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The Emperor turned to look at the Empress, seeing her clad in riding gear, looking heroic and dashing. It might have been a long time since she had ridden, and she was somewhat rusty.

"The Empress has good archery skills."

"Your Majesty flatters me," the Empress replied, gripping the reins tightly and pressing her horse’s flanks to walk towards the prey.

The Emperor didn’t compete with the Empress for the game, allowing her to claim the hunt.

When the Empress arrived at the brush, she saw a deer that had been hit simultaneously by two arrows. The Emperor’s shooting was indeed accurate.

She dismounted skillfully, bent down to pick up the prey, and suddenly a python emerged from behind the tree, hissing with its forked tongue.

Just as the Empress was about to seize the game, the python suddenly attacked.

The horse, frightened, took off running.

Only then did the Empress see the python behind the tree, her pupils dilated with shock, her body rigid with fright forgetting to react—by then, it was too late to escape.

The Emperor, having spotted the python, realized also too late for his figure to react swiftly, drawing an arrow to aim at the python’s head and release.

He then drew a second arrow, again aiming at the head.

When the arrow struck the python in the head, blood flowed profusely; possibly in unbearable pain, the python became violently aggressive, opening its blood-filled mouth in an attempt to bite.

By this time, the Empress’s legs had gone weak with fear. Unable to muster any strength to run, she watched horrified as the python lunged at her.

The Emperor spurred his horse and galloped over. When he was close, he leaped from the horse, grabbing the Empress’s arm and yanking her into his embrace.

He drew his sword from the saddle with his right hand.

"Be careful, Empress."

The Empress felt herself pulled into the warmth of the spring, raising her head to see the Emperor with an expression of tense urgency.

The Emperor gripped his sword and stabbed at the python. Not hitting a vital spot, the python was clearly enraged and began to attack fiercely.

Finally reacting, the Empress turned to see the python’s gaping maw. She cried out urgently, "Be careful, Your Majesty."

The python’s massive size made it hard to kill instantly unless struck in a vital spot.

It is said to hit a snake seven inches from its head; the same must be true for pythons.

In desperation, the Empress saw the arrows in the deer, pulled one free, and stabbed it into the python’s "seven inches."

The Emperor, realizing the Empress’s intention, frowned deeply, "Empress, come back to me."

But at that moment, the Empress wouldn’t listen to the Emperor’s words. She had only one target—to take the damn python’s life.

The Emperor, seeing the Empress disobey, was so upset he didn’t know what to say. He gripped his sword and charged, swinging at the python’s head.

Though massive, the python was surprisingly agile. It dodged the long sword and lunged at the Empress.

At that moment, the Empress clenched the arrow and forcefully stabbed it into the python’s "seven inches."

The python screamed, its mouth open wide as it bit towards the Empress.

It was too close for her to escape.

The Emperor, seeing this, grabbed the Empress’s shoulder and yanked her into his embrace, shielding her with his body as the python bit into his shoulder.

The Empress, seeing the Emperor protect her with his body, went blank.

She thought she had let go of her feelings for the despicable Emperor, but now she realized she had never really let go; she had merely chosen not to dwell on them.

By the time she came to her senses, the Emperor had thrust his sword once again into the python’s "seven inches." After a fierce struggle, the python collapsed, blood pouring from its mouth, and then it was still.

Seeing the Emperor’s blood-soaked shoulder, the Empress was panic-stricken, "Your Majesty, are you alright?"

"I am fine," the Emperor assured, lifting his head to look at her, surveying her body, splattered with not a little blood, wondering if she too was injured.

"Are you injured anywhere?"

The Empress, eyes brimming with tears, shook her head, "I am fine, but Your Majesty, you’re bleeding profusely."

The Emperor looked at his right arm. Fortunately, he had dodged in time and wasn’t bitten much; otherwise, the arm would have been ruined.

He averted his gaze back to the Empress, "It is good that the Empress is unharmed. It doesn’t matter if I am a little injured."

"But you are the sovereign of the nation, how can you be injured?" the Empress protested anxiously, reaching out to check his wound, but the Emperor stopped her.

"There are no Imperial Doctors or medicinal herbs here; examining it won’t help. We’d better go get the horse. If that horse runs off too, we will have to walk back."

The Emperor had dismissed his secret guard for the chance to be alone with the Empress, and that was why they had faced such peril.

Turning around, the Empress realized that her horse had already fled in fright. Only the Emperor’s horse remained. She hurried forward to seize the reins and led the horse back.

With only one horse left, the two had to ride together.

The Empress sat in front, leaning against the Emperor’s chest. It had been a long time since she’d been so close to him; it was unavoidably awkward.

The Emperor held the Empress close; it had been too long since they’d ridden one horse this intimately. He suddenly missed the days of their youth.

The Empress, held and embraced by the despicable Emperor, felt uncomfortable but, mindful of his injured arm, let him be.

The Emperor, holding the reins, drove the horse at a leisurely pace, savoring this peaceful and warm moment.

The Empress, seeing the horse ambling along more slowly than her own walking pace, grew anxious, "Your Majesty, can’t you ride faster? If we don’t bandage the wound soon, you’ll bleed too much."

The Emperor, blatantly making up an excuse, replied, "Empress, I am wounded, we cannot go too fast, or it will only make the blood flow quicker."

Hearing this, the Empress paused, her concern for the despicable Emperor convincing her there was some logic in his words. She gave up on urging him and let the horse walk at its own slow pace.

Meanwhile, Shen Chuwei felt drowsy in the spectators’ seating. She reached for the spot beside her, only to find Xuetuan missing. Her eyes snapped open, realizing the space next to her was empty.

She remembered her rush to find Concubine Xu, realizing that Xuetuan must have run out following her during that commotion.

Oh no, Xuetuan must have gone looking for her.

Xuetuan was Xiao Jinyan’s beloved pet. If lost, Xiao Jinyan would surely be furious.

Shen Chuwei, not thinking of anything else, lifted her skirt hem and rushed to find Xuetuan.

Concubine Xu and Lady Liang were puzzled by Shen Chuwei’s behavior, thinking she might need to relieve herself urgently, as they had seen her drink plenty of tea not long ago.

After a fruitless search for Xuetuan, Shen Chuwei grew increasingly frantic. Could Xuetuan have gotten lost?

Just as Shen Chuwei’s anxiety peaked, she saw a figure in black holding a snow-white cat in the distance. Who else could it be but Xuetuan?

No wonder it hadn’t returned for so long; it had been caught.

She dashed over, her skirt lifting with each stride.

The person in black was surprised at first to see Shen Chuwei, but then stopped upon spotting her running towards them.

Shen Chuwei approached, glared at the individual, and demanded, "Quickly, return Xuetuan to me."

ps: One update