Only the two sisters remained in the carriage. Cui Yunfeng rested her head against Cui Yunchu, her body swaying back and forth with the motion of the carriage.
Finding the swaying unbearable, Cui Yunchu simply pressed her sister's head down, forcing it firmly against her own shoulder.
"Eldest Sister," Cui Yunfeng said listlessly, "I think I might be sick."
Cui Yunchu immediately touched her forehead; it was cool.
"It's not a physical illness, it's a sickness of the heart," Cui Yunfeng closed her eyes. "Every day now, my chest hurts as if being pricked by needles. I have no interest in anything, and I can hardly swallow my food. Eldest Sister, tell me, if this goes on, will I pass away early like our aunt?"
"."
Cui Yunchu replied, "Aunt injured her body during childbirth and died of illness."
Cui Yunfeng's sorrowful expression vanished instantly. She glared at her unhappily, "I was just making an analogy."
"There is no comparison," Cui Yunchu said. "When Aunt passed, she had a son and a daughter, and she was married. You are an unmarried maiden. Technically, you don't even have the right to be buried in the ancestral tomb; you'd become a wandering ghost."
"..." Cui Yunfeng fell silent for a long while before sighing, "That's so miserable."
Only then did Cui Yunchu look at her properly.
In the past, upon hearing such words, Cui Yunfeng would have definitely picked a huge fight with her.
Cui Yunchu's heart immediately skipped a beat. "Cui Yunfeng, are you alright?"
Cui Yunfeng shook her head, "No, I know you were just teasing me."
"But Eldest Sister..." I just can't smile.
Cui Yunchu lowered her eyes, looking at the young girl's reddened eye corners and nose, feeling a slight, dull ache in her own heart.
"My good sister," Cui Yunchu hugged her tightly. "Eight or nine out of ten things in life don't go as we wish. Living well is the absolute most important thing."
"Eldest Sister," Cui Yunfeng wrapped her arms around Cui Yunchu's waist, her voice choking with sobs. "I envy you so much right now. Why can't I be like you?"
People always said Cui Yunchu was passionate, but among the three sisters, she was actually the most callous and unrestrained one.
The affection she gave to anyone always came with conditions—whether it be power, money, or some other benefit. It could be scorching hot, or it could be withdrawn cleanly and decisively, without the slightest hesitation.
"Eldest Sister, teach me. How can I stop being so sad?"
Cui Yunchu pursed her lips and said nothing.
A person like her was perhaps born selfish and cold, lacking moral backbone. She could resort to any means necessary to get what she wanted.
Even now, it was the same. Deep down, her grandmother who treated her with all her heart, and Yunfeng who respected and deferred to her, were very important, but... not as important as herself.
If she ever had to make a choice one day, she would always place herself before anyone and anything else.
"Don't envy me," Cui Yunchu said softly. "I am not worth your envy."
The two sisters leaned against each other, neither speaking another word.
Mount An Temple was built halfway up the mountain. The carriage could travel up if it went slowly, and Cui Yunchu was lazy and didn't want to walk, even though taking the carriage up the mountain wasted quite a bit of time.
The Crown Prince's carriage was parked there, but he had already gone up the mountain long ago.
Just as Cui Yunchu and Cui Yunfeng were about to step out of the carriage, a clear male voice suddenly rang out, "Is that Second Miss Cui?"
Cui Yunchu pulled back her foot that was about to step down and looked at Cui Yunfeng beside her.
The person outside was none other than Zhou Yuanmo. He had likely been waiting here for a long time.
Cui Yunchu naturally wouldn't be so tactless; she sat back down.
Cui Yunfeng glanced at her before replying softly, "It is."
She lifted the carriage curtain and stepped down.
Today, Zhou Yuanmo wore an ink-blue brocade robe. It was probably his most presentable attire, yet compared to the quality of Cui Yunfeng's dress, it still looked exceedingly coarse.
A scholar from a humble background, no matter how exceptional his knowledge, ultimately could not compare to a prosperous, centuries-old noble family.
Yet he showed not the slightest bit of awkwardness. His eyes held awe for Cui Yunfeng's beauty, and his face was filled with a warm, gentle smile.
"The mountain path is steep. Allow me to accompany you, Second Miss Cui."
Cui Yunfeng gave a soft "Mm" and looked back at the carriage.
A moment later, a slender, pale hand reached out from the carriage window and waved.
Cui Yunchu rested her head against the carriage wall, looking utterly helpless.
Everyone was just bullying her for having no one to dote on her, no one to love her, and no one to fancy her.
Looking at Zhou Yuanmo's gentlemanly demeanor, and then thinking of Chen Jiuhe, who had once discussed marriage with her.
A string of unmentionable thoughts slowly drifted through Cui Yunchu's mind.
Was she really someone so detestable?
Outside, Zhou Yuanmo's voice could be heard inviting Cui Yunfeng to go first and reminding her to watch her step. It would be too awkward for Cui Yunchu to come out now and walk behind them, so she could only sit blankly alone in the carriage.
She kept track of the time, and after waiting for about fifteen minutes, she ordered the driver to proceed up the mountain.
The mountain road was indeed somewhat steep, but there was a path specifically for nobles, which was relatively safe. The carriage traveled upward slowly, and Cui Yunchu was in no hurry.
"What is that smell? It's so fragrant." Cui Yunchu sniffed hard as a rich floral scent suddenly wafted into the air.
Immediately after, the horse, which had been trotting leisurely, suddenly accelerated. The clattering of hooves rang out loudly on the quiet mountain path.
"Driver, slow down."
Cui Yunchu called out, but there was no response for a long time. She frowned, lifted the curtain, and discovered that the driver's seat was completely empty. The driver had long since disappeared.
Cui Yunchu's heart immediately leapt into her throat, her face turning deathly pale.
Without time to think, she hurriedly gripped the carriage door with one hand and reached for the reins with the other while shouting loudly. But who would be halfway up the mountain? Even if there were people, on this narrow path meant for only one carriage, who would dare risk their life to save her?
"Am I going to die again?" Cui Yunchu's face was ashen as she screamed for the horse to stop.
The entire mountain ravine echoed with her terrified screams and her desperate desire to live.
The horse began to run wildly, crashing about.
The fences along the path were made of wood; how could they withstand a crash? If they plunged over the edge, both she and the carriage would be smashed to pieces.
Cui Yunchu gripped the reins tightly, desperately trying to steer.
As the horse bolted further up the mountainside, a black carriage parked against the stone cliff suddenly caught Cui Yunchu's eye. It, too, had no driver and appeared completely empty.
If she could use that carriage to break her momentum, she might just find a chance at survival.
At the very least, if she jumped onto that carriage, even if she ended up crippled, it would be better than being crushed to dust.
Thinking of this, Cui Yunchu yanked the reins, pulling back with all her might to control the direction, and steered straight into the black carriage.
But who could have known that the other horse was incredibly skittish? Seeing another horse crashing toward it, it reared up on its hind legs, let out a piercing neigh, and lunged forward.
Just like that, the two carriages smashed through the wooden fence one after the other and tumbled down the cliff.
From the black carriage, a massive, unidentified dark figure was violently thrown out, along with an object that looked like a book.
Cui Yunchu: "."
There was actually someone inside that carriage?!
