Chapter 44 "Don't move!"

Feng Mian and Yuan Jixue were both extremely surprised to see each other trapped in a den of thieves.

Feng Mian hurriedly avoided the children and whispered to Yuan Jixue, telling her that Baili Xunzhou was also there, and that their people were everywhere outside. He said that once Baili Xunzhou figured out the situation, he would come to rescue them.

The reason for avoiding children was that they were unsure if the children would cheer and alert the kidnappers.

Since the matter was to be carried out in secrecy, Feng Mian thought it best to be cautious.

Yuan Jixue's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally eased a little. Her tense nerves relaxed, and a very faint smile appeared on her pale lips. "It's good that you came. How did you find this place?"

Feng Mian then briefly recounted the farcical incident during the bandit suppression, saying, "If it weren't for A Yang's disappearance, we probably wouldn't have been able to discover so quickly that the kidnapper was hiding on this mountain."

Finally, she asked, "Oh, by the way, we came here following the trail of some chewed herbs, but did you leave these?"

Seeing Yuan Jixue nod, Feng Mian hesitated for a moment before uttering the question, "How did you end up here?"

Yuan Jixue seemed to see through her thoughts, and the smile on her lips was tinged with bitterness and self-mockery. She took the initiative to whisper, "When I left Yunzhong County, the Yuan family sent people to chase after me."

Feng Mian, unaware of this twist, immediately frowned and said indignantly, "Do they intend to take you back to marry someone else?"

“The dowry given by Master Liu was several chests of genuine gold. How could they bear to return it?” Yuan Jixue said coldly. “I finally escaped. How could I possibly go back to that den of wolves? I’d rather jump off a cliff than go back.”

She paused, as if recalling that desperate situation, "Perhaps God took pity on me. I didn't die after falling off the cliff, but I was injured. And then, by chance, I ran into these kidnappers..."

Her voice lowered, sounding somewhat tired, "Fortunately, I know some medical skills, and their leader was injured and needed a doctor's care, so he's been taking me with him."

These children were injured and sick, and it was only because Yuan Jixue persuaded the leader that "only healthy children can be sold for a good price" that they had the opportunity to be treated and survived.

The leader allowed her to pick herbs to save people, which gave her the opportunity to leave clues.

"Thank goodness for you!" Feng Mian looked at Yuan Jixue with genuine and pure admiration in his eyes. "If it weren't for the clues you left behind, I don't know how much time and how many unexpected events would have taken to find this place."

Yuan Jixue paused, lowered her eyes slightly, and her eyes were filled with complex emotions.

When they met again, the princess's reaction was completely different from what she had expected. She thought that no matter how kind the princess was, she would look down on her for drugging her. But the princess seemed to have completely forgotten about it and didn't mention it at all. How could she sincerely praise her?

In the past, even though she had never done anything wrong at home, her father, brothers, and stepmother only ever beat and scolded her. Now, Feng Mian's words made her heart burn, but more than anything, she felt helpless and lost.

Feng Mian, unaware of her thoughts, straightened the heavy chains on her wrists and listened intently to the outside of the earthen cell, but there was still only deathly silence.

She was getting impatient and muttered to herself, "Why is there still no movement?"

Before the words were finished, a muffled rumble suddenly rang out, the ground beneath their feet trembled slightly, and dust and debris fell from the cave ceiling.

"Back off! Lie down!"

Feng Mian immediately realized that Baili Xunzhou had started blasting open the cave entrance, and quickly directed the children to gather in one place, "Protect your heads!"

As pebbles fell, she almost instinctively opened her arms and pulled the children closest to her into her embrace, using her thin back as a shield to block the rain of pebbles.

She felt the children in her arms trembling violently from extreme fear, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yuan Jixue and A Yang rushing over to protect the other children.

Although she knew that Baili Xunzhou had ensured the cave wouldn't collapse and the falling rocks wouldn't hurt anyone by blasting open the entrance, she was still somewhat annoyed that she hadn't thought things through enough. She should have told the children to be careful about self-defense earlier.

As the smoke and dust cleared, everyone looked up in alarm. Amidst the coughing and whimpering of timid children, a voice muttered curses.

"Damn it, you dare to conspire with me to deceive me! If you want to save people, I'll kill you all first!"

With his head bleeding profusely, Chen Da charged forward menacingly, wielding a machete. He appeared like a madman, his bloodshot eyes filled with ferocity and murderous intent, as if he were a beast, driven by a mad urge to take everyone down with him.

He completely ignored the sounds of fierce fighting that were already taking place outside, and with a "bang," he chopped through the wooden bars of the makeshift earthen prison with his machete.

"Ah—!" The children screamed in fright.

Feng Mian, Yuan Jixue, and A Yang stepped forward without hesitation to block their way.

Feng Mian's face was ashen, but she raised her voice to reassure the children behind her, "Don't be afraid, someone is here to save us! He can't hurt us!"

The children huddled behind her wings like frail cubs.

"It's you, you bitch!" Chen Da's hateful gaze was fixed on Feng Mian.

As soon as the enemy attacked, the leader realized they had fallen into a trap. He kicked Chen Da away and gritted his teeth, determined to settle the score with him later. Then he led his brothers out to meet the enemy.

Chen Da then realized that there was something wrong with the girl he and his wife had kidnapped, and immediately rushed back without thinking.

Even if he dies, he'll take a few people down with him!

A blinding flash of light streaked across the gleaming blade before his eyes. Feng Mian's pupils contracted sharply, and he instinctively closed his eyes, raising the chains binding his hands to defend himself. The blade struck the chains with a piercing sizzling sound.

The next moment, a scream rang out. Feng Mian felt a lightness on her wrist, then a sudden tightening around her waist. She was pulled backward by an irresistible force and fell into a warm embrace.

The smoke and dust mingled with a familiar, crisp scent, instantly enveloping her.

She opened her eyes abruptly, still shaken, and was immediately struck by Baili Xunzhou's sharply defined jawline. His thin lips were pressed into a cold, straight line, and a speck of splattered blood and dust clung to his jawline, adding to his fierce and menacing aura.

Baili Xunzhou kicked Chen Da away, then looked at Feng Mian in his arms with alarm and worry. He quickly scanned her from head to toe, and seeing that she was unharmed, his tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and the heart that had been hanging in his chest finally settled down.

"Stay here." He gently placed her against the wall, half-pushing and half-carrying her, before rushing out again like an arrow released from a bow.

The sounds of fighting outside the dungeon didn't last long before they stopped.

These kidnappers were nothing more than a den of snakes and rats hiding in the advantageous terrain. They were no match for the Swift Feather Camp and the Luan Yi Guard. After holding out for a while, all that could be heard was their pitiful pleas for mercy.

When Baili Xunzhou stepped back into the earthen dungeon, still carrying a lingering aura of malevolence and a faint smell of blood, the dust that had filled the cave had almost completely dissipated.

The rubble outside the blasted-open hole had completely collapsed, and sunlight struggled to seep in through the gap, illuminating the mess in the room and the young, still-shaken faces of survivors.

Baili Xunzhou waved to signal the people behind him to come in, "Take the person out and settle them properly."

Without even glancing at anyone else, he strode up to Feng Mian. His tall figure cast a shadow before her, and without a word, he knelt down on one knee, took out a key, and with one hand, gently and deftly unlocked Feng Mian's handcuffs.

The room was filled with the clanging and clattering of chains being unlocked, but for some reason Feng Mian seemed to only be able to hear the sounds in front of him: the sound of the lock being inserted into the cylinder, the slight click as it was turned open, the sound of his slightly held breath, and the slow beating of his heart.

When the handcuffs were removed, it was revealed that the tender skin on his wrists had been chafed raw, leaving a bloody mark. Baili Xunzhou's already furrowed brows furrowed even more deeply.

Feng Mian felt quite pressured by the stare, feeling like a volcano was about to erupt if he didn't say something soon. He quickly explained, "My skin is too delicate. It turns red when you press it, which looks scary, but I don't feel anything."

Baili Xunzhou lifted his eyelids and gave her a cool look. Feng Mian subconsciously fell silent, pursing her lips and not daring to say another word.

Baili Xunzhou felt a little irritated and quickly removed the shackles as well, not daring to linger his gaze on his ankles for even a moment. If his wrists were already in this state after only wearing shackles for a short time, what kind of miserable state would his feet, which had already become difficult to move in, be in?

Noticing the filthy environment, he immediately reached under her knees and back and scooped her up in his arms.

Feng Mian instinctively clung to his strong shoulders and neck, her fingertips able to feel the burning body temperature and taut muscles beneath his clothes.

Before she could speak, Baili Xunzhou had already picked her up and strode quickly outside.

I need to hurry back to the carriage and treat my foot injury.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Yuan Jixue remained elusive, quietly hidden among the crowd. She silently watched his hurried departure, a pang of unease gripping her heart for a moment.

The warmth she had clung to since the dawn of her love was something she had never truly held onto.

"Princess!"

Seeing Feng Mian being carried out by Baili Xunzhou, Liu Ying and Wu Liu were startled and rushed forward.

"Someone, take them back to camp." Baili Xunzhou called over two people, then instructed Liu Ying and the other, "Quickly prepare a basin of clean, warm water and wait for them!"

Two soldiers from the Swift Feather Camp, along with Firefly and Mist Willow, sped away.

Baili Xunzhou helped Feng Mian onto the horse, then sat behind her, holding her tightly in his arms. "Bear with it."

He gave her a gentle instruction, then draped his cloak over her to shield her from the wind before immediately spurring his horse toward the camp.

Worried that the swaying and jolting would make her uncomfortable, Baili Xunzhou tightened his arms around Feng Mian, so that she could lean more steadily against his chest.

Feng Mian felt as if only a moment had passed before she was safely placed in the carriage with thick, soft cushions.

Fengmian slumped into a soft embrace. The warmth inside the car and the familiar scent of incense finally relaxed her tense nerves, followed by an even stronger feeling of fatigue and sharp pain in her feet.

She couldn't help but curl up slightly.

Baili Xunzhou accepted the warm water offered by Liuying without saying a word, then bent down and climbed into the carriage.

Just as Liu Ying, who was being kept outside, was about to say that she would take care of the princess, Wu Liu tugged at her sleeve and shook her head to stop her.

Inside the carriage, Baili Xunzhou, his face grim, placed the basin of water heavily on the small table. The water rippled, reflecting his cold and aloof image.

Without even glancing at Feng Mian, he roughly rolled up his sleeves, revealing a section of his forearm with smooth lines and well-defined muscles, and then knelt on the carriage floor.

Those hands, with their distinct knuckles and accustomed to wielding weapons, reached straight for Feng Mian's mud-stained skirt and shoes, which were also covered in mud, and with movements so light they were almost clumsy, they took off her shoes.

"hiss……"

Perhaps he touched his injury, Feng Mian gasped in pain and instinctively tried to pull his foot back.

"Don't move!" Baili Xunzhou shouted in a low voice, his tone hard, but his hands involuntarily stopped moving and became even more cautious.

Then I caught my breath.

The slender ankles exposed were covered in scars, and the feet were in even worse condition, covered in abrasions, with blisters that had already burst, their edges red and swollen, oozing blood.

Baili Xunzhou almost ground his teeth to powder. An indescribable, intense emotion, a mixture of anger, heartache, and self-blame, surged within him.

How could someone so delicate, someone who could be blown away by a gust of wind, have the audacity to do something so outrageous! Instead of staying in the perfectly good Prince's mansion, he insists on getting involved in this mess!

More than anything, she felt self-blame and regret. She said she believed him, but he still let her get herself into this terrible state, unable to do anything about it!

Feng Mian curled her toes uncomfortably, trying to pull her feet back under her skirt. "Um, Liu Ying and the others can handle it for me, no need to trouble you..."

Bai Lixun paused as he was about to grab a clean cloth.

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Author's Note: Baili Xunzhou: [Crying] Am I being rejected?