Dilemma of whether to stay or leave
The Prince of Heyang's mansion under the cover of night, with its high walls and deep courtyards.
The bright lights concealed the faint sounds of music and revelry, while a silent, imposing atmosphere lurked in the shadows.
Ling Zhan's elite squad, like a few strands of the deepest night, skillfully avoided both visible and hidden sentries.
They stealthily infiltrated the west side of the mansion and headed straight for the West Garden Warm Pavilion.
Based on Sun Mao's confession after his collapse and Ling Feng's limited prior intelligence, the "eyes" that the princess had placed next to the prince's new favorite concubine were named Jin Su'er. She was originally from an official family, but her family fell into poverty and she was sold due to the crown prince's unjust case.
He was chosen by the princess because he was literate and quick-witted.
The target was located near the most exquisite warm pavilion in the West Garden—the residence of Liu Ruyan, the newly acquired concubine of the Prince.
Inside the warm pavilion, the atmosphere was completely different from the somber atmosphere outside.
The candlelight was bright, and the fragrance was warm and inviting.
A young woman dressed in a light green brocade jacket and skirt, with an exquisitely styled hair bun, was sitting on an embroidery stool by the window, intently embroidering a handkerchief.
She has a beautiful appearance, with a gentle and graceful look in her eyes and brows, reminiscent of the water towns of Jiangnan.
Only occasionally, when he looks up, a subtle hint of caution and weariness flashes deep in his eyes.
She is Kim So-ah.
Ling Zhan was like a weightless shadow, clinging to the shadows of the back window of the warm pavilion.
Look inside through the gaps in the window frame.
She saw it clearly.
Jin Su'er's clothes were made of the finest Suzhou and Hangzhou soft satin, something that ordinary maids could not afford.
Although there were not many pearls or jade ornaments in her hair, the pure white mutton fat jade hairpin was quite valuable.
On the small table beside her was a plate of delicate hibiscus cake and a bowl of warm bird's nest soup, clearly the kind of treatment reserved for a master.
Two young maids stood respectfully to one side, their demeanor both humble and cautious.
This is by no means the situation a "watchful eye" should be in when being monitored and coerced.
Is this...being bribed?
Or... another form of "being favored"?
Ling Zhan's mind raced, and he decided to make direct contact.
With a flick of her fingertips, a tiny pebble landed precisely on the hinged hinge of the back window of the heated room.
The slight "click" sound was particularly clear in the quiet room.
Jin Su'er's embroidery hands suddenly stopped.
He suddenly looked up, his eyes instantly filled with vigilance, and his fingers instinctively reached into his sleeve.
When she finally saw the pair of calm, icy eyes in the shadows outside the window, she froze.
Her face was drained of color, but she possessed a calm and cautious demeanor.
"Who?!" a maid asked alertly, looking towards the back window.
"It's nothing, probably just the wind."
Jin Su'er forced herself to remain calm, her voice trembling slightly.
She said to her maids, "I'm a little tired. You can rest outside. You don't need to serve me."
The maidservant, unsuspecting, bowed and left, closing the door behind her.
Jin Su'er was the only one left in the room.
She hurried to the back window, her voice trembling with fear: "Who...who are you?"
"I'll take you away."
Ling Zhan's voice came through the window crack, clear and cold, without a single wasted word.
“Your father’s old friend and colleague has come to rescue you at his request. Now, come with me immediately.”
Jin Su'er's pupils contracted sharply, and she leaned back slightly against the window frame. Her face was not filled with the joy of relief, but rather with a mixture of fear, struggle, and a trace of... reluctance.
She glanced quickly toward the inner room, which was Liu Ruyan's bedroom.
"No...no!"
She shook her head frantically, her voice trembling with tears, "My lord, I can't leave! I... I'm now the most capable person by Aunt Liu's side, and the Prince... the Prince often praises me for being sensible... He's planning to take me into his household... I... I'm doing very well, really! It's much better than... much better than being an unemployed seamstress outside!"
She subconsciously touched her lower abdomen.
The movement was extremely subtle, yet it did not escape Ling Zhan's sharp eyes.
Ling Zhan's gaze lingered on her face for a moment.
The lingering affection in the depths of his eyes and the instinctive gesture of protecting his lower abdomen said it all.
The "eyes" that Sun Mao mentioned had already taken root in his life of luxury and seemingly stable position.
Perhaps new entanglements have even formed?
She was unwilling, or rather, dared not leave this seemingly glamorous cage.
"Is this your choice?" Ling Zhan's tone was devoid of emotion, only revealing a chilling insight that seemed to know everything.
"Yes...yes! Please, Your Excellency, have mercy and spare me! I...I won't say anything!"
Jin Su'er pleaded, her body trembling slightly, unsure whether she was afraid of Ling Zhan or afraid of losing everything she had.
Ling Zhan remained silent for a moment.
Outside the warm pavilion, the footsteps of patrolling guards grew louder as they approached. Time was of the essence.
"good."
Ling Zhan's voice remained calm, yet carried a resolute air of certainty that everything had settled.
"Everyone has their own ambitions, and forcing things will only lead to nothing. From today onwards, all past grievances will be wiped clean."
With a flick of her wrist, she slipped a heavy, unassuming gray cloth bag through the window crack and it landed in Jin Su'er's hand.
"Take it. There are gold leaves inside, enough for an emergency."
Ling Zhan's voice was completely calm, "If there really is a time when you are desperate and your life is in danger..." She paused, and took out a small bone whistle from her bosom. It was treated with special oil and had a tiny snowflake mark engraved at the end, which was the mark of the Snowbird.
She tucked the bone whistle into her small bag.
"Blow this whistle. If there is a 'Snowfeather' nearby, it will transmit your location and 'snowflake' marker back to you."
Ling Zhan's gaze was sharp as a knife, staring directly into Jin Su'er's terrified eyes. "Remember, you only have one chance. It will only fly for you this once, and we will only save you this once. This is out of consideration for... the bond between your father, Captain Jin, and me, who were comrades-in-arms back then."
Hearing the names "father" and "Captain Kim".
Jin Su'er trembled violently, her eyes instantly welling up with complex tears, her lips moved but she couldn't utter a single word.
This "affection" was like a cold key, unlocking her deliberately forgotten past.
"You'd better watch yourself."
Ling Zhan glanced at her one last time, his gaze indifferent, as if he were looking at a stranger.
As soon as she finished speaking, her figure disappeared into the deeper darkness like a ghost, as if she had never existed.
Jin Su'er clutched the cold, gray cloth bag tightly, the hard bone whistle digging into her palm.
She leaned against the cold wall, slowly slid down to the ground, and tears silently streamed down her face, soaking her luxurious brocade.
The gold leaves in the small bag were heavy, representing the possibility of freedom, but also the sharp blade that would sever the last ties of affection.
And that phrase, "I'll only save you once."
Like cold shackles, it gave her a glimmer of hope in her despair, but also completely cut off any way back.
She knew she had made a choice and had lost something forever.
Outside the warm pavilion, the footsteps of the patrolling guards gradually faded into the distance.
Even at the Prince's mansion, the nights were still filled with singing and dancing.
Unbeknownst to anyone, a silent farewell had just taken place in a corner of this secluded mansion.
Outside the mansion, in a dark alley.
Ling Zhan's figure met up with the team in a dark alley a few streets away.
Her face was ashen, and she exuded a chill that was colder than the night.
“My lord, the person…” one of the Asura guards asked in a low voice.
"I'm not leaving."
Ling Zhan's voice was flat and emotionless as he interrupted the question.
She looked up at the majestic outline of the Prince's Mansion, her eyes filled with a complex and unfathomable expression.
There was disappointment for the descendants of the deceased, an understanding of the self-interested nature of humanity, and a trace of indescribable weariness.
Just then, a very faint, almost illusory sound of wings piercing the night sky came from there.
A bird, pure white except for its eyes that shone like rubies, silently landed on Ling Zhan's raised arm, like a spirit frozen in the night sky.
It was "Suying," the snowbird she raised and carefully trained by Xiaoshitou.
"Suying" affectionately rubbed its beak against Ling Zhan's fingers, letting out a barely audible chirp.
Ling Zhan removed a small, sealed wax pellet from its paw.
With a slight squeeze of the fingertips, it crumbled, revealing a finely rolled-up strip of paper.
She quickly scanned the cipher text on the note.
His gaze suddenly sharpened, turning towards the Zhang residence in the east of the city.
"Let's go! To the east of the city!"
Ling Zhan's voice was resolute, carrying an undeniable sense of urgency, "Things have changed over with Shen Yan!"
"Suying" took flight, transforming into a streak of white light, and disappeared into the night sky in the east of the city.
Ling Zhan and his team members had no more hesitation.
Following closely behind that white figure, it shot like an arrow towards the center of another equally unfathomable vortex.
The Zhang Mansion in the east of the city was no less impressive than the Prince's Mansion, with its vermilion gates, high walls, and deep courtyards.
However, it was different from the warm and fragrant atmosphere of the West Garden of the Prince's Mansion.
Deep within the Zhang family mansion lies a solitary boudoir, brightly lit yet exuding a suffocating blend of exquisite detail and oppressive atmosphere.
Shen Yan led Shen Hong and two Asura Guards who were like shadows.
They easily bypassed the guards inside the mansion, who were somewhat lax due to the absence of the head of the household, and stealthily made their way to the foot of the embroidered tower.
The air was filled with a strong, almost cloying, incense fragrance.
It conceals something deeper, something more unsettling.
According to Sun Mao's confession and Ling Feng's prior intelligence, the object of Zhang Shilang's "eccentricity" was a purchased embroiderer named "Hongshao." She was chosen by the Shilang because of her amazing Suzhou embroidery skills, but in reality, she was just a plaything for his morbid hobby.
Their trip.
It was because Hongshao's father, a deceased senior official under the former Crown Prince, was determined to rescue her.
Inside the warm pavilion on the second floor of the embroidered building, the light was so bright it was almost blinding.
A woman dressed in a bright pink brocade dress is sitting with her back to the window in front of a huge embroidery frame.
She was slender with straight shoulders and back, and her jet-black hair was neatly combed and adorned with several valuable gold hairpins.
Her fingers flew across the bandage.
The stitches were incredibly fine, yet the movements were stiff and numb.
Shen Yan's gaze was sharp as an eagle's, instantly catching the anomaly.
The woman's wrist, partially exposed outside her wide sleeves, was covered with a patchwork of old and new, light pink scars.
Its shape is distorted, as if it has been repeatedly burned or strangled.
Similar marks were also faintly visible on the back of her neck, barely concealed by her hair.
In the corner of the room, a huge, oddly shaped gilded birdcage lay empty.
The cage door was open, and the inside was lined with soft, expensive brocade.
Besides the strong fragrance, there was also a very faint, indescribable sweet and fishy smell in the air, mixed with the smell of medicine.
Shen Hong stood behind Shen Yan.
His "sense of smell" was brought to its fullest potential at this moment.
He smelled it.
The strong incense masked the stench of blood, a mixture of the old and the new.
The taste of a special medicinal herb used for pain relief or healing?
The woman exuded a deep, almost desperate numbness, and... a trace of morbid stubbornness?
This aura sent a chill down his spine, and he immediately sensed something was wrong.
Shen Yan gave Shen Hong a wink.
Shen Hong understood, and with a wisp of extremely subtle internal energy gathered at his fingertips, he flicked open the latch on the back window of the warm pavilion as if a gentle breeze were blowing.
The slight "click" sound made the woman in front of the embroidery frame tremble violently.
Like a startled rabbit.
She suddenly turned around!
It was an extremely young, even childlike face, looking 15 years old but actually 18.
Her features were exquisitely beautiful, and her eyes, which should have been full of life, were now frighteningly empty, like two stagnant pools of water.
Only when she saw clearly that the figure standing in the shadows outside the window was not the one she feared did a barely perceptible ripple appear in the stagnant water, which was then covered by a deeper sense of bewilderment and fear.
"who?!"
Her voice was soft, hoarse and trembling from long-suppressed emotions, as if she instinctively wanted to shout.
But she bit her lower lip tightly.
Shen Yan's figure slid into the room like a ghost.
Shen Hong followed closely behind, while two Shura Guards remained outside the window to keep watch.
Inside the warm room, the suffocating atmosphere grew even stronger.
"Red peony?"
Shen Yan's voice was not loud, but it carried a penetrating power: "Entrusted by your father's old friend, I will take you away from this place."
The girl shuddered, instinctively hugging her arms and shrinking further behind the embroidery hoop, her eyes filled with even greater fear.
"Your...your father? What father? I...I don't know him! Who are you? Get out! Get out now!"
She completely denied her origins and showed strong resistance to the word "leave".
"My lord... the Vice Minister has treated me so well! I've been treated to fine clothes and delicacies, and he's taught me the best embroidery skills... I... I won't leave! What's so good about the outside world? It's all hardship! All hunger! All beatings and scoldings! This... this is where I belong!"
Her voice suddenly rose, carrying a morbid urgency and fanaticism.
His eyes darted nervously toward the huge, empty birdcage.
Then his gaze suddenly fell upon a small, inconspicuous brass bell in the corner of the room, connected to a bell rope—
That's an emergency call device!
Shen Yan's eyes turned cold.
Shen Hong instantly realized the seriousness of the situation—this woman had not only been tamed, but her mind had become extremely twisted.
They developed a morbid identification with and dependence on their abusers!
She didn't believe they were there to rescue her at all, and might even see them as enemies who were disrupting her "peaceful" life!
"Make your move, knock him out and take him away!" Shen Yan ordered Shen Hong decisively.
Taking them away by force is a poor choice, but the mission must be completed!
Shen Hong moved, about to step forward.
A crisis has suddenly arisen!
In that instant, a near-mad determination erupted in Hong Shao's eyes!
Instead of ringing the bell, she used all her strength to lunge at a huge decorative porcelain vase next to her.
He shoved him hard to the ground!
"Clang—!!!"
The deafening cracking sound was like a thunderclap in the silent night!
The ear-piercing sound of porcelain shattering instantly tore apart the tranquility of the Zhang residence!
"Thief! Assassin! Help!!"
Hongshao used all the strength she had in her life to let out a shrill, mournful scream.
The voice was filled with fear of the "intruders" and a cry for the "protectors"!
"Damn it!" Shen Yan's face darkened.
The shouts of the guards immediately rang out from a distance outside the building.
The torchlight shone like a swarm of bees startled.
They were rapidly converging on the direction of the embroidery tower from several directions!
"She's insane!"
Shen Hong was both shocked and furious!
Looking at the woman curled up among the broken porcelain shards, her eyes held a twisted, triumphant gleam.
That numb, desperate atmosphere was mixed with the stench of blood.
The chill and sorrow in Shen Hong's heart almost solidified into a tangible form.
"Walk!"
Shen Yan made a decisive move and released the snowbirds.
He knew that it was impossible to forcibly take Hongshao away at this moment, and that he would only get surrounded.
He grabbed Shen Hong and tried to leave through the back window.
The backyard was already in chaos, clearly indicating that they had been on guard for some time.
The sound of guards' footsteps hurriedly gathered here.
Just then.
"call out--!"
A whistling arrow, accompanied by a piercing sound, landed precisely at the feet of the guards charging at the forefront of the embroidered pavilion's front courtyard!
The arrow's fletching vibrated violently, emitting a buzzing sound!
Immediately afterwards, two muffled booms rang out.
Near the east and west walls of the mansion, two thick plumes of smoke, emitting a pungent odor, rose almost simultaneously!
It instantly blocked the view and caused even greater chaos!
"It's Mother!" Shen Hong's spirits lifted!
A figure as lithe as a female leopard, accompanied by several Asura Guards, descended like divine soldiers.
They rushed in from the east side of the courtyard wall, which was filled with thick smoke and was close to the embroidery building!
It was Ling Zhan who had rushed over at full speed after receiving Xue Ling's "Su Ying" warning!
"Over here!"
Ling Zhan's voice was calm and clear as he fired his crossbow in rapid succession, precisely suppressing the guards who were trying to approach the embroidered tower.
To tear open a path for the two of them.
Without hesitation, Shen Yan, along with Shen Hong, flew out of the back window like two wisps of smoke and rejoined Ling Zhan's team.
Ling Zhan glanced at the girl trembling amidst the broken porcelain shards in the warm pavilion, her eyes still empty and frantic.
His brows were furrowed, but he didn't stop.
"withdraw!"
Ling Zhan gave the order decisively.
The squad members covered each other, using crossbows and smoke grenades alternately. Amidst the chaotic guarding and billowing smoke, they moved like ghosts, swiftly escaping the Zhang residence and disappearing into the shadows of the intricate streets and alleys.
Inside the embroidered tower, Hongshao listened to the gradually calming chaos outside.
Looking at the mess on the ground, he slowly hugged his knees and buried his face in them.
My body is still trembling.
But the distorted glint of "victory" in his eyes was gradually replaced by a deeper emptiness and deathly stillness.
She successfully "defended" her cage.
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