Constable Wang was genuinely terrified of Heartless Valley. He warned them again, “If you want to stay alive, keep your mouths shut. Otherwise, careless words will bring disaster.”
After a pause, he added, “At least Madam Cheng is still alive, and Heartless Valley has no intention of harming her. They even promised to send her back. This is already the best possible outcome. Pull yourselves together.”
Zhan Qingrou asked timidly, “Will they really send Sister-in-law back?”
“Heartless Valley has always kept its word. If they say they’ll send her back, they will.”
Zhan Qingrou sniffed, then opened her mouth and burst into tears. “But sending back a corpse still counts as sending her back!”
“Qingrou.”
Zhan Haoting, who had remained silent with a grim expression, finally spoke. “Don’t panic.”
Zhan Qingrou pouted, struggling to hold back her sobs. “Big Brother, Sister-in-law will be all right, won’t she?”
Zhan Haoting gave a quiet affirmative.
Only then did the frightened and furious crowd begin to calm down.
“Dismissed. All of you, go,” Constable Wang waved his hand. “Get yourselves ready. As soon as we capture Feng Xianxian and bring her back, we’ll set out immediately.”
But the thought that no one knew when Cheng Yao would return left everyone uneasy. At the same time, they were gripped by an unprecedented sense of crisis.
“Let’s go up the mountain too. We can support one another and take things slowly. Even if all we find is a wild fruit or a piece of kudzu root, it’ll still be something.”
“That’s right. Otherwise, we may not have another chance.”
“Don’t go too far, or something might happen.”
The elderly people who had stayed behind took the children to forage nearby. Before long, only a handful of people remained in the camp.
Zhan Haoting sat there in silence, his face as dark as still water.
That seven-leaf flower capable of driving the entire world mad had most likely been picked by Yao’er using her unfathomable methods!
Now that she had fallen into Gu Wangchuan’s hands, how could he possibly let her go so easily?
This so-called visit was nothing more than an excuse to keep her there and test her!
That girl had told Song Ze that she was fine, but in reality, she was only pretending to be at ease. She must be treading on thin ice inside the valley, facing danger at every step.
The thought sent a suffocating ache through his heart, along with a restless anxiety he could barely contain.
“Song Ze!”
“My lord.” Song Ze appeared before him.
“We can’t wait any longer!” Zhan Haoting’s voice carried an unmistakable air of finality. “Mobilize every hidden contact we can. Find out everything about the defenses inside Heartless Valley, identify the weak points in its formations, and draw up a rescue plan! We must get her out as soon as possible!”
Song Ze hesitated before advising in a low voice, “My lord, Heartless Valley has been established for many years. Its formations are bizarre, and it is filled with experts. It’s easy to defend and difficult to attack. If we act in haste, not only may we fail, we could also alert them and place Madam in even greater danger. Why not wait a few more days, until we receive more news from Madam…”
“We can’t wait!” Zhan Haoting cut him off, his emotions unusually out of control. “Every moment she remains in there, she faces another measure of danger! Gu Wangchuan is calculating, ruthless, and merciless… I can’t gamble with Yao’er’s safety!”
How could he not understand the risks of acting too hastily?
But whenever he imagined that Cheng Yao might be suffering, he was incapable of remaining rational.
In his agitation, he pulled at the wound on his chest. A sharp burst of pain struck him, and he couldn’t help letting out a muffled groan as cold sweat beaded across his forehead.
Without Cheng Yao’s medicine and attentive care, the wound that had once healed with remarkable speed had clearly begun to recover more slowly over the past few days. The edges were even faintly red and swollen—signs of inflammation.
The physical pain and weakness only deepened his agitation and his longing for Cheng Yao.
Song Ze could no longer bring himself to dissuade him.
Still, he decided to delay for a while. Once night fell and Madam returned, he would let her persuade his master first.
Meanwhile, in a residence decorated in festive splendor—
Feng Xianxian was surrounded by several maids and older servants, who were attending to her bath, perfuming her, and arranging her hair and makeup.
The exquisite red wedding gown hugged her graceful figure, making her already beautiful face look even more alluring.
Golden hairpins and dangling ornaments adorned her head, while pearls and jade set off her wealthy, imposing appearance.
She gazed at the unfamiliar yet familiar bride reflected in the mirror, unable to suppress the smile curling across her lips.
“Madam, you’re beautiful, and you bring good fortune to your husband. There isn’t another woman like you for miles around. No wonder Master fell for you.”
“You’ll have nothing but happiness to look forward to from now on.”
The maids and older servants showered her with auspicious words and flattery as they served her with utmost care. Feng Xianxian’s vanity was thoroughly satisfied.
If this had been in the past, she would never have spared a second glance at Gu Yanzong—a withered old man on the verge of death, his face gray and his breathing faint, lying in bed like half a skeleton.
But times had changed.
She had married that good-for-nothing, Zhan Jinmo, believing she would enjoy a life of wealth and glory. Instead, she had fallen along with the Zhan family and been exiled after their home was confiscated!
Along the journey, she had endured sleeping in the open, going hungry and cold, and suffering humiliation and torment. Worse still, she had been forced to endure Cheng Yao’s disdain!
It had been the darkest, most miserable period of her life!
Feng Xianxian had been born to be cherished, to live a life of luxury. Why should she have to endure such suffering?
As long as she could escape that hellish life of exile and return to the upper echelons of society, she was willing to marry a dying old man—she would even marry a corpse!
At least a corpse couldn’t beat her or curse her. It couldn’t make her go hungry or leave her out in the cold!
Besides, although Gu Yanzong was half-dead, the grandeur of his residence and the number of servants waiting on him made it clear that his family must be extremely wealthy.
Before falling unconscious, he had personally promised that if she married him to bring him good fortune and he managed to pull through, she would become Madam Gu in name and lawfully enjoy a life of endless luxury.
And if he failed to survive, all his property would pass to her, his properly wedded wife and mistress of the household!
At the thought of the enormous fortune within her grasp—enough to let her squander money freely for the rest of her life—Feng Xianxian trembled with excitement. Greed and ambition shone in her eyes.
What did love and dignity matter? In the face of tangible wealth and pleasure, they were all worthless!
“Hurry up! The auspicious hour is almost here!”
She urged the older servant who was still adjusting her phoenix crown, unable to contain her impatience.
She could almost see herself already: dressed in this brilliant red wedding gown, taking control of the entire Gu household as its mistress, living on fine food and silks, with servants at her beck and call.
As for the exiled party, Zhan Jinmo, and Cheng Yao… they could all go to hell!
Feng Xianxian was about to welcome a new life of her own!
The residence was festooned with lanterns and decorations, red silk hanging everywhere. Because the wedding was being held to bring good fortune to a seriously ill man, it lacked some of the genuine joy of a normal wedding, but guests had already begun arriving, filling the main hall and courtyard. The noisy voices and aroma of food and wine gave the place a lively atmosphere all the same.
“Bride, the auspicious hour has arrived. It’s time to go out and perform the wedding rites!” The matchmaker entered with a beaming smile and lifted the curtain to urge her on.
Feng Xianxian drew a deep breath, suppressing the revulsion she felt at the thought of Gu Yanzong’s advanced age and impending death. She placed her hand on the arm of the older servant beside her.
The weight of the phoenix crown and bridal robes gave her a reassuring sense of wealth and status. The red veil concealed her vision, but it also shut out any strange looks the others might cast her way.
With her back straight, she was guided by the older servant and surrounded by maids as she walked step by step toward the clamorous main hall.
The hum of conversation and chorus of congratulations from the guests filled the air. Though most of their words were insincere, they sounded like heavenly music to Feng Xianxian.
She could feel countless gazes fixed on her—some curious, some appraising, and perhaps a few tinged with envy.
