Chapter 66: Unable to Let Go

Wind Listening Pavilion, War Prince’s Residence. Inside Feng Jinye’s chamber, the air was thick with tension.

Yun Ming and Huangfu Chen glanced at Feng Jinye from time to time; none of the three spoke, the silence of the room unbroken.

A dazzling imperial edict lay conspicuously on the desk, yet it was ignored.

Guilt weighed heavily on Yun Ming’s heart; he had never imagined that Wei Shao Qianyu, who promised to keep Feng Jinye calm, would be captured by the Enchantress.

As night gradually descended, Yun Ming finally rose and pulled Huangfu Chen along, leaving the main courtyard.

Dinner hour had long passed; the main hall of Wind Listening Pavilion was dark, and Feng Jinye sat quietly, a shroud of gloom enveloping him. No one could discern his mood, nor even see his expression clearly.

A sudden bang echoed as Chu Jiu burst in without warning. Feng Jinye’s stillness finally broke; he lifted his gaze to Chu Jiu.

Chu Jiu spoke hurriedly, “My lord, there are three suspects, just past the hour, heading east of the city…”

Feng Jinye sprang up, his eyes bloodshot, murderous intent rising around him like a demon unleashed. He strode outside, mounted his steed, and shot out of the residence like an arrow.

By the time Huangfu Chen and Yun Ming heard and rushed out in pursuit, Feng Jinye was already gone.

The two exchanged glances; Yun Ming, anxious for Feng Jinye, sighed, “I’ve never seen him so composed when it comes to Qianyu!”

Huangfu Chen nodded, “After so long apart, I never expected to see this side of Feng Jinye: he’s held himself back for hours!”

“He smashed a wine bottle, fought, killed someone…” Chu Jiu muttered.

Yun Ming was stunned, then sighed again, full of helplessness.

Seeing the shadow guards leading the horses, Huangfu Chen mounted his own and said, “Let’s search as well. If we can’t find them, we’ll drag him back ourselves.”

Inside the bamboo hut of the small grove, the Enchantress gazed at Wei Shao Qianyu, pondering her words earlier that day: “A younger sister grows up and must marry someday.”

“Does your husband treat you well?” The Enchantress asked abruptly.

It was the first time Qianyu heard someone call Feng Jinye “your husband” in front of her, and her heart brimmed with sweetness.

She hadn’t expected the Enchantress to ask such a question—did she truly see her as a younger sister? Qianyu sensed there was something special about the Enchantress, and couldn’t respond to her as she might with the Empress Dowager or Luo Yanqing.

Initially, Qianyu believed her predicament was simply that she was at the mercy of others, and that even if the Enchantress spared her, she could still harm Dong Nuan at any moment. But she soon realized the Enchantress treated her kindly, and Qianyu was unaccustomed to kindness.

In treacherous Yue City, the line between good and evil was blurred; kindness often had ulterior motives.

Qianyu, slightly guarded, replied, “He treats me very well.”

The Enchantress fell silent.

Qianyu frowned, recalling that before leaving the residence, Feng Jinye had urged her to return early. Now that dusk had fallen, she wondered how he was faring.

She sat quietly in the bamboo chair, eyes closed, remembering how, two years ago, Feng Jinye received her letter and rode alone from the frontier to Yue City, and how, in the study that day, he was like a wounded lion, licking his wounds in solitude.

Anxious, Qianyu knew that every time Feng Jinye became furious, he ended up hurt. In just three months, she’d bandaged his wounds several times—though minor, without her to watch over him, her heart could not rest.

Suddenly, she opened her eyes and asked coldly, “What must you do to let me leave?”

The Enchantress had implied that if they left the bamboo grove, she could go, but Qianyu knew it wouldn’t be simple. Dong Nuan was unharmed, and the Enchantress wouldn’t kill her; Qianyu could wait no longer—she had to return!

Her voice sharp, Qianyu pressed, “What is the price? Speak plainly—the price for the antidote, the price for letting me return to the War Prince’s Residence?”

The Enchantress looked at Qianyu, so changed from before Dong Nuan awoke, and turned to leave the bamboo hut, leaving a faintly spoken phrase: “That day at the War Prince’s Residence—the sword in your hand, would you trade it?”

Qianyu’s head snapped up, incredulous. Was she after the Hidden Abyss sword? So brazenly, so openly?

Sober and resolute, Qianyu followed the Enchantress outside, asking, “Have you seen Xingyuan?”

The Enchantress paused, her back to Qianyu, and replied indifferently, “Xingyuan? Is that the sword?”

Qianyu could not tell if she was lying. Hidden Abyss was the only keepsake left by the Abyss Princess to Feng Jinye—it could never be exchanged.

“Did you capture me because I planned everything today and intended to return to Wei Shao General’s Residence for the Empress Dowager’s marriage decree?”

“Night has fallen; if the decree were issued, it would have been already. You won’t let me return to the War Prince’s Residence, nor take me to Muai Pavilion—do you intend to deliver me to the master of Xingyuan?”

Qianyu, furious, still probed carefully.

The words “master of Xingyuan” made the Enchantress’s posture stiffen. She flicked a dart, slicing through a slender bamboo stalk, which fell neatly into her hand.

“Defeat me with your swordsmanship!” The Enchantress tossed the bamboo stick to Qianyu, signaling her to attack.

This move puzzled Qianyu, but she didn’t dwell on it. Grasping the bamboo, she launched an assault.

Dong Nuan, hearing the commotion, rushed over. “Miss!”

Even the Enchantress split from Feng Qingxuan was beyond Qianyu’s ability to defeat, let alone the true Enchantress, one of the Shadow Duo.

But the Enchantress only defended, never attacked, yielding step by step.

Watching their exchange, Dong Nuan’s heart was full of unease.

The Enchantress did not strike; Qianyu was soon gasping for breath. Dong Nuan stepped forward, grabbing her. “Miss, you can’t beat her. Don’t forget, you’re still injured!”

The reminder made the pain in Qianyu’s ribs flare again.

“Didn’t you say it takes a hundred days for bone injuries? It’s only been eleven! And ‘three parts cure, seven parts nurture’—how can you heal like this?” Dong Nuan scolded.

She paused, glaring fiercely at the Enchantress, as if blaming her for Qianyu’s suffering.

“Hmph, you’re injured and blaming me for bullying you!” The Enchantress snorted, pulling a small bottle of medicinal wine from her sleeve and tossing it to Dong Nuan before turning back inside.

Dong Nuan opened the bottle, sniffed, and asked, “How should this be used?”

“Drink it,” came the cold voice from within.

Dong Nuan frowned, guessing her mistress wouldn’t drink it. Before she could hear Qianyu take the medicine, the icy voice spoke again, “Apply it to the wound as well!”

“It won’t cripple you. Rub in the medicine and leave!” The Enchantress rummaged inside the bamboo hut as she spoke.

Qianyu couldn’t see through the Enchantress, but felt she was nothing like the murderous fiend she’d heard of before.

As she pondered, the Enchantress emerged, flicked a dart at Dong Nuan, who collapsed. Before Qianyu could react, the Enchantress approached and blew through a tiny tube at Qianyu, causing her to faint as well.

Catching Qianyu with one hand, she regarded the little tube in her other hand disdainfully, shaking her head. “Useless trinket!”

“A younger sister grows up and needs family!” she murmured to herself.

She hefted Qianyu in one arm, pulling Dong Nuan up with the other, and left the bamboo grove, heading away from the War Prince’s Residence.

Feng Jinye rode like a madman, bursting through the eastern city gate and galloping for a hundred li, but not a trace of Qianyu was found.

Night deepened; moonlight spilled like water.

In the distance, the faint glow of torches blended into the darkness. Feng Jinye’s heart was a wasteland; a chill wind sliced at his soul like a blade.

Stars scattered above. Suddenly, a fan-shaped firework flared atop the eastern city wall.

Hooves thundered nearer. Feng Jinye stood unmoving; Yun Ming’s call, “Jinye, Mingzhu!” snapped him from his trance.

Atop the east tower, the Enchantress tossed Dong Nuan aside and laid Qianyu down, arranging her comfortably against Dong Nuan.

Searching Dong Nuan, she finally found the Mingzhu signal hidden in her hairpin, lit it, tossed the bamboo stick to the ground, and vanished into the night as the sound of galloping horses approached.

Beneath the towering gate, three riders approached; Feng Jinye led the charge. His gaze swept the shadowed tower, dead silent save for two rows of city guards standing rigidly straight—no other figures in sight.

Feng Jinye dismounted and rushed toward the tower; the once quiet city defense was broken by his frantic footsteps.

The guards scrambled, and as each torch blazed to life, someone whispered, “It’s the War Prince!”

The city guards stared at Feng Jinye, astonished; even when armies threatened the gates, he’d never been so frantic.

Torches lit the wall, and finally, in the far corner, Feng Jinye spotted Qianyu.

He stopped dead. The crowd followed his gaze, seeing two figures at the corner, uncertain if they were alive or dead.

Clearly, the War Prince had come for these two; seeing him motionless, no one dared move.

The atmosphere was unnaturally silent; the once noisy throng was hushed.

Feng Jinye’s mind was a blank; he could have calmed himself, listened for signs of breath from the figures ahead—but he could not.

His body trembled, unable to take a single step.

The cold wind blew, carrying dust stirred by galloping horses.

The figure on the ground frowned, then coughed. Qianyu slowly awoke, her head fuzzy, not yet aware of her surroundings.

Life returned to Feng Jinye. He flew forward like an arrow and locked Qianyu tightly in his arms.

Qianyu’s thoughts snapped into focus. “Feng Jinye… are you trying to smother me?”

He loosened his grip; Qianyu wriggled free and carefully examined his hands.

She saw the nail marks in his palm, skin broken and blood oozing.

Feng Jinye stared at her, dazed—had she worried all day that he’d hurt himself in anger?

Seeing the wounds on his palm, Qianyu frowned, pouting as she lifted her gaze to his bewildered eyes.

Yun Ming and Huangfu Chen climbed the tower and approached, seeing the two nestled together as if no one else existed. Huangfu Chen coughed pointedly.

Qianyu turned, eyes wide with surprise, then looked at Yun Ming, who nodded—it was truly Huangfu Chen. Had he returned with news of the antidote?

Seeing her gaze shift, Feng Jinye pressed her head to his chest again.

Qianyu asked meekly, “Is he… Huangfu Xi?”

Huangfu Chen and Yun Ming felt a chill; Feng Jinye barely reacted, simply lifting Qianyu and striding toward the city gate.

“How long will it take to walk back—an hour, or two?” Qianyu, worried, wondered aloud, for Feng Jinye hadn’t spoken a word since she awoke.

He remained silent.

Many questions troubled Qianyu—about the Enchantress, Huangfu Chen, the events at Wei Shao General’s Residence, and the imperial marriage decree…

But all these mattered less than Feng Jinye; she could not bear to see him suffer alone.

Qianyu wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder, murmuring softly, “Well, if you don’t wish to speak, I won’t force you. May I borrow your shoulder to sleep for a while?”

“Mm,” came the low, hoarse reply.

Tears welled in Qianyu’s eyes. She nestled deeper into Feng Jinye’s embrace, her restless heart finally at peace. She whispered, “Feng Jinye, I missed you.”

Dong Nuan and Chu Jiu followed behind on horseback, trailing Feng Jinye and Qianyu from afar.

Chu Jiu puzzled aloud, “Why is our master not riding?”

Dong Nuan smiled, thinking: likely, he can’t bear to let go for even a moment.