For example, secret passages, things that shouldn't exist.
As December arrived, the city was filled with fear due to the war, and there was little festive atmosphere.
On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, a clear morning when water would freeze instantly.
As dawn broke, Tang Zhuyun and Ren Yingying, who had been busy all night, came out of the wounded soldiers' camp and walked together towards the mansion.
--Those who could carry sedan chairs all went to carry the wounded, so there were no sedan chairs to ride in.
Fortunately, the wounded soldiers' camp was only a few streets away from the Prince's mansion, a walk of about half an incense stick's time.
"Tangbao, do you think that young man will be affected in the future?" Ren Yingying asked.
She was referring to a soldier who had been shot in the lungs on the city wall, causing massive bleeding, and who had been rescued by Tang Zhuyun overnight.
Tang Zhuyun said, "His injuries are too severe; it depends on his own luck."
Man proposes, God disposes; the same principle applies to healing and saving lives.
Ren Yingying sighed, "How pitiful. He's quite handsome."
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
She's so tired she doesn't even want to talk anymore.
They hadn't walked far when suddenly they heard the sound of synchronized footsteps.
Tang Zhuyun turned to look at the guard.
The guard quickly explained, "It must be the Crown Prince leading troops to prepare for battle against the Northern Yi."
Tang Zhuyun nodded.
She was already excited yesterday.
--The King of Prince of Jin led his troops in a counterattack and should now be engaged in close combat with the Northern Yi army.
Qu Nian should now be gathering his troops to cooperate with him, launching a pincer attack from both inside and outside.
This is something to be happy about; barring any unforeseen circumstances, it will completely change the course of the war.
Ren Yingying said, "Where is it? Let me see."
Are scoundrels all that Linlin?
She's a uniform fetishist and wants to see Qu Nian in silver armor.
"They've arrived."
Tang Zhuyun pulled her to the side of the road, and the two of them watched the soldiers standing in neat rows, eager to fight.
Qu Nian sat atop his precious horse, his expression cold and stern, his back straight, his silver armor gleaming with a chilling light in the sunlight.
So, he was such a prince after all.
Ren Yingying was a little stunned.
Clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse; even a dog of a man can look like a real man when he's clad in silver armor.
Dog Meat barked loudly at Qu Nian.
What a twist of fate! Why do I always run into this man who wants to steal my body?!
Qu Nian seemed to have spotted Ren Yingying, glancing at her a few more times, but he didn't show it on his face and quickly spurred his horse past them.
Dog Meat thought for a moment, then ran off with Qu Nian.
It has to go along and check on the man, so he doesn't get hurt.
Ren Yingying stomped her feet and shouted "Dog Meat!" but the latter never returned.
She couldn't help but murmur, "Yesterday I ignored him, but today he seems way out of my league."
Most importantly, they even took her son away! How infuriating!
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
Before she could think of what to say, Ren Yingying said, "But it's alright, just take off your clothes."
Tang Zhuyun: "Be serious."
Ren Yingying retorted indignantly, "It's not like I'm the only one who wants to sleep with him. He's wanted to sleep with me for a long time, okay!"
Tang Zhuyun said expressionlessly, "Then congratulations on your perfect match."
Ren Yingying: "Whether we film it or not, whether we're compatible or not, we'll talk about it later."
Men also need to focus on their careers!
She finds that scoundrel much more agreeable now.
Tang Zhuyun, however, was thinking about Prince of Jin and fell silent for a moment.
He should be outside the city right now.
She had a nightmare during her nap in the first half of the night, dreaming that the Prince of Jin was imprisoned outside the city, with endless pursuers behind him.
But Qu Nian wouldn't open the city gate, and she was extremely anxious, which caused her to wake up suddenly.
"Steamed buns, freshly steamed buns!"
The sound of breakfast vendors calling out their wares interrupted Tang Zhuyun's reverie.
Ren Yingying sniffed and said, "These buns smell so good, that's why I'm hungry. Tangbao, I'll go buy some buns."
"Good."
Tang Zhuyun and she arrived together in front of the steamed bun shop.
The steamed bun shop had set up a steamer basket at the entrance. The steaming buns filled the air with their aroma on this cold winter morning, which made the two people, who had stayed up all night, even hungrier.
The young man selling steamed buns had a sweet tongue and greeted them, "Ladies, would you like to come in and have some? They'll probably get cold by the time you get home. We also have some freshly made eight-treasure porridge; you could try some too. It's Laba Festival today, so let's celebrate."
After discussing it with Ren Yingying, Tang Zhuyun and Ren Yingying went inside together.
Having breakfast doesn't take much time.
They ordered a basket of meat buns and a basket of cabbage and dried shrimp buns.
Ren Yingying, biting into a cabbage bun, said, "This place is so remote, yet there are still dried shrimp here, tsk tsk."
The waiter said with a smile, "This lady has good taste. It's just that business has been slow because of the war. In the past, our steamed buns were always packed with regular customers who lined up to eat them."
However, right now, the only people in the entire shop are Tang Zhuyun, Ren Yingying, and their guards.
The four guards sat at another table.
Tang Zhuyun treated the wounded inside all night, and they stood by her side all night.
The tall, burly man, starving, was wolfing down his food.
While eating the steamed buns, a chubby little boy of about three or four years old came out, rubbing his sleepy eyes and calling for his mother.
The waiter rushed forward, calling out, "Young Master!"
It turned out he was the son of the steamed bun shop owner.
"Where's my mother?" the little boy asked the waiter.
The waiter said, "The proprietress hasn't come downstairs; she's probably still resting upstairs."
"I couldn't open the door just now," the little boy said, sounding a bit aggrieved.
"That's good that it's not open." The waiter picked him up. "Young master, let's go upstairs. We have guests coming soon, and I need to attend to them."
The little boy pouted, but didn't argue.
The waiter carried him upstairs, and he looked at Tang Zhuyun and the others with a finger in his mouth.
Tang Zhuyun smiled at him.
A moment later, a scream suddenly came from upstairs.
Judging from the voice, it's the young waiter from before.
Two guards went upstairs to check, but there was no sound for a long time.
Tang Zhuyun sensed something was wrong and pulled Ren Yingying outside, but the door was closed from the outside.
Tang Zhuyun instinctively wanted to shout, but the room suddenly became brightly lit.
She looked in the direction of the light and saw a row of archers standing on the second floor, their bows drawn and aimed at them...
There's no way to avoid it.
Tang Zhuyun took a deep breath, "Someone, please speak."
She guessed that these people were spies from the Northern Yi.
They lured them in with the intention of taking both of them hostage.
I never imagined that after so much cleaning, there would still be so much meticulous work.
Moreover, this steamed bun shop is a long-established brand in the border town; she had seen this bun seller many times before...
However, no amount of lamentation could salvage the situation.
Now we are at their mercy, like fish on the chopping block.
Ren Yingying tugged at Tang Zhuyun's sleeve and looked at the distance to the gate.
Damn it, it's too far, we can't get out; a man can't outrun an arrow.
"Your Highness, Your Highness the Crown Princess, please come with us." One of the archers called out their identities directly.
Tang Zhuyun: "What is your purpose? And whose people are you on?"
"Stop wasting your breath on her, just take her away!" another person said impatiently.
"Good."
So Tang Zhuyun and Ren Yingying were knocked unconscious...