After being drugged once by Lu Zhuo, Wei Rao no longer resisted Lu Zhuo joining them for the hunt.

She had resisted before for two reasons. First, apart from their tacit cooperation when putting on an act, the two had no good personal relationship. Lu Zhuo looked down on her unconventional ways, and she also disliked Lu Zhuo’s self-righteous airs. Since they disliked each other, Wei Rao naturally didn’t want Lu Zhuo hovering around her, having to face his hypocritical countenance day after day.

The second reason was that Wei Rao was confident in her exceptional swordsmanship and believed she could protect herself traveling alone in the martial world, so she found it annoying when Lu Zhuo treated her like an ordinary young lady in need of protection.

However, last night, Lu Zhuo had knocked her out with just two pieces of sour plum cake.

This made Wei Rao realize that despite having swordsmanship skills, her understanding of the world’s dangers was far from adequate. Traveling with Lu Zhuo, she might be able to learn many ways of dealing with the world.

This kind of worldly wisdom wasn’t about learning the inner courtyard’s methods of being tactful and diplomatic, or how to be cunning and engage in open and covert struggles, but rather learning how to survive well when stranded alone in the outside world—like the sleeping drug in Lu Zhuo’s hands, like the dried meat and rations he always kept ready in his saddlebags.

Of course, when she first discovered that Lu Zhuo had drugged her, Wei Rao was still very angry. She resented that while she had wholeheartedly prepared for their martial contest, Lu Zhuo had used her trust to play dirty tricks. It wasn’t until she washed her face and sat before the dressing table, her long hair gently held and combed by Bitao, that her fury seemed to dissipate along with the combing. Only then did Wei Rao gradually calm down and think through many things.

While she combed her hair inside, Lu Zhuo sat in the main hall waiting for her.

Although Wei Rao had just thanked him, she spoke through gritted teeth, and he was afraid she already hated him thoroughly.

Lu Zhuo looked at the tea bowl in his hands, feeling no regret.

If he had truly competed with her in martial arts and won against her within three moves using real skill and strength, with Wei Rao’s proud nature, she would probably be even angrier. Every time they met afterward, she would remember the humiliation of losing to him—how could they become a real married couple then? Now that he had deliberately used underhanded tactics to win, Wei Rao would only think he had achieved victory through trickery. She would be annoyed with him for a few days before her anger subsided, and wouldn’t harbor resentment for too long.

Thinking of her gritted-teeth appearance, Lu Zhuo smiled.

When she was angry, she was much more spirited than when she pretended to be docile in the inner courtyard. It was as if she were merely a beauty in a painting when in the inner courtyard, but when she showed her true nature, that beauty stepped out of the painting, her every frown and smile captivating hearts.

Footsteps sounded, and Lu Zhuo looked toward the door of the side room.

Bitao lifted the curtain, and Wei Rao walked out. For the hunt, she had changed into an azure jade-colored brocade robe. Her white cap had a lustrous, translucent pearl embedded in the front. This attire was truly noble and elegant. On an ordinary person, it would only highlight the flaws in their appearance and temperament, but on Wei Rao, whether noble or gorgeous clothing and jewelry, all merely became her accessories.

The maids arranged by the post station were all waiting under the eaves. Lu Zhuo set down his tea bowl and teased Wei Rao: “Dressed like this, Madam, I’m afraid the Yang siblings won’t recognize you and might think I brought along a clan brother.”

Wei Rao smiled and bowed to him: “Then I’ll have to trouble elder brother to make introductions.”

After completing the bow, she raised her head, her spring-like eyes calmly gazing at Lu Zhuo.

Lu Zhuo could see that Wei Rao was no longer angry about the drugging incident, or at least not as angry as when she spoke this morning.

This magnanimity impressed Lu Zhuo. If it were Qi Zhongkai, he would probably chase after him, cursing for several days.

The two shared breakfast at the same table, rested briefly, then set off.

Wei Rao rode her chestnut horse while Lu Zhuo rode Fei Mo alongside her. Both wore light-colored brocade robes and had jade-like complexions. At first glance, pedestrians on both sides of the street thought they were brothers from the same mother. Only when the two horses drew closer and people looked more carefully did they discover that the imposing young master on the black horse was indeed a young master, while the one sitting on the chestnut horse was a beauty with enchanting features.

Zhao Song and Zhao Bai followed behind. Though they too were tall and handsome, they became dim pebbles under the radiance of their two masters.

Outside Jin City’s gates, the Yang siblings and their accompanying guards had been waiting for some time.

Yang Yan was dressed in women’s clothing. Her honey-colored complexion didn’t diminish her beauty but rather added to her heroic bearing. Seeing Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo, she initially didn’t dare recognize them. Only when Wei Rao smiled at her did Yang Yan ride over, circling Wei Rao’s horse once before exclaiming in amazement: “Young Madam, in men’s clothing, you’re even more beautiful than in women’s attire!”

Wei Rao smiled, her peripheral vision noticing that Lu Zhuo had stopped his horse when Yang Yan first ran over—she didn’t know if this was related to the nonsense she had told him.

Wei Rao gestured for him to come over and introduced Lu Zhuo to Yang Yan: “This is the heir, who has nothing to do today and also wants to wander around the mountains.”

Yang Yan nodded to Lu Zhuo, and after bowing, she called over her two brothers for introductions as well.

Lu Zhuo had met the Yang brothers before, so he nodded in acknowledgment.

Wei Rao smiled as she appraised Yang Second and Yang Third. Both were around twenty years old, with features quite similar to Yang Yan’s, but more rugged and resolute. Sitting on horseback, they were both like small mountains. Lu Zhuo was about the same height as them, but his shoulders were two sizes narrower. Walking together, they were like a silver spear beside a broadsword, each with their strengths.

Yang Second was skilled at socializing and chatted freely with Lu Zhuo, while Yang Third was more honest and introverted, silently following beside his elder brother.

Both brothers merely glanced at Wei Rao without any impropriety.

After entering the mountains, everyone dismounted and continued on foot. The Yang siblings walked ahead as guides, while Lu Zhuo and Wei Rao maintained a distance of about ten steps behind them.

In early March, the mountain trees were gradually turning green, their new tender buds greedily absorbing sunlight in a scene of thriving vitality. After the long journey, today’s hunting trip felt to Wei Rao like leaving the capital to visit her maternal grandmother’s leisure estate, filling her with joy and refreshment.

After walking for a while, the Yang siblings stopped to drink water.

Seeing this, Lu Zhuo handed a water pouch to Wei Rao.

He had two water pouches hanging from his waist, and the one he gave Wei Rao had a colored cord tied to its mouth to distinguish it.

Yang Yan looked at her second brother, who had just taken a water pouch from her and was tilting his head back to drink, then curiously observed the married couple below.

Lu Zhuo noticed her gaze and smiled in explanation: “Mine contains plain water. Madam doesn’t like plain water, so hers is filled with flower tea.”

Wei Rao was drinking water with her back to those above due to propriety, unaware that Yang Yan was watching. Suddenly hearing Lu Zhuo fabricate something about flower tea, she choked and spilled some water.

Lu Zhuo immediately took out a white handkerchief from his sleeve and walked over, placing one hand on her back while using the other to wipe the corners of her mouth with the handkerchief, his gaze both helpless and doting: “Slowly.”

Wei Rao glared at him.

Lu Zhuo smiled, and after wiping her flower-like face, he looked down at her hand that had spilled water.

Wei Rao tossed the water pouch to him and turned aside: “I’ll do it myself.”

Wei Rao didn’t know whether Lu Zhuo’s handkerchief was clean or not, so she secretly used her handkerchief to wipe the corners of her mouth again.

Seeing the couple so affectionate, the Yang siblings tactfully looked away. Yang Yan’s face flushed slightly. Previously, she had felt that no man was worthy of her, but if she could meet a man like the heir—both handsome and gentle—she would be willing to marry.

Deep in the mountains, the five split into two teams to act separately. Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo naturally formed one group.

Without outsiders present, there was no need to act. Wei Rao ignored Lu Zhuo and simply walked forward, focusing on watching for prey around them.

Lu Zhuo lagged a few steps behind, his gaze resting on her profile most of the time.

He thought of their first meeting, which had also been during a mountain hunt. Wei Rao, dressed in red, had jumped down from a tree. With a few light leaps, she found a hiding position and then shot an arrow that hit the wild boar he and Qi Zhongkai had been chasing for a long time.

At that time, Lu Zhuo thought she was a young man and praised her movement and archery skills. Realizing the boar had an owner, she immediately left without any intention of competing for it, showing her upright character. Lu Zhuo had wanted to befriend her, but when she turned around, she turned out to be a woman with stunning beauty.

Deep in the mountains, alone with a man, Lu Zhuo naturally had to avoid impropriety and thought it inappropriate for a woman to run into the mountains to hunt.

She must have noticed this, so their grudge was formed from their first meeting.

Who could have imagined that through a series of coincidences, they would become husband and wife?

Wei Rao suddenly turned back and made a gesture to him.

Lu Zhuo stopped and looked in the direction she pointed. In the distant forest, there seemed to be a black shadow. If that shadow hadn’t been swaying slightly, it would have been hard to notice.

Lu Zhuo quietly came to Wei Rao’s side.

Wei Rao had seen limited prey and asked him in a low voice: “Is it a wild boar?”

If it were a black-haired wild boar with its back to them, rooting in the ground, its rear would look like this.

Lu Zhuo shook his head and whispered almost against her earlobe: “It’s a black bear.”

Wei Rao’s eyes lit up—she had never seen a bear on Yunwu Mountain.

Lu Zhuo estimated the distance between the black bear and them—a full five hundred paces. Fortunately, it was far enough that he and Wei Rao hadn’t alarmed the bear.

“Bears have limited vision, but their ears and noses are very keen. They can smell scents from a li away. It hasn’t discovered us because we’re downwind, but even if we approach quietly, it will still hear us at three hundred paces.”

Wei Rao’s heart skipped—with her archery skills, she needed to get within a hundred paces of the black bear to be confident of hitting its vital points. At three hundred paces, even with Lu Zhuo’s arm strength, it probably wouldn’t work.

“Do bears run fast?” Wei Rao stood on tiptoe to look, thinking the bear looked like a mound of earth and probably wasn’t good at running.

“Faster than me.”

Wei Rao leaned back in disbelief.

Lu Zhuo looked down at her eyes and said, “You can’t judge by appearances.”

Just like her, she looked like a fox spirit, but every night she closed all doors and windows tightly, guarding against him very strictly.

Wei Rao didn’t know what Lu Zhuo was thinking. Her attention was entirely on that bear that looked clumsy but was reportedly very fast. Both alert and good at running—how could it be hunted?

“If you want to hunt it, you can hide in a tree while I go lure it over,” Lu Zhuo said lightly in her ear.

Just as he finished speaking, the black bear suddenly made a big movement. It swayed as it climbed up—it had been sitting on the ground before, but now it was on all fours. Four wild boars together might not be as large as it. This was shocking enough for Wei Rao, but then the black bear stood upright, leaned against a nearby tree, and began scratching itself clumsily.

The bear was so heavy that even the large tree it was rubbing against swayed.

Wei Rao wasn’t afraid of wild boars, and she wouldn’t fear one or two wolves if they were alone, but facing this black bear, she had no confidence.

As for Lu Zhuo, he had said the black bear ran faster than he did. What if Lu Zhuo went to lure the bear but got pounced on before he could reach her ambush point?

Wei Rao merely found Lu Zhuo disagreeable—she didn’t hate him enough to want his life.

“Forget it, let’s go over there…”

Before she could finish, Lu Zhuo suddenly wrapped his arm around her waist and leaped with her onto the large tree beside them.

Wei Rao was completely unprepared. When Lu Zhuo placed her on the not-very-thick branch, she instinctively hugged his waist tightly.

Lu Zhuo held her with one arm while supporting the main trunk with the other. Looking at the girl with her head buried in his chest, they were pressed so closely together that he could almost feel her soft, peach-like contours against him, and his whole body stiffened.

Fortunately, once steady, Wei Rao immediately released him and grabbed the tree instead.

“Watch for the right moment—I’ll go lure the bear.”

Afraid she might explode in anger, Lu Zhuo quickly leaped down from the branch and quietly approached the black bear.

Author’s Note: Haha, wild boars don’t show off our heir’s abilities enough, so let’s switch to a bear.

Black Bear: @#￥￥%!