The second prince pointed out, "They obviously look down on you southerners."
Ji Feiyu rolled her eyes. "It has nothing to do with me."
The second prince sighed helplessly. "Since the Flute Master isn't going to help me out, we'll have to—"
Ji Feiyu was waiting for him to finish, but the second prince suddenly made a feint. Spotting an opening, he grabbed Ji Feiyu's hand and took off running.
Ji Feiyu:???
The burly men behind them shouted, "Hey! If you're brave enough, don't run!"
The second prince didn't care. He picked up speed and ran like the wind.
Ji Feiyu was dragged along, forced to flee. She was secretly regretting that she had planned to drug him tonight and pump him for information. Now, it seemed all her hopes were dashed.
Ji Feiyu thought this whole thing was outrageous. The second prince of the Northern Cold, being chased by the first prince's men just because of a few loose words. She couldn't help but sneer, "Second prince, you really opened my eyes today!"
The second prince laughed as he ran. "It's not that I can't beat them. I'm just afraid that if I maimed them, it would be hard to explain to the khan and my elder brother."
"Aren't you afraid people will call you a coward?" Ji Feiyu was puzzled.
"Between two evils, I choose the lesser one. If I really fought them today, it would be even more disadvantageous for me. Besides, you weren't willing to help me either." The second prince's words were carried away by the wind.
Ji Feiyu was curious. "If I helped you, how would it be any different from you fighting them yourself? It's all the same."
The second prince laughed. "But it would be a great honor to fight side by side with the Flute Master." He was truly a man of true feelings.
They didn't know how far they had run. The second prince led Ji Feiyu through twists and turns and finally hid in a grove.
As soon as they crouched down, Ji Feiyu was about to speak when the second prince pulled her closer and covered her mouth with his hand. Ji Feiyu smelled the wine on his hand and didn't dare to move.
Just then, the sound of footsteps and voices came.
"Hey, these two look so skinny, but they can run really fast. They disappeared as soon as they got here."
"If we go any further, the view won't be as open. We have to be careful of ambushes."
"I'm so angry! These two brats dared to talk big but were too scared to fight. It's so frustrating."
"Forget it. That coward will never amount to anything. He's no threat to our first prince. Let's go back and continue drinking."
"Let's go!"
Hearing this, Ji Feiyu tried to remove the second prince's hand and move away from him. But just as these people said they were leaving, their footsteps were actually getting closer. Ji Feiyu was pulled back into the second prince's arms. The manly scent on him hit her, and she didn't even dare to breathe.
The footsteps gradually faded away, and it took a while for them to disappear completely.
They stayed in the bushes for a while to make sure there was no sound before they dared to move. Ji Feiyu pushed the second prince away in disgust. The second prince lost his balance while crouching and fell to the ground, but he burst out laughing.
"The Flute Master is just like a girl. Your hands are so small and cute."
Ji Feiyu then remembered that the second prince had been holding her hand while running. It was really absurd. These two people who had nothing to do with each other were chased and running for their lives at night in the Northern Cold and then hid in a grove. Even if she told this to the Butterfly Flower, she wouldn't believe it. The most important thing was that one of them was the second prince of the Northern Cold, who was supposed to be powerful. But he was being chased like a debtor.
Thinking about what had happened along the way, Ji Feiyu said angrily, "Second prince, were you just playing tricks on me tonight?"
The second prince cried out in protest. "I really wanted to invite you to drink. Who knew we would run into my elder brother's men."
Ji Feiyu stood up and was about to leave the grove when the second prince sat on the ground and reached out his hand to her. "Give me a hand."
Ji Feiyu just stared at him without moving. The second prince winked at her.
Ji Feiyu rolled her eyes and turned her back to him, reaching out her hand. The second prince grabbed her hand and stood up.
He was much taller and heavier than Ji Feiyu. If it weren't for Ji Feiyu's stable footing, she would have been pulled to the ground by him.
The second prince stood up and walked in front of Ji Feiyu. He looked up at the moonlight in the sky and said, "The moonlight is really nice tonight. If there were a charming beauty by my side, I would have no regrets."
Ji Feiyu glanced at him and saw that he was smiling at her. She snorted and ignored him. She also looked up at the moon. The moonlight poured down through the woods, bright like brocade. The sky was dotted with a few stars, and it was very open, which made people feel better.
Ji Feiyu didn't say a word. Looking at the moon, she thought of the dead. She had no attachments at the moment, so the only people she could think of were those who had passed away.
They walked out of the grove in silence, one in front of the other.
As soon as they stepped out, they saw a flat grassland with a few scattered tents. The night view of the grassland was really beautiful. The soft moonlight shone down, making the whole grassland peaceful and quiet.
Looking at it, Ji Feiyu felt her heart expand. She asked, "Did we come from this direction?"
The second prince said, "No, but we can also go back this way."
Ji Feiyu nodded and followed the second prince. Although the night was beautiful, she didn't want to get lost.
They strolled in the moonlight. In this vast world, there were only their two figures.
Ji Feiyu said, "Second prince, could you tell me the truth? Is the big plan you've been plotting recently related to the first prince?"
The second prince laughed. "If I said no, I would be lying to you."
Ji Feiyu said, "If you don't take action, do you have a chance in the fight for the throne?"
The second prince shook his head. "I should have no chance at all."
Ji Feiyu understood. It was a fight for imperial power, and brothers were turning against each other. This was the reason for the second prince's secret actions. Recruiting martial artists from the Great Yong was probably for a surprise attack, but what was the purpose of imprisoning "Ji Feiyu"? He had asked "Ji Feiyu" to help him before. How could "Ji Feiyu" help him?
Ji Feiyu couldn't help but ask, "The second prince has ambitions but lacks the strength. Is power really that fascinating?" She couldn't help but think of her elder sister.
The second prince said, "If I start a rebellion, it must be because I have no other choice. Since I was a child, I've been out of favor with the khan because of my weak constitution. The reason for my weakness was that the khan's wife persecuted my mother when she was pregnant with me. It was rumored that on the day I was born, a fire from the sky broke out on the grassland, so I was regarded as inauspicious as soon as I was born. My mother was a commoner from the Great Yong, so I couldn't be raised by her after I was born. Also, because of this half - blood, I was isolated and despised during my childhood. I grew up enduring everything, which is why I ran away tonight."