Chapter 45: Calling Oneself a Fool

[Could it be another wave of bandits?]
[Are they ever going to stop? Was my sister bound to die?]
[Whether she can hold on until the Prince arrives depends entirely on this little cannon fodder's luck.]

Sheng Mingyue’s body went tense. She quietly crept toward Zhang Hu, picked up the long saber again, and fixed her gaze strictly behind the curtain.
The moment that person dared to show their head, she would surely strike with the blade!

The carriage curtain was violently jerked open from the outside. Struggling, Sheng Mingyue raised the long saber high, ready to bring it down in the next instant.
"Mingyue!"

The saber paused. In a daze, Sheng Mingyue lifted her head and locked eyes with a pair of startled, clear pupils.
"Pr—" Her body listing to one side, the saber crashed heavily onto the floorboards. The tears she had held back for so long finally broke free. "Your Highness..."

Always so refined and impeccably neat, Rong Zhao now had slightly disheveled hair, his jade crown nowhere to be found. A thin layer of sweat clung to his brow, and the fingertips gripping the carriage curtain trembled uncontrollably. Upon closer inspection, the corners of his eyes were faintly red.

"Where did you go?" Disregarding his usual aversion to uncleanliness, Rong Zhao lunged into the carriage, ignoring the sticky blood beneath his feet, and pulled Sheng Mingyue tightly into his arms. "Do you have any idea how I—"

For a moment, Sheng Mingyue lost her focus, her small face buried in the crook of his neck, making it somewhat difficult to breathe. Only after gathering her wits did she realize that the Prince was trembling even more violently than she was.

"If I hadn't heard someone shouting in this place... would I have... simply missed you forever?"
A sharp, aching pain gripped Rong Zhao’s heart. His large arms wrapped around her shoulders, refusing to let go.

The moment he had pulled back the curtain, the very first sight that greeted him was her kneeling in a pool of blood, her clothes disheveled, holding a blade even longer than her arm. Even so, she had still held that weapon high, her eyes filled with a wariness and fierce ruthlessness he had never witnessed before.
Rong Zhao had to admit that at that exact moment, his heart had seemingly stopped beating, his blood running in reverse, nearly causing him to lose his composure.

"Your Highness, don't be afraid." Sheng Mingyue raised her aching arm, wrapping it around his waist. Feeling the man's body stiffen, she patiently coaxed, "This maid is not a fragile person. When facing danger, I naturally know how to fight back. You—"

Before she could finish her sentence, the hand resting on her shoulder exerted slight pressure. The next instant, her chin was lifted, and a hint of coolness brushed against her lips.

Rong Zhao’s gaze grew deep and dark. His fingertips slid into her palm, their fingers intertwining.
Lips touched; breaths intertwined.
Gazing at the handsome face of the Prince mere inches away, a flash of bewilderment crossed Sheng Mingyue's eyes, accompanied by a wave of joy she hadn't even realized was there.

[Oh my god! Is this something I get to watch for free?]
[I only missed the livestream for two days, so how did these two progress at warp speed?]
[The little cannon fodder gets kidnapped, and the Prince nearly loses his mind with worry, exhausting all human, material, and financial resources to find her. Now that he's finally found her, what's wrong with a couple of kisses?]
[With the little cannon fodder disappearing, the Prince must have finally recognized his own heart and decided to make his move!]
[May I ask... is making out next to a corpse some kind of new fetish?]

The shadow before her receded. Sheng Mingyue blinked softly, her damp eyes reflecting only a single figure. "Your Highness, you..."
"Mingyue, do you understand my feelings?" Rong Zhao still held her hand tightly, refusing to let go. Not just the corners of his eyes, but his entire face was now completely flushed. "If you must rely on yourself for everything, what use am I?"

Sheng Mingyue wore a dazed expression, a flush creeping up her delicate face, unsure of how to react to her master.
"Tell me," Rong Zhao lifted her chin, forcing her to look directly into his eyes as he spoke each word with deliberate clarity, "do you know who kidnapped you?"

[Based on my years of novel-reading experience, this plot is supposed to drag on for seven or eight episodes!]
[No doubt about it. Such a simple plot being dragged out like an old lady's foot-binding cloth—I'm honestly sick of it.]
[To the person above, both kidnappers are stone dead. Where is the little cannon fodder supposed to find out that the mastermind is the Crown Prince? Is she supposed to rely on blind guessing?]

"It was the Crown Prince."
[?]
[??]
[???]

Shock flashed across the depths of Rong Zhao’s eyes as he asked in a deep voice, "Can you be certain?"
"It should be him," Sheng Mingyue nodded slightly, speaking in a soft voice, "This maid is usually honest and meets everyone with a smiling face; I have never offended anyone. Before they made their move, I overheard those two kidnappers talking. They were acting under orders. Very few nobles in the capital even know me, leaving only the Young Miss Yun and the Crown Prince..."

"Those two kidnappers abducted someone, yet they weren't in a hurry to harm me, nor were they in a rush to flee. Instead, they intended to wait until after dark to leave the city. Once night falls, the city gates are tightly sealed, and leaving requires an imperial palace tally, which would clear Young Miss Yun of suspicion."
"Therefore, only one person remains."

[Where on earth did this cannon fodder come from? She's so unique! Literally a breath of fresh air!]
[What would drag on for four or five days in other livestreams, Sister Cannon Fodder explains in just two or three sentences?]
[Her analysis is logical, well-founded, and rigorous. No matter how pretty Yun Shengsheng is, she's nothing more than a beautiful piece of trash. My sister is born with a female lead's destiny!]

Rong Zhao's gaze flickered for a moment. After a long while, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and said in a deep voice, "I understand."
With that, he exerted strength in his arms, lifting the young woman by her waist and stepping down from the carriage.

Outside, layer upon layer of elite guards from the Prince of Jing'an's estate surrounded the area. Seeing their master emerge with someone in his arms, they collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
Having served in the Prince's estate for many years, they had never witnessed their master fly into such a towering rage—he had nearly set the entire estate on fire.

Surrounded by so many onlookers, Sheng Mingyue felt a wave of shyness. She turned her head to shield her face and whispered, "Your Highness, Song Guo, she..."
"Yun Lai is already out looking. Before the night is through, we will surely find Song Guo." Rong Zhao's tone was gentle, a faint smile resting in his eyes. "Upon learning you were missing, Jia an was worried sick like an ant on a hot pan. Let's head back early so we can ease her mind."

Sheng Mingyue frowned slightly, gripping his lapel and murmuring, "This maid can walk on her own. Your Highness, your health..."
"Carrying you is no trouble." Rong Zhao tightened his grip slightly, clearly unwilling to put the young woman down. "You've been frightened; just stay quietly."

A blush bloomed across Sheng Mingyue's cheeks, and she buried her face in his shoulder, refusing to speak further.

[The Crown Prince is watching right from the second-floor teahouse, seeing the little cannon fodder and the Prince being all lovey-dovey. He must be fit to burst with anger, right?]

Sharply catching those words, Sheng Mingyue slowly lifted her small face and glanced toward the teahouse behind them.
The window on the second floor of the teahouse was wide open. A dark figure flashed past, lingering right beside the frame.

Through the hazy night, Sheng Mingyue locked gazes with the person inside the window. After a moment, she curved the corners of her lips, her pink lips parting to silently mouth two words.

Inside the second-floor private room, Rong Yan suddenly clenched his fists, his gaze lingering on her for a long, unbroken moment.
He had seen it clearly. Sheng Mingyue had called him a fool.
She actually dared to curse him!

"Just a lowly maid..." Rong Yan drew a deep breath, his eyes bloodshot, clearly consumed by fury. "Had I known this, I shouldn't have let you live another day!"
"Cheng Wu, bring in more men! I want to see Sheng Qimin and Wang Jinlan with my own eyes!"