Chapter 51: Woods
Qi Yu and Xie Ning left the city before dawn. A Ping followed behind, a water pouch hanging at his waist, holding a package of Osmanthus Cake in his hand. Xie Ning rode at the very front, followed by four guards from the Jinghai Marquis Residence, every one of them mounted and wearing sabers, the one leading called Zhao Hu, who had trained for a few years in the army and whom Xie Ting had specifically chosen to follow the young master. Neither of the two youths told their families. Qi Yu told Chun He that he was going to the Eastern Palace to find his Crown Prince brother, while Xie Ning told his mother that he was going to the Imperial Study to find the Fourth Prince. Qi Yu said he knew; Qin Wei had mentioned those woods last time, right to the west of the West Mountain Hunting Grounds, where the wild rabbits were fatter than the ones in the hunting grounds. Xie Ning said that was perfect, since last time's hunt hadn't satisfied him, they would hunt a few more this time, come back and roast them to go with wine. Neither of them mentioned tigers. They had no idea those woods had been plagued by tigers recently.
Morning mist drifted up from the mountain col, spreading white and vast across the road. Hoofbeats trod on the gravel path, making a faint crunching sound. The air carried the scent of pine resin and dew mixed together, ice-cold, waking up the senses when inhaled into the nose. Having walked for the better part of an hour, they arrived at the edge of the woods. Those woods were much wilder than the West Mountain Hunting Grounds, the trees growing densely, crowns brushing against crowns, blocking out