As night fell, the mountain was deathly still. Not far away, Jiang Mian was taking care of the patients in a cave. Xiao Jingcheng, possessing the body of the yellow dog, crouched beside the cave entrance, gazing at the night sky outside.
The only sound in his ears was the patter of rain. It was a gentle drizzle now, much weaker than the downpour of the previous days that had made people so panicked.
Footsteps sounded from behind. The yellow dog's furry ears twitched slightly. From the scent wafting into his nostrils, Xiao Jingcheng didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
Daoist Yuanzheng stood beside the yellow dog and also looked outside. He let out a sigh:
"Alas, who would have thought that fate could be so cruel? The esteemed crown prince has possessed a dog's body time and time again."
Daoist Yuanzheng's words were shocking. He directly exposed the true identity of the yellow dog, with a rather sly smile on his face.
"No wonder this yellow dog beside Lady Jiang looks so imposing, as if it were the divine hound from heaven."
Xiao Jingcheng looked at him and bared his teeth menacingly as a threat.
Judging from Daoist Yuanzheng's reaction today, Xiao Jingcheng had already guessed that his possession of Dahuang had been noticed by the man. He had to admit that this stinky Taoist priest did have some skills.
The yellow dog's reaction made Daoist Yuanzheng burst out laughing.
He squatted down, trying to be at the same level as the yellow dog, and whispered, "Actually, there's something else I haven't told Lady Jiang. I'm afraid it might put her in danger if she knows."
"This rain was not caused by the heavens but by magic."
Xiao Jingcheng was greatly shocked. Immediately, he thought of the water - canal that Yuanzheng had mentioned was blown up.
Could it be Xiao Yixuan?!
No, that was wrong. When the heavy rain started, Xiao Yixuan was leading troops to chase him, trying to intercept him. It shouldn't be Xiao Yixuan.
"Your Highness can think carefully about the timing of this heavy rain and the flood," Yuanzheng said slowly.
The timing?
Xiao Jingcheng's heart skipped a beat.
This heavy rain came after King Mu's rebellion and usurpation of power! Could this rain be related to that?
"This plan is extremely vicious. If they succeed, it will surely lead to countless casualties and chaos across the world."
"However," Daoist Yuanzheng's words interrupted Xiao Jingcheng's train of thought.
"The mastermind behind this must never have expected that there would be a variable. And this variable is Your Highness, the crown prince."
Xiao Jingcheng stared at Daoist Yuanzheng silently.
"Your Highness has saved so many lives single - handedly. It can be said that you have accumulated boundless merits. As for the purpose of the person behind all this, Your Highness can wait a bit. When the rain stops and the flood recedes, the truth will surely come to light."
"Your Highness must remember that only those who win the hearts of the people can win the world. The common people under the sky may not care who sits on the throne, but they will surely remember those who are truly kind to them and can truly make them happy."
Xiao Jingcheng never thought that one day, a Taoist priest would teach him how to love and protect the people.
But he had to admit that Daoist Yuanzheng's words made some sense.
Just a few days ago, the people in Dongli Town were still scolding him. But today, these same people were willing to kneel in the rain and kowtow to the heavens for him.
Of course, he didn't do all this to change people's views of him or to wash away his bad reputation. It was just that at that moment, he thought it was his responsibility as the crown prince.
Daoist Yuanzheng stopped at the right point and didn't say more. Then he got up and left.
When Jiang Mian returned to the cave, the yellow dog was lying in front of the simple bed she had made. Its two front paws were crossed, looking rather elegant.
When it saw her, its tail wagged uncontrollably, but its body remained still, looking extremely steady.
This appearance of the dog made Jiang Mian think of the time when it was saved after being poisoned on the mountain.
That Dahuang seemed to have undergone a complete transformation. In the words of Daoist Yuanzheng, it was like the divine hound from heaven had descended to earth.
She loved her own dog no matter how she looked at it. Since she had just solved a major problem, she was in a good mood. She couldn't help but rub the yellow dog's head and said with a smile:
"Dahuang, you're so cute."
Xiao Jingcheng was caught off guard when she rubbed his head. He dodged her hand dissatisfiedly and snorted twice from his nose.
He was a man! How could he be described as cute?!
Shouldn't people say that he was imposing and valiant?
Jiang Mian didn't care about the yellow dog's attitude. It was already very late at night, and she was extremely tired. She planned to change her clothes and have a good sleep.
She untied her belt, and her clothes slid to the sides, revealing her fair and round shoulders.
Xiao Jingcheng's attention was drawn to her actions. He instinctively looked at her.
The light in the cave was dim, making the exposed skin look even whiter, like a piece of glowing jade.
The faint fragrance that always lingered around her became stronger at this moment.
Xiao Jingcheng's heart tightened, and a burning sensation rose in his throat...
Jiang Mian had been completely focused at first. Her clothes were already half - off when she suddenly felt a very invasive gaze.
That gaze followed her like a shadow, with an indescribable heat, making her pause in her movements.
Suddenly, the words of Daoist Yuanzheng rang in her mind—
"Lady Jiang's blood can help the crown prince stabilize his soul. He is now beside Lady Jiang."
She quickly pulled up her clothes to cover her body and looked around in a panic.
The cave was empty. Apart from her and Jiang Zhiqing, who was already asleep, there was no one else!
Jiang Mian's gaze then met the yellow dog's small, black, beady eyes.
Jiang Mian: "..."
Jiang Mian: "!!!"
The yellow dog stared at her for a moment and then slowly looked away, turning its head to the side.
Was it just her imagination? She always felt that there was a fleeting look of guilt in Dahuang's eyes just now.
Jiang Mian's ears burned with shame. She ordered angrily, "Dahuang, turn around. Don't turn back without my permission!"
Xiao Jingcheng thought that Jiang Mian was too perceptive. In order not to let her notice anything, he had to make the yellow dog jump up from the ground and trot out of the cave.
After the yellow dog disappeared, the feeling of being stared at finally vanished. Jiang Mian clutched her clothes tightly and waited for a while. After confirming that there was no abnormality, she quickly took off her clothes and changed into another set.
On the other hand, Xiao Jingcheng, controlling the yellow dog's body, came to the cave where his own body was stored.
Xiao Wuchen had arranged soldiers to guard this cave to prevent others from approaching casually. But the yellow dog was raised by Jiang Mian and had once followed Xiao Jingcheng, so no one stopped it.
Once inside the cave, Xiao Jingcheng immediately rushed to his own body.
If Jiang Mian were here, she would surely be shocked by the sight.
The man was lying peacefully on the wooden board, but on his handsome and steady face, two trails of blood were winding down from his nose!