The current ahead was swift. Wei Dongling looked up and said to He Yao, "Wait a moment. I'll go and check." With that, she let go of the vine and walked forward.
He Yao, who had been holding onto the vine and was out of breath from exhaustion, didn't care about the dirt and plopped down on a rock. She turned back to look at Yu Zixi's haggard figure and sighed anxiously.
Wei Dongling limped back and waved her hand repeatedly. "The waterfall up ahead is impassable. We still have to find a way back to the official road."
He Yao frowned as she looked at the dense forests on both sides.
Wei Dongling looked around and pointed at a slope on the right. "County Mistress He, carry Zixi on your back. Let's go up from here. The official road should be nearby."
He Yao stared at her in surprise. "Me? I carry him?"
Wei Dongling waved her hand. "My shoulder is injured, so I can't carry him. Besides, if Zixi wakes up and knows that you're willing to go through such hardship for him, he'll be so grateful!"
Hearing this, He Yao's face darkened. Finally, she gritted her teeth and nodded obediently. The two of them helped Yu Zixi onto He Yao's back.
She hadn't taken two steps when she fell heavily to the ground. Wei Dongling quickly rushed to help Yu Zixi, while He Yao fell headlong onto the rocky shoal. Her delicate palms were instantly cut and bleeding.
As a young lady from a wealthy family, He Yao had never suffered such hardship before. Tears welled up in her eyes.
Wei Dongling could only sigh helplessly. She gently put Yu Zixi down and took out some ointment to apply carefully on He Yao's hands.
He Yao sobbed softly. Looking at Wei Dongling's face, she said, "Find a way to carry him up! I'll add five hundred taels!"
Damn it!
Wei Dongling was completely stunned on the spot.
She saw He Yao take out a silver note from her sleeve and hand it over. Wei Dongling took it tremblingly and saw that it was indeed five hundred taels!
So, a moment later, Wei Dongling carried Yu Zixi on her back and limped into the forest. He Yao limped closely behind her.
The slope was steep. The two of them walked slowly up one after another, finding it quite strenuous.
Carrying Yu Zixi on her back, Wei Dongling's shoulder ached faintly, but she didn't dare to let go. Her face was also scratched by tree branches in several places.
Thinking of the five hundred taels in her pocket and the five thousand taels waiting for her ahead, she gritted her teeth and continued to climb.
An hour later, the two finally climbed onto the official road. Wei Dongling collapsed on the ground, out of breath from exhaustion. He Yao also climbed up and collapsed beside her. They were hungry, tired, and sleepy, and they just wanted to lie there and rest.
After a while, they suddenly heard someone sneer in the distance. "This fool sure has good luck with women!"
Wei Dongling and He Yao were startled and quickly got up to look. In the distance, they saw two black - clothed men standing under a tree. The one in the lead had a cold smile on his face.
It was the Crown Prince!
A chill ran down Wei Dongling's spine. She instinctively reached for the dagger hidden in her shoe.
He Yao had never seen the Crown Prince before. But seeing his exquisite jade crown and the overbearing look in his eyes that seemed to look down on all living beings with imperial arrogance, she guessed who he was.
The Crown Prince walked over slowly with his servants. His eyes fell on Wei Dongling, and he said with a soft smile, "Miss Wei, you're still injured but still rushing to save someone. Even this Crown Prince is quite touched! It seems that the marriage I arranged for you two at that time made you very satisfied!"
Wei Dongling groaned inwardly.
Yu Zixi and the Crown Prince were already at odds. Now, the Crown Prince would probably want to kill her even more.
Hearing this, He Yao on the side was unhappy. She questioned loudly, "He and I were engaged long ago. How could you arrange a marriage randomly?"
The Crown Prince was speechless. He glanced at He Yao and frowned. "Who are you?"
He Yao puffed out her chest and said angrily, "I'm County Mistress He Yao of Rong'an!"
Wei Dongling sighed inwardly. Lady, is it useful to mention your identity now?
The surname He?
The Crown Prince sneered silently and gave a signal to the black - masked man beside him. The man raised his knife and walked towards the two women step by step.
He Yao was so frightened that she trembled all over. She grabbed Wei Dongling and pushed her in front of herself, taking small steps backward.
The Crown Prince waved impatiently at his servants. "Leave no one alive. Send them all away."
The black - clothed man didn't hesitate at all. He swung his knife at the two defenseless women.
Wei Dongling dodged to the side, drew out her dagger, and quickly slashed at the man's neck.
The man fell to the ground with a thud. Blood spurted out from the artery in his neck like a fountain.
He Yao turned pale with fright at the sight and let out a shrill scream.
The Crown Prince's face turned black with anger. He shouted, "Someone come quickly!"
Hearing the Crown Prince's voice, seven or eight secret guards in the distance quickly rushed over.
Wei Dongling leaped forward and kicked the Crown Prince hard in the crotch.
With a loud cry, the Crown Prince bent down, trembling in pain. Then, a shiny dagger was pressed against his chin.
When several black - clothed men rushed over, they saw a bold woman grabbing the Crown Prince's hair with one hand and holding a dagger against his throat with the other, glaring at them fiercely.
The leader of the secret guards, Lord Xu, was so angry that his face turned black. He roared, "How dare you! Let go of His Highness the Crown Prince quickly!"
Instead of retreating, Wei Dongling pressed the dagger closer, making a bloodstain on the Crown Prince's neck. She roared hoarsely, "If anyone takes another step forward, I'll send your Highness to hell immediately! Step back!"
The black - clothed men were so frightened that they didn't know what to do. Seeing the bloodstain on the Crown Prince's neck, Lord Xu waved his hand at his subordinates repeatedly, signaling them to step back.
The Crown Prince suddenly remembered the first time he saw Wei Dongling. He had witnessed with his own eyes how ruthless this woman was when she attacked Yu Zixi. How could he have been so careless today and fallen into her trap!
The Crown Prince said with a bitter face to his black - clothed subordinates, "Do as she says! Step back further!"
Hearing the Crown Prince's order, the men stepped back several paces.
Wei Dongling tightly grabbed the Crown Prince's hair and looked at the carriage not far away. She shouted fiercely, "I want that carriage!"
The Crown Prince quickly said, "Give it to her! Hurry and give it to her!"
He Yao was so frightened by Wei Dongling's boldness that she trembled continuously. She also knew that now they could only rely on Wei Dongling to have a chance to save Yu Zixi.
Wei Dongling stared closely at the group of black - clothed men and walked step by step towards the carriage while holding the Crown Prince hostage.
He Yao quickly dragged Yu Zixi with all her strength and closely followed Wei Dongling's steps, moving towards the carriage.
Seeing that the hand holding the dagger tightly by Wei Dongling was trembling all the time, the Crown Prince was afraid that she would accidentally cut his neck. He couldn't help but call out anxiously, "We can discuss anything you want! Can you move the knife away?"
If not, please stop your hand from shaking!
Wei Dongling ignored him. The dagger was tightly pressed against the Crown Prince's neck, and she glared angrily at the group of black - clothed men.
Finally, He Yao managed to drag Yu Zixi into the carriage out of breath. Wei Dongling kicked the Crown Prince and forced him to get on the carriage to drive the horses.
"You?" The Crown Prince's face turned livid with anger. Looking at the dagger in her hand, he dared not speak out.