Crown Prince's Concubine [Completed]

C109.1 Extra 9.1

Chapter 109.1

After washing Wei Zhan's clothes, Yue Li climbed into bed, pulled the covers tight, but couldn't fall asleep.

Every time she closed her eyes, all she could see were the bloody scenes from earlier that night. She had been hunting for many years and had witnessed plenty of gruesome sights, her hands already stained with blood. But this was the first time she had taken someone's life.

She inexplicably saw in her mind the image of that shadowy man being shot through the head with an arrow, causing her teeth to tremble slightly.

After lying for over two hours, she heard the neighbor's rooster crowing. Slowly, the once quiet little mountain village began to bustle, filled with the constant chirping of birds. In a daze, she heard a knocking at the door.

Thinking she was dreaming, she initially ignored it. After about a stick of incense had burned, the knocking became clearer. She struggled to get up and walked to the door. A ray of autumn light seeped through the crack in the door, causing her to squint instinctively.

Unbolting the door, she found a young boy outside.

It was Jingzhe from the village.

Yue Li was slightly stunned; she hadn't expected Jingzhe to come looking for her.

He stood before her, the autumn light playing on the strands of hair across his forehead, looking like a sturdy tree, composed and handsome. Upon seeing her, a hint of clear nervousness appeared in his expression, exposing his emotions.

"I heard from Aunt Du that there was a tragedy at Chunfeng Ridge last night, and many people died," Jingzhe tugged at his collar, gathering courage before looking at her. "You went into the mountains with Uncle Yue a few days ago and haven't returned."

"Someone rode a horse towards your house last night, and I thought..."

A few days ago, Yue Li had gone into the mountains with Uncle Yue and had not returned. He had been very worried about her, especially after the restless night of incessant rain. He had heard the sound of hooves heading towards her house in the middle of the night, and, climbing up to look, he overheard some armored men saying she was not home. This had left him deeply anxious.

The next morning, he had heard people talking about the tragic events at Chunfeng Ridge the previous night and the loss of many lives.

Hence, he had rushed over to check if Yue Li had returned.

"Someone came to my house last night?" Yue Li was surprised, suddenly recalling the uprising that had occurred in the heavy rain the night before.

Jingzhe looked puzzled. "I'm not sure if they went to your house, but I overheard them saying you weren't there. Yesterday at sunset, your house's light wasn't on. I knew you weren't there, so I thought they came looking for you."

"I'm fine," Yue Li hesitated before responding to his concern.

Jingzhe nodded, glancing inside and not seeing Uncle Yue. He asked, "When did you come back? Did you encounter any imperial soldiers on your way here?"

Yue Li didn't answer his question; instead, she quietly watched him, waiting for him to stop talking before softly saying, "You came to find me. Does your mother know?"

"I..." Jingzhe lowered his gaze, a hint of guilt in his eyes. "Ah Li, what happened that year was not right of my parents. I apologize to you."

Yue Li and Jingzhe had grown up playing together, collecting firewood, picking herbs, hunting, and fishing. Wherever they went, they were always together. When playing house, she would often play the bride, and he the groom.