After Becoming a Concubine, I Took Down the Princess - Chapter 15

The Emperor, Liang Shu, was a decisive person. The day before, Yan Heng had only heard about the hunt, and the next day, they were already leaving the palace.

Although there was still an autumn hunt in the fall, the scenery of this forest was beautiful, and Liang Shu and a group of princes could no longer hold back.

The group traveled in palanquins, entering the mountain forest in a mighty procession. Yan Heng was not used to riding in a palanquin. By the end of the trip, she was dizzy and almost vomited all her breakfast.

Catching a glimpse of Liang Xiao from afar, she felt as though the princess’s face was full of distaste.

Yan Heng had already planned everything. Since it was a hunt, the concubines would probably just wait in their tents. Therefore, Yan Heng had saved a bit of illusion magic, intending to reveal her true form and frolic in the forest.

When she was young and had not yet taken human form, she and her siblings loved to run wild in the woods. It had been many years since they had done such a thing, and the sight of the forest made her heart itch with anticipation.

She was consistently quick-witted and wouldn’t be mistaken for prey, so she could have fun without worry.

She sat in the tent for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea. It was noisy outside, and curious, Yan Heng came out to join the excitement.

It turned out that a group of princes were gathered, betting on who could hunt the most prey. Liang Xiao, on the other hand, was leaning against the Empress under a propped-up umbrella, enjoying a bowl of iced fruit by her side.

“Your Majesty, I want to go too,” Concubine Yu Gui said, sitting to the Emperor’s right and sweetly tugging his arm.

Although over thirty, Concubine Yu still maintained a naive and charming appearance and was very well-preserved.

Earlier, Consort Zhou had mentioned that Concubine Yu came from a family of martial generals and was excellent at horsemanship. The Emperor had fallen in love with her at first sight on the equestrian field and favored her for many years until Consort Lian entered the palace, after which her favor gradually waned.

After Consort Lian’s death, the Emperor restored Concubine Yu’s favor and allowed her to give birth to the Ninth Prince.

Liang Shu patted Concubine Yu’s hand reassuringly: “Arrows in the forest have no eyes. What if you get hurt?”

Concubine Yu was likely bored in the palace and was somewhat unhappy at this. Just as she was about to say something more, Liang Xiao interjected coldly from the side: “Concubine Yu is no longer a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl. Be careful not to fall off the horse.”

Concubine Yu retorted: “Since the Princess is young, why not get on a horse and bring back a few rabbits?”

Liang Xiao ignored her. Instead, she stood up, went to the princes, and shook one of their arms: “Third Brother, can you help me bring back a few rabbits? I want them alive to keep as pets.”

Yan Heng squinted from afar at that prince. He looked in his early twenties, handsome and dashing, with a face full of doting affection.

“Since Xiao Xiao has asked, then Ah Feng, you must satisfy her,” Liang Shu said with a smile not far away.

Liang Feng, ranked third, lost his mother, Consort De, early and was raised by the Empress. Although he and Liang Xiao had different mothers, their relationship was like that of true siblings.

Seeing Liang Feng wholeheartedly agree, Liang Xiao returned with a triumphant look: “Concubine Yu, although I can’t ride a horse, I can have my Imperial Brother do it for me.”

She straightened her clothes and sat down gracefully. Concubine Yu, having been snubbed, was unwilling to provoke her further.

Yan Heng had clearly watched all the excitement. If there hadn’t been so many people around, she would have genuinely wanted to jump up and applaud.

She lifted the tent flap and went back inside, planning to sneak out quietly after the crowd dispersed.

It was too sunny outside. Liang Xiao sat for a while, found it too hot, and after a few words of playful complaint to her Imperial Father, changed to a cooler tent to escape the heat.

The princes had all set off. Liang Shu planned to change into his hunting clothes and start hunting when the weather cooled down. After all, he was getting on in years and wasn’t as young and strong as before. If he suffered from heatstroke, it would take some time to recover.

Yan Heng heard the outside gradually quiet down. Most of the concubines had returned, and only a few small maids and eunuchs were still strolling around.

No one noticed a white fox shadow quietly lift the tent flap, look around, and then vanish in a flash.

Yan Heng had learned how to hunt; after all, she had to live by it before she took human form. Now in the forest, she was simply giving in to her true nature, playing with flowers and teasing grasses along the way, thoroughly enjoying herself.

A prince riding a horse saw the beautiful white fox from afar. Just as he was drawing his bow and aiming, the fox darted away in a flash.

Yan Heng secretly made a face behind a tree, thinking, ‘You’re too young to catch your grandmother.’

She wandered for about an hour. Seeing that the time was right, she caught a live rabbit, intending to proudly carry it back to Liang Xiao as a treasure.

There was a cliff nearby. Looking down from the top, it was extremely high. Yan Heng, fearless, ran to the edge to look down. A stream flowed below, and rocks were scattered, making for a nice but dangerous view.

“Scratch, scratch.” Fallen leaves were crushed underfoot. Yan Heng looked around alertly and saw a familiar figure in the distance.

Liang Xiao!

What was she doing here?

In front of Liang Xiao stood a man in black. A cold gleam flashed in his hand; he was holding a knife.

The man in black was pressing closer step by step. Liang Xiao had her back to Yan Heng, and was approaching the edge of the cliff. Yan Heng couldn’t see her expression clearly.

Yan Heng let go of the rabbit in her mouth, hunched down, and darted out. Unexpectedly, the man in black also struck at that moment, swinging the knife. Liang Xiao dodged sideways, and the tip of the knife scraped an incision on her arm.

Yan Heng sped up. Liang Xiao dodged, gripping her clothes. The man in black attacked again, but was knocked off balance by a white animal and staggered sideways.

Yan Heng stood in front of Liang Xiao, letting out a threatening whine. Liang Xiao slowly sighed in relief. Unexpectedly, her footing gave way. Someone behind her had forcefully pulled her off the cliff!

A shriek escaped her lips as she fell. She saw Yan Heng resolutely jump down after her, and then she lost consciousness.

Yan Heng heard the commotion behind her and saw the accomplice of the man in black push Liang Xiao off the cliff. Without time to think, she jumped down too.

She transformed into her human body in mid-air and used her magic to cushion the fall, barely catching Liang Xiao. The two fell roughly onto the ground.

The cut on Liang Xiao’s arm was deep and was still oozing blood. Yan Heng, before the princess woke up, tore the hem of her clothes to bandage it.

She didn’t know medicine, so she could only wrap the wound haphazardly, at least stopping the bleeding. Then she reached out and patted Liang Xiao, trying to wake her up.

“Your Highness, Your Highness?” Yan Heng knew that the human body was fragile. If she remained unconscious like this, who knew what might happen.

Liang Xiao opened her eyes dazedly. As soon as she regained consciousness, she clutched her arm and cried out in pain.

“Wasn’t Your Highness in the tent? Why did you come out?” Yan Heng helped her up and found a rock for her to lean against.

Liang Xiao’s voice was hoarse: “Someone came and reported that you were missing.”

Yan Heng: …?

“I was missing?” Yan Heng felt a little guilty; she had indeed been missing.

Liang Xiao coughed twice: “I was afraid Concubine Yu would harm you. She hates me but doesn’t dare to touch me, so she would definitely target you. Plus, I usually pretend to be easily fooled, so I decided to go along with the ruse, pretending to fall for it and asking my hidden guards to search with me. I didn’t expect the assassins were after me all along, and I got separated from my guards.”

Yan Heng: “Didn’t Your Highness go back to the tent to look for me again? I left an illusion, so I shouldn’t have been too hard to find?”

Liang Xiao rolled her eyes at her: “Think carefully. Did you really leave one?”

Yan Heng: “… I think I forgot.”

Yan Heng changed the subject: “Those two men in black, were they hired by someone else?”

Liang Xiao nodded: “I have already pretended to be utterly foolish, yet someone still wants to harm me.”

“But why do they want to harm you?”

“The throne.”

“The throne?” Yan Heng was shocked.

“You don’t know this, but the Great Ning dynasty changed the precedent of the previous dynasty; both princes and princesses can succeed to the throne. There have already been two empresses,” Liang Xiao said, frowning deeply.

Yan Heng was puzzled: “But according to what Your Highness said, you’ve always acted like you wouldn’t amount to anything. The Emperor would never pass the throne to you, regardless, would he?”

Liang Xiao: “The person who hired the assassins probably has a deeper, more malicious scheme than mine and wants to eliminate me completely.”

Yan Heng, who had not grown up in the deep palace, couldn’t understand the intricacies of it, and only said: “Then when will Your Highness’s hidden guards find us?”

Liang Xiao shook her head with a bitter smile: “The assassins are numerous. I don’t know when they will be able to get away.”

Yan Heng wailed inwardly and pointed to Liang Xiao’s wound: “Your Highness’s wound…”

Liang Xiao said uncaringly, “I have great luck; I won’t die.”

Yan Heng sighed softly: “Your Highness, stay here and don’t move. I’ll go find some herbs.”

Liang Xiao said, “We can’t stay here for long. They will definitely come down to check if I’m dead or not. We need to move further ahead.”

Yan Heng helped Liang Xiao stand up. Fortunately, Yan Heng had shielded her when they fell, and Yan Heng herself had magic protection, so neither of them had other injuries and could still walk freely.

After walking about two li (approx. 1 km), Liang Xiao’s face was pale. Yan Heng helped her sit down again.

She tore off large leaves, washed them clean, and scooped up stream water to quench Liang Xiao’s thirst.

While watching Liang Xiao drink, she said faintly, “Your Highness, we have experienced life and death together.”

Liang Xiao choked upon hearing this.

Yan Heng: “When you got lost in the forest as a child, I helped you then, and today I jumped off a cliff to save you. Your Highness owes me two favors now.”

Liang Xiao chuckled softly: “When you saw me as a child, you were injured, and I brought you home and nursed you for a month. Doesn’t that count as repaying one favor?”

Yan Heng shook the chain on her hand: “Then this ‘Love Knot’ must count as one you owe me.”

Liang Xiao said helplessly, “As you wish.”

“Are you hungry?” Yan Heng asked, rubbing her empty stomach.

Liang Xiao nodded, looking quite embarrassed.

“Then I’ll go find something to eat.” Yan Heng was about to stand up but was pulled back by Liang Xiao.

Liang Xiao said, “I’ll go with you. I can still walk; I’m not that delicate.”

Yan Heng waved her hand: “I need to turn into my original form to catch food, and I’m afraid you won’t be able to keep up with me.”

Liang Xiao was speechless; she truly wouldn’t be able to keep up.

With that, Yan Heng transformed into her original form, wagged her tail, circled Liang Xiao twice, and rubbed her head against Liang Xiao’s calf, seemingly to reassure her, before darting into the forest and disappearing.

After about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Yan Heng returned, carrying a wild pheasant in her mouth.

Her glossy white fur was now a little dirty, her face was mottled with gray and white, and there was some bloodstain around her mouth.

The pheasant was already dead. Yan Heng casually tossed it on the ground and then brought back some firewood in her mouth.

She transformed back into human form. The ash that had rubbed onto her fur was now on her face, making her look a bit comical.

Liang Xiao couldn’t help but laugh. It seemed only in the presence of this silly fox could she reveal her truest self.

Yan Heng looked at her in confusion. Then Liang Xiao took out a handkerchief from her bosom and gently wiped her face.

Yan Heng was completely stunned. Liang Xiao’s movements were gentle, and in just a few strokes, she wiped the ash clean from her face.

The feeling was like when her mother used to wipe her face when she was little, which touched Yan Heng’s heart and made her quite shy.

Liang Xiao put away the handkerchief, and seeing Yan Heng unnaturally avert her gaze, she said, “I’ll go prepare that pheasant.”

Liang Xiao had never done such things since she was young, but Yan Heng was familiar with the task. She turned her back to Liang Xiao, plucked the feathers, cleaned and gutted the chicken, then took a tinder from her small personal pouch, built a fire, and started roasting the chicken.

“How do you have everything in your little pouch?” Liang Xiao asked curiously.

“I’m a fox, of course! When traveling outside, one must be fully prepared,” Yan Heng said while turning the roasting chicken.

Without seasonings, the chicken could only be roasted until it was a bit charred so that it wouldn’t taste too fishy.

“How do you know how to do everything?” Liang Xiao was genuinely impressed.

“We monsters are not brought up delicately, of course. If we don’t learn a few things, how can we survive?” Yan Heng’s tone was quite indifferent, as if she had long been accustomed to the life of a monster needing to fend for herself.

Seeing that the chicken was almost done, Yan Heng tore off a drumstick and handed it to Liang Xiao.

Liang Xiao took it and bit into it gently. The taste was absolutely incomparable to the delicacies in the palace, and it could even be described as tasteless, yet she would remember it for many, many years.

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