Marry First, Love Later With The White Cat Princess - Chapter 39

Even though Lianyi insisted firmly that she didn’t want any candy, after drinking an entire bowl of bitter medicine, she still reached out to Liu Fenyun, her face unflinching as she said, “Candy.”

Liu Fenyun didn’t mind at all. She poured a specially made candy into Lianyi’s palm and watched her pop it into her mouth without hesitation.

The sweetness spread across Lianyi’s tongue. She let out a long breath and, staring at the medicine bowl with a troubled frown, asked, “If I take the medicine on schedule every day, will I recover faster?”

“Chronic illnesses aren’t that easy to cure,” Liu Fenyun shook her head. “This body’s sickness is congenital. After Your Highness’s soul took over it, using large amounts of human energy mixed with demon energy, the meridians and the internal organs were all severely damaged…”

Once she started talking about illnesses, Liu Fenyun could hardly stop. Just as she was about to explain the principles behind Lianyi’s gastrointestinal damage, a chicken leg covered in chili sauce was suddenly shoved into her mouth.

“Cough! Cough! Cough!!” Liu Fenyun choked on the sauce, coughing violently. Through the mist before her eyes, she saw Lianyi looking impatient as she obediently started eating the chicken leg.

Only then did Liu Fenyun realize she had stepped on a landmine. The cat, though a sick one, hadn’t willingly had her body taken over and didn’t like this sickly frame she now possessed.

Liu Fenyun ate the chicken leg while asking the system, “If my favorability with Lianyi reaches its maximum, will I unlock a way for her to leave the body of the Seventh Princess?”

“The host must first reach 100 favorability points before I have the authority to answer that question,” the system replied, shattering her hope.

After finishing the chicken leg, just as she was ready to digest, Sha Rulang returned. The three of them mounted their horses and rode straight into the deep mountain area of the hunting grounds, officially beginning the first day of the hunt.

Besides bows, arrows, and short knives, Liu Fenyun also brought many animal traps. However, she didn’t want the prey to suffer unnecessarily, so she replaced the traps with talisman papers and used magic to replace physical attacks during setup.

To earn higher points, they aimed to capture large beasts.

This was the royal hunting ground. The largest beasts released by beast tamers here were creatures called “Mane Boars,” which resembled wild boars with two sharp tusks in their mouths and usually lived deep in the mountains.

Sha Rulang had only read about Mane Boars in books. Hearing Liu Fenyun and Lianyi’s plan, she felt both nervous and excited.

Having upgraded her hunting skills, Liu Fenyun didn’t need anyone’s help to set traps. Soon, the mountain path where the Mane Boars roamed was full of traps.

After arranging the talismans, she instructed Lianyi and Sha Rulang to stay put and ventured alone to the Mane Boar’s den.

Before leaving them, Liu Fenyun carefully opened the system map and confirmed there were no suspicious humans or demons nearby, then confidently headed toward the den.

As soon as she entered, the system started sounding an alarm. She immediately concealed her aura, pressing against the dark wall.

“Have all the Mane Boars here gone berserk?” she asked, frowning at the warning from the system. “Were they given drugs to make them crazy?”

Liu Fenyun had encountered drugs that could drive demons insane, but this hunting ground was personally marked out by the Crown Prince it shouldn’t have dangerous creatures threatening participants.

“According to the scan results, it is indeed drug-induced,” the system replied. “It’s best for the host to retreat.”

Liu Fenyun valued her life, but she also feared that others might stumble into the den. After thinking for a moment, she placed an earth talisman at the den’s entrance. Stone stalagmites sprouted from the ground, blocking the entrance, leaving only a small hole for the Mane Boars to breathe.

She retraced her steps, dismantling the traps along the way. Oddly, once she exited the den, the system no longer detected any berserk demons nearby, and no points appeared on the map.

“Has someone cast a barrier around the den?” Liu Fenyun immediately asked the system.

The system, sensing her implication, responded quickly: “Although it cannot be detected, the current situation likely aligns with the host’s assumption.”

Her heart tightened. After some thought, she said, “Give me the coordinates of the other dens nearby; I’ll take a look.”

After receiving the coordinates, she didn’t rush. She returned to Lianyi’s side first and explained what she had seen.

“I don’t know who dared feed the demons drugs and place barriers around the dens. Anyone who enters would be attacked by the berserk demons and might not leave a single intact bone,” Liu Fenyun said gravely. “We need to inform the hunting ground’s beast tamers quickly! All the participants are either royalty or officials. If they are harmed, it will affect Zhuohuang Kingdom…”

She didn’t need to finish. Sha Rulang had already clenched her fists.

“Let’s go tell them now!” she said with determination. “The hunt has just begun we still have time!”

Liu Fenyun nodded. “You two go together. I’ll check elsewhere.”

She turned to leave, but her wrist suddenly ached. Looking back, she saw a cold glint in Lianyi’s eyes.

“Just tell them all the dens in the hunting ground are like this and let them investigate. I won’t allow you to risk yourself alone. You stay by my side,” Lianyi said firmly.

She refused to let go.

Sha Rulang also said, “Master Wu, among us, you are the real man. Only a man can enter the dens. With you there, the beast tamers will trust us more.”

Liu Fenyun understood and yielded. “I’ll go with you.”

The three of them mounted their horses and rode toward the hunting ground exit.

Technically, they couldn’t return once they left, and that day’s score would be finalized. But none of them were in the mood to continue hunting. They casually explained things to the guards and then went to the beast tamer’s residence to meet the Emperor and the head beast tamer.

When the tamer’s apprentice came to report, Lianyi and Sha Rulang had removed their disguises and, dressed in male riding attire, waited with Liu Fenyun at the steps.

Liu Fenyun was standing upright when she felt someone watching her. She checked the system map and saw Crown Prince Sha Fuli not far behind.

“So you noticed me, just as expected from a Master Wu who’s skilled with demons,” Sha Fuli’s voice came, playful but approving.

Liu Fenyun immediately recalled the gaze she had felt before entering the grounds and understood.

“Is he one of Your Highness’s men?” she asked deliberately.

“Of course not,” Sha Fuli walked closer and stopped beside them. “Two days ago, I was just warned by the Grand Priest. Only today was the matter fully investigated. I didn’t expect anyone to be so daring as to tamper with the royal hunting ground.”

The apprentice returned quickly and reported that everyone had been summoned to see the Emperor.

Walking into the hall, Liu Fenyun still pondered the Crown Prince’s words.

The Grand Priest, despite being critically poisoned, had relied solely on Yu Qingyue’s medicine and demon energy to sustain his life. Yet he had already known about the dangers in the hunting ground and informed the most capable authority to investigate the Crown Prince.

That was the Grand Priest’s power.

The Emperor of Zhuohuang Kingdom sat on his dragon patterned throne, patiently listening to their report. He then summoned the head beast tamer: “Issue orders to halt the Spring Hunt competition. Everyone must return to their lodgings. No one is to go outside.”

Since Lianyi herself was a demon, to avoid suspicion, she first bade Liu Fenyun farewell and returned to the hall, taking Sha Rulang with her.

Sha Fuli happened to be heading to the Grand Priest’s Guizhi Hall and escorted them partway.

“Who does Your Highness think is behind this?” Lianyi asked along the way. “Recently, the northern Gehua Kingdom has frequently sent tributes. Could someone have snuck into the palace?”

Sha Fuli’s fox like eyes curved slightly. “No evidence. Seventh Sister, you should not say that.”

Yet with a glance exchanged between them, Lianyi understood the incident was indeed the work of Gehua Kingdom.

“Gehua Kingdom?” Liu Fenyun was surprised. “The small country that sent the jade bow as tribute?”

“Correct,” Sha Fuli smiled.

Liu Fenyun continued, “I heard that their beast tamers can control demons from the demon realm.”

When she first transmigrated to this world, she had the authority to check the system’s database and examine the conditions of all nations.

The people of Gehua Kingdom excelled at forging divine weapons and taming beasts. Demons, being a type of beast, could also be controlled by their beast tamers.

“Exactly,” Sha Fuli gave her an approving smile. “But forging is their main fame. Those who raise demons are often despised. So Gehua only sends their tamers for covert tasks while publicly pursuing forging.”

Even the normally silent Sha Rulang now realized who was behind the Spring Hunt incident.

She remembered Ah Ran and was about to ask Liu Fenyun when she felt a cold gaze. Sha Rulang shivered slightly, turning to see Lianyi’s warning look. She remembered their instructions: never reveal that they kept demons.

Sha Rulang nodded lightly and remained silent.

Her small gesture was noticed by Sha Fuli. He realized she seemed to know something but did not expose it. Instead, he asked with a smile, “Fifteenth Sister, are you worried about your brother?”

Sha Rulang bit her lip and nodded.

“Your brother said he’d only hunt rabbits or at most deer, never enter the dens,” Sha Fuli reassured her. “The beast tamers have been sent. They’ll bring him out safely. You just follow your Seventh Sister and relax.”

The young princess, sitting tall on her steed, replied calmly.

After sending them to the Morning Star Hall, Sha Fuli rode off to the Luo Binglun’s Guizhi Hall.

Liu Fenyun dismounted and led Sha Rulang into the hall.

That day was the Spring Hunt competition. Before leaving the Morning Star Hall, Lianyi had summoned all her cat demon subordinates. Hearing familiar footsteps, the cats came out from hiding, crowding around Liu Fenyun and meowing.

Liu Fenyun couldn’t help wanting to pet them. She noticed Sha Rulang standing at the door and beckoned her over, letting the cats gather around her.

“Where did these cats come from?” Sha Rulang asked, holding a calico cat, surprised.

“The princess keeps them,” Liu Fenyun said with a smile. “If you’re bored, you can play and talk with them.”

Sha Rulang was confused but soon realized the calico cat in her arms was speaking: “Yes meow~ We have nothing to do and can play with the Fifteenth Princess”

Other cats chimed in: “Hello, Fifteenth Princess~”

Sha Rulang froze in shock, then finally smiled, squatting down to pet each cat.

Liu Fenyun found her something to do and reminded her to stay in the Morning Star Hall. Anything she wanted to eat or see, she could ask the cats. Engrossed in the cats, Sha Rulang didn’t notice Liu Fenyun leaving.

Outside, Lianyi waited. She had no reason to change from her riding attire, her normally loose wavy brown hair still tied in a high ponytail.

“First, we go to Guizhi Hall,” she said, leading her horse alongside Liu Fenyun.

Inside, Luo Binglun still pretended to be ill.

Aside from disciples Ye Zhuo and Li Pei, and her two confidants Luo San and Luo Jiu, no one else was present. The Crown Prince Sha Fuli had already left.

When Liu Fenyun and Lianyi arrived, Luo Binglun was unsurprised.