"Princess, His Highness has surely taken many agile guards with him on this journey."
"Even if they encounter danger, so many guards will definitely ensure His Highness's safety."
Duoduo bit her lip. Suddenly, a tear rolled from her large eyes.
"Teacher, can you take me with you?"
"Or, just taking me out of the manor would be fine too!"
Seeing Duoduo's tears, Li Jin immediately became flustered.
"Princess, please use your words, just don't cry!"
Hearing Li Jin say this, Duoduo's tears only multiplied.
Finally, large teardrops streamed down her face in continuous lines.
"Father, please just say yes to her request!"
"If you don't agree, I'll take her out myself!"
Yingniang glared at her father angrily.
Li Jin surrendered.
"Alright, I will take you out!"
"But I need to go grab something first. Wait for me here."
With that, Li Jin quickly walked out of the room.
Yingniang took out a handkerchief and wiped the tears of Duoduo, who was standing there in a daze.
"Duoduo, don't worry. Since my father agreed, he won't leave you behind."
Duoduo stared blankly at Yingniang.
She seemed to finally understand the words the Prince of Pingyang had told her.
When facing someone stronger than yourself, you must learn to show weakness.
Soon, Li Jin returned with two sets of rain gear.
"Yingniang, stay in the manor. It's about to pour. I have to protect the Princess and cannot be distracted trying to look after you."
Yingniang nodded.
"Okay! Father, please be careful! I will wait for your safe return!"
Li Jin nodded.
"Princess, take off the cloth bags on your legs. Once they get wet, they will become extremely heavy."
Duoduo bent down and started untying the bags, with Yingniang helping her.
"Alright, let's go."
Seeing that Duoduo was ready, Li Jin turned and walked out.
Yingniang hurriedly followed them outside.
Li Jin first went to the stables to lead out his horse, then swung himself onto its back.
"Princess, come."
He reached his hand out to Duoduo.
Duoduo reached back, and Li Jin pulled her up onto the horse's back in one swift motion.
Then, Li Jin hid Duoduo inside his rain cape.
"Yingniang, go back inside!"
"Yes! Be careful, Daddy!" Yingniang was now filled with worry.
As Li Jin rode forward, the gatekeepers saw him and immediately opened the main gates.
Li Jin galloped toward the outside of the city.
Dark clouds rolled in the sky. The street vendors were hastily packing up their stalls and running home.
The pedestrians on the road were all in a hurry.
Everyone wanted to rush home before the heavy rain poured down.
Only Li Jin was riding his horse, galloping out of the city.
Passersby cast curious glances at the rider.
Wearing a hat and a waterproof rain cape, Li Jin's face was hidden from the onlookers.
Li Jin exited the city gates smoothly.
"Princess, which way?"
Li Jin loosened his tight grip on the rain cape, and Duoduo immediately popped her head out.
Duoduo looked at the fork in the road ahead and quickly found the right direction.
"Take the middle path!"
Duoduo pointed with her small hand.
"Hyah!"
Li Jin squeezed his legs, and the horse broke into a gallop.
Li Jin's horse was a veteran of the battlefield.
Although it couldn't compare to a legendary steed, it was still very fast.
Li Jin hoped they were fast enough to catch up with the Prince of Pingyang and his men before the heavy rain fell.
Looking at the sky on the horizon, which was as black as the bottom of a pot, Li Jin cracked his whip hard.
"Hyah!"
Accompanied by a fierce gust of wind, the torrential rain came crashing down.
Li Jin wrapped the rain cape tightly around Duoduo.
He leaned low over the saddle, constantly urging the horse to run faster.
The rain fell harder and harder.
Li Jin's vision was completely obscured by the rain.
"Princess, we cannot keep going forward."
"The rain is too heavy right now. The horse can't see the road ahead clearly; it's too dangerous!"
"We need to take shelter first and wait for the rain to lighten up before we continue our pursuit."
Li Jin shouted loudly to Duoduo in his arms.
"Okay!"
Duoduo's voice was as soft as a kitten's meow.
The heavy rain splattered loudly, turning the world into a sheet of white.
Li Jin finally spotted a pavilion ahead and hurriedly steered the horse inside.
"Crack!"
A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky.
Immediately after, a deafening clap of thunder boomed.
Li Jin urged the horse into the pavilion.
He jumped off the horse and set Duoduo down on the ground.
Duoduo stood by the edge of the pavilion, looking out at the heavy rain with a worried expression.
"Princess, step inside a little more, or your clothes will get wet."
Hearing Li Jin's words, Duoduo took a few steps back.
"Teacher, where do you think my father and the others are right now?"
Li Jin looked around. The world was a vast expanse of white; nothing could be seen clearly.
"With rain this heavy, His Highness and his men are surely taking shelter somewhere too."
"The rain is too intense. Even if the riders wanted to keep moving, the horses would refuse."
Li Jin comforted Duoduo.
Duoduo felt a bit cold and wrapped her cloak tightly around herself.
"Come here."
Li Jin noticed Duoduo's movements.
He opened the bundle on his back and took out a lined jacket.
"When I left, I didn't dare to alert the Princess Consort, so I only brought one of Yingniang's garments."
"Princess, please make do with this for now."
Li Jin helped Duoduo take off her outer cloak and then put the lined jacket on her.
Duoduo instantly felt much warmer.
"Thank you, Teacher."
"You're welcome." Li Jin repacked the bundle and slung it back over his shoulder.
"Princess, can you tell me why you insisted on coming out to find His Highness?"
Li Jin asked with a curious expression.
Duoduo looked at the overwhelming heavy rain and lowered her head.
"I had a dream. I saw it in my dream."
Li Jin looked at Duoduo in surprise. He only saw her hanging her head, staring at the shoes on her feet, looking quite dejected.
"Princess, perhaps dreams are the opposite of reality?"
Li Jin couldn't help but sigh.
It was just a dream.
Yet he had actually believed it, bringing the Princess out into this desolate wilderness.
Now look at them. With such heavy rain, they couldn't go back, and they couldn't move forward either.
Duoduo raised her eyes.
"Teacher, but what if it's true?"
Duoduo's eyes were clear and transparent, seemingly able to see right through a person's heart.
Li Jin found that the words of rebuttal he wanted to say suddenly caught in his throat.
"This rain is indeed heavy. Since ancient times, heavy rains easily cause floods, and massive storms inevitably bring trouble."
Li Jin convinced himself.
Duoduo shifted her gaze away, looking out at the white curtain of rain.
The worry in her heart grew even deeper.
A gust of wind blew by, sweeping the rain inside.
Li Jin hurriedly stepped forward and wrapped Duoduo in his rain cape.
"Pardon my offense, Princess."
"Thank you, Teacher!" Duoduo replied absentmindedly.
"Rumble! Rumble!"
Rolling thunder echoed across the sky.
"Crack!"
A bolt of lightning struck down, as if trying to split heaven and earth apart.
The horse by the pavilion suddenly began to stamp its hooves back and forth uneasily.
Li Jin found it a bit strange.
His warhorse was a veteran of the battlefield. What on earth could be making it feel so uneasy?
