Same old story: when Lu Meng was truly terrified, she couldn’t even make a sound.
The howling cold wind, mixed with the smell of something burning, rushed into her nostrils. Next to her big head, it was no longer staring at her with wide eyes but instead headed straight for her pillow.
Peeking through the gap beside that big head, Lu Meng saw raging flames blazing far off in the distance.
Dry weather, be careful with fire.
For some reason, this phrase popped into her mind at that moment.
At first, she didn’t quite get what “walking water” meant, but now she understood—it meant there was a fire.
The chaotic noise outside was deafening, but Lu Meng felt her own heartbeat pounding louder than anything.
Before she could clearly see what it was, she was so scared she couldn’t even scream, all her willpower focused on not wetting the bed.
But when she finally saw those two bulbous eyes, she realized they belonged to a horse’s head that had somehow squeezed into her tent, and Lu Meng was at a loss for words.
She just knew the plot was wild—sometimes it didn’t make sense—but she never imagined it could be this absurd.
She was the Princess Consort of Jian’an!
Not a concubine, and her tent wasn’t on the fringes; she lived right in the center!
Besides, she had a mercenary squad guarding her, plus a whole bunch of maids and servants. So how on earth did this horse manage to sneak into her tent?
Sitting up in bed, her heart pounding, Lu Meng adjusted to the dim light inside the tent and saw the horse busy nibbling at her snacks by the pillow.
Before going to sleep, because the food in this hunting ground was terrible, she’d brought a big snack pack to nibble on slowly, placing it right next to her pillow.
Now, a big horse head was buried there, feasting on her snack pack. Lu Meng glanced over, illuminated by the firelight outside the tent, and silently cursed several times.
Damn it.
And it was picky!
The horse used its big lips to scoop up the snacks, chewed a bit, then spit out any sour candied fruit it accidentally got, spraying all over her pillow…
Lu Meng’s eyes widened. She raised her hand to touch her face and found her hair sticky and some candy bits stuck to her cheeks.
Ugh.
She leaned over the edge of the bed and gagged. Gross! In her dreams, she wasn’t supposed to be licked—she was supposed to be slobbered on by a horse’s big lips!
She wanted to call the maids at the tent entrance, but the horse’s long face froze the moment she moved, and it stopped eating.
Although a horse isn’t a ferocious beast, in this pitch-black environment, staring at you from a distance, Lu Meng couldn’t read any fierce intent from its expression—but the horse itself was tall, its head stuck inside the tent, hovering right over her. The pressure was intense.
Lu Meng moved her lips but didn’t dare make a sound or move.
Normally, she could just call out to the maids and everything would be sorted.
But… this horse wasn’t just a horse to her. Who could understand!
This was damn plot!
The plot had come knocking, its head stretching inside. The flimsy tent couldn’t withstand it pushing forward, and the thin bed beneath her was no match for its shove.
And this wasn’t just any ordinary plot horse—it was a plot horse destined to cause chaos!
It was a bit of a mouthful, but she simply couldn’t move. If she startled this horse—well, it was already here, so of course it would get spooked!
So Lu Meng trembled her lips, not daring to move a muscle.
Nor did she dare make a sound. This guy… oh wait, maybe it was a lady.
Anyway, after the horse shot Lu Meng a glare, it saw she wasn’t moving and went back to rummaging through her snack bag.
Lu Meng sat on the bed, looking calm on the surface, but inside her calves were cramping up.
Where was her mercenary team?
What about her lovely Xiuyun and Xiuli?
“Someone, come quick! Our lady is hurt—”
“So many horses! Is the stable on fire?”
“What’s going on? Aaaahhhh—”
The noise outside was nonstop. Lu Meng roughly pieced it together and said to the system in her mind, “This world is crazy.”
“To get me out of the plot, originally one horse got spooked and crashed into the female lead’s tent, knocking her out. Now, because I’m a mutated Princess Consort of Jian’an, they’ve set all the horses loose and even started a fire—a total free-for-all attack, huh?”
System: “...Look on the bright side, at least you weren’t knocked flying.”
“That’s because I didn’t scream! The horse wasn’t spooked!”
System advised, “So don’t shout, stay quiet, and keep a low profile.”
Lu Meng glared at the big horse’s face, which had just finished eating all her snacks, and stubbornly asked the system, “As the female lead, don’t I have any special powers or advantages?”
System: “...You have to rely on yourself. You have plenty of gold; you can craft your own.”
“I’m going to call you a dog again!”
System: “...Whatever makes you happy.”
“Get lost!”
System: “Got it.”
After shooing the system away, Lu Meng quietly edged toward the space under the bed.
No shouting, no startling the horse.
Outside, the drums were booming and the crowd was noisy, but Lu Meng just wanted to pee safely without spooking the horse.
Even if she got knocked flying eventually, at least she wouldn’t be mid-air peeing and end up with the reputation of “Shocking! The Princess Consort of Jian’an fends off stampeding horses with her urine!”
Thankfully, the first part went smoothly. Lu Meng stood barefoot on the ground, and the horse was still eating.
But the horse seemed dissatisfied because all the pastries were gone, and the remaining candied fruit was too sour—it spat everywhere.
Lu Meng slid down from the bed, slowly inching forward. At first, she planned to move toward the door, silently screaming, “Help! Somebody, please!” But just then—
The big horse, having finished the snack bag, suddenly threw a tantrum. Using its thick lips, it grabbed the bag and flicked it!
There was a light “smack” sound as the bag hit Lu Meng’s head.
Lu Meng: …
She silently reached up, peeled the wet bag off her head, and shouted outside, “Help!”
Then, quick on her feet, she slipped under the table.
Today she noticed these tables were nailed to the ground for stability—at least they could offer some protection!
Lu Meng refused to believe that such a big horse would crash into the table. What would it use to ram it—its legs? That wouldn’t be convenient.
As for why she didn’t run outside?
No way. She lived here, and all the horses from the plot had already gathered. If she even dared to run out of this tent, the entire horse ranch would be in chaos. Lu Meng could already imagine herself, like some Dunhuang flying goddess, getting trampled by those horses running in shifts, unable to come down from the sky.
“Help! Xiuyun! Xiuli! Xin Ya! Du Long! Little Hong! Aaaah—”
Lu Meng tore open her throat and screamed. Just as she expected—the horses were “startled”!
With a sharp “shrrrk,” the tent tore.
It charged right in, and Lu Meng’s cries grew even more pitiful.
But at this moment, compared to the desperate cries outside and the thunderous stampede, her voice was like a tiny cicada chirping—completely unheard.
The horse was inside!
Its hooves dug into the ground, snorting loudly.
Lu Meng shrank under the table, glanced toward the tent’s entrance, but no one had come to rescue her yet.
She wasn’t surprised. With the horses inside, all the maids were definitely nowhere to be found.
Don’t ask why. The plot doesn’t care about logic or bugs—otherwise, how could she have become the Princess Consort of Jian'an with just a few scenes? The original female lead and male lead weren’t exactly strangers in bed, either.
Lu Meng felt utterly hopeless.
But at the same time, she couldn’t help but laugh through her tears.
If they really wanted her to fly, fine—but at least let her pee first!
Just as Lu Meng didn’t know whether to cry or laugh, the horse zeroed in on her precisely. It didn’t hit the table, but tried to paw under it where Lu Meng was hiding!
Holy crap!
What the hell!
Lu Meng was terrified.
Was this a horse or a dog? How could it be digging for her like that? Did this thing really have that much intelligence?!
She desperately tried to hide under the table, but the horse’s hooves couldn’t reach her.
Meanwhile, she kept crying for help in various ways, but it was like she was trapped in this tiny space, completely cut off—no one answered.
Then, just as Lu Meng thought the horse couldn’t knock over the table nailed to the ground, and that as long as she stayed hidden, she’d be safe—
Suddenly, she felt something bite her sleeve and start dragging her outside.
“Ah! Aaaahhh—”
Lu Meng struggled, wishing she could just rip off her sleeve on the spot!
But her clothes were even tougher than the tent. Before long, she was dragged out from under the table.
Why didn’t she just take off her clothes?
She was only wearing that one outfit—was she supposed to fly naked later?
And the fact that the horse could reach under the table to grab someone—was it really that strange for it to bite her arm and pull her out?
Lu Meng’s biggest fear was that if she refused to cooperate with the plot, the horse would suddenly start talking.
That would be terrifying beyond belief!
Half pulled out from under the table, she looked up from bottom to top and was stunned by how majestic the horse looked—one charge from it could easily kill three weaklings like her.
Between its two front legs were rippling muscles, tightly coiled like knots!
Lu Meng was completely frozen. For the first time, she felt so small and helpless in front of the plot.
She didn’t dare scream anymore. According to the story, she was only supposed to fly away. She was afraid that if she shouted, this “actor” would get startled and accidentally trample her to death right there!
Half of Lu Meng’s body was under the table, the other half sprawled out on the floor. She couldn’t even think about how she might have flown like that—she was just too scared and weak to move.
The horse was still tugging at her sleeve, dragging her along.
Lu Meng gave up shouting for the maid but muttered nervously, “Bi-big, big brother, we can talk this out…”
“Big sis, can I fly on my own…”
Her mind was a bit foggy—mostly because she couldn’t make sense of the situation. She thought to herself, a horse shouldn’t be smart enough to pull her out from under the table.
So maybe, since this is a story, she could try negotiating.
But clearly, this horse wasn’t that clever. It dragged Lu Meng a bit and then let go, starting to paw at the ground.
Lu Meng thought it was just practicing, maybe about to charge.
But after pawing for a long time, the horse snorted at her. Shaking, Lu Meng crawled on the floor, trying to get under the bed.
Then she realized why the horse was pawing so eagerly—it was digging at the empty snack pouch.
Lu Meng didn’t understand animal language. She never imagined she could communicate with a horse. Even after all her time-traveling and reincarnation experiences, she still considered herself a normal human.
She wouldn’t suddenly try to talk to animals, let alone unlock some mystical energy channels and control beasts with her mind…
But then.
At this life-or-death moment, a sudden flash of insight hit her. She understood what the horse wanted. It… it was asking for food?
That’s the thing about this world—or any world, really—there’s always a creature that can cross time, space, and species barriers to receive mental signals from others. And that creature is… a foodie.
Still trembling, mostly from fear, Lu Meng felt like an ant in front of this mighty, majestic horse.
One careless stomp and she’d be dead.
But once she grasped the horse’s meaning, it was like she’d truly opened her energy channels.
Everything suddenly made sense.
The horse wasn’t startled; it had just sneaked into her tent to steal snacks.
It had been eating for half a day before Lu Meng woke up, or else she would’ve flown off in her sleep.
After she woke up, it only came in because the food was gone.
It didn’t bite her, didn’t paw at her, didn’t make her fly—it just dragged her out to get more food.
Lu Meng: “…”
She felt like she’d just survived a disaster.
Trembling, she crawled over to a chest near her bed, opened it, and pulled out a cloth pouch identical to the empty one. She untied the string and dumped everything inside onto the floor.
The horse came over!
It snorted at Lu Meng.
Lowering its head, it began to eat.
Lu Meng: “…Good boy, you should’ve just said so earlier.”
She rested on the floor for a while. The two of them—human and horse—shared a peaceful moment amid the scattered remnants of food.
Then Lu Meng shakily stood up, leaning on the bed.
The horse looked up at her once, then went back to eating.
Her legs weak, Lu Meng held onto the bed and walked over to a small corner separated by a cloth curtain. Covered in cold sweat, she lifted the lid of the chamber pot…
The tent was howling with the wind, leaking cold air, while outside the noise showed no sign of stopping. The fire seemed to be getting out of control, fanned by the strong wind tonight.
Lu Meng quickly stepped out from behind the cloth curtain and looked for clothes to put on.
The big horse was eating off the ground, occasionally glancing at her sideways, showing no hint of aggression.
Lu Meng was utterly exhausted, her mind and body sinking into a state even deeper than a sage’s calm after battle.
She felt as if she had just conquered herself, transcended her own limits. Calmly, she believed she had come to terms with life and death.
After dressing, she washed her face with some water she prepared herself.
Once the horse finished eating the food on the ground and came over to nudge her again, Lu Meng walked over to a large chest and picked up a cloth bag.
She opened it but didn’t dump the contents on the ground. Instead, she placed it on her lap and began taking out snacks one by one, setting them on the table. The horse obediently went to eat them.
It was surprisingly well-behaved, not trying to snatch anything from the bag.
Leaning back against the chair, Lu Meng’s breathing grew steadier and more composed.
She even started to take an interest in the horse’s coat. Through the torn tent flapping wildly in the wind outside, the light filtered in and revealed the horse’s markings clearly. This was no ordinary horse—it was a sleek, glossy black beast, with only its four hooves white. Standing at well over five feet four inches tall, its body length was impossible to estimate—a real giant.
Just then, familiar footsteps and running sounds came from outside again, followed by a sharp, clear voice: “What’s going on? There are guards at the door! Xiuyun! Xiuyun, what’s wrong?”
The tent flap was lifted, and Xiuli saw the princess sitting calmly by the table, her expression cold and indifferent, her palm open as she fed the horse.
The horse’s mouth curled around the snacks in her hand, tickling her. Lu Meng fed it with one hand while holding a clean piece of snack with the other, bringing it to her own lips to eat.
Life is like a play; it all depends on how tough your fate is.
“Miss! Ah!” Xiuli shrieked, wanting to rush forward, but the horse was too large, blocking her path. She dared not approach.
Turning, she shouted outside the tent, “Help! There’s a horse inside the princess’s tent!”
As if a plot had been unleashed, a flood of grimy little eunuchs poured in, mingled with Xiuli’s screams. They began trying to drive the horse out together.
But two of them were immediately sent flying by the horse’s hooves.
Lu Meng flicked her hand effortlessly.
This “big brother” really could hurt people!
Don’t ask how she knew it was a “big brother”—she had been lying on the ground earlier, and its anatomy was unmistakably obvious.
The two eunuchs were kicked flying inside the tent; one clutched his stomach, wailing in pain, while the other fell silent on the spot.
Lu Meng was terrified. She was sitting there, almost sliding under the table.
If she had been kicked just now, she probably would have been sent back to the modern era by now.
Yet she kept feeding the horse, appearing utterly calm to the onlookers. She said to those at the door, “Go find a professional horse trainer. You can’t handle it.”
“Miss!” Xiuli was crying like mad, her usual decorum thrown out the window. Lu Meng noticed that Xiuli was in a sorry state too, her clothes torn and her face smudged with dirt and ash.
Amidst the chaos of war, a young eunuch suddenly appeared, holding a short dagger. He slashed through the tent beside the table where Lu Meng was sitting, slipped inside, grabbed Lu Meng’s arm, and said, “The princess consort is coming with me!”
Lu Meng thought to herself, this guy is really sharp!
Just as she was about to put down her cloth bundle and get up to follow him, the firelight caught his face—and she saw a delicate, handsome face so stunning it made her lose focus. Instantly, she sat back down.
Damn!
Does it have to be this intense? Was this guy the third male lead or the second? Third, right?
If she stayed seated here, it would be better. After all, the horse had eaten so much of her food that it clearly wouldn’t let her fly again.
But if she dared to go with the third male lead, Lu Meng couldn’t even imagine what kind of plot twists she would face.
So she put on a cold expression and said to this... supporting male character whose name she couldn’t recall for the moment, “Can’t you understand what I’m saying? Go find a professional horse trainer!”
Xiang Yunhe was momentarily stunned but quickly bowed and said, “Yes, sir!” before turning and leaving.
Lu Meng breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, this supporting male wasn’t the clingy type who wouldn’t leave.
Not long after, Xin Ya returned with her people. The situation outside had been somewhat brought under control, though she looked utterly disheveled.
But after quite some time, the horse trainer still hadn’t arrived. Although most of the horses in the camp were restrained and the fire no longer spread, the reinforcements were being blocked!
Lu Meng, now safe, was afraid that any movement might trigger another plot twist, so she sat quietly inside the drafty tent feeding the horse.
Only after asking Xin Ya did she learn why it had taken so long to regain control, why her tent was damaged, why horses had broken in, and why no one knew about it.
This entire tent area was where the women of the camp stayed. The fire and the horses breaking in should have been controlled long ago.
But the rotten feudal mindset meant that when the ministers learned their wives and daughters’ quarters were under attack at night, all half-dressed, they banded together—protecting their so-called family honor—and refused to let the guards enter to put out the fire or catch the horses.
They even forbade the horse trainers from entering, sending only eunuchs instead.
But eunuchs were used to serving people; they weren’t skilled in riding or archery and couldn’t catch horses.
They could put out fires, but since most eunuchs were castrated males with smaller, weaker builds, in this world where firefighting relied mostly on throwing water and dirt, eunuchs—accustomed to indoor chores like attending to maids—lacked the strength and speed to carry water quickly.
So all the maids were sent to the burning tents to rescue people. The fire wasn’t blowing toward Lu Meng’s tent, and only a few horses were running in this direction. Xin Ya was first sent away.
Then, in the chaos, Xiuli and two other maids guarding Lu Meng’s tent were pulled away in a panic. Xiuyun was knocked unconscious by a horse.
This created the situation where horses had entered Lu Meng’s tent, but no one was there to help.
Xin Ya tried to help Lu Meng out through the opening in the tent, but the eunuchs couldn’t catch the horse, and they feared rushing forward might startle it and cause it to trample Lu Meng.
But Lu Meng sat still without moving.
No one could understand the fear she felt at this moment—fear even greater than when Ma had dragged her out from under the table just now.
These court officials, all for the sake of the women’s honor, wouldn’t even allow the guards to come in to put out the fire and capture the horse. Then, her small mercenary team definitely wouldn’t be allowed in either.
Lu Meng stared wide-eyed at Xin Ya and said, “Don’t touch me. I can’t leave.”
She couldn’t leave. Sitting here, with this horse present, she was trapped inside this unfolding scene.
Among the people around her now, not a single maid could protect her. If she stepped out and encountered the next part of the plot, it would surely be her doom.
This horse, once her tormentor, had suddenly become the only living thing that could keep the story from closing in on her.
Lu Meng reached out to stroke the horse’s head, moving her lips to issue a command.
“Go find the Prince.” Lu Meng fixed Xin Ya with a fierce gaze. “Find Prince Jian’an.”
Perhaps the male lead could break this deadlock.
But as soon as Lu Meng said it, she knew it was unrealistic.
Wu Linxuan, Prince Jian’an, was also a man of this world; his mindset was hardly more open than these officials’. Wouldn’t he, like them, stand by and watch as women were burned by fire? Or trampled by horses? All in the name of preserving their purity?
A chill ran through Lu Meng’s teeth. What kind of world had she come to?
Xin Ya’s eyes filled with tears upon hearing this.
“The Prince went hunting in the mountains. They’ve already sent people to look for him,” she said, “but he hasn’t been found yet.”
Lu Meng sneered inwardly, unsurprised.
After all, this was a tragic heroine’s story. Physical suffering was an essential part of the plot. If the male lead didn’t personally inflict harm, that would be one thing—but to suddenly appear from the heavens in a moment of peril? That was just fantasy.
“Clear the way! Who dares to block me, the Prince!”
From afar came a rough shout, followed by the thunderous galloping of horses charging this way.
From a distance, Xin Ya caught sight of a man riding hard, and she cried out in excitement, losing her composure: “The Prince! The Prince is here!”
Lu Meng didn’t hear a word. Her eyes were full of dread as she clung to the horse’s head.
She never imagined that one day, she would have to rely on a horse for protection.
“Where is the Princess Consort?”
“In there!”
The pounding hooves rapidly approached, their neighs snapping Lu Meng back to reality.
Suddenly, the tent behind and above her was ripped apart.
The raging flames cast a fiery glow on Lu Meng’s face as she slowly turned her head. There, atop a tall, majestic horse, clad entirely in sleek black armor, with a bow and arrows strapped to his back and a long sword in hand, was Wu Linxuan.
His expression was stern and cold. Raising his sword, he pointed toward the burning tent and shouted at the crowd rushing in with him, “Issue my order! Guards, enter immediately to put out the fire and capture the horse! Anyone who blocks you is to be tied up—”
A string of dripping blood hung from his horse’s head, and fresh blood smeared his jaw. With a fierce roar, the guards who had been held back finally surged forward.
The firelight illuminated his breathtakingly handsome face. At this moment, he truly looked like a decisive and ruthless young general ready for battle.
He lowered his gaze to Lu Meng, who was still clutching the horse’s head. Sheath sword in hand, he dismounted swiftly and efficiently pulled a rope from his waist, looping it around the horse’s neck right in front of Lu Meng.
Then, he swung the rope behind him, and unexpectedly, Du Long was right there. Du Long grabbed it and tightened it around the horse’s neck.
Wu Linxuan then walked up to Lu Meng without saying a word. He reached out with one arm, wrapped it around her waist, lifted her off the bench, and with a powerful swing, tossed her onto the horse. Without hesitation, he vaulted onto the horse himself, turned its head around, pressed his feet firmly against its sides, and galloped straight toward the camp entrance.
Lu Meng’s eyes widened almost as big as the horse’s. Under Wu Linxuan’s strength, she felt as light as a child without any weight.
Wu Linxuan effortlessly swung her onto the horse with one arm, as if letting a kite fly.
Lu Meng was completely captivated by him, unable to react.
Held close in front of him, her hands instinctively reached forward and came into contact with something sticky. Her palms were covered with the soft, still-warm blood of the recently killed prey.
She felt as if she were touching her own corpse. In this world, wasn’t she as fragile and vulnerable as those hunted creatures?
She stared blankly at her blood-covered hands, but the fear inside her slowly faded away as the horse galloped forward.
Wu Big Dog had arrived.
She was saved.
After the intense tension, Lu Meng fainted in Wu Linxuan’s arms.
“Phew!” Wu Linxuan felt her body go limp against him. He immediately tightened his hold and urged the horse to a halt right at the exit of the women’s quarters.
His gaze swept over the officials gathered at the exit; each of them avoided meeting his eyes. When his eyes landed on the culprit who had ordered the guards not to rescue the injured, Wu Linxuan sneered, “Fourth Brother, regarding tonight’s matter, when Father arrives tomorrow, I will personally and thoroughly discuss with him just how wise your decision was.”
He snorted coldly, then, holding the unconscious woman tightly, charged out of the camp and headed straight toward the men’s quarters.
Wu Linxuan had never imagined that a simple hunting trip would spiral into such a huge disaster.
A group of brainless people had blocked the guards and only sent eunuchs inside, trying to sweep the matter under the rug. But the night’s fierce wind nearly set the entire camp ablaze.
Moreover, the hunting horses had been spooked by the fire, wildly stampeding about. No one knew how many women had been injured that night.
Wu Linxuan had been found by Du Long in the mountains. After hearing how everyone had conspired to keep the guards from entering to rescue the injured, he had rushed back in a cold sweat.
Fortunately... the fire had started at the edge of the camp.
His princess’s tent was in the middle section, and because of the wind direction, the fire hadn’t spread there. Yet, a horse had broken into the tent, and his princess had almost been trampled. Wu Linxuan was nearly scared to death.
When he reached his own tent and carefully lifted the unconscious princess off the horse, his hands were trembling.
“Someone, fetch a doctor—”
This was the first time Lu Meng had fainted since arriving in this world.
After fainting, she had no dreams; it felt like she had taken a very deep, solid sleep.
When she finally woke up again, she was lying on soft bedding, surrounded by a faint, familiar scent of incense.
Opening her eyes, she saw several maids standing by her bedside. Xiuyun and Xiuli immediately came close and began to cry.
“Wuwuwu, the princess has finally awakened...”
Xin Ya brought over a steaming bowl of medicinal soup.
She said, "The princess consort has woken up. Please drink this calming tonic."
Lu Meng was helped to sit up, leaning against the headboard. Rubbing her eyes, she asked, "How long have I been asleep?"
"One full day and night," Xin Ya replied.
"One day and night?"
Lu Meng glanced outside the tent. It was still dark.
So, from the moment the cavalry found her last night, she had been asleep until now?
Lu Meng frowned, took the soup, and drank it.
Then she said, "I'm hungry... where is the prince?"
She still remembered how last night, at the critical moment, Wu Linxuan suddenly appeared like a hero straight out of a romantic drama, rescuing the beauty.
"The prince was summoned by His Majesty and hasn't returned yet," Xin Ya answered, holding the tools to clean Lu Meng’s mouth and a damp cloth. She carefully tended to Lu Meng’s washing up.
After finishing, Lu Meng sighed and asked, "Were there many injured last night?"
"And how was it handled?"
"The cause of the fire hasn’t been identified yet. Not many women were hurt—only a few from the tents at the camp’s edge, but none in critical condition."
"A few ladies were so frightened they left for the city during the day."
Hearing that no one had died, Lu Meng exhaled in relief.
When she heard some ladies had already returned to the city, her spirits lifted immediately.
She asked Xin Ya, "Then why aren’t we going back? Our tent burned down; there’s nowhere to stay. I was terrified—there was even a horse inside my tent!"
Lu Meng urged, "Quick, pack our things. Let’s leave tonight."
Xiuyun and Xiuli were still quietly sniffling and chiming in, "Yes, it’s too dangerous here... let’s go back."
Before Xin Ya could respond, the tent flap was abruptly pulled aside. Wu Linxuan stepped in and added, "The ladies who left in fright were all elderly. How old are you this year?"
The hunting competition had been postponed by a day. The fire damage had mostly been cleared, and the women’s tents at the camp had been rebuilt. By tomorrow, everything would be back to normal.
The autumn hunt was still set to proceed as planned. Except for a few aged ladies, none of the young noblewomen who were injured had mentioned leaving.
His Majesty arrived during the day. Furious over the fire, he punished many and comforted the women. Leaving now would be like deliberately embarrassing the emperor.
The moment Lu Meng saw Wu Linxuan, her face fell. "Prince... I was truly terrified. There was even a horse in my tent. I’m just not suited to this place. Please let me go back..."
"I think you look quite lively," Wu Linxuan said. "You even slept with me last night and kicked me out of bed."
She had kept calling out, "Big black horse, where are you running off to? Come eat some cake."
It didn’t look like she was scared at all.
Moreover, Wu Linxuan had heard from the maids that when the horse entered the princess consort’s tent, she was sitting by the table feeding it.
That horse hadn’t harmed her in the slightest.
When Wu Linxuan came to fetch her, she was still clinging tightly to the horse’s head, refusing to let go. Wu Linxuan couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t leave with the maids.
“Everyone, you may leave now,” Wu Linxuan told the maids, sending them out. He then sat down beside the bed and reached out to gently touch Lu Meng’s face.
Lu Meng grabbed his wrist and spoke again, “Your Highness…”
“The Emperor ordered yesterday that the Fourth Prince, who refused to save anyone, be sent back to the city under house arrest,” Wu Linxuan explained. “Several of the elder princes also arrived this afternoon. The hunting competition starts tomorrow. You haven’t left all day, so now isn’t the right time to go.”
Lu Meng felt a sudden sweetness in her throat.
She nearly spat a mouthful of old blood right onto Wu Linxuan’s face.
Hadn’t she been unconscious during the day? Was that a reason not to leave?!
“Why didn’t Your Highness send me away?” Lu Meng complained a little. “I told you I didn’t want to come, but you insisted. And what happened? Fire and horses everywhere. If this keeps up, I might not make it out alive.”
Wu Linxuan chuckled, hooking his arm around her neck and pulling her into his embrace.
“Don’t be afraid. For the next few days, you’ll stay here with me. My tent is separate from the others, so it won’t be a problem for you to stay with me.” Lu Meng finally understood—there was no avoiding the plot.
She leaned quietly against Wu Linxuan’s broad chest. After all, he had come to her rescue like a hero last night, and she had to admit she was grateful he had pulled her out of that mess.
And if she stayed with him… maybe she’d be safe?
What other plot twists were coming next?
She couldn’t remember. Last night had genuinely terrified her.
“Why so quiet? Aren’t you usually quite talkative in your dreams? Do you really like that big black horse?” Wu Linxuan teased.
“What horse?” Lu Meng’s voice was muffled as she hugged Wu Linxuan tightly.
At least Wu Linxuan was humane—he wouldn’t just stand by because of some notion of ‘purity’ and refuse to help.
“The horse you clung to all night.”
“I was scared,” Lu Meng said, resting her head on Wu Linxuan’s shoulder. “Your Highness… even if I don’t go back, can I just stay here in this tent? Not go outside at all?”
“You’ll still have to attend the hunting competition once it starts,” Wu Linxuan stroked her hair gently. “You’re my rightful consort. How could you possibly not show up?”
“Don’t you want to see me win the competition? If you had come to watch me compete against the Sixth Prince last night, I would have taken you into the mountains—and you wouldn’t have had to go through all that.”
Lu Meng thought bitterly, Yeah, right. If I had gone to watch you compete last night, chances are the plot would have turned you into a horse and knocked me flying.
At least that horse was greedy and only tried to eat me, not trample me.
“There’s nothing exciting about hunting. Who can beat Your Highness? You caught a whole bunch of game yesterday—I saw it all hanging from your horse.”
“You’re so amazing, Your Highness… just let me lie here in your tent.”
“Unless it’s absolutely necessary, no one will stop you from lying down.”
Only then did Lu Meng feel a little reassured. She hugged Wu Linxuan tightly, feeling both safe and worried at the same time.
The safety came from the fact that Wu Linxuan truly could break the plot—just like last night, when he took her away from it all.
But Wu Da Gou was once again the source of misfortune for Lu Meng, the tortured heroine of this story.
Lu Meng felt as if she were clutching a ticking time bomb.
Why was it so hard just to live a life of luxury and ease?
Wu Linxuan comforted her for a while and then asked, “You’ve slept for a whole day and night. You shouldn’t be sleepy anymore, right? Have something to eat. I’m going to practice horseback archery. Why don’t you come with me?”
“I’m not going!” Lu Meng answered sharply.
“Are you still afraid when you’re by my side?”
Wu Linxuan said, “I want you to come. You should get out of bed and move around, or else your body will get too weak. If danger comes, you won’t be able to run.”
“I don’t… ugh.”
Lu Meng stared wide-eyed as Wu Linxuan covered her mouth.
With his mouth.
He closed his eyes, his movements gentle and full of reassurance, without any hint of desire.
There weren’t many moments of closeness between them that didn’t carry any romantic or sexual undertones, especially not initiated by Wu Linxuan.
Lu Meng felt something was off.
But in the end, Wu Linxuan didn’t force her to go practice horseback archery. Lu Meng stayed lying in the tent by herself.
She thought to herself that for the next few days, no one better cause trouble in front of her. She’d just lie here like a turtle.
But she didn’t expect that even being a turtle was a luxury for the tortured heroine.
She heard a sudden commotion outside.
Then came the sharp neighing of a horse, clear and piercing.
Someone shouted, “It’s the same horse from last night! Why has it come back again?”
“Why wasn’t it tied up? Catch it quickly!”
“Whoever dares to hurt it! It’s a tribute horse! It means no harm, it’s just here looking for someone…”
A young, awkward voice spoke in a strange, sing-song tone: “Last night… whoever played with it, can you come out and see it?”
“Neigh… neigh…”
The horse’s calls continued. Outside, the servants and this odd boy were arguing back and forth.
“I told you, it means no harm. It’s just here to play with the person who played with it last night.”
“Play? You call that play? Our princess was so scared she fainted!” Xiuli’s sharp voice practically stabbed into their nerves.
Lu Meng understood what was going on, but it all felt a bit surreal.
Although she’d often read ancient texts mentioning one or two especially ‘spiritual’ pets, was it really plausible for a horse to be that intelligent?
The arguing outside went on. The guards seemed reluctant to do anything to the boy with the sharp tongue. His status was special. Lu Meng even heard some maids whispering that he was from a foreign tribe.
Listening to the neighing, Lu Meng got up from the bed with mixed feelings.
She had no intention of going outside. She wasn’t about to play with a horse—what if this story’s horse thought last night’s “task” was unfinished and was now coming to take her away?
Lu Meng lifted the edge of the tent and peeked outside.
She thought it’d be better to watch Wu Da Gou practice horseback archery instead. Why did the plot refuse to give her a break…
Then, flickering in the torchlight, she saw the horse—a sleek black coat with snow-white hooves—and the man standing beside it.
The man was tall with long legs and sharp features. At this time of year, he wore a skirt made from a bunch of colorful strips of cloth hanging over his pants, looking like a ragged mop. On his body, he wore only a scant piece of animal hide, barely covering him. His strong physique gleamed with a wild honey tone under the firelight.
His hair was braided in a complex style, and strange symbols were painted on his face and body, making him look exactly like a shaman.
Yes, his voice was that of a boy.
But his appearance and stature were those of a man. Lu Meng felt like he was about to cast a spell any moment.
He even tried to explain to the soldiers blocking him, “It really came to find the person from yesterday to play... I don’t know who the princess is.”
Lu Meng squinted and recalled the plot she still remembered, and her heart sank again.
Here we go again. Why is she so busy!
This... was another male supporting character.
