Chapter 56 The Chill That Permeated to the Bone at the Spring Hunting Feast
On the day they went to Xiwu Mountain, Shen Yun unexpectedly did not set off earlier. It is said that he had already made arrangements with another official, who was now personally escorting the royal family to Xiwu Mountain.
Shen Yun's actions undoubtedly resulted in her giving credit to others. She worked diligently, but in the end, the good reputation went to someone else.
Lin Shutang didn't quite understand his actions, after all, she had seen his hard work every day during that period.
For months, he had been working from dawn till dusk, day and night. His eyes were now covered in red veins, and his skin was almost pale, with visible bluish-gray veins protruding beneath.
Only those eyes, when they looked over, remained dark and unfathomable.
Shen Yun prepared everything for Lin Shutang's trip to Xiwu Mountain.
He folded her clean clothes and put them into the trunk, and also picked up a lot of hair ornaments.
Lin Shutang grabbed his hand, "Alright, alright, why bring so much? We're going hunting, not going on a spring outing."
Holding the white jade hairpin carved with begonia flowers, Shen Yun asked in a hoarse voice, "Really, you're not wearing it?"
That was a coming-of-age gift he once gave to Lin Shutang.
Really, you don't need to take it with you?
He looked down at her.
Lin Shutang gave him a strange look, took the white jade hairpin from his hand, casually put it into her dressing case, and said matter-of-factly, "Of course I won't wear it."
These things are just a burden if you bring them along.
Shen Yun's gaze followed the arc of the thrown object, and the white jade hairpin landed quietly in the dressing case.
Lin Shutang did not notice his abnormality, quickly closed the box, and ordered the servants to carry it to the carriage.
He never turned around to look at Shen Yun again from beginning to end.
When the servants had come and gone and moved out all the necessary items, leaving only the two of them in the room, Shen Yun grabbed her hand as she was about to leave.
His breathing was heavy, as if it were being forced out of his lungs. "The spring hunt is meaningless. Where do you want to go? I'll take you."
Lin Shutang turned to look at him, and a rare glimmer of light appeared in his deep, pool-like eyes, as if in hope. "Is it alright?"
His voice was hoarse and trembling.
"Shen Jun, it's getting late, we should go." Lin Shutang brushed his hand away and walked towards the door.
The morning light seeped into the inner room like water, warmly dispelling the chill that had lingered all night, along the wide-open doors and windows.
Lin Shutang's clothes swayed in the morning light, and the shimmering light danced in Shen Jun's eyes. He gently lifted his eyelids and saw that figure bathed in warm yellow light receding into the distance before his eyes, like a dreamlike bubble.
Before he could even reach out again, the beautiful figure had already turned the corner of the corridor and disappeared.
On the first day of the spring hunt, they set up camp and rested.
After returning from the banquet that evening, Lin Shutang lay on the bedding in his tent, unable to fall asleep.
Shen Yun is leading troops to protect the hunting grounds, and it's unknown when he will be able to return to guard them.
Lin Shutang counted the intervals between the patrols of soldiers outside, and during the day he had roughly figured out the terrain of these places.
According to Shen Xiuyan's plan, they will take action tomorrow night.
Lin Shutang gripped the blankets in front of her and closed her eyes...
In the eighteenth year of Yongchang, the Western Yue invaded, and five border cities fell.
The flames of war spread from Yannan Pass, affecting various places along the route, including Shuocheng, Linzhou, and Pingning County.
The people were destitute and migrated with their families, their long, winding lines becoming the most unbreakable thread in the vast, misty border region.
Lin Shutang sat on the donkey cart carrying goods, with only one of the Lin family's servants by her side.
Yesterday, when Xiyue launched a surprise attack on Pingning County, she and her father and brothers got separated on their way out and finally agreed to meet again in Yizhou City.
Although Lin Shutang was worried, he knew that Pingning County was not a place to stay for long, so he could only hurry along the way, looking for his father and senior brother.
Unexpectedly, what followed were soldiers from the Western Yue Kingdom who had infiltrated the Sheng Dynasty at some unknown time. They were dressed in civilian clothes, making it impossible to distinguish friend from foe.
Even though the soldiers of the Sheng Dynasty had already hidden in the woods and weeds, they still couldn't stop the gleaming scimitars from being pointed at the fleeing civilians.
Behind them came the ferocious sounds of clashing weapons, and amidst the shouts of battle, the unarmed civilians could only run forward with all their might.
Their only hope was to settle down in Yizhou City.
Along the way, Lin Shutang dared not close his eyes at all, for if he was not careful, he would encounter two sides fighting ahead.
She had to keep a close eye on the surroundings so she could make the safest choice and get her father and senior brother back safely.
Finally, just as they were about to enter the outskirts of Yizhou City, they unexpectedly encountered another fierce battle.
Those Western Yue people dressed in plain clothes were used to scimitars, and long swords were not suitable for them. Therefore, even though they were only surrounding one person, they did not gain any advantage.
Lin Shutang hid behind waist-high weeds, barely daring to breathe loudly, afraid of being discovered.
It seems this road is blocked; she needs to go back and tell Chang Geng to try another route.
Lin Shutang was about to quietly retreat when one of the outermost Western Yue people, seeing that he couldn't win, quickly changed direction and ran towards her.
The moment he turned around, their eyes met.
Lin Shutang stared at the man in astonishment, not missing the sudden murderous intent that rose in his eyes. The blood-stained longsword was thrust straight at her. Lin Shutang heard the sudden chill in the wind and the sound of the blade cutting through the air. Her legs went weak and she fell to the ground.
A large amount of blood suddenly spurted from his cheek.
She looked up in alarm and saw a silver sword piercing through the chest of the person in front of her.
The top was covered in red blood, which dripped down in front of my eyes like rain.
Before the astonishment in the man's eyes could fade, he collapsed straight down in front of Lin Shutang.
She looked in that direction and saw the white-clad man in the distance, his hand still in the posture of throwing his sword, his eyes, stained with blood. In his last glance, his cold eyes gradually lost focus, and then his body went limp and he collapsed into a pool of blood.
The wind rustled through the treetops, and all was quiet.
What was just a chaotic battle with flashing swords and shadows has turned into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood in the blink of an eye.
Lin Shutang remained stunned for a long time. Even though she had been on edge and running for her life until now, she had never felt death so close to her.
Her limbs felt like they were nailed to the spot. She could even feel the rough gravel scraping against her palms and ants gnawing at her flesh, yet she still couldn't move an inch.
It wasn't until Chang Geng's voice came that Lin Shutang snapped out of her daze and shakily got up, supporting her weak legs.
She walked up to the man, unsure if he was still alive. She only saw several bloody holes in his body from which blood was continuously gushing out.
Lin Shutang reached out to check his aura, but before she could touch him, she felt a chill on her wrist. The man had opened his eyes at some point and gripped her wrist with great force, locking her firmly like an iron clamp.
His dark eyes were as cold as snow, carrying a chill that seeped into her very bones. His gaze was filled with wariness as he stared at her. Lin Shutang had no doubt that if she truly harbored any ill intentions, this person was absolutely capable of killing her with a single blow.
"Get out!" the boy said, his voice hoarse as if it had rolled over a blade. Despite being covered in wounds and appearing to be on the verge of death, he still exuded an arrogant and oppressive pressure.
Lin Shutang recalled the way he had killed someone earlier, and was so frightened that he fell backward to the ground. Almost instinctively, he got up and ran away.
But after taking a few steps, she turned back.
This time, she seemed more confident. She looked down at him and, without saying a word, packed him up and carried him onto the donkey cart used for hauling goods.
"You saved me, and I saved you. We're even now, and we're even."
The girl's bright and cheerful voice fell on the sound of the long whip cutting through the air. Shen Yun felt the donkey cart beneath him suddenly move, and blood gushed out from his chest.
He vaguely saw the swaying treetops rushing past on the horizon, and the phrase "we owe each other nothing" kept echoing in his ears...
Lin Shutang opened her eyes. Sunlight streamed into the tent, and she sat up with a slight headache.
The mountain air was quite chilly, and even though Lin Shutang slept all night, his body still felt cold.
Seeing that the side of the couch was smooth and wrinkle-free, Green Willow replied with great insight, "Last night the young master was ordered to guard the hunting grounds, and this morning he was sent to inspect the hunting forest."
Lin Shutang nodded without saying anything more, and got out of bed to be helped to wash up by Lvwu.
Today is the first day of the official hunt. The young masters of various noble families are already fully prepared and eager to try their luck. Even the famous ladies of the capital are dressed in riding attire, ready to hunt on the outskirts of the hunting grounds.
Across the crowd, Shen Yun silently watched the beautiful figure standing outside the tent.
She pursed her lips slightly, looking somewhat out of place compared to the others' enthusiastic expressions. Her eyes flickered as she surveyed the surrounding path.
She was wearing a simple, narrow-sleeved ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), not the riding clothes he had prepared for her, clearly indicating that she did not intend to enter the hunting grounds.
Lin Shutang had only been looking around casually, just to get a general idea of what was going on.
But she sensed a gaze fixed on her from afar. Following that burning gaze, she was met with a pair of deep, dark eyes.
Across the throng of people, that gaze seemed tangible as it fell upon her face, causing Lin Shutang to slow her breathing.
Today, Shen Yun abandoned his usual light-colored robes, opting instead for a dark blue half-armor with subtle patterns, the matching leather belt accentuating his slender waist. From afar, the young man stood tall and elegant, his posture both refined and upright.
His right hand gripped the longsword tightly, and the black iron wrist guard flashed with a sharp, cold light as he flipped it. His brows were deep and his heroic spirit was overwhelming; a single glance was enough to make one's heart skip a beat in amazement.
Lin Shutang rarely saw Shen Yun like this. In front of her, he was always as virtuous as a gentleman. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so easily deceived by his handsome appearance during their time in Yizhou.
Even after he forced her, whether it was during the two years in the villa or the three years in the Duke's mansion, Shen Yun still maintained that aloof and arrogant demeanor. But this sharp and undisguised demeanor was something Lin Shutang had never seen before.
The stunning beauty that struck right to the heart intensified the invisible pressure that followed.
But on the perilous and ferocious Xiwu Mountain, it is undeniable that this also gives people a sense of security that they can trust.
Lin Shutang lowered her eyes and was the first to look away from Shen Yun.
Using the crowd as cover, she quietly walked towards the southwest.
Lin Shutang had a general idea of the terrain of Xiwu Mountain in her mind; Shen Xiuyan had given her a topographical map. She had a whole day today, enough time to walk that route through her mind again.
Shen Yun was responsible for the safety of the hunting grounds and had no time to worry about himself.
As long as you scout the location beforehand, it's not a difficult task.
-----------------------
Author's Note: The first part of the summary is complete. The second part is currently loading...
[Eating melon seeds]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com