Chapter 5

She certainly understands what Xian Er is doing in the Longevity Room, and she trusts that he is currently focused solely on the Blood Eagle, showing little interest in Longevity... It's just that...

She hesitated for a moment and nodded. Seeing that he was about to leave, she hurriedly said: "Take two baskets, two baskets will do!"

Fortunately, when she made the purchase, Xiang'er had the shopkeeper wrap them in oiled paper, two pieces per portion. She quickly picked them up one by one, opened one portion first, and stuffed it into her mouth to eat

A hand suddenly reached out to snatch two pieces of cake from her, startling her back to reality, and she immediately looked up and shouted

Hold your breath randomly

The children of the rivers and lakes are not bound by trivial matters, and it has been confirmed that they are in an aunt-nephew relationship, therefore...

She is too heavy, so even the cabinet was knocked over? This was her first thought

In the darkness, I continue to walk like this, unnoticed by anyone, which seems quite acceptable...

She cautiously peeked out, emerging from behind the low cabinet with a pair of eyes, and saw two masked figures in black clothing searching for something

She turned around to look in the direction of the sound, knowing only that it came from the secret passage of the study, but it was too dark for her to see who was approaching

Then, she remembered that behind the cabinet was a wall; unless it was made of paper, it was impossible for her, no matter how heavy she was, to collapse the wall.

She stepped back in fright, stepping on the letter they had just looked at. She crouched down to pick it up and read the letter, which was written by Lord Qi to Master Wei. The writing was very obscure, stating that there was important evidence that could prove the guilt of the suspect

Forget it, forget it, just die like this, better than her dying from poisoning

He reached out to pick it up, then slowly raised a pair of handsome eyes to look at the mountain wind hiding behind the low cabinet

Mountain wind

Xian'er! Xian'er... The heat flushed her round face, and she quickly crouched down to pick up the unburned oil paper bag, her vision slightly blurred and misty before her. "Xian'er..."

Wait a moment... it's still not enough, she at least needs to help Xian'er with something. The Blood Eagle has already infiltrated Yun Family Village, and even if it is not for her antidote, they must eliminate the Blood Eagle; otherwise, there is no guarantee that one day it will not endanger the people she loves.

A round face, drenched in cold sweat. Why did he let her go? Was it because he was masked, not fearing that she would recognize him? Or did he consider her to be of no concern?

So hot! She quickly released the basket and saw the flames licking at the bottom of it. Ignoring the pain, she slapped the bottom of the basket, causing all the pastries wrapped in oil paper inside to scatter out. In a flurry, she picked them up and stuffed them into her bosom, taking as many as she could. Her mouth was stuffed full of pastries, making it a bit hard to breathe, but she couldn't care less.

A gust of wind blew towards her, and she was suddenly embraced tightly by someone. The familiar scent gradually permeated her nostrils and her very being, reminding her of the happiest period in her life

She searched nervously for a while and finally spotted the corner of the basket. Overjoyed, she hurriedly crawled behind the low cabinet in the corner. Indeed, it was unclear who had kicked the basket, causing it to roll over here, scattering the pastries all over the ground

I indeed saw Wei Lin take the list obtained from Gongsun Xian from here, it is not important, I will handle it myself

What is wrong with you

I am fine. How did you also enter the secret passage... Are you here to rescue me? That is so dangerous

She cannot see him, yet she feels that his beautiful eyes are always gazing at her

The study was empty, and as she ate the last pastry, she looked around. There was none under the table, nor under the chair. She was certain that Yanshou was busy making a list and had forgotten to take the basket outside. Where could it be?

There should still be some.

"No, it will be discovered." After picking them up one by one, she walked back to the secret passage in a daze

"Help... help..." she called softly, and then shouted loudly: "Help! Help! Xian'er! Xian'er!" She exerted all her strength to scream, but then her throat became choked, and she coughed desperately

"Found it... the letter from the person with the surname Qi is indeed this one..." The masked man with the other ear was delighted. The two of them huddled together, quickly reading the text of the letter.

The shadow has her, and there is another person very close to her. That shadow stands there motionless, and if one is not careful, one might almost think it is merely some kind of human-shaped ornament.

There is sand

A stifling silence enveloped the area outside the rockery

She looked up at him and smiled radiantly

She quickly crawled into the suspected secret passage, feeling somewhat bewildered. Just a moment ago, she had seen those two masked individuals searching for letters nearby; how could they not have found this passage?

She did not refuse either, busy devouring her food until the pain in her abdomen subsided somewhat, before finally complaining:

No wonder he doesn't take action; he thinks she is useless and cannot be of any benefit to him

I don't know," she said. "I went to the study to get some snacks, and suddenly two men in black entered. They were looking for something, and then they found me.

The orange flames ignited from the flammable books and tablecloth, and by the time she noticed, they had already consumed more than half. She instinctively rushed towards the door, only to find the doorknob radiating intense heat, and no matter how hard she pushed, it would not budge.

I am truly fine; fortunately, Lord Wei had a secret passage set up, otherwise I would have certainly perished inside. She thought for a moment and then smiled, saying, "But you really should not have come in to save me; before I left the study, it was almost completely engulfed in flames."

No, I want to take another path she said softly

Suddenly, she caught sight of his hand gripping hers, which had turned slightly red and even blistered. She was frightened and wanted to pull her hand away, but he held on tightly.

Fu Yu licked her fingers and smiled

Then the familiar voice said: "It's almost time. My skills are not as good as Gongsun Xian's, and the study is quite far away. By now, it should be time to discover the fire. You, the hidden pawn, continue to stay in the Wei residence and wait for the officials in the court to notify you."

He promised to set off in the evening, intending to allow Yanshou to transcribe the list at the earliest opportunity. Now that it is almost evening, after he awakens, he insists on leaving her behind and goes to Yanshou's room by himself

Can't you tell who it is

Tie Guai Wei Lin is indeed timid and avoids trouble. Taking advantage of the fact that Gongsun Xian was passing through this area, he invited him over, intending to discreetly pass this significant problem onto Gongsun Xian. If he had two lists, they should be submitted together... Before he could finish speaking, a faint rolling sound caught their attention

Have you obtained the antidote for the second half of the year

"You cannot get out from here; he will know." She stood up and walked back, only to bump into the stone wall. She intended to feel her way along the wall to another path, but after waiting for a long time, her hand surprisingly received no response.

At this moment, her face was filled with fear, almost resembling a soft, fluffy ball of white sugar. When he saw her for the first time, he did not understand Gongsun Xian's criteria for choosing a wife, but Tieguai Wei Lin's old eyes perceived the truths that he could not see

This time, she tightly guarded her precious food, willing to suffer a bloody head injury rather than lose another pack of food. After she went out, reciting another list she had seen to Xian'er would surely be of great help, perhaps even allowing them to obtain the antidote sooner. This time, being able to escape death, she felt that heaven was favoring her; her dreams had not yet shattered.

She gently took half a step forward, peering out from behind the artificial hill with a pair of eyes.

She was stunned for a long time, and then uncontrollably slumped beside the counter

She lowered her head to look at her hands tightly clutching the food, feeling a bit confused. After several attempts, she finally extended her arms and touched the cold stone wall

I must go back to get it! Her face began to pale as she turned and walked out the door

Her legs were still somewhat weak, and she had to support herself against the low cabinet to stand up. When she turned around, she was immediately stunned.

He gazed at her for a moment, gently wrapped his arms around her, and then suddenly tightened his embrace, regardless of whether it caused her pain.

She refused to let go, smiling sweetly with her eyes closed

"......Gongsun Xian has gone in to rescue the person, but is it possible to save them? The fire is quite intense." The familiar voice was so close that it made it almost impossible for her to breathe

Is she still alive after hearing so many things she should not have heard

She thought that she would no longer have to fear whether there would be enough food to eat in the future, nor would she have to worry about whether to compromise on extending her life for the sake of Xian'er before she died. If she were to pass away, Xian'er was still young and should remarry, but she was selfish and wished that he would always remember her. Now, everything was fine, and there was nothing left to worry about

She immediately covered her mouth and nose, suppressing the cough that was rising in her throat

What should she do? What should she do? She trembles all over, desperately eating the deadly sesame balls. Should she go out, should she? Or should she call for help?

She let out a sigh, touched her neck, and exclaimed in surprise

She closed her eyes tightly

"It has been a quarter of an hour, hasn't it?" said Fu Yu, who was sharing the room.

Give it back to me

Each time she called out, her voice grew fainter, occasionally interrupted by coughs. The thick smoke made her throat feel as if it were on fire, and the flames grew increasingly fierce. In the end, she could only huddle in the corner against the wall, clutching the life-saving pastries.

What Xian Er desires is only that list, so what kind of gaze is Yan Shou casting upon him now? Is it one of infatuation, or one of heartache?

She thought she knew why he did not kill her with a single sword strike

When she heard the words "antidote," she was overjoyed, for this meant that there truly was an antidote in the world! If the Blood Eagle had poisoned, there must certainly be an antidote! She could endure; as long as there was an antidote, enduring for another one or two years would not be a problem!

Mountain wind

A cold gaze suddenly descended from above, pouring down on her head, leaving her utterly stiff, unable to raise her head

Now she must preserve her life at all costs, as she has already obtained the list and has the opportunity to live like an ordinary person. Therefore, she must take good care of herself.

Then, the door gently closed

She chuckled lightly, "I know. Now we have taken a big step forward; as long as there is a list, there is hope; as long as there is an antidote, I will no longer have to live this kind of life. I am really looking forward to it. Let's hurry and go out, otherwise, Yan Shou and the others will be worried."

He has been in the Yan Shou room for a quarter of an hour

What does he really want

Should she go back and take another path

"How strange... why is it just an ordinary letter?" A familiar voice expressed confusion

Gongsun Xian carefully examined her face, and in the end, he wiped the dirt off her face, took off his outer garment for her to wear, picked up the remaining food for her, and led her down one of the side paths.

That laughter seemed to be disdainful, yet cold as ice

Is that so? This time, coinciding with the Pingning Conference, Lord Tu will also be present. I originally intended to secretly obtain the antidote, but I did not expect to encounter Gongsun Yaobai... This time, I will definitely bring back her request for merit

She thought she had misheard, forcing her eyes open to glance at the shadow beside her

"Indeed." She seemed somewhat unconcerned, snuggling into his embrace, smiling as she said, "I guess I was just scared in the study earlier." Suddenly, she could no longer be content with just leaning against him, and simply let the food in her arms fall to the ground, holding onto his body tightly.

As she walked for a while, she suddenly saw moonlight ahead, causing her heart to race.

"Who set the fire?" he asked

"Eh, what is it? What will happen if you eat less?" Fu Yu glared at her

She remembered the fork in the road and chose one path to exit. If this was the escape route of Lord Wei, she had to say that this Lord Wei truly devised a heavy scheme; first, the weight must be sufficient to open the secret passage, and within the passage, there are also forks in the road, allowing for a delay even if the enemy comes searching.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a letter lying on the ground, also being consumed by the flames. She was momentarily taken aback, noticing that the letter's paper suddenly revealed a dense array of small, neat characters.

The familiar person smiled faintly

Having already exited the secret passage, she saw that the end of the passage was the inner wall of a rockery. Once she stepped out, she found herself in the courtyard of the Wei residence

Sparks splashed onto her outer garment, causing her to jump and pull it off, scattering the food in her arms all over the ground

It was pitch dark, and the road was quite short; before long, she returned to the fork in the road. She had to choose another path, she told herself, and then instinctively headed towards the other route

"Hmm." She was distracted, sitting on the windowsill facing the room, watching her feet lightly kicking beneath her skirt.

As if echoing the questions within her heart, she saw the shadow slowly draw the soft sword from its waist and raise it high.

Her vision was blurred as she grasped something on the cabinet, just about to use it for support to get up and search for a pen and inkstone that could leave a mark. However, as soon as she stood up, she was caught off guard by the tilt of the cabinet and fell awkwardly forward.

She almost ran to the study

Mountain wind

She was momentarily stunned, noticing a wisp of black smoke seeping through the crack of the door on the ground, and the hollow door panel below showed signs of catching fire, rapidly climbing upwards.

They were nearing the exit, the flames illuminating his handsome face. She was astonished to find a burn mark on his left cheek, and his clothes were in a state of disarray. Looking down at the men's shirt she was wearing, she noticed that a part of the hem had actually been burned away. When she escaped through the secret passage, the fire had raged fiercely, nearly consuming half of the study. How great a fire must he have faced upon entering?

She just hates it, she just hates it! She is terrified of living like this for a lifetime, even more afraid of the fear that one day her food will run out. Although he has not explicitly stated it, she is very clear that he does not want her to leave the island because he fears that there are too many uncertainties outside, and she will never know if tomorrow she will not even have a bite to eat.

After just a few steps, she heard someone shout:

With a thud, she collided with the wall

"They are all strangers to me, I cannot tell. They originally intended to kill me, but later decided to set fire..." She added once more, laughing: "Fortunately, I am as round as Lord Wei, otherwise I definitely would not have been able to escape"

She nervously jumped down and stammered, "I, I will go back to get the carriage!"

She curiously asked, "What if I have already been burned to death?"

However, Gongsun Xian's wife is an exception

He immediately stopped in his tracks and turned to face her

"Xian'er... I am here..." she called softly, tears streaming down her face

Uncertain how much time had passed, the mountain wind was finally awakened by the bursts of cold air. She looked around in a daze, and at last returned to reality

This path is winding and has forks along the way

The celestial image behind the Jigu Pavilion is lifeless, yet the discovery of Gongsun Yaobai has breathed life into the beauty of that painting. Even though her face is veiled, those enchanting, soul-stirring eyes, akin to the figure in the painting, cause their hearts to race and their faces to flush.

She feels a bit happy, as the bright moonlight seems to hint at her future. As long as there is an antidote, as long as there is an antidote, it does not matter if her lifespan is shortened by a few years. No, no, she wants to live a little longer. She is two years older than Xian'er. If she were to live a few years less, Xian'er might be in her fifties by the time she is gone. How fortunate that would be... just a little bit more would be good...

No, no, she does not want to die now! She still has beautiful dreams, she is about to find the antidote, at that time she can live on, be with Xian Er, have children with him, retreat into seclusion together, and grow old together, she does not want to die yet!

With two pieces left, she savored each bite... However, she could not take too small bites, as it would not satisfy the hunger of the worms in her stomach... Suddenly, she remembered that Yan Shou had brought a basket of pastries to the study in the morning, but returned empty-handed...

The cool air rushing towards her made her instinctively take a deep breath, only to start coughing violently afterward. She realized that everything before her was pitch black, and her intuition prompted her to look back; her lower body was still in the study, with flames nearly reaching the hem of her skirt

It is him

With just a glance, she noticed something unusual in the letter; it was filled with names. She intended to extinguish the spark, but the thin paper burned too quickly, turning to ashes in the blink of an eye

"If you were burned to death, if you were burned to death..." he said calmly, quietly: "This question, I will never answer you"

If she truly fell victim to the Blood Eagle, and did not obtain the antidote within a year, then even if the antidote were to be acquired later, it would be ineffective in controlling the parasites within her body. However, such a situation is simply impossible; those afflicted by the Blood Eagle do not survive without an antidote, and they perish within a year—there are no exceptions. At this point, the tone seemed to carry a sense of desolation. "Aren't we in the same situation? Every year there is an antidote, yet it only addresses the symptoms and not the root cause, forcing us to rely on it for our entire lives. But such a situation is simply impossible; those afflicted by the Blood Eagle do not survive without an antidote, and they perish within a year—there are no exceptions." At this point, the tone seemed to carry a sense of desolation. "Aren't we in the same situation? Every year there is an antidote, yet it only addresses the symptoms and not the root cause, forcing us to rely on it for our entire lives. Gongsun was fortunate; he did not have the chance to implant the Blood Eagle in her that year, but starting next year, she will be just like us, unable to live without it for the rest of her life.

Only then did the trembling fingers steady themselves

She stared at the last two pastries in the basket. No one had ever fought her for food; everyone on the island knew that she relied on this for her survival. Even if it made her cry, she still had to eat. Xian rarely shared a basket of food with her, fearing that an unexpected incident could mean losing a few bites, which equated to losing a life.

"Mountain wind, you are completely soaked." The voice was extremely soft, as if afraid it would shatter her.

There was more than one person present, as someone spoke up with a voice that was faint and unusual, as if deliberately altering their tone. She was taken aback, feeling that this voice was somewhat familiar

Where this secret passage leads is unknown, but as long as there is life, that is enough! She struggled to get up and walked forward in the dark

Just as she was thinking this, she saw the person seemingly unconsciously stroking a certain spot on their upper arm and asked

She felt as if her voice was echoing from afar, but she thought it might be due to speaking in the secret passage. Seeing that he did not respond, she smiled reassuringly and said

Good

Only one shadow remains, a trembling circular shadow, which is herself

The familiar figure in black turned towards the sound and saw a plump sesame ball rolling over from the low cabinet, rolling and rolling as if it had been rolling for a lifetime, finally coming to a stop in front of him

"Xian'er, your hand..." The palm that held hers seemed a bit uneven, somewhat slick. She wanted to voice something from her throat, but found that what surged up was a wave of bitterness.

"Before I entered the study, Wei Lin mentioned this secret passage. If you are still alive, you should come out from the secret passage," he said softly

What is he doing here? Like a thief in the Wei family's study

With this in mind, she steadied herself, turned to glance at the seemingly distant fire scene, then touched the wall, coughed softly, and slowly walked forward along the path.

Gongsun Yaobai appears to be fine, presumably the painter who infiltrated the Yun family estate back in the day did not have time to brand her. What a pity, otherwise, it would have been too easy to take her away; as long as she does not wish to die, she would certainly leave with me.

The taste is quite sweet. Junior Sister Jiu, you eat all day long; you should occasionally share with others.

No matter how much she cried for help, the study was a considerable distance from Yanshou, and no matter how skilled Xian was, he could not hear her.

The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, and she decided to return to the study to find that basket of food. She went quickly and returned swiftly, believing that not wasting a single basket of food was the way to ensure her survival

He looked at her strangely, opened his mouth as if to say something, but finally sighed and said

"Xian'er, Xian'er, I love you so much, I have never loved a man like this in my life, I want to hold you every day and think of you every day..." The words became softer and softer, and the whole person gradually slid down.

The mountain wind saw him staring fixedly at itself, and with a start, it immediately withdrew into the low cabinet

As for Gongsun Xian's wife, she is like a pearl covered in dust; if she were to lose a bit more weight, she would be a genuine beauty akin to flowing water. However... such beauty, he had hardly ever seen in older women... Ah, indeed, it is because those delicate beauties are like morning dew, and young men often perish due to their frailness, never reaching old age. It is precisely the heavens' compassion that allows them to retain their most beautiful moment.

She looked a bit embarrassed, unsure whether she should stand up and greet them. ... Hiding in someone else's study to eat was indeed a bit shameful ... . ... Perhaps it would be better to wait until the visitor leaves before she hurriedly departs.

"Alright, I'll help you, I'll help you!" Fu Yu was completely bewildered, but still pushed her back to her room. "Just wait here for me, if anything happens, call out. Mr. Gongsun is in the next courtyard."

Suddenly, with a "ka" sound, someone entered the room

It has become somewhat warm in the room; she recalls the gusts of wind at dusk that made her feel cold. How could the study be so warm?

"What exactly happened, Shan Feng?" The deep voice sounded particularly hoarse in the secret passage.

It's nothing..." She smiled shyly and said, "Xian'er, could you call me 'Yabai' just once? Just once will do.

A faint scoff, a sharp sound that pierced through her taut fear

This figure ... ... This figure ... ...

Is it really necessary to have such a connection? The man in black has changed into his usual clothes and stands in front of the artificial hill, his back facing her, at a distance close enough for her to examine the embroidery on his sleeves closely

Gongsun Xian moved extremely quickly, supporting her waist, kicking up the pastry that had just fallen, and stuffing it into her mouth

In the distance, there is a faint flickering light, indicating that someone is clearly waiting.

She was trembling slightly, desperately clutching the small basket, her feet unsteady, yet she anxiously paced back and forth.

Suddenly, the imposing figure of Old Master Wei appeared in her mind... Could it be that her weight saved her life?

In the midst of fear, she caught sight of the shadow on the ground beside her

The food in her arms fell to the ground. After looking at it for a long time, she exclaimed in surprise and muttered to herself:

"You must persevere on your path; I have been walking it all along. If you give up, it would mean negating all my past efforts!" He whispered fiercely in her ear, his voice barely audible, yet filled with palpable resentment

She had just arrived at the inner side of the rockery and was about to leave when a familiar voice sent chills down her spine, causing her to stop in her tracks

"Can you?" she replied nonchalantly. What are they doing now?

In a moment of confusion, she could only stare at the basket she held tightly. Even in the face of life and death, she still did not forget to stuff things into her mouth; she was truly so afraid of death that it made her feel ashamed of herself.

For some reason, she felt that Xian'er’s voice had a hint of coldness. He had never spoken to her in this tone before

She has a remarkable memory, but her hearing is average. If she can see the figure of that person, she is likely to recognize who it is. It is quite strange, as she does not know many people!

She did not hear any footsteps at all, yet she felt that someone was standing behind the low cabinet watching her

"Got it." This was the voice of another man in black in the study.

He glanced back at her and walked into the fork she had chosen without objection

It has already been confirmed that they are uncle and niece, and those of the rivers and lakes do not concern themselves with trivialities, but isn't it a bit too long to stay?

Are you alright

It turns out that she really had the happiest days.

The food from the Wei residence must not be touched, which makes the food in the car all the more precious. Fu Qi is waiting there to set off. Upon careful consideration, the food in the car should last for a few more days, but what if an unexpected situation arises and there is not enough food?

Could it be that the one with the surname Qi, before dying, divided the two lists and sent them to two individuals? I have been here for more than three years and am well aware of Tie Guai Wei Lin's timid and cautious personality. If it weren't for him bringing in Gongsun Xian this time, I truly would not have realized that he was hiding the list.