The moon hung high in the sky; Qiu Xinran had no idea what hour it was. Accompanied by the incessant chirping of cicadas and the murmuring of the mountain stream, her eyelids drooped, and her head slowly nodded downward.
Xia Xiuyan was also exhausted, but it was his first time spending the night out in the wild. Thinking over the day’s events left his mind restless, and seeing the seemingly carefree girl beside him stirred an unexpected unease in his chest.
He nudged her with his elbow. “Aren’t you scared sleeping out here in the mountains?”
Half asleep, Qiu Xinran blinked, dazed. Hearing the question, she let out a long yawn. “I’ve lived in the mountains since I was little. Do you think I’m scared?”
“Why have you lived in the mountains since you were little?”
“Because my master found me here. My master lives in the mountains, so naturally I grew up here too,” she replied matter-of-factly.
Xia Xiuyan hadn’t known about her background. “You’re an orphan?”
Qiu Xinran laughed softly. “How could I learn this if I weren’t? Besides, it’s true—I’m good at reading fortunes. I know it myself.”
She glanced at him knowingly. “Are you not sleeping because you’re worried we won’t get out of here tomorrow?”
Before he could respond, she yawned again. “Want me to read your fortune?”
Xia Xiuyan smirked coldly. “I’m not losing sleep for that. I’m just waiting for some wild beast to come at night and carry you off.”
Qiu Xinran instinctively shivered, but quickly realized he was bluffing. She snorted lightly. “This is the imperial hunting grounds. After the emperor arrived, the guards already swept the mountain. Do you think I don’t know?”
Exhaustion overcame her, and her voice dropped. When Xia Xiuyan glanced back later, she had already fallen asleep.
The next morning, Qiu Xinran was woken by him. She opened her eyes to find it still dark. The night had been cold, and although they had kept some distance while sleeping, she now found herself pressed against him. Xia Xiuyan hadn’t pushed her away. Though tired, his gaze was clear when he woke her.
“What’s the matter? Is someone coming for us?” She rubbed her eyes, her body sore from sitting all night.
Xia Xiuyan’s tone was serious. “Do you remember saying you’d listen to me last night?”
Qiu Xinran recalled promising him that while trapped in the cave. She eyed him warily. “But we’re safe now…”
He sneered. “You forget—the two men said someone would come up the mountain at dawn to meet them.”
“Then we just go down before they arrive, right?”
“And if we run into them halfway?”
She frowned. “It’s a huge mountain. How likely is that? Even if we did, we could hide.”
“No,” Xia Xiuyan said decisively. “I won’t gamble with our lives on luck.”
Qiu Xinran asked incredulously, “Then what do you plan to do?”
“Come closer,” he said quietly. She leaned in, and he whispered his plan into her ear. Her eyes widened. “Are you insane?”
His expression remained dark and unyielding.
“If I agree to this, then I must be insane,” she murmured. Xia Xiuyan chuckled coldly. “You misunderstand. I’m not asking for your opinion—I’m threatening you.”
Hearing him say the word threaten so calmly, Qiu Xinran stiffened. Overnight, the faint warmth of camaraderie seemed to have vanished, replaced by the cold aura of a killer.
A short while later, Qiu Xinran, resigned, knelt and urged the man above her. Xia Xiuyan had injured a leg the day before, so climbing the tree was a struggle. By the time he sat safely among the branches, the sky was tinged with the pale light of dawn.
They were hidden in a grassy patch near the cave. Summer foliage was thick, and Xia Xiuyan’s figure among the leaves was hard to spot unless one looked closely.
Qiu Xinran brushed off the dirt and hesitated. “Are you really sure about this?”
“Just remember the line I drew for you,” he replied coldly from above.
She had no choice. Silently, she crouched behind the grass and waited for daylight.
Soon, footsteps approached. Her heart raced, and she held her breath. Through the tall grass, she saw a tall man climbing the mountain in a palace guard uniform, a long bow slung across his back—a Han Chinese man.
He discovered the bodies in the cave immediately, went inside to investigate, and emerged looking displeased. Qiu Xinran hesitated, unsure if he was a companion of the men from last night or a palace guard sent to rescue them.
Biting her lip, she shifted slightly. The grass rustled, alerting the man in front of the cave. “Who’s there?” he shouted.
Qiu Xinran leapt out like a startled rabbit, sprinting in the opposite direction. The guard chased, shouting, “Stop!” She couldn’t outrun him and heard the sound of an arrow being drawn. She froze, raised her hands in surrender, and shouted, “Fine! Don’t come any closer!”
Seeing her face, the guard hesitated, then exclaimed, “You… you’re the new Sichen officer by the emperor’s side!”
“You recognize me?”
“Of course. You disappeared last night. Now the palace is sending people to look for you. Is Xia Xiuyan with you? And who’s that in the cave?” The guard lowered his bow, stepping closer.
Qiu Xinran took a cautious step back. “Don’t come closer!”
The man frowned. “Why? I came to rescue you.”
“You really are from the palace?” she asked suspiciously.
“Absolutely. Who else could come up here besides palace personnel? You said you knew Xia Xiuyan’s whereabouts, right?”
She hesitated. “He’s injured. He’s not here.”
The guard was shocked. “Injured? Quickly, take me to him!” He stepped forward. Qiu Xinran stayed put, still wary.
Just then, she called out, “Wait!”
The guard stopped, puzzled.
“Are you really a palace guard?” The thirteen-year-old girl looked up innocently.
He smiled. “Still don’t trust me, Sichen? Should I show my badge?”
Qiu Xinran shook her head. “If Xia Xiuyan had been taken, the palace would have sent people immediately. They wouldn’t wait until morning.”
He forced a smile. “It was only at dawn that someone noticed he was missing, so they came up the mountain.”
“How do you know he was taken to the mountain? Shouldn’t they check the palace first?”
The man paused, then said, “They did search the palace. When they couldn’t find him, they sent someone here.” Impatient, he stepped forward. “Time is precious. Sichen, lead me to Xia Xiuyan. If anything happens to him, who can be held responsible?”
Qiu Xinran stepped back cautiously. “Don’t come closer!”
But he ignored her and advanced. Seeing him reach for her clothes, she squatted and screamed. Her sudden, piercing yell startled birds in the forest.
Momentarily distracted, the man barely dodged an arrow that flew from the treetops. The arrow grazed his clothing, making a ripping sound. Another arrow struck his left knee, forcing him to stagger. A third followed swiftly, leaving him reeling, and a fourth pierced his chest, leaving him kneeling on the ground.
Qiu Xinran sprang forward, yanking the arrows from his back and pressing them against his throat. The guard froze, one hand clutching his chest.
“What… what is this, Sichen?” he stammered.
“Enough. Who sent you?” Qiu Xinran’s tone carried an air of authority.
“I’m here to rescue Xia Xiuyan, as I said,” he answered.
“Keep silent. I’ll find out when we descend,” she warned. The man looked up, surprised to see the archer on the tree—Xia Xiuyan himself, frail yet precise.
Xia Xiuyan, looking down from above, sneered. “Do you have family? No friends? Then a few brothers, at least?” The guard’s expression darkened. “The prince suspects I’m part of the conspiracy. He’ll question me when we get down the mountain.”
“Do you want to survive the descent?” Xia Xiuyan said slowly, amused. “If you tell me who’s behind this, I’ll at least give you a quick death.”
The man’s expression hardened. He lunged toward her, trying to knock the arrow away with his head. Qiu Xinran instinctively recoiled, stepping back. But at the last second, a warm splash hit her face. When she opened her eyes, she saw the man staring wide-eyed at her, then collapsing backward.
An arrow had pierced his throat, blood instantly soaking the ground.