Unyielding Spring Mountains - Chapter 33: The Sound of the Wind

Qi Yan had left, and Wei Zhen felt as if the air in the room had become much more breathable. She let out a long sigh of relief.

Previously, when they were in the stream, they had already shared even more intimate moments, so Wei Zhen did not dwell on it further. She simply decided to continue acting as if nothing had happened when interacting with him in the future.

Not long after Qi Yan stepped out of her room and ascended to the deck, the cool night breeze was blowing when he encountered Wei Ling.

Wei Ling smiled and said, “Qi Yan, why did today’s zither lesson with my sister last so long?”

Qi Yan replied, “Your sister developed a fever and caught a cold. I stayed to help the maids take care of her, which delayed the lesson.”

Wei Ling was startled. “My sister is sick?”

Qi Yan continued, “Yes, she hasn’t adapted to traveling by water. After discussing with her, we decided that once the fleet reaches the border, we will continue to Jin by carriage. Since the main force traveling by land is behind us, the number of guards may not be sufficient, so I will need to go to the military camp to bring a squad of soldiers.”

Wei Ling was grateful. “You even thought of that. But it’s troubling you too much. Thank you for taking care of my sister along the way.”

Qi Yan smiled. “It’s only right.”

“No, no, there’s nothing ‘right’ about it,” Wei Ling slung an arm around his shoulder and laughed. “Once we reach Jin’s capital, I will definitely thank you properly. Whatever you want, just ask me. As long as I have it, I won’t hesitate to give it to you.”

Qi Yan raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Of course.” The young man’s handsome face broke into a grin as he walked with him into the ship’s hold to inspect the vessel.

In the days that followed, the ship continued its journey toward the border between Jin and Chu.

Due to her discomfort with the water, Wei Zhen felt weak and had little appetite. Apart from getting out of bed for zither lessons, she rarely left her sleeping quarters.

By the fifth day, her condition had slightly improved.

As evening fell, Wei Zhen prepared tea in advance, waiting for Qi Yan to come for the lesson.

As she was practicing the zither, a loud argument suddenly erupted outside. One voice belonged to Wei Ling, while the other was the crown prince.

After listening for a moment, Wei Zhen understood what the argument was about. She immediately got up from her desk and rushed outside.

Wei Ling rebuked, “The fleet is headed in the wrong direction! Why are we not sailing toward the Chu border but instead toward Wei?”

“Replying to Lord Wei, His Highness the Crown Prince issued an order earlier that the ships will not stop at the Chu border but will sail directly up the Luo River, saving several days of travel.”

“The Luo River? Jing Heng, do you even know where the Luo River is? That is the border between Chu, Jin, and Wei! Wei lies to the north, and it has been unstable lately. Bandits frequently raid the borders—how can we travel there?”

Wei Ling stepped forward to argue but was stopped by a group of guards.

One of Jing Heng’s advisors said, “Did the young general tell Lord Wei this? Lord Wei, take a look—haven’t we already been sailing on the Luo River for a while? Have we encountered any bandits?”

The journey had been calm so far. There were visibly fewer ships on the water, which made the fleet travel nearly twice as fast as before.

Wei Ling said, “Turn the ship around immediately.”

The advisor looked toward the crown prince. “Your Highness?”

“Proceed as planned,” Jing Heng replied casually. He looked at Wei Ling with indifference and said, “I don’t have time to waste arguing with you. If we take the land route, it will take five or six extra days. The sooner I deliver your sister to Jin’s capital, the sooner I will be free of this burden.”

Wei Ling, unwilling to argue further, tried to command the soldiers to change course.

“Lord Wei, don’t waste your effort. These guards are the king’s personal soldiers. I am the crown prince—they will naturally obey me.”

Wei Ling turned around, drew his sword, and in an instant, placed the blade against Jing Heng’s neck.

Everyone was startled. The guards immediately unsheathed their swords, surrounding Wei Ling at the center!

“A-Ling!” Wei Zhen lifted the hem of her dress and ran out, standing beside Wei Ling.

She pressed down on his hand, forcing the sword back into its scabbard. Seeing Wei Ling withdraw his blade, the crown prince signaled his men to stand down.

Wei Zhen looked at Jing Heng and said, “Since boarding the ship, I have been seasick. I originally planned to disembark and travel by land. I hope Your Highness will understand. Since I am the one being married off and have already entered Jin’s territory, this matter is no longer for the crown prince to decide.”

Jing Heng had not expected that one day, Wei Zhen would use her status against him. He chuckled. “There won’t be any bandits. But if there are, I will take full responsibility.”

“Turn the fleet around,” a voice came from behind, breaking the tense standoff.

The soldiers parted to make way, and Qi Yan strode forward.

“Wei is in turmoil, and its borders are unguarded. If Your Highness does not believe my warning, you may take a separate ship and sail northward on the Luo River yourself to see whether this route is truly safe.”

His gaze turned sharp as ice. “Your Highness has never been to war and does not understand battle. Right now, we have only ten ships escorting the princess, with just over three hundred soldiers. In Chu’s territory, we were unchallenged, but the bandits in Wei are fierce. If we really encounter them, our guards may not be able to hold them off.”

Jing Heng’s expression darkened.

Qi Yan did not elaborate further. “Go issue the order now—have the fleet turn around.”

The crown prince’s advisor bowed. “Your Highness, the sky is darkening, and mist is rising over the river. Changing course now may cause the ships to collide. It would be safer to dock for the night and set off again at dawn.”

Qi Yan smiled coldly. “If we dock overnight, do you think the bandits won’t seize the opportunity to raid this ship?”

Jing Heng remained silent as Qi Yan led Wei Ling and Wei Zhen back inside.

Once the door closed, Qi Yan said to Wei Zhen, “I haven’t been at the border for some time and don’t know the latest situation with Wei’s bandits. If we are attacked tonight, they will definitely target the main ship first.”

Wei Ling said, “The main ship is in the center of the fleet—there’s no way to escape.”

“Exactly. To be safe, Wei Zhen, pack your things now. I will take you to the escort ship for protection. If the worst happens, it will be easier to escape from there.”

Wei Zhen had not expected the situation to be this dire. She nodded. “I’ll pack now.”

Wei Ling gritted his teeth. “The escort team consists of the king’s personal soldiers. If they only obey the crown prince, this could be disastrous. I’ve heard that the bandits in Wei are ruthless—otherwise, they wouldn’t have been causing chaos at the border for so many years.”

Wei Zhen opened her cabinet, but there was little to take with her. The only important item was a jade pendant left by her birth parents.

Qi Yan fetched his white horse. The three of them avoided Jing Heng and descended into the lower deck, where a gangway connected to another escort ship.

Onboard, Wei Zhen went to the main cabin to rest, but after half an hour, loud cries rang out.

“Protect His Highness! Bandits!”

Wei Zhen rushed to the deck and saw silhouettes emerging from the mist—dozens of boats approaching.

Arrows whizzed from the darkness, striking soldiers who fell into the water.

The bandits, well-trained from years of raiding, quickly boarded the escort ships.

“The leader said—raid the main ship!”

Flames spread rapidly as the main ship lit up with torches.

On their vessel, Wei Ling had gone below deck, directing the crew to row toward the shore.

To the west lay Wei, to the east lay Jin’s border. If they reached the eastern shore, they might evade most of the enemy forces.

The surrounding ships were ablaze.

Qi Yan grasped Wei Zhen’s hand. “Can you swim?”

Wei Zhen nodded.

“They are lying in wait with a well-planned ambush. Our soldiers are no match for them. If we stay here, we’ll be sitting ducks. We are already very close to the shore—when I give the signal, we’ll jump into the water and swim toward land.”

Wei Zhen asked, “What about A-Ling?”

Heat surged around them, and sparks flew. The young man’s eyes burned even brighter than the fire. “I already instructed him—if the bandits attack, he must abandon ship. Just now, I sent out a signal. Qi family’s soldiers will see it and come immediately.”

Wei Zhen’s heart pounded. Her long hair fluttered wildly in the wind as he grasped her hand, his warmth seeping into her skin.

“We’ll jump together. Once we reach the shore, Xing Ye Ju will take us away from here.”

The white horse seemed to understand human speech. It nuzzled Qi Yan’s cheek and gazed at Wei Zhen with its moist, dark eyes.

With the situation around them pressing in from all sides, they could no longer delay. He pulled her toward the other side of the deck, their fingers tightly interlocked, their robes billowing in the wind.

Just as the bandits stormed the deck, with a resounding “plop,” two figures leaped off the ship and plunged into the water.

The sounds of wind and battle vanished the instant they hit the water, leaving the world beneath the surface in complete silence.

Wei Zhen’s long hair fanned out in the water, and in the darkness before her eyes, there was only endless emptiness.

She struggled to extend her arms and swim upward.

But the water closed in from all directions, like an invisible hand pressing her down relentlessly.

“Bloop, bloop—” Bubbles escaped from her lips.

The dark river water was like an invisible cage tightening around her, squeezing out the last bit of air from her lungs.

Wei Zhen was running out of air. Just as she felt her strength fading, her wrist was suddenly grasped, and she was pulled into an embrace.

“Cough, cough!” The river swayed, and the two surfaced. Wei Zhen leaned against Qi Yan’s shoulder, gasping for breath.

He pointed toward the shore, signaling her to swim there. Wei Zhen nodded firmly.

The summer night’s heat made the wind feel scorching, and the river wasn’t too cold. Clutching his hand tightly, she swam forward with him. Xing Ye Ju followed them, paddling through the water, staying protectively close to Wei Zhen.

Just as they were about to reach the shore, she vaguely heard the sound of splashing behind them.

Wei Zhen turned her head and saw some bandits who had fallen into the river during the battle. Some struggled to climb back onto their boats, while others swam toward the shore.

Among them, one caught sight of Wei Zhen and the snow-white horse beside her, immediately shouting, “Quick! Brothers, there’s a fine horse here!”

Qi Yan had also noticed them. He turned to her and said, “You go ashore first.”

He let go of Wei Zhen’s hand. She saw him unfasten the sword from the saddle and stride toward the approaching bandits.

They were already very close to the shore. Staying behind would only burden him, so she mustered all her strength and swam forward.

She crawled onto the riverbank, coughing as water dripped from her hair.

Exhausted, she was almost pushed onto land by the horse’s nudging. Struggling to her feet, she leaned against a tree trunk to rest while keeping her gaze fixed on the river.

The river was too dark, with no lights in sight. She could only vaguely make out a tall, slender figure.

More and more bandits swam toward the shore. Qi Yan fought against them alone, striking down one after another, slashing his way toward land.

Wei Zhen’s attention was entirely on Qi Yan, unaware that someone had crept up behind her.

“It’s a woman!”

Just as the bandit lunged at her, she thrust the sharp hairpin in her hand into his throat.

Blood splattered. The corpse collapsed in front of her, rolling over to reveal bulging, lifeless eyes, still staring at her in death.

Suppressing the horror in her chest, Wei Zhen kicked the body away, but the effort drained the last of her strength.

Then, another man emerged from the water. Seeing Wei Zhen and the horse, his eyes gleamed with greed.

Wei Zhen’s hand reached for the jagged rocks beside her.

The man drew a dagger from his waist and crouched toward her, muttering crude words about taking her back to the bandits’ camp.

A shadow loomed behind him—Qi Yan had silently come ashore.

Grabbing the man’s collar, Qi Yan yanked him backward and smashed his head against a nearby tree trunk with brutal force.

It all happened in an instant, too fast for anyone to react.

Dark blood trickled down the rough bark.

Qi Yan’s expression was cold as he pulled out his dagger and drove it into the back of the man’s neck.

The silver blade glinted against his sharp, icy features. The dagger pierced through the man’s throat with a crack like splintering wood, sinking in deep.

Blood sprayed everywhere—staining his robe, covering his long, elegant fingers, and even splashing onto his jade-white face.

The man was pinned to the tree, his feet dangling off the ground, never touching it again.

Qi Yan’s face was flecked with blood. Though he was covered in filth, disheveled and battle-worn, he looked even more strikingly handsome.

More soldiers fell into the water, swimming toward the shore. Qi Yan pulled Wei Zhen up and said, “We have to go!”

The next moment, he had already lifted her onto the horse.

The wind roared past as the steed galloped, kicking up dust. The scent of blood hung thick in the air as pursuers chased after them.

True to its name, Xing Ye Ju dashed through the dense forest as if it were open plains, swift and unhindered.

The bandits, realizing they couldn’t catch up, gave up the chase and turned back to plunder the ships instead.

Under the starlit sky, the steed raced through the woods, as fast as the wind itself.

Only when the sounds of the bandits faded did Wei Zhen dare to speak. “Qi Yan, are you hurt?”

The man behind her replied, “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

They crossed a mountain ridge, confirming that no one was following them.

With Qi Yan’s help, Wei Zhen slowly dismounted and walked to a small stream to wash off the grime.

She couldn’t see in the darkness, but she could feel the cool moonlight shining on her as she asked, “Where are we now?”

“The border of Jin.”

Qi Yan crouched by a tree, carefully examining the tracks on the ground under the sparse moonlight filtering through the leaves.

Years of leading troops in battle had sharpened his ability to navigate even in the dark.

Near the tree roots, scattered footprints were visible.

Qi Yan brushed aside the grass and followed the trail. “There are footprints here—there should be a village nearby. And if I’m not mistaken, we’re near my mother’s fiefdom.”

Wei Zhen asked, “Princess Ji Qin’s fief?”

Qi Yan returned to her side. “After my mother married my father, my grandfather granted her the lands of Luo Shui Xia Yi, on the border of Jin and Chu, to facilitate her travels between the two states.”

Xing Ye Ju nudged Wei Zhen’s neck affectionately, making her flustered.

Qi Yan said, “Get on the horse. We’ll stay in the village for the night and head to Xia Yi at dawn.”

Following the footprints, they walked on. The village lay deep in the mountains. By now, the night was late, and the villagers were fast asleep. Only a few lanterns along the narrow paths cast a dim yellow glow.

Qi Yan rode through the village for a long time before finding an abandoned house.

The wooden gate creaked as he pushed it open.

Wei Zhen stepped cautiously inside, listening to the distant calls of partridges in the mountains. Clutching Qi Yan’s hand tightly, she asked, “Are we there?”

Qi Yan pushed open the door, sending dust swirling down. He waved a hand to clear it away for Wei Zhen.

Though the house had been empty for a long time, it was still furnished with tables, chairs, and beds. The walls and windows were intact enough to keep out the wind and rain.

The only problem…

Qi Yan sighed.

Wei Zhen asked, “Can we stay here?”

“Of course we can stay,” he paused for a moment, then added, “but, Wei Zhen… there’s only one bed in this house.”

TL – AHHHHAHGSHDHAHDHG  I LOVE THIS 1 BED TROPE