Chapter 333 Sister Jiang?! Is that you?
"Go? Where to go? There are soldiers everywhere outside! Where can you two young women with a child go?" Sister-in-law Shi panicked.
Knowing what Jiang Ling had done during this time, the villagers all urged them to stay.
Jiang Ling shook her head, her tone resolute: "They're coming for us. If we stay, we'll only bring trouble to the whole village."
Although Old Master Shi didn't understand why, he knew that now was not a good time to ask, and he believed that Miss Xiao Qiu was not a bad person.
He said in a deep voice, "When I was gathering herbs, I learned of a hidden path that leads around to the foot of the mountain. It's a place rarely visited by people, and the soldiers probably wouldn't have thought of it. I'll lead you there!"
"I'm going too!" A-Zhu stepped forward, her eyes resolute.
She held the sleeping Nian'an in her arms, her small body ramrod straight.
Old Shi said, "Don't make things worse!"
Ah Zhu insisted, "I know the way up the back mountain well, I can help!"
Jiang Ling looked at Old Shi's aged yet resolute face, and then at A Zhu holding the child, her heart filled with gratitude.
She bowed deeply to Elder Shi and Azhu:
“Old Shi, Azhu… Hongxiu and I will always remember this kindness.”
The group slipped out of the cave silently and disappeared into the dense forest.
Led by Master Shi, we ventured into the depths of the mountains along a trail almost entirely covered by snow and withered vines.
The path was narrow and steep, covered with gravel and thorns, with a bottomless abyss beneath one's feet; a slight misstep could send one tumbling down.
Jiang Ling supported Hongxiu, who had just given birth and was still recovering from the physical exhaustion. Every step she took was extremely difficult, but she gritted her teeth and persevered, not daring to utter a single groan.
Nian'an in Azhu's arms seemed to sense the danger and became unusually well-behaved, only occasionally letting out a few soft whimpers, which Azhu soothed by gently patting her back.
They walked for a full hour around the mountainside, and were just about to emerge from the mountain path and reach the flat area at the foot of the mountain when suddenly they heard hurried footsteps and soldiers' shouts behind them:
"There they are! Don't let them get away!"
Jiang Ling's heart sank. She turned around and saw Fang Shijie leading a small group of men, chasing after her along the path.
He actually guessed their escape route!
"What do we do? They're catching up!" Azhu's voice trembled as she hugged Nian'an tightly.
Hongxiu's face turned pale. She knew in her heart that if things continued like this, Sister Jiang would not be able to escape!
She couldn't let Sister Jiang fall into Fang Shijie's hands!
Looking at the pursuers getting closer and closer behind him, and then at Jiang Ling beside him, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes.
"Sister Jiang, you take the child and leave. I'll distract him!"
She shoved Jiang Ling aside, pulled out a short knife given to her by a villager from her waist, and turned to rush towards the pursuers.
"Hongxiu!" Jiang Ling exclaimed in surprise, trying to grab her, but only managed to catch a glimpse of her clothes.
Fang Shijie, who was searching, saw them and his eyes locked onto them. He rushed towards them.
"Let's go!" Azhu grabbed Jiang Ling, her eyes red-rimmed. "Sister Xiaoqiu, it'll be too late if we don't leave now!"
Suddenly, Fang Shijie noticed a figure flash past him. He looked closely into the bushes and was surprised to find that it was Hongxiu, who had been missing for many days!
Hongxiu staggered to Fang Shijie, only a few steps away, and held the dagger to her own neck:
"Stop! Don't chase us anymore!"
Fang Shijie stopped in his tracks, looked at Hongxiu who looked haggard, and then shifted his gaze to her flat stomach, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
"Hongxiu, what are you doing here?!"
She screamed hoarsely, tears mingling with sweat streaming down her face, "Fang Shijie! Let Sister Jiang go! I beg you! For... for the sake of our past relationship, let them go!"
"Hongxiu, get out of my way!" Fang Shijie's voice was cold and hard, but lacked its usual ruthlessness. "I'm looking for Jiang Ling, it has nothing to do with you. Even if I find her, I won't take her life!"
"You're lying!" Hongxiu cried, trembling all over. "You've only ever used her as a pawn! Fang Shijie, I beg you, spare our lives, just this once... please!"
Fang Shijie frowned, knowing she was buying time for Jiang Ling, and waved his hand: "Grab her!"
The soldiers immediately stepped forward, intending to capture Hongxiu.
Seeing this, Hongxiu knew that persuasion was useless. A trace of despair flashed in her eyes. She suddenly closed her eyes and plunged the short knife in her hand into her own chest!
"Pfft—"
The blade pierced her flesh, and blood instantly stained her clothes.
Fang Shijie's pupils suddenly contracted.
The soldiers standing nearby also froze in place.
Fang Shijie wasn't entirely without feelings for her; seeing her fall before his eyes, a pang of heartache still flashed through his heart.
But today is the last day of the ten-day deadline. He has no other choice.
His gaze lingered without hesitation as he led his soldiers forward.
Hongxiu fell to the ground, blood gushing from her chest, but with her last bit of strength, she reached out and grabbed Fang Shijie's clothes tightly, preventing him from taking another step forward.
She looked at Fang Shijie's slightly disgusted eyes, her voice weak and pleading:
"Fang Shijie...our child has been born...his name is Nian'an..."
"If I die... no one will know... that his mother came from... a brothel..."
"You...you shouldn't dislike him..."
Fang Shijie froze completely.
The sharp pain in my heart suddenly expanded, turning into a dull, empty ache.
That phrase, "Don't dislike him," was like a rusty, blunt knife, stabbing deep into the corner of his heart that he least wanted to touch.
Only then did he squat down, looking at the woman in his arms who was rapidly losing her life, and a trace of pity finally appeared in his eyes.
Hongxiu smiled, and with her last bit of strength, she raised her hand, wanting to touch his face one last time.
She lifted him halfway up, then stopped and reached out to remove the dry grass from his hair.
She knew Fang Shijie was always very clean...
They ran for an unknown amount of time until it was completely dark. The surroundings were pitch black, with only faint starlight guiding their way.
Nian'an, nestled in Azhu's arms, finally couldn't hold back and let out a few weak sobs. Azhu quickly covered her mouth and whispered comforting words.
Old Shi sat on a rock, panting: "If we go any further down, we'll reach the foot of the mountain, which is right on the border of the Great Sheng Dynasty. I wonder if there will be pursuers here."
Suddenly, the sound of familiar hooves came from the foot of the mountain. Just when they thought they were being caught by pursuers, a familiar voice rang out:
"Sister! Is that you?"
Jiang Ling suddenly stopped in her tracks, her heart skipped a beat. She looked in the direction of the sound and saw several torches lit at the foot of the mountain, and a group of people walking towards them.
Jiang Ling froze, and by the dim light filtering through the trees, she could see the face covered in dust.
"Xiao Ran!" Jiang Ling burst into tears of joy. Her tense nerves relaxed instantly, her legs went weak, and she almost fell over.
The boy rushed forward, gripping her arms tightly with both hands, his eyes red-rimmed.
"Jiang... Sister Jiang?! Is that you?! Is it really you?!"
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