s.h.i.+ Qingxue bit her low lip and remained silent for a while till Mo Junhao was surprised and called, “Qingxue?”

She then turned to Mo Junhao with a fait smile. “It's a nice skill. At least I won't starve to death.”

It sounded strange, and Mo Junhao realized after a while that she was answering his question, but why did it sound so confusing?

“Qingxue, are you kidding? How could a person starve to death?” Mo Junhao thought s.h.i.+ Qingxue was joking with him or being exaggerated.

Even if they didn't have roasted pheasant to eat, they would just be hungry for a while and couldn't be so miserable as to starve to death.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue stopped looking at him and replied coldly, “Just take it as a joke.”

“Qingxue…”

Before Mo Junhao finished his words, s.h.i.+ Qingxue threw the roasted pheasant she hadn't eaten into the fire and then stood up, walking to the outside of the forest.

He couldn't stop her.

It seemed that the warm closeness growing from living and dying together was like a bubble in the morning and could break after touching.

“You are unreasonable!” Even if Mo Junhao tried to please s.h.i.+ Qingxue, he thought this girl was difficult to get along with. Who would suddenly turn hostile to him when they talked happily and lived in peace?

s.h.i.+ Qingxue never thought she had “lived in peace” with Mo Junhao, especially when he said with a smile that roasting was a skill.

Who would be willing to get into hot water when she could be a little princess?

s.h.i.+ Lei didn't teach her how to roast. In the past, although he had taken her to train in the military camp, he would never make her worry about food or clothing, not even for trial.

Elder Duke s.h.i.+ had said that his loved granddaughter should be spoilt and favored wherever she was.

The reason why she had learnt to roast was just that when she was trapped in the Cold Palace, she was treated coldly and even had nothing to eat sometimes. She had almost starved to death several times. At last, she had no choice but to figure out some ways to get the food, and roasting was one of them.

What she could roast then wasn't the top food like pheasant. Sometimes she could get a gra.s.s snake, and most of the time, it was the mouse or gecko…

She felt sick even at the thought of that.

So when she heard Mo Junhao's casual words, it was nice of her not to throw the things in her hand to his face.

It was impossible for her to be friendly to him.

After the incident, they could hardly maintain the peace, let alone getting close.

Fortunately, soon after, Mo Junhao's subordinate found them.

The bodyguard knelt down as soon as he saw Mo Junhao. “Your Highness, I am late to save you. Please forgive me.”

Mo Junhao didn't mind and waved his hand. “What is going on now?”

“I followed the marks you left all the way. When we arrived at the hotel, it was on fire, and you and Lady Qingxue were not there. Later, we continued to trace you and caught two a.s.sa.s.sins near the upstream of the river.”

“Two?”

Mo Junhao laughed playfully. “What information did you get?”

“It's about the a.s.sa.s.sins's ident.i.ty…” While speaking, the bodyguard hesitated and peeped at s.h.i.+ Qingxue.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue was thinking about their conversation. Finding that it went silent all of a sudden, she came to her senses and said at once, “I will get some water to put out the fire before leaving.”

Mo Junhao wanted to say that it didn't matter in order to make peace with s.h.i.+ Qingxue, but the bodyguard winked at him repeatedly, so he nodded. “Be careful.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue was clear that they might talk about who tried to harm s.h.i.+ Junhe, but she didn't listen in immediately. First, she couldn't succeed in overhearing; second, she had her own plan.

She would better be a gentleman than be a villain to fall out with him.

She moved slowly and got some water back to put out the fire after they finished their secret talk. Then she said indifferently, “Alright. Let's go.”

The trio quickly walked out of the forest and found a town nearby to have a rest.

But s.h.i.+ Qingxue didn't have much time to rest. She had inquired about the location and learned that she could ride to the Qingluo Mountain in less than two days. If she sped up, she might be able to reach the s.h.i.+ Army's camp next day before dark.

At this thought, she couldn't wait to ask Mo Junhao to set out instantly.

But Mo Junhao was hesitant and advised, “You didn't get any sleep and a lot happened last night. Now if you hurry to start the trip, there will be something wrong. How about we have a rest here for one day and leave tomorrow?”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue disagreed. “I am not tired. We are in the area of Qingluo County now and can reach the Qingluo Mountain soon. Since there are a.s.sa.s.sins who don't even let me go, I am afraid they will hurt my father. I just want to see him as soon as possible.”

The words were probably the most sincere ones she said to Mo Junhao these two days.

Mo Junhao was happy that she was frank and still hesitated. “In fact, the ones who want to hurt you are not…”

He spoke with difficulty and stopped halfway, seeming to keep her in suspense.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue was curious, but she didn't ask. She knew that she couldn't get the truth even if she asked. She said, “Even so, I have to go to the Qingluo Mountain right away.”

She didn't ask for Mo Junhao's advice but told him because they were companions.

Then she turned to walk downstairs.

But soon after she went out of the city gate on horseback, Mo Junhao caught up with her. “Qingxue, wait for me.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue stopped to look at Mo Junhao for a while and frowned. “Your Highness, if you have something important to do, I can go to the Qingluo Mountain alone. You don't need to feel sorry.”

She said that because Mo Junhao just rode the horse to chase her and didn't bring the luggage the bodyguard had prepared for him. Obviously, he didn't intend to go with her.

Mo Junhao frowned and grabbed s.h.i.+ Qingxue's arm, unwilling to let her go. “Qingxue, listen to me. Your trip to the Qingluo Mountain is dangerous, full of traps. I am not kidding.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue peered at him in surprise and didn't say anything, but the expression on her face showed, “c.r.a.p. I have to go there just because it is dangerous. If there is nothing, would I abuse myself?”

Mo Junhao lowered his voice and warned her more seriously, “I mean, if you go there recklessly, it's possible that you will die.”

“Oh, I will turn the possible into impossible,” s.h.i.+ Qingxue answered expressionlessly and didn't want to argue with Mo Junhao on the street.

“s.h.i.+ Qingxue!” Mo Junhao was anxious.

He pulled her arm and forcefully indicated her to look at him. Then he stressed each word. “Don't be so naïve, okay? I won't harm you. If you go to the Qingluo Mountain, you can't save your father but would lose your life.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue remained unmoved with a smile. “How would I know if I don't have a try?”

Mo Junhao blurted out, “s.h.i.+ Junhe is doomed to die this time.”

Qingxue's face darkened and she stared at him. “How did you know?”

d.a.m.n it! The bodyguard must have told Mo Junhao something to make him change his mind all of a sudden and even give up leaving a better impression on her.

However, Mo Junhao fell into silence again and refused to tell her who planned to kill s.h.i.+ Junhe.

“Forget it, but you don't stop me.” s.h.i.+ Qingxue shook off his hand impatiently.

She turned around again.

Mo Junhao had to pull her again and asked attentively, “If I tell you, will you go back with me?”

For fear that she didn't believe him, he stressed anxiously, “Don't worry. I will protect you.”

Qingxue sneered in secret. 'Who would go back with you?'

“Just tell me first. Whose idea is it?”

Mo Junhao bit his lower lip and seemed to calculate. After quite a while, he suggested in an indirect way, “In fact, you have guessed, right? At the imperial court, who incited my father to send General s.h.i.+ to suppress the bandits on the Qingluo Mountain? And Prime Minister Liang reported to my father repeatedly, accusing the s.h.i.+ Army of slacking off in their work, so my father sent several imperial edicts telling General s.h.i.+ to finish as soon as possible, even if it is not the best time to suppress the bandits now…”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue's expression changed, and she suddenly focused her eyes on Mo Junhao to tell from his eyes if it was the truth.

He met her gaze without guilt.

After thinking for a while, he added another clue. “Maybe you don't know, as most people, that my brother Junjiu has a concubine whose father is the magistrate of Qingluo County.”

Each clue Mo Junhao had offered was ordinary alone, but when they were connected, it was shocking for no reason.

It was Mo Junjiu unexpectedly.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue clenched her fists in the sleeves and the nails penetrated to her palms, which almost made her bleed, but she didn't feel the pain. She was just extremely furious.

She managed with effort to keep calm and said, “Your Highness, thanks for telling me. I will return your favor in the future. I have something urgent to do, so I am leaving now. Goodbye.”

She was anxious to go to the Qingluo Mountain and didn't want to delay.

But Mo Junhao grabbed the rein of her horse in a rage and almost cursed her, “Are you out of your mind? I have told you. You would surely die if you run to the Qingluo Mountain. Why do you insist on going there to court death?”

“Let me go.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue was not in the mood to explain and wanted to grab the rein from him, but he gripped her hands, which made her unable to move.

She couldn't control herself and cursed, “b.a.s.t.a.r.d! I tell you to let me go. Can't you hear me?”

Mo Junhao still didn't loosen his grip. “I won't let you go to die for nothing. Go back with me.”

“Ha! Why do you mind my business?” Qingxue glared at him with disdain.

Mo Junhao didn't mind but said ruthlessly, “If you don't listen to me, I will be rude.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue was in a fury but laughed. She thought this man was unreasonable. It was a matter of course if she went to save her father. What did it have to do with him?

However, the man's face was grim, and his eyes were sharp, which told her that he would do as he said.

Qingxue was scared. She couldn't defeat Mo Junhao.

“Don't be like this…” She forced a smile and tried to find some excuse to make him give up.

Mo Junhao had found that she was unwilling and quickly reached out his hand to her back neck.

As long as he pinched her gently, she would be knocked out till they returned to the capital city.