Chapter Ninety-One: Public Opinion, Part Four

Yet with Chi Mie standing guard, no one truly dared to lay a hand on her. Still, tongues could be sharper than blades, and one day, those whispers might yet drive Yun Zui to ruin.

Having been inexplicably swept into the wilderness, Yun Zui’s feet were exhausted; her soles were covered in blisters. After washing up, she simply lay down and slept.

Who would have thought she would sleep until dusk before waking?

When she opened her eyes, hunger hit her at once. Her gaze drifted to the wild fruit on the table, and she stared at it for a moment before looking away.

Everything felt strangely unreal, as though she had once again been thrown into the wilderness, just like that trip through the desert. She could not help wondering whether there would be a next time.

And each time, it was when she was with Chi Mie. Thinking of that, she was reminded of the cave, of their bodies pressed together without even a sliver of space between them.

Then, little by little, she felt the heat rising in her cheeks.

Damn it. She was blushing.

Yun Zui rubbed at her face, then got up to find clothes to wear.

Perhaps she should keep a little farther away from Chi Mie. That way, maybe she would not be inexplicably swept off somewhere for a third time.

Still, Chi Mie had been very good to her, and she did not dislike him. But he was too outstanding, and most importantly, he was a man of the past...

In the stone cave, Yun Zui suddenly remembered that when she woke, Chi Mie had been above her, as if he had been kissing her, while in her dream she had thought of food and bitten him.

Yes, he had actually kissed her.

And the most hateful part of all was that it had been her first kiss.

In modern times, she had not even cared to have intimate contact with a man, so she had never kissed one.

Thinking of this, Yun Zui felt that Chi Mie had come out ahead, and who knew how many women he had already had.

But the body she occupied now belonged to the ancient Yun Zui, so perhaps that first kiss had long since been lost.

And who knew whether her first night had already been given to that old, weathered emperor?

Just thinking about it made her shudder with disgust.

After dressing properly, Yun Zui lifted the tent flap. Outside lay a pitch-black night and a cool breeze.

A maid had been waiting outside the tent. Seeing Yun Zui emerge, she asked at once, “Has Your Ladyship taken a meal?”

She had slept the whole day; she must be hungry.

Yun Zui did not answer, but asked instead, “Did anyone come looking for me today?”

From what Yun Zui knew of the women of the Yun family, they would certainly have gone looking for trouble.

Since she had vanished for a night, and had vanished together with Chi Mie, they would surely seize upon it and make a great fuss.

“The Prime Minister’s Wife, Lady Yun, as well as the General’s Wife, and the Prime Minister’s third and fourth daughters,” the maid reported on the day’s events.

Yun Zui was not surprised. She had known all along that the women of the Yun family, who stood against her, would not leave things alone.

The maid studied her expression cautiously. Seeing her face remain faintly impassive, she could not help but call softly, “Your Ladyship?”

Yun Zui glanced at her. That ingratiating look on her face was far too unappealing.

“Take me to eat,” she said. She had gone a whole day without food; it was time to eat.

At the dining area, there was a large mess tent, but by then the mealtime had passed and no one was eating.

There were still provisions prepared, however, and since they were on a hunt, fresh game could be turned into dishes at any time.

Yun Zui had eaten a great deal of wild game before, but rarely had she had it prepared and served as proper food. In the past, she had always roasted it over a fire; now, tasting it as an actual dish, it had a flavor all its own.

While she ate, she disliked being watched, so she sent the maid away and then devoured her meal with no concern for appearances.

Once full, Yun Zui rose and walked outside.

Not far away, she saw clusters of bonfires blazing in the dark.