Chapter 296: Who Are You?
Chapter 296: Who Are You?
Meng Qianqian, startled, looked at the person in the pouring rain, but the heavy downpour made it impossible for her to open her eyes.
She could barely make out a bamboo hat and a black cloak.
The person forcefully pulled her up.
Meng Qianqian, having just looked up and choked on some rainwater, knelt on the ground, coughing incessantly.
"Th-thank you..."
The person turned around and coldly stepped into the rain.
Meng Qianqian called out, "Wait, I haven't asked for your name yet."
The person's attire clearly didn't belong to any of the military camps.
Many princes and nobles had come for the hunt, but she had no idea who this person was.
However, the person still didn't respond and instead quickened their steps to leave.
Meng Qianqian was puzzled. She stood up and tried to catch up, "Please wait, sir."
The person stopped, "It's just a small favor."
Hearing his voice, Meng Qianqian was stunned.
How should she describe it?
It sounded like a noise pulled from a broken bellows, clearly not a normal person's voice.
"Wait."
Meng Qianqian called out again, "This is the Imperial Hunting Ground, and unidentified individuals are not allowed. Please tell me who you are, so I can decide whether to let you leave."
This person had just saved her, but that was a separate matter.
She had to question anyone suspicious who appeared in the hunting ground.
However, the person showed no intention of answering and quickly walked away in the heavy rain.
Meng Qianqian's eyebrows furrowed.
This person's behavior was too strange. Appearing out of nowhere was one thing, but after saving her, they refused to reveal their identity, not even willing to speak a word, and kept their mask on.
"Please stay."
"If you don't stop, I might have to force you to stay."
"Sir!"
Meng Qianqian's expression darkened as she watched the cloaked man walking away. Suddenly, she used her lightfoot skill to catch up.
She grabbed his shoulder with one hand.
The person bent their waist and skillfully twisted, freeing themselves from her grip.
Meng Qianqian swiftly drew her Spring Saber from her waist and slashed upwards, cutting through the bamboo hat and the silver mask beneath it.
The mask fell halfway, revealing half of a severely burned face.
Meng Qianqian's expression changed.
The person stared at her, their eyes unwavering.
Meng Qianqian never expected to see such a face under the mask, no wonder they wore it and didn't want to speak.
Meng Qianqian quickly sheathed her saber, "Sorry."
"Can I go now?"
The man asked.
"Mhm."
Meng Qianqian nodded.
The man turned and disappeared into the rain.
Meng Qianqian stared at his retreating figure, her eyebrows furrowed. She asked, "Have we met before?"
The man replied without hesitation, "No."
"No?"
Meng Qianqian looked at her palm. Just now, when he pulled her up, she had a distinct feeling of deja vu.
Meng Qianqian picked up the half-mask from the ground, wanting to tell him his mask had fallen. But when she looked up, there was no sign of the person.
"If only Ji Li were here... Never mind, his compass is broken anyway, so it's useless."
Meng Qianqian kept the mask, deciding to return to the capital and have an identical one made. If they met again, she would return the new mask to him.
She continued forward, searching for Luo San.
As she walked, she whistled carefree.
She was in the open, while Luo San was in hiding. Since finding him was difficult, she might as well lure him out to find her.
She was alone, the perfect opportunity for him to strike.
Luo San, come and capture this handsome lord!
"Meng Xiaojiu, what are you doing alone?"
In the distance, a familiar voice suddenly echoed through the mountain path.
Meng Qianqian's heart skipped a beat, and she looked up towards the source, "Marquis?"
Lu Yuan stood on the mountain waist, holding an oil-paper umbrella, looking at her with an air of superiority, "It's only been a day, and you've managed to turn yourself into a drenched chicken. Did you forget to bring an umbrella when you left?"
Meng Qianqian sighed, "I didn't expect it to rain either!"
"Come here." Lu Yuan said.
"Oh."
Meng Qianqian obediently walked over to him.
He handed the umbrella to Meng Qianqian.
Meng Qianqian quickly replied, "No need, no need. I'll be fine getting a little wet."
Lu Yuan coldly said, "I'm asking you to hold the umbrella."
Meng Qianqian: "..."
She pouted and took the oil-paper umbrella, holding it high above his head.
Lu Yuan placed his hands behind his back and started walking, "It's crooked."
Meng Qianqian glared at him and, with great reluctance, adjusted the umbrella to straighten it, "Is this better?"
Lu Yuan: "Are you intentionally making things difficult for me, Meng Xiaojiu?"
Meng Qianqian immediately backed down, "Xiaojiu dares not."
Lu Yuan said, "Let's find a cave to take shelter from the rain first."
Meng Qianqian: "Oh."
In the woods of the Imperial Hunting Ground, there were many wooden huts and caves for the soldiers to rest, so finding one wasn't difficult.
After about a quarter of an hour, the two of them found a relatively dry cave.
The cave wasn't big, but it was sheltered from the wind and had plenty of dry leaves and firewood.
"Marquis, wait a moment. I'll start a fire."
Meng Qianqian put away the oil-paper umbrella, stood in the cave, and used a light stick to ignite the dry leaves, then added some dry branches. Soon, a small fire was blazing.
"Marquis, you must be freezing. Come warm yourself by the fire."
She gestured for Lu Yuan to sit closer to the fire.
Lu Yuan did not refuse.
Meng Qianqian sat beside him and used a dry branch to stir the fire, making it burn more vigorously.
"Marquis, are you hungry?"
"Do you think everyone is like you, always thinking about food?"
"Yes, yes, Marquis, you're above worldly pleasures."
"Meng Xiaojiu!"
"I brought some wild fruits."
Meng Qianqian took out a few large, red fruits from her arrow quiver, "Marquis, have some to fill your stomach. Once the rain stops, I'll prepare some wild game for you to try."
Lu Yuan casually picked a fruit and only then noticed the mud in her palm, "Your hands are covered in mud. What happened just now?"
Meng Qianqian spoke nonchalantly, "Nothing much. I almost fell off a cliff and died, but luckily I have a strong life force."
Lu Yuan's voice turned cold, "Who told you to come to such a dangerous place?"
Meng Qianqian replied, "I came here to find Luo San, didn't I?"
Lu Yuan glanced at her, "Were you also looking for Luo San just now when you were acting crazy?"
Meng Qianqian huffed, "What do you mean, crazy? Don't put words in my mouth. I was luring the snake out of its hole! Cough, cough, cough! I just choked on some rainwater."
Lu Yuan tossed her a water flask.
Meng Qianqian took the flask, removed the stopper, and gulped down several mouthfuls, "Ah, much better! Is this mountain spring water? It tastes so sweet. Marquis, you should drink some too."
Lu Yuan replied indifferently, "I'm not thirsty."
"Then I'll drink it all."
Meng Qianqian didn't hesitate and finished the mountain spring water.
"By the way, Marquis, weren't you with Yu Zichuan? Where is he?"
Lu Yuan said, "He went after Luo San."
Meng Qianqian was surprised, "You met Luo San?"
"Mhm."
Lu Yuan nodded, "Luo San is even more cunning than I imagined."
Meng Qianqian stood up, "He's so cunning that Yu Zichuan alone might not be able to handle him. I'll go after him! Which direction did he go?"
(End of Chapter)
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