Mu Xueshi was about to mount the horse when the Third Prince suddenly grabbed him.
Confused, Mu Xueshi asked,
“Aren’t we leaving soon? How far is the Grand Tutor’s Manor from here?”
Nearby, Sun Ye immediately understood the Third Prince’s intentions. Though slightly surprised, he led away the horse that had just been gifted to Mu Xueshi.
Mu Xueshi panicked.
“Hey! Where are you taking that? That’s my horse!”
Turning back toward the Third Prince, he protested angrily,
“Your Highness, isn’t this a little improper? You already gave it to me—why have someone take it away? Were you just teasing me?”
The Third Prince almost laughed.
Outwardly, however, he remained cold and expressionless.
Without explanation, he leapt smoothly onto his own horse.
Facing the prince’s icy gaze, Mu Xueshi asked blankly,
“Your Highness isn’t planning to make me run behind the horse, are you? If that’s the case, we might not reach the Grand Tutor’s Manor until the end of the month. Besides… I’m still injured. Surely Your Highness isn’t that heartless.”
Seeing the pitiful expression on Mu Xueshi’s face, the Third Prince replied deliberately,
“That was precisely my intention.”
Mu Xueshi’s mouth fell open. The light vanished from his eyes.
Knowing he could not argue with the prince, he sighed.
“Fine. I’ll try my best to run. Just make sure your thousand-li horse goes slowly. If you lose your prisoner halfway there… that would count as negligence.”
His small face crumpled pitifully.
Even the servants in the courtyard felt anxious, hoping the Third Prince would simply take him along on horseback.
In the few days Mu Xueshi had stayed here, many servants had grown fond of his lively personality. When the Third Prince punished him earlier, the three maids had been saddened for days.
“Your Highness,” Qingyun said softly, kneeling nearby, “please bring these two sets of clothes. The night wind is cold, and Young Master Xue is still unwell.”
Mu Xueshi suddenly noticed her.
Among the three maids, Qingyun was his favorite. Unlike the others, she wasn’t overly timid and sometimes chatted with him. Her face always carried a gentle smile.
Before the Third Prince could respond, Mu Xueshi took the clothes from her hands.
“Thank you, Qingyun. You’re so thoughtful. You’re my favorite!”
The moment the words left his mouth—
His feet left the ground.
The Third Prince lifted him like a chick and set him down directly in front of himself on the horse.
The instant Mu Xueshi’s backside touched the saddle, he sprang up as if electrocuted, his face twisted in pain.
The Third Prince showed no mercy.
With a flick of the reins, the horse shot forward.
The road was rough and bumpy. Mu Xueshi tried several times to speak but ended up crying out instead.
Grabbing the prince’s arms desperately, he pleaded,
“S-slow… please… slower…”
The Third Prince responded by striking the horse harder.
Seeing that begging was useless, Mu Xueshi wrapped his arms around the prince, trying to lift himself slightly off the saddle using the prince’s shoulders for support.
Feeling the warm breath against his chest, the Third Prince suddenly pulled the reins.
The horse whinnied and came to a steady halt.
They had already left the imperial palace and arrived at an open grassland.
Sweat dripped down Mu Xueshi’s forehead. He pulled away and demanded stubbornly,
“Why did you have Sun Ye take away the horse you gave me?”
The Third Prince ignored him completely.
Even the servants in the courtyard knew Mu Xueshi could not ride a horse. Yet he still dared question him—misunderstanding his good intentions and even declaring his affection for a maid in front of him.
Futile Devices Scans 
Leave a comment