When Qi Yuan woke up again, she was inside a rundown temple.
She clutched her already-bandaged shoulder and furrowed her brows slightly. From across the room, she heard Babao’s voice: “Don’t bother looking around, Miss Qi—it’s Wanan Temple, the one you burned down. His Highness brought you here.”
Qi Yuan pressed her lips together.
In truth, she didn’t have to faint back then. With her willpower, if she wanted to do something, she could have held on with just one breath.
But she no longer wanted to keep entangling herself with Xiao Yunting.
She knew he had feelings for her and that he had made sacrifices. But she wasn’t going to gamble her life on whether, in this lifetime, he would really choose her over Feng Caiwei.
Loving someone was like placing a bet—staking your feelings, your emotions, your sincerity—all in hopes of receiving the same love and maybe even the same lasting devotion in return.
The more you bet, the harder it became to let go.
Don’t talk about not expecting anything in return. Once you’re at the gambling table, no one walks away willingly with empty hands.
She never gambled. She didn’t have expectations, so she couldn’t be disappointed.
She raised her brow at Babao. “The poison’s been neutralized?”
Babao honestly felt a little bad for his prince.
After all that hard work, and after the failed confession, now Miss Qi woke up and didn’t even ask a single word about His Highness?
Cold-blooded, much?!
He huffed and replied grumpily, “Yes! His Highness sent a pigeon message to Lord Lu to get the antidote. I rushed over without stopping, His Highness detoxified you, and then he went out to look for the missing people himself!”
Qi Yuan said nothing and stood up.
Babao was startled: “Hey, hey, hey! Miss Qi, the poison might be gone, but your injuries are serious! You should just rest—His Highness is already out there searching!”
Qi Yuan ignored him, pressing her wound as she walked out: “I’m fine. We need to find them as soon as possible.”
She had already instructed the Qi family to stay indoors and had arranged for guards to protect the villa during the Lantern Festival.
But compared to the forces Pu Wuyong could muster, the Qi family’s defenses were clearly not enough.
Babao watched her walk straight out and panicked: “Miss Qi! You’re not a god! His Highness took Liujin and Yuanbao with him—they’re all searching! This temple isn’t even that big!”
Qi Yuan turned around and shot him a cold glare.
For some reason, the previously talkative Babao instantly shut up.
Qi Yuan left the main hall and headed directly to the small meditation courtyard where she had killed Cishan.
And right then, she happened to run into Xiao Yunting approaching from not far away.
The moment he saw her, Xiao Yunting strode quickly over and grabbed her arm. Then he turned and shot a nasty look at the trailing Babao.
Babao was absolutely miserable. “Your Highness, Miss Qi insisted on coming out! What could I do?”
Who could stop Miss Qi, honestly?!
He was pretty sure that even injured, if she wanted to kill him, she could.
Xiao Yunting didn’t bother arguing. He just frowned at Qi Yuan: “The hidden weapon was poisoned. Even though the toxin’s been neutralized, your wound isn’t minor. You’ll need at least ten days or half a month to properly recover. Coming out now won’t help.”
Qi Yuan shook her head. For others, maybe this kind of injury required bed rest. But for her—as long as it wasn’t fatal, she could still do what needed to be done.
She didn’t want to argue with Xiao Yunting, so she simply asked, “Have you found them?”
Before he died, that eunuch dog Pu Wuyong had said he buried them in coffins—waiting to bury Qi Yuan alongside them.
Xiao Yunting had thought it over and figured this place was the most likely location Pu Wuyong would bring them to.
Cishan had ruled this area for over a decade—this was his stronghold, his haven.
And Cishan had died here too. Pu Wuyong would certainly want him buried here as well.
He shared his suspicions with her.
Qi Yuan nodded, also agreeing with Xiao Yunting’s speculation.
But Xiao Yunting’s expression turned grim as he said, “We’ve searched everywhere—there’s no sign that any soil’s been recently disturbed…”
If they kept looking like this, the people buried in those coffins might already be dead.
He was worried—and also somewhat regretful.
Qi Yuan had already sent Qi family guards to the villa. He had thought that if Pu Wuyong was going to make a move, it would be against Qi Yuan’s family.
Who would’ve guessed that Pu Wuyong targeted the villa instead?
The difference in power was simply too great. There was no way to hold out.
Qi Yuan suddenly recalled the scent she had smelled on Pu Wuyong’s sleeve when she killed him.
It was premium aloeswood mixed with the fragrance of plum blossoms.
She had also smelled it on Cishan.
Cishan!
She immediately looked at Xiao Yunting. “Isn’t there a plum orchard behind Cishan’s house?!”
Xiao Yunting had already searched almost the entire Wanan Temple, and immediately caught on: “The plum orchard!?”
Qi Yuan nodded, already walking in that direction.
Xiao Yunting quickly called out to Babao and Liujin: “Quick, follow her!”
The back of the mountain was nearly covered in plum trees. Qi Yuan crouched down and examined the area carefully, seeing a mess of footprints everywhere.
Pu Wuyong had definitely brought people here!
But the prints were too chaotic—how could they pinpoint the exact spot?
Every second counted now.
Qi Yuan stood in place, her expression blank as she scanned the whole plum grove—until her gaze landed on a nearby cave. Suddenly, she pointed to the plum tree next to the cave and shouted, “Dig! Dig right there!”
Xiao Yunting instantly understood her reasoning.
Those girls who had been kidnapped were once imprisoned by Cishan in that very cave.
To Cishan, that cave was a symbol of his twisted “glory.” Later, Xiao Yunting had collapsed the cave while cleaning up the aftermath for Qi Yuan.
From Pu Wuyong’s perverted eunuch mindset, this spot was likely the perfect place to bury his nephew.
A place where he could overlook the mountain at all times, where he could lie at its highest point—as the so-called mountain king.
Xiao Yunting immediately ordered Babao and Liujin: “Dig! Quickly!”
Babao and Liujin didn’t dare delay. They called over Yuanbao and Qingfeng and immediately began digging furiously with their hoes.
Fortunately, all of them were skilled martial artists—after a short while, a dark corner of a coffin began to emerge!
Qi Yuan let out a breath of relief. As Babao and the others dug harder, clearing all the dirt from the coffin, they worked together to push the lid aside— Qi Yuan didn’t hesitate and jumped right into the coffin.
Xiao Yunting, already anticipating her move, jumped in without hesitation too—placing himself beneath her to cushion the fall.
Babao, whose back was nearly broken from digging, clutched his waist and stared speechlessly at his prince, his expression complicated.
Your Highness… Miss Qi injured her shoulder, not her legs. What exactly are you cushioning?!
Also—have you considered how Shen Jialang feels lying in that coffin?!
Shen Jialang had long since passed out from being trapped without air. Qi Yuan didn’t waste a second—she clenched her fist and began pounding from his lower abdomen up to his chest, hitting him seven or eight times in a row.
Shen Jialang immediately spat out a mouthful of dirt and burst into violent coughing.
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