“Hahahaha…”
Murong Hao laughed maniacally, “These are the clues they left for Murong Yao.”
“Good, let’s see who can find them first.”
Murong Hao drew his sword, scraping the ice surface again and again.
Blood from his wound spread along the river, resembling blooming crimson flowers.
He searched frantically, and as more and more fragments appeared before his eyes, he could no longer suppress the joy in his heart.
When Murong Hao reached a stone wall, the path suddenly ended.
Yet scraps of cloth continued to emerge endlessly. “So you’re hiding here.”
“As long as I capture you, I don’t believe Murong Yao won’t come to exchange your lives!”
As he spoke, his fists clenched tightly. “There must be an entrance here.”
Murong Hao searched inch by inch, squeezing into every narrow opening he encountered. If there was no way through, he would retreat and try another, testing each one by one.
Meanwhile, in the deep pit, Xiao Changning gradually fell asleep, while the person in her arms struggled and woke up.
Jiang Yuzhou regained consciousness first, but her heavy eyelids refused to open.
She only felt her cheek pressed against a warm, soft embrace—it felt unreal.
Jiang Yuzhou, clinging to the sensation, turned her head slightly. Huh? What?
She slowly reached out and touched the “mountain peak,” but the next second, her mind exploded.
With a jolt, Jiang Yuzhou woke up completely from her slumber.
Her cheeks flushed red, and her ears burned with heat. She looked at Xiao Changning and realized she had been leaning against Xiao Changning’s…
She had been leaning against Xiao Changning’s chest!?
The commotion also woke Xiao Changning, who looked at Jiang Yuzhou with an unstoppable smile.
“Empress sister, you’re awake. Let me check.”
She extended her cold little hand and placed it on the Empress’s forehead.
Empress Jiang Yuzhou, startled by her action, breathed rapidly, swallowed twice, and her mind went completely blank.
Xiao Changning frowned and said, “The fever hasn’t subsided yet.”
“We need to find a way out. If we delay any longer, your illness will only worsen.”
Jiang Yuzhou was pulled back by her words. “You! How shameless!”
“You actually let me…”
Jiang Yuzhou gestured frantically but couldn’t utter a single word.
Xiao Changning took a deep breath. “I know Empress sister dislikes being touched, but you had a fever, and I had no other choice.”
“Circumstances forced it. Please don’t blame me.”
“Besides, between you and me, there’s no need for words like ‘shameless.'”
She knelt on the ground, her tone carrying a hint of “accusation” and a touch of complaint. “We’re both women. What are you afraid of?”
“You, you, I…”
I’m not!
Jiang Yuzhou was speechless. Recalling the earlier scene, her heart instantly raced like a startled deer.
Under Xiao Changning’s puzzled gaze, she couldn’t stay any longer. “I’ll go look for an exit.”
Xiao Changning watched Jiang Yuzhou’s retreating figure. Had she been too presumptuous?
But it was for the sake of her life. Surely it wasn’t that serious.
Once they got out, she would apologize properly. Surely she wouldn’t blame her.
Jiang Yuzhou walked to the other side, splashing her face with cold water. That scene seemed to have taken root in her mind, impossible to erase no matter how hard she tried.
Suddenly, she noticed a small crack at the base of the stone wall. Could it be an exit?
“Sister Guifei, come quickly.”
Xiao Changning walked over and followed the direction of her finger. “I discovered this earlier, but with you unconscious, I couldn’t get you out alone.”
“I thought I’d wait until you woke up to decide what to do.”
Jiang Yuzhou smiled faintly, avoiding her gaze. “I’ll go in and take a look. Wait here for me.”
“Alright!” Xiao Changning agreed immediately. “If anything goes wrong, I can rescue you.”
“Mhm.”
Before the words had fully left her mouth, Jiang Yuzhou shrank her body and slipped inside.
Before Jiang Yuzhou could return, Xiao Changning, still in the pit, heard faint clinking sounds from the other side.
She picked up a wooden stick and hid nearby.
Xiao Changning gripped it tightly. If it’s an assassin, I’ll knock him out with one blow!
With a few rumbling sounds, the stone wall collapsed, sending rubble flying. Xiao Changning moved backward, and out stepped Murong Hao.
He wore a black mask, and Xiao Changning recognized him—the leader of the assassins.
Murong Hao scanned the area. He saw the extinguished fire and guessed: They must be hiding here.
The Empress actually knows martial arts. I must not let my guard down.
He quietly tightened his grip on his sword, adopting a defensive stance.
Just as he was about to move to the left, he suddenly caught sight of a reflection in the water—Xiao Changning was holding a wooden stick, ready to ambush him.
Turn their own trick against them!
“What’s this!” Murong Hao pretended to let his guard down. “A waste of effort.”
As he spoke, he turned around. Just as Xiao Changning leaned out, Murong Hao suddenly drew his scabbard and struck toward her.
Who would have thought that Xiao Changning was already prepared? She dodged with a swift sidestep, then kicked him squarely in the waist.
“Ouch!” Murong Hao lost his balance and fell into the water with a splash.
Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Changning fled through the exit Murong Hao had opened.
Before leaving, she didn’t forget to taunt him. “What a fool!”
“Thank you for opening the exit. This palace will take her leave first. Once I’m out, I’ll be sure to burn paper money for you!”
Xiao Changning deliberately tore a piece of her clothing and left it at the cave entrance.
Murong Hao, choking on water, coughed violently a few times before quickly standing up. He looked at the cave entrance and sprinted after her.
“You wretch! I’ll skin you alive!”
Jiang Yuzhou, who was bending forward to search for a way out, also heard the commotion. “Oh no!”
“Changning is in danger!”
Jiang Yuzhou pressed herself against the wall, then with great difficulty turned around and crawled back as fast as she could.
When she returned, all she saw was the newly opened cave entrance and a torn piece of clothing. Without wasting a moment, Jiang Yuzhou also gave chase.
Xiao Changning groped her way through the passage, stumbling as she ran. But after all, she was a woman, and Murong Hao was hot on her heels. The distance between them grew smaller and smaller.
“Guifei Xiao, why waste your energy? Better to surrender quietly.”
Xiao Changning looked back. “In your dreams!”
Just as she saw a glimmer of light and was about to escape, she tripped over a stone and fell heavily to the ground. Pain washed over her entire body.
As she tried to get up, Murong Hao grabbed her by the collar.
Murong Hao bound her hands behind her back, then pressed her against the wall.
“Let go of me!”
He leaned close to Xiao Changning’s ear, gritting his teeth as he said, “This prince will not let go!”
Murong Hao gripped her chin, roughly wiping her face, and stared at her fair, rosy cheeks, his breath halting for a few seconds. “Indeed, you didn’t lie to this prince.”
“So charming, no wonder Murong Yao is captivated by you.”
He pushed Xiao Changning along. “After you, Guifei.”