Chapter 500 - 482: Severely Injured
Lady Thirteen brought the young ladies out to enjoy the spring and ride horses at the Feng Family’s grazing grounds. She sneaked off to the manor to see Fengyu. Nanny Liu was currently applying medicine to Fengyu’s blistered foot. Fengyu trembled slightly from the pain, and Nanny Liu, who was both heartbroken and tearful, continued applying the medicine, utterly distressed by all Fengyu had endured.
When Lady Thirteen arrived, Fengyu had just finished applying the medicine. It had been three years since their last meeting, and Lady Thirteen missed her dearly. Like a proud and elegant white cat, she clung to Fengyu, nuzzling affectionately until Fengyu could only laugh through her exasperation.
Lady Thirteen hadn’t changed since three years before, exuding unparalleled charm and beauty. Even as a woman herself, Fengyu couldn’t resist hugging her; she was as soft as a piece of cotton. The two reunited with warm camaraderie, and Nanny Liu, along with others nearby, refrained from interrupting them. Fengyu recounted the events surrounding Manager Wen in West State. Lady Thirteen furrowed her brows slightly and spoke softly, "There wasn’t any news just a few days ago, but starting yesterday, rumors began circulating that you’re dead. The streets and alleys of the Capital City are filled with talk of you being assassinated by the Jinyi Guard and falling to your death. I fear this news will spread to Ningzhou in just a few days. Knowing your concern, I’ve already sent word to Ningzhou through my most trusted person, who is traveling day and night. I hope it reaches Xie Xun in time. However, with word of your supposed death echoing everywhere—even the Capital City has heard it—there’s no way Ningzhou won’t catch wind of it."
"Are you saying the news of my death has already spread throughout the Capital City?"
Lady Thirteen nodded. Fengyu had summoned her not only to send messages to Ningzhou and West State, but more importantly, to learn about the situation in the Capital City. Fengyu needed to return there, but she couldn’t afford to draw any attention to herself. She had once instructed Nuanyang not to tell Xie Xun everything that happened to her in West State, no matter what. With Ningzhou locked in battle against the Beiman Army, Xie Xun had to remain fully focused and couldn’t afford any distractions. So Nuanyang likely wouldn’t have informed Xie Xun about her abduction.
Thus, Fengyu wasn’t in a hurry to contact Xie Xun, not wanting to distract him while he was engrossed in war matters. However, if the Jinyi Guard were spreading this news deliberately to make it public knowledge, she’d have no choice but to let Xie Xun know she was still alive. Xie Xun, overwhelmed and exhausted from the battlefield, absolutely could not be allowed to hear of her death. Fengyu made up her mind—tonight, she must exchange messages with Xie Xun to set things straight.
"How many girls did you bring out for horseback riding?"
"Twelve. They all came."
"Good. On the return journey today, I’ll blend into your group and enter the city. I’ll stay at Mudan Building. Once I’m in the Capital City, there’s something I need to do. Staying here at the manor is too inconvenient."
"Alright!" Lady Thirteen had already guessed that Fengyu intended to return when she brought the young ladies out to enjoy themselves, so she had made thorough preparations. "We’ll head back in the afternoon. I’ll pick you up then."
"Okay!"
Lady Thirteen couldn’t linger long at the manor and quickly departed through the side gate. Fengyu, on the pretext of taking a nap, closed her door and took off the Soul Suppressing Pearl. She closed her eyes, expecting the familiar sensation of a spiraling plunge. However, after waiting for a moment, nothing happened. Fengyu’s eyes snapped open, staring at the Soul Suppressing Pearl lying silently on the bedside, its faint glow emanating. Her heart tightened with a sharp jolt of pain, panic, and confusion. Why?
Was she standing too close to it?
As the thought emerged, Fengyu stepped around the screen to move farther from the Soul Suppressing Pearl. Just as she passed the screen, that familiar sinking sensation engulfed her.
When she opened her eyes again, Fengyu found herself in a tent at the Ningzhou battlefield. A sharp, searing pain radiated from her chest. She broke into a cold sweat from the pain, frantically looking around. She was lying in the tent, injured, unable to move. The tent was empty—this wasn’t the command tent. Outside, the frenzied sound of battle horns echoed in the distance.
The Ningzhou Iron Cavalry and the Beiman Army were locked in ferocious combat. The sounds of slaughter and the battle horns carried clearly into the camp. After the horns, Fengyu could hear the neighing of warhorses and the thunderous booms of cannon fire. Even lying in the tent, she could feel the ground quaking violently. Cannons, trebuchets, and crossbow machines were all engaged. The land ahead must have turned into a river of blood.
Fengyu tried to rise but discovered she couldn’t move at all. Her armor had been removed, and her chest, pierced by an arrow, had a gaping wound where the arrowhead had been dug out, taking flesh with it. Xie Xun was gravely injured and had been unconscious for a day. When Fengyu arrived at this moment, he had just regained consciousness.