Chapter 166: "I wanted to run, but I don’t know the way.

Outside the carriage, several guards were slicing through the bandits as if they were cutting vegetables.

Inside the carriage, Xiao Yang nearly choked on a freshly roasted chestnut.

Wordlessly, Mu Yunlian calmly handed her a cup of tea. ’If I had to say what surprised me most about Xiao Yang,’ he thought, ’it would be her occasional recklessness and her crazy moments. She seems like a complete stranger then.’

The closer they got to Beimeng, the more numerous and vicious the bandits became. This was the third group they had encountered today.

The guards’ blades were nicked from all the fighting, so they ultimately had no choice but to stop in a town for repairs and rest.

The path Mu Yunlian took wasn’t completely deserted—they mostly encountered hunters from mountain villages—but on the fifth day of her kidnapping, the group finally stopped in a populated town.

Mu Yunlian disguised himself, adopting a completely forgettable face, then put a veil on Xiao Yang and led her out of the carriage by the hand.

Just as they were about to enter an inn, a group of riders galloped past. The man in the lead was none other than Ye Shao.

The moment Xiao Yang recognized him, Mu Yunlian pressed her head firmly against his shoulder.

"Your Majesty wouldn’t want Duke Liang’s grandson to die here, would you?"

Xiao Yang didn’t say a word, but she reached out and pinched his waist—hard.

Ye Shao’s appearance instilled a sense of urgency in Mu Yunlian. He took Xiao Yang upstairs to a private room to eat. The moment they finished and the guards were ready, they set off immediately.

Back in the carriage, Xiao Yang watched as Mu Yunlian downed an entire pot of tea by himself, cup after cup.

He only stopped when the pot was empty. He looked at her as if he wanted to say something, but then remained silent.

Xiao Yang knew he was stewing over something, but she decided not to press the issue. ’Let’s see how long he can keep this up.’

Not long after they left the town, a large, imposing procession of riders passed them.

Mu Yunlian lifted the curtain to peek outside and remarked with feigned surprise, "Your Majesty is quite lucky today. You’ve run into two sets of potential rescuers."

Xiao Yang looked, but she didn’t recognize anyone in the procession.

Mu Yunlian kindly clarified for her. "The man in the lead is Zhao Cheng’an, the Marquis Wucheng."

’One of the four men plotting to rebel against me. What kind of rescuer is that?’

’If the Marquis Wucheng knew I was the Empress, wouldn’t that be the same as serving myself up on a platter?’

’He’s just mocking me.’

Xiao Yang shot him a glare, then abruptly threw open the curtain and jumped out of the carriage.

Mu Yunlian lunged after her like a madman, yanking Xiao Yang back inside. He fell heavily onto the seat, his breathing ragged and undispersed fear still lingering in his eyes.

"Are you insane?"

Xiao Yang leaned back against the cushions and looked at him calmly. "You’re the one who’s insane."

’Did he really think this hostage had no temper?’

’He wants to laugh at my expense? I’ll show him who the real joke is.’

Unsurprisingly, Mu Yunlian stormed off. But this time, he didn’t call Ling Ji to come in, leaving Xiao Yang alone in the carriage.

「Finally, the carriage left the territory of Da Wei and crossed into the lands of Beimeng.」

The cities in Beimeng were built lower to the ground. The border city was heavily guarded, but inside, it was a den of vipers. Everyone on the street looked fierce and menacing.

As it turned out, the largest inn here belonged to Mu Yunlian. He led Xiao Yang directly to a private courtyard reserved for him behind the main building.

They had just settled in when Mu Yunlian was hastily summoned away. He left Ling Ji to watch over Xiao Yang, with four guards posted at the door.

Xiao Yang climbed the three-story building and, with a final leap, landed on the roof. From this height, she had a commanding view of most of the city.

She sat there with a jar of wine, drinking slowly.

’Even though I’ve been kidnapped, this is basically a vacation. Someone’s footing the bill, I have servants, and I get to see all these different sights. It’s really not so bad.’

’Since I came to this world, the farthest I’ve ever traveled is to the imperial Palace, and I’ve never even left the vicinity of the Capital City.’

’That bunch of ministers watched me so closely, using the excuse of "it’s for your own good" to keep me cooped up in the Imperial Palace. Just thinking about it is suffocating.’

’I want money and a good life. This Imperial Power is honestly just a burden.’

’This is the world of a novel, and the Imperial Power is just an illusion. Best not to take it too seriously.’

When Xiao Yang had seen her fill, she swirled the wine jar and looked down at Ling Ji, who was standing guard. "Want some?"

Ling Ji shook her head. "I don’t drink."

Xiao Yang propped her chin on her hand. "Probably for the best."

’Drink to forget your sorrows? But the problems don’t go away. You’ll just be sorrowful and drunk.’

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed from below as several guards frantically escorted someone inside.

"It’s the Master! He’s injured!"

Ling Ji reacted in a flash, leaping down from her post and rushing over.

’Mu Yunlian is injured? But isn’t this his home turf?’

Xiao Yang took two large gulps of wine before finally heading down after a long moment.

A doctor was tending to Mu Yunlian’s wound, and a pile of bloody gauze bandages was accumulating on the floor.

Mu Yunlian had been struck by a projectile. The wound was on his shoulder, and the weapon had a barb, forcing the doctor to cut the flesh open to extract it.

Mu Yunlian bit down on a wooden stick, steeling himself as the doctor cut into his flesh to remove the projectile.

The projectile was poisoned. There was no time to wait for an anesthetic to take effect; it had to be removed immediately.

The doctor worked quickly, extracting the projectile before packing the wound with medicine and gauze to stanch the bleeding.

Mu Yunlian only let out a few muffled grunts, but he bit clean through the stick. Veins bulged on his forehead as large beads of sweat rolled down his face. He finally passed out cold after the doctor applied the last of the medicine.

Xiao Yang stood there, watching the entire ordeal. She didn’t move closer, but she didn’t leave either.

Ling Ji was anxious about Mu Yunlian’s condition, but she wasn’t panicking. As soon as she was sure his life wasn’t in danger, she regained her composure.

This was a common occurrence, she told Xiao Yang.

Mu Yunlian’s wealth was immense, and there were countless people who wanted him dead—enemies, allies, and traitors alike.

"Whenever he makes a public appearance, an assassination attempt is sure to follow. Most of the time, he only sustains minor injuries, but he’s had his share of close calls. He pays a visit to Yama Hall at least once or twice a year."

Mu Yunlian woke up at noon the next day.

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was Xiao Yang. "Why didn’t Your Majesty take this opportunity to escape?"

Xiao Yang replied, "I thought about it. But I don’t know the way."

Mu Yunlian’s gaze fell on Xiao Yang’s hands. She was holding a map—the very one from his carriage, no doubt.

A man who traveled year-round would naturally keep a map in his carriage. He had stormed out in a huff and forgotten to set a guard on her, inadvertently giving her an opportunity.

Injured and unable to move, Mu Yunlian lay there. The combination of blood loss and poison had left his face deathly pale and his lips completely colorless.

And Xiao Yang? She offered no words of concern, no care. She just sat there the entire time, watching him drink his medicine, have his bandages changed, and endure the agony.

A maid dressed in yellow entered the room. She looked older than Ling Ji and had a mature, capable air about her.

She first checked on Mu Yunlian and reported a few things to him before her gaze finally fell on Xiao Yang. She looked her up and down with a frown.

"Are you the new maid who’s been attending the Master?"

Ling Ji wanted to stop the woman in yellow, but she didn’t know how to explain Xiao Yang’s identity.

’You can’t exactly go around announcing that you’ve kidnapped the Empress.’

"Sister Xiangxiang."

She turned to Xiao Yang to make the introduction. "Miss, this is Wang Xiang, one of the Master’s twelve stewards."

Then she turned back to Wang Xiang. "This young lady is not the Master’s maid. She’s... she’s the Master’s guest. A very important guest."

Ling Ji chose her words with care, emphasizing them deliberately for fear that Wang Xiang might offend the Empress.

Wang Xiang clearly misinterpreted her meaning. ’Such a young woman... an "important guest"? She must be the Master’s new woman.’

’Judging by her bearing, she clearly comes from a noble background.’

"May I ask which noble family the young lady hails from?"

Xiao Yang finally spoke up. "Are kidnappers’ standards for their hostages so high these days? Do I need to give a self-introduction?"

’Kidnappers? Hostage?’

Ling Ji had no choice but to explain, "The Master... ah... kidnapped this young lady."

Shocked and disbelieving, Wang Xiang whipped her head around to look at Mu Yunlian.

Before Wang Xiang could ask any more questions, Ling Ji pulled her out of the room. "Sister Xiangxiang, don’t ask for now. You’ll understand later." ’This is nothing,’ Ling Ji thought. ’If she knew the Master kidnapped the Empress, she’d really have a heart attack.’