The prince loves me like his life, but I force him to rebel

It was the fifth day since the wedding procession set out. Gu Nianzhi was about to go to bed when she heard a maid walking by outside the window.

"Why are you urgently summoning the Third Prince to the palace at this late hour? Has something serious happened in the palace?"

"Who knows? It's said that the emperor summoned him personally. Could it be that something happened to the eldest prince's wedding procession?"

"The Third Prince has been busy assisting the Emperor in handling government affairs these days. It's almost midnight and he has to go to the palace. It's really not easy..."

"Come on, no matter how hard it is, it's not as hard as it is for us. We're busy from morning till night..."

The sound became smaller and smaller, and the maid had already walked away.

Gu Nianzhi recalled carefully that in the original book, the wedding procession was ambushed by the Cinan people who were disguised as Qiangyi people. It was around five days before the wedding procession set out and had just passed the border of Dasheng. When the wedding procession was in the Gobi area at the junction of Dasheng, Qiangyi and Cinan, a group of Cinan people dressed as Qiangyi people put cartilage powder in the drinking water in the middle of the night. The next day, they used their familiarity with the terrain to disperse the wedding procession and defeat them one by one...

In the end, only a few dozen remnants returned to Dasheng alive, including the queen's nephew Min Lirong. According to the book, he not only assisted the Zinan people in putting drugs in the water, but also turned against them at the last moment and killed the prince with his own hands.

Could it be that the news of the prince's death has been reported back to the palace today?

Gu Nianzhi's heart sank.

There are obviously many variables, but the plot is still progressing the same as before. It seems that nothing has changed.

Gu Nianzhi was lying on the bed.

The yard was already very quiet.

The footsteps of the guards in the palace changing shift for the last time were particularly clear in such a quiet night.

The guards patrolled everywhere during the day, but the last shift at night was relatively loose. If there was no noise, the guards would more or less doze off quietly.

For Gu Nianzhi, this was a good time to look for a hairpin.

Gu Nianzhi originally thought that Sima Yao should have put the brocade box into a cabinet in the bedroom after taking it from her. However, she had secretly searched Sima Yao's bedroom in the past few days but found nothing. Taking advantage of the opportunity when Sima Yao was urgently summoned to the palace, she had to go to the study to take a look.

Gu Nianzhi carefully avoided the guards and quietly entered Sima Yao's study.

Sima Yao's study was always lit, and he didn't need to turn on the light when he came to the study because he couldn't sleep.

Gu Nianzhi opened the cabinets one by one very lightly, and finally saw the brocade box at the top edge of the bookcase.

She stood on tiptoe, but couldn't reach it.

She moved the stool with difficulty and stood on it. Just as she got the brocade box, she heard hurried footsteps. Before she could get down from the stool, the door was pushed open and Sima Yao was standing at the door.

Gu Nianzhi withdrew his hand awkwardly.

"Your Highness, are you back?"

"Why are you here?" Sima Yao came over and helped Gu Nianzhi down from the stool.

"I heard from the maids that you were urgently summoned to the palace. I was worried that something had happened to you and couldn't sleep. I thought I must wait for you to come back, but I was too bored, so I came to the study to find some books to read. I didn't ask for your permission, and I hope His Royal Highness the Third Prince can forgive me." Gu Nianzhi described the reason why he came to the study as being worried about Sima Yao. Even if Sima Yao was unhappy, he probably wouldn't say much.

"It's okay, you can read any of my books you want." Sima Yao stretched out his hand and took down the brocade box on the top of the bookcase.

Gu Nianzhi watched Sima Yao take out the hairpin and put it around his waist.

Could it be that he has discovered my intention to steal the hairpin?

"Your Highness, what are you..."

"Yesterday afternoon, the wedding procession encountered a sandstorm that was rare in a decade at the junction of three countries. The entire wedding procession was scattered, and my eldest brother and Huaiyuan were missing. My father asked me to take the new marriage edict to search for them. If my eldest brother is not found, I will deliver the marriage edict to the Qiangyi Kingdom. I don't know if I can come back from this trip. This hairpin was given to me by my mother, and I will carry it with me."

Gu Nianzhi's mind was a little confused.

The original book did not mention any sandstorms. The news that was directly sent back to the palace was that the eldest prince was killed by the Qiang people. Why did a sandstorm appear this time? Why did the third prince have to go to rescue him?

Could it be that the wedding party set off earlier, so the weather conditions were different from the original book, and they encountered the sandstorm that occurred half a month ago in the book?

"Why must it be you who goes?" Gu Nianzhi stared at the hairpin with a corner sticking out from the Third Prince's waist. If this hairpin went to Qiangyi with the Third Prince, or if it died on the battlefield with the Third Prince, then wouldn't her chance to go back be completely gone?

"I have been trained in Dingxi Prefecture in my early years, and I am familiar with the geographical environment at the junction of the three kingdoms. Most importantly..." Sima Yao looked lonely and said in a low voice, "If my eldest brother really died in the sandstorm, it would be rude to send another prince to deliver the imperial edict of marriage. The queen will not let the second prince take risks. My fourth and fifth brothers are still young, so I have to do this job."

"Then when will you come back?"

“It’s hard to say. Maybe he won’t be able to come back.” Sima Yao looked at Gu Nianzhi. Although he was talking about death, there was not a trace of fear in his eyes. That calmness made Gu Nianzhi feel a little uncomfortable.

"Can I go with you?" Gu Nianzhi asked. She had no other thoughts, she just knew that wherever the hairpin was, she had to be there. If Sima Yao died in the desert, the hairpin would be nowhere to be found, and she, Gu Nianzhi, would never be able to go back.

"You?" Sima Yao was a little surprised. "This journey is extremely dangerous. Moreover, we are in a hurry and need to ride as fast as possible. We need to arrive by noon tomorrow. I'm afraid Mr. Gu's body can't stand such a night ride."

"Even if I die, I will go with you." Gu Nianzhi blurted out. To her, the hairpin was indeed a matter of life and death.

Sima Yao was speechless for a moment. Under the flickering candlelight, Gu Nianzhi's firm expression made Sima Yao feel his face getting hot.

There is such a person in this world who is willing to live and die with me after knowing me for less than a month.

"I can't ride a horse or fight. Indeed, I don't have the courage of a man, but I have a smart brain. If you take me with you, I can definitely help you."

"You really don't know how to ride a horse?"

"No. Never ridden one."

"It's really difficult." Sima Yao looked very embarrassed, but after a moment, he agreed: "If you really want to go, how about we ride together? I promise I won't let you fall."

"it is good."

"Then you and I will pack our luggage separately. Remember, keep it as simple as possible. We will meet in the courtyard after you have packed your luggage."

"Row."