Phoniex Requiem
Chapter 59: That's Him!

Chapter 59: That's Him!

As the carriage reached the foot of Minghuang mountain, Pei Ziao walked over quickly.

"Grandmother, aunt." Pei Ziao bowed in front of matriarch Yun and Madam An. “Unfortunately, the emperor seems to be hunting on Minghuang mountain, and it seems like we will not be able to climb to the top. However, the phoenix orchid that blooms throughout the climb is almost as good.I've arranged tea and snacks, as well as transportation to the top of the mountain, so if that's okay. ”.

"Of course it's okay," matriarch Yun smiled. “After all, I don't mean to keep going up, and stopping near the halfway point is a good idea.”

Pei Ziao gestured for the palanquin to approach. Unlike ordinary carriages, this stretcher had a simple construction, two thick bamboo poles propping up the platform with small seats that could be laid on top. They would sit in a recliner and be carried up the mountain by powerful porters, two for each stretcher, lifting the posts on their shoulders from the front and back.

Experienced stretcher coolies will be able to ensure a stable ride no matter how heavy the terrain is underneath, as if those who enjoy the scenery are above the clouds as they drift up the mountain.

There was no one among the Li nobility who did not enjoy such pleasant activities. Some aristocracies even specifically trained palanquin haulers for such mountain trips.

Naturally, Yun Ruoyan also liked this kind of thing.

Everyone got on the stretcher, and Yi Qianying called Yun Ruoyan to ride on the stretcher right in front of her.

Yun Ruoyan's gaze swept over the two men who were assigned to the palanquin and found them strong and sturdy. He nodded his head in satisfaction and climbed onto the chair.

Yi Qianying grinned.

He had rented this particular porter with a large amount of gold, as soon as the stretcher reached the midpoint, one of the porters would stumble over, throwing Yun Ruoyan onto the mountain slope.

Minghuang Mountain is not very high, but the terrain is steep. If one fell from the side of a mountain and was lucky enough not to die, he would at least suffer serious injuries.

The palanquin of the Yun matriarch was at the very front, followed by Madam An, Yun Ruoyao and Yun Ruoyu, then Yun Ruoyan and Yi Qianying, and lastly, at the very end, Pei Ziao.

Pei Ziao's gaze leaped over Yi Qianying and landed on Yun Ruoyan. He sat up straight, his silky, dark hair braided and barely showing his nape. Her graceful demeanor was accentuated by her rose-colored dress, which fluttered in the wind and enveloped her in an aura of divinity.

When he glanced to the side, he could see his sharp nose and sensual, cherry-like lips. In terms of appearance alone, with his hidden birthmark, he far exceeded Yi Qianying.

Pei Ziao had heard his father call Yun Ruoyan's mother, Lin Yuemei, the famous beauty of the Li kingdom.

In fact, her daughter would not be ugly, but no one expected a red birthmark on her face, one so eye-catching that it destroyed any beauty she might have.

Some time ago, that birthmark was even scratched by a fleeting blow. Pei Ziao still remembered how his pus leaked during the expedition, and the sight still disgusted him to this day.

But scars can heal. Yesterday, Yun Ruoyan's face looked much better. If there is a medicine that can remove the birthmark entirely.

While Pei Ziao was deep in thought, the stretcher procession had reached the most rugged part of the mountain range, where the path was less than two feet wide at its narrowest part.

Pei Ziao's gaze was fixated on Yun Ruoyan.

He knew Yi Qianying's plan, of course. Even though he was a little conflicted, he knew that it was ultimately the most profitable decision for him, so he gritted his teeth and agreed.

But now, when he saw the beautiful back of Yun Ruoyan, a sudden sense of reluctance filled his mind. This made him lose his composure, and, almost unnoticed, he shouted, "Ruoyan!"

Hearing Pei Ziao's voice, Yun Ruoyan slowly turned around. Right at this moment, the palanquin that was lifting him suddenly tilted to one side!

By his side, Xi Lan screamed. He was walking on the inside of a mountain road, and the stretcher was high enough to be beyond his reach, even if he was writhing. All he could do was watch in shock as Yun Ruoyan's body put on airs.

Yi Qianying smiled, as if she could see a death god waving towards Yun Ruoyan.

Behind him, Pei Ziao jumped. Amidst Yi Qianying's startled gaze, she extended her hand to Yun Ruoyan.

What Pei Ziao did not expect was, even when facing such a sudden danger, Yun Ruoyan still looked calm and unperturbed. Even though his body was already in the air, as light as a swallow, he grabbed the stretcher porter's crest forward, twisted his body around that focal point, and then kicked the porter's face of the stretcher into his back. With this intricate maneuver, he gained enough momentum to land safely on the mountain path once again.

"Ruoyan, are you okay ?!" Pei Ziao immediately jumped down from his own mark and looked at Yun Ruoyan sincerely.

Yun Ruoyan placed her hands behind her, her gaze mocking. He turned to look at Yi Qianying with his mouth open before walking to the front of Pei Ziao, tiptoed and whispered into his ear, "Your class is too naive for me!"

After all, as a woman with two lives, Yun Ruoyan had lived over thirty years in the noble house. She clearly noticed Yi Qianying's smile as she climbed onto the stretcher.

Moreover, he had heard of similar things happening in the past, so when Yi Qianying pointed him at the stretcher, he was already looking for such a trick.

"I'm…"

“Our agreement has changed.” Yun Ruoyan raised two fingers in front of Pei Ziao's face. "Two high-grade pills." Pei Ziao's face changed, and he was about to say something when Yun Ruoyan cut him off coldly. “It is cost to try something like this!”

"Mrs ..." Xi Lan looked at her master, her eyes red.

"I'm fine!" Yun Ruoyan smiled at him.

No one in front of the precession seemed to notice the commotion behind, and their palanquins were already circling the corner.

"Both of you, get up and move on!" Yun Ruoyan pointed to the two palanquin porters groaning on the ground.

One of them had his hair disheveled, while the other spat out a bloody tooth. After seeing the demonstration of Yun Ruoyan's martial ability, they knew better not to try the same trick again.

Matriarch Yun, Madam An, and the two younger sisters Yun had already been in the pavilion for quite a while before they saw Yun Ruoyan and the other palanquins approaching.

"Oh, my stomach just ached, so I have to pee," Yi Qianying replied hurriedly.

Yun Ruoyan did not intend to expose him. Based on his previous experience, leader Yun's mother and his father's attitude would only keep the peace. Any accusations he had leveled at Yi Qianying would be useless, so he had better keep his saliva.

Everyone sat in the pavilion chatting and eating the snacks Pei Ziao had prepared. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through the pavilion, and the scent of a phoenix orchid began to spread.

Their aroma is charming. Madam An suggested that they regroup for about an hour or so, while she took care of matriarch Yun and enjoyed the flowers and pleasant scenery.

The maids were also allowed to venture out, and Xi Lan happily followed the crowd of other maids to the forest area where the orchids grew. He had told Yun Ruoyan that he wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to try and gather some orchid petals to make snacks when he returned.

Yun Ruoyan, on the other hand, found a quiet and secluded location where she started trying to sense the ultimate fire element once again.

Exasperated by his appearance just now and the confusion of complicated emotions threatening to overwhelm him, Pei Ziao vented her anger at Yi Qianying, staring at her as she marched into the forest with her servant.

Yi Qianying felt guilty and angry. He stood still, tears streaming down his face without any sign of stopping.

"Miss, please don't be sad," his maid He Xiang comforted her from the side. He simply did not understand why, despite the good looks and personality of his master, Young Master Pei could bear to look at him in such a painful manner.

Yi Qianying glanced at He Xiang with teary eyes. Suddenly, inspiration approached her, and she asked, “He Xiang, am I treating you well?”

"As if I was family, Madam," He Xiang replied, his eyes filled with loyalty.

Yi Qianying was very pleased. After being sent from one place to another as a child, she must learn quickly how to detect the feelings of others and gain their loyalty. He Xiang was a pawn that he had painstakingly cultivated. "Are you willing to do something for me, He Xiang?"

"As long as it's within my capabilities, ma'am, I'll try my best."

"good. When I marry Pei, I will definitely find you a good partner as well."

...****************...

As Yun Ruoyan was cultivating, she suddenly heard someone calling out to her anxiously. He stopped his training and walked out of the forest to see He Xiang staring at him uneasily.

"Miss, something's wrong." He Xiang quickly dashed towards Yun Ruoyan upon seeing her.

Yun Ruoyan frowned. "What's the problem?"

“Xi Lan, she..” He Xiang swallowed his saliva.

"What happened to Xi Lan?"

“He accidentally entered the emperor's hunting ground, and he didn't come out even after a long time! I'm afraid he's been arrested and treated as a murderer. Miss, will you come with me? If he is considered a murderer, he will be shot dead on the spot!”

The urgency on He Xiang's face seemed so believable that Yun Ruoyan rushed into the forest with him.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, He Xiang led Yun Ruoyan to a deep ravine in the forest, which was spanned by a wooden bridge.

He Xiang pointed to the other side of the abyss as he continued, “There! Xi Lan said that she smelled the scent of camellias, and she said she wanted to pick some camellias to make a pillowcase for you, Miss, but then she never came back!”

“You know that we are forbidden to go there, so why don't you stop it?!”

“I said it, I did it! But she said there was no one around, so she would go and come back quickly, and also make me a pillowcase too.”.

But before He Xiang could finish, Yun Ruoyan had already jumped over the sewer!

Yun Ruoyan was very concerned about the well-being of the people who treated her well, no matter if these people were cousins she really knew during the imperial expedition, or the two servants by her side.

Knowing this, Yi Qianying was finally able to trap him.

Yun Ruoyan quickly ran around the outskirts of the forbidden territory to search for Xi Lan, but even after about fifteen minutes, when she crossed the entire boundary, there was still no trace of her.

It was then that Yun Ruoyan began to suspect that this was a trap.

He was about to return to the ravine when he suddenly heard a loud shout from afar, and hurriedly ran under the thick and sturdy tree to hide.

Yun Ruoyan held her breath, curbed her spiritual energy, and leaned against the tree bark. A group of men and horses ran right beside him, but they did not notice him.

Only when they got further away and disappeared into the distance did Yun Ruoyan dare to peek at his head to look at it.

Suddenly, Yun Ruoyan felt a coolness on her forehead, the faint smell of blood, along with a drop of cold liquid, slid from Yun Ruoyan's forehead to the base of her nose.

He reached out and touched her, then placed his finger before his eyes, blood!

As he lifted his head to look over it, a dense darkness floated down and strangled him.

It was pitch-black in the inked darkness. He struggled to get out, but his wrist was suddenly caught by someone else's hand.

He subconsciously tried calling, but before he could do so, cold lips met his lips, blocking his voice, his breath. This cold feeling immediately reminded Yun Ruoyan of the mysterious man with a sharp and different face, and jet-black eyes.

That's her! Yun Ruoyan widened her eyes amidst the darkness.