Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)
Chapter 78: Breaking a sacred rule

Chapter 78: Breaking a sacred rule

"First, we need to find out what kind of poison this is and what it does then maybe we can tell who she was sending the letters to. I have someone who can look at it in Fengmi town," he said staring at the paper.

Han Zhan nodded his demeanor casual but his eyes sharp. "Either way, she can’t be trusted. Your plan to send her off to the imperial city might not be the best idea. She can only go with us for the time being until we figure this out."

Han Xin nodded, his thoughts heavy. The situation was more complex than he had anticipated, and the stakes were higher than ever. He needed to uncover the truth this princess was hiding but he also had to be cautious.

***

Xiang Yu had no idea that Han Xin had gone off script doing something he had not done in the previous plotline. He was busy moving stealthily through the thick brush with a bow and quiver of arrows slung over his shoulder. He had taken them from the training grounds early morning. The three of them set off in search of rabbits. They planned on roasting them and eating the meat with their meals.

After hunting all morning with no success, they decided to take a break. It was only when the sun had climbed higher that Lian noticed something. She was perched high in a tree for a better vantage point when she heard something rustling in the bushes. She quickly gathered a handful of leaves and tossed them at Xiang Yu, who was napping on a boulder in the tree’s shade.

This poor master stirred awake almost swallowing a leaf. He looked up at the culprit. Lian frantically pointed in a direction and mouthed urgently, "Something is coming." Mei, who had been sharpening her dagger, paused and looked in that direction.

Xiang Yu and Mei moved silently with practised ease like they had done this countless times before. After positioning himself he drew his bow, nocking an arrow and aiming it at the source of the rustling sound.

A wild boar emerged from the underbrush, its snout rooting through the leaves. Xiang Yu’s lips curled into a sly smile as he released the arrow. With a whoosh it flew true, striking the boar with deadly precision. The animal let out a shrill cry, thrashing about before collapsing to the ground.

A Taoist priest burning incense in a temple heard those cries and his brows furrowed. He immediately rose to his feet eager to punish the wrongdoer who had hunted in their forest during Lenten fasting.

Xiang Yu had no idea that he had committed an offence. He turned to the twins with a proud smile. "What do you think of your master now?" he asked, his tone playful.

Mei clapped her hands, her eyes shining with admiration. "Impressive as always. We are eating big today!" Lian was so excited that she forgot where she was for a moment. She lost her balance in her excitement and tumbled from the tree, only to get caught in a branch. She dangled there with a sad look on her face seeming resigned to her fate.

"Master help," she said, her body slowly swinging gently on the branch like a rotisserie chicken, her expression one of amused exasperation. Seeing that she wasn’t hurt the two of them burst into laughter, their earlier tension melting away. They rushed over to help her down.

"Hold still," Xiang Yu called, trying to stifle his laughter as he and Mei worked to free her. "We will get you down."

Lian sighed dramatically; her voice tinged with humour. "Take your time. I am quite comfortable up here anyway." With a few more tugs and some careful manoeuvring, they finally managed to get Lian down. Since they couldn’t deal with the wild boar here, they tied it to a sturdy stick.

The girls took one end and he took the other. They carried it like it was a prize back to the military camp eager to share the meat with the soldiers who seemed so pitiful. They thought their generosity would be well received. Granted, they didn’t expect a parade with flowers praising them for their heroic act, but a smile would be nice.

However, as they entered the camp, they were met with a mix of reactions. Some soldiers stared at them with amusement, others with surprise, and a few with clear annoyance.

Unbeknownst to them, hunting in the forest was strictly forbidden during the Lenten period by the local Taoist temple. They had unknowingly broken a sacred rule.

Yi Nuo heard the commotion and rushed over. She quickly ordered some men to take the wild boar away and prepare it. He hoped that they could hide it from the Taoist priests if they came asking questions. Turning to the trio, she asked, "Your Highness, why... why did you go into the forest?"

Lian, ever straightforward, replied, "We wanted meat, and Master hunted it for us."

Mei nodded in agreement. "The soldiers looked so pitiful without any meat, so we wanted to share."

Yi Nuo sighed unable to argue with this logic. She blamed herself for not explaining it clearly. She didn’t think it was important, but who would have thought the princess would go out hunting and bring back prey?

She knew she couldn’t easily reprimand royalty so she tried to choose her words carefully. But before she could say anything, a group of monks arrived at their doorstep, their expressions stern.

"Who has been hunting in the forest?" one of the monks demanded, his voice carrying the authority of the temple.

Xiang Yu, "..."

He stepped forward, his demeanour calm but respectful. "It was me. What seems to be the problem?" he asked, seeming truly clueless. Yi Nuo leaned in closer and whispered something in his ear.

Xiang Yu’s brows furrowed slightly. How was he supposed to know that it was forbidden? Now, it made sense why these grown men and women were surviving on cabbage. "Well, I did not know it was forbidden."

The monk’s eyes narrowed his pale face now red with anger. "Ignorance does not excuse the breaking of sacred rules. You have to be punished."

Yi Nuo was forced to intervene, her tone diplomatic. "We apologise for the transgression. Her Highness didn’t know. It was an honest mistake. We will ensure it does not happen again."

The lead monk’s expression darkened upon hearing that this young woman was a princess. He seemed to believe she was trying to use her status to avoid punishment. "All men are equal in our eyes," he declared, his voice stern. "The princess must come to the temple and kneel, and she must come alone."

AN: Aaaaaaahhhhhh Xin-ge, hurry up and save your man!!