“Fire the signal arrow!”

“Flank from both sides, capture him!”

Lin Yuanjin was jolted awake amid waves of violent bumping.

She struggled to open her eyes, only to find herself tightly held in the arms of a young man.

The young man had his face covered with black cloth, having no time to speak to her, his dark pupils sweeping back and forth as he moved against the wind, searching for a route of escape along the rugged mountain path. His figure was as nimble as a whip, constantly evading the several arrows shot from behind.

Lin Yuanjin’s already frail body was starving, not only unable to muster any strength, but her bones felt as though they were about to fall apart.

By her ear was the sound of his heartbeat from within his chest, followed by the sounds of the pursuing soldiers behind him. Her neck, weakened by the jolting, tilted back involuntarily, and in the next instant, the young man suddenly pressed her head down, pushing it toward his chest.

In the briefest moment, an arrow carrying a chilling gleam brushed past his shoulder.

It was precisely where Lin Yuanjin had just raised her head.

“Blades and arrows have no eyes, stay hidden.” The young man spoke concisely.

One should know that while traveling, holding a person was far more exhausting than carrying one on the back, placing much greater strain on the arms and also affecting his offense.

But the situation left no room for choice.

If she were not tightly held in his arms, she would likely have already lost her life.

Lin Yuanjin’s vision swam, yet from her limited field of sight she could still judge that this was not the official road she had taken up the mountain, nor was it even a normal path.

“Are they here to kill me?” Lin Yuanjin leaned against the young man’s chest and spoke weakly.

She had only suspected before, but had no proof.

“Yes.” The young man affirmed, letting out a muffled grunt as if struck by something, nearly stumbling. He crouched to avoid the spear sweeping above, his legs like a fully drawn bowstring; with a forceful push, he leapt onto a tree branch, darting behind a trunk so thick that several people could encircle it.

Seeing that dozens of people behind were about to rush up and surround them, the young man had no choice but to wrap one arm around Lin Yuanjin’s waist, while the other hand gripped a thick branch above. Light as a swallow, he leapt toward the treetops ahead, using the dense foliage to conceal his figure while increasing his speed to avoid further injury.

Lin Yuanjin caught the scent of blood seeping from him.

She pressed her lips tightly together, knowing that speaking at this time would interfere with the young man’s judgment of the situation and the battle. Yet the aggressive pursuers surging below made her involuntarily recall the slaughter from days before.

Under the blazing sun, the corpses covering the ground still retained warmth, the crimson like a waterfall obscuring her vision. Adrenaline surged, fear spread like a net over her consciousness, and the excessive tension caused her senses to distort, even her limbs becoming stiff beyond control.

This was already the second time.

Lin Yuanjin’s eyelids trembled involuntarily, forcing herself to breathe, becoming acutely aware of her own weakness and fragility, her life like a needle suspended in the air, about to fall yet not falling.

The young man keenly sensed the unusual compliance of the person in his arms. Glancing downward, he quickly made a decision—his fingertip flicked, sending several pebbles flying in the opposite direction.

While the pursuers below were disturbed and had yet to confirm their position, the young man swiftly placed Lin Yuanjin onto a tree branch, pushed up her knees to press down the torn skirt, arranging her like a puppet and perfectly concealing her behind the tree trunk.

Lin Yuanjin stared at him steadily, allowing him to move her as he wished.

The young man raised his hand to cover the lower half of her face, seemingly signaling her not to make a sound. Seeing her blink in response, he turned and rushed toward the side where there were fewer people below.

Hidden weapons fell like rain, with a “whoosh” slicing open the throat of the nearest person.

Lin Yuanjin seemed to hear once more the clash of weapons like outside a carriage, only this time, the ones being killed had become those who harmed her.

The situation had finally reversed.

Before a scream could call to those not far away, thick blood had already gushed out.

The young man seized the long spear from him in one smooth motion, wielding it with practiced ease as if he had swung it thousands of times before; wherever the red tassel passed, blossoms of blood burst forth.

“Who are you?!” Seeing his companion die in an instant, the man disguised as a bandit could no longer hold back. He retreated step by step, demanding, “If you withdraw now, our master can grant you a hundred taels of silver—do not interfere with our task!”

“I never negotiate with the dying.” The young man lifted his eyes, carrying a calm indifference, as if he had gone through such fights countless times before.

In the blink of an eye, the young man bent low and dashed forward.

Just as three swords were about to pierce through his slender throat, he leapt up, light as a swallow yet overwhelming in force. He stomped down hard on the incoming blades, and with a lift of his hand and a fall of the spear, traced a clean, decisive arc—severing three heads at the root, cutting them off in one stroke.

The clamor around them vanished in an instant.

The young man stood quietly upon the blood-soaked ground, thoughtfully looking at the arrows scattered on the ground. He picked one up, snapped off a section of the tail, and kept it. Only after confirming there was no further movement around did he climb back up the tree, returning to where Lin Yuanjin was hidden.

Lin Yuanjin’s hands were placed stiffly upon her knees, still maintaining the posture from when she had been arranged earlier, not having moved even slightly, as if fearing that any movement would bring trouble or disaster.

When he approached, her butterfly-wing lashes trembled, as if waking from a dream, and she focused intently on him.

“Are you still conscious?” The young man moved closer to Lin Yuanjin, crouching down with his back to her, signaling for her to climb onto him.

Lin Yuanjin moved her lips, fragile as porcelain on the verge of shattering, already without the strength even to breathe properly.

Fortunately, he was close enough. Lin Yuanjin did not need to exert much effort as she quietly leaned onto the young man’s back. Her legs trembled as she awkwardly hooked them to either side of his waist, making it easier for him to hold her.

With their chest and back pressed together, Lin Yuanjin could clearly feel his drum-like heartbeat and labored breathing.

Compared to her cold and weakened body, the young man, having gone through several battles, was like strong liquor on a winter frontier battlefield—scorching, carrying a trace of blood-scent—making her involuntarily a little more alert.

“Can I… take a look at them?” Lin Yuanjin wrapped her arms around his neck and asked softly, “If not, it’s… fine.”

The young man paused. “You can, but the scene is bloody. My lady will likely be frightened.”

Lin Yuanjin softly hummed in acknowledgment. Then he carried her and leapt down from the tree, standing beside the bodies. The ground was soaked in blood, staining the muddy earth a glaring red, terrifying to behold.

She had thought that in her panic yesterday she had noticed nothing, but upon seeing the silent faces of the corpses on the ground, the scene from before appeared in her mind with absolute clarity, without the slightest error.

“It was them.” Lin Yuanjin murmured.

They were precisely the murderers who had killed her maid and nanny yesterday.

“How would you like to handle them?” The young man turned his head slightly and asked her calmly, as if she could now make her own decision.

Lin Yuanjin stared fixedly at the people below, thinking of how they had wantonly taken the lives of those around her.

If she did not settle it now, there would be no chance in the future. This so-called bandit killing on the mountain would turn into a mere accident.

Her eyes were pitch black, her throat dry. Her hand unconsciously tightened on the young man’s shoulder as she spoke, trembling yet resolute, “A life for a life.”

To kill demands repayment with one’s life—it is only natural.

“Very well.” The young man set Lin Yuanjin down from his back and took out a dagger, the tip pointing at the person before them. His tone carried respect. “Will you do it, or shall I?”

Lin Yuanjin’s body stiffened. Sitting on the ground, she looked at the dagger within reach. Her fingertips trembled unconsciously, and her breathing became uneven.

She had never harmed anyone, much less killed, even if this person’s life was already hanging by a thread.

But the person before her had committed countless evils, had killed everyone she cared about, and had even tried to kill her.

Although not killing him now meant Lin Yuanjin would not die for the time being, what about later? As long as she would still become the Crown Princess, she would inevitably encounter such things again.

When that time came, what would she do? Who would stand up for her?

Lin Yuanjin raised her wrist, her breathing somewhat hurried. With both hands, she took the dagger from the young man. Her ten fingers stiffly gripped the handle, her wrist turning. Her already weak hand trembled, yet without the slightest hesitation, she stabbed toward the body on the ground that had not yet gone cold and was still twitching.

The young man steadied her wrist, guiding the blade tip to pierce precisely into the heart of the leader below.

Lin Yuanjin felt a hollow emptiness in her chest, allowing the young man to hold her hand and withdraw the dagger, wiping the blood clean with cloth, then lifting Lin Yuanjin—who seemed to have fulfilled a certain wish—onto his back.

“They have fired a signal arrow. There are still pursuers behind us. But your injuries are too severe right now, and you have not eaten a single grain of rice—you cannot withstand being hunted and intercepted.” The young man adjusted Lin Yuanjin’s legs, trying to lift her higher so her hands could rest against his shoulders. “We’ll head in the opposite direction. There is a small town not far ahead—we’ll hide there first.”

Even if the town was easy to locate, Lin Yuanjin’s body could not endure any more hardship.

“Mhm.” Lin Yuanjin responded softly beside his ear.

She slowly closed her eyes. Tears welled up and spilled from her eyes, rolling into the young man’s collar. Her body, under intense pain, entered a strange state of emptiness, like a lamp about to burn out.

Lin Yuanjin did not know how to describe what she was feeling at this moment.

A Crown Prince’s shadow guard, with whom she had no grievance, no bond, no affection, had picked her up from beneath the cliff like discarded refuse, risking pursuit and injury to protect her, to avenge her, to plan for her and find a way out.

Yet her blood-related family in this world had ignored her, leaving her to die without saving her.

Lin Yuanjin had originally been resistant to becoming the Crown Princess and entering the center of power struggles, yet powerless to refuse. But now that someone was willing to protect her life, she suddenly felt that even becoming the Crown Princess was not so bad—it could not be worse than this.

If even a shadow guard was like this, the Crown Prince himself should not be bad, right?

The young man no longer spoke to Lin Yuanjin, unwilling to waste what little strength she had left. He merely quickened his pace, rushing toward the small town.

On his way here, he had passed through this small town near the capital. Though not prosperous, it was close to Longlin Temple on the mountain, often visited by distinguished pilgrims, and was thus well-equipped.

The young man bypassed a seemingly concealed, dilapidated inn and headed straight for the most elegantly decorated one, which clearly charged high prices. Avoiding the main entrance, he vaulted over the back wall and entered, colliding head-on with a servant pouring water by the well.

Just as the servant’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth to shout, the young man tore off the money pouch at his waist and flung it precisely into the servant’s mouth, blocking his voice.

“Open a room.” The young man stepped closer and lowered his voice. His face showed no emotion, his tone light as drifting smoke. He patted the servant’s shoulder, yet gave him the sense that a single wrong word would cost him his life. “The rest is hush money.”

“Yes! Yes!!” The servant came to his senses. Even if he had never roamed the jianghu¹Jianghu: the martial world; an underworld society of wandering martial artists, sects, and outlaws outside official authority., he had read enough tales to imagine countless possibilities. He forcibly restrained the urge to glance at Lin Yuanjin behind the young man and led them up the back stairs into a well-prepared empty room.

“Find a doctor. Quickly.” The moment they entered the room, the young man instructed the servant, carefully placing the pale-faced Lin Yuanjin onto the bed to lean against it, then turning to shut the doors and windows.

The wooden window was left slightly ajar, letting sunlight fall into the room.

The room was fully furnished—table and chairs neatly arranged, incense burning upon a silk-covered table.

The tea on the table had already gone cold, but the young man paid no mind. He poured a cup of tea, supported Lin Yuanjin’s back, and brought it to her lips, which were so dry they had begun to crack and scab.

Lin Yuanjin took small sips, moistening her throat that felt as if it were smoking dry, yet it did little to ease the knife-like pain within.

“Medicine cannot be taken on an empty stomach, and after just resuming food, you cannot eat anything too nourishing. I will go to the inn kitchen to fetch a bowl of plain porridge to settle your stomach.” The young man set down the cup, paused, then added, “For now, this place is relatively safe. Put your mind at ease—I will be back shortly.”

Lin Yuanjin nodded drowsily.

The young man immediately stood and went out, as if he had already arranged things with the kitchen. In only a short while, he returned with a bowl of hot plain porridge. Seeing Lin Yuanjin’s raised hand still trembling, clearly unable to hold it steady, he picked up a spoon and said, “Don’t move, I will serve you.”

Lin Yuanjin gave up trying. She opened her mouth, her throat moving slowly as she ate the warm porridge.

The porridge was of moderate thickness, the soft grains of rice distinct, carrying a faint aroma of chicken broth. The moment it entered her mouth, it slid down her throat, warm enough to make one’s heart tremble.

Lin Yuanjin slowly ate the hot porridge until she finished. Watching the young man set the bowl and chopsticks aside, her spasming stomach, starved for too long, still felt hollow as if it had not been filled.

The servant who had been silenced had already left, and the doctor had yet to arrive. In the incense-filled room, only the two of them remained.

Lin Yuanjin raised her eyes to look at the young man. After hesitating for a moment, she still spoke cautiously, “Are you here to send me back?”

“Yes, I came under the Crown Prince’s orders.” The young man lifted his eyes. “Do you not believe it?”

The room was so quiet that only their shallow breathing remained.

The light smoke from the incense curled in the air, yet it could not mask the heavy scent of blood on them.

“No.” Lin Yuanjin tightened her grip on her robe, forcing herself to look straight at him, steadying her voice, trying to express her sincerity and resolve. “I do not doubt you.”

Even if, in his eyes, her attempt to hold herself together seemed laughable, she had no choice but to do it.

Her heartbeat pounded against her eardrums, forcing Lin Yuanjin to focus.

Lin Yuanjin had met the Crown Prince a few times before. Now that her vision had cleared somewhat, she realized that the shadow guard before her looked almost exactly the same as the Crown Prince.

She had also heard that powerful nobles would keep doubles to bear punishment in their stead—this was simply her first time seeing one in person.

Lin Yuanjin saw the person before her slowly raise his hand. His skin, as if seldom exposed to sunlight, carried a jade-like pallor. He turned the dagger she had used earlier, placing the handle into her palm, the blade tip pressed against his own chest.

The young man lowered his gaze, his crow-feather-like lashes trembling slightly. He exposed his clean neck toward her, like one offering himself to be executed, and said calmly,

“If you feel uneasy, you may use the dagger to wound me at any time.”

Footnotes

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  Jianghu: the martial world; an underworld society of wandering martial artists, sects, and outlaws outside official authority.