up, she said, “Your Highness, can’t I just stay quietly at the mansion, waiting eagerly for your return every day?”
“Waiting eagerly?” Wu Linxuan looked at Lu Meng with an icy expression. He thought: We live in the same courtyard. You haven’t even come to thank me all day, yet you say you’re eagerly waiting for me?
More likely, you’re praying and hoping I die out there.
Besides, women go to watch men ride horses and shoot arrows.
It’s also a perfectly legitimate excuse for unmarried daughters from noble families to attend, so they can see the abilities of the young noblemen. It’s a kind of disguised matchmaking event.
Lu Meng saw that Wu Linxuan was unmoved and still refused to give up. She said, “My mother always said that a proper lady should never step outside the front door or even the second gate—that’s how true virtue and grace are shown.”
“Your Highness, I’ve decided to follow my mother’s teaching. I’ll just stay quietly inside the mansion.”
To avoid going on the hunting trip, Lu Meng even brought up her mother, someone Wu Linxuan had never met before. Since there was no way to prove otherwise, Wu Linxuan couldn’t argue against it.
“Never step outside the front door or the second gate? And that’s virtuous and graceful? Then who is it that loiters around the General’s mansion, refusing to come home?” Wu Linxuan slammed his chopsticks hard against his plate.
“Which virtuous lady goes out spending gold by the thousands, rides the pleasure boats, and orders twenty dishes in one meal?”
The bastard clearly just thought she was too extravagant and ate too much—that was all he knew!
He couldn’t even support a woman properly, yet he called himself an emperor!
Lu Meng cursed silently in her heart but didn’t give up. She pressed on, “I’m weak and delicate by nature, Your Highness. I can’t endure hardship or roughing it. How could I possibly stay in a tent? I might catch a chill after one night and wake up covered in big ugly bumps, bringing shame to Your Highness.”
Even Wu Linxuan was shocked that this dream wife could say such shameless things.
“This hunting competition will be attended by sons and daughters of noble families. His Majesty will be there in person, and even the old King from his distant fief will bring his children back. There will be plenty of doctors on hand, so don’t worry.”
Seeing Wu Linxuan’s stubborn, unmoved expression, Lu Meng stuffed food into her mouth as if she were eating an enemy.
She realized her usual tricks had failed—these old-fashioned male leads loved to oppose the heroine no matter what!
She shouldn’t have said she didn’t want to go. She should have been the first to eagerly volunteer…
But now it was too late to regret it. If she said she wanted to go now, Wu Linxuan would only think she’d given in and wouldn’t let her stay home.
So Lu Meng stood there, her eyes and mind spinning round and round.
Then she softened her stance completely, planning to use the “beauty trap.”
She walked behind Wu Linxuan and threw her arms around his neck.
Her lips pressed against his in a clumsy kiss.
Then she spoke in a sweet, gentle voice: “Your Highness… please let me stay home. It’s so cold in the mountains right now. I don’t want to live in a simple tent. You promised to grant me a life of honor and comfort…”
Every time Lu Meng mentioned that line, it usually worked wonders, but this time it failed.
Wu Linxuan remained unmoved. He even picked up another chopstickful of food, but after chewing, he couldn’t swallow it because the person behind him was strangling his neck.
The veins on his temple bulged. He tore Lu Meng’s arms away, coughed, tilted his head back, and finally managed to swallow.
He took a sip of water, then locked horns with Lu Meng like a weightlifter, shaking his head as he said, “You have to go. Everyone else is bringing their women. I’m not without a woman, so why shouldn’t I bring mine?”
Others eat shit, so why shouldn’t you?!
Lu Meng cursed silently again but kept a soft expression. She pressed herself into Wu Linxuan’s arms and, using her tried-and-true tactic, climbed onto him.
Lu Meng truly didn’t want to leave this scene. Even knowing that the system would inevitably issue the scripted lines, she would rather stay silent at home than step outside.
She clung to him, pleading like a lost soul, “Your Highness... Your Highness…”
Wu Linxuan’s resolve wasn’t particularly strong. He softened just a little, but then his heart stiffened again, along with other parts of him.
However, what was on Wu Linxuan’s mind now was something Lu Meng could never have guessed.
In fact, Wu Linxuan had carefully analyzed himself—why, after so long without being with any woman, did he break his own rule with her?
It wasn’t entirely because she was bold and uninhibited, or because her looks were delicate and Xiuli.
If it were just those things, she wouldn’t have been able to captivate Wu Linxuan.
He believed the real reason wasn’t her beauty, but her charm.
She constantly brought him fresh surprises.
No matter what she did, she enjoyed herself, and being around her was never boring—even if they did nothing, just watching her was enough.
When they had just married, Wu Linxuan had his assassins keep watch over Lady Meng. The reports he received through them were the first signs that he found her interesting.
And as their relationship grew closer recently, Wu Linxuan discovered she was more than that.
Back then, she at least pretended somewhat, but now she relaxed, boldly snuggling into his arms, shaking him, her tone no longer pleading but playful and spoiled.
But their statuses were vastly different. If she were an ordinary woman, she would never dare to be so unruly with her husband.
Even the most loving couples would consider whether the husband was pleased.
Yet now, with his face cold as stone, Lady Meng showed no fear at all. Wu Linxuan even suspected that the woman before him wasn’t her true self. He was very curious what her real nature was.
The ten-day hunt—Wu Linxuan actually didn’t want to go, but as a prince, how could he refuse?
Not only did he have to attend, he had to perform well, to bring honor before the sons of the other princes in the emperor’s domain.
But he couldn’t stand out too much, lest he arouse the emperor’s suspicion.
Moreover, if any of the court officials’ sons or daughters caught his eye and a marriage was arranged, each union could influence the entire political landscape.
Wu Linxuan had to see everything clearly.
On top of that, there was competition among the princes themselves, some of whom might be married off to the daughters of the returning princes.
All these tangled power plays meant that one wrong move could shake the whole realm. He had to keep a constant watch and a firm grip on it all.
Wu Linxuan stood at the center of this whirlwind, and to claim the position everyone desired, he couldn’t escape these burdens.
In the past, he had only navigated these matters endlessly, with no respite, no entertainment.
He had always thought that path was a lonely one, but perhaps along the way, there could be some “scenery” to enjoy.
Now that he had Lady Meng, Wu Linxuan treated her as his sole amusement.
A pastime he could control, manipulate, and release his emotions through—how could he allow her to refuse to go?
Wu Linxuan thought... if his princess consort didn’t come, this hunting trip would have been a lot less interesting.
Lu Meng had been acting cute for a while, but seeing it was useless, she gave up and sat down next to Wu Linxuan, sulking.
She tried hard to recall the plot, thinking about how to dodge these scenes...
Still, she asked the system in her mind, “What lines do I have this time?”
System: “You’ll find out when the time comes.”
Lu Meng: “Get lost!”
The system left.
One after another, they were all so annoying.
So annoying!
Lu Meng’s pout could tie up a donkey.
Wu Linxuan had finished eating, but surprisingly didn’t leave. Instead, he turned his head to look at Lu Meng, as if seeing her unhappy made him happy.
The two of them, from one annoying person to two annoying people, sat there glaring at each other with mutual dislike, facing a table full of leftover food that neither touched.
No one knew what they were fighting about, leaving Xiuyun, Xiuli, and even Xin Ya utterly confused.
Lu Meng knew this part of the plot was unavoidable. She sighed deeply.
Actually, if she got sick, she might be able to dodge it... She could have pretended to be ill, but the imperial doctors were all Wu Linxuan’s men. One pulse diagnosis and they’d know she was faking.
Lu Meng wasn’t willing to truly wear herself out by getting sick—that would be real trouble.
So she accepted it and decided to play it by ear. After all, she now had a small mercenary team; maybe they could help her fend off some trouble.
But if Wu Linxuan dared to tie her to a tree and shoot apples at her, Lu Meng would just pull his pants down and hang him from the tree instead.
Having come to this realization, she turned to look at Wu Linxuan again, still feeling annoyed. But since they had grown somewhat familiar, Lu Meng kept pushing his boundaries lower and lower, unknowingly revealing more and more of her true personality.
So she threw out a bit of complaint, sarcastically asking, “Prince, why aren’t you leaving yet? Don’t you have government affairs to handle at night? You’re so free.”
Wu Linxuan: “How dare you!” He slammed the table fiercely.
The spoon in Lu Meng’s soup bowl jumped.
If it had been anyone else, they’d have been scared straight to their knees.
Lu Meng was startled too, but now she could read Wu Linxuan’s mood at a glance. The two of them were getting familiar.
Just by looking at his expression, she knew he wasn’t truly angry.
He was just putting on a show of authority because she dared to tell him to leave, wounding his pride.
The booming self-esteem of a middle-schooler.
Lu Meng didn’t get up to kneel and beg; instead, she changed her posture and sarcastically said, “Oh, the current prince is really something—only knows how to bully a delicate lady like me.”
“I’m so scared,” she said, exaggeratingly patting her chest.
Wu Linxuan glared at her and said, “I’m just spoiling you too much, which is why you’re so disrespectful and speak recklessly!”
Wu Linxuan stood up from the table, looking down at Lu Meng with a dominating gaze and stature that pressed down on her.
Xiuyun and Xiuli both knelt, Xin Ya slightly bowed in the distance, and Chen Yuan quietly turned toward the door.
The atmosphere in the room was extremely tense. Lu Meng knew she shouldn’t be clashing with the big boss.
If she cried now, she could immediately avoid the whole mess. She had long since realized that Wu Linxuan, this pervert, liked it when she cried.
Every time they did *that* kind of thing, Lu Meng would shed tears—physiological ones—and Wu Linxuan would get especially excited.
But right now, Lu Meng was full of anger. The plot—
She couldn’t dodge it. She didn’t want to cry.
Yet she couldn’t really let Wu Linxuan lose face either. After all, this whole thing wasn’t really his fault; he was just a cardboard character following the script.
So Lu Meng thought for a moment, stood up, and wrapped her arms tightly around Wu Linxuan’s waist.
Without saying a word, she buried her head against his chest.
Wu Linxuan immediately felt a bit deflated. He had wanted to set some rules today, so he grabbed Lu Meng’s arm, trying to tear her away from him.
But Lu Meng was a master at clinging. Tugging at his belt with nimble fingers, she quickly undone the buckle.
As his clothes loosened and her small hand slipped inside, how could he still maintain his authority without even a shred of security?
Wu Linxuan took a sharp breath, half resisting, half yielding, with a cold expression, letting Lu Meng pull him into the inner chamber.
Tugging and pulling outside was just too embarrassing, with a crowd of maids and guards around. But even inside, Wu Linxuan still felt awkward.
It was like getting halfway through an angry outburst, only for the other person to suddenly faint—you have nowhere to vent your anger, but it doesn’t just disappear into thin air.
Madam Meng dragged him inside, teasing him as usual.
Wu Linxuan felt something, but his heart was unsettled. They hadn’t even settled things properly yet. He wasn’t the type to think with just his lower half.
So he tried to stop Lu Meng, his body tense and stiff, face still cold as he said, “Don’t try that with me, my lady. You’ve been getting bolder lately. As the princess consort, when I ask you to come to the hunting grounds, you dare to show me attitude? Do you really think I have no way to deal with you?”
“Oh, how could that be…” Lu Meng cooed, playing innocent.
Thinking, *One round and all debts are cleared.*
But Wu Linxuan wasn’t so easily fooled. After all, this wasn’t their first time. He had evolved from a naive virgin into something much more experienced.
So Lu Meng, coaxing him at first, soon lost patience and began to tease him.
“Prince… are you not up to it? Then I won’t trouble you anymore. Please, go back.”
No man could stand hearing that.
After saying this, Lu Meng tidied her clothes and left the disheveled Wu Linxuan standing there alone.
Wu Linxuan felt his entire body ignite because of this woman’s words.
It was like being slapped hard across the face—but not quite.
So he simply picked up this damned woman and slammed her onto the large bed specially prepared for Madam Meng.
Lu Meng had anticipated this and was prepared, so she wasn’t actually thrown down hard.
The bed curtains closed, and Wu Linxuan was completely driven mad by her provocation.
But this was only the beginning of Lu Meng’s revenge for his temper tantrum and show of authority.
This kind of revenge was unspeakable, but Wu Linxuan suffered deeply.
In the dead of night, he didn’t stay over at all. He hastily threw on his clothes and returned to his own courtyard.
This time, it wasn’t that he was uncomfortable sharing a bed with someone else—it was that he was angry again.
This kind of anger was like a never-ending grudge, stretching endlessly through time.
When two people argue, it’s usually just words clashing, but doing this kind of thing is a form of physical communication.
Before, everything between them was harmonious and perfect, every time leaving Wu Linxuan feeling completely satisfied.
But this time, he honestly wanted to strangle Madam Meng halfway through.
He wanted to lose his temper, but he couldn’t—how could he get angry over something like this?
Wu Linxuan’s temples throbbed with veins bulging in frustration. Returning to his room in the dead of night, he drank an entire pot of cold herbal tea, yet the anger inside him wouldn’t subside.
It was trapped deep in his chest, neither rising nor falling.
Chen Yuan had no idea what was wrong with his master and felt awkward asking. And Wu Linxuan would never tell him about matters of the bedroom.
Anyway, Wu Linxuan raged half the night, then didn’t sleep at all. Instead, he poured himself into painting landscapes, one after another. One moment, he thought about divorcing Madam Meng and kicking her out.
The next, he considered not letting her become princess consort. If she wanted to stay home, then fine—she wouldn’t go anywhere else. He’d just tie her down!
Then again, he thought of forbidding the kitchen from making so many delicious dishes for her the next day, just to show her she was eating out of boredom.
It was all just too much!
But exactly what was “too much”?
He couldn’t talk to anyone about it. He could only bottle it up inside, his fingers trembling at the thought.
They had indeed been intimate, but it was painfully awkward.
Because Madam Meng didn’t respond to him at all—she was utterly indifferent.
Her entire demeanor was distracted, her gaze vacant. She neither kissed nor embraced him.
Even the sounds she made were off.
Her eyes held a fake, calculated kind of affection that made Wu Linxuan want to walk away halfway through.
But if he did, it would confirm her words that he was no good. So he buried his head and worked hard to prove himself, only to get so frustrated he nearly threw up blood.
And in the middle of it all, the woman somehow pulled out some preserved fruit and ate two pieces.
Wu Linxuan was on the verge of developing a psychological trauma over this.
His standards were just too high in this matter. The very first time he experienced this was with Lu Meng—a woman who was experienced and bold—who gave him the most genuine, passionate response.
He could feel her liking, desire, and fervor for him every moment.
And every time, it was a fresh, thrilling sensation.
But this time, the experience was absolutely terrible.
Wu Linxuan even started to resent the relationship he had with Madam Meng.
All night long, he oscillated between thoughts of killing her and divorcing her.
Only Lu Meng truly understood how this felt—and she did it on purpose.
In fact, the way intimacy is built is crucial from the very start.
Of course, some people figure out their preferences later on. Some simply seek release, some merely pretend, and some might develop other tastes.
But some people, because of bad experiences, end up despising and feeling ashamed of such matters their entire lives.
Especially in a world where even expressing closeness between husband and wife during the day is considered shameful.
If a person’s very first experience is beautiful, then later on, even the slightest imperfection feels like eating stinky tofu that doesn’t stink, spicy hotpot that isn’t spicy, ice cream without any sweetness, or a stir-fry with no salt.
It looks like the real thing—but it’s completely missing the flavor.
Of course, this kind of tactic was useless against someone experienced.
But ironically, the damn male lead was only eighteen, still a flower in bloom, and Lu Meng was his first.
Lu Meng could already imagine how awkward he must feel right now—didn’t he want to get angry? Didn’t he like to show off his power? Well, let him show off to his heart’s content.
Lu Meng didn’t lie in bed for long before slipping sweetly into a dream. After driving Wu Linxuan crazy, she now felt completely refreshed and comfortable.
The next morning, Lu Meng slept in as usual until the sun was high, not even bothering to have anyone inquire about what had happened earlier.
Wu Linxuan got up early to attend court. He hadn’t rested properly for two whole days and nights, and on top of that, the stress was far worse for his health than just staying up late.
He looked pale and haggard, his brows dark and fierce, truly resembling a sick man. Standing in the Longlin Hall, he hung his head like a frost-bitten eggplant.
Even Emperor Yan’an couldn’t help but say, “If Prince Jian’an isn’t feeling well, he should rest for another two days.”
There was no need for Wu Linxuan to fake illness anymore.
In the days that followed, there was absolutely no communication between the two of them.
On the ninth day of the ninth month, an autumn rain fell, and the time to go to the hunting grounds drew ever closer.
After the rain, the weather turned cold in an instant. Lu Meng no longer went to the back rocking chair to bask in the sun. Besides coming out to feed the fish, she locked herself in her room.
She needed to conserve her energy, preparing herself to face a whole slew of upcoming events. She also gave some instructions to her adorable guards.
Other than eating and drinking as usual, she didn’t let anything weigh on her mind. Not once did she ask about Wu Linxuan. When Xin Ya brought it up twice, Lu Meng simply changed the subject and pretended not to hear.
This wasn’t cold violence on her part; she didn’t even consider it some petty lovers’ quarrel.
In Lu Meng’s mind, she and Wu Linxuan were destined to walk this path sooner or later.
Sooner or later, they would grow to despise each other, sooner or later, they would turn a blind eye to one another.
Sooner or later, she would end her days quietly tucked away in a corner of his harem. This was just a rehearsal in advance, and Lu Meng was very adaptable.
Wu Linxuan used to sneak glances at her through the window cracks from time to time, thinking up all sorts of ways to win over the dream lady.
But in the end, he decided that fussing over a woman was too humiliating, so he did nothing.
He just bottled it all up.
It felt like a huge stone pressing on his chest. When Chen Yuan returned the princess’s little seal, Wu Linxuan threw it on the ground and shattered it.
To hell with his princess!
Let her be a concubine!
This life, she’d just be a concubine!
He even wanted Xin Ya to burn the princess’s garments that had been tailored for the dream lady.
But those clothes were kept in his room, reminding Wu Linxuan of that night when he had been working hard, and near the dream lady’s bedside, he had seen the phoenix coronet.
It was the coronet she had worn on their wedding day.
That night, they hadn’t exchanged a single pleasant word, not even shared the wedding wine.
Such things were usually worn once and then put away, yet she had kept it on display all this time.
That matter was like a thin thread, the very thread that had held Wu Linxuan back from causing trouble these past few days.
Though fragile and on the verge of breaking, it was incredibly strong.
The colder a person’s heart, the more they crave deep love. Wu Linxuan was especially like that.
The two of them had been at a stalemate, from early September all the way to the fourteenth—the day before the royal autumn hunt.
For nearly half a month, they lived like neighbors with social anxiety, avoiding each other.
Lu Meng deliberately kept herself out of Wu Linxuan’s sight, hiding in her room without stepping outside, reading storybooks and snacking, enjoying her days in blissful solitude.
Meanwhile, Wu Linxuan had no idea why he was avoiding Madam Meng. He hadn’t even gone to the backyard to practice martial arts these days, burying himself in endless official business, official business, and more official business...
It wasn’t until September 14th, when they had to leave the prince’s mansion and head to the hunting grounds outside the city, that they finally faced each other for the first time in days.
They rode in the same carriage.
Lu Meng could have taken the carriage behind them—it was loaded with supplies and had enough space for her—but it wasn’t as luxurious as the one Wu Linxuan was riding in.
Still, Lu Meng refused to slight herself. Supported by her maid, she climbed into Wu Linxuan’s carriage.
The tension was about right; after all, she wasn’t really planning to sever ties with the big boss.
She still depended on him to eat. Their feelings could gradually fade, but she couldn’t let Wu Linxuan harbor any resentment toward her.
Climbing aboard, Lu Meng pondered how she might soothe him today—ideally before they even reached the hunting grounds—so if anything unexpected happened, she could count on Wu Linxuan to handle it.
Wu Linxuan was already seated inside the carriage. When Lu Meng got in, he paused for a moment.
Today, he wore... soft armor. Pure black, tight-fitting, accentuating his broad shoulders and long legs. The overwhelming aura of vitality and power practically radiated off him.
The cuffs at his wrists and ankles were all tightly fastened with white cords. The armor clung closely but rose slightly at the shoulders.
He wasn’t wearing a crown today, just his long hair tied atop his head with a hairband, adorned with two black hairpins of some unknown material. His jet-black hair spilled down smoothly—smoother even than the village girl Xiao Fang’s.
This outfit made him look incredibly spirited.
Like a deadly assassin sent to silence someone, or a young general ready to lead troops into battle!
Paired with his unrealistically handsome face, sitting there so still, he glanced over at her with a cold, piercing look.
No modern cosplay filter or six-thousand-degree edit could match the real-life charm he exuded.
Lu Meng’s legs went weak right then and there. No exaggeration—her heart fluttered wildly.
She’d been lying in her room these past days partly because it was inconvenient to have her period visit.
But it had just ended a couple of days ago, and now was the time of the month when she felt restless and easily stirred.
She was completely enchanted by Wu Linxuan.
Silently, she reminded herself: “He is her legitimate man.”
Then she walked over and sat directly opposite him, boldly and carefully inspecting his outfit today.
What he was wearing was actually riding gear—he planned to practice horseback archery once they arrived at the hunting grounds.
He had assumed Madam Meng would take the other carriage, so when he saw her climb in, his heart skipped a beat, but his expression turned cold.
They were still sulking at each other, and the moment their eyes met, sparks seemed to crackle through the air.
Of course, Lu Meng’s sparks were of a certain indescribable yellow, while Wu Linxuan’s represented a fiery red of anger.
But all those so-called “monsters and demons” were nothing compared to the lustful.
The carriage began to move forward. The two of them didn’t utter a single word. Wu Linxuan sat with an imposing composure, even lowering his eyes without so much as glancing at his… princess.
Lu Meng didn’t even realize that the heavy outfit she wore today was of the special standard reserved only for a princess.
She was unfamiliar with the rules of this world; Xiuyun and Xiuli, both sickly girls, had never seen much of the world and didn’t recognize such things.
Xin Ya hadn’t told her either.
And the emblem symbolizing the princess’s status, which Wu Linxuan had shattered, was currently being remade…
But the more he avoided her gaze, the more Lu Meng knew that the moment was just right. If Wu Linxuan had been cold these past few days, he definitely wouldn’t be acting like this when he saw her.
This attitude meant… the effect Lu Meng hoped for had been achieved perfectly.
So, after the carriage had been moving for a while, before even leaving the city, the lady sitting obediently opposite Wu Linxuan—the Dream Lady… no, the Princess of Prince Jian’an—suddenly, like a rabid dog, took advantage of a bump in the carriage and lunged at the man opposite her.
Wu Linxuan instinctively reached out to catch her, but as soon as he held her in his arms, he felt a pair of soft hands wrap around his waist, and instantly, he was both embarrassed and furious.
How dare she provoke him!
“Sit back down!” Wu Linxuan’s heart pounded as if it would burst through his ribs.
Yet his expression remained stern. If Lu Meng hadn’t seen his ears flushed bright red, she would have suspected he had suddenly developed some sort of iron will.
The so-called self-control that the male lead prided himself on?
Nonexistent.
Lu Meng wrapped her arms around Wu Linxuan’s waist, resting her head against his cold soft armor. It wasn’t quite a perfect fit—there were too many jewels and feathers in her hair today.
She felt like she was holding a paper doll come to life.
It was hard to describe, but it felt absolutely wonderful.
Wasn’t he dressed today just to seduce her?
So scheming, hahaha.
Lu Meng laughed to herself, sensing the hand on her shoulder was no longer pushing her away with much conviction. Tilting her head, she buried herself in Wu Linxuan’s hair.
It still carried that familiar scent—he had worn incense today too… tsk tsk, even more fragrant than her.
“Get off me, Your Highness! How dare you!” Wu Linxuan was now flushed from head to toe.
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. After a quarrel and subsequent reconciliation, this was far more intense than any brief separation.
Every sense in his body was crackling like fireworks. The woman in his arms had awakened all his feelings. The gloom and frustration of recent days were crumbling away.
What kind of “daring” was this?
Lu Meng grabbed him twice.
Just twice.
She kissed his now-red ear and said, “Your Highness, please don’t be angry… Your humble servant knows she was wrong.”
From there, things quickly spiraled out of control.
Wu Linxuan had never imagined he would be so reckless as to fool around with his woman inside a carriage.
But his princess was like a fox—
A fox spirit—like a python that coils around you and never lets go, like a soft and gentle raccoon cat, like a fragrant peach blossom in full bloom.
He simply couldn’t resist.
The royal consort’s dress, which Xin Ya hadn’t burned that day, was ultimately torn apart by his “raging fury” with his own hands.
