Strictly speaking, this wasn’t an avalanche, but rather a “snowball” phenomenon caused by Little Moon Mountain’s peculiar terrain.
Under normal circumstances, as the weather gradually warmed, the mountain’s accumulated snow would melt from the highest and outermost layer, gradually revealing the verdant green underneath. But for some reason, the summit of Little Moon Mountain was exceptionally cold. When the snow layers at the mountainside and base gradually thinned, the accumulated snow at the summit remained enormously thick and solid—forming a lollipop shape.
When the snow below the summit also gradually melted, the massive snow pile at the top could no longer remain supported there. Shaoshang’s group was simply extremely unlucky to have encountered the exact moment when the “snowball” rolled down.
Though Young Marquis Ban’s courage was small, his voice was quite loud. Following his screams, all the guards and servants at the mountain base rushed up to the mountainside, using carrying poles, swords, nets, and even outer robes to frantically dig out the people buried under the snow.
Two imperial princes, one general, two noble young master and lady, plus one learned scholar—if all perished here, these attendants and guards would face severe punishment at minimum—this severe punishment would be at least hard labor, with no upper limit.
Fortunately, Little Moon Mountain wasn’t large, and the snow from the summit had scattered as it fell. The accumulated snow distributed to this platform was at most less than one zhang thick. Everyone worked desperately despite the cold, digging frantically, and soon saw human forms under the snow.
Besides the guards and servants buried underneath, the first to be dug out was Cheng Shaogong, followed by the two princes, and finally that old pedant. Apart from frostbite, only the Fourth Prince was unlucky enough to have been struck in the back by mountain rocks mixed in the accumulated snow, while the old pedant had fallen unconscious from slightly prolonged suffocation.
Cheng Shaogong suddenly cried out loudly: “Shaoshang! Where’s Shaoshang! Where’s my little sister? Minister Ling, Minister Ling…!”
Liang Qiu Qi said in a deep voice: “My master is not here.”
Only then did everyone discover that the accumulated snow on the platform had nearly been completely dug out, yet the Ling-Cheng pair was nowhere to be seen. Even the usually cold and fearless Third Prince became somewhat unsteady, sternly ordering everyone to search in all directions.
At this moment, a servant said timidly: “When the heavy snow pressed down just now, I saw Minister Ling go to pull Miss Cheng, then both of them were pushed off the cliff…”
Indeed, there was no most unlucky, only more unlucky.
Everyone else had been standing in the center and rear of the mountainside platform, closer to the cliff wall. Only Shaoshang had been standing at the cliff edge enjoying the scenery. When the heavy snow covered down, she was struck head-on and pushed off the cliff. Ling Buyi flew over to grab her and was also pushed out together.
Everyone hurried to the cliff edge to look. Sure enough, they saw Ling Buyi’s thick fur cloak hanging on a protruding rock below the cliff, but the two people were nowhere to be seen. Cheng Shaogong was so anxious he was about to cry. Young Marquis Ban was so frightened he was already sobbing.
Liang Qiu Qi tensely broke out in sweat on his forehead—not knowing how deep the cliff bottom was. If there was a buffer, that would be good, but if they fell straight down, they might have been killed instantly. He dared not delay further. With a high-pitched whistle, the guards behind him immediately hung ropes down the wall, planning to search at the cliff bottom.
…
When the heavy snow covered over, Ling Buyi watched helplessly as a huge mass of solidified snow struck Shaoshang. He flew over and embraced her soft body, but still couldn’t avoid being pushed off the mountain cliff by the overwhelming massive snow mass.
Small mountains don’t grow vigorous old pines, but fortunately there were a few protruding rocks on the cliff wall. Ling Buyi held Shaoshang with one hand while tearing off the gemstone chain with the other, flinging his cloak onto the rocks to suspend them both.
However, the snow mass was enormously huge. The portion exceeding the platform could only keep falling downward. Ling Buyi held the unconscious girl in his arms, grasping one corner of the cloak with one hand while having to bear the continuously falling large and small snow blocks.
At first Ling Buyi could still hold on, but later a snow block the size of a horse’s body crashed down. He didn’t dare take it head-on and could only use his legs to push forcefully against the mountain wall, releasing the cloak and leaping to one side.
Fortunately, he was dressed elaborately today, with jade belts, pendant chains, sleeve bindings and everything else complete. Ling Buyi proceeded to tear off these items one by one to catch on the rocks of the cliff wall, leaping down level by level.
Thank heaven and earth, because the mountain was small, the valley below wasn’t deep either. When Ling Buyi even had to use the gold hairpin binding his hair to dig into the mountain wall, he finally saw the snow pile at the cliff bottom. Ling Buyi tightly embraced the girl with both arms and jumped toward the highest part of the snow pile, then uncontrollably rolled some distance before the two finally stopped.
Ling Buyi climbed out from the snow pile and first examined Shaoshang’s injuries. He saw blood seeping from her temple corner—clearly she’d been struck by the solid snow block just now. At this moment she was half-conscious, half-sunk, murmuring something in delirium.
Based on years of experience with outdoor military campaigns, Ling Buyi knew staying in place was best—this way Liang Qiu Qi and the others could find them fastest. But the girl clearly couldn’t remain here. The snow pile would slowly absorb the heat from their bodies, ultimately proving fatal.
He deliberated briefly, then finally carried Shaoshang on his back, steadily walking in the direction where the snow pile descended, while leaving marks on the mountain wall, hoping Liang Qiu Qi and the others would see them. He wasn’t worried about wild beasts attacking. Only high mountains and steep ridges had fierce beasts roaming—low mountains and small hills could only produce small-bodied animals.
Actually Shaoshang’s injury wasn’t severe—she was just badly dizzy.
Swaying on the broad man’s back, she heard the accumulated snow make crunching sounds under the man’s footsteps. She dimly saw bloodstains at his shoulder and neck, with several trails extending into blood traces frozen by ice and snow—these were scraped open by sharp sand and stones mixed in the snow when he hung by the cloak.
Then she lost consciousness again. When she woke again, she found herself held in his embrace. Ling Buyi seemed to have opened his brocade robe, wrapping her completely in his arms and within his robes. Her nose caught the familiar crisp scent. Her fingers touched the distinctly defined solid chest under the soft inner garment. Above her head was the howling, shrieking cold wind in the mountain valley, yet Shaoshang felt incomparably warm and safe.
“I also want to make a vow.” She spoke brokenly in delirium. “From now on I will definitely, definitely trust you, just like I trust my father and mother. I’ll never quarrel with you again. If I violate these words, let me… let me… be lonely and helpless, trapped in a city of sorrow, never able to escape!”
A large palm gently stroked her hair. He said nothing.
…
When she completely woke, Shaoshang was already in a tent with a warm, glowing brazier.
She stared blankly at the young man sitting by her bedside. Her first words were—”You’ve grown stubble.”
Ling Buyi laughed out loud with joy. Cheng Shaogong at the side swiftly pounced over, his voice still carrying a sobbing tone: “You’ve finally woken up! You slept even longer than the Third Prince’s master. So young, yet you’re worse than an old person!”
Before he finished speaking, he was dragged out by Liang Qiu Fei, muttering: “Young Master Cheng, you see the Young Lady is fine, right? Now you can rest assured, come on, hurry back and rest! What ulterior motives? Young Master Cheng, don’t guess wildly! My young master nearly froze into an ice block for the Young Lady—what more do you have to worry about? You’re worried about a man and woman alone now, but they were already alone together at the cliff bottom earlier…”
Hearing Liang Qiu Fei’s voice gradually fade away, Shaoshang giggled, her cheeks slowly gaining color. Her gaze turned back to Ling Buyi. Shaoshang’s second words were: “Why is your hair hanging loose?”
Ling Buyi’s hair was thick, lustrous, and black as ink, hanging densely over his shoulders like satin. He smiled slightly: “I haven’t had time to groom it.”
Liang Qiu Qi standing to the side couldn’t help saying: “Young Master, you can wash and change clothes now.”
Shaoshang sat up in surprise: “You’ve just been at my side this whole time…” A wave of dizziness struck. She supported her head. “Alright, Guard Liang Qiu, please bring in hot water and fresh clothing.”
Liang Qiu Qi responded and left at lightning speed.
Having months of experience serving the Empress, Shaoshang had achieved a qualitative improvement in her caregiving skills. She removed Ling Buyi’s cold, damp outer garment, middle garment, and inner garment, wiped him with hot water, then changed him into dry layers of clothing. When it came time to change his lower garments, Shaoshang pushed the suppressing-his-laughter Ling Buyi behind the screen.
Then she brought over a basin of warm water and knelt at his feet, planning to wash them for him. She also had a maid bring the old ginger powder she carried with her to dissolve in the water—this she had dried and ground in advance, originally intending to use for making cold-dispelling drinks.
She remembered very clearly that he had walked in the snow for a long time, then held her while waiting for a long time. Prolonged wet cold caused enormous damage to the feet. The trench foot that once terrified soldiers came about this way—first muscle tissue ulceration and necrosis, in severe cases even requiring amputation.
Unlike Shaoshang’s usual aggressive manner, her movements were exceptionally gentle and steady. The Liang Qiu brothers both stared in a daze. Ling Buyi gazed deeply at her, as if he could never look enough in a lifetime.
The burning sensation from the ginger powder slowly penetrated his skin. His muscles gradually regained vitality. Shaoshang then carefully wiped his feet with dry, thick hemp cloth. Ling Buyi was tall, so his legs were naturally quite long as well. Unfortunately they were hidden by trouser legs rolled to his calves, leaving only his slender toes for Shaoshang to imagine.
Besides their beautiful bone structure, Ling Buyi’s legs and feet were covered with abrasions, puncture wounds, and deep and shallow bruises. Only then did Shaoshang understand: “So when fighting on horseback, the legs and feet are most dangerous.”
Ling Buyi amusedly pinched her small face.
After washing, Shaoshang wouldn’t let Ling Buyi put on shoes or socks. She had him lie barefoot on the bed to air out until both feet were completely dry and warm.
At this point Liang Qiu Qi finally came to his senses and pulled his younger brother to drag him out. Liang Qiu Fei still didn’t forget to gossip. Before leaving the tent, he was still muttering: “…Elder Brother, did those four female confidants of yours ever wash your feet?”
Shaoshang heard this and smiled, calling him back: “Guard Liang Qiu, you have four female confidants!”
Liang Qiu Fei said excitedly: “Exactly, exactly! Elder Brother has quite a way with women…”
“Which four female confidants?” Ling Buyi picked up the velvet blanket on the bed and covered himself to the ankles, leaving only the soles exposed to air.
He spoke with a slight teasing tone, smiling: “Could they be Old Lady Zhao who manages the kitchen, Old Lady Qian who oversees mending, Old Lady Sun who tends the flowers and trees on the back mountain, and Old Lady Li who guards the wine cellar?”
Liang Qiu Fei’s eyes widened, feeling the world slowly crumbling before his eyes. He looked up in disbelief and screamed tragically: “Elder Brother, what the Young Master said isn’t true, right?!”
Liang Qiu Qi slapped his brother’s forehead: “Elderly women can’t be female confidants?!”
Liang Qiu Fei’s vision went black and he nearly fainted. In his ears came the Young Lady’s clear, cheerful laughter, and beside her was the Young Master’s relaxed, uninhibited smiling face—many years later, Liang Qiu Fei still remembered this joyful scene.
Just as everyone was working together to tease the dark-complexioned Liang Qiu Qi, guards outside loudly announced the Third Prince’s arrival.
Ling Buyi’s expression turned serious. Shaoshang quickly rose from beside the bed and stood at attention.
The Third Prince swept aside the tent flap and said in a deep voice: “Something’s happened in the capital. Someone has been posting pamphlets throughout the city.”
“What did the pamphlets say?” Ling Buyi asked.
The Third Prince said: “Nothing much—just wrote one historical allusion: the story of Emperor Xuan’s Crown Prince.”