Chapter 59: Feelings Stir After a Brief Parting – Your Highness, Please Don’t Bully Me

When it came to gathering intelligence, investigating, and tracking, the royal secret guards under Li Yunli were undoubtedly the best.

Before officially entering Wushuang Town, they had already gathered all necessary information, including various taboos.

This area had been part of Chu’s territory since a battle years ago. However, due to Wurong’s status as a vassal state, it was still under Wurong’s management. There were no longer any checkpoints, allowing people from Chu to move freely, leading to a complex mix of individuals in the town.

Yun Chu had chosen this place, ruled by Wurong’s Fifth Prince, precisely because of its chaotic nature and strategic value.

The streets were lined with rare and exotic items, unfamiliar to people from Chu.

Li Yunli rode her horse through the street at a slow pace.

Shiliu, following half a step behind, spoke in a low voice, “Your Highness, as per your orders, we have sent a message to General Mingyi. General Xiao will also be arriving in Wushuang Town today.”

Li Yunli gave a slight nod. “Has Yun Chu arrived?”

Shiliu responded, “A team of Wei people entered the town yesterday, but strangely, it was only that single team.”

Though Li Yunli was slightly surprised, upon further thought, it made sense.

For Yun Chu to be trusted so much by the remnants of Wei despite his identity, it meant either that the Wei people valued bloodlines to an extreme degree or that Yun Chu was exceptionally capable and had earned their trust.

“I understand. If anything unusual happens, report to me immediately.”

“We have eyes on everything—no unusual movements so far. However, the town’s terrain is quite peculiar.”

Shiliu urged his horse forward, momentarily riding alongside Li Yunli, and handed her a map sent by the secret guards the day before.

Li Yunli frowned slightly as she took it, giving it a quick glance.

To the west of Wushuang Town was a cliff, connected to the opposite mountain by a single suspension bridge. Another side faced a body of water, while the remaining two sides had a direct road leading in and out.

Li Yunli commented briefly, “Easy to defend, difficult to attack. A place like this should be a contested military stronghold, not a peaceful trading hub.”

She had studied countless maps in recent days, and the constant analysis had left her exhausted. Upon seeing this terrain, her mind instinctively linked it to Yongzhou, making her wonder if Wushuang Town was at risk of flooding.

She scoffed at herself, but then, her expression froze.

A terrain like this… would indeed be easy to flood.

Could it be that Yun Chu had lured her here for this reason?

She raised her gaze towards the western cliff. Even from here, she could see the towering mountain on the other side.

Ironically, that mountain was called “Ruyun Peak”—”Reaching the Clouds.”

“We’re not stopping in town. Head straight for Ruyun Peak.”

A strong feeling told Li Yunli that something was pulling her forward. She tugged on the reins, and her horse, Zhuxue, surged ahead at an even greater speed than usual.

“Yes!”

Shiliu caught the map Li Yunli tossed back and led the others in pursuit.

Ruyun Peak was a solitary peak, its surrounding mountains significantly lower. It was one of the western frontier’s most famous sights.

Li Yunli rode up to the edge of a cliff. The mountain mist swirled around her, creating an incredibly breathtaking view.

She looked up but hadn’t yet taken in the full scenery when Zhuxue suddenly became unusually excited. The horse paid no mind to the misty spectacle and instead fixated on the suspension bridge between the cliffs!

“Eh?” She let out a startled cry, gripping the reins tightly in an attempt to slow Zhuxue, but the horse charged straight for the opposite side of the bridge!

Visibility was low in the mountains, but even so, she clearly saw a figure in white standing at the other end of the bridge.

Shiliu followed on horseback, but he couldn’t match the speed of Zhuxue, a steed capable of covering a thousand miles in a day.

“Your Highness, watch your footing!”

He assumed it was Li Yunli who had urged the horse forward. He had no idea why the princess suddenly seemed so eager, nor did he see what had caught her attention.

Fortunately, there was no immediate danger, so all he could do was loudly remind her to be careful.

Riding across the swaying suspension bridge, the cables creaked, and the uneven planks shifted beneath her. The wind was icy against her face, and Li Yunli’s heart pounded.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

The voice from the other side was gentle and reassuring.

Zhuxue neighed excitedly, heading straight toward the sound.

Li Yunli clung to Zhuxue’s neck and squeezed her eyes shut.

She could ride well, but never before had she ridden at such a speed across a suspension bridge. Was Zhuxue out of its mind?!

“Whoa—!!”

Li Yunli yanked the reins hard. Zhuxue reared up on its hind legs, sending her toppling backward!

The first thing she noticed was a subtle fragrance filling her senses. Zhuxue abruptly halted, and as Li Yunli bounced slightly on the saddle, she managed to steady herself.

“You!”

She glared at the man in front of her.

Yun Chu’s lips curled into a faint, bittersweet smile.

He was draped in a plain-colored cloak, its fur-lined collar looking warm and comfortable. From within the cloak, his left hand emerged, holding a small scented pouch that had utterly captivated Zhuxue.

Whatever fragrance it contained had clearly been what lured the horse into its mad dash.

Yun Chu tossed the pouch to the ground in front of Zhuxue, then reached out his right hand toward Li Yunli, offering to help her dismount.

“Your Highness.”

Li Yunli ignored his hand and dismounted on her own, scanning their surroundings.

“Standing here alone—are you insane?”

Yun Chu took a step forward and, in one swift motion, pulled her into a tight embrace.

Li Yunli stiffened as his warm cloak enveloped her, cutting off the chill from the wind. The second half of her sentence died in her throat.

Yun Chu lowered his head and gently nuzzled against her neck.

Her body was still cold from the ride through the frigid wind, so he held her close until she warmed up.

His voice was barely above a whisper, filled with reverence and sorrow.

“Your Highness, I’m sorry.”

At that moment, behind them, a thunderous noise erupted!

The suspension bridge they had just crossed had been severed at its connection point. The wooden planks groaned before collapsing entirely, plummeting into the abyss below!

“Your Highness!!”

Shiliu’s panicked cry echoed from the other side of the chasm, his vision obscured by the mist.

Li Yunli struggled against Yun Chu’s hold, but he refused to let go.

She pounded against his shoulder and finally broke free, turning around—only to be stunned by the sight before her.

“You…”

With their only retreat now cut off, the shock in her heart was beyond measure.

“You really are insane…”