Early the next morning, Feng Suige sent someone to deliver a medicinal pill. After Yi Xiao took it, her strength recovered considerably. By noon, most of the guards below the tower had been withdrawn, leaving only two to watch over her.
As night fell, the spring chill set in deeply. Except for the night watch and patrolling soldiers, almost everyone had retreated to the warmth indoors. The two remaining guards leaned against a sheltered corner, with one chattering animatedly to his companion. "A beautiful courtesan arrived in the imperial city. Old Wei from Shahe Camp went to see her and said she looked like a celestial maiden descended to earth..."
Yi Xiao cautiously treaded on the floorboards, approaching step by careful step behind him. When she was about three paces away from the guard, a floorboard creaked softly beneath her weight. The guard turned around startled, saw Yi Xiao, and was visibly stunned. "It's you—do you need something?"
Yi Xiao flashed a natural, disarming smile. "I'm just feeling a bit hungry. Could you help me check if there are any leftover snacks in the kitchen?"
The two guards exchanged glances, and the other one spoke up. "I'll go. I was in a hurry to come for my shift and didn't eat enough. I'll ask for extra portions."
Yi Xiao gave a slight, grateful bow. "Thank you for your trouble."
The guard just waved his hand dismissively and walked away with long strides.
Yi Xiao watched him descend the tower until he disappeared around the corner of the long corridor. Noticing the vigilant gaze of the remaining guard fixed on her, she suddenly smiled brightly. "Look at me, only thinking about food. I'll go back inside and wait." She made as if to turn around.
At the moment the guard slightly relaxed and was about to turn his head away, Yi Xiao channeled her power into her hand and struck precisely at the pressure point on the side of his neck. The guard let out a muffled groan and collapsed unconscious.
Quickly descending the stairs, Yi Xiao evaded the patrolling guards and crept stealthily toward the perimeter wall. During the day, she'd already carefully observed the layout inside and outside. Although her body hadn't fully recovered, once she crossed this wall, there would be dense protective groves outside—perfect for sneaking away under the cover of night without fear of discovery.
Just as her hand touched the cool stone of the wall, someone chuckled softly nearby. "Aren't you going to take the other half of the antidote?"
Yi Xiao whirled around in shock. Feng Suige's eyes glinted with a mesmerizing, almost predatory light as he emerged unhurriedly from the shadows of the building.
By the time he reached her, Yi Xiao had regained her composure. "Feng Suige, you did this on purpose."
Feng Suige smiled with deliberate ambiguity. "How could I bear to let you go so soon? I heard the Duke of Zhennan's old ailment was miraculously cured upon seeing a certain jade hairpin. This makes me even more eager to witness the moment he meets the owner of that hairpin."
"You scoundrel!" Yi Xiao suddenly lunged at him like an enraged cat, claws extended. Feng Suige stepped back, but Yi Xiao's nails still managed to graze his face, drawing a thin line of blood across his cheek.
"Such a crude woman," Feng Suige frowned, wiping the blood from his cheek with the back of his hand. "I'll let it slide this time, but if you try any more tricks, I'd be more than happy to keep you locked up until you're old and gray."
This delay allowed the guard returning from the kitchen to discover the situation and sound the alarm. Instantly, every light in the entire garden blazed to life, illuminating every corner as bright as day.
Amidst the growing commotion, Feng Suige extended his open palm with an infuriating smile. "Come, walk with me."
Yi Xiao stood rigid for a long moment before finally relaxing and placing her hand in his. Feng Suige immediately gripped it tightly and led her back to the pebble-paved path with long, unhurried strides.
Everyone was in chaos upon discovering Yi Xiao's attempted escape when suddenly they saw Feng Suige emerge from the shadows nearby, holding Yi Xiao's hand. They all stood with mouths agape, utterly unsure how to react.
A young guard captain was the first to regain his senses. He rushed forward and dropped to one knee. "So it was Your Highness who came. We thought something had gone terribly amiss."
Feng Suige smiled without a word, gently pulling Yi Xiao forward. He said softly, "Return to your room. I'll come see you tomorrow."
Yi Xiao glared daggers at him and walked slowly toward the tower, with two guards following closely behind.
Watching Yi Xiao ascend the wooden stairs, the guard captain let out a profound sigh of relief. His gaze returned to Feng Suige's face, and he couldn't help but start in surprise. "Your Highness, your face..."
Feng Suige, clearly in an excellent mood, answered with a smile. "A cat scratch," before quickly departing, completely ignoring the varied expressions of bewilderment around him.
A newly arrived guard approached the captain, asking in puzzlement, "When did we start keeping cats in the garden?"
The captain glared at him irritably. "If you don't even know whether we have cats or not, you've been eating for nothing." Then, looking at Feng Suige's fading silhouette, he muttered to himself with grudging admiration, "That cat sure has some nerve."
"Ning Fei!"
Shortly after Ning Fei passed in a water skin, a sharp, piercing cry came from Ling Xueying's carriage. The imperial guards escorting them outside collectively shrank their necks, looking at their revered General Ning with immense sympathy as he turned his horse around with a dark expression and rode back to the carriage. "What is it now?"
Xueying had already emerged from the carriage, holding an exquisite teacup in front of him accusingly. Ning Fei's expression softened slightly. "Drink it yourself. I'm not thirsty."
Xueying raised the cup a bit higher, her voice sharp. "I'm not asking you to drink it, I'm asking you to look!"
"What?" Ning Fei leaned forward to examine the contents, spotting small wriggling creatures in the teacup. He straightened. "Oh, those are mosquito larvae. They're harmless."
"Harmless!?!?" Xueying's voice rose by two full octaves. "You deliberately put bugs in there to disgust me, and you say it's harmless!!"
Ning Fei frowned, utterly baffled by her reaction. "Spring water can't be as pristine as mountain spring water. Bugs in the water actually show that it's clean and non-toxic. When traveling, you shouldn't be so particular."
Xueying was so angry she almost threw the teacup directly at his head. "Don't be particular?! If I had drunk straight from the water skin, I would have swallowed these bugs!"
Ning Fei sighed heavily, took the water skin hanging from his saddle, and handed it to her. "Then drink from mine."
Xueying recoiled in disgust. "You've drunk from that—isn't it even dirtier?"
"Then what do you want?!" Ning Fei finally shouted in exasperation. "You make such a fuss over a few water bugs—do you plan not to drink any water for the entire journey?!"
Xueying retorted stubbornly, "How can one drink water with bugs in it..." Before she could finish, her eyes widened in absolute horror, her mouth hanging open.
Ning Fei had snatched the teacup and downed the spring water in one gulp. Seeing her stunned expression, he wiped the water from his lips and thrust the empty cup back into her hands. "See? You can drink it even with bugs."
With a thud, the teacup slipped from Xueying's nerveless hands onto the carriage step, spun around a few times, and rolled to the ground. Just as it made a crisp shattering sound, it was crushed beneath the carriage wheel.
"You... you swallowed the bugs," Xueying's voice trembled, filled with disbelief and horror. Her face changed colors several times, and with a choked sound in her throat, she jumped down from the still-moving carriage and crouched by the roadside, retching violently.
Ning Fei jumped off his horse in surprise and strode over to pat her back. "What's the big deal about a few bugs? Didn't Yi Xiao tell you? Back in the day on the battlefield when water was scarce, we even drank horse urine."
Xueying had just finished emptying her lunch and was catching her breath when she heard his last sentence. She couldn't help but start dry heaving all over again.
Amidst Ning Fei's hearty, booming laughter, Xueying's furious scream pierced the sky. "If you dare say another word, I'll never let you hear the end of it!"
Xia Jingshi lifted the carriage curtain and looked back at the commotion. Xiao Weiran, riding beside the carriage, smiled knowingly. "It's Ning Fei. He's teasing Miss Ling again."
Xia Jingshi's lips curved slightly upward. "He's also reached the age to start a family."
Xiao Weiran was about to say something more, but Xia Jingshi had already lowered the curtain. After a moment of heavy silence, Xiao Weiran said softly, carefully, "Even after marrying the princess, Your Highness could still take concubines. Yi Xiao probably wouldn't refuse..."
The carriage fell utterly silent, and even the soft rustling of clothes ceased. After a long while, Xia Jingshi's calm voice came from inside, carrying a weight of resignation. "Everyone has their own path to happiness, and her happiness in this life will not be found with me."
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