Chapter 16 (1/2)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Ran Yi

Hearing her answer, the girl in yellow smiles in appreciation, quickly grabbing Gui Wan’s hand, searching for directions amongst the chaotic crowd, whilst saying to Gui Wan: “Going to Yu Xia Guan (Yu Xia Checkpoint) from here, only requires a day’s journey on horse. Let us steal a horse whilst it’s still chaotic.” Once she had said this, she had already extended her hand, with a clean cut of a knife in form of her hand, she hacks down a nearby bandit who was fleeing in panic.

Seeing her extremely smooth movement, Gui Wan is stunned, immediately following her as they constantly run forward, her ears filled with loud noises, the figures before her eyes in disorder, in a chaotic situation impossible to resolve, Gui Wan can only choose to trust this girl in yellow in front of her.

The Nu army has already arrived at the rear end of the carriages, battling it out with the bandits, and the Nu army’s main force spreads out towards them, going all around the chaotic crowd, seeming to be searching for something.

The girl in yellow also senses something is not right, turning her head, she carries a trace of slyness in her smile, asking: “What are the Nu army searching for? Are they looking for you?”

Returning a smile, excessively sweet, Gui Wan cannot help but to smile, smoothly asking: “What about you? Why are you escaping?” If her escape is considered justifiable, then the actions of this girl in yellow, has also already revealed the extreme suspiciousness of her ident.i.ty.

Didn’t think that Gui Wan under silent admittance, would actually question her back, the girl in yellow turns around with a kick, knocking down a bandit in front, one hand grabbing onto the horse reins, turning to look at the absolutely breathless Gui Wan, calmly saying: “In times of emergency, let us throw aside ident.i.ty related questions. If we don’t leave now, it may be too late.”

Gui Wan hurries forward, the girl in yellow launches herself onto the horse, and then pulls Gui Wan up onto the horseback, both her legs clipped onto the horse’s stomach, the horse raises its hooves and runs forward, charging out. The horse speed is not actually very fast, galloping amongst the chaotic crowd, but also taking into account the safety of the people below.

Right when Gui Wan’s heart relaxes, a particularly loud and very inflamed voice enters her ears: “Suo Ge Ta……” This voice pierces through half of the wilderness, overpowering the many figures, and shoots right into Gui Wan’s ears.

Turning her head amidst the b.u.mpy ride, Gui Wan looks back in direction of the Nu army behind, leading the Nu army at the rear of the carriage fleet, is Ye Li. His face holds anxiety and anger, and also a type of complicated expression that makes people sense his pain upon looking at him. Ye Li raises the horse whip high and strikes down, breaking up the crowd before the horse, doing all he can to rush forward.

Gui Wan starts to slightly panic, didn’t think that with this smeared black face, she still cannot escape his eyes, under her watch, he is already shortening the distance between them, Gui Wan pulls on the yellow clothing, loudly saying: “Almost catching up behind.”

The girl in yellow does not look back, answering against the wind, her voice still remains as steady as ever: “I will not let him catch up.”

Hearing her seemingly very confident words, Gui Wan’s heart is put at ease, tightly clutching onto the girl in yellow’s waist, she turns her head to look back at the chaotic scene halfway across the wilderness, she can still sense Ye Li’s strongly fired up emotions that seems to be able to burn down all in his presence, that kind of struggling, sinking and unwilling complications, even in this situation of clas.h.i.+ng weapons, thundering cries, it still sinks in too deep to be overshadowed.

Seeing with his own eyes the narrowing of distance, meter by meter, Ye Li loudly cries out: “Suo Ge Ta, come back……”

The girl in yellow slightly turns her head, still grinning amongst the chaos as she says: “You’re called Suo Ge Ta? G.o.ddess of the moon? ……interesting.” Within a glance, Ye Li had actually reached within ten meters of distance already, straightening her face, the girl in yellow frees one hand, digging into her clothes and pulls something out, spreading it along the ground behind them.

Everything blurs before Gui Wan, only thinking that the girl in yellow dispersed something like flowers from her hand, little green b.a.l.l.s rolls onto the ground under the hooves of Ye Li’s horse, behind, the horse loudly neighs, Gui Wan cannot help but to look back, and sees Ye Li’s horse looking like it has gone mad, hopping and jumping on that one spot, the distance immediately pulls further apart again.

“Suo Ge Ta……you cannot leave.” Ye Li desperately pulls at the reigns, whilst roaring out his hisses, looking like he’s gone crazy, still wanting to rush forward, his voice, filled with panic striking a deep chord.

Not wanting to listen, but the sound still insists on drilling into her ear, Gui Wan feels slightly shaky, watching this foreign prince show a face of panic, gradually blurring into the wind. Right now, the horse has already pa.s.sed through the entire crowd, looks like they are able to head straight east, when something sharp pierces through the air like a shooting star, aiming to stab into the two people on the horse.

Gui Wan had yet to react to this, when a cool feeling fleetingly pa.s.ses by her arm, a long arrow skims past her clothing, greatly startled, she immediately looks back.

Not far away, a few Nu soldiers had already noticed the target that the prince is chasing after, raising the bow and arrows in their hands, aiming right at Gui Wan.

Ye Li also sees the current situation, cold sweat dripping, heart greatly disturbed, he furiously shouts out: “Stop, all of you stop, no one is allowed to harm her……stop it.”

The entire Nu army all found it strange, this is originally the Nu Tribe’s great way of arresting fugitives, yet they are being ordered not to shoot arrows right now, it is just rather puzzling. The majority of the Nu army upon hearing this order, lowers their bow and arrows, not daring to make a move, but one particular soldier upon hearing the order, could not react in time, the arrow in hand had already shot out from the bow, piercing through the wind, shooting towards the person on the horse.

He lowers his hand, turning his head to sneak a look, Ye Li had already dismounted the horse, furiously storming over, never has anyone seen this dignified prince this angry before, heart in panic, he had yet to voice out his explanation, when Ye Li’s blade was already swinging directly at him.

Everyone was trembling in shock by that moment in which the soldier’s blood was sprayed, spraying a nicely curved arc into the air, the crimson red blood splatters, that soldier practically didn’t even have the time to express his shock, and Ye Li had already chopped at his throat in one swing, his corpse immediately collapsing with a “peng” sound, shocking awake the consciousness of everyone around them.

“Didn’t I just say, you’re not allowed to harm her?” An absolutely chilling voice is emitted from Ye Li’s mouth, on the sharp sword in his hand, traces of blood trails down the edge of the blade, dripping onto the ground of the wilderness. Ye Li’s face carries evil and rage, and also a deep trace of unwilling acceptance, raising his eyes, attentively watching that horse disappear into the wilderness.

The howling sound of wind blowing past, lasted a long time before it faded, a long neigh enters the ear, and the horse comes to a stop. Gui Wan takes a deep deep breath, regaining composure of herself. After going through a crisis between life and death at Feng Qi Slope, she has since developed a sense of fear of riding horses, unless at a moment of crisis, she would never dare to easily ride a horse. Once she slightly settles her heart, the girl in yellow had already dismounted the horse, turning her head to look at Gui Wan, laughingly saying: “Crisis temporarily lifted, you can get off and take a little rest now.”

Following along in dismounting the horse, Gui Wan looks around, this place is no longer the wilderness, green gra.s.sland, a look into the distance of no boundary, when the wind blows by, there is a sort of captivating wave of gra.s.s, wave after wave, like a huge gentle hand is brus.h.i.+ng over the earth, even bringing along with it, the refres.h.i.+ng taste of the wind brus.h.i.+ng against one’s face. Suddenly feeling that in her eyes, there holds such beautiful scenery, even though the crisis is not yet completely over in this moment, Gui Wan still feels as though she is in a state of deep intoxication.

“This is the most hidden pa.s.sage from Yu Xia Guan, known as ‘Green Sea’, very beautiful right?” Seeing Gui Wan’s expression, the girl in yellow couldn’t hold back her smile, and slowly explains.

Gently nodding her head, Gui Wan slightly smiles as she answers: “Indeed very beautiful.”

Another burst of wind blows over again, the green sea billows, and the girl in yellow closes her eyes, also following Gui Wan in breathing the fresh air of nature, opening her eyes, her eyes suddenly sharpens up, turning to look at Gui Wan, asking: “Who are you? Why is the Nu Tribe’s Prince Ye Li chasing after you? You should be a Celestial Empire person right?”

“Asking so many questions in one breath, even I do not know how I should answer them.” Gui Wan leisurely says in reply.

“Then I shall directly ask you,” The girl in yellow approaches Gui Wan, staring dead into her eyes, seeming to want to see through her, “Are you the Nu Tribe’s spy?”

Without immediately answering, they attentively look over each other again, Gui Wan after careful consideration, resolutely says: “I am not.” Suddenly pausing, she asks back, “What about you? Not only skilled in martial arts, but also bold and daring. Who exactly are you?”

The girl in yellow and Gui Wan stare into each other’s eyes for a long while, finally unable to hold back, laughing out loud, a rarely seen hearty cheerfulness s.h.i.+nes brightly from the girl’s body, “I also don’t think you are.” Sighing in relief, she sits down on the ground, appearing comfortable and relaxed.

“I’m called Lin Ran Yi, descendant of the Celestial Empire’s military family.” A simple introduction, she turns her head, looking at Gui Wan.

Gui Wan leisurely laughs, thinking back to how the two of them went through life and death together, she too gained a little sense of trust towards her, slightly parting her lips, just about to introduce herself, when she suddenly sees Lin Ran Yi’s face change, suddenly jumping up from the gra.s.s, pulling Gui Wan along as she runs.

Lin Ran Yi drags along Gui Wan as they reach an area where the weedy gra.s.s is most luxuriant, squatting down, signalling Gui Wan to also squat down, until the gra.s.s has completely concealed both their figures, she quietly says to Gui Wan: “Someone’s here.”

Without the slightest trace of fear, Gui Wan focuses on keeping her body hidden, suggesting: “Do you still have the green b.a.l.l.s from before? Throw them out onto the gra.s.s where they’d definitely go through.”

Lin Ran Yi slightly hesitates for a moment, recalling how the horse had already reached to side to eat gra.s.s, hiding right here, indeed isn’t the best plan, reaching into her clothing, she once again grabs a handful of green b.a.l.l.s, sprinkling it over the area of gra.s.s their horse had pa.s.sed by before.

Just as they expected, only a while later did they hear the sound of horse hooves, but there is only one horse, following the traces of galloping horse prints that Gui Wan, Lin Ran Yi had left behind. Walking up to the area where the green b.a.l.l.s were scattered, the horse suddenly neighs loudly, the person on the horse receives a shock, not understanding what is happening, desperately pulling at the reigns, before he could put the horse under control, Lin Ran Yi had already jumped up, hand moving like a knife, aiming to cut at the neck of the one on the horse.

The person on the horse immediately responds in a moment of panic, he avoids the attack, abandoning the horse as he dismounts, raising his foot at the same time, followed with a kick towards Lin Ran Yi.

Lin Ran Yi immediately moves around it, with a turn of her body, aiming to amputate the person’s foot, that person steps back just in time, the two people did not succeed in their attacks, both backing away, looking at one another, Lin Ran Yi was absolutely surprised.

Even Gui Wan is a little frightened, originally thinking it was the Nu army catching up, didn’t think that it would actually be the leader of the bandits.

The bandit leader backs away, his eyes rolling back and forth between Gui Wan and Lin Ran Yi, seeing Gui Wan and Lin Ran Yi’s defensive stance, he suddenly reveals a look of helplessness, after careful consideration, from his sleeves he takes out a silver ribbon, inquiring: “Who is this ribbon?”

To mention such a question in this moment, it would inevitably appear rather strange, neither Lin Ran Yi nor Gui Wan knew how to respond. Gui Wan even more so found it absolutely absurd, the bandit leader catching up to them, just to ask this one question, indeed inconceivable, after a moment of pondering, she takes the exact same ribbon from her sleeves, answering: “It’s mine.”

Originally still feeling quite doubtful, but upon seeing the ribbon, his eyes sparkles, the bandit walks upfront, maintaining three step distance, not caring for Lin Ran Yi taking on a defensive posture, he kneels on the ground, very respectfully saying: “This lowly one, Lou Sheng has come late, may Madam pardon my sin.”

Lou Sheng kneels on the gra.s.s ground, after a while later, the green waves of gra.s.s constantly billows, yet no movement can be detected by his ears, unable to hold back, he raises his head, and sees the blurred look of Gui Wan seeming to hesitate, lowering his head in thinking, he understands her concerns, taking out a little waist pendant from his waist side, holding it high up.

Seeing this scout of the Lou Residence’s waist pendant, with a familiar “Lou” [楼] character circled on the face of it, a ray of warm feeling slowly rises, Gui Wan finally smiles comfortably, saying: “No need to be so courteous, please stand up.”

With a simple sound of reply, he suddenly gets up, having long heard of Prime Minister Madam’s heavenly elegance, to personally meet her today, but sees Gui Wan’s face actually be smeared with unknown black powder, in thick layers, appearing in an absolutely sorry state, only that pair of quietly deep eyes, carries a slight quality of crystal clearness, illuminating like the stars in the skies. Not daring to cause any offense, Lou Sheng removes his eyes from her, organising his train of thoughts, reporting: “Lord Prime Minister is already rus.h.i.+ng through day and night, heading to Yu Xia Guan, and shall be arriving within two days. May Madam follow me to Yu Xia Guan.”

Listening up to this point, Lin Ran Yi who was standing aside, could not hold back her words, muttering: “Lord Prime Minister? Are you Prime Minister Lou’s wife?”

Gui Wan gently nods her head, affirming this, at the side, Lou Sheng respectfully interrupts: “Madam, we cannot stay here any longer, the Nu army seems to have not given up yet, and will be catching up in no time.”

At the mention of Nu army, the feeling of the arrow skimming past her sleeve before, seems to have resurfaced in her mind, Gui Wan senses a chill running up her spine, nodding in acceptance of Lou Sheng’s suggestion, in a situation where Lin Ran Yi also could not disagree with the course of action, after waiting for the crazed horse to calm down, three people two horses, heads into the eastern direction.

Lou Sheng seems to be extremely familiar with this area of terrain, leading Lin Ran Yi and Gui Wan across Green Sea, after an entire day and entire night, they finally made it to Yu Xia Guan’s city gates.

Her body already extremely tired out, upon seeing the three large characters [玉硖关] Yu Xia Guan, Gui Wan actually feels a warm sense of relief, having gone through almost a month and half’s journey, she has finally returned. Whilst still caught in a moment of overwhelming feelings, the city gates has already opened, a small squad of city guarding troops runs out from the gates, seeing the three people, they all spread out, aligning themselves into lines. In an armour of feather white, boots of vine green, a figure of extremely superior slender build, with a handsome face like frost, slowly walking out from within the city is actually General Lin Rui En.

His slightly cold expression upon seeing Lin Ran Yi, reveals a trace of tenderness, instantaneously creating such sense as though watching the clouds clear away, revealing the sunlight, “[Older] Sister, you finally returned.”

“Rui En, I’ve made you worried,” Lin Ran Yi walks up front, waving the whip in hand as she loudly calls out laughingly, “I’m back.”

Not only is it just Lin Rui En smiling, even all the soldiers stood by the sides were overflowing with heartfelt smiles. Whilst everyone is filled with joy, Lin Ran Yi pulls Gui Wan forward, introducing: “This is Prime Minister Lou’s Madam, we went through thick and thin together, escaping from the Nu Capital.”

Lin Rui En turns towards Gui Wan, the very moment their eyes met, his smile slightly falters, brows lightly crinkles, concealing the constantly throbbing pain in his heart, speaking with slight difficulty: “Madam Lou……” The following words remains stuck in his throat, unable to speak out.

Gently nodding her head in acknowledgement, Gui Wan smiles, “Always somehow manage to come across General Lin and your family in moments of crisis, Gui Wan really is extremely fortunate.” Always running into him in important timings, before she knew it, she had already gained additional feelings of rare trust and security towards him.

His lips faintly spreading into a smile, the cold as frost youth displays an extremely rare expression of tenderness, right within the surprised eyes of all those around, his face suddenly shows a drastic change, shooting forward in an arrow-like step, his hands gently hooks, holding up her body as it falls backward.

Gui Wan’s heart gradually feels at ease, the fatigue caused by an entire day and night of hurried travelling because of her mental relaxation, suddenly overtakes her body, vision fades, starting with a tiny spot of fuzziness, spreading out, her body feels light, falling backwards, the final image her eyes catches onto, is the small view of the light blue sky. Within her drowsy state, she feels a very warm pair of strong big hands, supporting her, allowing her to safely sink into dreamland.

At that moment, when Gui Wan suddenly fainted, Lou Sheng and Lin Ran Yi both wanted to extend a helping hand at the same time, having yet to respond in time, Lin Rui En had already rushed forward, holding Gui Wan in his arms, his face ashen, actually revealing a look of panic and heartache, completely oblivious to the reaction of those around him, he picks up the person in his arms, running towards the inside of the city gates, throwing the stunned people to the back his mind.

The soldiers were absolutely surprised, Lou Sheng and Lin Ran Yi stands at the same spot, looking in the direction of the gates, one with an expressionless face, one with a look of gloominess, one surprised, one worried.