Inside the forest, Feng Yu Heng and Xuan Tian Hua slowed their horses and moved side-by-side. Although they moved slowly and without purpose, they did not dare move too deep into the forest. After all, there was still an injured Xuan Fei Yu inside the imperial tent. She had to ensure that she could be found at the first possible moment in the event that something happened.
The series of events left the two in an unpleasant mood. Even Xuan Tian Hua had his brows furrowed the entire time. It was Feng Yu Heng that spoke up to console him: “Fei Yu is fine. That wound looks to be quite frightening, but it’s fortunately just an external injury. The muscle and tendons weren’t touched, and the treatment wasn’t difficult. I have already performed a thorough treatment. During the upcoming recovery, good medicine will be prepared, and I will do my best to ensure that no scar is left. Seventh brother can rest assured.”
Xuan Tian Hua smiled bitterly, “I have never doubted your medical abilities. What I’m worried about is naturally not about that.” He looked at Feng Yu Heng, as the concern in his eyes was not hidden in the slightest. Just looking at it caused Feng Yu Heng to feel a bit embarrassed. Heaving a sigh, Xuan Tian Hua once again thought about the things that had lingered in his heart. It was the same as in the past. Every time that he faced this girl, he would have a helpless feeling that would surface, and he felt that he wanted to protect her; however, he also needed to maintain a respectful and proper distance. This was what it meant to have a strong spirit but a weak body, right?
How could Feng Yu Heng not understand. There were some things that she understood but could not speak about. Once it got brought up, life would become a mess. The once great things and people would begin to fall to ruin along with those words. And this sort of ruin could befall anyone; however, it must never occur to Xuan Tian Hua. This was for no other reason than that she could not endure it. She could not bear seeing Xuan Tian Hua looking bad in the slightest.
“There are more and more enemies.” She changed the subject. In any case, she had to say something, “I keep feeling that there are enemies all around. There are some that are out in the open, and there are some that are sneaking about in the shadows. There are times when I wonder, if these enemies someday join forces, how exactly could it be handled.”
Xuan Tian Hua looked at her then asked: “Afraid?”
She shook her head, “There’s nothing to really fear. Or it could be said that being afraid is pointless. I’ve already reached this point in the road. Could it be that I can still back out? Even if I could back out, the things that have happened and the people that I have met along this path, can I act as if I never met them? If that really is the case, that would be great.”
“Be calm and do whatever is necessary. A-Heng, this is the imperial family. You’ve already set one foot inside, thus there is no way to back out.” Xuan Tian Hua suddenly reached out and patted her head. The first few strokes were gentle, but the last one was suddenly forceful, leaving Feng Yu Heng’s hair very messy. But he just patted her head then quickly helped to tidy up the hair that he had messed up. Only then did he say: “Ming’er changed the letter that Yuan shi had sent South. Old Eighth has always listened to his mother. Ming’er very clearly wanted to wipe this matter clean, which made him change Fu Ya’s name to the Lu family’s young miss’ name. Calculating things a bit, Ming’er should already be on his way back. Old Eighth will be a bit later than him, but he will definitely be back before the end of the year and will participate in the palace banquet on the first day of the new year. He was tricked into marrying Lu Yan. Once he finds out the truth of the situation, he definitely will not leave things be. We need to prepare a plan to deal with him. We cannot be too passive when the time comes. There is also today’s matter. It’s clear that there is a mastermind hidden behind the scenes. I’ve thought about it before. Yuan shi is unable to even fend for herself. Even if she wanted to get revenge, she would not immediately set to work. After all, she needs to avoid danger. As for the other people… do you know…”
Xuan Tian Hua had said a lot of things in a single breath, but before he could finish speaking, the sound of a horse could be heard from behind. The two looked back and saw Huang Quan on a horse, hastily riding towards them. Before reaching the two, she shouted with a look of urgency on her face: “Young Miss, Your Highness, wait a moment.”
Feng Yu Heng and Xuan Tian Hua quickly stopped their horses. When Huang Quan arrived in front of the two, she asked: “What is it? Is something wrong with Fei Yu?”
Huang Quan shook her head, “No, no, there’s nothing wrong with the young imperial grandson. There was something wrong inside our tent.”
“Inside our tent?” Feng Yu Heng was puzzled, “What do you mean? What happened with the tent?” While asking, she looked at Huang Quan. Seeing that she had a pouch in her lap that contained the little white tiger, she relaxed a bit but still asked: “Did Xiao Bai hurt someone else?”
Huang Quan shook her head once more, “Xiao Bai is also fine. Young Miss, just stop guessing. Take a look at this.” As she spoke, she pulled something out of her sleeve.
Feng Yu Heng and Xuan Tian Hua looked over. Upon seeing it, they could not help but feel shocked, “Witchcraft.” Xuan Tian Hua said with certainty.
Indeed, it was witchcraft. Huang Quan was holding a small figure in the shape of a person. On top of it, Feng Yu Heng’s name was written, and it had been stabbed by a number of needles. But Feng Yu Heng ended up laughing, as she asked Xuan Tian Hua: “Seventh Brother, say, does this thing really have an effect? I heard that when doing this sort of witchcraft, any place that is stabbed with a needle will cause the victim of the curse to feel pain in that area. Look, this little figure has been completely filled with needles. Not even the face was spared. Based on these actions, would I not have been rendered immobile by the pain? How could I still have the strength to ride a horse.”
Before Xuan Tian Hua could express his views, Huang Quan rushed to say: “Young Miss, you must not ignore it. Based on what this servant knows, this method of stabbing little figures does not have an immediate effect. It needs to be placed at your side for a few days before anything would happen.”
“Where was it found?” Xuan Tian Hua asked Huang Quan, “You just said that it was inside the tent. Was it a place very close to the imperial daughter?”
Huang Quan nodded, “It was just under the imperial daughter’s bed. When the little white tiger crawled under the bed to play, it brought it out. We arrived at the hunting ground yesterday. If another day or two passed, I fear…”
“Let’s go back and take a look.” Feng Yu Heng spoke up, “To be able to put one inside, we need to protect against another being brought in. Although I don’t really believe in such things, even if it does not bite people, it will create a divide. I can’t allow the other side to continue acting so arrogant.”
The group hastily turned their horses around and headed back toward the camp. At this time, Feng Fen Dai, who had noticed Huang Quan hastily heading into the forest, brought her maidservant Dong Ying to the entrance of Feng Yu Heng’s tent. While walking, she muttered: “Huang Quan must have gone looking for Feng Yu Heng. Based on how anxious she looked, something must have happened. Let’s go and take a look.”
Dong Ying knew that her young miss was bold, and she did not dare advise against it. She could only follow along quietly. The two stood outside the tent for a while and found that the security around the tent was extremely tight. Fen Dai could not understand and was about to turn and leave, but when she turned around, she ended up seeing Feng Yu Heng’s group of three walking over. For whatever reason, she suddenly felt a bit nervous. Wanting to choose a different path, she turned around but bumped into Dong Ying.
How could Feng Yu Heng have not noticed these movements, but she did not stop for long. When she passed by Feng Fen Dai’s side, she just said: “You want to run upon seeing me? Feng family’s young miss, you shouldn’t have done anything that would cause you to have a guilty conscience, right?” Leaving this message behind, she brushed past her and entered the tent.
Fen Dai furrowed her brow, “What did she mean?”
Dong Ying shook her head, “This servant does not know.”
“What could you know?” After saying this, she flicked her sleeve and left.
Inside the imperial daughter’s tent, the group moved the bed and searched some places where things could be hidden, but they did not end up finding anything. Feng Yu Heng even put the little white tiger on the ground to have it play on its own, yet she did not see the little guy go and bring anything out. Only then did she relax. “There should be nothing there.”
“Could it have been Feng Fen Dai?” Huang Quan recalled Feng Fen Dai’s expressions outside the tent, and she could not help but begin speculating.
Feng Yu Heng thought for a while then said: “It’s possible, but she should not have this sort of ability, nor should she have the smarts. Most importantly, she does not have this sort of heater.” As she spoke, she asked Xuan Tian Hua: “Seventh brother, is there anyone in the palace that has studied curses? Noble Lady Yuan?” Noble Lady Yuan had suffered a loss. Although she could not immediately turn around and do her any harm, what if she had already begun setting things in motion beforehand?
Xuan Tian Hua clasped his hands behind his back and told her: “The palace has always hated this sort of thing. Many years ago, the current Imperial Concubine Li and Imperial Concubine Gu Xian were both still normal concubines. The two once got into a situation. In the end, Concubine Gu ascended to the position of imperial concubine ahead of Concubine Li. This led to some dissatisfaction from Concubine Li, and she once stabbed a little figure with all numerous needles to curse Imperial Concubine Gu. After this matter was discovered, she was to be sentenced; however, nobody expected that Concubine Li was already two months pregnant at that time. When the imperial physician revealed this, nobody could say another word about punishing her. She could only be taken care of. Once the child was born, it turned out that it was a prince. The officials of the court said that it was a celebratory matter, and Concubine Li ought to be rewarded. Like this, Concubine Li became Imperial Concubine Li, and the matter of the witchcraft was resolved.”
Feng Yu Heng thought about what Xuan Tian Hua had said then asked: “That would be the sixth prince?”
Xuan Tian Hua nodded, “In the forest just now, the thing that I didn’t get to say is that Imperial Concubine Li didn’t just give birth to the sixth prince. She is also Noble Lady Yuan’s sister.” After Xuan Tian Hua finished speaking, he did not remain for long. After giving some advice and urging her to quickly send the little figure to the second prince to have all of these matters investigated at once, he left the tent.
Feng Yu Heng, however, stood in place and did not move. She just muttered to herself: “Imperial Concubine Li.”
Feng Fen Dai headed toward her own tent with Dong Ying. While walking, she muttered: “I don’t even know what happened, but it seems like Feng Yu Heng has not been living very well recently. I really am quite happy!”
The two very quickly arrived in front of their tent; however, Feng Fen Dai suddenly stopped moving. Dong Ying was puzzled: “Young miss, are you not going in?”
Feng Fen Dai did not make a sound. She just thought to herself for a while then suddenly turned around, heading down a different path.
Dong Ying saw that she was going in the wrong direction! She was heading toward the center of the campsite. During this Winter Hunt, there was a set of rules for the campsite. From the outside to the center, the amount of power and prestige grew. For example, soldiers were the furthest outside, then it was the military officers then government officials then the womenfolk. Further toward the center were the princes, palace princess, imperial daughter and finally the imperial concubines and the princes’ families. At the very heart of the campsite was the Emperor’s imperial tent. Feng Fen Dai was naturally arranged to live among the womenfolk, but she was currently heading toward the center of the campsite. Dong Ying then asked: “Is young miss going to look for His Highness the Fifth Prince?”
“Shut your mouth.” Fen Dai was in a bad mood and coldly scolded her. She continued to advance in silence but had already passed the fifth prince’s tent. She headed straight to where the imperial concubines were staying. In the end, she stopped in front of Imperial Concubine Li’s tent…