"Your Highness, the County Princess..."
"I have said, I do not wish to hear news of her!" Before Tianyuan could finish, Xiao Huayong, who had been reading, threw his book aside and spoke with a cold expression.
Tianyuan knelt with a thud: "The County Princess fell from her horse and is missing. Her condition is unknown—she may be alive or dead!"
Xiao Huayong shot to his feet: "What did you say!"
"The County Princess she..."
Before Tianyuan could repeat himself, Xiao Huayong strode swiftly toward the door. Tianyuan immediately lunged forward and clung to Xiao Huayong’s leg: "Your Highness, if you go out like this, you’ll expose yourself..."
Xiao Huayong halted abruptly, pushing Tianyuan away: "Where did she fall? Why did she fall?"
As he questioned, Xiao Huayong stripped off his outer robe and hastily pulled on a plain one. By the time he had changed, Tianyuan had relayed the full account. Snatching up a mask, Xiao Huayong vanished from the courtyard in an instant, his face grim.
Guards had already swarmed the area searching for Shen Xihe. Xiao Huayong skirted along steep, narrow paths, evading the searching guards. His sharp gaze swept the surroundings, and he soon descended swiftly, locating the waterfall.
Shen Xihe had fallen into the pool below. Though the water was not deep, the high waterfall crashed down with such force that the currents grew fierce and turbulent. Unskilled at swimming and disoriented from choking on water, she was swept along by the rush and plunged into a deeper pool downstream.
The impact left her vision darkening, but she knew she must not lose consciousness—or she would surely die. Struggling to relax her body, she let herself float upward slowly, maneuvering away from the waterfall’s direct plunge and the swiftest currents.
Summoning her last reserves of strength, Shen Xihe tried to swim toward the bank, only to find the shore clustered with countless small, brightly colored snakes. Instinctively, she felt for her waist—fortunately, her scented sachet had not been torn off during the fall.
Not daring to swim toward the snake-infested bank, she retreated instead toward the cliffside, where, for some reason, none of the unsettling little snakes were gathered.
Choking and gasping for air, she suddenly sensed the water around her stir as if something had brushed past. The ripples gave her a foreboding feeling. She held her breath, waiting silently until the water stilled again, wondering if the earlier glimpse had been an illusion.
Just as Shen Xihe began to relax, a massive shadow swept through the clear spring, and ripples surged upward from the depths. Her heart raced wildly.
The frantic beating reignited a burning pain in her chest. She took several deep breaths, forcing the sensation down.
Something was in the water—she couldn’t tell what. With snakes on the bank, she dared not act rashly. As she frantically weighed her options, an anxious, worried call broke through: "Youyou!"
It was Xiao Huayong’s voice. Shen Xihe thought she was hallucinating, but then it came again: "Youyou!"
Now certain it was him, Shen Xihe still refrained from calling back loudly. Spotting moss on the stone wall before her, she grabbed a handful, molded it into a ball, and tossed it toward the source of the voice.
Xiao Huayong had tracked her from above. He’d guessed she would be in this direction but had seen no sign of her. Considering the great height from the upper pool to here, if she had truly fallen, she might have…
The thought that she could have lost her life left him cold with dread. He was consumed by self-blame and regret, wishing he could strike himself down. Why had he been so stubborn? Why had he sulked and brooded?If not for that, how could he have let her face danger?
For the first time in his life, he tasted the meaning of panic and confusion. He was afraid, truly afraid—afraid he would never see her again.
Only now did he understand that his feigned indifference was merely love so deeply ingrained in his bones, coupled with an unwillingness to sacrifice his pride and humble himself.
He only wanted her to be safe. As long as she was safe, nothing else mattered.
She could have whatever she wanted. He would no longer insist, no longer hope for anything—only wish for her to live, carefree and untroubled.
As long as she was happy, he could endure anything.
Just as Xiao Huayong was on the verge of despair, thinking he had misjudged the direction, a shadow flickered past the corner of his eye. He steadied himself and looked over. Soon, another object was thrown out.
Worried that Xiao Huayong might not hear, Shen Xihe threw another handful.
Xiao Huayong’s calls for her had ceased. She thought he had already left, and her heart sank. But then she saw a tall figure standing on the shore—a masked stranger.
Just as Xiao Huayong was about to leap forward, Shen Xihe waved him back and pointed downward, signaling that something lurked beneath the water. If he rushed over, it might startle the unknown creature, putting both of them in mortal danger.
Xiao Huayong raised a hand to his lips and whistled. Haidongqing’s piercing cry cut through the sky. At the same time, Xiao Huayong leaped forward, his movements as elegant and swift as a crane spreading its wings. As he soared toward Shen Xihe, he caught sight of a massive dark shadow darting through the depths of the pond. His expression darkened, and he swiftly pulled Shen Xihe up.
Almost the moment they leaped out of the water, a gigantic head burst forth with a splash, lunging to tear into them. Clinging to Xiao Huayong’s shoulder, Shen Xihe caught sight of a Giant Serpent.
In all her life, she had never seen such an enormous snake—its head thicker than her waist, far beyond her imagination.
Just as the Giant Serpent lunged, its foul stench already reaching Shen Xihe’s nostrils, Haidongqing swooped down diagonally, its sharp beak pecking at the serpent’s eye and forcing its head aside.
Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Huayong carried Shen Xihe out of the deep pond. The moment they landed, the smaller snakes that had been clustered along the shore emerged in droves, driven by the Giant Serpent’s hisses.
Shen Xihe was prepared. She tore the Scented sachet from her waist. Because of her sensitive sense of smell, she did not wrap it in thin gauze but used oilcloth for better sealing, so the Scented powder inside remained dry.
She poured out the powder and sprinkled it over Xiao Huayong, especially around his feet. The snakes that had been poised to attack immediately retreated.
“We must leave this place quickly,” Shen Xihe urged Xiao Huayong. “Crown Prince…”
At first, she hadn’t recognized him, but the moment she was in his arms, she caught the familiar, strong scent of medicinal herbs.
“Endure it a little longer,” Xiao Huayong said gently, then swiftly carried Shen Xihe away from the eerie deep pond.
The Giant Serpent seemed unwilling to leave the pond, giving Haidongqing a significant advantage. Before Xiao Huayong and Shen Xihe had gone far, Haidongqing led the guards to them. A large group of guards swarmed in, blocking Xiao Huayong’s path of retreat.
“Your Highness, put me down,” Shen Xihe urged. Xiao Huayong could not risk exposure.
If a masked, unidentified person appeared in the hunting grounds, these guards would be justified in shooting him on sight."Do you truly believe these guards dare not lay a hand on you?" Xiao Huayong shifted his hold on Shen Xihe as he turned, "Do not underestimate Changling."
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