Chapter 96 - 7: The Princess Who Refuses to Be Cannon Fodder (Part 7)

Saying this, she directly laid her head on Murong Dun’s leg, one hand softly placed in front of his chest, her slender fingertips a brilliant vermilion, burning Murong Dun’s eyes with just a glance.

His breathing became slightly erratic, initially wanting to push her away, yet seeing the charming face so close, he couldn’t resist looking a few more times.

An indescribable gentleness inexplicably surged in his heart, her strands of hair brushing against his fingertips, tickling his heart, making him feel tense all over.

"Heartbeat value change: thirty-five percent."

Jiang Lai lazily curled her lips, closed her eyes again, and peacefully fell asleep.

To be honest, Murong Dun’s leg was quite firm, lying there felt pretty comfortable.

When they arrived, Jiang Lai still hadn’t woken up.

Murong Dun also felt the journey seemed much shorter, and the time passed quickly as he heard the coachman outside asking.

"Your Highness, we’re here."

"Hmm, instruct people to start organizing the things."

After waiting for a while, Jiang Lai still showed no sign of waking up. Murong Dun frowned, unable to figure out why this woman always appeared so lethargic, yet he had to admit, her sleeping demeanor was so obedient and clean, he couldn’t bear to disturb her.

Finally waiting a long time, he watched Jiang Lai turn over and wake up, as his leg lightened, his heart followed with a slight emptiness.

Unexpected disappointment.

Jiang Lai stretched lazily and yawned, seeing Murong Dun getting up to leave, so she called out.

"Wait a moment."

The man sat back down, just about to ask what was wrong, when he saw the woman who had just woken up beginning to undress.

"What... what are you doing?"

"Changing clothes."

"In broad daylight, with servants waiting outside, don’t you feel any shame?"

Jiang Lai was full of confusion, taking off the cumbersome outer robe and throwing it aside, revealing the fitted and comfortable simple male attire underneath.

"Your Highness, what are you talking about?"

Murong Dun looked at her clothes underneath, momentarily embarrassed and at a loss for words, finally coughing lightly.

"Women wearing men’s clothes, aren’t you afraid of being laughed at?"

"What’s wrong with men’s clothes? We’re going up into the mountains to hunt; how can you hunt without wearing something light?"

"You also plan to hunt?"

"Otherwise? Why did I come?"

Murong Dun had nothing to say.

He thought Jiang Lai was just here to watch him hunt, and casually enjoy the mountains and rivers, eating and drinking.

Never expected she also intended to join in.

After finishing, Jiang Lai used a hairpin to gather her full head of black hair, pinning it at the back of her head, neat and refreshing, her face without makeup revealed entirely, lacking her usual delicacy, instead added a spirited vigor, her movement of jumping off the carriage was even nimbler than Murong Dun’s.

The servants outside were dumbfounded seeing Jiang Lai.

They could never have imagined why the delicate and charming princess upon arrival had turned into a handsome young man after disembarking.

Luoyang walked up, gazing at Jiang Lai’s back, not moving her gaze for a long time, she looked at Murong Dun and found the man’s eyes never leaving Jiang Lai from start to finish.

She quietly lowered her head, erasing some of the heaviness in her heart, and followed everyone else up the mountain.

They needed to reach the hunting ground before dark, Xiao Lian prepared a lot of water and snacks, offering Jiang Lai a little every few steps and asking her along the way.

"Miss, are you tired? Do you want to rest for a bit?"

In private, Xiao Lian still habitually called her Miss.

Jiang Lai looked at this sensible and obedient little girl, contentedly reaching out to pat her head.

"I’m not hungry, nor tired. If you’re tired, we can stop and rest."

"This servant isn’t tired. Miss, how can you refer to yourself as ’Master’? You are a lady."

"What’s wrong with being a lady? Whoever catches the prey is the master, you’ll see."

She intended to give Murong Dun’s smug face a good beating.

When they reached the halfway point of the mountain, Little Buding reminded.

"We’re about to reach the area where wild boars are often seen, be careful, they can eat people."

Just as the words were spoken, a commotion was heard ahead, with screams accompanying a shrill, high-pitched howl. A wild boar with bristly black fur, pointed face, and short thick limbs charged out of the nearby bushes.

The wild boar, as if equipped with a targeting system, charged precisely towards the male and female leads among the large crowd.

Jiang Lai stood between the two, watching Luoyang prepare to rush forward to protect Murong Dun, Jiang Lai acted quickly, grabbing Murong Dun’s clothing and, using her momentum, pushed him onto the grass beside.

In the next moment, Jiang Lai lunged sideways, shouting loudly.

"Husband!"

Immediately, guards from all directions rushed out. Before the wild boar could strike Luoyang, a black shadow descended from above, a longsword in hand, forcefully stabbing at the wild boar’s neck.

The pigskin being so thick, the sword penetrated straight through its neck, the man standing on the wild boar pulled the sword out, crimson droplets traced through the air, splattering onto the adjacent grass.

Luoyang, closest to the scene, stood stunned but quickly regained composure, looking up to size up the tall man in a black robe before her.

"Who are you?"

Jiang Ling casually tossed his sword to a nearby subordinate, responding concisely.

"Jiang Ling, Princess Pingyin’s... brother."

Saying this, Jiang Ling walked over to the grassy nest, observing Jiang Lai sprawled awkwardly, a smile hanging at the corner of his mouth, a hint of interest flickering in his eyes upon noticing Jiang Lai’s attire.

"Elder sister is truly brave, if Father knew, he would be exceptionally gratified."

Jiang Lai sat on the ground, brushing off the weeds on her, looking up at the tall and upright brother standing before her. Upon looking up, she noticed his face bore no resemblance to the Jiang Family’s.

Deep eye sockets, high brow bones, a prominent nose bridge, lips bright and vivid, while smiling at people, the eyes held no sign of it, clad in black wrapping a robust and upright physique, wherever he stood, he resembled a mountain, exerting immense pressure.

Hadn’t he intervened just now, someone present would surely have ended up bleeding.

No wonder Luoyang managed to escape unscathed in the original plot, turns out it was Jiang Ling who saved him.

"Can’t you help your sister up when she falls?"

Saying this, she extended her hand, a bit of dissatisfaction and capriciousness on her face.

Jiang Ling gazed at the delicate white hand before him, without hesitation, he reached out and grabbed it firmly, in the next second, Jiang Lai felt a strong force lifting her, even her behind slightly soared, all of her bumping into the man’s chest, the hard muscle bumping her painfully, eyes squinting in pain, she glared at Jiang Ling with an unfriendly tone.

"With such brute strength, are you a wild man?"

Saying so, she pushed Jiang Ling away, massaging her head as she went to find Murong Dun.

Murong Dun saw her forehead turning red, eyes moist, and couldn’t help but ask.

"How is it? Where did you hit?"

"He’s harder than a rock, it hurt like hell when I hit him."

Saying this, she leaned against Murong Dun, turned around to look at Jiang Ling, and pointed at him saying.

"That’s my brother, Jiang Ling, just returned from the barracks."