After galloping down Weiyu Mountain and replenishing their water supply from the stream at its base—horses drinking greedily, soldiers splashing their faces—Feng Xiyang was ordered to continue riding with Yixiao. The mare that had previously carried her was now laden with the tightly bound Holy Emperor, his silk robes dust-stained and disheveled, escorted by a general of the Embroidered Army, closely following behind Xia Jingshi's horse. Feng Xiyang seemed to understand the urgency of the situation, and the hostility she had previously shown while bound behind Yixiao had noticeably faded into sullen silence. Feng Suige, too, had shed his playful demeanor like a discarded cloak, organizing the troops into a wartime marching formation before the group began their full-speed advance.
The mountain wind howled past their cheeks, whipping hair into eyes, stealing breath from lungs. The purple banners of the Imperial Guards must be fluttering just as violently as the hems of their robes in this gale, Yixiao thought. Her heart pounded as if it might leap from her chest with each jolt of the horse, her blood surging with an inner cry that became a prayer: Weiran, faster, faster, even faster.
The sky darkened, bleeding from blue to purple to black.
Gritting her teeth, Yixiao raised her whip and lashed it fiercely against the horse's flank. The exhausted steed, already frothing at the mouth with foam flecking its lips, let out a mournful whinny, but its speed did not increase. As she raised the whip for a second strike, Xia Jingshi quietly admonished, "It's useless to flog it to death. Why bother?"
Yixiao angrily retracted the whip, frustration evident in her voice and the set of her shoulders. "It seems we won't make it till dawn. Who knows when we can switch horses again..."
"No need," Xia Jingshi replied with a faint smile that didn't reach his eyes. "This will do."
Before Yixiao could grasp his implication, Xia Jingshi signaled to the accompanying general and reined in his horse.
Feng Suige pulled up in surprise, dust swirling around his mount, only to see Xia Jingshi and his men retreat to the roadside with the Holy Emperor. As Feng Suige turned back, confusion and suspicion warring on his face, Xia Jingshi said calmly, "Phoenix Prince, perhaps we should part ways here."
Feng Suige frowned and demanded gruffly, "What do you mean?"
Yixiao also cried out, "Your Highness, what are you doing?"
"If we continue like this, none of us will escape," Xia Jingshi avoided Yixiao's gaze as if it burned him, glancing instead at the Holy Emperor as if to justify himself. "With him here, the Imperial Guards won't dare act recklessly."
Feng Suige stared at him intently, eyes narrowing, reading layers beneath the surface before suddenly breaking into an understanding smile. "So, to save your own skin, you'd abandon your companions?"
Before Xia Jingshi could respond, one of his officers erupted in fury, face flushing. "His Highness is not that kind of man—"
"Then," Feng Suige interjected lazily, but with steel underneath, "you think I am that kind of man, is that it?"
Silence fell over the group like a heavy blanket.
As the officer lowered his head in shame, shoulders slumping, Feng Suige's smile vanished as if wiped away. Raising his voice, he shouted, "Tell the men of Brocade—are we Su Sha warriors that kind of people?!"
"No—!" The thunderous roar of a hundred Su Sha soldiers echoed through the valley, bouncing off rock faces, defiant and proud.
"Good. Let's keep moving," Feng Suige arched an eyebrow and was about to turn his horse when Xia Jingshi suddenly called out, "Wait—"
"Your Highness," Yixiao cut him off loudly, her face unusually stern, the softness she usually wore around him completely absent. "After words have been spoken to this extent, it would be inappropriate for Your Highness to refuse further!"
"Even Yixiao has learned to scold with a straight face," Xia Jingshi chuckled helplessly, the sound containing equal parts amusement and pain. "I merely wanted to say that a few miles ahead lies a relatively isolated hill. If we hurry there now, we might still have time to reinforce some defenses. That way, holding out for a few days shouldn't be a problem."
By midnight, scattered torches began to flicker at the foot of the mountain like malevolent fireflies.
Hearing the alarm, Yixiao rolled over and sat up from the felt mat, heart already racing. "They're here!"
Feng Suige stopped her from rising with a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Rest easy. I'll handle it."
Outside, in the cleared open space, Xia Jingshi stood by the fence, gazing downward at the constellation of torches below. At the sound of soldiers running back and forth to greet him, boots pounding earth, he spoke without turning his head, "They might send scouts up the mountain immediately. We must remain vigilant tonight."
Feng Suige glanced down at the lights and casually suggested, "Before they come up, why don't we send someone down to talk with them?"
"Preparing to negotiate terms?" Xia Jingshi turned to look at him, moonlight casting shadows across his face.
Feng Suige shrugged indifferently. "Honestly, it doesn't concern me much. It's more about what you think—by the way, have you made a decision on that matter? Or are you still hesitating?"
Seeing Xia Jingshi remain silent, jaw tightening, Feng Suige scratched his head in frustration. "This is what I've never understood. Some people claw their way to that position despite lacking the ability, while you, who are just one step away, refuse to take it." He paused, eyeing Xia Jingshi suspiciously. "Is there something wrong with your head?"
"No," Xia Jingshi replied expressionlessly.
"Ha," Feng Suige let out a dry laugh. "Then is there something wrong with mine?"
"Perhaps," Xia Jingshi clearly wanted to drop the subject and pointed to a cluster of torches below the mountain, the brightest concentration of light. "That must be the main camp—if you were the leading General, what would you do now?"
Feng Suige's expression turned serious, the warrior displacing the friend. After a brief moment of thought, he answered simply, "On one hand, I'd try to stabilize the people on the mountain and ensure the Holy Emperor is rescued unharmed. On the other, I'd take precautions to prevent a breakout or reinforcements."
Xia Jingshi gave a slight nod of approval. "At this point, they'll prioritize the Holy Emperor's safety, so they won't act rashly for now. However, they'll definitely be on guard against Lucheng, making sure we don't comfortably wait for reinforcements."
"I see," Feng Suige narrowed his eyes, calculating carefully like a general studying a map. "You're from Brocade and know them better. Do you think the person down there supports you or that unlucky fellow tied up back there?"
"The Brocade Imperial Guards wear purple and, though involved in the Imperial City's defense, are truly a royalist force," Xia Jingshi exhaled softly, the words heavy with resignation. "To them, abducting the Holy Emperor is an unforgivable crime..."
"Just say they support him," Feng Suige cut in, finally grasping the point with sharp clarity. "This complicates things—but since I'm already dragged into this mess, it'd be a shame not to stir things up." He leaned closer to Xia Jingshi and whispered conspiratorially, breath visible in the cold night air, "With the Holy Emperor captured and the nobles in chaos, this mess isn't something just anyone can clean up. Tell me, when the time comes..."
Xia Jingshi met Feng Suige's gaze warily, searching for something—judgment, perhaps, or understanding. After a moment, he gave a bitter smile. "Why must you push me to that point?"
"What point?" Feng Suige stepped back with a smile, innocent as a spring morning. "You've worked hard tonight. I'll take over tomorrow."
But they both knew exactly what point he meant.
Comments
Post a Comment