By the time the sun started to rise, the eldest princess was already awake. She lay quietly, watching Lang Huan's sleeping face. Morning light slipped through the wooden window slats, softly touching her long lashes.
Feng Yao leaned in and gently bit her chin, placed a soft kiss on her closed eyelids… and then her lips.
Still no reaction.
Lang Huan only sighed in her sleep and pulled Feng Yao closer into her arms, muttering something incoherent. Instead of getting up, she gave in to the comfort, resting her head against Lang Huan's chest—letting herself stay wrapped in her warmth a little longer.
Outside the room, A Li had finished preparing the washbasin. She stood quietly by the door, not daring to knock or disturb them. She had been waiting for a while when, finally, she heard movement inside.
Not long after, Lang Huan stirred from sleep.
Feng Yao, already awake and dressed, gently called out, "A Li, come in."
The maid entered, her gaze lowered. Feng Yao began helping Lang Huan wash her face and hands, then helped her dress and comb her hair. A Li assisted quietly, feeling content to see her princess fulfilling her duties as a virtuous wife. On the other hand, she couldn't help but worry about the eldest princess's marriage, which had yet to take place.
Outside, a group of elders and the village chief had already gathered in front of the house. They had come to speak with Lang Huan.
"Young Master, if you still doubt the mountain god, perhaps you'd be willing to see the altar with your own eyes?" one of them said carefully.
Lang Huan nodded slightly, but just as she was about to follow them, a hand tugged gently at her sleeve.
"Have breakfast first," Feng Yao said firmly.
Lang Huan glanced at her, then followed without protest. "Alright," she said, wrapping an arm around Feng Yao's waist as they walked inside together.
The elders exchanged glances. The village chief tried to smile, but a few of the villagers at the back couldn't help but whisper and shake their heads.
"The young master is afraid of his wife," someone muttered.
Lang Huan, however, didn't care. She sat down at the small table inside and quietly ate the meal that Feng Yao had prepared.
As Lang Huan fastened her sword to her waist, Feng Yao stood by her side, fixing the folds of her collar.
"Bring the guards with you," Her brows slightly drawn in worry.
Lang Huan shook her head. "No… If I bring them, I'll only worry about leaving you here."
Feng Yao looked up at her with frown, but before she could argue, Lang Huan leaned down and kissed her forehead.
"Nothing will happen," Lang Huan added with a smile.
Feng Yao sighed and began adjusting Lang Huan's collar again, as if delaying her departure by just a few seconds more.
"Listen to me carefully," she said. "Don't eat or drink anything from strangers. Stay away from cliffs. Don't even glance at the village women. Be careful who you trust—don't believe in kind faces. Don't try to be a hero, understand? If something feels wrong, you turn back and come home. Immediately."
Lang Huan slightly amused by the long string of instructions. "Anything else?"
"I'm serious."
"I know," Lang Huan replied gently. "And I'll remember every word."
She took Feng Yao's hand and gave it a light squeeze before turning toward the door.
Lang Huan didn't take any guards with her. But she carried every word Feng Yao said as if they were armor.
She walked away from the house with the villagers, her black robe fluttering slightly in the morning breeze.
From the doorstep, Xiao Lan stood quietly, watching her go with worried eyes.
After a moment, she wandered over and sat down beside Qiu Yue, who stood in front of the house with her arms crossed. She had been silently keeping watch, but she noticed the way Xiao Lan kept staring at Lang Huan's back.
"What are you looking at?" Qiu Yue asked, glancing sideways.
Xiao Lan smiled, a bit shy. "Big Brother is so handsome… I've never seen anyone like him in this village."
Qiu Yue rolled her eyes. "You think that's handsome?" she muttered.
In her mind, she thought, this village really doesn't have high standards. If you went to Luo City, you'd be overwhelmed. There are dozens more like him there.
But she didn't say that out loud. Instead, she just kept watching the road.
---
Lang Huan walked with the villagers into the forest. They told her they were going to show her the mountain god's altar.
But as they walked deeper into the woods, something felt strange.
The villagers didn't say a word and seemed unfriendly—so different from how they were back in the village.
Her hand moved closer to the sword at her waist, just in case—but she didn't say anything. She kept her eyes sharp, watching the ground and the trees around them.
Then, one man pointed ahead. "The altar is that way. Just follow that small path."
Lang Huan nodded and stepped forward.
But the moment her foot touched the path—CRACK.
The ground gave way beneath her.
Leaves and branches had been carefully placed to cover a deep hole. It was a hunting trap—made for animals. But today, it had been set for her.
Lang Huan fell in, hitting the bottom hard. Pain shot through her side, but she was strong. She landed in a way that protected her body as much as possible.
From above, she heard footsteps… but no one tried to help her.
She looked up.
The men stood around the edge of the hole, staring down at her.
One of them laughed and said, "Young Master, no one will find you. This place is called Trap Forest. There are countless pits made to catch animals—and outsiders. You'll starve to death or be eaten long before anyone finds you."
Lang Huan wiped blood from her forehead, her eyes burning with anger.
"You think this little trap can hold me?" she muttered.
Lang Huan had already sensed that something was wrong. The way the villagers behaved didn't feel right. But she never expected them to trick her into falling into a hidden pit trap.
The bottom was too narrow for her to use qinggong.
She overheard the conversation of several men above. From the way they spoke, she realized they weren't ordinary villagers—they were mountain bandits.
Lang Huan's suspicion deepened. She began to doubt both the village chief and the elder.
Meanwhile, back at the village, the village chief and the elder ran quickly toward the house where Feng Yao was staying.
When they reached the house, Qiu Yue was already standing at the door with a cold expression.
"What do you want to say to our Lady? She's not someone you can meet as you please."
"Let them in," Feng Yao's calm voice called from inside.
She wore a veil that covered her face, and the village chief and elders couldn't stop themselves from glancing at it—curious about what she looked like underneath.
A Li stood silently beside the princess. Her sharp eyes noticed the way Feng Yao's fingers brushed against her waist—right where she usually hid a dagger.
Finally, Feng Yao looked up. "What is it that you want to say?"
The village head swallowed hard.
"Young Lady… there was an accident. The young master… he—he was taken. The mountain god kidnapped him!"
A heavy silence filled the room.
The village head and elder watched Feng Yao carefully. In their minds, they imagined she would panic, cry, maybe scream in despair like a helpless wife. Feng Yao didn't react the way they expected. She didn't cry. She didn't even blink.
Instead, she stared them down with eyes that could cut. They had no idea what she was thinking. And that made them even more afraid.
Feng Yao didn't believe the village chief's words, but she knew she couldn't show her worry. Her fingers tightened slightly around the teacup as she silently cursed her silly brat.
Where had she gone this time? This morning, Lang Huan had assured her that nothing would happen, yet once again, that little brat always said one thing and meant another. Feng Yao had given her so many instructions, but it seemed like everything she said just went in one ear and out the other. Even Xiao Bai was more obedient than her.
Angry, she slammed her teacup down, the sharp sound breaking the silence and startling the two old foxes.
Feng Yao let out a slow breath, carefully hiding her emotions behind her usual calm and graceful expression. "In the morning, my husband left with you, if something happened to him… then it's your responsibility."
The village chief "…"
He opened his mouth, but no words came out. The elder beside him looked just as stunned. This wasn't going the way they had planned at all. They had expected the lady to beg them to take her to where her husband had disappeared.
The village chief gave a dry cough and forced a polite smile, though sweat was already gathering in his palms. Inside, both men were growing more and more nervous—especially with her guards silently watching their every move.
She looked quiet and composed, but there was something dangerous about her. Something that made them uneasy.
"Young Lady," the chief said carefully, "we already told you… the mountain god is not a joke. If something happened, there's really nothing we can do now."
The elder stepped in, hoping to lead the conversation. "Would you like to go see the altar yourself?" he offered.
Feng Yao gave a soft, mocking scoff. "No need, if even you can't do anything, then what do you expect from a delicate lady like me?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
How could Feng Yao possibly agree with them? It was obviously a trap. Those two old foxes were asking for death. But since she didn't know Lang Huan's plan, she held herself back.
"If that's all you came to say… then you may leave now."
The two men exchanged a glance. They didn't dare argue. They bowed quickly, awkwardly, and turned to go.
As they walked out, both of them were thinking the same thing:
"She really doesn't care at all. Maybe she's just waiting to inherit his fortune."
Looking at her fine clothes and graceful posture, they guessed that the young master and his wife must be from a powerful, wealthy family. Now that he was "gone," she could simply take everything and return to her rich life.