Chapter 57 – Sister, You’re Hurting Me

The sky was growing dark; the sun had already set in the west.

Tang Chaoyang slowly opened her eyes. A sharp pain throbbed in her neck.

As her vision gradually cleared, she realized her hands and feet were bound tightly with rope.

Her entire body was suspended from a tree, hanging in midair.

Her gaze instinctively dropped to the ground.

Below her was a dense row of sharp swords driven into the earth, their blades gleaming coldly.

It was easy to imagine—if she fell, those blades would instantly pierce right through her.

Tang Chaoyang heard a faint groan. She turned her head and saw Dong Xinrui hanging in the same way from another tree.

Thinking back on why she’d been captured, Tang Chaoyang’s gaze turned instantly cold as she looked at Dong Xinrui.

Below Dong Xinrui, too, a row of swords was planted in the dirt.

Their lives were both hanging by a thread.

Tang Chaoyang sneered inwardly.

She would remember this debt!

Dong Xinrui regained consciousness and, realizing her dangerous predicament, her face went as pale as paper.

Neither woman was in any mood to speak.

Judging by the situation, Tang Chaoyang analyzed that the black-clad men had deliberately abducted Dong Xinrui in order to lure Fei Yan into coming to rescue her.

After considering this, Tang Chaoyang frowned. Her own situation was actually even worse than Dong Xinrui’s.

Fei Yan had come to save Dong Xinrui, not her.

The thunder of galloping hooves came closer and closer, startling the birds in the forest into flight.

What had been a silent wood suddenly felt crowded with noise and life.

Dong Xinrui stared in both dread and hope in the direction of the hoofbeats.

Tang Chaoyang, however, lowered her gaze, thinking about one thing—if she fell, how could she maneuver her body to at least have a chance of survival?

Her medicine pouch and whip were gone, most likely confiscated by the black-clad men.

Those people had been exceedingly cautious.

Fei Yan drew his reins to a stop, his cold, phoenix-shaped eyes sweeping over the two women suspended from the trees. His gaze paused on the rows of swords beneath them.

Tang Chaoyang lifted her eyes and saw him dressed all in white, his clothes stained with blood, flanked by his men.

Clearly, they’d been attacked on the way here.

Dong Xinrui called out in delight, “Husband!”

But as soon as she spoke, another group of black-clad men appeared. The leader fixed his gaze on Fei Yan.

The two sides immediately clashed, the air filled with the ringing of weapons striking weapons.

Tang Chaoyang’s heart pounded anxiously. She feared that in the chaos someone might cut her rope.

She met Fei Yan’s pitch-black eyes—he, too, was looking straight at her.

Sword in hand, he broke free of the encirclement and charged toward her.

Tang Chaoyang’s eyes widened slightly.

Fear and unease welled up in her chest.

And when Dong Xinrui saw Fei Yan running toward Tang Chaoyang, the tender light in her eyes faded, replaced by shock. “Husband…”

But only Tang Chaoyang knew perfectly well that Fei Yan wasn’t charging over to save her.

He meant to use her as bait to draw the black-clad men in this direction!

Tang Chaoyang stared coldly at Fei Yan’s handsome, composed face.

Just then, one of the black-clad men slashed her rope.

As she fell, she stayed remarkably calm, quickly planning how to twist her body so she might fall sideways between the swords rather than be impaled straight through.

Dong Xinrui had already been rescued by Guard Cheng. But there were too many enemies around Fei Yan, and he couldn’t immediately free Tang Chaoyang.

All of this happened in the space of a few heartbeats.

If he could save her, he would. If not…that was simply her fate.

Tang Chaoyang felt the blades’ cold tips biting into her flesh.

If she died, what would happen to her An’an?

A man in red came galloping up on horseback. With a powerful squeeze of his knees, he leaned sideways and reached both arms out to catch her.

His horse stepped onto the swords, screaming in pain before collapsing.

The rider held Tang Chaoyang firmly, sprang lightly off the horse’s back, landed safely on the ground, and retreated swiftly.

Fei Yan had already calculated that he would briefly expose his back to the black-clad men—he’d intended to rescue Tang Chaoyang’s life first. Although she was wounded, with prompt treatment she could survive.

Yet the man in red had arrived before him, scooping her up and carrying her away.

Dong Xinrui, at some point, had rushed forward and threw herself in front of Fei Yan, blocking a sword meant to pierce his back.

“Xinrui!”

Dong Xinrui let out a stifled cry of pain.

Fei Yan caught her with one arm, pulling her protectively against his chest. His cold eyes grew even frostier as he raised his sword and counterattacked the black-clad men.

＊＊

The red-clad man carrying Tang Chaoyang didn’t hear any pursuit behind them. Only then did he slow to a stop.

The man curved his lips in a faint smile. “Sister, you’re hurting me.”

Tang Chaoyang was still trying to calm her racing heart, the horror of near-death making her slightly lightheaded. When she heard Ling Guyong’s teasing tone, she instinctively looked up.

“?”

Her eyes widened, her lips bloodless and parted in confusion. She looked rather dazed, clearly still in shock.

Ling Guyong lowered his gaze to where her hand was clutching something—his hair. She had grabbed a handful so tightly that his scalp was smarting.

“Doctor Tang, let go. You’re pulling my hair out.” Ling Guyong reminded her helplessly.

Tang Chaoyang finally realized she had a death grip on his hair. She quickly let go. Several snapped strands were left clutched in her fingers. “…Sorry.”

Seeing her pupils regaining their focus, Ling Guyong shifted her weight a little in his arms. “You know, you’re heavier than you look.”

His words reminded them both of their current situation—he was still holding her.

“You can put me down now. Thank you.” Her voice was hoarse.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, she pressed a hand over her heart, taking several deep, shaky breaths. Then she looked up at her rescuer. “Guyong, thank you.”

But as she thought of Fei Yan and Dong Xinrui, a glint of cold malice flashed in her eyes.

Those two could just wait—she’d settle accounts with them later!

Ling Guyong leaned lazily against a tree, waiting for her to compose herself. When she finally calmed down, he inclined his head slightly. “Your thanks—I accept.”

“What are you doing here?” Tang Chaoyang looked around but had no idea where they were.

“You forgot? I’m with the Embroidered Guards. I came here specially to help Assistant Minister Fei.”

In truth, when he’d heard the report that both Dong Xinrui and Tang Chaoyang had been captured, he decided to come see for himself.

After all, Tang Chaoyang still needed to treat his condition.

And he trusted Fei Yan to handle the black-clad men. Those people were nothing more than dying beasts lashing out.

What he hadn’t expected was to arrive just in time to see Tang Chaoyang about to be impaled on those swords.

He…had been a little shaken himself. In that moment, a surge of murderous rage had welled up in his chest.

“Where are we? Which direction leads back?” Tang Chaoyang needed to return to the Su family as quickly as possible.

If her grandmother and the others learned she’d been abducted, they would be terribly worried.

Liu’er was probably safe.

As she had guessed, Liu’er had been wounded but not killed. The coachman, however, had died. Liu’er had already rushed back to the Su family to report that Tang Chaoyang had been taken by men in black.

Ling Guyong answered her question. “We’re in the woods outside the capital. Wait here a moment.”

He turned to leave, but she caught his sleeve with two slender fingers.

He lowered his eyes to look at her hand holding onto him.

“Where are you going?” Tang Chaoyang’s eyes were wide, her expression showing a trace of panic.

It was the first time since he’d met her that Ling Guyong had seen her looking so flustered.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going far. Just going to find a spot so you can tend to your wounds.”

Only then did she realize she had sword wounds that were still bleeding. But she seemed to have felt no pain at all.

With his reminder, the pain finally reached her awareness.

She let go of his sleeve, trying to act calm. “Oh…go ahead.”

Ling Guyong watched her put on that composed, indifferent face again, and he had to swallow a laugh.

“Don’t worry. This place is safe. With me here, you’ll be fine.”