Yun Chu Ling

Chapter 370: Might Not Wake Up

"Chu Yi, drop your weapon!"

The man gripping the little girl's neck issued a cold command.

With a clatter, Chu Yi threw his sword to the ground.

He was grateful Yun Chu had gone to Plum Blossom Lane—otherwise, faced with such a situation, Chu'er would surely have broken down, allowing their opponent to strike and kill at will...

"Chu Yi, I never intended to kill your daughter..." The man spoke slowly, a cold smirk covering his face. "Originally, I would have taken her back to Eastern Tomb Kingdom, raised her well, letting you gain a daughter ten years later to care for you in your old age and see you off... Unfortunately, you caught up, forcing a change of plans."

The chill in Chu Yi's eyes could no longer be contained.

So Eastern Tomb Kingdom had been plotting this all along—abduct Changsheng, raise her, transform her from within into an Eastern Tomb Kingdom native, then send her back to Da Jin to wreak havoc.

What a vicious scheme!

He dared not imagine whether, ten years later when Changsheng returned from Eastern Tomb Kingdom, he would be able to kill her for the sake of Da Jin...

The Eastern Tomb man smiled: "Your life in exchange for your daughter's."

Chu Yi spoke calmly: "If I die, you won't escape the capital alive either. How about this—we both take a step back..."

"No, I don't need to leave Da Jin alive." The man's smile widened. "As long as I kill the Crown Prince of Da Jin with my own hands, I'll have rendered great service. Chu Yi, do it."

This wasn't Chu Yi's first time in such a situation.

Years ago, when Yu Ge'er was kidnapped by bandits, they had said the same thing.

That man's grave was now overgrown with meters-high weeds.

Chu Yi's fingers twitched slightly as he said quietly, "How do you want me to die?"

The other sneered: "Have the guard behind you cut out your heart, and I'll release your daughter."

The person behind him was Cheng Qi.

Cheng Qi stepped forward, raising his blade.

Chu Yi commanded: "Do it."

"Your Highness, absolutely not!"

"The young mistress is noble, but the Crown Prince's status is greater! We cannot fall for their scheme, Your Highness!"

"Please reconsider, Your Highness!"

The guards pleaded desperately.

As if resolved, Chu Yi snatched the blade from Cheng Qi's hand and thrust it toward his own heart.

Suddenly the blade changed direction, shooting toward the Eastern Tomb man's face with lightning speed.

The man, still watching the spectacle, was caught off guard as the cold steel approached his brow. He leaped upward from his horse.

An arrow shot down from above, piercing through his heart.

The small, limp body he had been gripping fell from midair.

Chu Yi caught the child.

"Changsheng, your father is here. Don't be afraid."

He held the child, but after speaking those words, suddenly froze.

This child...

He brushed aside the disheveled hair covering the child's face.

"This isn't Changsheng!"

It was Xie Xian, who always studied alongside Changsheng!

Damn it, he'd been tricked.

At that very moment.

Chu Changsheng and Xie Shiyun had escaped from the compound.

They hadn't run far when they heard footsteps approaching from behind.

"Young mistress, we should split up!" Xie Shiyun gasped for breath. "Quick, take off your outer robe—we'll exchange clothes."

Chu Changsheng shook her head vehemently: "No... Xian stepped forward to protect me, I don't know what's happened to her now... We should separate, but I can't burden you further... Shiyun, you go east, I'll head west..."Before she could finish her words, Xie Shiyun chopped the back of her neck.

She grimaced in pain: "Hey, what are you doing?"

Xie Shiyun felt somewhat frustrated—weren't people supposed to faint with just one chop to the back of the neck? Why didn't it work for him?

Was his strength too weak!

He heard footsteps approaching rapidly from behind.

Not daring to delay any longer, he spotted a long stick on the ground and struck Chu Changsheng hard on the head.

Chu Changsheng had no time to say anything before darkness engulfed her vision and she collapsed to the ground.

"Princess, I'm sorry..."

Xie Shiyun removed her outer garment and put it on himself, then hid Chu Changsheng's small body in the roadside bushes.

Just as he was about to leave, he paused, took the blood-stained brush from his sleeve, and placed it in Chu Changsheng's hand.

Then he turned and fled.

The Eastern Tomb Kingdom pursuers arrived shortly after, paying no attention to Chu Changsheng's hiding spot as they chased relentlessly after Xie Shiyun.

Though Xie Shiyun had grown up in the capital, he hadn't ventured out much and wasn't very familiar with the city. Somehow, he ended up on one of the capital's bridges.

Pursuers closed in from both directions.

He looked down at the rushing river beneath the bridge, then at the approaching Eastern Tomb Kingdom soldiers.

If they discovered he wasn't the real princess, they would surely turn back to search for Chu Changsheng.

He couldn't let that happen!

Gritting his teeth, he leaped from the bridge into the torrent below.

"Xie Xian!"

"Xie Shiyun!"

Chu Changsheng cried out their names, bolting upright in bed.

"Changsheng, it's alright now, everything's alright." Yun Chu embraced her daughter tightly. "Mother is here, don't be afraid..."

"Mother, where are Xie Xian and Xie Shiyun? Where are they?" Chu Changsheng gasped for breath, her voice urgent.

"They're not in mortal danger." Yun Chu gently stroked her daughter's hair. "If you're feeling well enough, I'll take you to see them both."

She knew Changsheng should be taking medicine and eating something, but she also understood that until her daughter saw her companions with her own eyes, she wouldn't be able to rest peacefully.

Servants helped Chu Changsheng into her shoes and outer garments. Yun Chu then led her to the neighboring courtyard.

Chu Changsheng hurried inside to find Jiang Yiniang feeding medicine to Xie Xian.

"Changsheng, you're awake." Xie Xian's face was slightly swollen, but she wore a bright smile. "Since you can visit me, that means you're fine. That's wonderful."

Jiang Yiniang quickly stood to bow, but Yun Chu stopped her. "Between us, such formalities are unnecessary. Xian Jie'er suffered in Changsheng's place this time. Changsheng's father and I will find an appropriate time to formally express our gratitude."

"No, no, that won't be necessary." Jiang Yiniang waved her hands. "If not for Xian Jie'er's reckless cleverness, the princess would have been found much sooner."

Yun Chu committed this debt of gratitude to memory.

There was still a needle embedded in Xie Xian's head that would require Wu Yun's expertise to remove once he reached the capital. During this period, Xie Xian and Jiang Yiniang would stay at the prince's residence.

Yun Chu would repay every kindness owed.

And as for Xie Shiyun...

After ensuring Xie Xian could rest properly, Yun Chu led her daughter to another courtyard.

"Crown Princess." The imperial physician approached with bowed head. "This humble official has just administered acupuncture. Whether the patient awakens now depends on his fate."

Chu Changsheng's face immediately paled. "Mother, what happened to Shiyun? What's wrong with him?"Yun Chu spoke up, "He jumped off the bridge into the river, and his head hit a rock in the water. There's a large amount of stagnant blood remaining in his head. The imperial physician said that without a miracle, he might never wake up in this lifetime."

"Wh-what?" Chu Changsheng's legs went weak.

She stepped over the threshold and entered, seeing Xie Shiyun lying on the bed, his face extremely pale, his head wrapped in bandages stained red with blood.

She couldn't hold back her tears.