There was a moment of silence amidst the forest leaves as the two looked at each other.
Princess Yongjia faintly smiled, “Ruoheng, you’ve lost weight.”
Behind her, a lady attendant loudly announced, “Everyone, lay down your weapons! Those who disobey will be executed without exception!”
The cavalry troops immediately advanced in neat, well-drilled unison. Icy arrowheads directly targeted the assassins within the encirclement as taut bowstrings thrummed ominously.
This cavalry came from Princess Yongjia Xie Lang’s personal guards. Among Chang’an’s imperial clan, only the Princess kept private soldiers, a full three thousand guards. Other nobles were prohibited from keeping private armies, but she alone was an exception since her troops predated the current Emperor’s enthronement. They genuinely belonged only to the Princess.
Upon the princess guards’ appearance, the black-robed man’s expression subtly shifted beneath his hood. With a low shout towards the battling crowd ahead, “Retreat!” he then fiercely thrust out both palms at Jiang Kui and A-Rong!
The palm winds stirred up sharp whistling. Jiang Kui and A-Rong each wielded their weapons to block, blown back several steps by the tremendous energy. Both coughed, heavily crashing to the ground!
“Your Highness!” Two horses galloped out from the woods, one after another.
The arrivals were Jiang Kui’s elder brothers, Jiang Luan and Jiang Feng. The general’s ranks had encountered the princess’s cavalry in the wilds earlier, merging to travel here together.
The two elder brothers charged forth from behind, one supporting Jiang Kui while the other helped A-Rong onto the horses behind them before both unsheathing swords and daggers, surrounding the black-robed man.
“Little sister, are you alright?” Jiang Feng’s roar was still deafening.
Jiang Kui braced her forehead, shaking her head. “I’m fine…but Xie Wuyan…”
“Go find him! We’ll handle this one!” Jiang Feng let her down from the horse.
As Jiang Kui rushed off to search for Xie Wuyan, Jiang Luan and Jiang Feng slowly circled the black-robed man on horseback. But he cleaved out twin gusts of palm wind, blasting back the warhorses! Then he urged his own steed into a leap, vanishing swiftly amidst the foliage.
“Pursue?” Jiang Feng loudly asked.
“No pursuit,” Jiang Luan shook his head. “Just one palm knocked our little sister down, the two of us are surely not his match.”
The other assassins did not possess similar martial skill. With the princess’s cavalry joining the fray, the tide instantly turned. After one wave of arrows, a female commander escorted a black-clothed swordsman before the princess’s phoenix carriage, saluting with clasped fists: “Your Highness, this one is likely the leader.”
“Unmask him,” the Princess calmly ordered.
An attendant ripped off the swordsman’s face covering, only for him to suddenly grunt and collapse, body convulsing as blood flowed from his mouth until he moved no more.
“A suicide fighter,” the Princess knitted her penciled brows.
The battle was decided. Some assassins escaped the encirclement, while more chose to commit suicide upon realizing escape was impossible. The princess’s cavalry quickly cleaned up, escorting Xie Ruoheng and Xie Cheng over to the Princess.
“Ruoheng,” the Princess nodded at her youngest brother.
She also pulled her little niece into an embrace. “Cheng’er, did it frighten you?”
“Esteemed Aunt, I’m fine,” Xie Cheng shook her head. “Big Brother Ruo is injured.”
“For someone to actually dare ambush you here, have these martial world lowlives reached unprecedented arrogance?” The Princess coldly said, adjusting Xie Cheng’s lapels before gesturing Xie Ruoheng over.
After examining Xie Ruoheng’s injuries, her knitted brows grew even tighter. “Ruoheng, today I must petition the Emperor with you again to rectify the martial world. These hoodlums truly have heaven-defying gall to start trouble right under His Majesty’s nose!”
She also asked, “Where is Wuyan? Is he hurt?”
“Esteemed Aunt, I’m here,” came Xie Wuyan’s voice as he slowly walked over supported by Jiang Kui.
Luo Shiyi had already left, taking a squadron to pursue the enemies. When Jiang Kui found Xie Wuyan, he was leaning against a cedar tree, head lowered with the two horses gently licking his palms.
Hearing her footsteps, he slowly raised his head to meet her eyes. “My lady.”
He looked frail and wan, extremely pallid with deep weariness brimming from his eyes.
His illness seemed to have taken a positive turn this month until he had appeared in decent health just yesterday. Yet after only one night, his condition radically deteriorated to the extent he couldn’t hide it.
“Are you…hurt anywhere?” He knitted his brows at the bloodstains on her.
Jiang Kui shook her head, bending over to support him. “I’m not wounded. Are you alright?”
Xie Wuyan grasped the hand she extended, pressing two fingers to her wrist. She froze for a second rather than jerking free. His icy fingertips grazed her skin fleetingly in the lightest, swiftest motion to check for injuries.
“Fine,” he softly said.
So Jiang Kui helped him up towards the Princess’s phoenix carriage. He walked extremely slowly, barely able to propel himself so over half his weight pressed onto Jiang Kui.
Seeing Xie Wuyan’s appearance even before he reached them caused Xie Ruoheng’s expression to fill with concern as Xie Cheng anxiously went over alongside Jiang Kui to support him. Only then could he laboriously stand still to bow at the Princess.
“Wuyan, no need to bow,” the Princess held up both his shoulders. “It’s cold out, and you’re susceptible to chills. Get in the carriage to warm up.”
Xie Wuyan was too exhausted to speak so Jiang Kui thanked the Princess in his stead, assisting him towards the coach.
The carriage was packed with many fur blankets. Jiang Kui first spread one out on the seat, then propped up Xie Wuyan’s head against the wall before draping another blanket over him.
He closed his eyes, letting her maneuver him until he was cocooned inside the thick bedding with only his pallid, refined face visible amidst the messy fur.
Jiang Kui cradled her cheek, gazing at him and realizing this man was shivering again under the heavy covers.
She blinked: Was he still cold bundled up like this?
At this very instant, facing his completely exposed frailty, she suddenly understood…his illness was likely truly severe and he might really only have less than two years left.
Perhaps he truly would perish.
And this was a subject the two avoided addressing subconsciously.
“Xie Wuyan, are you cold?” she asked.
“I’m fine,” he answered without opening his eyes. “I’m not cold.”
Yet his voice still quivered, along with his curled lashes, both fluttering like broken wings amidst an icy gale.
“If you’re cold,” she abruptly softened at heart, “you can hold my hand.”
His eyes opened beneath the furry blankets, silently watching her.
For an instant, he couldn’t refuse this exceedingly gentle invitation.
Yet he repeated, “I’m not cold.”
Her rare goodwill was doused like frigid water. She immediately grew furious, folding both arms and turning away. The rumbles of carriage wheels sounded for a long time as mutual silence filled the coach, only occasionally punctured by bird calls drifting within.
“Xie Wuyan—” After a lengthy impasse ignoring each other, she finally gave up and shouted.
He still didn’t reply but had cocooned himself entirely within the thick blankets, even burying his face so only disheveled hair peeked out from the bulky bundle shivering like an autumn leaf in the wind.
Jiang Kui bit her lip and circulated inner energy to raise her palm temperature. Wordlessly slipping it amidst the covers, she groped for a moment before grasping his hand.
Two contrasting temperatures collided as both inhaled sharply.
“I’m not cold,” came his muffled voice beneath the blankets.
“Oh shut it,” she snorted.
The carriage wheels rumbled monotonously on. Neither spoke another word but the stifling air slowly grew warmer between them by the inch.
Princess Yongjia’s cavalry escorted everyone back to the imperial encampment.
After conferring with the Princess, Prince Wen and she decided to conceal news of the ambush. Instead they entered the main tent for privy discussion with Emperor Jingwen.
As the current dynasty’s most eminent personages, Princess Yongjia Xie Lang was the eldest, followed by Emperor Jingwen Xie Yan, then Prince Wen Xie Ruoheng was the youngest.
A struggle for succession had occurred before the current Son of Heaven’s enthronement with these three as the only surviving heirs of the late Emperor, intimate as hand and foot yet mutually wary. Princess Yongjia was a devout Buddhist for years in seclusion, while Prince Wen had long resided in the south, only returning to Chang’an recently.
It was an extremely rare sight to see them together in one room now.
The three held lengthy discussions within the tent while everyone else silently awaited outside.
Xie Wuyan exited the carriage wrapped in a fox-fur cloak with Jiang Kui accompanying him the entire way. When they paused before the Prince and Princess of Qi, both parties politely bowed.
While exchanging pleasantries with Xie Wuyan, Xie Min secretly scrutinized him but discovered no abnormalities apart from slightly wan complexion. He seemed no different from yesterday before leaving, only a bit tired as if he’d merely hunted out in the wilds for a day.
The couple exchanged a look, both somewhat doubtful and wary.
“Little sister, what spoils came from your hunt?” Pei Yue affectionately grabbed Jiang Kui’s hand, trying to glean some inside news.
Jiang Kui sneered internally, too lazy to entertain her. Instead she feigned weakness, deftly twisting away the outstretched hand and wilting against Xie Wuyan’s side, linking arms as she coughed heavily like the chill was too much to bear.
Xie Wuyan gently supported her before making their apologies to the Prince and Princess of Qi, “The cold disagrees with my wife, please excuse us.”
Watching their retreating forms, Pei Yue’s expression incrementally chilled as she softly asked Xie Min, “Didn’t you arrange an ambush? Xie Wuyan looks perfectly fine right now!”
“My people haven’t reported back anything since last night,” Xie Min muttered.
Just then, the tent entrance reopened as Emperor Jingwen slowly emerged, followed by Prince Wen and the Princess. None of their bearings displayed anything out of norms.
The small officials standardly announced everyone’s spoils before the tent according to ranks, civil and military officials lined up on both sides.
“The Eastern Palace, twenty elk,” one recited loudly.
Emperor Jingwen revealed a gratified look, gently patting Xie Wuyan’s shoulder. “Wuyan, given your poor health, you needn’t have joined the hunt. Yet to gain such results is truly outstanding.”
“The Prince of Qi’s estate, eighteen white rabbits, eighteen elk, one white deer,” proclaimed another.
Upon hearing “white deer”, Jiang Kui was astonished, subtly exchanging a look with Xie Wuyan.
Emperor Jingwen turned with a smile and nod at Xie Min. “My son has hunted a white deer? Bring it here.”
Two Qi Estate guards strode over from outside the tent, presenting Prince Min’s white deer quarry.
It was indeed a white deer, but not the one Jiang Kui and Xie Wuyan saw. This deer was emaciated and white-furred, with skinny, jagged antlers, seemingly an injured albino.
Jiang Kui relaxed, hoping the white deer they met remained free.
Seeing the presented white deer, Emperor Jingwen was overjoyed, clapping and praising, “Excellent! Excellent! You shall be grandly rewarded! Bestow three hundred taxable households to the Prince of Qi!”
He added delightedly, “All with spoils today shall be rewarded. Wuyan, you gained something today as well.” He paused before loudly announcing, “Appointed as Governor of Yong Prefecture!”
Beneath her sleeves, Pei Yue dug her nails into both palms. Xie Min lowered his gaze, concealing traces of inscrutable emotions as he tidied his sleeves and rose alongside Xie Wuyan, bowing deeply before Emperor Jingwen. “Thank you, Imperial Father.”
After all rewards were distributed, Xie Wuyan returned to the carriage with Jiang Kui.
The curtains fell and hubbub receded like fading tides. All pretenses swiftly shed the instant they were alone. He staggered violently within, nearly shattering upon the floor like a discarded puppet suddenly released.
Jiang Kui grabbed his hand to support him into a seat, continuously transmitting her warmth into him.
But it didn’t work this time.
Exhaustion engulfed him irresistibly despite staunchly battling the creeping fatigue. His mind increasingly muddled as darkness slowly devoured his vision.
He desperately clutched her wrist, hoarsely squeezing out, “Never…let anyone know…my sickness has relapsed…”
“Or else…”
He couldn’t finish.
The hand grasping her gradually went limp, heavily dropping to her side. Unconsciousness overtook him; eyes lightly shutting, his head lolled as he silently collapsed.
He had fallen asleep again.
Every time he fell asleep, there was no telling when he would awaken.
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