Chapter 312

At the right time, Gu Ying said, "Your Highness Prince Shu, since you have given your word of honor, does that mean you should also give all the disaster relief money that was embezzled by Jiang Yin to the common people of Yueyang who suffered from the plague?"

Everyone looked over expectantly.

Li Yang gritted his teeth. "Fine, on behalf of the Crown Princess, this prince promises every household will receive the relief money they deserve!"

Gu Ying blinked her innocent eyes. "Then shouldn't Your Highness also pay for the cost of making the antidote?"

Li Yang glared angrily at the presumptuous girl. "This prince will pay for it all!"

"Good heavens! This is truly wonderful news! Thank you, Crown Princess! Thank you, Prince Shu!"

Immediately, everyone cheered loudly.

Seeing the cordial public opinion below the altar, Li Yang's annoying face also looked a bit more pleasing.

Gu Ying pursed her lips with a faint smile and said to Huai An, "Since the god's punishment was just a misunderstanding, shall we go down now?"

Huai An nodded. To avoid drawing attention, he walked down the altar first and got into the carriage.

However, just as Gu Ying lifted her skirt to walk down from the altar, she suddenly sensed a shadow leaping towards her.

The situation changed abruptly. She stared wide-eyed and her body swiftly retreated, but behind her was the blazing fire in the center of the altar.

If she fell down, she would be burned beyond recognition by the flames.

"Princess!"

"Ying!"

"Crown Princess!"

"Gu Ying!" Many panicked voices rang out.

Gu Ying only felt her body become light... The searing flames licked her skirt. Every inch of her body was taut as she shielded her belly with one hand. But with nothing to grab onto around this altar suspended in midair, she plummeted helplessly towards the center of the fire.

With a loud "boom", her white figure fluttered into the sea of flames and vanished instantly.

Li Yang's heart nearly stopped as he stood frozen amidst the crowd, watching powerlessly as she fell into the altar.

The world seemed to turn silent all of a sudden.

Seeing this unexpected turn of events, everyone's eyes were wide with shock, too distracted to catch the black-clothed figure hiding amongst the crowd.

"Your Highness!"

The distant sound of galloping hooves akin to thunder rang out swiftly.

Before everyone could react, they felt an overwhelming oppressive aura surging from behind. They shuddered and turned back to see a figure in pitch-black robes galloping towards them on horseback.

The hurried hoofbeats were like hammer blows, pounding at their hearts.

The man's tall figure rode closer and closer on the horse. His coldness and might washed over everyone like a tide.

The cold wind howled violently. His handsome, merciless, pale face was sharp with a bloodthirsty glint as he raced frantically towards the altar.

The skies were gloomy with fine rain and damp sleeves in the chill wind.

"Ying! I have returned!"

The man's dark eyes glowed crimson. His voice shook as he leapt into the sea of flames without hesitation.

"Your Highness—!"

...

On the wide official road, a convoy moved slowly towards Bianjing City.

In early April, the farther north they went, the fainter the spring colors became. Under the blue skies and blazing sun, the afternoon heat annoyed and vexed everyone.

It had been over half a month since the Yueyang poisoning incident.

Li Yang sat in a luxurious and spacious carriage. Two little eunuchs knelt at his feet, bowing deferentially with lowered heads. "Please calm Your anger, Your Highness... We have tried our best to find women for you, but there are simply no great beauties in these desolate wilds... "

"My Eastern Li kingdom is abundant in people and resources. How can you not even find me a beauty?"

The little eunuchs forced smiles. "Those vulgar, common women do not interest Your Highness, isn't that so? We're about to enter Bianjing City. Please endure a little longer, Your Highness. We will immediately find beauties for you once we arrive." As spring arrived and the weather grew dry, the master's heart also burned with restless desire. They understood this well.

But...how could any woman here in the countryside compare to the Crown Princess's beauty?

When His Highness wanted a woman, no one else would do. He was particular about wanting one like the Crown Princess.

How could this not make things difficult for them?

Li Yang angrily glared at them for a few moments before his thirst for Gu Ying arose in his heart again.

Strangely, in the past, he had only lusted after her looks. But now, he only wanted to be with her—to hear her talk, see her smile, even just watch her write, paint, or read. Anything was fine.

What was wrong with him? It was as if he was cursed!

In agitated frustration, he exited the carriage and mounted a horse.

He had originally brought over forty guards from Bianjing, but half were lost in Yueyang. Now only twenty remained while the rest of the forty-plus convoy consisted of Zhao Changdu, Ye Qingchi and Zhou Yan’s men.

Here, this Prince Shu had practically no presence.

Especially Zhao Changdu, who totally disregarded him, and every day... committed indecency with that wretch Gu Ying inside the carriage!

How could that beastly man not know she was pregnant and couldn't casually have intimate relations!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, furrowing his brows severely.

Then unknowingly, he found himself next to Gu Ying’s carriage again. Sure enough, sounds of the woman's tender moans emitted from within while that fiend Zhao took advantage of her!

Li Yang clenched his fists tightly as the veins on the back of his hand protruded one by one. That shameless man! Claiming he didn't care about a naive girl like Gu Ying, yet he couldn’t control his heart—constantly wanting to know what she was doing and finding peace just by catching a glimpse of her.

"Your Highness, please go back, be careful of getting sunburnt."

Perhaps hearing the outside noise, a slender wrist stretched out from the carriage and lifted the curtain.

Seeing Gu Ying’s flushed cheeks, Li Yang’s pupils contracted as he immediately chilled his handsome face and stubbornly rode past her with his chin haughtily raised. Gu Ying gave him an odd look, not noticing how red his ear tips were.

"Changdu, don't you think Prince Shu is getting stranger and stranger?"

"Mm..."

Zhao Changdu pulled her back into his embrace. His deep black eyes churned intensely with distress as he gazed at Gu Ying. He tilted up her chin with long fingers and kissed her lips for a good while, his eyes growing increasingly darker like ink.

Gu Ying's heart thumped wildly under his stare. She lifted her fair, rosy face and locked eyes with him unwaveringly.

She knew what he was angry about and what he feared.