The carriage arrived at the Western Mountain, and the servant was waiting at the foot of the mountain early: "Greetings to His Royal Highness King Zhe. Master, according to your instructions, Cold Wind Pavilion has been packed up and the horses have been properly placed."
Liu Jigang said "hmm" and motioned for the boy to lead the way. Then he accompanied Yuan Zhe towards the mountain, followed closely by Liu Xiangning and Li Muhe, accompanied by the accompanying maids, and Gu Qize and Feng Chuxian walked at the end.
While Xiaocui helped Liu Xiangning climb up, she turned around and said, "Mr. Pei and Miss Feng, please be careful. Although the stone steps have been tidied up, there is still some ice, so be careful of slippery feet."
Gu Qi raised her head and smiled: "Thank you, Xiaocui."
Liu Xiangning turned her head and looked slightly mysterious: "I once saw a small animal in Meilin. It was white in color, with a slender body and two small and delicate ears. It was very cute."
"Miss Liu said it was a ferret?"
"Ferret?" Liu Xiangning looked confused.
"Ferrets are rare here, so it's normal for Miss Liu not to recognize them."
Feng Chuxian turned her head, looked at Gu Qi and asked, "Then how did Mr. Pei know that Miss Liu was talking about ferrets?"
"I haven't seen it with my own eyes." After only walking a few dozen steps, he was out of breath.
Gu Qi stood there and took a breath, then raised her feet and continued upward: "When I was browsing local chronicles, there was a description of ferrets, which was the same as Miss Liu's. It's just..."
"But what?" Li Muhe was fascinated and couldn't help asking.
"It's just that the ferrets described in the book don't have only one coat color."
Li Muhe took two steps forward, with a hint of expectation in his voice: "I wonder if we can meet him this time. I really want to see him."
Yuan Zhe was talking to Liu Jigang in front of him. When he heard Li Muhe's words, he replied lightly: "If you like it, why don't you catch him and train him and tame him slowly."
Liu Xiangning shouted excitedly: "Can it be tamed?"
"Let's see if you are destined." Yuan Zhe put his hands behind his back and walked up again.
Halfway up the mountain, a cultivated plum forest came into view, and there was a fragrance in the surrounding air.
Liu Xiangning and Li Muhe discussed something in a low voice along the way. When they arrived at the Cold Wind Pavilion, the two of them approached Gu Qi and said, "Master Pei, if you are lucky enough to see that ferret today..."
"Since you two young ladies ask for it, I should do my best."
Liu Jigang was a little upset when he saw Gu Qi and his daughter getting together, so he had to scold Liu Xiangning: "Don't just be playful. Serving His Highness well is the business."
Liu Xiangning looked at her father, her eyes instantly turned red.
Li Muhe didn't say anything, but just put his arm around Liu Xiangning's shoulders.
Gu Qi knew that this embarrassing atmosphere had something to do with him.
But Gu Qi was never a submissive person. The more Liu Jigang became defensive, the more he pushed himself.
"Master Liu makes sense, but it's rare to be in the mood to enjoy the snow. It's too restrictive and boring." Gu Qi took a step forward and got closer to Liu Xiangning.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Liu Jigang, and his beard trembled with anger.
"Can you two ladies know how to ride a horse?"
Li Muhe and Liu Xiangning looked at each other and shook their heads at Gu Qi.
"Why bother," Yuan Zhe's voice came from the side, and Gu Qi looked forward.
I saw that he had already mounted a big horse, holding Feng Chuxian in his arms: "It's not cheap to be like this king."
Liu Xiangning and Li Muhe's faces turned red.
Li Muhe said: "Your Highness is joking."
"Pei Qihuan," Yuan Zhe came over on horseback and warned, "Don't just be playful, be careful of catching a cold."
"Ahem, I understand, Your Highness."
Yuan Zhe took Feng Chuxian into the plum forest, but after a while he lost sight of him.
Gu Qi took the horse handed over by the young man and said, "Riding horses can easily cause the ferrets to run away. Since the two ladies don't know how to ride a horse, why don't the young man and I hold one each? You guys can sit on it and we can move forward slowly."
"Miss, what about us?" Xiaocui asked from the side.
Liu Xiangning blushed and said, "Prepare the tea fruits and wait for us to come back."
Xiaocui glanced at her young lady and said to Gu Qi: "Then Mr. Pei, my young lady, I will leave it to you to take care of me!"
Gu Qi smiled and nodded, helping Liu Xiangning get on the horse.
Li Muhe, with the help of the maid, stepped on the boy's back and sat firmly on the other horse.
The four of them walked forward slowly. The road was covered with white snow, and the remaining snow on the plum blossoms shone brightly in the sunlight.
The size of this plum forest was beyond Gu Qi's imagination.
"Miss Liu, do you still remember the ferret you saw before, and where it was?"
Liu Xiangning looked around and said, "Actually, I don't remember clearly either."
She bent down, and most of her body was almost separated from the horse. Seeing this, Gu Qi stretched out his hand to hold Liu Xiangning's waist and gave him a gentle push: "It's very dangerous for you to do this. Sit tight."
Liu Xiangning's face turned red again, her eyes wandered, and after a long time, she softly uttered: "Oh."
After walking for a long time, there was no trace of the ferret. He was sweating slightly and his mouth was getting dry.
"Over there! Over there!" Suddenly Liu Xiangning pointed to the front and shouted.
Gu Qi looked in the direction of the finger and squinted her eyes. It turned out that it was hiding under a plum tree a few feet away, looking up and around.
When Gu Qi saw the ferret, his eyes shone with excitement: "It's really white all over. If it hadn't been for the head moving around, I wouldn't have noticed it."
While staring at the ferret, he helped Liu Xiangning dismount: "We have to approach slowly, and the horse stays here."
Li Muhe next to him also dismounted. Gu Qi handed the reins to the young man and slowly approached with Liu Xiangning and Li Muhe.
When the three of them dispersed and prepared to arrest, the ferret seemed to be aware of the danger around it and ran away.
Gu Qi rushed forward, but missed. Looking around, it was completely white again, and there was no trace of the ferret anywhere.
Li Muhe suddenly pointed behind Gu Qi: "Over there!"
Liu Xiangning took a deep breath and moved past Gu Qi.
When Gu Qi turned around, Liu Xiangning in front was already ready to pounce.
Just when Liu Xiangning was concentrating on the ferret, a cold arrow suddenly flew out of the forest!
"Be careful!" Seeing the arrow coming, Gu Qi ignored the ferret and rushed towards Liu Xiangning, hugging her and throwing her to the side!
Unexpectedly, there is a stone half a man's size hidden under the white snow!
When he fell, his right ankle hit the stone. Gu Qi felt a burst of pain and his whole ankle began to feel numb.
Not caring about herself at the moment, Gu Qi looked at Liu Xiangning in her arms: "Are you okay?"
"Ah, it hurts." Liu Xiangning struggled to sit up from her arms, only to find that her hand fell to the ground, leaving a few bloody marks.
She looked in the direction of the ferret and screamed, "Ferret!"
Gu Qi turned around and saw that the ferret was motionless with an arrow in its belly, bright red blood spraying on the surrounding white snow.
"Yo! Oh! Oh!"
There was a sound of horse hooves not far away, and a young man's cheers were heard.
The three of them looked towards the sound, and it turned out to be Zhao Dexun and Rong Di.
Zhao Dexun put away his bow and arrows and whistled excitedly.
Gu Qi stared at Zhao Dexun, completely unaware that the murderous look in his eyes was exactly the same as that of Han Zizheng.
When Rong Di and Zhao Dexun slowly approached, Gu Qi blinked, suppressed his anger, and helped Liu Xiangning stand up.
Rong Di dismounted: "Miss Liu, Miss Li. Huh? Sir is here too."
"General Rong, when did you come back?" Gu Qi forced out a polite smile.
Rong Di didn't notice the awkward atmosphere around him at all, and said with a naive smile: "I just came back, Brother Zhao went to pick me up. I heard that His Highness was here, so I hurried over."
After Zhao Dexun dismounted, he walked straight to the ferret, pulled out the arrow, and praised: "This fur is really beautiful. It is perfect for making collars and winter hats!"
Li Muhe snorted coldly and said: "Yes, Major General, you are the most suitable."
"If you like it, I'll give it to you!" Zhao Dexun handed it over as if he wanted to take credit.
This silly boy! Gu Qi smiled mockingly.
Li Muhe was angry and pushed Zhao Dexun away: "Since you like winter hats, just make them, how can I let the Major General give up your love!"
Seeing Li Muhe walking away angrily, Zhao Dexun hurriedly chased after him.
Rong Di Zhang Er was confused and froze on the spot: "What's going on?"
Gu Qi looked at the retreating figures of the two people and said with a smile: "You two ladies wanted to catch a ferret and tame it, but you finally found it and were killed by Brother Zhao again."
Liu Xiangning on the side sobbed softly. Rong Di had never seen such a scene before. He scratched his head nervously: "When we came here, we saw this mink running around. Brother Zhao just wanted to..."
"Forget it, maybe there is no fate." Liu Xiangning gradually stopped crying and picked up a handkerchief to wipe her face.
"Wait a minute," Gu Qi held her wrist: "Your hand is injured, be careful of infection."
"Ah, I'm injured!" Rong Di came over and said, "It's all swollen. I need to find a doctor to take a look."
Gu Qi started to take out her handkerchief, but suddenly remembered that she was in a hurry and forgot to bring it with her. He had no choice but to stretch his hand towards Rong Di and said, "Bring the veil."
Rong Di quickly took it out from his arms and handed it over.
"Thank you, General Rong." Liu Xiangning lowered his head and whispered, "Thank you, Mr. Pei."
Gu Qi lowered her head and simply bandaged it: "It's not a big deal, your veil is dirty, please put it away first."
She raised her head and saw tears still hanging on Liu Xiangning's face. She subconsciously wiped them with her hands. She was startled and her face turned red again.
"Miss Liu really loves to blush." Rong Di's words made Gu Qi suddenly realize that her actions just now were a bit transgressive.
Gu Qi beat her head in frustration and quickly apologized: "I'm sorry, I was rude."
"What are you doing?" At this awkward moment, Yuan Zhe rode over and startled everyone.
"Your Highness." Everyone hurriedly saluted upon seeing this.
"Are you injured?" Yuan Zhe's words came from above his head, and Gu Qi turned to look at Liu Xiangning.
Liu Xiangning took a step forward and said, "Back to Your Highness, I accidentally fell down while playing. It's not serious."
"It's getting late, we should go back." Yuan Zhe handed the horse rein to Feng Chuxian and dismounted: "Rong Di, along with Zhao Dexun, send the two ladies back."
"Yes, Your Highness." After Rong Di accepted the order, he ran in the direction where Zhao Dexun disappeared.
After a while, Rong Di brought the two of them back. Li Muhe's cheeks were slightly red, and Zhao Dexun couldn't help but giggle as he walked beside him.
"Your Highness." Zhao Dexun and Li Muhe shouted in unison.
Yuan Zhe nodded and said to Li Muhe and Liu Xiangning, "Let them escort you back."
Gu Qi stood next to Liu Xiangning. There was a sharp pain in her ankle, but it was not easy to attack, so she had to grit her teeth and persist.
"Where is Mr. Pei?" Liu Xiangning glanced at Gu Qi.
Before Gu Qi opened her mouth, she heard Yuan Zhe say: "He can't leave yet. I have something to ask."
Seeing this, Feng Chuxian dismounted and helped Liu Xiangning: "Miss Liu is injured. I'm afraid she won't be able to hold the reins. Why don't I take you back."
Liu Xiangning looked at Gu Qi again, and Gu Qi forced himself to smile.
Rong Di got on his horse and followed Feng Chuxian, while Li Muhe got on Zhao Dexun's horse.
Several people just left.
After everyone dispersed, Gu Qi wiped the sweat on his forehead, bowed and asked, "Your Highness, I wonder what you want to ask?"
Yuan Zhe didn't speak, he just stood in front of Gu Qi and looked at her expressionlessly.
"It seems that I didn't do anything to anger His Highness, right?" Gu Qi was so stared at that he felt the air around him getting colder and colder.
"I want to see how much blood you have left to shed."
"ah?"
Gu Qi didn't know why, so he straightened up and looked at Yuan Zhe, who pursed his lips.
Looking down the direction, the white snow behind the side of his right foot was soaked in blood.
"Oops!" The leg felt a little numb when I hit it, and then there was a stinging pain. I thought it was a broken skin and didn't pay attention.
When Gu Qi saw the blood, he quickly opened his legs and walked forward.
"Are you going to just walk back?"
"No," Gu Qi pointed forward, "There is a horse ahead."
"Pfft..." Yuan Zhe couldn't hold it back and laughed out loud.
Gu Qi rolled his eyes.
If he wasn't a prince, I really wanted to throw out the dagger and kill him!
"You're like this, it's hard to get on the horse."
Gu Qi stopped paying attention to his teasing. She had already come a long way when she was laughed at by him.
As he walked forward, he felt someone coming from behind. Gu Qi instinctively wanted to dodge, holding the dagger in his sleeve secretly in his hand. But he forgot about the ankle injury, so he shifted his focus to his right foot, and tried to fight back sideways, but severe pain came from the wound, and his whole body fell to the ground!
There was a muffled groan in her ears, and Gu Qi fell directly into Yuan Zhe's arms and sat on his lap...
