Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Girl in the White Dress

With such thoughts in his mind, Zhu Hao hurriedly tried to reassure Zhu Youxiao, saying, “Elder brother, why would you say such a thing? You are Father’s eldest son; of course, the throne should pass to you. I have never harbored any such ambition! Please, elder brother, do not speak like this again in the future. If you do, it would show you do not trust your younger brother!”

Zhu Youxiao glanced at Zhu Hao and replied, “Throughout history, there have been countless cases of brothers turning against each other for the throne. To find a younger brother as modest as you is a rare blessing for me. Still, about this hunt…”

Zhu Hao understood his brother’s concern and said, “Elder brother, you need not worry about the hunt. I’ll have Hua Rong accompany you this afternoon. Not only can he protect you, but he’ll also assist you during the hunt. Don’t worry—Hua Rong is extremely skilled. With his help, I’m sure your results will satisfy Father!”

Zhu Hao’s words rekindled hope in Zhu Youxiao’s eyes, which had just lost their fighting spirit. He quickly asked, “Younger brother, is this Hua Rong the very hero who saved me earlier?”

Though Zhu Hao’s heart ached, he nodded and replied, “It is indeed him.”

At this, Zhu Youxiao could not contain his delight, jumping up and exclaiming, “This is wonderful! Younger brother, you are truly the best! Thank you!”

In truth, Zhu Hao was most reluctant to let Hua Rong accompany his elder brother. It wasn’t that he minded losing to him, but rather he feared that his brother might steal Hua Rong away. Yet compared to his own future and safety, none of this mattered. If he wished to secure his own well-being, he had to ensure his brother would one day rule the empire. To do that, his brother must shine before their father in this hunt, and the only way to ensure that was to have Hua Rong assist him. There was simply no alternative. If, in the end, Hua Rong really was won over by his brother, then it would simply mean that Zhu Hao and Hua Rong were not destined for one another—he would have to accept it.

Caught in this turmoil of hope and anxiety, Zhu Hao saw off Zhu Youxiao and Hua Rong, then wandered alone on horseback through the imperial hunting grounds, hoping the scenery might ease his troubled mind.

Because he was in the forbidden imperial hunting grounds—where trespassers would be put to death—Zhu Hao had gradually relaxed, and did not notice that two young girls were following him at a leisurely pace, their faces bright with mischievous smiles. Had Zhu Hao known these two girls were pointing and whispering about him behind his back, he would surely have coughed up blood in vexation.

Both girls were just entering the bloom of youth. The one in front wore a flowing white dress, her figure tall and slender, with a peach-shaped face and lively eyes like polished onyx, lit with intelligence. Her lips, small and full, bespoke noble birth, and her features together possessed a breathtaking beauty—every gesture radiated grace, and even her tense grip on her sword did not diminish her charm, but rather lent her a spirited air.

The girl behind her, dressed in a pale blue gown, was far more ordinary in appearance. Yet the mischievous glint in her eyes revealed a lively, playful nature.

The girl in blue, following behind, spoke discontentedly, “Miss, I told you we shouldn’t come, but you insisted! If you want to see him, why not just go up openly? Instead, we’re trailing behind, eating his dust. I just don’t understand you!”

The girl in white turned, tapped the other’s nose, and replied, “Wenwen, didn’t you promise me before we left? You said you’d follow me and not complain. Have you forgotten? It’s too late to back out now! Hee hee, just keep following me!”

Wenwen, the girl in blue, wrinkled her nose in protest and muttered under her breath, “Hmph! Miss has caught a bad case of infatuation. He’s just a kid—what’s so interesting about him? If you like him so much, why not marry him now? Then you can look at him all you want, and you won’t have to trail after him eating dust.”

Her words were soft, but the girl in white heard them, seized Wenwen’s ear, and scolded, “You little imp! What did you just say? Say it again, and see if I don’t tear that wicked mouth of yours apart!”

Though at her mercy, Wenwen was not cowed. She puffed out her cheeks and retorted, “Miss, you’re being completely unfair. You can do as you please, sneaking after your future husband, but I’m not allowed to say anything. That’s just too much!”

Wenwen’s words stung the girl in white. She let go of Wenwen’s ear and, gazing at Zhu Hao in the distance, said, “Wenwen, you don’t understand. The man I, Guo Mengdie, will marry must be a true hero. I came here today to see what kind of person he really is. If he doesn’t meet my expectations, I would rather die than marry him!”

Seeing her mistress so troubled, Wenwen put aside her teasing and tried to comfort her, “Miss, don’t worry! He’s the crown prince—the future emperor of Ming. He’s bound to be a hero. Let’s just go back; if Old Master finds out we snuck out, he’ll definitely punish me!”

Guo Mengdie stubbornly shook her head, “If we go back now, all our efforts will be wasted. No, I have to test him—to see if he’s truly a hero!”

Wenwen asked reluctantly, “Miss, how do you plan to test him?”

Guo Mengdie’s eyes sparkled with inspiration, “Let’s head deeper into the hunting grounds and draw out a tiger or a giant bear. Then we’ll run and cry for help—see if he comes to rescue us. In the stories, heroes always save beauties at the crucial moment!”

Guo Mengdie might have seemed clever, but at heart she was only an eleven- or twelve-year-old girl, and her ideas for testing a young man were laughably naive.

Wenwen turned pale with fright, stammering, “A tiger? A bear? Miss, are you mad? What if he doesn’t save us? We’d be dead for sure! This is a matter of life and death!”

Seeing Wenwen’s fear, Guo Mengdie clapped her on the shoulder with a bold smile, “Don’t worry! If he doesn’t save us, it doesn’t matter. Have you forgotten my martial skills? There’s not a beast in the world that can best me!”

Wenwen, seeing her mistress’s confidence, knew that even if she disagreed, she could not change her mind. With great reluctance, she nodded, acquiescing to Guo Mengdie’s plan.

Just as the two agreed on their course, Zhu Hao, who hadn’t rested well the previous night, unexpectedly fell asleep on horseback. The reins slipped from his hands, his arms dangling aimlessly in the air as he dozed.

Wenwen noticed first and cried out in alarm, “Miss, look! Something’s wrong with that man. His hands are in the air—he’s not holding the reins! If the horse jolts, he’ll fall off! What should we do?”

Guo Mengdie didn’t hesitate for a second. “What else? We save him!” she declared, spurring her horse forward. Whether it was her sudden charge that startled Zhu Hao’s horse or Wenwen’s ominous words coming true, the horse abruptly reared up, let out a wild neigh, and threw Zhu Hao violently to the ground.

Guo Mengdie gasped, sprang from her saddle, and, with a few light steps midair, caught Zhu Hao before he hit the ground. Whether it was panic or a misjudgment of his weight, as soon as she caught him, she realized something was wrong.

At about a meter above the ground, unable to steady herself, she tumbled down with Zhu Hao in her arms. He landed squarely on top of her, making the girl both furious and embarrassed.

Jolted awake by the sudden fall, Zhu Hao’s sleep vanished completely. As he plummeted from the sky, he couldn’t help but think, “The police were right! Never operate vehicles when tired! Today this old driver really met his match—I suppose I’ll be meeting the King of Hell now…”

Yet, contrary to his fears, he didn’t feel the expected pain when he landed. Instead, he found himself lying on something soft, much like the Simmons mattress he’d enjoyed before his journey through time.

As Zhu Hao began to drift off again in the comforting softness, a cold and furious voice cut through his haze: “Have you touched enough? If you’re done, kindly remove your filthy paws from my person!”

The voice snapped Zhu Hao from his drowsiness. Only now did he realize his unusual predicament—he was lying directly atop a stunningly beautiful girl. Her exquisite face was flushed with anger, her features pale, her dark eyes blazing with fury. If looks could kill, Zhu Hao had no doubt he would be reduced to ashes by this girl’s wrath.