Blockage

Scrambling up to my level, Lu Qing Yu covered my head with the hood of my cloak, then held together my gloved, and now very wet hands.

"Are you sure we should continue to climb?"

I started to doubt myself. Then I visualised snow sliding off of the roof of the heavily tilted palanquin, obstructing the bearers doing the heavy lifting at the back.

I then visualised any one of the palanquin bearers slipping on the snow, sending all of us plunging to our doom in the ravine.

"I feel much better with my hands and feet on the ground." I said weakly.

Focus, Ling Yue. What was the rule of thumb in rock climbing? 3 points of contact on the ground at any time. 3 points of...

Oh no.

"What should we do about this?"

In the middle of the narrow path, a tree lay lopsidedly, branches splintering into the way.

The issue wasn't the tree. It was that the path was now practically a dead end, since the tree blocked the path, unless one wanted to squeeze through the remaining path that was barely wide enough for one person to pass.

I really didn't feel confident about hanging off a tree with empty air at my back.

"Your Highness, Noble Concubine, let me go ahead first." Gu Yin said.

I pressed my back to the rock as I made way for him to pass.

Gu Yin first tried shifting the tree. After a feel, he pronounced the tree unmovable, at least by the number of people who might be able to squeeze into this space.

With a grunt, he climbed onto the tree, then looked back in dismay.

"We can't go this way. Just take a look."

Lu Qing Yu and I peered into the place he was describing.

The impact of the fall had smashed much of the tree's infrastructure into pieces, and other than the trunk and a few large branches we could climb on, the rest of the tree was a stew of splintered branches and leaves.

We wouldn't know where to step before falling through the branches and leaves onto the original path.

"Is there no way?" Lu Qing Yu asked.

We had already traveled hours here, and if we couldn't reach the temple, it was unlikely anyone going down in the future, including the Empress Dowager would be able to come down either.

Gu Yin set his rucksack on the ground before fishing out a thick line of rope with a very large hook at the end.

He threw the rope out to spread it to its full length, then set about knotting it at intervals.

He then climbed someway onto the tree, then fastened the hook onto the sturdiest part possible, tying a length of the rope around the branch several times as well for good measure.

Then he tied the other end of the rope around his waist, put his rucksack back on, and inched toward the edge of the crevice.

I watched him nervously, hoping he wouldn't fall. It was apparent what he was doing was a safety precaution.

The tree was very difficult to move, so it could certainly support the weight of one person. In the event any of us slipped, we would be held up by the tree, and we could also hold onto the rope for assurance.

A long time later, Gu Yin called from the other side of the tree. "I'm alright!"

The convoy cheered.

"I'm throwing the rope over now, fasten it around your waist securely."

A piece of rope with a large loop at the end came sailing over the trunk, which fortunately hadn't obstructed more than a few metres of the path, and landed haphazardly on the side of the trunk.

5 guards had passed the tree, and the rope had sailed over all 5 times.

Lu Qing Yu looked at me, conflicted as to whether he should go before or after me. Neither was particularly useful, since I would be hanging onto the side of the tree myself, and he wouldn't be able to reach me.

He settled for climbing atop the tree, beside the hook, and holding onto the rope.

Gingerly, I took my first few steps.

My gloves had been replaced, and I now wore 2 layers to protect my hands from splinters. I held onto the slippery, rough bark as I pressed my belly to the narrow path.

I didn't care if I looked ridiculous. Lowering my center of gravity was just about the only tip I had with me.

I wasn't large by this era's standards, but the very long and heavy skirt didn't help in the least, and half of my skirt was already dangling off the path, a deadweight.

One hand on the path, sweeping snow off now and then, and one hand grabbing the tree, I inched forward painfully. I wasn't able to get a foothold due to my skirt, and I wasn't about to stand up. I didn't trust myself like that.

I rolled up my skirt with some difficulty.