Chapter 113: On the Eve of Dawn

"Your Majesty." Cheng You indifferently tossed the frail body onto the ground, bowed and said, "The Profound Heaven subordinates caught him outside; he must have slipped in over the city wall."

Wei Lingfeng looked up, glanced offhand, and was slightly startled: "It's you."

The child turned over, obediently knelt, his blood‑streaked cheek pressed to the ground, and in a childish voice said, "Your Majesty, I am Miss Dai delivering a message."

"What?!" Two urgent voices rang out simultaneously.

Xin Luo was slightly startled, lifted her head to glance, then her complexion changed dramatically; pointing at the long‑haired, blue‑clad youth beside Wei Lingfeng, she cried, "Young Master… how are you here?!"

Qi Ran flickered forward to his side, almost dragging him up from the ground, and asked anxiously, "How is Bing Yi?"

"Little… Miss, she's fine." Xin Luo inhaled deeply, forced her astonishment down, her voice a bit hoarse and strained because Qi Ran was holding her collar, "Miss asked me to deliver a letter to the Emperor."

"Qi Ran…" Wei Lingfeng had also paced over, his five fingers gripping Qi Ran's wrist, his voice steady yet unable to hide a slight tremor, "Release him first."

The letter unfolded; the faint yellow paper held only a few words, the handwriting chaotic, scattered everywhere, as if written blindly with eyes covered.

Wei Lingfeng's expression remained calm, he did not look up, and asked lightly, "How did you get this letter out from under Xiao Yifei's very nose?" Xin Luo, startled by the palpable pressure, quickly lowered her head to avoid the sharpness, and whispered, "First… the gentleman has already left Yin Yi."

Wei Lingfeng paused, his brows slightly furrowed, took the paper to a water basin, immersed it; the paper gradually moistened, and the previously invisible characters appeared.

"Can't die for now…" Seeing this line, Wei Lingfeng couldn't help but laugh, then shook his head helplessly and continued, "Now imprisoned in the northern Water Ruins Pavilion of Yin Yi City, actions unrestricted. Fu Junmo and Xiao Yifei already have a conflict, can be exploited. The grain depot is at… please tell Xin Luo the plan; we are ready to act at any time."

"Luo Er! Luo Er! …" an urgent voice came from outside the palace, then was stopped at the door.

Wei Lingfeng's voice paused, he carefully spread the damp paper in his hand, handed it to Qi Ran, then leisurely walked toward the hall exterior, saying lightly, "Let her in."

As soon as the words ended, a figure in a purple dress rushed in, lunged at Xin Luo, hauled her hard into her arms, crying and laughing, and after a moment rasped, "Luo Er, Luo Er, you're okay! So good!!"

"Sister…" Xin Luo's small body trembled slightly in her embrace, then she reached out and held her tightly again.

Wei Lingfeng's eyebrows twitched slightly, a strange expression between them, yet he couldn't pinpoint the problem. He turned to look at Qi Ran, seeing him gazing intently at the paper, his demeanor composed.

Sunlight passed through the soaked paper, giving it an oily translucence. Standing there, Wei Lingfeng could clearly see the characters written with a sharp implement, not merely… characters. He squinted slightly; around the writing, those odd symbols…

…946↙1586**↙128↙153*↙1946↙2……

What are these strange symbols?

"Xin Hui!" Qi Ran suddenly lifted his head, his face calm, and asked, "Where is Bing Yi's bundle?"

Xin Hui, her eyes reddened and swollen, was a bit bewildered, and after a while said, "I… I'll go get it…"

Wei Lingfeng, through his drooping eyelids, saw Qi Ran at his side, struggling to suppress his trembling hand.

Bing Yi's odd backpack was brought over; Qi Ran handed the now‑drying paper to Wei Lingfeng. From the bag he pulled out a silver‑white square object, opened it and fiddled with it, completely ignoring the onlookers in the room.

"Luo Er…" Xin Hui cradled the absent‑minded frail body in her arms, speaking softly, "Luo Er, how did you end up inside Yin Yi City? That day, you and Xiao Chi vanished suddenly; do you know how worried we were?"

"Sister…" Xin Luo's mouth twitched, she buried her face in her arms, murmuring, "Luo Er is fine."

Xin Hui, still trembling, smiled weakly, then furrowed her brows, voice shaking, "Luo Er, the Miss didn't suffer much, right?"

Wei Lingfeng, who had been watching Qi Ran, let his thoughts drift slightly, hearing Xin Luo sigh not like a child, and after a long pause said, "The Miss endured a lot of hardship this time…"

Before Xin Luo could finish, she suddenly felt immense pressure; she sneered inwardly, but when she looked up her face was startled.

Wei Lingfeng clenched his fists at his sides and said word for word, "Continue."

"Yes!" Xin Luo trembled in Xin Hui's arms, hurriedly continued, "The Miss was first locked in the Water Prison by the Prince of Key Nation. Later, Yin Tianshuo somehow learned of her situation, went to whip and humiliate her. I heard he also… gave her a lewd poison…"

"Bang—" the sound of metal hitting the ground came from behind; Wei Lingfeng turned his wobbling body, looked at Qi Ran's pallid face behind him, the silver‑white box opened, fell to the ground, spinning.

Qi Ran steadied himself, picked up the box, rose slowly, and in a trembling, hoarse voice that he tried to control said, "Continue… speaking."

"Yin Tianshuo originally intended for someone to insult the Miss, but fortunately the Prince of Key Nation arrived. Later… for some reason, the Prince took the Miss to see the gentleman… Xiao Yifei, and the Miss was locked in that room."

Qi Ran inhaled deeply, clenched the box tightly, steadied his voice, and asked, "Xin Luo, do you wish to stay here or return to Bing Yi's side?"

"I want to go back to the Miss's side!" Xin Luo sprang up, shouting.

"Is that so?" A leisurely smile tugged at his pallid lips; Qi Ran nodded and gently said, "Xin Luo, then please tell Bing Yi that the rescue will occur in three days; ask her to find a way to open the northern waterway gate. We will bring people via the waterway before noon to save her."

Wei Lingfeng frowned, a strange hue flashing in his eyes; just as he was about to speak, he saw Qi Ran's upturned mouth, that leisurely smile turning colder, and his thoughts stalled, the words he intended swallowed back.

"I… I understand." Xin Luo's eyes flashed with shy pride, she nodded heavily, "I will definitely protect the Miss, waiting for you to rescue. Young Master, Emperor, sister, you can rest assured!"

"By the way, this…" Xin Luo fished two thumb‑sized silver circles from her bosom, handed them to Qi Ran cautiously, "These two… um, rings… yes, rings. Miss originally asked the Emperor to pass them to you."

Qi Ran's figure quivered slightly, he reached for the two glittering silver rings, clutched them tightly, and in a trembling voice said, "Tell her I am waiting for her, forever waiting… for her to return to me."

That frail silhouette gradually vanished from view; Wei Lingfeng exhaled slowly, easing the knot in his chest that had been painful since earlier. He withdrew his gaze, turned, looked at Qi Ran standing in the dappled sunlight, and asked, "What did you discover?"

Qi Ran opened the silver box in his hand, slowly extended his arm and held it before him, saying in a deep voice, "Brother, look for yourself!"

Wei Lingfeng saw the unusually radiant crystal, clearer than any white jade crystal he had ever seen, so dazzling that he could only feel dazzled and incredulous for a moment.

He stepped forward; the silver box, shining like a mirror that could almost reflect his image, lay before him. He squinted, staring for a while at those oddly shaped symbols and swirling patterns, which he gradually ignored.

Then, he suddenly widened his obsidian‑bright eyes, his thin lips parting slightly, silently voicing the flickering black characters on the silver box.

Qi Ran, thinking of that person's suffering, smiled bleakly, put the silver box back, and said lightly, "Brother, Bu Na's side is almost ready; let your great army set out."

Outside Yin Yi City, in Qing Lai Valley, a man clad entirely in black bound a dozen limp, unconscious bodies like dead corpses into a heap, glanced up at Yin Yi City's towering walls, his dark sword‑shaped brows slightly furrowing, a barely perceptible sigh, then turned and left.

"Hey!" an orange‑clad woman, whose origin was unknown, leapt in front of him; her stunningly beautiful, charming face bore a thin anger, cheeks flushed pink, adding a delicate liveliness. She extended her white wrist, blocking the black‑clad man's path, and scolded, "Bu Sha! If I hadn't helped you, they wouldn't have been dealt with so quickly. Turning away and ignoring people is too ungrateful…"

The black‑clad man—Bu Sha—kept his expression unchanged, a flash of movement brought him before the blue‑clad, light‑silk woman, and he said coldly, "All switched to Cold Moon Sect assassins?"

The blue‑clad woman nodded slightly, her upturned face scarred with blade scars, bathed in sunlight, looking both fierce and pitiable. She sighed, her voice as melodious as pearls dropping on a plate, "I hope the Young Master and his party can confront Xiao Yifei soon; any further delay and the Sect Leader might not wait any longer."

She paused, glanced toward Yin Yi City ahead, feeling the ever‑cold, thin calm aura around her, which, because of her gaze—specifically the city in her sight—shook slightly.

Lan Yingruo turned her head, glanced at the angry orange‑clad woman still behind, who stubbornly refused to come forward, let out an involuntary sigh, her voice deep, "Cheng Er is a good girl, you really… didn't feel anything?" She paused, her tone growing more despondent, "You all are the same; you have people worth cherishing nearby, yet you only stare at someone who can never belong to you."

Bu Sha was slightly stunned by the words, looked at her in surprise, but said nothing.

Lan Yingruo sighed again, a bitter smile crossing her scar‑lined face, "I'm returning to the Sect Leader; if you have anything, notify me via 'White Love'."

Seeing the other merely nod coldly, still expressionless and heartless, she shook her head and turned away.

"Bu Sha, do you really want to go into Yin Yi to rescue her?"

Bu Sha glared, his brows knit.

"Hey! Don't you know that's dangerous?" Cheng Er stamped her foot hard, turned and clutched his arm, urging, "Besides, she naturally has the Young Master and Prince Qi to rescue her; why should you worry?"

Bu Sha frowned impatiently, his hand already withdrawn, and said coldly, "It's none of your business!"

Cheng Er stared blankly at her empty palm, crystal tears suddenly fell like beads whose strings had snapped, drop by drop. She jerked her head up, turned, and, choked, shouted, "You idiot, big idiot! I like you, I like you, Bu Sha!!"

"I like you," those four words echoed repeatedly through the valley; the figure in black clothes and black hair ahead hesitated slightly, then finally stopped.

Bu Sha slowly turned around, his dark eyes filled with faint doubt and bewilderment, and as he looked at the rain‑kissed, pear‑blossom‑like face of the woman before him, his heart softened a little. He pressed his lips together, his mind aching over his words, "I… don't like… "

In an instant, two familiar faces flashed in his mind; as he lowered his gaze, he seemed to see the three of them sword‑dancing in the silver‑sand‑filled valley, a natural, flowing rapport, and he imagined a clear, pure voice whispering by his ear: "If the heart is free, the body bathes in the long wind; wander the world without leaving nor abandoning."

He suddenly gave a faint smile, the corner of his mouth curving in a way that could be called happiness, leaving Cheng Er stunned. Yet his gaze pierced her and reached into distant time and space, only after a long while returning to her; even his usually cold voice softened slightly, carrying a hint of apology, as he whispered, "I don't like you."

Cheng Er bit her pale lower lip, watching the steadfast, indifferent silhouette recede farther away with a mix of hope and release; tears swirled in her eyes repeatedly before finally falling.

Her sweaty hands clenched her shirt and skirt, and she struggled to speak hoarsely, her voice echoing in the valley: "Bu Sha, I'll help you… I'll sneak you into the city!"

"Su girl, Su girl…" Xiao Yue's voice came from outside the door; Su Wanrou, who had been sitting with me and Xin Luo, stood up, walked to the doorway and said, "I'm here, what happened?"

Xiao Yue bowed slightly, excitement flashing in her eyes, and in a bright voice said, "Ma Yingyan, the Ma girl, is requesting an audience outside the city, saying she came to visit you, Su girl; the Crown Prince asked me to convey the message."

Ma Yingyan? Isn't that… Cheng Er? My heart tightened, but I showed no expression, smiling warmly at Su Wanrou's surprised face, and apologetically said, "Bing Yi, I'm sorry, I have something today and can't accompany you."

"No problem." I smiled, watching her leave, yet I could not hide the nervousness inside. There was only one day left until the promised rescue—could it be that Qi Ran and the others have already begun to act?

Using blind texting on a mobile phone is indeed safe for transmitting information, but it cannot guarantee that my memory is correct, so I cannot convey too much.

Only those five characters—can Qi Ran understand them? Can she respond?

"Miss…" Xin Luo's lowered voice snapped me back, "The young master and his group will act tomorrow; we must open the waterway's gate before noon tomorrow, coordinate inside and out, and escape."

I frowned and nodded, saying, "But I've lost all my internal power now, and Jue was also taken by Fu Junmo; how can we escape?"

Xin Luo's delicate brows also furrowed, and after a pause she said, "Miss, don't worry. Tonight I'll lure the Crown Prince here. You try to hold him off; I'll go retrieve the antidote for the Huagong Pill and bring Jue back."

The thought of facing Fu Junmo made me shiver, but I helplessly nodded.

When Fu Junmo entered my room, the last glimmer of sunset had already faded. Candlelight flickered in the room, reflecting on his gloomy, dark, slightly gaunt face.

"You want to see me?" he asked outright.

I was stunned for a moment, then forced myself to nod, pointing at the round table opposite, "Crown Prince, please sit."

His complexion softened a bit, and he sat down before me, lifted the teacup and drank it down, then poured another himself; after a long pause he asked, "Who is the child's father?"

"Huh?" I was startled by his sudden question, hurriedly trying to steady my emotions, and forced a dry laugh, "Why ask that?"

"Why are you panicking?" he frowned at me, his gaze sweeping over the tangled needles, thread, and fabric in the bamboo strainer by the bedside; after a moment of thought, his eyes suddenly flashed, and he abruptly grabbed my wrist, asking hoarsely, "You said you… are pregnant, is that a lie?!"

I was shocked, my face turning completely pale in an instant, my heartbeat thudding in my ears as if it might burst out of my chest at any moment.

"As expected…" a look of sudden smugness mixed with intense anger spread across his face; suddenly his left hand slammed against the table edge, pushing the round table so it slid smoothly against my foot and away.

I hadn't even managed to groan from the knee pain when his scorching grip on my wrist tightened, dragging me harshly into his arms.

A deep, lingering, vicious voice transmitted through the tight clothing into my ear, "It's strange, Crown Prince, that although you vomited when you saw blood, you have been locked in the water prison for so long, beaten, subjected to rain and clouds, yet the child is still intact. Moreover, when I was intimate with you, I never saw you feel nauseous. The strangest thing is, a woman about to become a mother, how could she have no thought of stitching clothes for the child?"

"Please! That's an ancient custom of yours, why bring it onto me." I cursed silently while struggling, but my arms were clamped like iron tongs, unmoving.

The breath exhaled onto my face grew increasingly murky and hot, his hands tightly encircling me, moving slowly; one hand clasped my waist, the other slid toward my collar.

Horrified and angry, I pushed him away, shouting, "What are you doing? Aren't you afraid Xiao Yifei will kill you?"

Fu Junmo's eyes turned terrifyingly deep; he seized my struggling hands and pulled them behind me, sneering, "Xiao Yifei has long left Hidden Wing; how could he kill me? Doesn't he want the child you're carrying? The Crown Prince will give him one…"

After speaking, he clasped the back of my neck with one hand, his scorching lips about to press against me.

A faint, almost inaudible whoosh of air rang, and Fu Junmo suddenly jerked free as if pricked by a needle, leapt up, and, with a vicious glare, shouted toward the window, "Who?!"

A dark silhouette flashed outside the window; Fu Junmo's eyes flashed with a sharp, fierce light as he waved toward the few guards stationed outside, "Don't you hurry and chase!"

Before leaving, he gave me a deep stare, his brows tightly knit, yet he still fled in a disheveled manner.

I couldn't help but laugh, yet felt bewildered—what just happened? Who was the one who saved me?

"Miss!" Xin Luo's excited voice rang at the doorway. I lifted my head, lips parting, and asked silently, "Did you get it?"

A childish, proud smile spread across his face, his eyes clearly conveying a message of victory.

I took a deep breath, carefully took the Jue pill from my right wrist, swallowed the antidote, felt the internal breath steadily restoring within me, and repeatedly told myself: don't panic, success or failure… is tomorrow!

(End of chapter)