Tonight, we, brothers are really lucky. We can get a taste of a young lady of capital n.o.ble family, haha……” another man said.

  Even though Hua Zhu Yu was covered in snow, she still could hear wicked l.u.s.t in that voice.

  Her surroundings were icy cold, yet Hua Zhu Yu’s heart was burning with flame of anger.

  She tried to exercise her qi¹ but her dan tian² was completely empty and she felt unbearable sharp pain in her meridians³, as if they were to explode at any time, her internal force was no more. Not willing to accept it, she tried again once more time. A burst of cold qi slowly rose inside the dan tian, in split a second it flowed all over her body, and her limbs weakened even more as a result.

  ¹Energy flow / life force energy.

  ²Natural center for human body’s qi.

  ³经脉 Jin Mai : any of the channels through which qi is believed to circulate round the body.

  What poison is this? It is same as tendon weakening except it cannot be removed.

  Hate!

  She had never hated a person like this before.

  She hated Ji Feng Li!

  She also hated herself. She should not have let Jin Se follow her. She should have let her together with Tao Se go back. Jin Se’s martial arts were no match for the well-trained a.s.sa.s.sins.

  Jin Se……

  Don’t you touch her, don’t you hurt her!

  She opened her mouth and was yelling in vain. Her lips were trembling violently, the sealed mute acupressure point caused her throat to issue no clear voice other than a coa.r.s.e crowing sound. Both her hands were trembling, tried hardly to brush away the snow covering her, little by little.

  At last, there was a bit of chilly moonlight before her eyes, she could finally get her head out of the snow blanket, but then she heard Jin Se’s miserable cry. A twinge of pain struck Hua Zhu Yu’s heart, and suddenly, blood gushed out of her mouth.

  The white snow in a split second was stained red, looked like plum blossom blooming in the snow, chillingly beautiful. Her body was shaking all over incessantly and the pain in her heart nearly suffocated her.

  Jin Se……

  She is just a servant girl, she is innocent, why does she have to suffer such humiliating and brutal treatments for her.

  Why!?

  She strived to crawl out of the deep gully, however, she had no strength left, she only felt her weak body was light as a feather. The icy cold of snow remnant covering her melted, soaked her clothes and froze her conciousness……

  Didn’t know how much time pa.s.sed, she was awakened by a faint sound of people speaking.

  “Your highness, there is one person still alive here, hey, it is a woman” said a man’s voice, surprised.

  Hua Zhu Yu felt herself was being dug out by a pair of arms of the snow. Hua Zhu Yu just realized then, she was unconscious before.

  How long have I been unconscious? How about Jin Se?

  Hua Zhu Yu’s breathing suddenly grew hurried, chilly moonlight shone on her face, the black eyebrows-coloring mark on her left face was soaked by melted snow, her face was smeared black, under the black color was actually deathly pale.

  Her line of sight swept over some people there and landed on distant snowy ground.

  Not a soul in sight there, only blood. Dark red blood and snow blended together.

  Under rays of moonlight, that scene was striking and horrifying.

  That was Jin Se’s blood.

  Hua Zhu Yu felt her head spinning, everything before her now seemed to appear b.l.o.o.d.y red. At once, the round bright moon seemed to be brilliant red. That was distorting red, shattering red and maddening red.

  Red light and shadow flitted across Jin Se’s delicate and pretty face.

  She didn’t have any siblings, in her heart, Jin Se was like a sister to her. Although Jin Se was always indifferent and appeared aloof, but only she knew, in her heart was so warm. Even though she encountered misfortunes since she was still a child, she never resented heaven and laid blame on others4. On the contrary, she was kind-hearted, many times, she helped starving beggars.

  4Yuàn Tiān Yóu Rén 怨天尤人 Blame everyone and everything but oneself.

  She is only seventeen years old ah!

  Jin Se is in the prime of her life

  cannot see her anymore, cannot see her soft, shallow smile, cannot hear her cold and indifferent words

  Tears blurred Hua Zhu Yu’s eyes.

  Jin Se died for her!

  “Who are you? Are you Princess Mu Yun or that servant girl?” a voice asked uncertainly.

  Hua Zhu Yu’s eyes widened as she was taking a clear look at the person who just spoke.

  Over 50 years of age, a grizzled beard was stained red, likely blood. A pair of bright piercing eyes were looking at her, filled with antic.i.p.ation.

  This is……?

  “w.a.n.gye, could it be that you have never seen the princess?” an imperial guard beside him asked cautiously.

  “According to Southern Kingdom’s customs, the bride’s wedding veil is meant to be removed by the bridegroom in the bridal chamber, therefore Benw.a.n.g have not seen her” that w.a.n.gye who stood before her said calmly.

  It seems this person is Northern Kingdom’s xianw.a.n.g.

  He is actually not dead?!

  That’s right, to put a blame on Northern Kingdom for this a.s.sa.s.sination, xianw.a.n.g must not die.

  “You are Pincess Mu Yun, right?” Xianw.a.n.g stepped forward hurriedly, asked anxiously.

  In her ears suddenly sounded a cold snort that sounded like indifference, sounded like arrogance, sounded like disdain……

  Hua Zhu Yu slowly turned her head, only to see a man stood on a hillside, tall stature was wrapped in chilly moonlight. He gave off an endless cold air that caused people affraid to get close. His face was hidden in moonlight shadow, could not be seen clearly, only felt a pair of shining intimidating eyes, his majesty and imposing arrogance.

  He stood there in a high and mighty manner, like a monarch overseeing his people.

  “It is not good to stay longer here, save the person first and talk again after we return.” The man spoke with deep and low voice. The faint tone was like a light wind that brushing gently, but it could freeze just like frost.

  Hua Zhu Yu opened her mouth to speak, still no sound came out, and when a guard at her side saw this, he lightly patted her body, unsealed Hua Zhu Yu’s acupressure point for speech.

  “Don’t go, (I) beg you to find her, must save her” Hua Zhu Yu crawled on snow-covered ground.

  It was the first time in her life, she felt low as dust. For the first time in her life she was begging for a favor.

  Even if Jin Se was dead, she still had to find her, she could not let her corpse be left in this desolate hill. This was the only thing she could do for now.

  The man heard her plea, the intimidating eyes dully swept over her body, chilly gleaming waves in his eyes were like river streamed, yet the eerie coldness of his eyes could not be concealed. This kind of imposing look gave people a feeling of suffocation.

  He merely casted a glace at Hua Zhu Yu, coldly commanded his mans “You don’t take the person to leave quickly.” finished saying that, he turned and left.

  The guard picked Hua Zhu Yu up off the ground, carried her on his back, and went down out of the mountain.

  Looking at the moon, she chuckled as tears were streaming down her face.

  Jin Se, I cannot do anything for you now, but one day I will settle this account for you.