Sheng Li hopped on Kofeng and held the reins on it. "Lili, show me if you can ride the horse or not," Sheng Li commanded. Ying Lili slightly pulled the reins on the horse and it started moving.

Sheng Li looked at Hu Jingguo who was on the other horse. "Wanxi, take care of yourself," Sheng Li told Wanxi who nodded and waved at him. Sheng Li rode the horse followed by General Wang, Hu Jingguo, and General Xiao.

Soon Sheng Li came closer to Ying Lili. Ying Lili tilted her head and smiled at him when Sheng Li gestured to her something and he went ahead of her. They rode for six hours straight and by noon they were out of the Capital. Sheng Li decided to take a rest and pulled the reins such that Kofeng stopped moving.

The others too stopped behind him. Wang Hao came forward. "Is there any resting ground here? Lili is tired," Sheng Li asked Wang Hao.

"Your highness, we still need to ride for a few miles. Resting here could be dangerous so just let's pass this route," Wang Hao suggested to Sheng Li. Sheng Li turned his head to look at Ying Lili who was given water by Xiao Zhan.

"Lili, do you want to rest?" Sheng Li queried her. Ying Lili after drinking water met Sheng Li's gaze.

"I did not know that it was going to be this tough," Ying Lili told Sheng Li truthfully. 

"Come here. Get on Kofeng," Sheng Li told Ying Lili. Ying Lili hesitated when Sheng Li told her not to think too much. Ying Lili got down from the horse and came towards Kofeng. Sheng Li grasped her arm and pulled her up. She sat on the saddle comfortably. Wang Hao and Xiao Zhan were surprised to see that Kofeng was actually letting the Crown Princess sit on him.

Xiao Zhan grabbed the reins of the horse which Ying Lili was riding.

"I shall remove this hat," Ying Lili murmured when Sheng Li told her not to do so. Sheng Li took a handkerchief from his pocket, turned Ying Lili towards him, and put away the veil from her hat. He wiped the sweat from her forehead and upper neck portion.

"You did well though it is your first time going on such a long journey," Sheng Li told Ying Lili and pulled his hand back. He put the handkerchief back inside his pocket. Ying Lili thanked him and turned to the front.

"It is hot and your face can burn in such a blazing afternoon heat so do not remove your hat," Sheng Li told Ying Lili and then looked at Wang Hao. "We will stop only at the rest house now. Let's not stop in the middle," Sheng Li ordered him.

Wang Hao agreed with the Crown Prince. "And you are not feeling sick, right?" Sheng Li asked, looking at Hu Jingguo who refused.

Sheng Li started riding the horse while Wang Hao led them this time. The others followed him. She felt Sheng Li's hand on her belly. She had thought that it would be adventurous to go on a horse, but now she realized that it was tough. Now she was wondering how much Sheng Li might have traveled during the campaigning.

"Rest your body weight on me. Don't tire yourself out. It will be a problem if you get sick. Don't think that it will tire me," Ying Lili heard Sheng Li. When Ying Lili did not do so, Sheng Li pulled her back such that her back touched his chest and her head rested on his shoulder.

"The forest will come soon so we can get some relief," Sheng Li further said. Ying Lili smiled and closed her eyes. "How could he be so strong and this caring? Sheng Li is indeed turning to a man which I had always wished for," she thought. The tiredness had swept her entire body and soon she dozed off to sleep.

Ying Lili felt a jerk and her sleep broke. She gradually opened her eyes and saw a rest house in front of her. "We arrived?! How could I sleep while traveling?" She muttered and glanced at Sheng Li.

"It also surprised me. How could you sleep while we were on the horse? You amuse me very uniquely," Sheng Li stated.

"Your highness, I am overwhelmed to have the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess in my rest house," the owner of the rest house Mu Zuheng said and bowed his head.

Sheng Li accepted his greetings. He got down from Kofeng and then helped Ying Lili in getting down from Kofeng. "The other people will be here and they..." Sheng Li cut Ying Lili's words in the middle.

"It is made for us especially. Everything was planned already. Let's go in," Sheng Li told Ying Lili who nodded.

"Your highness, this way," Mu Zuheng showed them the way. Xiao Zhan and Wang Hao took the horses to the stable there while Hu Jingguo followed the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess.

"This is your room, your highness. General Wang told me that you will all have dinner together, so I will send a servant in an hour to bring you to the dining room," Mu Zuheng proclaimed. Sheng Li nodded and entered the room with Ying Lili. He closed the door behind him. Mu Zuheng left from there to attend the others.

Ying Lili removed the hat from her head. Sheng Li saw blisters had formed on her neck because of the heat. "Take a bath. You will feel good. I am coming in while," Sheng Li stated.

Ying Lili nodded, but before Sheng Li could leave, she asked him about the place. Was it safe? It was the biggest question revolving in her head at that moment.

"I had sent Wang Hao a few days ago to the Southern Province. During his return, he prepared all this. The place is safe, so do not worry about it. No one knows that we have taken this route," Sheng Li told Ying Lili who was happy to know about that.

Sheng Li then turned to the door, opened it, and walked out of the room.

~~~~~

Hello Dear Readers!

So, I did the 5 chapters mass release. Thank you to all of you for your continuous support. This was my first time crossing so many votes. Keep supporting me like this. 

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