Chapter 3 — This Eastern Palace has been my hunt from the beginning

Today, Lieu Trac Phi also wore a neat cavalry outfit, accentuating her slim waist, her elegant demeanor, from time to time she glanced at me, her eyes were calm, but with a sense of superiority. I deliberately chose a white cavalry outfit with a simple design, making my figure look even more slender and weak, completely incompatible with the cold murderous aura of the hunting field. I sat quietly in the ladies' row, playing the role of a decoration out of place in this situation. The hunting siege began, the men urged their horses, swung their whips, and rushed into the mountains and forests. The female family sat on the prepared observation deck, drinking tea and chatting, but their eyes were on the Crown Prince. Lieu Trac Phi was surrounded by several female relatives, laughing and chatting excitedly. She seemed to have completely forgotten my existence, or more accurately, she didn't even bother to put me in her eyes. The time is almost ripe. I stood up, led Van Tu, and left the observation deck as an excuse to change clothes. I had long told Van Tu to clearly inquire about the Crown Prince's main hunting route today, along with a trail in the forest that he must pass through.

“Miss, do you really have to do that?” Van Tu looked at me, "What if..."

"There is no such thing as a chance. I have carefully calculated my force and only suffered a little skin damage. Remember what I told you, the timing must be right."

We arrived at the designated location, the sound of horse hooves could be heard from afar, it was the sound of the Crown Prince's group returning from hunting, their hands full of trophies. I took a deep breath, timing it just right, my feet slipped, my whole body panicked and I fell from the horse's back. Van Tu's sobbing scream echoed throughout the forest: "Princess Princess! What's wrong with you?! Someone come here quickly!" The first person to rush forward was indeed Tieu Canh Huyen. His face still had traces of excitement after the hunt, but this moment was completely replaced by surprise.

“What happened?” He squatted down, his eyebrows furrowed.

I curled up on the ground, my white cavalry outfit covered in mud and grass scraps, the corner of my forehead was dripping with cold sweat from the pain, my eyes turned red in an instant, tears filled my eyes, but I tried to hold back, not letting them fall. I raised my arm, revealing a scratch on my elbow, looking extremely struggling.

“Your… Your Highness…” My voice choked, carrying panic and pain:

"My concubine... I suddenly got scared while riding a horse... it's because I'm not good at cavalry..."

Tieu Canh Huyen's eyes stopped at the wound on my arm, then looked at me trying to hold back tears. He reached out to help me, but hesitated a bit.

“Does it hurt?”

I bit my lower lip, nodded slightly, then quickly shook my head: "No... it doesn't hurt..." But my voice trembled slightly and tears suddenly rolled down, betraying me again. He didn't say another word. He took out a clean light-colored silk scarf from his chest. His movements were a bit clumsy, but he was extremely careful. He covered my wound, intending to help me bandage it briefly. I felt it very clearly, his hand trembled slightly. He has seen it already. On the inside of my arm, there is an old scar, the color is pale, but still clearly visible. That is, before entering the palace, I intentionally used medicinal substances to treat it repeatedly again, a scar that looks like it's been there for a long time, but is actually a new one. His bandaging movements suddenly stopped: "This is..." It was as if my secret was seen through, I suddenly wanted to withdraw my hand, my eyes avoided: "No... nothing... it's just an old wound..." Van Tu just in time knelt down next to him, with a sobbing voice and said:

“Your Highness Minh Giam!”

"This wound of yours... is... last winter, when you heard in the back garden of the palace that your highness had met a murderer, you were so worried that you were so confused that you accidentally got cut by a sharp object and left it... you still didn't let me say it..."

This statement is half true and half false. I was indeed accidentally injured, but it wasn't last winter, so the reason was even more fictitious. But in this situation, because my loyal maid blurted out because she was so worried, the effect was doubled. Tieu Canh Huyen looked at me, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.