I became the tyrant's only belief.

Chapter 348 has a very logical structure.
Chu Liuzheng looked at the peanut candy in her palm and then at the slick, plump Wu Shuang not far away. She felt like she was two women in one hoof and really wanted to ask if it was okay not to go.
But when she glanced at Xiao Jingfan's expression, it was clear that this wouldn't work.

So she nervously swallowed, moved over cautiously, closed her eyes, and stretched her hand to the mouth of the supposedly bad-tempered black horse: "Please, please use it."

【Aww~ Please don't kick me, for the sake of the peanut candy!】

Xiao Jingfan: ...Pfft!

He quickly raised the corners of his lips, feeling as if all the pent-up frustration in his chest had been released.

He stared with great interest at Chu Liuzheng's timid little face.

This woman dares to curse even the emperor, so why is she so afraid of a horse?

It seems like you've already eaten?

Chu Liuzheng cautiously opened his eyes, only to find that the peanut candy in his palm was gone.

She immediately withdrew her hand and carefully backed away, afraid of disturbing Lord Wu Shuang's candy-eating and getting kicked by him if he was unhappy.

Wu Shuang was very happy after eating the candy. She originally wanted to tilt her head and rub against her, but the other person ran away.

So, Wu Shuang bit the reins off the tree herself, strolled over behind Chu Liuzheng, and nuzzled her with her head in a friendly manner.

Chu Liuzheng felt a jolt down his spine and instinctively took off running like a rabbit with its tail on fire.

Wu Shuang thought the two-legged beast was playing with her, so she raised her hoof and chased after it. Xiao Jingfan tried to grab her but couldn't.

Hmm... I couldn't grab a single one.

He watched as Chu Liuzheng and Wu Shuang started a race, and a genuine look of doubt appeared on his face.

Racing against a horse—is that something a normal person can do?
Chu Liuzheng ran for a while before she realized that the horse chasing her was a divine steed. How could she possibly outrun it with her thin legs?
So, when a rabbit is cornered, it bites. When Chu Liuzheng got cornered... he climbed a tree.

She scrambled up the tree in a flash.

It was even more agile than a monkey, leaving everyone stunned.

Chen Xing smacked her lips: "So Sister Liu Zheng can climb trees."

Feng Jing looked up and exclaimed, "They climbed pretty fast."

Siyue nodded repeatedly, thinking to himself that he was like a rocket.

Lü Fei and Zhou Yuande exchanged a glance. Aside from the one from Gaochang, none of the empresses in the palace could climb trees, right? Does His Majesty like this type?
Jiang Yao lightly touched the ground with her toes, used her lightness skill to fly to a nearby tree branch and sit down, as light as a leaf, tilting her head to curiously examine Chu Liuzheng.

Chu Liuzheng couldn't pay attention to her for the time being, and looked down at the tree.

Wu Shuang circled the tree, waiting for Chu Liuzheng to come down so she could continue playing with it.

Chu Liuzheng clung tightly to the tree trunk with both hands and feet, intending to wait until the horse left before getting down.

And so the man and the horse remained locked in a stalemate.

Everyone turned to look at Xiao Jingfan. "Is your horse bullying people? Aren't you going to do anything about it?"
Xiao Jingfan only wanted Chu Liuzheng to get to know Wu Shuang better first, but he didn't expect things to develop like this.

Seeing the person who had been chased up the tree by Wu Shuang and dared not come down, I couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated.

He flicked his finger to his lips and whistled.

Upon hearing its owner's call, Wu Shuang wagged its tail and obediently strolled back to its owner's side.

[Finally left. 】

Chu Liuzheng exhaled, hugged the tree trunk, and shuffled down like a caterpillar.

Jiang Yao rested her chin on her hand and looked at her: "Do you need any help?"

Chu Liuzheng chuckled dryly, "Thank you for your kindness, Abbot, but it's no need."

Not everyone likes to fly!

She'd rather be carried down a drop tower than be dragged down little by little!
Ugh, I should have known better than to climb so high.

Since Chu Liuzheng didn't need help, Jiang Yao ignored him, braced herself against a tree branch, and jumped down. Her clothes fluttered, making her look like a snow-white flower.

"Sister, I'm here to pick you up!" Chen Xing's neck was sore from looking down at the tree. Not wanting to wait any longer, she kicked the tree trunk several times and reached Chu Liuzheng's side. Before Chu Liuzheng could react, she grabbed him and jumped down.

Chu Liuzheng: !

【ah! ! ! ! 】

Xiao Jingfan was almost deafened by the shout. He shook his head, swung himself onto Wu Shuang's back, and rode off.

So, by the time Chu Liuzheng came to her senses, she was already on Wu Shuang's back.

Looking at the magnificent black horse beneath him, and then at the person he was holding, Chu Liuzheng's dizzy mind couldn't quite process what was happening.

How exactly did things develop into this situation?

"Hold on tight," Xiao Jingfan reminded her. Almost the instant he finished speaking, Wu Shuang flew out like an arrow.

"Ah!!!" Chu Liuzheng almost fell off his horse. His survival instinct kicked in, and he instinctively hugged Xiao Jingfan's waist tightly, burying his face in the broad back of the person in front of him.

The faint scent of sandalwood filled her nostrils, and Chu Liuzheng's eyes welled up with tears. She vowed that she would rather be jostled to pieces by a carriage than ride a horse again!

Before sunset, the group entered Xiancheng and stopped in front of a large house with the words "Du Mansion" hanging on the plaque.

As soon as he was taken off the bus, Ma Chuliuzheng ran to the side and started vomiting violently.

Chenxing and Siyue hurriedly grabbed the water and followed.

Everyone else looked at Xiao Jingfan.

Imagine someone who can't ride a horse riding a black swan, and expecting it to run as fast as if its tail were on fire. Anyone who didn't know better would think you had a grudge against them.

Xiao Jingfan: "..."

If you're afraid to ride a horse, why not just tough it out?

When he was learning to ride a horse, that's how his father taught him.

"Ahem, young master, let's go inside first." Zhou Yuande offered a way out, thinking to himself that with this kind of fussing, he'd drive the person away sooner or later.

Xiao Jingfan glanced at Chu Liuzheng, who was still squatting on the ground, pursed his lips slightly, and walked over: "Are you alright?"

Chu Liuzheng had just finished spitting out and rinsing his mouth. He was feeling dizzy and lightheaded, but he still had to force himself to reply, "Thank you for your concern, young master. I'm fine. Please don't stand here; it might offend your eyes."

Seeing her pale face, Xiao Jingfan felt a rare pang of regret and whispered, "It won't happen again next time."

Chu Liuzheng stared wide-eyed in horror.

Holy crap! There's going to be a next time?!

[This old lady will never ride a horse again in her life!!!]

Xiao Jingfan felt conflicted upon hearing this and reached out to help her up.

Before anyone could stand up straight, he bent down, scooped Chu Liuzheng up by the knees, and carried him horizontally to the side room, gently placing him on the bed, all the while watching the astonished onlookers.

Chu Liuzheng rolled onto the bed as if she had been burned, her wide almond-shaped eyes staring at the young man beside the bed, her brain, which had been frozen, gradually starting to function again.

[Calm down! Chu Liuzheng, calm down!! This is a small matter; you can handle it.]

First of all, don't flatter yourself! A tyrant would never look at me with such high standards, so don't think about romantic feelings.

Secondly, tyrants always have a reason for doing everything.

Chu Liuzheng took a deep breath, slowly lowering his heart rate, and his thoughts became clearer.

[Given: 1. The tyrant treated his confidants well. 2. The tyrant rode too fast and made me vomit. Combining these two points, we can conclude that the tyrant, perhaps feeling guilty, compensated by carrying me inside when I was so vomiting I could barely stand.]

Yes, that should be it.

Chu Liuzheng nodded to himself, feeling that the logic was very sound.

She hugged her pillow and looked at Xiao Jingfan, her eyes still slightly wet. She said sincerely, "Thank you for bringing me in, young master. Butler Zhou and the others should still be waiting for your instructions. I'm much better now, so please go ahead and get back to work."

Xiao Jingfan, who was given a grand send-off: "..."

He didn't say a word, turned around and walked out.

Upon seeing him come out, Chenxing and Siyue, who were guarding the door, immediately stood at attention, keeping their eyes down and not eavesdropping at all.

Xiao Jingfan didn't even look at the two of them, and went straight to the front hall with his hands behind his back.

Chenxing and Siyue exchanged a glance, and Chenxing whispered, "Our lord is unhappy."

Siyue nodded; she had noticed it too.

Both of them glanced into the side room and felt that the problem likely lay there.