There was no flaw in Jeor’s expression from when he read the letter to now. If someone unfamiliar saw it, they might think there was no connection between Jeor and the letter at all.
However, Ariana thought Jeor was putting on a perfect act.
“It’s not usual.”
Even if just for a moment, Jeor didn’t reveal his true feelings.
“But suggesting precautions was a mistake, Northern Heir. It should never have been suggested to hide such a threatening letter, especially if the Northern Heir cares for me and even further, cares for the Northern Heir.”
Receiving a threatening letter, whether it was a prank or not, was a significant problem for a princess of a country, enough to stir the entire nation. However, Jeor suggested hiding it.
“Princess, can I go back to hunting now?”
Ariana smiled brightly.
“Of course, Northern Heir.”
Jeor lightly nodded and leisurely left the tent. As he moved away from the tent, Jeor’s expression darkened.
The ever-present smile disappeared from his lips, and his pupils gleamed with a chilly light.
Jeor wanted to scream.
“Duke Oveliere!”
He claimed it was a joke, but Ariana would never have taken it as such. Jeor didn’t think Ariana would be so foolish.
“The princess has probably figured it out.”
The smile Ariana showed just before leaving was calm and sweet, making it even more fierce.
“This is driving me crazy!”
If he could, Jeor would rush over to grab Duke Oveliere by the collar.
What exactly was he thinking? Why act so impatiently? Why was the princess behaving like this, keeping to herself quietly without attending social gatherings? He wanted to understand.
But he couldn’t.
“I need to show courtesy.”
From now on, Ariana would observe how Jeor acted. Depending on Jeor’s actions, she would decide whether to inform others about the letter.
Jeor was trying in his own way to let Ariana know that he was making efforts to protect her, even though he had nothing to do with this issue.
So, he reversed his cloak and headed towards the oak forest, avoiding the eyes of the people.
The western oak forest was not a hunting ground, and it had many hidden places, making it an area where people rarely visited.
“After killing the princess, they probably planned to throw her somewhere in the hunting ground. Then, the princess would have casually entered the forest and could be shot with a gun.”
The ambushers were likely to attack anyone entering the oak forest without proper verification.
“If I die instead…”
Would Duke Oveliere give up?
“In that case, Mother might be able to escape from this predicament.”
If Duke Oveliere abandoned his greed, there would be no problem for the Oveliere family. Duke Oveliere’s greed was dragging the entire family into a swamp.
The White family members were pure and affectionate, and there was no reason to doubt the person they placed by their side. Duke Oveliere considered Ariana no different from the other White family members.
So, they must have thought they could seduce the princess with such shallow tactics. However, Ariana was different. Despite receiving a letter warning about Isaac’s danger, she not only didn’t rush to the oak forest but also had the leisure to summon Jeor.
Duke Oveliere didn’t even realize the potential danger his actions posed to his own child.
“I need to buy time.” Ariana must be sent to the Northern Command without fail. Only then could she have the time to convince Duke Oveliere to abandon his plans.
“Perhaps one or two shots would be enough?” After getting shot, kill all the assassins.
“Duke Oveliere probably contracted the assassins through several intermediaries.” The mastermind behind the assassins would likely not be directly linked to the Oveliere family.
“If thieves, hiding in the forest to harm nobles during the hunt, were discovered, it might seem plausible. The princess won’t believe it, but…” Ariana wouldn’t ask questions to a dying Jeor.
“Will she really not ask?” Jeor remembered Ariana’s clear eyes. Her blue eyes felt cold, like water filling a lake in the heart of winter.
“I can only pray that the princess grants me that level of acknowledgment.”
+++
The fact that Jeor, who had been hiding, encountered the thieves and got shot was known only to the White family members. Jeor, with gunshot wounds in his waist and arms, reassured his worried family.
“It’s just a graze. I don’t need to spread anxiety during the hunting season. I’ll quietly get treated and come back.”
Jeor’s and Ariana’s eyes met.
Jeor smiled brightly. “Don’t worry too much, princess. If you’re concerned, offer a prayer to the gods.”
“That’s right, Lord Jeor.”
Jeor felt relieved at Ariana’s response. A positive reply meant that, for now, the matter of the letter would be kept under wraps.
Though he told his family it was just a graze, the gunshot wound on his waist was quite deep. Jeor gritted his teeth to endure the pain as he boarded the carriage.
While looking out of the carriage window, he spotted the Oveliere Duchess laughing heartily while socializing with others. Her innocent smile, oblivious to everything, struck Jeor’s heart.
Groaning unconsciously, his hand reached into the jacket pocket. Inside was a small silk pouch made of blue fabric, and within the pouch was a lock of hair Ariana had given him.
Clutching the pouch tightly, Jeor thought, “Wouldn’t it be better if I really just died?”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
