Imprisoned
Chapter Sixty-Four, Imprisoned
The silence at the edge of the woods didn't last long. Mr. Tao withdrew his gaze from the distant temple, his brow furrowed, and said to us, "It's getting dark; we need to go to the temple before sunset."
As soon as he finished speaking, a mountain breeze swept by, carrying a chill and rustling the leaves in front of him. In the fading light of the sky, the golden glazed tiles of Yousheng Temple in the distance seemed veiled in a layer of gray, appearing even more mysterious and unfathomable.
I nodded in agreement, and unconsciously looked at Lan Feiyu. She smiled at me, reached out and tightly grasped my hand, the warmth of her palm soothing and reassuring.
Instead of going through the main gate, we followed the mountain's contours, using the towering ancient trees and rugged rocks as cover, and stealthily made our way towards Yousheng Temple from the side.
The closer we got, the quieter it became, an eerie stillness. Not a single bird or insect chirp could be heard in the woods; even the sound of the wind rustling through the treetops seemed to have been swallowed up by the temple. All that remained was the rustling sound of our footsteps on the thick layer of fallen leaves, amplified infinitely in this deathly silence, each step feeling like stepping on a taut string.
My heart was already in my throat when I suddenly saw Mr. Tao at the front stop abruptly and gesture for us to "stop." I hurriedly bit my lip, almost letting out a cry of surprise.
Lan Feiyu was much calmer than me. She squeezed my hand tightly and asked in a low voice, "Mr. Tao, what's wrong?"
"Didn't you smell a strange fragrance?" Mr. Tao's voice was somewhat solemn.
Lan Feiyu and I exchanged a glance. I twitched my nostrils, and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. We both shook our heads almost simultaneously.
"What is that fragrance?" I asked in a low voice. Looking at Mr. Tao's serious, almost pale face, I knew he was not joking—he was by no means a frivolous person.
Mr. Tao pursed his lips: "It's the scent of insect-repelling herbs."
"Hmm..." After he mentioned it, I listened more carefully and indeed, I could smell a very faint, indescribable odor in the fresh smell of grass and trees, like some kind of dried herb mixed with pine resin, hidden in the wind and barely perceptible.
Lan Feiyu frowned, uttering the speculation I had already considered but dared not voice: "Has someone already gotten here?"
My heart leaped into my throat, but Mr. Tao calmly nodded: "It should be."
Before he finished speaking, the mountain wind suddenly paused, and then a very light collision sound came from the depths of the palace—like metal scraping against stone, fine and sharp, enough to make one's teeth chatter.
The three of us looked up at the same time, following the sound, and saw a very faint, strange color flash in the shadow of a corner of the corridor not far away.
Lan Feiyu reacted the fastest. She leaned slightly forward, shielding me to her side, and placed her other hand on the hilt of the short blade at her waist. Mr. Tao had already stepped to the side, using a pillar as cover, and gestured for us to slowly approach.
The shadow suddenly moved; it wasn't the wind, nor the shadow of a tree, but—
Kites.
She changed back into a set of practical Turpan clothing, her expression cold, her eyes seemingly frozen.
The moment our eyes met, I could almost hear the roar of my own blood.
The corners of Iris's lips slowly curved upwards, a flash of dark green light passing through her eyes: "You really came. Too bad, too late."
I instinctively pulled Lan Feiyu behind me, my heart turning ice-cold.
Behind Yuanzi, the footsteps grew increasingly rapid. Xie Kun, surrounded by a dozen or so trusted men wielding sharp blades, slowly emerged. The sickly look on his face hadn't faded, but a triumphant smile played on his lips, a smile brimming with greed and ruthlessness that was utterly repulsive.
"Take him down." Xie Kun's voice was hoarse, but it carried an unquestionable command.
His henchmen immediately pounced on me like wolves, their blades gleaming coldly in the dim light. Lan Feiyu shoved me aside abruptly, drawing her short blade with a flash of cold light, and engaged the first two attackers in combat. Mr. Tao tried to protect me, but was entangled by his three henchmen. Though he was intelligent, he had no martial arts skills, and in moments he was firmly held and unable to move.
Lan Feiyu rushed out from behind me and was instantly surrounded by two people. I watched helplessly as she took a knife to the shoulder, blood instantly staining her sleeve, but she still gritted her teeth and refused to surrender. But more people surged forward, and she was ultimately outnumbered and pinned to the ground, her short blade kicked far away.
"Don't touch her!" I yelled and lunged forward, but I was also restrained by several strong, powerful hands and could barely move.
Xie Kun slowly walked up to me, his withered fingers pinching my chin, his eyes cold and mocking: "Sister, we meet again. The Zhao family took you away, but you will always come back." He turned to his confidant, "Lock these two girls and that man surnamed Tao in the back room. No one is allowed to approach without my and the envoy's orders."
I looked at Yuanzi in near despair. Her gaze remained cold and completely unfamiliar, but in the instant I was forcibly pulled away, I seemed to hear her murmur, "It's because you don't want to leave."
Pushed into the room, I heard the clanging of the door locking and saw Mr. Tao treating Lan Feiyu's wounds. I couldn't help but bite my lip.
Lan Feiyu glanced at me, forcing a smile on her pale face: "It's just a skin wound, it's nothing, Xi'er."
After Mr. Tao finished bandaging Lan Feiyu, his expression remained completely unchanged, as if we were not currently locked in this dark, musty room. He also glanced at me and calmly confirmed Lan Feiyu's words: "It is indeed just a superficial wound. Once the bleeding stops, it will be fine."
"But...but we're locked up here..." I carefully let Lan Feiyu lean against me, and looked around. There used to be windows here, but now they've been boarded up, so there's no way we can force our way in.
Outsmarting them?
Now that Mr. Tao is also imprisoned here, who else can we rely on? Besides, Yuanzi learned her lesson last time and will only be more wary of us. What loopholes will she leave? Not to mention that Lan Feiyu's shoulder is still bleeding, and even the slightest movement will aggravate the wound. I racked my brains but couldn't think of any way to turn the tide.
Now that Lan Feiyu is even more injured and has some difficulty moving around, I really can't think of any way we can turn the tide.
"His Highness will not allow the Princess to be harmed again." Mr. Tao's voice remained calm. He looked at Lan Feiyu, who was resting with her eyes closed on my shoulder, and gently shook his head. "Master, we really shouldn't have fought so recklessly just now."
Lan Feiyu's pale lips curled into a smile: "And you're one to talk, even though you're not good at fighting, you still ended up falling for it, didn't you?"
As she spoke, she looked up, reached out and touched my forehead, and whispered, "Xi'er, this time, if anyone tries to hurt you again, I'll be the first to die."
But when I heard this, my heart felt like it was being submerged in cold water, and I couldn't feel happy at all.
How come we're facing another life-or-death situation so soon after escaping danger?
"No." My throat was a little itchy. "You are the future master of Bozhou. Your life is more important than mine."
Before Lan Feiyu could say anything more, Mr. Tao sighed and said, "There's no need to fight over it. None of us will die for now." He paused for a moment, then added, "If they really wanted to kill us, why would they bother locking us up here? Let's calm down and see what they're really up to."
Mr. Tao's words were like a pebble thrown into stagnant water; though they didn't create a huge wave, they eased the suffocating despair somewhat. He was right; Xie Kun and Yuanzi must have had ulterior motives for going to such lengths.
I helped Lan Feiyu sit more steadily against the wall, while I sat close to her, holding her cold hand tightly—at this moment, it seemed that all we could grasp was the meager warmth in each other's palms.
Silence fell over the room again, with only the three of us breathing softly in the darkness. I strained my ears, trying to hear anything outside, but I couldn't hear anything. The ancient temple was like a giant tomb, swallowing all sounds completely. Time seemed to stretch out endlessly in the darkness, each second feeling like a dull knife cutting into my flesh, grinding away at my heart with unease.
I don't know how long I endured it, but just when my eyelids were so heavy they felt like they were about to stick together, a series of light and disordered footsteps approached from afar, finally stopping with a creak outside the cell door.
My heart skipped a beat, and all my drowsiness vanished instantly. Lan Feiyu also opened her eyes, her gaze sharp with vigilance. Mr. Tao had stood up even earlier, his back ramrod straight, silently blocking our way.
"Clang—"
The iron lock was pried open with brute force, and with a piercing creak, the heavy wooden door was yanked open. Several torches suddenly lit up, their flames so bright they hurt the eyes. Behind the halo of light, several tall figures blocked the doorway like mountains, obscuring most of the remaining light.
The leader was Xie Kun's confidant whom I had seen in the courtyard before. His face was expressionless, and his gaze went over Mr. Tao's shoulder and landed directly on me.
“General Xie has ordered,” his voice was hoarse and cold, as if it had been chilled to the bone, “that Princess Zhao come with us.”
Did you only call on me?
My heart skipped a beat and sank straight down.
"You want to hurt her?!" Lan Feiyu struggled to get up, the wound on her shoulder was pulled, and she groaned in pain, with beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.
"Don't even think about it!" I immediately pulled Lan Feiyu behind me and shouted at the door with all my might, "I'm not going anywhere!"
The leader clearly didn't intend to waste any more words. He waved his hand expressionlessly, and several men behind him immediately pounced in like hungry wolves, their iron-like hands reaching straight for me.
I tried to shout again, but a rough, large hand suddenly covered my mouth, the pungent smell almost making me vomit. Another hand gripped my arm tightly and dragged me towards the door.
"Let her go!" Lan Feiyu roared, her eyes red, struggling to lunge forward, but was held down firmly by the two men.
"Stop!" Mr. Tao shouted urgently, trying to stop them, but he was pushed back a few steps.
Just then, the leader's trusted confidant suddenly drew his long sword from his waist. With a flash of cold light, the sharp blade was placed against Lan Feiyu's neck.
“Princess Zhao,” he stared at me with a sinister look, his voice like polished sand, “come with us obediently, or else—” He slightly lowered his wrist, and the blade had already pressed a shallow bloodstain into Lan Feiyu’s neck.
"Ugh!" I watched helplessly as that glaring red seeped out, my heart felt like it was being squeezed by a hand, the pain almost suffocating me. Lan Feiyu stubbornly raised her eyes, but a reassuring smile appeared on her lips, as if to say, "Leave me alone."
But how can I not care?
The hand covering my mouth loosened slightly, and I could feel the sword still trembling against Lan Feiyu's neck. Tears instantly blurred my vision, and I nodded forcefully, letting out a sob to indicate that I was willing to go with them.
The leader of the trusted men slowly sheathed his sword and gestured to his men to release me. I staggered to my feet, staring at the bloody gash on Lan Feiyu's neck, my hands trembling uncontrollably.
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