“If not, and we die here, we could be considered lovers who died for each other.”
“Sounds rather touching when you think about it.”
Huo Xian’s tone was calm, but there was a playful undertone. He even let out a muffled laugh from his chest, causing his firm chest to tremble slightly.
Ji Yuluo, suppressing the churn in her stomach, frowned as she looked at Huo Xian in the darkness.
He had a remarkable ability; no matter what situation he was in, he always appeared composed and in control. Even when he had nothing, he could make others believe he had everything.
His tone, tinged with a bit of mischief, used to make her feel threatened, but now it oddly brought her comfort.
Ji Yuluo steadied her breathing, groped to sit up, and reached out to pick up the scattered fruits on the ground, collecting them one by one in her arms. She cleaned them and said, “If he was sharp enough, he wouldn’t have let me come out alone. I fear we’ll be stuck here for a while longer… Would your disappearance during your duty be considered dereliction?”
“Probably, but it wouldn’t be the first time. The emperor won’t pursue it.” He shifted his position, letting Ji Yuluo lean against his chest again.
Ji Yuluo, feeling low, said, “The emperor treats you well.”
Huo Xian touched her temple, wiping off a handful of sweat, then moved behind her to pat her back gently. He said, “There’s no such thing as ‘well’. We’re both trapped beasts, seeking solace.”
Both trapped, huh.
Ji Yuluo picked at the embroidery on his chest, unable to see it clearly, but knowing it was a qilin pattern. “He seems to enjoy it.”
She then added, “I wish you could be like that too.”
An ordinary person might have taken this opportunity to criticize Emperor Shun’an, but Ji Yuluo didn’t. Her tone even carried a faint hint of regret.
Lost in thought, she paused for a while, then suddenly let out a light laugh and said, “Back then, I wanted to support you financially and have you follow me.”
Huo Xian recalled her not-so-subtle probing that day and laughed, “I remember.”
With his free hand, he broke off a blade of grass growing on the stone wall, playing with it. “How much were you planning to spend? I might consider it in the future.”
Ji Yuluo said, “I planned to paint a big picture, lure you in, and then lock you up in the house so you couldn’t go anywhere.”
Huo Xian laughed lowly, his breath brushing her ear. “Heartless woman, how could you be so bad?”
Ji Yuluo replied, “Learned it from you.”
Huo Xian acknowledged with a hum, saying, “I was also bad at your age. You’re quite like me, so he took you as his disciple. That man, Lou Panshun, loves to cause trouble for himself.”
Ji Yuluo, knowing he was talking about Lou Panshun, found it amusing to hear him curse. Then she said, “So, I benefited from you.”
Huo Xian teased, “Call me senior brother, let’s hear it. I’m your senior brother anyway. Didn’t he teach you to respect your elders?”
Hearing this, Ji Yuluo grabbed a handful of grass and threw it at his face. “Stop being so shameless.”
Huo Xian laughed as he grabbed her wrist, lifting her slightly and holding her tighter.
With their playful banter, Ji Yuluo no longer felt nauseous and gradually relaxed, though there was still no sound from above. She was certain Liu Wu wasn’t a clever person.
If it had been Liyang or Nanyue who came, they probably would have found them by now.
The dark cave was adjacent to a stream, with the sound of flowing water hitting the stone walls, creating a hollow, mysterious echo. Ji Yuluo closed her eyes and nearly fell asleep under Huo Xian’s soothing pats, her breathing sometimes steady, sometimes erratic. When it was erratic, she would clutch the embroidery on Huo Xian’s clothes; when steady, she merely held on.
She didn’t say what was bothering her, just stayed silent.
She rarely showed her vulnerable side to others. When recounting painful past experiences, she was always calm, without hysteria or sobbing, only occasionally clenching her fists and showing a fierce determination in her eyes. At those times, Ji Yuluo seemed more vibrant than usual.
Some people live through pain. Without it, she might not live any better than she does now.
At this moment, Ji Yuluo was like a frost flower blooming on a snowy mountain, proud yet fragile, lying in his palm.
He didn’t dare clench his fist, fearing he would wake her.
Huo Xian continued his gentle patting, whispering in her ear, “Sleep, when you wake up, I’ll take you out.”
Ji Yuluo frowned but eventually lost consciousness to the sound of the flowing water. She didn’t dare fully fall asleep, keeping part of her mind alert to the surroundings. As she listened, the water’s rush turned into the hollow sound of dripping.
It was the sound of water dripping from the stone walls into small puddles, creating ripples.
She seemed to return to that dark, sunless place.
But it wasn’t a dungeon; it was a wine cellar.
It was a small house that You Daiyue had set up while she was still alive.
The house was clean but not cozy, exuding coldness.
The woman had half her face covered with a floral applique. She never removed it because that part of her face had been burned.
Yet she still looked graceful, perhaps even more mysterious and alluring with half her face hidden. She stood at the cellar door, backlit, staring coldly at Ji Yuluo inside, angrily saying, “Why are you always so disobedient? I make you learn dance and music for your own good!”
Her tone suddenly softened, pleading, “Luo’er, be good. I’ll let you out when you realize your mistake.”
With a loud bang, the door slammed shut, and the light vanished abruptly.
The scene shifted to the dungeon of Qianfang Pavilion.
Ji Yuluo, taking advantage of a moment of inattention, untied her ropes. Just as she stood up to free the others, the girls shrank back one by one.
They said, “How can one person escape? If we fail, we’ll be beaten. Let’s wait for the authorities. I’m scared…”
“You can’t leave either. If you go, they’ll beat us!”
“Help, someone help! She’s trying to escape!”
Ji Yuluo woke up abruptly, sitting straight up, her nose covered in a thin layer of sweat. In the pitch-black cave, she couldn’t immediately tell if she was dreaming or awake.
Huo Xian’s comforting pats had just stopped. The air in the cave was getting thinner, forcing him to calm himself down. He had just closed his eyes when they suddenly snapped open again. “What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”
Feeling his large hand on her shoulder, Ji Yuluo came back to her senses, realizing it had been a dream.
She responded vaguely, “How long has it been? Is it day or night?”
Huo Xian had been keeping track of time. “It’s evening.”
He too had come to the conclusion that Liu Wu was not a clever person and didn’t share the kind of unspoken understanding they needed.
Even Huo Xian was starting to regret it now. They had veered off to another small mountain from where they initially entered. By the time Liu Wu found them, it would probably be dark.
He wished he had brought Liyang along.
Sweat covered the back of Ji Yuluo’s neck, and she was becoming increasingly aware of the difficulty in breathing. No wonder she had a nightmare. She pressed her lips together and said, “You should say fewer ominous things in the future.”
Huo Xian was taken aback for a moment before realizing she was referring to the “dying for love” comment. He touched her face and said, “Hmm, if we have to die, it won’t be here. I still owe you Zhao Yong. Once everything is settled, it won’t be too late to die.”
Ji Yuluo frowned. Even in the darkness, where they couldn’t see each other, Huo Xian seemed to sense her fierce gaze.
Suddenly, she shoved a fruit into his mouth.
She missed, hitting the corner of his mouth instead.
“Hiss.”
He licked the roof of his mouth.
Ji Yuluo was too fierce; she needed some discipline.
There would be an opportunity. Huo Xian took a large bite of the fruit and swallowed it heavily.
—
At dusk, the evening sky was filled with a sea of red clouds.
The blessing dance had just concluded. Emperor Shun’an personally led his concubines to the temple to pray before the Buddha statue. Not long into the kneeling session, he complained of a headache and called for the attendants to help him back to the palace.
Those remaining behind shook their heads repeatedly. With all the fuss, it was clear the emperor had no intention of genuinely praying, so they dispersed. It was better to have some peace and quiet than to suffer while keeping an eye on the emperor.
Back in the inner palace, Emperor Shun’an collapsed onto the soft bed. “It’s too hot. Kneeling for so long has worn out my knees, and my head is buzzing. Those people are still not satisfied!”
A young eunuch served him some tea. “Your Majesty, your health is precious. I heard that Consort Xi has excellent skills to relieve headaches. Didn’t Your Majesty used to favor her?”
The emperor paused, remembering Consort Xi. It had been a while since he had paid her any attention. He said, “Go, summon Consort Xi.”
The young eunuch quickly agreed, but hesitated and said, “And Yu Taying?”
The emperor impatiently waved his hand. “Send her back. She’s not needed tonight.”
The young eunuch left with a smile, but as he stepped outside, he ran into Wu Sheng. Bowing his head quickly, he said, “Eunuch Wu, the emperor is resting and has summoned Consort Xi.”
Wu Sheng gave him a long look and waved him on his way. As he was about to enter, he saw Liyang hurrying across the garden. Knowing he was one of Huo Xian’s trusted men, he called out, “Commander, where are you headed? Is Lord Huo well?”
Liyang stopped, his stern expression relaxing slightly. “Oh, it’s hot, and his appetite is poor. He insists on having cold cakes. You see, I have to trouble the palace kitchen for it.”
Everyone knew that being close to powerful people provided benefits. Wu Sheng, having been promoted by Huo Xian, was more inclined to help him. Hearing this, he eagerly volunteered to fetch the cold cakes himself from the palace kitchen.
Liyang’s expression grew serious again as he turned to a Jinyiwei guard approaching him. “Still not found? It’s getting dark. We can’t cause too much commotion. Pull back some men, and let the rest search quietly.”
Meanwhile, Liu Wu, finally following Huo Xian’s secret signs, found the valley just before the last light disappeared. He was so relieved that he collapsed at the cave entrance, crying and sniffling, almost ready to throw himself into the cave to apologize with his life.
