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Глава 68

Wangyue Zongning had vanished without a trace. I watched Xilan approach, arrows raining down on him from all directions like lightning. I closed my eyes tightly and held my breath. Xilan... would he be hurt? What would I do if Xilan was injured?

I heard the sounds of fighting nearby and jolted my eyes open. I saw several people attacking Xi Lan, who was dressed in white, darting left and right. My heart pounded as I followed his movements, my head turning left and then right in an instant. Xi Lan's martial arts seemed even better than I'd imagined. But what had they placed behind me? If Xi Lan defeated them and came to pull me away, he would instinctively put his arm around my waist. Would something happen then?

Before I could even think, several arrows flew straight toward me. I was so shocked I couldn't react (what else could I do but close my eyes?). My eyes widened as I watched Xi Lan leap over and block the arrows with her bare hands, then quickly deflect the attacks from the others who followed.

But it was too late. Two of those people targeted me. In that instant, I forgot my fear and only felt the intense anger and murderous aura emanating from Xi Lan, just like the feeling I had when Xi Lan entered the dark room to save me that night when Tian Xinrong tricked me.

Biting his lip, unable to speak, he was tightly bound and could only look at Xi Lan, shaking his head at him repeatedly. He watched helplessly as Xi Lan knocked one of the two men away with a single palm strike, and blocked the other man's attack on him with his other hand. The others who had been entangled with him now turned their attack on him. I saw Xi Lan instantly knock back several men, and then retreat to my side with lightning speed, his back to me, blocking the attacks from both sides with his hands, while taking a palm strike to the chest from the man opposite him.

"Xi Lan!" I shouted in my heart, my mouth open but no sound came out. Tears welled up instantly, and through my blurry vision, I saw Xi Lan turn around and smile at me, but a trace of blood slowly trickled down the corner of his mouth. My heart ached so much that I lost all feeling. He then gently waved his hand at me, and my vision went black as I fell into boundless darkness.

I jolted awake from my dream, sitting bolt upright. Darkness enveloped me again. The sight of Xi Lan smiling at me with blood trickling from his lips had startled me awake. No, it wasn't a dream! My heart pounded with unprecedented panic. I couldn't distinguish between pain, ache, guilt, or remorse; my heart was racing, as if I'd suddenly lost something vital. It was still beating fiercely, yet I felt myself sinking deeper and deeper, unsure where I would end up. Xi Lan… why was Xi Lan so foolish? And why was he the only one who appeared? Where was Ye Feng? Where were the three guards of Zhilan Palace? And Yun Yao and the others? Why was it only Xi Lan who came to rescue me? How is Xi Lan now?

I used the faint light filtering through the crack in the door to look around, and was startled to realize I was still in the Wangyue Palace, still in the room I had been in before. I jumped out of bed, my legs giving way and I almost fell to the ground. My body felt even weaker than before, and my head ached more, felt dizzy, and heavy. I grabbed the table and walked to the door, opened it, and stepped outside. Unsurprisingly, I saw a gleaming knife in front of me. I stumbled back a few steps, leaning against the doorframe. It was dark, and here I was. Did this mean Xilan was in bad shape? I only saw Xilan take a blow, but what happened after that?

Do you want to freeze to death?

Someone is talking, but I can hear their voice clearly, yet it seems like they're very far away. Are they talking to me? But how could I be freezing? I feel so hot right now, almost burning up.

"Aren't you going to come inside and sit on the floor in the cold wind?"

The sound seemed louder than before. I looked down in surprise. Yeah, when did I sit on the ground? I didn't even know it.

Suddenly, I was lifted into the air and then thrown back onto the bed. I lay motionless, letting them pull me into the covers, take my pulse, and feel my forehead. Then I heard voices. I opened my eyes wide and looked ahead, but I couldn't see anything in front of me or hear the conversation. My head was buzzing, and all I could think about was how Xi Lan was doing. Would Xi Lan be alright?

Soon, or perhaps much later, someone helped me sit up and handed me a bowl of dark, murky stuff. I frowned slightly and smelled a pungent medicinal odor.

"Drink it."

The person who spoke lifted my chin with one hand, staring at me fiercely, his voice filled with anger. I looked at him in confusion, and it took me a long time to make out his face. I gave a self-deprecating laugh, but my voice was surprisingly weak and hoarse as I asked, "Why has Your Highness come?"

"Drink it." He pursed his lips, exuding an imposing aura, but his expression was unpredictable, and the hand gripping my chin seemed to tighten its hold.

I tilted my head slightly and sneered at him, then with all my might I swung my hand. Caught off guard, the medicine bowl in his hand was knocked to the ground with a loud "crack," and the smell of medicine in the room became even stronger.

"You!" He said through gritted teeth, his eyes blazing with fury. The hand that had been holding the medicine bowl, now empty, rose high, but ultimately did not fall.

“What prisoner deserves such lavish treatment, that His Highness personally serves him medicine? His Highness has achieved his goal; he should kill me with a single blow.” I looked at him mockingly and sneered.

He released his grip, his usual arrogant and domineering demeanor returning to his brows. His voice, whether joyful or angry, was unreadable as he said, "Want to die? Not so easy!"

"Do I still have any use to Your Highness? Weren't Your Highness's previous actions in line with Tian Xinrong's wishes?" I looked at Wangyue Zongning with amusement, speaking these words with great ease and casualness.

"Hahaha!" He laughed, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. Suddenly, he sat on the edge of my bed, placed his hand on my left shoulder, spread his fingers, and then stroked the back of my neck, saying in an unusually gentle voice, "I really shouldn't underestimate you!"

I subtly turned my head away, sized up the person's clothes and expression, and said calmly, "Your Highness, why don't you take advantage of this excellent opportunity to fight to the death?"

Since Mochizuki Zongning didn't declare war today, Xi Lan must still be alive. But why haven't the three armies moved? Could it be that the forces Mochizuki Zongning planned to encircle the three armies are already nearby? Also, why was it only Xi Lan who came to my rescue today? Leaving aside Ye Feng and Yun Hui, even if Er Linzi is currently burdened with heavy responsibilities and cannot recklessly take risks, he would at least have Mu Mo and the others lend Xi Lan a hand. So, was Xi Lan's injury something that was foreseen from the beginning?

From the very beginning, Xi Lan and I had been paying close attention to the backgrounds and movements of everyone in the army. We were especially vigilant about those who had or might have had contact with Wang Yue Zong Ning. When I was kidnapped, Xi Lan didn't storm the palace to rescue me. How could he not know where I was being held? Furthermore, the fact that he was the only one who fell for the trap and went up the city wall to rescue me is all very strange. Could it be that Xi Lan has discovered something and wants to take this opportunity to completely eliminate any dissident forces within the army? If the Marshal is seriously injured and his life hangs in the balance, those people will definitely be eager to make their move, right? So, Xi Lan would rather I be kidnapped by Wang Yue Zong Ning than have me stay in the perilous Tianqing Army camp, where we don't know if they are allies or enemies?

To quell external threats, internal stability must come first. They had sensed the conspiracy early on. The cities they'd captured along the way had fallen so easily; how could Wangyue be so easily defeated? The battle for Wangzhou was the key, and the most perilous. To win, they had to eliminate the dangers and destabilizing factors lurking around them. Only by working together could they defeat the enemy.

If everything goes as I think, then should I stay here with Wangyue Zongning for now, make sure I don't go hungry or get sick, and wait for Xilan and the others to finish what they need to do before they come to rescue me?

Clouds Drunk, Moon Slightly Asleep (Revised Edition) Volume Three: If Life Were Only Like Our First Meeting, Far From the Battlefield (Part One)

Chapter word count: 4477 Update time: 08-12-23 14:37

Far from the battlefield (Part 1)

Wang An stood respectfully outside the door, seemingly in a hurry. Mochizuki Sōne left me and went outside. Wang An whispered a few words to him, and then Mochizuki Sōne strode out. After taking only a few steps, she turned back and gave Wang An a few instructions. Wang An then bowed and replied. Only after Mochizuki Sōne had gone far away did she hurriedly walk in another direction.

I sat on the bed, lost in thought, my head spinning. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, I took off one of my earrings and tossed it casually into a corner of the room. Soon, a maid came in and cleaned the floor, while others carried in and out, bringing in a variety of dishes. Finally, Wang An entered and ordered the maids to help me up from the bed and sit me on a stool. The maids then bowed and withdrew.

I hadn't eaten all day, so I should be very hungry, but I didn't have much of an appetite for the food. I didn't know if I was just overeating or if it was because I wasn't feeling well. I glanced at Wang An standing to the side; he had his head down and wasn't saying a word.

"Eunuch Wang, did the maids see one of my earrings when they were cleaning this room today? I just discovered one is missing; I don't know if it disappeared last night or if I accidentally lost it while out today." My hand rested on the edge of the table. If the pot of Cui Feng Yun Xia last night wasn't a coincidence, then what connection does Wang An have with the Yun family? Besides this body, the only thing connecting me to the Yun family is the pair of earrings the fox put on me, saying Yun Feng instructed me never to remove them. Could Wang An's momentary surprise upon first seeing me be because of my earrings?

He looked up and quickly glanced at my ear, a look of surprise flashing across his face. He then lowered his head and replied, "Don't worry, Miss. Let me search more carefully. You've been sleeping all day, so please have something to eat first."

A smile crept onto my lips as I watched Wang An bend down and search every nook and cranny of the room. I picked up my chopsticks and started eating. It seemed there was indeed something special about the earring. Otherwise, or if Wang An had simply regarded it as an ordinary piece of jewelry, he would have first asked the maids who were cleaning the room, or at most sent people to search the places I had passed by. Instead, although his expression seemed normal, his actions suggested that the matter of the earring was something that couldn't be made public yet was extremely important.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before Wang An hurriedly came to the table, handed the earring to me, and whispered, "Miss, is this it?"

I feigned surprise and accepted the earrings, but then took off the other earring as well. I handed both earrings to Wang An and said, "It seems I'll be staying here for a few more days. I hope you'll take good care of me, sir. These earrings aren't worth much, but I hope you'll accept them!"

Ah, if only I could just ask what the secret of these earrings is, what they mean!

"You mustn't, young lady!" His back bent even more, his head still bowed, but his voice held both respect and a slight panic.

"Is Father-in-law disgusted?" I placed the earrings on the table. They were called earrings, but they looked more like 21st-century ear clips. I couldn't tell the material at a glance, and the intricately engraved patterns on them were also incomprehensible to me. However, since they were from the Yun family and Yun Feng had me wear them, they must be worth quite a bit of money.

"This servant wouldn't dare," he hurriedly replied, finally raising his head to look at me with respect in his eyes. "It is this servant's honor to have the opportunity to serve you, Miss. Your earrings are so precious; this servant could not possibly accept them out of greed."

I looked at the person in front of me, and suddenly chuckled. I put the earrings on the table back on my ears before saying, "Eunuch, when do you think His Highness would have murderous thoughts?"

"Miss, how about I brew you another pot of tea? It will calm your mind and help you rest. Maybe then you won't be so troubled."

I nodded and watched him leave before turning around and climbing onto the bed. I couldn't hold on any longer; my head was getting dizzier and dizzier. Let me lie down for a while.

"Girl, girl!"

I struggled to open my eyes and saw Wang An standing by my bedside, holding a bowl in his hand, gently calling my name. I frowned as I looked at the bowl; a strong smell of medicine wafted up at me. After thinking for a moment, I struggled to get up again. I never expected to fall asleep without realizing it; I'd only slept for a whole day! Ugh!

"What is this?" I asked, leaning against the headboard and rubbing my forehead.