Chapter Four: Stuck

Three days until her wedding! Was this some kind of joke? Even a modern flash marriage wasn’t this rushed. In the old days, weren’t there supposed to be matchmakers, betrothal gifts, all sorts of tedious rituals? But three days—no matter how efficient the royal family was, this was simply impossible.

Every time she remembered she wouldn’t live past three days, Liu Ling’er simmered with indignation, and that rage jolted her awake—yes, she was literally angered awake.

What infuriated Liu Ling’er was that her life was already miserable enough; being thrown into this cliché time-travel scenario was bad luck, plain and simple. If she had to transmigrate, so be it! But how could her fate be casually decided by a man she’d never even met? No, she would resist.

Hmph! If her cheap father wanted a marriage so badly, he could go himself. She, Liu Ling’er, would have no part of it. She sprang from the bed in a few swift movements, and habitually reached for her neck, only to miraculously discover the phoenix-shaped jade pendant she’d worn since childhood still hung there.

Holding her breath, she pulled out a strand of hair and threaded it through a tiny hole in the pendant, then tightened both ends with her fingers. With three soft clinks, three faintly purple pills dropped from the phoenix’s beak into her palm, instantly lighting up her face with joy.

The Elixir of All Life—also known as the Pill of Creation—it could restore flesh to bone, revive the dead, and cure all poisons, its effects nothing short of miraculous. Her master had given her three of these, and they’d crossed over with her. Clearly, heaven had not abandoned her.

Carefully, she fed the elixirs back into the phoenix’s beak and hung the pendant securely around her neck. Next, she turned to rummage through the wardrobe for clothes, but was momentarily dumbfounded: she had no idea how to put on ancient garments! If she ran away from home dressed like this, she’d be the laughingstock of the city by morning. The impulse to simply curl up and give up was strong.

But remembering the pit awaiting her in three days, she selected what seemed easiest to wear, wrapped up a bundle with a few valuables, and prepared to run away from home.

Liu Rufen would never have guessed that, in his concern for her rest, he’d sent everyone away and thereby left Liu Ling’er with a perfect opportunity.

A while later, a ‘boy’ in gray servant’s garb stood panting in a corner, pulling a pink handkerchief from his chest to wipe the sweat from his brow, muttering, “Good grief, the original owner’s body is really weak. I’ve barely walked a few steps and I’m already exhausted.”

But this ‘boy’ was none other than Liu Ling’er in disguise. She hadn’t considered that the previous Liu Ling’er had rarely stepped foot outside, a cloistered maiden with a frail constitution—nothing like her own body back in the modern world, fit from daily training.

She glanced around, muttering again, “Why is the General’s estate so big? I’m completely lost! Could I be any unluckier? There are guards at the main gate, the back gate is nowhere to be found—what am I supposed to do?”

She eyed the tall perimeter wall, gritted her teeth, and resolved that she had no choice but to climb it. In those days training on the mountain with that lecherous master, she’d scaled walls and rooftops countless times. But facing that wall today, without the inner strength she once had, the challenge felt insurmountable.

She’d greatly overestimated her physical strength. By the time she was perched atop the wall, she was utterly spent. If anyone were to appear now, she’d be caught for sure.

The thought of being dragged back made her desperate. She launched herself toward a nearby tree. She made the leap, but would have preferred to fall rather than end up wedged between the branches.

Yes, her escape had ended in farce—she was stuck in a tree. Was this some kind of cosmic joke? She, Liu Ling’er…

Stranded, neither up nor down, Liu Ling’er’s mood hit rock bottom. At that moment, just as despair was about to set in, a carriage approached from the distance.

Hope flickered in her eyes. She waved her arms wildly and summoned her last bit of strength. “Help! Kind traveler, please help me!”