The Times Spent in Pretense

A good while later, the sword did still not fall on her body. Jiamin opened her eyes for a peek and caught sight of Hua Liuli pressing a hand against her chest, complexion deathly pale as she sat on the ground. Then, in a weak voice that implied she would faint if she didn’t take a breath, Hua Liuli said, “Commandery Princess, it’s so scary.” Following that, the sound of sobs.

“Hah?”　　

“Those ferocious beasts were so scary. Fortunately, Commandery Princess was brave and protected me,” said Hua Liuli. She raised her head, staring at Jiamin with eyes full of tears. “Commandery Princess will definitely continue to protect a weak girl like me, right?”　　　　

Alarmed, Jiamin retreated two steps.　　

After a few coughs, Hua Liuli looked toward her, all smiles. “Right?”　　

Jiamin gaped, unable to say anything.　　

An hour later, Jiamin sat in a tree as she watched the wild animals of the mountain tear at the corpses. She covered her mouth, too afraid to make a sound.　　　　

Once the wild beasts had dragged the skeletons away, she said with a hoarse voice, “What do you want to do?”　　

“Continue to strive for my dream.” Hua Liuli hung some medicinal herbs, which she had found during this period, on branches all around. Said herbs were to drive away snakes and insects. “Commandery Princess will help me accomplish this dream, yes?” 　　

Jiamin swallowed, face paling from fear. For a long period, she stared at Hua Liuli. “Understood. I will keep this secret for you.”　　

“What secret? Was there a secret?” Smiling, Hua Liuli swung her feet, the branch swaying along.　　　　

“I misspoke. I meant to say I’m willing to help you with your dream.” Jiamin thought she had an illness. Moreover, a mental illness at that. Regular people wouldn’t have such a weird hobby.　　

“Many thanks, Commandery Princess. I trust your words today.” Hua Liuli smiled, eyes becoming crescents. “You are a good person.”　　　　

In a sullen manner, Jiamin closed her mouth. Too lazy to look at her. A moment later, she heard Hua Liuli cough. She removed her own outer robe and threw it at the other party. “Take it and cover yourself.”　　

“Thank you.”

“It’s just because your coughing irritates me.” Jiamin tied herself to the tree with rope, fearing that she would fall off if she fell asleep.　

Don’t support theft; read this at sleepchaser’s wordpress.　

Shortly after, she opened her eyes. Saw Hua Liuli sitting quietly. Jiamin hesitated before saying, “Don’t worry. I definitely won’t tell anyone.” 　

A smile on her lips, Hua Liuli looked at her. “I know. Go to sleep.”　　

Jiamin did not ask Hua Liuli what she would do if she didn’t keep her secret. The reality was, she severely doubted anyone would even believe her if she told the truth.　　

Some people had the ability to distort the truth in a deliberate manner. To confuse people.

In a daze, Jiamin succumbed to slumber. The next day, she awoke early in the morning. The mist on the mountain rose in spirals. Hua Liuli sat at the side. She did not appear to have slept.　　　　

The two climbed down the tree. When Hua Liuli gasped, she knew that the former wanted to act again.　　

“I’m so tired. I can’t move anymore.”　　

With an ashen face, Jiamin supported her arm. “Hold onto this.”　　

“Commandery Princess is truly a good person.”　　

A sneer slid its way across Jiamin’s lips. In the future, if anyone praised her as a good person to her face, she’d beat them to death.

The mountain path was hard to traverse. The two were lost, descending the mountain with great difficulty. Then they discovered a small brook to wash their faces. Hua Liuli found a large rock to take a seat. “I can’t. I’m weak and in poor health. I can’t move anymore.”　　　　

“Another road leads to the main road, but you’re unwilling to use it. Now, you’re making a fuss about not wanting to move. Just what do you want to do?” Jiamin had already lost her temper from Hua Liuli’s actions.　　

“You still dare to use the main road?” Hua Liuli pounded her legs to massage them. “The two of us were abducted from the Tian estate. This shows that extraordinary people had helped our abductors. Can you guarantee that the people we meet at the main road would help us? Or would they harm us?”

“Wait,” said Jiamin, noticing a donkey-drawn carriage far away. “Let’s hitchhike back.”　　　　

As the donkey-drawn carriage approached, she could make out how worn out and broken down it was. The driver gave off a foul odor. Jiamin gritted her teeth and made her way forward. “Wait!”　　

“What’s wrong?” said the driver. Her voice had caused him unhappiness. He was someone who had a donkey carriage in the village. Who from the vicinity would not give him courtesy?　

But when he saw that they were beautiful young ladies, his mood improved by a lot.

“We’re commandery princesses of the capital. Today, we ran into a lot of trouble. If you bring us back, we’ll have people reward you with 5 kg of silver”　　　　

The driver looked at Jiamin’s tattered clothes and her messy hair. And he almost laughed out loud. These swindlers truly had become more and more courageous and shameless. Which commandery princess would run off to a countryside trail to hitch-hike? Not to mention, wear such torn-up clothes?　　

He was the most knowledgeable and experienced person in the area. Would he fall for something like this?　　

“If you’re a commandery princess, then I, your father, am a First-ranked prince.” The driver flung his whip. “Damn swindler, scram.”　　　　

Following that, he shot Jiamin a glance. “Why is such a pretty young lady like you trying to con people?”　　

Before Jiamin could retort, he took off in haste, afraid that there were more swindlers around. It was safer to leave quickly.　　

“I… He…” Jiamin was so angry, her hands shook. If anyone in the capital dared to be this disrespectful to her, she would have long since whipped them twice.　　　　

She stood in place and scolded that driver for nearly fifteen minutes. Then a donkey carriage approached from the end of the road, a young married couple the drivers.　　

“Move away,” said Hua Liuli, pulling away from Jiamin. She removed the hairpin holding up her messy hair, letting her soft locks fall and drape over her shoulders. “You don’t even know how to take advantage of an opportunity. What use are you?”

To which Jiamin could not utter a word.　　

Just a while ago, when she used me as support down the mountain, that wasn’t what she said.　　

She wanted to see just how Hua Liuli would take advantage of an opportunity.　　　　

The young married couple was entering the capital to sell goods from the mountain. On the road, they calculated how much money they could make. Whether they could purchase some cloth with their profit to make new clothes for their children. From far away, they noticed a young girl standing at the roadside as she wept, dirt on her fair face. A pitiful sight.　　　　

As if she had heard the sound of their approach, the young girl raised her head in a timid manner, her gaze falling upon them. She seemed like she wanted to ask them for help, yet due to her cowardice dared not approach them. Very carefully, she retreated two steps. In the end, she accidentally tripped on some grass and vine, collapsing to the ground.　　

Compassion stirred in the young married lady’s heart. She had her husband stop the donkey-drawn carriage, then asked, “Young Lady, are you alright?”  　　　　

“Big Sister,” said the young girl, voice trembling. “M-my elder sister and I were traveling to the capital in order to find our relatives. But on the way there, an older sister said she would bring us there. Who would have known she’d take us farther and farther from the capital? Elder Sister and I noticed something fishy, and escaped with much difficulty. But we don’t know where we are.”　　

Following that, she covered her face and sobbed. “We don’t know what to do.”

“Aiyah, you two met human traffickers.” The young married woman saw how fair and clear the skin of the two little girls were. And she came to the conclusion they were pampered in their family. “Young Lady, if you trust us, then follow us to the capital. We are headed there to sell some goods from the mountain.”　　　　

“Would it be too much of an inconvenience?” The young girl widened her big and beautiful eyes, face flushing.　　

“It’s along the way anyway,” said the young married woman. Then she invited the two girls to sit on the donkey carriage, passionate in her words. When she heard that the girls had not eaten for a day, she gave them a round flat biscuit each.　　　　

“You two children are too naive. Did you not think that my husband and I could have been bad people?” Worried that the two little girls would be deceived in the future, the young married woman told them many stories about young children being fooled. “In the future, don’t just get on anyone’s carriage, okay?”

“Big Sister’s eyes are pretty. One look and it’s clear you are a good person.” Hua Liuli took two bites from the round and flat biscuit, looking at the woman with wide, big eyes.　　　　

“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” said the woman, touching her own face. “Good-looking people can be swindlers too, you know? Don’t just listen to what other people say from now on. And especially don’t leave your house alone. You two are pretty girls. Human traffickers like to deceive young girls like you the most.”　　

Expressionless, Commandery Princess Jiamin nibbled at her biscuit. She was right. Wasn’t there a good-looking woman who lied without blinking next to her?

Perhaps because Hua Liuli had praised her for being good-looking, the young married woman gave the two of them a small box of light refreshments.　　　　

“Young Lady, you’ve been quite frightened this time,” said the woman, noticing that Jiamin had yet to speak. Thinking it was because the girl had been scared silly, she stuffed some pickled plums into her hand. “Here, eat some.” 　　

The woman’s hand was very coarse. The hands of the hard labor servants back at the princess estate had been more well-maintained. However, her hand proved very nice and warm. So much so that Jiamin felt somewhat embarrassed.　　

“Thank you.” She held the pickled plums that she ordinarily disdained, face warming for some reason.　　

“Thank you, Big Sister.” Hua Liuli smiled sweetly at the young married woman. “You are such goodhearted people. You’ll definitely have good karma.”　　　　

“What do you mean, goodhearted? It’s not a big deal.” The woman took in the sweet smile of the girl, joy filling her heart. She then gave them some more things to eat.　　

The driver who sat outside the carriage did not say much. Yet when they reached a more precipitous part of the road, he warned them of it in a low and muffled voice.　　

Halfway on the road, the young husband stopped the carriage. In a doubtful manner, his wife lifted the curtain. Peered outside. “We’re not there yet. Why did you stop?” 　　　　

“There are officers and men ahead. I’m not sure why they’re there,” replied the man. “It looks like they’re inspecting people for their identities.”　　

When Hua Liuli and Jiamin heard the words “officers and men,”  their expressions changed ever so slightly. They shared a look, before Hua Liuli hid behind the woman. Then she poked half her face out and looked out the window.　　　　

There were many people lined up on the road to enter or exit the capital. Well-behaved, they allowed the officers to search and inspect them.　　

A man on a white horse could be seen in the mist. It was unknown how long he had traveled through it, but his clothes were damp.　　

“Your Highness,” said Hua Liuli, recognizing the person. Her eyes glistened with a smile.　　　　

The crown prince turned around.　　　　

The shabby donkey-drawn carriage halted at the end of the line of people. Hua Liuli poked her head out the window. Traces of dirt were on her fair face, ears faintly discernible from her curtain of hair. 　　

Like an abandoned kitten suddenly coming out of the underbrush, black pupils filled with trust and happiness at seeing its owner. 　　

Mist curled among the mountainous forest. The lovely scene of the morning easily made people overlook many things. 　　

Dazed, the crown prince felt like the master of the kitten, who needed to carry it out of the underbrush. Who wanted to wipe clean the dirt on its body.