Eternal Night - Chapter 155
The visitor had ample time to clean up the traces and restore the bluestone wall. However, gaps were always left, and the wind blowing through those gaps could not escape the feeling of eternal night.
Several guards descended into the tunnel. Just as Yongye was about to jump down, Crown Prince Yan stopped her, giving her a deep look: "These are very beautiful clothes. They're not suitable for crawling through a tunnel. Let's wait for news."
Half an hour later, a guard came to report that the tunnel led to the outside of the prison.
This was an open space. The Qi Kingdom's prison was like an independent courtyard, ten zhang in circumference without a single tree, and the exit of the underground tunnel was a grassy hill. A large patch of grass had been turned over, revealing the tunnel entrance.
"If it were nighttime, they would have just carried the person away and the carriage wouldn't have stopped here. Do you have any trained dogs?" Yongye asked, gazing at a cluster of houses in the distance.
Of course there were dogs. They sniffed the air inside the stone cell, then rushed out of the hole and ran straight toward the houses in the distance.
Prince Yan and Yongye, along with a squad of Shence Army soldiers, followed closely behind the dogs. When they got close, Yongye burst into laughter.
This is the original residence of the An family.
“Even a centipede with a hundred legs does not fall down when dead,” Prince Yan murmured.
Yongye looked at him and smiled, "The An family has too many people. It's nothing that we haven't caught Moyu yet."
The An family compound is much more lively than before, with all sorts of people moving in and forming their own courtyards. But the dog ran to the Buddhist hall and could no longer smell anything.
The Buddha statue personally carved by Zhao Zigu is gone; it was smashed and used as sandalwood. However, the smell and aroma of the incense here have rendered even dogs senseless.
"Let's go back. Feng Yangxi is definitely not here anymore; she'll have been moved from here."
How did you know?
“A feeling.” Yongye gazed at what was once a Buddhist hall, now a temple, and spoke slowly. A tacit understanding had developed between her and Feng Yangxi, an understanding that defied description.
"Princess!" someone among the worshippers shouted. Yongye turned around and saw Young Master Hong.
The arrival of the large group alarmed the abbot of the temple, as well as the pilgrims who were staying there. Knowing his injuries were not serious, Young Master Hong firmly declined Yongye's offer to stay and took up residence there. Upon learning Yongye's identity, he changed his form of address.
Yongye's eyes gradually brightened. Seeing that Young Master Hong was still wrapped in gauze, she asked with concern, "Brother Hong, how are you feeling?"
"It's just an external injury; it'll heal in a few days," said Young Master Hong, but he was also admiring Yongye's attire, marveling at her beauty. His gaze lingered on her dress embroidered with stars and moons, as if he couldn't quite accept her wearing women's clothing.
Yongye smiled and said to Crown Prince Yan, "Your Highness, Yongye and Young Master Hong hit it off immediately. Tonight, I would like to have a drink and chat with Young Master Hong. Please make yourself at home."
Prince Yan was not annoyed. He knew that Yongye wanted to investigate the temple again. After giving some instructions, he left a team of soldiers to guard the temple and then left.
Yongye entered the Buddhist hall. The lamplight flickered dimly, prayer flags fluttered, and the Buddha statue had transformed into a new clay sculpture of Maitreya with a golden body. She recalled the day she was trapped here and met Feng Yangxi. When he rushed in, she felt a surge of joy, not just a sense of relief from despair, but a profound satisfaction born of a shared understanding.
Even though the knife piercing her back was painful, and being trapped inside was unbearable, she thought that Feng Yangxi would definitely find the paper she had nailed under the desk, and would definitely find her.
Now, can she find him again using this feeling?
"Princess, what are you looking for?"
Yongye paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "I was once trapped here, and it evokes many feelings."
"The princess is getting married today, why are you here?" Young Master Hong asked, puzzled.
Yongye thought for a moment, then slowly said, "I was supposed to go to the palace today, but something came up and I was delayed. Brother Hong, let's not talk about that. Shall we still drink?"
"Hehe, it is my good fortune to have a drink with the princess. However, drinking is forbidden in the temple."
Yongye summoned a guard and said, "Prepare wine and dishes; I wish to enjoy the moon with Young Master Hong."
Young Master Hong glanced at the abbot standing beside him, somewhat embarrassed, "Princess, I... am a guest in the temple, this..."
"Greetings, Abbot. Wine and meat pass through the intestines, but Buddha resides in the heart. What do you think, Abbot?"
The abbot clasped his hands together and bowed his head, saying, "What the princess says is very true. This old monk also often drinks wine."
Yongye laughed heartily; it turned out the An family was keeping monks who indulged in wine and meat. She stopped laughing and politely addressed the abbot, "Yongye has a connection with the master and will donate one thousand taels of silver for incense oil. Let's also add ten acres of land nearby to the temple's property." Wasn't she the Crown Princess of Qi? The Qi Emperor and Crown Prince Yan would always give her this much face. Of course, temples didn't profit from incense offerings and donations, but allocating a portion of the nearby mansions and gardens to the temple would be a long-term source of income.
“Princess, you are so generous. I am deeply grateful. I will not disturb you and Young Master Hong from enjoying wine and Buddhist rites. I will take my leave.” The abbot’s beaming face was captured by Yongye’s eyes.
Yongye couldn't help but think, "It's so good to have power and money. You can just draw a piece of land with your finger."
The food and wine were prepared in a hexagonal pavilion in the corner of the temple. Yongye frowned as he looked at the guards not far away and said, "You should wait outside the temple. It's not appropriate for you to be inside."
After dismissing the guards, Yongye smiled and said, "When we went to Xibo that day, Young Master Hong was unwilling to let me pay the bill or invite me. After being injured, he was even less willing to accept my kindness. Yet, he went to Xibo alone with a sword to save the girl who was being sacrificed. I admire his chivalry. I toast Brother Hong."
She looked up and finished her drink, then gazed at the moon and sighed, "I will be entering the palace tomorrow, and I will no longer be able to roam the martial world. It is a rare occasion to drink with my friends from the martial world today. Brother Hong, please don't treat me like a princess, but as the little brother I was back then."
Young Master Hong agreed and drank the wine heartily.
The two began to recount anecdotes from the martial arts world. Young Master Hong, having traveled the world alone since learning his skills, had many interesting tales to tell, which Yongye found fascinating. She occasionally shared stories she knew with him, and the two truly became as close as old friends.
Before they knew it, they had finished two jars of wine. Yongye's eyes were a little glazed over. Young Master Hong said uneasily, "Princess, you should rest early. You are of noble birth, while I am just a playboy."
Yongye mumbled, "I want to get drunk, I don't want to go to the palace."
Seeing that she was drunk, Young Master Hong said helplessly, "I will have someone bring the princess a pot of tea!"
Yongye slammed her hand on the table: "Who wants tea? We'll continue drinking!" Her cheeks flushed a rosy red, and her eyes were so tender they seemed to drip with water.
Young Master Hong gazed at her quietly, his eyes filled with complex emotions. Finally, he sighed and said, "Princess, this is the last cup. Drink it and then go back."
He poured Yongye a full glass of wine. Yongye picked up the glass, paused, and smiled sweetly: "I consider you a friend."
Young Master Hong was stunned. Yongye had already drunk the entire cup, his eyes were even more hazy, and he collapsed drunk beside the table.
Young Master Hong gazed at Yongye, his expression incredibly complex. He looked around, then scooped Yongye up and darted into the Buddhist hall.
After dawn, the guards at the temple discovered that Yongye and Young Master Hong had both disappeared.