30 Turbulence (1/2)

Meng Fuyao retrieved it happily before passing it to the old eunuch. ”Sorry for the trouble. A little something from us,” she whispered.

The old man straightened his body, raising his arm and exposing his baggy sleeve. Meng Fuyao understood his intention and placed the heavy sack in. The eunuch gave her an admiring glance before turning to Yun Hen. ”What a lucky bloke,” he commented, before sneaking a quick look at the object in Meng Fuyao's palm. He hinted for them to collect a tray to hold and then follow him.

While Yun Hen appeared calm, he was gripping hard on the tray with both hands. When he saw Meng Fuyao slotting the cylindrical object back into her clothes, he couldn't help but flush. Fortunately, it went unnoticed in the dark night.

Meng Fuyao let out an embarrassed cough and looked up at the sky, once again putting the blame on Zhan Beiye –”Would I have needed this if you hadn't locked my inner energy?”

The old eunuch led them out of the Xuande Palace Hall and toward the Xin Palace but was quickly greeted by an armored imperial guard. After sweeping his gaze across the trio and recognizing the old eunuch's seniority, the armored guard smiled. ”Where are you heading to at this time, Sir Lao An?”

”Oh,” the eunuch expressed while nodding his chin toward the Xin Palace in an impatient manner. ”A palace maid has a cold again. I'm delivering some cotton cloth to be used as winter clothing.”

”It's just a trivial matter. Do you have to make a special trip down?” asked the guard. His gaze was as sharp as an eagle.

”Sigh, that you don't know,” the old eunuch stood on tiptoe and whispered. ”I just want to check on the palace maid. Haven't you heard..? She's plagued by something dirty...” he coughed and stopped talking.

The wind blew over from the long and narrow alleyway, sweeping the fallen leaves and creating crisp sounds like those produced from a lady's light footsteps.

A faint, white layer of fog rose from the ground, never dissipating, adding an eerie air to the solemn alleyway.

The guard moved his lips for some time, his face changing slowly. He had been in the palace for a very long time and naturally knew that the criminals' corpses were dragged through the area close to the Xin Palace. Every corner had been stained by blood. It wouldn't be surprising if dead spirits hovered over every corner as well.

Despite the brutal nature of his job, the imperial guard was superstitious. He waved, turned around and gestured for the guards to open a path.

Cha–

The retracting of guns and swords could be heard as a pencil-straight path along which heavily-armed guards were lined up, appeared within the alleyway.

Yun He and Meng Fuyao looked at each other. The former let out a cool smile while the latter's eyes were immediately drawn to some blood spots on his chest area. They were slowly expanding, as was his wound.

Her face turned pale as she tried hard to throw him a hint. Upon his realization, Yun Hen calmly held his tray higher to cover the stain.

Meng Fuyao stared worriedly at that enlarging blotch, leaning a little toward him. The leading guard lifted his hand and looked at the trio somewhat deliberately. It wasn't that he distrusted them, but he was interested to see if these two eunuchs and the feeble girl would have the guts to pass through the weapon-lined path within the dense forest.

The old eunuch's face was evidently whiter. He swallowed his saliva, feeling rather regretful about his decision to help. Unfortunately, since he had already lied, so there was no turning back.

When the guard sensed his awkwardness, he suddenly felt apologetic. ”Sorry, Sir, it's a narrow way, and the boys aren't allowed to leave. I'll walk with you if you're worried that they might be rough,” he explained.

The old eunuch was overjoyed and agreed instantly. The guard then walked over and stood beside him.

'Not good!' Meng Fuyao thought as she noticed that Yun Hen's wound had split open. More blood was coming out. Once the smell of it became noticeable, there was no way these people wouldn't be alarmed. If they were to set foot onto the path, there was no escape route for them at all, and they could get stabbed to death any time.

Nevertheless, they could only move forward from here. Frustrated, Meng Fuyao recalled a phrase. ”I'll gladly take on any mountains of daggers and seas of flames.” Wasn't that literally what she was about to go through?

The sky was like a black dome pressing down onto and stifling them. In the darkness, there was nothing but the narrow path, which could barely fit two, that led straight to their destination. The light from the fire torches reflected off the guard's weapons, silently illuminating the cold expression on the guards' faces.

In order to walk down a path like that required much courage. To reach the end of the route required much luck.

Meng Fuyao looked up at the sky and took a deep breath before advancing.

In spite of the number of people present, there was no noise except for the burning of the flames which drowned the voices of the insects, the low sobbing, and the sound of blood moistening Yun Hen's clothes.

Weapons that had been stained in blood would naturally possess a more terrifying power. The old eunuch had initially intended to say a little something to release the tension, but the moment he opened his mouth, he felt as if there was a deadly force suppressing his vocal cords and rendering him speechless.

The suffocating force left the trio sweating buckets all the way.

Midway through their journey, Yun Hen pulled the tray closer to his chest.

At the same time, the guard in front crooked his head and sniffed. ”What's that smell?”

...

At 4:30 PM...

Qi Xunyi's sideshow was waiting in the side palace for their cue to start.

As for the transference of guards, Yan Lie was already overseeing the operation at the last gate.

Fang Minghe had also appointed a general, and his troops were setting off from the camp.