As soon as we boarded the boat, Meng Anshi quickly pulled the rope and started rowing after we were seated. The boat had only traveled about twenty meters when people on the shore started shooting arrows, but they were the ones who were hit and killed first.
Another group of people flew over from the shore, and some people jumped up from underwater and knocked them back into the water.
“Yuancheng’s strategic planning ability has improved a lot.” Li Ruowei held her back. She was pregnant and still had to go through such a lot of trouble. I felt sorry for her.
"Sister, are you alright?"
"It's okay. Being with you all makes this little bit of discomfort nothing."
The boat was moving very fast. When it passed a swift river, Meng Anshi jumped in. I thought he was going to jump into the river, but surprisingly he was able to walk on the river.
“Sister-in-law, let’s go down to the river too. There’s a cave nearby. We can go underground and meet up with the rest of the group at the Thirteen Pavilion.”
Xie Yuancheng even told his sister, so why didn't he tell me?
Meng Anshi picked Li Ruowei up in his arms, his careful manner much like Xie Yuancheng's.
As soon as I entered the cave, I heard a loud rushing sound. I quickly covered Yu'er's ears, but it was too late; the little one had been startled awake.
"Wow!"
"Yu'er, be good, let's go find your father, don't cry."
I ran a few steps forward, the sound of running water stopped, and Yu'er's loud voice grew louder and louder.
I took the milk bottle out of my sleeve, and the little guy took two sips and then quieted down, before touching my face with his hand.
"Yu'er, Mother will protect you."
He smiled, and I looked at his eyes, which were the same shape as mine. Such an obedient son, I can't believe I could let him go and chase after Xie Yuancheng.
"Sister-in-law, I don't think it's safe here. We should go outside first."
I covered Yu'er with a thin veil, afraid that the dust from the cave would fall on his face.
"Sister, where is Yuancheng?" My heart was pounding. I hoped nothing had happened to him.
"Don't worry, my brother is a lucky man, he won't abandon you and your child."
When she said this, her eyes were darting away, which made me even more flustered.
"Let's hurry, this place will be discovered soon."
Meng Anshi had already drawn his sword, and the sound of horses' hooves could be heard, though faint.
We carried our tinderboxes and walked forward. The cave was cold and damp. I held Yu'er in my arms and smelled his milky scent to calm myself down.
Finally, I saw a glimmer of light and put my hand over Yu'er's eyes. As soon as I went outside, I heard the sounds of fighting not far away.
Meng Anshi led us to hide behind a large tree nearby. I lifted the branches in front of me and looked over. I saw Lin Chao fighting with a group of men in black.
His swordsmanship is superb, much better than when he taught me at Heqing Hall. I never imagined he was such a hidden talent. He truly deserves to be my master.
"You all stay here, I'll go help Brother Lin."
Li Ruowei grabbed his hand: "You must come back safely."
"Yes, I'm waiting for our child to be born."
Meng Anshi's smile was much purer than Xie Yuancheng's; he thought simply, so his eyes were always bright.
I slowly lifted Yu'er's thin veil. He was already asleep, holding a bottle of milk in his hands.
"Sister, don't worry, they are very skilled in martial arts."
I saw a pavilion not far away, thirteen of them connected together, with flowing water underneath.
Why isn't Yuan Cheng here?
I'm worried that he might do something rash and cause trouble for the Crown Prince since he didn't go with Lin Chao.
"The Crown Prince and the Empress wanted him and Caiwei to die without cause, so he led their troops to another side to cover for us."
"Is he safe?" I tightened my grip on Yu'er's hand, my heart pounding with anxiety.
"Don't worry, sister-in-law. There's a cliff on the other side. Yuan Cheng plans to fake his death to escape the pursuers."
"Feigning death." The scene from my dream resurfaced in my mind: falling off a cliff.
"Sister, I'm going to find him."
Li Ruowei pulled me back, and I was surprised to find that she was quite strong: "Sister-in-law, you can't go. Yuancheng is my brother, he'll be fine."
How could he be alright? I feel that if I don't go this time, we'll be separated forever.
"The Crown Prince asked him for help in finding the Crown Princess. From that moment on, he was plotting how to deal with Yuan Cheng." I remembered that when I brushed past them in the palace, their atmosphere was very strange. Lu Fengjun even took me out of the palace. If it had been any later, I might have become the Crown Prince's bargaining chip to threaten him.
"This was just an excuse. He wanted to secretly execute me to please the Empress. Fortunately, a palace maid switched the medicine. When Yuan Cheng and An Shi arrived, the medicine was replaced with that of another palace maid who had been executed."
"Was that palace maid named Xiren?"
"I think that's her name. She stayed in the East Palace for a while and served me."
"The women in the palace are all so pitiful; they are all pawns in his power struggle. Fortunately, my sister is alright."
"However, I had taken medicine at the time, but I never expected that the most humane people in the palace were actually the palace maids."
I hope Li Zhaole will treat Xiren better. The Crown Prince actually sent her back. Whatever his purpose, she saved Li Ruowei, so I hope she will have a good ending.
I heard a faint sound coming from the trees behind me. I told Li Ruowei not to speak yet and to put her hand on the Phantom Sword.
The branches were torn apart, and I turned and swung my sword, felling a masked man to the ground. He must have been unconscious; I struck him in the head.
"Sister, let's go quickly."
Fortunately, Yu'er didn't wake up. I quickly covered her head with a veil and took her hand to walk downstairs.
Although Li Ruowei was pregnant, she was faster than me. We crossed the trees below and saw a bridge hidden by reeds on both sides.
Li Ruowei took off her outer garment and threw it to the other side. She then took my hand and waded across the river to hide in the reeds.
I looked at Yu'er in my arms. He was sleeping soundly. "Yu'er, please don't wake up. Wait until we're safe before you get up and cause trouble."
I whispered to myself, and the sound of horses' hooves passed by on the bridge. I covered his little ears and looked at Li Ruowei.
"My lord, the Thirteen Pavilions are just ahead. Marquis Anle and Princess Caiwei are likely to perish here this time."
"Haha, the Crown Prince's brilliant plan has won over the world. He had already planted spies around Marquis Anle long ago, and it was that person who leaked the information about the Thirteen Pavilions this time."
"Yes, if Marquis Anle arrives in Linyang, it will be very difficult for us to take them down."
Their voices faded into the distance, and Li Ruowei and I didn't notice. A venomous snake crawled out from the side and bit Li Ruowei. When I lifted her trouser leg, I saw that the bite mark was black.
"This damn snake, sister, I'll suck it out for you."
"No, you must take Yu'er and leave quickly. Carry Shisanting on your back and you'll reach Linjia Village. Find a man named Uncle Mu there, and he will escort you back to Linyang."
Sweating began to trickle down Li Ruowei's face: "Even if we can't go back, sister-in-law, you must raise Yu'er in Linyang."
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