Chapter 495: Chapter 477: Destiny
Fengyu thought of Xie Xun. Ever since being abducted to West State, she had been thinking about him. When she touched the Soul Suppressing Pearl, she thought of Xie Xun. She wondered how the battles in Ningzhou were progressing. After Dugu Jing was driven back to Sha Ling Tian Mountain, would he continue his offensives? On the battlefield, killing enemies—was Xie Xun injured? Since returning to Ningzhou, apart from that one exchange, he hadn’t communicated with her again. Was it because he didn’t want her to worry about his injuries, or was the war simply too consuming, leaving no time to spare?
She was wildly longing for Xie Xun, especially when she heard the Jinyi Guards talk about him.
She thought of the spirited and dashing young Marquis from a few years ago, and of the Prince Qin, who now, despite occasional traces of boyishness, carried an imposing presence. She recalled how years ago, after being abducted by Dugu Jing, Xie Xun came to rescue her single-handedly. At that time, she’d embraced a resolve to perish alongside Dugu Jing, without the thought of survival.
If she had truly perished with Dugu Jing back then, Xie Xun’s life perhaps wouldn’t have encountered so many hardships. Yuwen Jing might not have allied with Beiman, nor would Dugu Jing become his lifelong nemesis. Perhaps the Marquis Mansion could have successfully relocated to Ningzhou, and Xie Zhang, along with her sister, could have lived a peaceful life there.
Time flows on, irretrievable. She was just momentarily lost in thought.
In these years of separation, they had rarely met. She was busy, and so was he. The days they shared were few, but their connection never wavered due to distance. Xie Xun had always been searching for Master Miao Yun, hoping she could return to cure her illness. Once, she overheard a conversation between Feiying and Xie Xun. Major events had shaken Yanyang, and her circumstances in West State were now known across the land. In another six months, she would turn eighteen. Master Miao Yun was still nowhere to be found—perhaps she had already passed away.
Xie Xun seemed noticeably restless, especially this year. If not for the war with Beiman, Xie Xun had initially planned to take her to Ningzhou after the spring harvest. After the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, the three-year mourning period would end, and Xie Xun had intended to marry her in August. After that, Nangong Heng would take charge of West State, allowing her to live with Xie Xun in Ningzhou. Even Xie Jue had no objections—the situation in West State was gradually stabilizing and on track. Leaving it to Nangong Heng reassured Fengyu.
A wife who had wealth, sickness, and an early death could never be a blessing for Xie Xun. Fengyu had never questioned Xie Xun’s sincerity toward her. She, with her cold heart and distant temperament, was difficult to warm. From the moment Xie Xun pursued Dugu Jing alone for three days and nights, risking his life to save her, she had never doubted Xie Xun’s true feelings.
She feared the prophecy coming true—that she really wouldn’t live past eighteen. If that were the case, and Xie Xun were to live on alone in this world, he would undoubtedly experience searing pain. The only thing she took solace in was that Second Brother and Ruyi would still be there. Otherwise, Xie Xun would truly be pitiful.
Would she hope that, as time passes, Xie Xun could fall for someone else and grow old with them?
No!
She didn’t wish for that at all. She hoped that, even after her death, Xie Xun would best remember her for the rest of his life. Even in death, she couldn’t bear the thought of anyone else taking her place in his heart.
She wasn’t so high-minded as to wish that Xie Xun would forget her, fall in love with someone new, and give the happiness she could never have to another. If that happened, even in death, she’d find no rest in her coffin.
This was who she was—selfish and possessive.
And so, she wanted to live!
She wanted to break the curse of not surviving past eighteen.
When she swallowed the poison that day, hoping to gamble with fate, she thought—if luck wasn’t on her side and the poison truly took her life, she’d feel such regret, wondering if it was herself who had fulfilled this prophecy.
Now, as she listened to the Jinyi Guards speak of Xie Xun, amidst the madness of longing, one belief grew firmer in her heart.
She must live!
She must return home to see her sister, her grandmother. She must watch Ruyi grow up safely, and she must stand by Xie Xun’s side as he ascends to dominate the realm. She didn’t want to die. If fate declared she wouldn’t live past eighteen, she would battle fate with everything she had.
That night was exceptionally long for Fengyu. She finally fell asleep at dawn and awoke in the afternoon. Doctor Xiao Zhou was brought in, practically dragged by Chen Mo, to take her pulse. Pretending to have just woken up, Fengyu asked blankly, "Where is this?"
"Liuzhou," replied Doctor Xiao Zhou. With Chen Mo guarding nearby, Fengyu didn’t dare say much to Doctor Xiao Zhou, for fear of raising suspicion. These Jinyi Guards were exceptionally sharp; the more one said, the more likely one was to slip up.
Doctor Xiao Zhou dearly wanted to help Fengyu escape, but there was simply no opportunity. After resting for a night, Fengyu’s strength began to recover somewhat. Chen Mo ordered preparations to leave immediately.
Doctor Xiao Zhou hesitated, then tried his best to persuade, "It would be best to rest another day."
"No need!" Chen Mo tossed a gold ingot to Doctor Xiao Zhou as payment for his services. Without a word, Doctor Xiao Zhou took advantage of a rare moment when Chen Mo wasn’t watching to slip something into Fengyu’s sachet.
After taking the last dose of medicine, Fengyu was loaded onto the carriage. The group left Liuzhou with haste and headed toward the Capital City. Along the way, Chen Mo warned her, "Third Miss, you’d best not fall sick again during this journey. If you die, I can only bring your corpse back as proof."
Fengyu sneered, "Commander Chen, why bother threatening me? If you truly had the courage to return with my corpse, you wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of bringing me to Liuzhou for treatment."
"Your frail health is no match for such a journey. Should you perish, I’ll have no choice but to deliver your corpse," Chen Mo retorted coldly.
"I hear your threats loud and clear. I’ll eat well, take my medicine, and take good care of myself," Fengyu replied obediently, cooperating fully, as her health was indeed still frail. Chen Mo had only bound her hands, not her feet.
The Jinyi Guards traveled through the night, but Fengyu was in no rush. She conserved her strength. Another day and night passed, and they drew closer to the Capital City. Along the way, she had to take her medicine regularly. Before nightfall, they stopped briefly in a river valley to prepare her medication.
The medicinal scent brought a faint smile to Fengyu’s lips. She knocked on the carriage. "Chen Mo, my stomach hurts."
"What?"
"One eats and drinks; it’s natural to have bodily needs," Fengyu said without a trace of embarrassment.
"Hold it!" Chen Mo snapped.
"I can’t," she replied.
Chen Mo’s veins bulged with frustration, but he had no choice but to let her disembark. Fengyu raised her hands, gesturing for the ropes to be untied. Under Chen Mo’s signal, one of the Jinyi Guards untied her.
"Third Miss, you’d better not try anything," Chen Mo warned.
"I’m just a mere woman, weak and bound by Soft Muscle Powder. Even if I wanted to escape, I know it’d be futile," she said calmly.
"You better mean that!"
Three Jinyi Guards escorted her into the woods. Fengyu surveyed her surroundings—it was a river valley, the very same place where, years ago, Xie Xun had pursued her and Dugu Jing for days and nights before catching up with them.