Chapter 40 A Chance Encounter, Protecting the Beloved (Part Two) "The situation is urgent, we've lost..."
She took a few steps back, ran, and leaped up, grabbing a thick, exposed tree root on the pit wall with both hands! Overjoyed, she was about to pull herself up with her waist and abdomen when she realized the seemingly solid root was completely rotten inside.
"Crack!"
A chilling crack suddenly rang out, shattering the brief hope! The tree root appeared intact on the outside, but it had long been hollowed out by insects and ants inside, and could not support the weight of her body at all, so it snapped in an instant!
She fell back into the pit without any cushioning, a tearing pain shooting through her right ankle, and everything went black.
The excruciating pain made her instinctively curl up, and cold sweat instantly soaked her back. Her trembling hand reached for the injury; her ankle was swollen high, the skin taut and shiny, and even the slightest movement caused excruciating pain.
She endured the pain and quickly probed around the wound with her fingers.
“The bone is misaligned and needs to be repositioned and fixed as soon as possible…” she thought with a chill.
Just then, a mournful wolf howl came from above, closer and clearer than before, as if it were hovering right at the edge of the trap.
Ye Yixiang froze, instantly holding her breath.
Compared to the wild beasts she might face, the excruciating pain in her ankle suddenly seemed insignificant. She abruptly looked up, staring intently at the dim light filtering through the branches and leaves above her, her entire body tense to the limit.
In the darkness, every tiny sound was amplified infinitely—the wind whistling through bare branches, the distant cry of an unknown night bird, and... that faint, approaching rustling sound.
If it were a human being, there would still be room for maneuver.
If it were a wild beast...
This deep pit became her ready-made tomb.
rustling sounds... rustling sounds...
A faint but continuous sound came from afar, clearly heading towards the trap!
Ye Yixiang's heart tightened instantly, and despair spread rapidly to her limbs and bones like a cold tide.
She regretted not wearing the sharp-tipped gold hairpin when she came out today, thinking it was too cumbersome. At least... at least she could pull it out now and use it as a last resort for self-defense, which was better than dying here empty-handed and without knowing why.
The hair ornament adorned with round pearls in her hair was beautiful but extremely fragile, utterly useless against real fangs and claws!
An overwhelming fear gripped her. If it were truly a ferocious beast, she would fight with her last ounce of strength to tear a piece of flesh from its body! She would never be a lamb that vanished silently!
"Night Maiden...? Night Maiden, are you down there?" A soft female voice, tinged with obvious probing and anxiety, suddenly came from above the trap, like a celestial sound piercing the darkness, breaking the suffocating silence.
Ye Yixiang looked up abruptly, but the ferocious, dark green eyes of the wild beast she had expected did not appear. Instead, she saw the warm, dim glow of several lanterns.
"Miss Ye, are you still down there? Are you alright?" The woman's voice rang out again, her anxiety and concern even more pronounced.
This time, Ye Yixiang finally recognized the voice clearly—it was Xiao Lingyi!
"Is this Miss Xiao?" Ye Yixiang endured the tearing pain in her ankle and tried to raise her voice to respond to the light-filled opening.
Her voice echoed faintly in the cramped pit.
Hearing her clear response, Xiao Lingyi visibly breathed a sigh of relief, gently patted her chest, and whispered to the person beside her, "Thank goodness, we finally found her! She's still down there!" She then immediately leaned down and called out anxiously towards the bottom of the pit, "Miss Ye, are you injured? Don't move around too much, conserve your energy, I'll send someone down to rescue you right away!"
Before the words were even finished, a lithe, gray-haired figure beside him took a step forward without hesitation, and without even checking the depth of the pit, he leaped down!
"Brother! Be careful! The situation down there is unclear!" Xiao Lingyi was startled by his sudden action and gasped, quickly leaning forward with her lantern.
A warm, dim light immediately poured down, illuminating the slightly messy scene at the bottom of the pit, and clearly illuminating the tall figure who had quietly leaped down, as well as Ye Yixiang, who had fallen to the ground with a face as pale as paper.
After landing, the man, whom Xiao Lingyi called "brother," quickly and cautiously scanned the environment at the bottom of the pit to confirm that there were no other potential dangers before fixing his gaze steadily on Ye Yixiang.
By the light of the lantern, Ye Yixiang could see his face clearly—he resembled Xiao Lingyi by five or six points, but was more angular, with a high nose bridge, tightly pursed lips, and an air of integrity and uprightness unique to scholars. However, his eyes were calm and sharp, clearly indicating that he was not a weak scholar.
At this moment, those eyes, as calm as an ancient well, were looking at her with a hint of cautious scrutiny and barely perceptible concern.
"Is the princess alright? Is she injured anywhere?" he asked, his voice deep and steady, carrying a reassuring strength.
Ye Yixiang nodded slightly, but her heart stirred slightly at his natural address of "Princess". The Xiao family had experienced the rise and fall of four dynasties, with deep roots and intricate power. Indeed, they did not treat her, a sensitive orphan of the previous dynasty, with the same level of caution that ordinary official families would have to deliberately avoid.
"It's an emergency, please excuse my rudeness." Xiao Mo said succinctly, then squatted down in front of her. "I'll carry you up."
Knowing that this was not the time to be formal, Ye Yixiang whispered "Thank you for your trouble" and, enduring the pain in her ankle, leaned against his broad and steady back.
Xiao Mo carried her steadily on his back, grabbed the thick hemp rope that the guards above had just thrown down, tensed his arm muscles, and steadily climbed up the pit wall for leverage.
His movements were steady and powerful, avoiding any jolting that might aggravate her injury.
Xiao Lingyi watched nervously from above. Seeing that the two had come up safely, she quickly directed the servants to lend a hand, repeatedly instructing, "Be careful! Help Miss Ye up gently!"
The evening breeze caressed her face, carrying a sense of freedom. Overwhelmed with emotion, she bowed deeply to the Xiao siblings: "Thank you, Miss Xiao and Young Master Xiao, for saving my life. I will forever remember this kindness."
Xiao Lingyi quickly offered a gesture of support, her beautiful face filled with sincere apology: "Miss Ye, please don't be so polite. This matter was caused by me. Princess Zhaoning must have wanted to avenge me, so she deliberately set a trap for you. Fortunately, Yiyi is straightforward and told me about it in private, otherwise, in this desolate wilderness, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
Her concerned gaze fell on Ye Yixiang. "Are you injured, young lady? We shouldn't stay here any longer. Let's go back to the camp first, so that the female healer can treat you."
Xiao Mo, standing to the side, also raised his hand and clasped his hands in a fist salute, speaking sincerely: "Just now, due to the urgency of the situation, there was much rudeness and offense involved. I hope Miss Ye will forgive me."
“Young Master Xiao, you flatter me. It’s too kind of me to ask for your life-saving grace.” Ye Yixiang looked up at him, her tone sincere. “I will definitely prepare a small gift and visit you both to express my gratitude another day.” She didn’t know much about this eldest son of the Xiao family. She had only vaguely heard that he was a virtuous and upright gentleman who was skilled in both literature and martial arts. After meeting him today, she found that his reputation was indeed well-deserved.
Xiao Mo nodded, his gaze sweeping over his sister and Ye Yixiang, and said in a deep voice, "Little sister, you take Miss Ye back via this side path, it's safer. I'll go around to the other side with the guards to avoid causing gossip and tarnishing Miss Ye's reputation."
Seeing how thoughtful he was, Ye Yixiang felt even more grateful.
It was already rare for Xiao Lingyi to disregard her status and come to save her, but now Xiao Mo is even considering her reputation in the smallest details.
She endured the excruciating pain in her right ankle and tried to keep up with Xiao Lingyi's pace, but every step felt like walking on a knife's edge. Fine beads of cold sweat quickly seeped from her forehead, and her steps became unsteady and unsteady.
“Miss Ye,” Xiao Lingyi noticed her unusual silence and slow pace. Turning around, she saw that her face was pale and her lips were bitten until they were bloodless, clearly indicating that she was enduring great pain. She immediately signaled to the maid beside her, “Quickly go and support Miss Ye! Be careful of her feet!”
The maidservant quickly stepped forward to help her up, and Ye Yixiang had no choice but to admit, "I just twisted my ankle a little, it's nothing serious, I can walk slowly."
Hearing her say that, Xiao Lingyi didn't press the matter further. She simply instructed her maid to support her more carefully and slow down their pace.
"Did you not bring your personal maid with you to the hunting grounds this time, Miss Ye? Why is there no one serving you?" Xiao Lingyi asked with concern as they walked, trying to distract her.
The image of Wuluozhu's distinctly exotic features flashed through Ye Yixiang's mind.
The relationship between the Northern Di and the Southern Dynasty is delicate right now, and she didn't want to bring the little girl along, lest she become the center of attention and suffer unnecessary criticism and harassment, just like she was now. So she replied, "I'm used to being alone and don't like having others serve me. I'm more comfortable that way."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Lingyi glanced at her, a knowing look flashing in her eyes, and asked no further questions.
As they moved forward, the lights of the distant camp gradually converged, like pearls scattered in the night, dispelling the darkness and chill of the forest. The camp drew closer, and the sounds of people could be faintly heard.
A gentle breeze carried the sizzling sound of venison roasting on the grill, golden fat dripping into the fire and releasing an enticing aroma.
The aroma, combined with the rich and savory flavor of the mushroom and chicken soup simmering over a low flame, the delicate sweetness of the pear blossom wine, and the fragrance of various spices, creates an irresistible aroma that whets the appetite.
Groups of young noblemen gathered around the campfire, some raising their cups in celebration, others engaging in lively conversation.
"Your Highness, try this roasted venison tenderloin; it's cooked to perfection!"
"Indeed delicious! If you ask me, half the joy of spring hunting is in the hunt itself, and the other half is in this hearth gathering, drinking and feasting!"
"Hahaha, absolutely right! Tomorrow, I'll definitely hunt a black bear and taste its paws!"
"You think you can take it? You'd better not get chased all over the mountain by that black bear!"
"Hmph, don't underestimate me! We'll see who comes out on the hunting grounds tomorrow!"
Laughter mingled with the melodious sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments, a stark contrast to the previous deathly silence in the forest.
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