When the carriage plunged into the river, Pei Yao shielded Fang Yun, getting cut by something sharp.
Ignoring his injury, Pei Yao pushed Fang Yun out of the carriage, then quickly followed, pulling her to the surface.
Once above water, they saw others who had fallen in, including Hu Liangdi. Fang Yun signaled Pei Yao to rescue her while she swam to shore. But as Pei Yao hesitated, a guard swam towards Hu Liangdi.
Focused on Fang Yun, Pei Yao led her to the surface.
Gasping for air, they both coughed violently, their lungs burning from the swallowed water.
The river's strong current had carried them far from the bridge.
Seeing them, people on the bank shouted and pointed, but the couple had to swim to shore themselves.
Exhausted, they collapsed on the sand.
Pei Yao's waist wound had soaked his clothes in blood. Fang Yun wiped her face and checked on him.
He pushed her away, "I'm fine. Cough... How are you? The baby... any pain?"
Half-dazed, Pei Yao struggled to speak.
Fang Yun shook her head, "I'm fine. Your wound is bleeding heavily. We need to stop it."
"It's just a scratch," Pei Yao sat up, "I'll rest a bit. Help will come soon."
Relieved, Fang Yun nodded. They helped each other to a nearby tree to wait.
Suddenly, four men dressed as guards approached.
Fang Yun, thinking they were rescuers, was about to call out when Pei Yao gripped her wrist.
"Don't. Something's off about them," he whispered, guiding her into the woods.
As they retreated, the men drew swords and charged.
"Run!" Pei Yao ordered.
Fang Yun's instincts kicked in, and she fled with him into the forest.
A runaway horse, a river plunge, and now this—everything happened too fast for thought. Survival was paramount.
But with Pei Yao injured and Fang Yun pregnant, they couldn't outrun the five assassins for long.
The forest provided temporary cover, but two men quickly caught up.
Pei Yao pulled Fang Yun behind him, grabbed a silver hairpin from her hair, and used it as a weapon.
To Fang Yun's shock, Pei Yao fought with skill, using the hairpin to kill one man, then taking his sword to finish another.
Pei Yao grabbed Fang Yun with one hand, holding his bloodied sword with the other, and continued running into the forest.
Two men pursued them closely, and Fang Yun felt herself slowing down. She was pregnant, exhausted from the intense escape, and the strain was becoming unbearable, causing her abdomen to ache.
Sensing they couldn't keep running, Pei Yao stopped abruptly in a sparser area, pushed Fang Yun aside, and faced the attackers.
It was a life-or-death situation. Better to fight for a chance of survival than to be exhausted and caught.
Pei Yao's skills, fueled by desperation, allowed him to fight off two men despite his injury. He killed one and drove his sword into the chest of the other, then collapsed, breathing heavily.
Fang Yun moved to help but saw the first man struggling to rise. Without hesitation, she kicked him in the head, picked up his fallen sword, and plunged it into his chest.
The man, surprised by her strength, died with disbelief in his eyes.
Fang Yun, overwhelmed by taking a life, collapsed, trembling and silent.
Pei Yao turned to see her pale and gasping, tears streaming down her face.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here. It's over," he comforted, holding her as she cried.
Knowing they couldn't stay, Pei Yao urged her to keep moving.
Meanwhile, at the riverbank, King Ming led the search for Pei Yao and Fang Yun. Unable to find them, he reported back to Emperor Chengjing.
"Father, I failed to find the Crown Prince and Fang Liangdi. They might have perished."
"Impossible!" Hong Zheng cried, kneeling before Emperor Chengjing.
"Your Majesty, I saw them resurface. They are skilled swimmers and might have been rescued by nearby villagers. Please send more people to search!"
"King Ming led the search. Isn't that enough? You must accept the reality," Empress Li said, feigning sorrow.
Just then, Chancellor Lu and the injured Crown Princess arrived.
Chancellor Lu, eyes cold, addressed Emperor Chengjing.
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is the late Emperor's sole heir and the acknowledged successor. If he's gone, we must find his body. Without confirmation, how can you face the late Emperor or the people? Simply concluding this matter will not silence the public."
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The Beloved Concubine of the Eastern Palace (book 2)
RomanceAuthor: Huatang Xiuge Translator: Me (Xiaobai) 东宫掌娇 Upon entering the Eastern Palace, Fang Yun lived cautiously, burdened by the label of a substitute bride and daughter of a traitor. She knew well that, as a daughter of low birth, she had been cas...
