Chapter 472: Chapter 171: Injured_2
When the rain of arrows charged toward Yuan Yao, he grabbed Yuan Yao and fled, almost getting hit by a cold arrow from behind. If he hadn’t dodged quickly, the arrow would have already pierced through his heart by now.
It hit his shoulder instead, which wasn’t a serious injury.
Pei Yunmeng dismounted and approached Yuan Yao, saying, "Crown Prince, there has been a change during the hunt, and there may be other ambushes hidden in the woods. It’s better to call off the hunt and make a decision after descending the mountain."
Yuan Yao’s expression changed several times.
Having just experienced a skirmish, he had no interest in continuing the hunt and couldn’t wait to leave. He no longer displayed the insistence on charging ahead that he had earlier, merely grunting softly and glancing at Pei Yunmeng: "Let’s do as Marshal Pei suggests."
"Yes."
Pei Yunmeng turned and ordered the guards behind him: "Take the bodies of these Death Warriors with us." Then he mounted his horse again.
"Down the mountain!"
...
The sound of the horn echoed through the long valley.
As it reached deep into the dense forest, the lingering sound became fainter.
Qi Yutai reined in his horse, looking ahead with confusion: "Is there a sound?"
The Guard beside him listened intently for a moment, his expression changing slightly: "It’s the sound of a horn, young master, there’s danger in the hunting grounds!"
"What danger?"
Qi Yutai was skeptical.
Having participated in the Xia Miao every year, where everything had always been calm, it was the first time Qi Yutai heard the sound of a horn. However, what could happen during a mountain hunt? It was probably just some unlucky person who had encountered a rarely seen wild beast.
Qi Yutai glanced at the heavy protection around him.
With so many guards, the two best from the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion were right by his side, not to mention the Fierce Tiger.
The Fierce Tiger...
Qi Yutai looked ahead.
The greyhound, after half a day of hunting, was more spirited than ever. Its grey fur was almost stained red with blood, its eyes gleaming with a cold light, waiting to bite to death any prey that might appear.
On the saddle of the Guard, two large bags had been already strapped firm, filled with rabbits, badgers, foxes, deer... The Fierce Tiger seemed to have the blood of a wolf coursing through its veins, savage and bloodthirsty, never letting go of its prey until it had dragged out its last breath.
Qi Yutai eyed the substantial rewards on the saddle, his gaze filled with satisfaction. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard a faint conversation ahead and looked up, startled.
Between the trees, several horses were stopped, surrounded by people coming and going, among which were two women in Medical Officer’s robes. One of them had a beautiful and delicate appearance, her figure slender and elegant, with a face that seemed familiar.
Lu Tong?
Qi Yutai’s heart stirred as he beckoned a Guard close to him: "What is she doing here?"
He had not yet summoned Lu Tong to come up the mountain, having deliberately given her half a day’s reprieve, wanting the Fierce Tiger to sharpen its claws first. But unexpectedly, he encountered her here.
The Guard quietly withdrew and soon came back, reporting in a low voice: "It’s the Imperial Censor Zhongcheng who fell off his horse, and they summoned Lu Tong to go up the mountain to examine him." He then looked tentatively at Qi Yutai: "Young master, are you thinking now..."
Qi Yutai remained silent, his eyes falling onto the bloodstained bags on the horse’s back. After a moment, he turned his head to look at the dim figures in the woods, stroking his chin.
"We’ve been running around for half the day, it’s about time."
"Alright then."
He yawned, a gleam of cunning flickering in his eyes.
"Let the hunt begin—"
...
Under the tree, Lu Tong was handing a piece of white cloth to Lin Danqing.
The Imperial Censor Zhongcheng was not old, but perhaps because he was usually inactive, although he was not yet of the age known as ’the years of knowing destiny’, his body was as fragile as that of a person in his seventies, more delicate than glass, crumbling into chaos at the slightest touch.
He sat under the tree, frowning and showing pain, at one moment claiming a broken leg and the next a headache. Lin Danqing busily wrapped his wounds while simultaneously listening to his ramblings to sooth him, sweat covering his forehead.
After finally finishing the bandaging, the Imperial Censor Zhongcheng then asked Lin Danqing to check if there was anything wrong with his horse, saying that the horse’s hoof had slipped for no reason, and perhaps the horse had also suffered a fracture. He worried that on the way down the mountain, they might repeat the same misfortune.
Lin Danqing suppressed a bout of anger and resignedly walked toward his horse. Just then, from the dense forest ahead, a guard hurried over and said to the two: "Imperial Medical Officer, my master, has just been bitten by a wild wolf on his right foot. Which of you medical officers is available, please follow me to administer treatment."
Lin Danqing, who was about to walk up to his horse with a handkerchief, upon hearing this, said to Lu Tong, "You go. I’ll take care of things here."
Staying here would only mean listening to the Imperial Censor Zhongcheng make unreasonable trouble; there was no need for both of them to be tormented.
After thinking it over, Lu Tong slung the medical kit over his shoulder, gave Lin Danqing a few instructions, and stood up to follow the guard.
The mountain path was winding.
Lu Tong followed the man, finding the path difficult—it was quite rugged and hard to navigate. After walking about a few miles, the surrounding forest grew denser, with overgrown grass and scattered stones, yet there was still no sign of the injured party.
Lu Tong asked the leading guard, "Excuse me, how much farther is it to where Imperial Medical Officer is?"
The guard replied, "Not far, just up ahead."
Lu Tong frowned.
This person had said the same thing a while ago, about the time it takes a stick of incense to burn.
She looked around; steep cliffs enclosed the area, the very cliffs enclosing the jungle. Directly opposite, a cluster of waterfalls flowed down with a thunderous roar like rolling thunder.
A hint of unease rose in her heart.
Lu Tong’s steps halted.
Seeing her stop, the guard turned around and asked in surprise, "Doctor Lu, why have you stopped?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Tong’s heart began to sink.
He knew her surname was Lu.
Yet from the moment this person appeared until she followed him here, she had never mentioned her own name.
A dense and sticky stench of blood slowly wafted through the air, which the flying water had covered up until now; it was now enveloping her like a finely woven net closing in.
Lu Tong stepped back two paces and, turning around abruptly, ran back the way she came like a madwoman.
A grey shadow dashed out from between the trees, knocking her to the ground.
...
The mountain peaks were deep and secluded.
It seemed as though human screams and a few barks of dogs faintly echoed through the woods.
A medical officer in a medical officer robe halted his steps, looking dubiously in the direction of the sounds: "What was that sound just now?"
Ji Xun, after putting away the last jar of wound medicine, turned his head upon hearing the question.
The sound of water from the waterfall splashing between the trees could be faintly heard.
Another medical officer said, "It’s nothing, just the sound of the waterfall."
Ji Xun packed up the medicine bottles and helped a wounded Dragon Guard to his feet.
The Crown Prince unexpectedly encountered a fierce tiger in the forest; the incident was sudden. The Crown Prince was unharmed, but several of the Dragon Guards accompanying him were injured. A team of medical officers led by Chang Jin had entered the mountains to treat the more severely injured Dragon Guards first. The ones with minor injuries would be bandaged by the medical officers in the camp below the mountain after descending with the Crown Prince.
Following the sudden change in the forest, Yuan Zhen’s face was very ugly, surrounded by various guards, looking unsettled. The team of medical officers didn’t dare to breathe too loudly, afraid they would become the target of his rage.
Why would a fierce tiger suddenly appear at Huangmao Hill, which had been cleared of dangerous beasts by the imperial army, and just so happened to be encountered by the Crown Prince...
Chang Jin coughed lightly to signal the medical officers to get up. The Crown Prince had already gone ahead with the Ban Wei, leaving them and the severely injured Dragon Guards behind.
With this incident, the royal hunt could not continue.
Everyone got up to prepare to descend the mountain; the first medical officer who spoke scratched his head, still somewhat suspicious, and muttered to himself, "I really thought I heard someone screaming for help just now..."
After saying this and seeing that no one paid attention, he reluctantly shouldered his medical kit and followed the others.
Ji Xun looked up in the direction the man had pointed earlier.
The forest was quiet, with only the sound of water gently flowing.
He listened carefully for a moment, making sure there were no cries for help, before picking up his medical kit and walking away.