Chapter 212: As long as it doesn

"What's there to thank for, being siblings?" Ning Hanmo smiled and shook his head, took a breath before saying, "You made that flower really well; make two more later, just use the vines, the sky will soon light up, then everyone can follow this to find us."

Kang Nai Xin smiled and nodded, "Okay."

He then pointed at the big snake that had stopped wriggling and was completely still, asking, "What should we do with it? It seems non‑poisonous."

Earlier we were tense, but now looking at this snake's species, it should be the non‑poisonous kind the dean mentioned; still, a bite really hurts.

"I brought two sharp stones; when it gets light we'll look around, cut them into pieces, thread them on the vines and carry them off. Today the dean won't kindly bring us food." Ning Hanmo finished speaking, then spread his hands in a helpless gesture.

Kang Nai Xin smiled and gave no reply.

She wouldn't dare speak ill of the dean, and he's the person she admires most; everything the dean does always has its reason.

Ning Hanmo lifted his head to look at Kang Nai Xin, shrugged his shoulders, thinking of his mother, and a smile appeared on his face.

When the two of them had recovered, the sky already showed fish‑belly white; the sun hadn't risen yet, but visibility had improved greatly.

"Let's first look for that kind of stone for slicing," Ning Hanmo said.

"Okay."

After Kang Nai Xin agreed, the two scattered to search for stones and vines.

"I found a few pieces, take a look," Kang Nai Xin said, placing the stones she'd found on the ground.

Ning Hanmo compared them, found a relatively suitable piece among the stones the two had gathered, then walked somewhat shakily to the big snake's side, saying, "Don't blame me—you attacked our people first."

Afterwards he poked the snake with a branch to confirm it was completely dead, stepped forward, and closed his eyes…

"Boss Ning, otherwise let me do it?" Kang Nai Xin watched his actions, unable to hold back asking.

Ning Hanmo glanced at her, "Where I am, you don't need to do this bloody work; just weave flowers with the vines."

Kang Nai Xin raised her eyebrows and said nothing.

She turned aside and began weaving vines into flower balls; first try awkward, second familiar, this time her speed increased considerably— they had gathered plenty of vines and managed to weave three flower balls, which would be more noticeable wherever placed.

She first hung the flower ball here, then marked the subsequent direction, before turning back.

Ning Hanmo had already cut the snake into sections and threaded them onto the vines, but his complexion was poor, his face pale, even his lips slightly whitened, as if he was suppressing something.

"What's wrong?" Kang Nai Xin walked over, worried.

Just as she approached, Ning Hanmo flung the snake string aside and ran to a nearby tree, where he vomited profusely.

Kang Nai Xin looked at Ning Hanmo, then at the snake coils on the ground, and suddenly felt her stomach churn…

She quickly shifted her gaze.

"Let's go."

After Ning Hanmo and Kang Nai Xin regrouped, Kang Nai Xin shared her idea: they would search laterally, then gradually sweep down the mountain— the summit is the start, the base the goal; even if they missed something, spotting a marker would bring them back.

Once they agreed on the plan, they clicked and began the lateral search.

"Any injuries?" Jiang Yun Chu asked.

"No injuries; our people were about to intervene, but Number One arrived and the two of them cooperated to kill the snake." The dark guard replied.

These dark guards are not from the Regent Prince's Manor; they are the royal dark guards, directly answerable to His Majesty.

She doesn't trust others, and she herself doesn't have many people available, plus they must not be noticed by the children.

"As long as it doesn't involve life or death, let them handle it themselves."

Jiang Yun Chu thought it over, clenched her fists, then issued the order; her gaze was stern, with a hint of ruthlessness.

It's not harsh toward the children, but harsh toward herself.

She fears she'll go soft, fears she can't resist finishing the task early, fears she won't trust them…

"Yun Chu." Ningguang furrowed her brows and spoke up to remind her.

Jiang Yun Chu didn't turn around, but waved her hand, "Carry out my orders."

"Yes!" The dark guard bowed and left; His Majesty had assigned him to the Regent's Consort, giving him a death order— all commands were to obey the Regent's Consort.

"Why make things hard for yourself?" Ningguang frowned, looking at her somewhat pallid face, "Isn't it time for the Gui water?"

Before she didn't know, but after getting in touch she realized that every time Yun Chu encounters Gui water, she wishes she were dead; even in midsummer, wearing a fur coat, she doesn't feel hot.

After taking her pulse, however, she found nothing abnormal— that in itself is the most abnormal thing.

"Hmm." Jiang Yun Chu rubbed her brow and gently nodded.

The next day, her lower abdomen ached in waves; the medicine the imperial doctor had prescribed was already finished, it had no effect— the pain remained.

Truly, different bodies, same ordeal!

"Sigh."

Ningguang and everyone poured her hot water, saying nothing else.

On the mountain, Ning Hanmo and Kang Nai Xin had walked less than two quarters of an hour when they saw a lifeless figure…

Only to see Zhang Cunwen caught in a vine‑woven net, hanging upside down from a tall tree.

"Big brother~" Zhang Cunwen saw the familiar faces, tears nearly spilling; his sorrowful look made outsiders think he'd suffered some injustice.

With Kang Nai Xin's earlier performance as a comparison, this…

Ning Hanmo's mouth twitched involuntarily; the gap was quite large, his brother was losing face— what to do?

"Shut up!" Ning Hanmo, unable to bear seeing him on the verge of tears, muttered lowly.

Zhang Cunwen immediately clamped his mouth shut, but his tear‑filled eyes blinked repeatedly, making Kang Nai Xin unable to suppress a laugh.

"Hurry and get him down."

She found a sharp stone shard in the vine bag she was making, and together with Ning Hanmo began cutting the vines.

"Gently, gently, higher." Zhang Cunwen watched the opening grow larger, clutching the vines above tightly, afraid he'd fall.

Ning Hanmo, unwilling to waste words, simply cut another vine, checked the gap, and thought it should let him descend.

"Come down."

Zhang Cunwen looked at the height below, still feeling that up above was safer.

"Don't go down!"

On Ning Hanmo's forehead, it seemed as if several black lines had slid down.

"You climb the vine, one grid at a time downwards; as long as you hold onto the above, it's fine—the bottom isn't high."

How high can the place Kang Nai Xin can reach be?

"Shall I try?"

Zhang Cunwen's slender, tall bamboo-like figure first squatted down, then he held onto the vine with his hands, and his feet began to dangle in the air.