Masquerade in Bridal Attire and Marry the Prince

36. Lay a Wager?

Translator: Antonia

The words really did wrong to Yuxing Tianrui. The fruit he usually saw were those washed by maids and served on plates. As for the fruits on trees, he merely knew peaches, and that was because there was a peach forest in the imperial garden. Otherwise, he could recognize nothing on the branches.

The one at the entrance to the cave was a wild date tree. He had never seen such a crude fruit and certainly regarded it as something inedible. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken all the trouble to get food from places far away from the cave.

Taking a surprising look at the fruit in Du Chuxuan’s hand, Yuxing Tianrui obviously realized that they were what on the tree at the entrance and tentatively touched them, “Are you sure these are edible?”

It wasn’t because he didn’t trust Du Chuxuan. He had tried it at first, but he found the fruit sour and astringent, far from delicious, so he decided the fruit wasn’t a proper food.

Du Chuxuan had been with him for so long and easily understood the meaning of nearly all his movements or reactions, shaking his head helplessly, “You must have tasted an unripe one, so it wasn’t tasty.”

He shouldn’t dwell on this subject longer, or his tsundere boy would be annoyed again. Du Chuxuan cleverly changed a subject, “I just wandered around the cave. The terrain here isn’t suitable to stay. Luckily it didn’t rain, or we would have been trapped here.”

The implication was that they should find another place to stay if they couldn’t go back to the barracks before night.

Yuxing Tianrui nodded. He had to get back as soon as possible. Although father liked him best and had picked him as the Crown Prince, and his mother, the empress, had no other sons, he had other half siblings. The imperial relatives couldn’t sit idle after learning the news of his disappearance.

After a hasty breakfast, the two set off. Du Chuxuan wasn’t fully recovered, and Yuxing Tianrui worried that his wounds would be torn again, so he tore a shirt into strips and used them to bandage Du Chuxuan. Looking at his careful expression, Du Chuxuan couldn’t help but tease him, “Your Highness. You’re looking like an obedient wife serving her husband.”

Yuxing Tianrui flushed scarlet on hearing the words and, out of either annoyance or shyness, instantly turned and walked away, leaving Du Chuxuan alone half-naked.

Quickly putting on the armor, Du Chuxuan caught up and inwardly blamed himself for being gabby. But after all, he didn’t lower the guard and remained fully equipped.

They were heading back for the barracks, not sure whether they would encounter with the enemies searching for them. The effort to hide in the cave would be in vain if they were caught at this time.

Muddle-headed, Du Chuxuan wasted this only opportunity in his life to get rid of the fake identity. However, if being asked right now, he would probably be unwilling to do that.

The couple went all the way to the west, trying to circumvent by the battlefield that day. The distance was shorter to go across the battlefield, but there would also be a bigger chance to encounter soldiers, either of their own or the enemy.

They kept walking until noon and met not a single person. After such a long walk, it was suspicious not having encountered anyone.

“Are you sure we’re going in the right direction?” Du Chuxuan asked under pressure. He was helpless because after he annoyed Yuxing Tianrui in the morning, the boy had been pulling an sullen face all the way, and Du Chuxuan didn’t dare to say anything anymore.

However, having walked for so long, around ten miles, he found it weird not seeing a single soul, because no matter what, the soldiers in the barracks needed food and had to come out for fire wood and the sort of things. They should meet at least some kitchen soldiers.

Yuxing Tianrui looked at the sky in confusion, but it was noon when the sun was right over the head. It was impossible to tell the direction. He was slightly upset, “I told you it’s this direction. Just walk back if you don’t believe me.”

Fine. The tsundere His Highness was angry again. Du Chuxuan played obedient and smiled flatteringly at him, “Of course I believe you. I’m worrying you maybe be too tired from a long walk. In addition, we’ve been out of the barracks for so long. It’s possible that they moved. Be patient. We’ll find them.”

Be damn patient. The whole morning’s walk had made his shirt soaked in sweat. The wounds were also damp and terribly hurt by the sting of salty sweat.

Now he only wished to go back to his tent and lie there comfortably after a delicious meal, and it would be perfect if Dongxiang could fan him.

Yet and yet, this was merely his daydreaming. At this moment, the water in the bottle also ran out. The couple were dizzily hungry and leaned against the trunk for a brief rest.

Even though Du Chuxuan was a martial cultivator, he was wounded after all and now no better than Yuxing Tianrui. He casually glanced around and found the place familiar.

“We can’t go on like this. At least we should know where we are.” Yuxing Tianrui really began to worry. Before Du Chuxuan woke up, he could suppress his mind from thinking about these things.

But right now he could no longer constrain himself from thinking what a messy situation would be caused when the capital got the news of his disappearance and thus became increasingly anxious.

Just as he couldn’t bear it and was about to stand up, Du Chuxuan suddenly yelled with surprise, “I know it’s here!”

He had wondered why this place looked so familiar. How was it possible that he, a person who had seldom been out of the capital before, found this place familiar? Because he had been here.

Yuxing Tianrui was taken aback by him and turned to look at him, “Where is this place?”

Du Chuxuan grinned and pointed forward, “Lay a wager, Your Highness? If I win, you don’t control on my food in the future.”

Seeing him being like a rogue, Yuxing Tianrui really didn’t want to talk with him, but he had no time to waste, “Okay, I agree.”

Hearing that, Du Chuxuan, overjoyed, almost leaped up. He raised his brows and held Yuxing Tianrui by the hand, striding in the direction he was pointing, “There must be a lake over there.”