Nanyi suddenly quickened her pace and rushed into the withered forest.

When a group of black-clothed men pursued her, they could no longer see anyone anywhere.

They looked left and right, heard a rustling sound in the distance, and immediately headed toward the noise.

But it was Nanyi hiding in a towering tree, using the sleeve arrow on her wrist to shoot a crossbow bolt into the distance, creating the disturbance.

She was leading the black-clothed men deeper into the forest.

Then she raised her hand and shot an arrow toward the distance.

In the military camp, Madam Gantang was conversing with Tang Rong beside the command tent when suddenly a crossbow bolt shot through the air and embedded deeply into the flagpole.

The “Yu” character banner snapped in half and crashed to the ground.

Though the commotion wasn’t great, it put everyone on alert.

Tang Rong immediately shielded Madam Gantang behind him. Seeing no second arrow coming, he nervously stepped forward to examine the small crossbow bolt on the flagpole, then looked toward the direction from which it had been shot.

He made a quick decision and pointed to a squad of soldiers: “Search the mountains. Any suspicious persons—kill without question.”

Nanyi had lured the black-clothed pursuers away and drawn out the Yucheng Army. Once these two groups collided, the Yucheng Army would certainly ensure that these uninvited guests could never leave the deep mountains alive, in order to protect themselves.

She herself hid in the tree crown. Though winter had withered the leaves, the sparse branches could still provide some cover for her silhouette. From her high position, she could observe the distant situation perfectly.

The cold wind carried a faint scent of blood from afar.

Nanyi knew the battle should be over—she was safe.

She wanted to climb down from the tree, but as soon as she moved, the trunk made an alarming cracking sound and slowly began to topple backward. This slender fir tree, after enduring the ravages of an entire winter, was already fragile. With Nanyi’s additional stress, it became the final straw that broke the camel’s back.

Nanyi clung to the branches, not daring to move anymore.

Her attention had been entirely focused on the pursuers earlier. After running into the forest, she had climbed the tallest tree in the deepest part. Having just escaped disaster and breathed a sigh of relief, she now discovered that behind her was a cliff.

If the trunk broke and fell, it would carry her into the abyss.

She didn’t dare jump down either. This tree was three or four meters high. When climbing up, she had been driven by nervous tension and hadn’t noticed anything else. Now looking down, she actually felt somewhat dizzy.

Jumping down would result in broken arms and legs at best, or at worst, her brains scattered and body shattered to pieces.

She had used finesse to dodge an assassination attempt, only to be trapped on this dangerous tree, unable to advance or retreat. Nanyi felt like crying but had no tears, and was somewhat angry.

This should have been her moment to celebrate victory!

In this desolate wilderness, even shouting herself hoarse wouldn’t bring anyone to help her. She could only blame herself for choosing such an unlucky tree.

The sun gradually sank on the horizon as darkness fell around her. Time suddenly seemed to take physical form—aside from watching it cunningly slip away, there was nothing she could do.

A faint despair gradually rose in Nanyi’s heart.

Was she going to die here?

Her humble life was expendable to this world, but staying alive had always been something she refused to give up on.

She had thought death would have omens, would arrive grandly, and that as long as she was careful enough and cunning enough, she could avoid it. She never expected that death also liked to play tricks on people, arriving unexpectedly with a peaceful face.

At this moment, she could only humbly pray to various deities to send a savior to rescue her.

If Madam Gantang returned home and Xie Queshan discovered she hadn’t come back, would he come looking for her?

“Jump down, I’ll catch you.”

A voice came, like celestial music descending to earth.

Nanyi looked down to see a man in blue robes standing beneath the tree. The last ray of daylight slanted across his face, making his features glow like jade.

She could hardly believe it—it was actually that Young Master Song? Someone she had never even thought of had appeared before her like this.

Fate had quite a sense of humor.

“Madam, don’t be afraid.” Seeing that she hadn’t moved, he spoke again consolingly.

Nanyi steadied her heart, released her grip, and let herself fall.

Mixed with the wind from deep in the forest, the light of the setting sun, and the pine fragrance of withered branches, finally the brush of hair across her face carrying the faint scent of soap beans—all fell together into his embrace.

The last withered leaf drifted down from the treetop, and heaven and earth seemed to fall silent.

Like stepping to the edge of a deserted cliff and looking down to see perilous scenery—danger made it magnificent.

This instant was incredibly beautiful.

After a moment of distraction, Song Muchuan hurriedly set Nanyi down.

He stepped back several paces and cupped his hands apologetically: “Madam, I have offended you.”

Nanyi noticed that Song Muchuan’s sleeves had been wrinkled rather unsightly by her grabbing, so she naturally stepped forward to pat them smooth, saying openly: “What offense? You saved me—I should be kowtowing to you in gratitude.”

But Song Muchuan’s face reddened at Nanyi’s approach, and he stepped back again: “Song already owed Madam two lives.”

Nanyi strangely stepped forward, and Song Muchuan retreated again. Nanyi grew anxious and reached out to directly pull him back.

“If you keep backing up, you’ll reach the cliff edge!”

Song Muchuan’s face became even redder: “Madam has saved me once again.”

“Don’t say that. It just happened that I encountered you at that time. Anyone would have done the same thing. I was actually worried that my words last time were too harsh and would make you angry.”

“Madam’s words that day were like enlightenment poured over my head.”

What pouring? What enlightenment? Nanyi didn’t understand, but guessed it was something good. She could only pretend to understand and changed the subject.

“But how are you here?”

Song Muchuan hesitated for a moment.

He had naturally received intelligence that Madam Gantang might be hiding a Yucheng Army unit in Tiger Kneel Mountain. The Bureau of Illumination had sent watchers to observe Tiger Kneel Mountain. They hadn’t found where the Yucheng Army was actually hidden, but accidentally encountered assassins from Guilai Hall. From their conversation, they overheard that the young mistress of the Xie family was also in the mountains, and they planned to kill her to create a commotion and achieve their goal of searching the mountain.

When this news reached Song Muchuan, he immediately dropped everything at hand and crossed the river to search for her in Tiger Kneel Mountain.

Using a piece of cloth accidentally torn by thorns and the crossbow bolt she had shot to lead away the assassins, following these tiny traces inch by inch, he had finally found her.

Heaven had been merciful—he hadn’t arrived a step too late.

But these matters involved his current special identity, which he couldn’t reveal.

“I originally came to Tiger Kneel Mountain to gather medicinal herbs and accidentally discovered Madam.”

Nanyi still felt somewhat suspicious—wasn’t this too much of a coincidence?

But perhaps it really was such a coincidence. Heaven wouldn’t let her die. She had casually planted a good deed and received good karma in return.

There really were deities watching from above.

“Then I’m truly fortunate to be alive.” Nanyi smiled.

“The sun is about to set, and traveling by boat at night is inconvenient. Let me quickly escort Madam back to Li Du Mansion.”

Nanyi nodded. She also wanted to leave this wretched place quickly.

“Then I’ll trouble Young Master Song.”

Song Muchuan’s horse was stationed outside the withered forest. He helped her mount, but didn’t ride with her, instead leading the horse on foot along the mountain path.

Nanyi thought this person was really rather pedantic. He spoke of being in a hurry, but clearly riding together to the ferry would be faster, yet he refused to share the mount. But on second thought, if they really rode together, she would also feel somewhat awkward.

During these days at the Xie family, she had already grasped some principles of those tedious proprieties. He was an outside man, while she was now the young mistress of the Xie family.

Thinking of this, Nanyi felt inexplicably moved.

Actually, no one up or down Wangxue Stronghold took her seriously. This young mistress of the Xie family was quite ridiculous.

With just a little inquiry, he would know exactly what sort of person the Xie family’s young mistress was. Yet he still earnestly placed her in that position and showed her respect.

“How have you been these days?”

By the last trace of daylight, Nanyi gazed at this man who was like porcelain and jade. She vaguely felt that he seemed completely transformed.

He led the horse and turned to look at her, smiling gently: “Like gaining new life.”

“Then in the future, do you have anything you want to do?”

“Yes.”

Nanyi waited, but didn’t hear the second half of his sentence. Still, she was happy for him. In this world, as long as someone had things they wanted to do, they would stay alive and wouldn’t think of seeking death.

Suddenly, his footsteps stopped.

Nanyi followed his gaze and saw that the ferry crossing wasn’t far ahead. On the river, a small boat was slowly approaching. Standing on the boat was a man in dark robes, carrying a lantern.

The river surface was almost swallowed by darkness, with that dim lantern as the only source of light.

It was actually Xie Queshan who had come.

But Nanyi quickly caught the abnormality in Young Master Song’s expression.

She had once seen a similar look on another person’s face. Only the expression that Song Muchuan displayed was quieter than Pang Yu’s.