The man extended his hand and grabbed the back of the little fox’s neck with two fingers, lifting her up and bringing her face to his.

The little fox struggled, her four paws flailing in the air. She thought to herself, "This is bad, I’ve encountered a villain. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have run straight into this man’s arms. How could humans be so kind? Those with high status are always calculating; why would they let a fox like me voluntarily jump into their trap and not catch me?"

She tried to break free from the man’s grip on her neck, kicking her paws harder. But the man tightened his grip, making her feel more trapped.

"This is my fault," she thought in despair.

After a moment, the little fox grew tired. She couldn’t kick any longer. She really didn’t understand what this man was trying to do. Was he trying to watch her kick her legs?

The little fox stared at him, her eyes filled with confusion. What do you want from me?

The man noticed that she had stopped struggling and saw that her eyes were fixed on his face. It was clear she wanted to say something, and he seemed to understand her gaze.

"Your paws have dirtied my clothes," he said.

What? The little fox widened her eyes in disbelief. He understood me? How is that possible?

Then she looked down and saw that her paw prints were clearly visible on his snowy white robe. The man was wearing a long robe made from heavenly silk, with intricate blue and gold cloud patterns embroidered on it. The robe was freshly made by the royal palace's Weaving Bureau, and it was one of his favorites. Now, it was stained with her paw prints. The little fox realized she was in serious trouble.

As the little fox tried to think of how to explain that it wasn’t intentional, Jing Rui and his sister approached.

"National Teacher," Jing Rui and his sister both respectfully bowed to the man.

"No need for such formalities, Prince Wu, Princess Seven," the man replied, though he didn’t stop them from bowing.

Hearing the man speak, Princess Seven, Lian Jingya, was thrilled. Her face turned bright red, and in a sweet voice, she said, "How could this be considered too much formalities? The National Teacher is respected by everyone in Bei Yan, so it’s only right that we show our respect. Please, National Teacher, don’t be so polite."

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National Teacher? The little fox thought to herself, So this man is the one they were talking about.

"Your Highness," Jing Rui said, feeling that his sister had gone too far. It was obvious to anyone that the National Teacher had just been polite to give face to the two of them. Yet, his sister, who was now blushing and acting shy, really seemed to hold the National Teacher in high regard.

"National Teacher," Jing Rui continued, thinking it was time to tone down his sister’s admiration. "Why aren’t you joining the hunt? It’s a grand event that only happens once every three years. You should showcase your skills."

Jing Rui’s words were meant to remind his sister that the National Teacher wasn’t perfect. See, he wasn’t even participating in the hunt.

Unfortunately, Lian Jingya, absorbed in her admiration for the National Teacher’s beauty, didn’t catch his meaning.

"Brother, the National Teacher is Bei Yan’s backbone! How could he take part in something as crude as hunting? What if he gets hurt?" Lian Jingya said with firm conviction.

Jing Rui sighed. He realized there was no way to stop his sister from daydreaming. He was helpless at this point.

What crude activity? This was a royal hunt that happened only once every three years. If that’s crude, what does that make all the civilized activities? It’s as though Lian Jingya had already started thinking about the National Teacher even before marrying him.

The little fox, still in the National Teacher’s arms, blinked. Has he already forgotten about me? Can I escape now?

She glanced up at the National Teacher. His attention was on Jing Rui and his sister, and his grip on her neck seemed to have loosened a little. This is my chance!

Just as she made a move to escape during a brief lull in the conversation, she felt his grip tighten instantly, causing her to yelp in pain.

Damn it, he was squeezing her so hard!

The little fox stretched out one of her little paws to scratch at his hand, but it was just out of reach.

"National Teacher, this little fox was caught by my sister and me. My sister really likes it. Would you be willing to give it to her?" Jing Rui didn’t forget their purpose.

"Yes, I... I really like this little fox, but if the National Teacher likes it, then please keep it. Your wishes should come first," Lian Jingya added quickly.

The little fox thought that if she ended up in Princess Seven’s hands, she might be able to escape later, but if she stayed with this man, there would be no chance of survival.

The National Teacher heard their words, and he lifted the little fox up, bringing her close to his ear. He whispered, "If you end up in Princess Seven’s hands, you might not escape being skinned alive."

What? Skinned alive? She didn’t want that!

As expected, when the little fox heard the words "skinned alive," her eyes filled with fear. The National Teacher added, "If you beg me, I might consider sparing your life."

The little fox’s eyes lit up instantly. She brought her two little paws together in front of her chest, blinking her big eyes, giving him a "please save me" look. She had no other choice—her spiritual power was exhausted, and she couldn’t even protect herself. What was pride to her now?