In a hurry, with a couple of "bang" sounds, Jiang Ning knocked open the door. While instructing the servant to quickly carry in a long bench to carry Shen Zhou in, he told someone to go and fetch the doctor.
After all, if the Wuaiguo fruit was real, Doctor Ji would surely attend to Yi Yuan first.
Shen Zhou still had a faint glimmer of consciousness.
He barely managed to open his eyes a slit, but he couldn't see clearly at all.
After spending so many days in that pitch - black underground maze, if he and Sheng Yu hadn't brought food and water with them and by chance found some leftover food that seemed to be left by someone, they would probably have died underground long ago.
But it was so dark underground that they didn't dare to use the fire - torches unless it was absolutely necessary. Fortunately, they finally found the Wuaiguo fruit in a strange place they couldn't quite describe.
After finally finding a way out, there was a vast expanse of white snow outside. The bright sunlight reflecting off the snow from the place he ran out of shone directly into his eyes, stabbing them so painfully that he couldn't open them.
Shen Zhou and Sheng Yu supported each other and half - squinted their eyes to find their way back to the capital.
After who knew how many days, after settling Sheng Yu down, Shen Zhou was afraid of missing the time. He found a horse and galloped back without a moment's rest.
From afar, seeing Jiang Ning's figure, Shen Zhou thought it was Ye Xi. Afraid that the horse would startle her, he immediately dismounted and stumbled over.
"Yingying..."
Grasping tightly onto Jiang Ning's sleeve and refusing to let go, Shen Zhou's voice had long lost its former clarity. It was dry, hoarse, and he said with difficulty:
"The Wuaiguo... fruit... I... found it."
As he said, he slowly and stiffly raised his hand and groped in his bosom bit by bit. But his hands were already so frozen that he had no feeling. After feeling for a while, he finally confirmed the Ice Soul Bottle. He tried his best to control his fingertips to bend and use force to take out the trembling bottle.
"Good... good, thank you."
Responding a few times, Jiang Ning took the bottle Shen Zhou handed over, but for the moment didn't deny that he wasn't Ye Xi.
Mainly looking at Shen Zhou's state, Jiang Ning guessed that even if he announced his identity, Shen Zhou probably wouldn't listen. His condition was so bad, obviously he had suffered a great deal. So it was better to let Shen Zhou be under the misapprehension for the time being. That way, Shen Zhou would feel more at ease.
Doctor Ji had been on tenterhooks around Yi Yuan every day for these days. As soon as he noticed there was movement in the Zhihong Garden, he quickly rushed over on his own.
Just then, Hun Yuan was really worried about Yi Yuan and brought Lian Yi to check on his condition. Seeing Doctor Ji heading towards the Zhihong Garden, they followed along.
Jiang Ning briefly explained the situation and handed the Ice Soul Bottle to Doctor Ji. After a thorough check, it was confirmed to be genuine. Then Doctor Ji scurried back in a hurry to administer it to Yi Yuan.
Lian Yi saw at a glance that Shen Zhou was lying listlessly on the bed, covered with a thick quilt, and the color of the hair showing on his head was extremely strange.
Tugging at Hun Yuan, who was about to follow Doctor Ji, Lian Yi gestured:
[Master, he's stained with a really strange color. Did he go to some evil and strange place?]
Glancing at Shen Zhou, Hun Yuan said:
"That can only be known through divination."
"However, your master here doesn't intend to divine for him."
Blinking her big eyes, Lian Yi looked at Hun Yuan curiously, waiting for an explanation.
Taking a peek at Jiang Ning, who was carefully asking the doctor about Shen Zhou's condition beside them, Hun Yuan snorted and said:
"This guy is a bad person. He once almost killed your..."
Before the words "Sister Xi" could come out of his mouth, Sai Xing gasped for breath as she ran in, crying:
"No... no good..."
"Miss... huff~ huff—— Miss has been kidnapped!"
Everyone was shocked. Jiang Ning took a few quick steps forward to support Sai Xing and urgently asked:
"What's going on? How could she be kidnapped out of the blue? Weren't we supposed to be setting a trap for others?"
Sai Xing had run too fast and was gasping for breath:
"There's no time to explain so much. Master, huff—— General Yun said... they've captured some accomplices of those people in the Supreme Court. We can start from them to divine the miss's whereabouts. Take Lian Yi, quickly... quickly..."
Her words were disjointed and intermittent.
But Hun Yuan understood what she meant.
Looking at Jiang Ning and exchanging a glance, Hun Yuan said seriously:
"I'll go right now. A Ning, you and Sai Xing stay at home and take good care of Yi Yuan. Don't panic."
As he said, he looked down at Lian Yi and solemnly placed his hand on her shoulder:
"Lian Yi, let's go."
While the group outside was anxiously searching everywhere, Ye Xi slowly woke up here.
After reacting for a few moments, Ye Xi suddenly remembered that she had set a trap to catch others but ended up being the one caught.
Not knowing where she was, Ye Xi tensed her body and didn't dare to move rashly.
Carefully sensing the surrounding environment, Ye Xi felt that she seemed to be locked in a small space. There was a strong smell of wood in her nose. Her body was swaying, so she should be in a fast - moving carriage.
She listened intently again, but didn't hear any human voices, only the sound of the carriage wheels turning and the occasional chirping of birds.
Ye Xi secretly opened her eyes a slit, and in front of her was a gray - black expanse. It seemed that she was in something like a wooden box, and only a faint glimmer of light could be seen through the crack. She tentatively moved her hands and feet. There were no ropes binding her, but her whole body was limp and she had no strength at all. Not to mention running away, she probably couldn't even stand up.
Trying hard to control herself to move, Ye Xi found that she couldn't stretch out her hands and feet at all in this place. When it became too uncomfortable lying down, she could only move bit by bit to turn over.
It was really suffocating.
Just when she was in extreme pain, the carriage suddenly stopped.
A strange, honest - sounding male voice said:
"Saint Master, we'll reach Fuxing County ahead."
"Shall we find an inn to rest for a while or continue on our journey?"
There was a moment of silence. It seemed that the Saint Master was considering.
Then there was a rustling sound, as if some soft cushions and thick blankets were being taken away.
This sound came from right above Ye Xi, just separated by a single wooden board.
Slowing her breathing and relaxing her body, Ye Xi lay still, pretending to be still unconscious.
With a soft "click" sound, Ye Xi felt a flash of white in front of her eyes. It seemed that a lid had been opened.
The Saint Master took a look at Ye Xi, who showed no reaction. He took out a feather from the cloth bag on his waist and gently placed it under Ye Xi's nose. Seeing the feather swaying regularly, he seemed to feel a bit more at ease.
While fumbling in the bag to take out a small bottle, the Saint Master said:
"Forget it. It's difficult to travel on the snow - covered roads, and it's very dark at night. Shan Hou, you go and scout the situation in the county first. If it's safe, we'll stay there for one night."
His voice was old and hoarse, as if he was already quite old.
As he said, the Saint Master opened the small bottle and placed it under Ye Xi's nose again, muttering:
"If it weren't for being afraid that something might happen to her and ruin our plan, we should seize every moment to hurry on our journey at a time like this."
A strange fragrance wafted under her nose. Ye Xi instinctively held her breath.
However, she had already inhaled some of it, but there were no immediate abnormalities.
Only to hear that guy named Shan Hou reply in the affirmative and say something in his honest voice about "it's all for the greater good", then he quickly left.