Xia Jingshi's shout echoed through the entire camp like a thunderclap, jolting Feng Xiyang awake from her light slumber. She abruptly opened her eyes as one of her attendants rushed in, exclaiming in panic, "Princess, we've encountered a flood!"
As she watched her maids frantically moving in and out carrying belongings, the curtain of her palanquin was suddenly thrust aside. Xia Jingshi, soaking wet, burst in and barked, "Take only the essentials and abandon the rest. Follow the others to higher ground!"
Indeed, she hadn't misjudged him; he still remembered her.
As Xia Jingshi turned to leave, Feng Xiyang barely had time to savor the sweetness that welled up in her heart. She only managed to call out, "Husband, I'll go with you!"
But Xia Jingshi had already plunged back into the rain without looking back.
Amidst the shouts of people and neighing of horses, everyone had retreated to the safety of the mountainside. Looking back at the campsite at the foot of the mountain, most of the vehicles and some abandoned large objects in the open area were already floating away in the mud.
As the downpour intensified, thousands of water columns burst forth from the mountain gullies, creating a spectacular and terrible scene. Rocks and mud collapsed, mixing and surging down the mountainside like the earth was pouring its own destruction upon them.
Xue Ying had sprained her ankle while helping to rescue the warhorses. Now she was curled up in Ning Fei's equally exhausted arms, staring blankly at the rolling muddy floods below. Whether from cold or lingering fear, she trembled slightly. Ning Fei rested his chin gently on top of her head, one hand holding up a coat to shield them from the rain, the other arm around her, soothingly patting her back.
"Where is he?!"
The previous calm was shattered by a woman's voice, distorted with terror and desperation—Feng Xiyang.
She held a somewhat damaged oil-paper umbrella, her once-delicate makeup now smeared by the rain. Her entire appearance was a disheveled mess after the ordeal. At first, she had managed to maintain some semblance of dignity, having her maid hold the umbrella as they climbed. But as they ascended, the path grew steeper, forcing her to abandon the umbrella and, like everyone else, hike up her skirts and use both hands and feet to scramble upward through the downpour.
Now she was frantically searching for Xia Jingshi. "Where is he?!"
Seeing Ning Fei turn his head, Feng Xiyang's anxious voice rose even higher. "Answer me quickly!"
Ning Fei frowned slightly and raised his right hand, pointing in another direction. Feng Xiyang said nothing and was about to walk past when Xue Ying sighed, "Even without a title, you should at least say thank you."
Feng Xiyang paused, tossed back a "Thank you," and continued on her unsteady path forward.
Along the winding mountain path, temporary rain shelters had been set up, under which sat scattered soldiers. Upon seeing her approach, they unanimously halted their idle chatter. A few younger soldiers stood up, intending to salute, but after looking around uncertainly, they sat back down.
Feng Xiyang forced a smile. "My husband, he—"
A military officer stood up, politely interrupting her, "His Highness is fastidious. Having just helped salvage supplies, he's covered in mud. He should be tidying up behind us now. Princess, please wait here for a moment while I go inform him."
"That won't be necessary," Feng Xiyang didn't want to linger—everyone's gaze made her feel uncomfortable, as if she carried thorns wherever she stood. "I'll go to him directly."
Though displeased, the officer didn't insist. He pointed toward a nearby bend. "His Highness is over there."
Rounding the bend, she saw Xia Jingshi and Xiao Weiran standing not far ahead.
Xiao Weiran, holding an oil-paper umbrella, had a mud-covered garment draped over his shoulder—barely recognizable as the one Xia Jingshi had been wearing earlier. Beside him, Xia Jingshi had already rinsed off the mud with rainwater and changed into clean clothes. He was in the process of tying up his now-neat long hair.
Even soaking wet, he maintained his usual grace. She was a complete mess.
Xiao Weiran noticed Feng Xiyang first and cleared his throat softly. "Your Highness, the Princess has arrived."
Xia Jingshi made a noncommittal sound, calmly finished arranging his hair, and turned around. "You were looking for me?"
"I came to see how you were," Feng Xiyang met his eyes and suddenly felt ashamed.
Then her gaze fixed on something in his hair—a pale blue glass hairpin. It looked exactly like the one she'd seen in his study before. A woman's hairpin. Yet he wore it without hesitation.
"Husband, your hairpin..." she said unconsciously.
Xia Jingshi paused briefly, then smiled with practiced ease. "I lost the one I was using earlier, and I happened to have this one with me, so I'm using it for now."
He watched her stare at the hairpin, then casually removed it and handed it to her. "If we're lucky enough to come across a kiln opening on this trip, you can buy more for future use."
Just as Feng Xiyang took the hairpin, a violent gust of mountain wind carrying large raindrops blew past, upending her oil-paper umbrella. She frantically raised her hands to catch it.
In that instant, she forgot about the hairpin in her grip.
Her hand opened.
The pale blue glass hairpin fell.
With a wild shout from Xiao Weiran, Xia Jingshi brushed past Feng Xiyang and slid down the steep mountainside after it.
Feng Xiyang's eyes widened in horror.
The hairpin bounced twice on the ground before breaking in two. Xia Jingshi dove for it but stepped on a large patch of mud that gave way. He fell downward, with the raging mud and rock-filled waters just a few zhang below, flowing like a river of destruction.
The hairpin. He had gone after the hairpin.
Xiao Weiran shouted fiercely, "Your Highness!" and leaped down after him. The soldiers who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion became chaotic, some calling for "Your Highness," others shouting for the "Adjutant."
Two military officers, disregarding their safety, slid straight down toward the valley floor, following the falling figures of Xia Jingshi and Xiao Weiran.
In just moments, Xia Jingshi had tumbled to the bottom of the ravine and sunk into the mudflow. He resurfaced briefly, now completely covered in mud, only to be submerged again as he was tossed about by the current—emerging and sinking repeatedly in the churning chaos.
One after another, Xiao Weiran and the two military officers also fell in. The three men barely managed to struggle for a few moments before they too were overcome by the tremendous force of the current, rolling in the mud like leaves in a hurricane.
Feng Xiyang stood frozen, watching four men disappear into the mudflow.
She had thrown the hairpin. She had made him fall.
The understanding arrived slowly, then all at once, crushing her like an avalanche.
"Husband..." she finally whispered, then slowly collapsed, clutching her chest as if she could hold together the pieces of what she'd just destroyed.
Ning Fei arrived at some point. With bulging veins on his forehead and reddened eyes, he yanked Feng Xiyang up from the ground and roared, "What happened?! Speak quickly!"
Clearly in extreme shock, Feng Xiyang could only stare blankly and mutter, "I don't know, I didn't mean to..."
Ning Fei shoved Feng Xiyang aside and turned to leave, his movements sharp with urgency and rage. Feng Xiyang stumbled back a few steps and fell to the ground, but quickly scrambled to her feet. She chased after Ning Fei, grabbing his sleeve desperately.
"Please save him! I beg you..."
Ning Fei shook his arm violently, throwing her off. His eyes were cold—colder than the rain, colder than the mudflow below.
"Four people went down there," he said grimly, his voice carrying the weight of a death sentence. "If even one of them is missing, I swear on my life that I'll drag you down to die with them."
Then he was gone, descending into the chaos to attempt the impossible: saving men from a river of mud and stone.
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