The Princess Cannot Escape: The Cunning Prince Is Not to Be Messed With

Chapter 69 Turning the Tide

When Xiahou Ying looked at her with those intriguing, deep eyes, Yin Quan felt a jolt in her heart. She immediately realized his intention and reached out to grab his arm, but he easily dodged her.

"No, not in a place like this?!" she growled anxiously, staring at him with a mixture of embarrassment and panic, her eyes wide open.

Although Yin Quan's voice wasn't loud, the secluded mountain forest, coupled with the fact that Xiahou Ying's loyal, reliable, and capable subordinates were all even quieter, made her slightly embarrassed and annoyed roar sound exceptionally clear to everyone.

Her heartbeat became increasingly violent, pounding against her eardrums with each beat, making it difficult for her to breathe. It was even more unbearable than being swept by the rushing water against the sharp rocks earlier.

With her eyebrows slightly furrowed, Yin Quan was so embarrassed that she wished she could find a crack in the ground and fill herself up.

Ahhh, she really didn't think that much about it...

She wasn't trying to imply anything...

But once those words were spoken, they sounded so ambiguous...

Not scientific!

Just as I was feeling agitated, a light, cool snowflake drifted down from above, asking in return, "This kind of place?"

"Huh?" She blinked, stunned, and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"That person just now stabbed you with the Ice Soul Needle. If the poison isn't removed in time, not only will you only be unable to feel your lower body now, but if it's delayed any longer, it could cost you your life." Xiahou Ying moved his thin lips expressionlessly, raised his eyebrows slightly, and used the black iron dagger to cut open Yin Quan's trouser leg as he spoke.

"Uh..." Yin Quan's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. She bit her lip, her delicate eyebrows furrowing and relaxing at different times, as if she didn't know how to react. She stared intently at Xiahou Ying's sharp, jade-sculpted profile, her mind in turmoil, unable to utter a sound.

Seeing him use the black iron dagger to cut open the almost invisible needle mark on his calf, Yin Quan frowned and shrank back.

Although she had no feeling in her lower body, it was still somewhat strange to watch someone operate on her.

"Were you thinking about those indecent things just now?"

"Huh?" Frowning as she stared at Xiahou Ying, who was drawing blood and applying medicine to herself, a cold voice suddenly rang in her ears, like a clear breeze, penetrating her eardrums and entering her mind.

Startled, she looked up, bewildered by his abrupt question, and then suddenly realized something.

So he still remembers that incident!

She just asked that one question casually... If he really wasn't thinking about those lewd things, why would he take it to heart and hold a grudge?

Pshaw, he's just hiding something!

Xiahou Ying, you're such a hopeless, petty person!

"You might as well just ask me if I'm thinking about how to seduce you. Why do you have to beat around the bush like this? It's tiring for you to talk, and it's tiring for me to listen to!"

With a slight pout, Yin Quan responded dismissively, her beautiful eyes narrowing, her face full of displeasure.

Hearing her direct answer, Xiahou Ying paused in his actions and looked up at her.

Upon hearing such unrestrained words, the Ghost Slash members and Wei Jun who were guarding the perimeter were first taken aback, then froze, and finally everyone simply turned around, turning their backs to the two men, to give their master some private space.

Staring intently at her, Xiahou Ying pursed his lips, his long, dark eyes becoming increasingly transparent in the glaring sunlight, with a faint blue light floating above them. He showed no emotion, but after a brief silence, he spoke: "Just now, were you thinking about how to seduce me?"

Upon hearing this, Yin Quan's eyes widened suddenly, and she almost choked on her saliva.

At the same moment, the Ghost Slash members and Wei Jun, who were guarding the perimeter, also twitched their lips and looked at each other. Their taut figures suddenly relaxed slightly, and then quickly returned to normal.

Without a word, Xiahou Ying raised the thick, dark eyebrows that slanted upwards towards his temples. His eyes flickered slightly, and his thin lips, which had been slightly parted, tightened imperceptibly. He then looked away, released his hand, and said, "Alright."

"What's done?" Suddenly snapping out of her shock, Yin Quan leaned forward and asked in confusion.

"The medicine has been applied." Xiahou Ying replied expressionlessly, then laid down her robe. He stared at her, remained silent for a moment, and then asked, "When do you intend to release me?"

Upon hearing this, Yin Quan felt a burning sensation on her cheeks. She suddenly let go as if she had touched a scalding hot pot lid, and pushed him away forcefully, shouting angrily, "Don't talk like I'm reluctant to let go of you!"

"You can't bear to part with her?" Raising an eyebrow, Xiahou Ying turned his gaze to her face and fixed it on her face. His long, dark eyes seemed to hold a translucent, cold moonlight, as misty as the sea, making them unfathomable and unreadable, leaving no trace of joy, anger, sorrow or happiness, only a boundless emptiness that could not be seen at a glance.

"You! You're just being unreasonable, I'm not going to waste my breath on you!" With a low growl, Yin Quan turned her face away. Without Xiahou Ying's support, Yin Quan, whose lower body had not yet regained feeling, could only lie flat.

His gaze fell on her round, pink earlobes, as delicate as lotus leaves after rain. Xiahou Ying silently lifted the corner of his lips, his dark eyes gleaming with a clear light that seemed to melt away like ice and snow, reflecting a clear spring sky.

What a woman, she wears her heart on her sleeve...

With a slight thought, he stretched out his arms and scooped her up in his arms. Before she could struggle or utter a word, he declared, "But I can't bear to part with her."

Yin Quan's lips froze, and she stared at him blankly, her mind going blank, with only Xiahou Ying's words echoing in her ears.

For a long time afterward, she remained in a dazed and confused state, reacting slower than usual, often spacing out for extended periods, and occasionally giggling foolishly. This state persisted until the two left the forest, at which point her condition improved slightly, and she gradually regained sensation in her lower body. Although she still couldn't walk as freely as before the poisoning, standing was no different from a normal person, without any difficulty.

After confirming their master's safety, the Ghost Slash members left only five to escort him, while the rest went to Qiucheng County to meet with the Censor Ruan Zhengde and guard him throughout the journey.

On that day, after finding Prince Duan, Xiahou Ying, the Imperial Advisor Gu Lounan did not immediately return to the capital to report. Instead, he followed him at a distance, ostensibly to protect him. Xiahou Ying did not stop him, nor did he leave behind any more Ghost Slayer members, seemingly genuinely intending to accept his protection. The two, who had always been at odds, seemed to have reached some kind of tacit understanding at this moment, leaving everyone puzzled.

Because Yin Quan still had the influence of the Ice Soul within him, he did not go to Qiucheng County, but instead stayed in a small village near the mountains. He stayed there for three whole days, and together with Gu Lounan, they spent those three days in a dilapidated temple near the village.

"Wei Jun, is Gu Lounan still in the dilapidated temple outside the village?" That night, Xiahou Ying, having finished his meditation, slowly lifted his eyelids and asked in a deep voice.

"Yes, Master."

Upon hearing this, Xiahou Ying fell silent, only lowering his gaze slightly, which resembled the cold moonlight.

The fact that the Crown Prince would order Gu Lounan to personally come here at this time proves that his guess was correct...

With a slight thought, Xiahou Ying's gaze darkened. Just as he was about to speak, a familiar voice came from outside the door.

Yin Quan peered around Xiahou Ying's door, but there wasn't a soul in sight, not even a ghost. Quite puzzled, she reached out to knock while muttering to herself, "Are even the guards this eccentric? There's not a single person here..."

As she was whispering, the door was suddenly opened from the inside, startling her.

"Miss Yin, your master is waiting for you inside."

The person who opened the door was Wei Jun. He nodded slightly as he spoke, then stepped over the threshold and walked past Yin Quan.

Stunned, Yin Quan blinked, then quickly turned her head to look at the back of the white-clad guard, her confusion deepening.

Whether it was her imagination or something else, she couldn't help but feel that Wei Jun's expression just now was strange...

As she was thinking this, she was suddenly enveloped by a chilling aura. She involuntarily shivered and instinctively looked up, only to be met with a pair of deep, dark eyes without any warning.

"You came."

A clear, cool voice flowed quietly from above, like a glacier melting from a thousand-year-old snow mountain, instantly calming her wildly beating heart.

Staring intently at those long, slender, and well-defined features, Yin Quan opened her eyes, unable to look away for a long time.

She felt something was wrong when Wei Jun suddenly opened the door, and now that she saw Xiahou Ying, she was shocked to realize that he looked like he had known all along that she would come to find him!

Also, Wei Jun seemed to have said earlier that he was waiting for her...

What the heck is going on?!

Does Xiahou Ying gain skill points every time he gets injured?!

This doesn't make sense...

First it was about becoming more handsome... this time, it's even about predicting the future...?

This isn't a fantasy world, okay...

Thinking this, Yin Quan was suddenly bewildered and didn't know how to react normally.

Silently lowering his gaze to her astonished expression, Xiahou Ying rested his chin on his hand, then tilted his body to the side, his thin lips, which had regained a sliver of color, parted slightly: "Aren't you coming in?"

Upon hearing his question, Yin Quan suddenly looked away, gazing at the sky, and muttered, "Who said I wanted to go in..."

Upon hearing this, Xiahou Ying's dark eyes flickered slightly. Just as he was about to turn around, she suddenly grabbed his arm.

"I came to see how your injury is. It looks like it's almost healed. I think I should..." As he spoke, he gradually loosened the grip on his fingers. Yin Quan's eyes darted around. Just as she was about to let go, he suddenly grabbed her wrist.

"Since you're here, would you mind having a meal with me?"

"You can actually eat?"

Raising an eyebrow, Xiahou Ying glanced down at her, his eyes filled with frost.

"Uh, that's not what I meant. I mean, hey? Didn't you say you only eat vegetarian food? Ah, so you were just complaining about the mushroom and chicken congee I made last time! Being vegetarian was just an excuse!" With her brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly, Yin Quan tilted her head and suddenly let out a long sigh, continuing, "Fine, fine, I'm very magnanimous, I'll reluctantly forgive you!" As she spoke, she dodged those long, cold, and soul-piercing black eyes, rolled up her sleeves, and rubbed her hands together, trying to escape from his sight, but unexpectedly, he grabbed her by the back of her neck and pulled her back to where she was.

"Those are not."

"Hmm?" Turning her head, she looked at Xiahou Ying with confusion. She saw that his dark eyes were like the night, and the candlelight reflected in them was instantly swallowed up by the boundless darkness. A faint trace of sadness and helplessness seemed to gather in them, flickering in and out of his clear and cold eyes with the swaying and dim firelight.

"Today is the anniversary of my mother's death."