“Your Highness, everyone has already been sent out, but there is still no news of Young Master Xue.”
Hearing the guard’s report, the gloom on the Third Prince’s already dark face deepened further. He dismissed everyone, leaving himself alone in the room. One hand rested on the large desk, causing the teapot and teacups upon it to rattle softly. He tried to calm the turmoil in his heart, but those irritating sounds seemed determined not to cooperate.
Two days had already passed. To the Third Prince, however, it felt more like two years.
When Mu Xueshi was around, there were always a few incessant, rambling remarks filling the air. Without those rambling words, the Third Prince’s life seemed plunged into endless darkness.
Was he punishing me? Or had he fallen victim to someone else’s scheme?
The Third Prince had not closed his eyes for two days and two nights. The moment either possibility crossed his mind, he became incapable of sitting still for even a quarter of an hour.
Over the past two days, he had searched the entire Imperial Capital. Every place that could be searched had been searched, yet there was no trace of Mu Xueshi. Even the two subordinates he had dispatched had vanished without a trace.
Whenever the Third Prince recalled the way Mu Xueshi had stormed off in anger that day, his heart twisted painfully. If only he had chased after him then. In that situation, Mu Xueshi’s face had been completely exposed. Countless people would have coveted him, yet he had actually been cruel enough to let him go.
Knowing that regret was useless now, the Third Prince forced himself to think calmly about what other methods remained for finding Mu Xueshi. He could not continue searching aimlessly like this. The longer it went on, the more hopeless he felt.
Hearing movement outside, the Third Prince lowered his eyes slightly and looked toward the door.
Su Ruhan was dismounting from a horse. Upon hearing that Mu Xueshi had disappeared while trying to find him, he had immediately rushed over in alarm.
“Your Highness, is there any news of Xueshi?”
The moment the Third Prince saw the long-absent Su Ruhan, whatever good mood he might have had would have vanished. Unfortunately, he was already in a terrible mood. Seeing this half-responsible culprit only made him want to kill someone. If Mu Xueshi had not been trying to find Su Ruhan, why would he have rashly left the palace? And why was it that every time something happened to Mu Xueshi, he always went looking for his master?
The moment Su Ruhan came to a stop, he felt the Third Prince’s vicious gaze shoot toward him. Startled, he wondered what he could possibly have done to offend him.
“Your Highness, I learned of this yesterday. I immediately ordered my men to search every place we could think of, but we found no trace of Xueshi. However, I did hear something…”
The Third Prince’s gaze sharpened slightly, though his expression remained blank.
“I heard from people on the streets that someone really did ride a horse into the city that day and knocked over quite a few pedestrians. That person’s clothing matched what Xueshi was wearing, and his horsemanship wasn’t very good. So I suspect that person may have been Xueshi.”
The Third Prince’s heart sank heavily.
From Su Ruhan’s words alone, he could already picture Mu Xueshi’s situation at the time. If his riding skills were poor, then he likely would have fallen from the horse before long. If someone had picked him up afterward, that would be one thing. But if he had encountered wolves, mad dogs, or other dangers while unconscious…
The Third Prince dared not think any further.
He suddenly remembered the hideous scars covering Lin Yue’s body when they were children. Those wounds had been the result of people deliberately abandoning him in the wilderness to be harmed.
“Your Highness, don’t worry too much. I don’t think Xueshi is in danger. He’s probably just somewhere we haven’t discovered yet,” Su Ruhan tried to reassure him.
The Third Prince’s eyes darkened.
“Order all soldiers to stop searching the city streets and villages. Search only the mountains, forests, and wilderness. Also, no one is permitted to let news of this matter spread.”
With that, the Third Prince could no longer remain seated. He rose and strode outside, Su Ruhan following close behind.
“Your Highness, with Xueshi’s appearance, he would cause a sensation wherever he went. The fact that there has been no news at all makes me think he has either been hidden away by someone or is trapped somewhere in a remote valley.”
“No one can hide him.”
The instant those words left his mouth, the Third Prince mounted a horse and rode out of the palace.
…
“Lu Fei! Lu Fan! It’s really you?”
Uncontainable delight shone in Mu Xueshi’s eyes.
At first, Lu Fei and Lu Fan simply stared at him in disbelief. Then realization struck, and they nodded vigorously, ecstatic expressions appearing on their faces.
Suddenly, the Mountain King stepped between them and roared angrily at Lu Fei and Lu Fan.
“Watch your eyes! If you keep staring at my beauty like that, I’ll dig your eyeballs out!”
Seeing the Mountain King becoming angry again, Mu Xueshi quickly signaled to Lu Fei and Lu Fan with his eyes.
This was the first time he had found his own people since arriving here. He absolutely had to make good use of this opportunity.
Although the Mountain King said nothing outwardly, he had already noticed every expression on Mu Xueshi’s face. Seeing that Mu Xueshi treated these two men with far more enthusiasm than he ever showed him, jealousy flooded his chest. He wanted nothing more than to tear them both into pieces.
As for Lu Fei and Lu Fan, they were still tied to the rocks. They had not eaten a meal or drunk a drop of water in two days. Seeing their cracked lips and haggard faces, Mu Xueshi looked at the Mountain King and pleaded, “Please untie them. They’re both my subordinates.”
The Mountain King feared nothing more than seeing negative emotions appear on Mu Xueshi’s face. Whenever that happened, even the strongest resolve in him would crumble.
As a result, whenever Mu Xueshi made a request, the Mountain King almost always granted it.
“Can I talk to them alone for a moment? Just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.”
The Mountain King was extremely reluctant, but in the end he still complied, moving some distance away.
Once Mu Xueshi was certain he could no longer be overheard, he eagerly asked, “How did you end up here?”
“His Highness feared something might happen to you, Young Master Xue, so he ordered us to follow behind you. We got lost in the mountains and were captured here. Now we can’t get out. We don’t know how worried His Highness must be.”
A dull ache spread through Mu Xueshi’s chest.
For the past two days, he had deliberately avoided thinking about the Third Prince because every time he did, it hurt. Now, hearing Lu Fei and Lu Fan speak of him, he felt even more guilty.
After only two days apart, all his resentment had completely disappeared. His mind now held nothing but thoughts of the Third Prince’s kindness.
“Then I’ll ask the Mountain King to release you.”
Lu Fei’s expression became somewhat grim.
After a moment of silence, he said, “Young Master Xue, there’s no point in releasing us. The important thing is for you to leave this place.”
Mu Xueshi punched Lu Fei on the shoulder.
“You idiot! If you get out, you can bring the Third Prince here to rescue me. Right now we’re trapped here, and he has no way of finding us.”
Lu Fan looked deeply troubled.
“Young Master Xue, we understand that. But the problem is that we can’t get out of these mountains. Even if they released us, we’d still get lost here.”
“Why?” Mu Xueshi asked in confusion.
Lu Fei explained, “Mist Mountain is covered in fog year-round, and the paths are complicated and difficult. There’s no way to find your way out quickly. Only people who are extremely familiar with the area can leave safely.”
“Wait a moment.”
Mu Xueshi suddenly turned around and headed toward the Mountain King.
The Mountain King’s expression immediately brightened the moment he saw Mu Xueshi walking toward him. Stretching out an arm, he pulled Mu Xueshi into his embrace.
Mu Xueshi had already grown accustomed to this sort of “enthusiasm” from the Mountain King and went straight to the point. “Can you send my two subordinates back? They can’t find their way out of this forest, and I don’t want them staying here.”
The Mountain King’s face changed at once, and he refused outright. “No.”
Seeing how resolute he sounded, Mu Xueshi became anxious. “Why not? It’s not as though I’m going to leave with them.”
Suddenly, the Mountain King cupped Mu Xueshi’s face in one hand and said stiffly, “Don’t take me for a fool. Anything that might give you a chance to leave me is something I will never risk.”
Mu Xueshi pulled a long face and wanted to continue pleading, but the Mountain King cut him off with a single sentence.
“Everything else is negotiable. This is the one thing I will never agree to. If you’ve finished talking to them, then come back to the house with me.”
Pouting, Mu Xueshi muttered gloomily, “Just a few more words. I’ll be done soon.” With that, he trudged back toward Lu Fei and Lu Fan with his head hanging low.
“He won’t let you leave.” As Mu Xueshi said this, tears nearly fell from his eyes.
Lu Fei and Lu Fan, however, remained calm. “We expected as much,” they told him. “Since the Mountain King wants to keep you by his side, he won’t release anyone who might carry news out.”
“Then what do we do?” Mu Xueshi looked at them pitifully.
Suddenly, Lu Fei looked straight at Mu Xueshi and asked, “Young Master Xue, what does he mean by ‘wife’?”
Mu Xueshi froze, then hurriedly explained, “That’s because he insists on making me his stronghold lady. How could I possibly agree? If not for that, I wouldn’t be so desperate to escape.”
“No!” Lu Fan’s eyes suddenly sharpened. “You have to marry him.”
Mu Xueshi was stunned. He stared at Lu Fan with wide eyes, thinking he was joking. Yet Lu Fei immediately agreed. “That’s right, Young Master Xue. Only if the marriage goes ahead will we have a chance to get word out. The Mountain King is straightforward by nature and loves pomp and prestige. If he gets married, he’ll definitely invite countless friends. Then we can find someone to help pass on a message. Even if nobody is willing, it won’t matter too much. Once everyone sees that the Mountain King has married such a beautiful wife, they’ll spread the story everywhere. Eventually it’s bound to reach the Third Prince’s ears.”
“Reach his ears?”
Mu Xueshi pulled a miserable face. He would rather remain imprisoned here forever than let the Third Prince find out that, in an attempt to escape, he had dressed up as a woman and married someone.
While Mu Xueshi was still worrying, he suddenly noticed a subtle change in Lu Fei and Lu Fan’s expressions. Turning around, he saw the Mountain King striding directly toward them. He could only give the brothers a look that said he would think it over before the Mountain King swept him into his arms and carried him away.
That night, Mu Xueshi sat alone in the house eating the food the Mountain King had brought him while absentmindedly thinking things over. Seeing that he had barely eaten anything, the Mountain King handed him a roasted venison leg and urged him to eat more.
Mu Xueshi shook his head. He had no appetite whatsoever.
Seeing this, the Mountain King went back out again to order his men to prepare more dishes and bring them over.
Looking at the roasted venison leg, Mu Xueshi found himself thinking of the Third Prince. He remembered their time in the Ice-Fire Cave, when the Third Prince had personally roasted game for him to eat. Not only that, during all the time they had spent traveling together, every aspect of Mu Xueshi’s food, clothing, lodging, and transportation had been personally taken care of by the Third Prince.
And yet he had still complained that he didn’t want to be watched over all the time…
When the Mountain King stepped outside, his men were discussing his upcoming marriage to Mu Xueshi.
“I’d say the King really struck gold this time. That beauty’s face—tsk tsk—it’s juicier than the fruit growing on this mountain.”
“You’ve got no taste. What’s a mountain fruit? Compared to that beauty’s face, they’re worlds apart.”
“Ever since I saw that beauty, everyone else looks ugly to me. If I married someone like that, I wouldn’t care whether they were a man or a woman. I’d never bother looking for anyone else.”
Hearing his men praise his beauty, the Mountain King’s mood improved considerably. He walked over and asked, “What are you all talking about?”
As soon as they saw him approach, the bandits hurried to their feet and brought him a chair.
One smooth-talking bandit grinned and said, “We were discussing how we’re going to make a scene in the bridal chamber on your wedding day, King!”
The moment he said that, the surrounding bandits burst into laughter.
The Mountain King looked equally excited. He announced to the crowd, “On my wedding day, I’ll make it a grand celebration. I’ll invite every miscellaneous person I can think of and let them see what true beauty really looks like.”
“Yes, King! We have to make them die of envy. We brothers know exactly how that feels—it’s pure torture!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the Mountain King slapped him to the ground. Yet the man scrambled back up with an excited expression, looking as though he himself were the one getting married.
“That’s right, King. I heard there’s been a famous beauty in the palace recently. What’s his name… Xueshi…”
“Mu Xueshi!” someone supplied.
“Right, Mu Xueshi. They say he’s Grand Tutor Mu’s son and astonishingly beautiful. I wonder which is more beautiful—him or your wife?”
The Mountain King snorted, his face full of disdain. “What is Mu Xueshi supposed to be? Compared to my wife, he’s not even worth a blade of grass.”
“But King, you’ve never seen him. How would you know?”
Hearing that, the Mountain King replied with complete certainty, “There is no one in this world more beautiful than my wife!”
“Ohhh!”
The crowd immediately erupted into wild cheers once again. Someone shouted loudly, “We must let all those ignorant people see our stronghold lady! This is what true beauty looks like! Those people in the imperial palace are nothing but leftovers. Long live the King! Long live the King!”
Futile Devices Scans 
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