Chapter 4

After an hour of debating this and that, they decided to capture the Empress' brother, The General Zhao FengSheng.

The emperial guards immediately set off to the frontlines but the person they we're looking for was nowhere insight thus with no avail came back to the palace and reported.

This disappearance caused the said intel to be true in other people's eyes but the general being missing in action was a trouble for Li Shun. What if he reunited with his sister and let her escape? Doesn't that mean that she would be expose?

Weighing the pros and cons, Li Shun pretended to be very tired from all the commotion and excused herself from the crowd. Seeing her stressed face, the people casted her a symphatizing look and let her leave.

When Li Shun nearly reached her room, she took a u-turn silently and headed to the underground dungeon with two guards on her side.

Li Shun entered the dark and cold dungeon. Without further a do she hasten her steps and arrived at LuXuan's cell.

She looked down at the pitiful former empress lying in the cold floor while hugging her child. Confirming that she was still there and there was no signs of FengSheng, she left and warned her personal subordinates to be more alert.

"The problem now was that slippery general. Grr."

About 10 minutes after Li Shun left, the guards guarding the dungeon all collapsed one by one. Two silhouettes stealthily move inside, making sure no one would see them.

"LuXuan...LuXuan...", a soft and manly voice called in a low volume.

LuXuan woke up and find his brother outside her cell and hope lighted in her heart as her eyes began to swell up, " Brother."

FengSheng forcedly opened the cell and hugged his sister, "It's all gonna be okay. Brother already know what happened. First we need to get you out of here."

LuXuan stood up, holding her child in her arms, but she staggered and almost fell. Good thing that FengSheng caught her, and prevented the baby from falling.

After helping LuXuan to stand up, he called the other person who was with him to help carry to young child, "Xiao Ling, please carry my little nephew."

The other person named Xiao Ling extended her arms and carried the asleep child as they walk out of the dungeon.

FengSheng supported LuXuan as they walk while also putting his guard up for any possible threat, "I heard Xiao Ling is your close servant."

LuXuan, "Yes, she is already like a sister to me."

FengSheng, "She's the one who warned me about everything."

LuXuan, "A-ling, how did you know? Li Shun—she already planned everything, ba."

Xiao Ling who was closely following behind them spoke, " Earlier when His Highness was brought to his chamber, I, as a servant, prepared the things that His Highness and Her Majesty might need. But before I could go back, I saw that wretch Li Shun with a bunch of bulky guards, so I quietly got to the backyard and listened to what was happening inside. Naturally I wanted to rush in and protect you, My Lady, but things might be more chaotic if I jump in, so after I heard that she was sparing Your Lady's and Young master's life I was at eased and decided to warn General Zhao."

LuXuan, "It's nice that you have a good sight of the situation but you could have been discovered."

Xiao Ling, "I know that you're worried about me, but you should worry about yourself first."

LuXuan curtly nodded. Nearing the exit, FengSheng gestured them to keep quite. After confirming that there's no one around they snuck out of the palace through a secret pannel known by the servants.

After getting out of the secret pannel, they were immediately surrounded by a group of soldiers. So the three of them stopped their tracks.

"You really thought you could escape me?", Li shun's voice resounded from behind then she slowly strood to meet the three in the middle.

LuXuan, Xiao Ling and FengSheng kept quite, so she continued with a ridiculing voice, " This secret pannel, of course I also have knowledge of it. I know that you'll use this to escape so I prepared beforehand. In this 5 years, I already planned everything, I have eyes observing anywhere. You— should have thought of that before you moved. Is this what they called that when you're in distress, your brain stops to work?"

Fengshend laughed mockingly while ruffling his hair, "Seems like you already took countermeasures to everything, is that right?"

" What are you laughing about? Don't understand your current situation? Did you really lose your mind?", Li shun replied with a rised brow.

FengSheng, "They said that a good soldier should know how to retreat in a losing battle, don't you agree?"

Li shun, "...."

"Alright we surrender.", FengSheng said as he hold his both hand above his hand while LuXuan and Xiao Ling are hiding behind him.

Li Shun gestured the soldiers and escorted them back, as they walk slowly FengSheng suddenly attack the soldier beside him and steal his sword. Everything became chaotic afterwards with swords clashing here and there, the siblings fighting side by side as Xiao Ling held the crying little bundle tightly.

LuXuan, even though a refined young woman in appearance naturally knows how to fight. As a youngster who was born under the grand general's household, she eventually got to spar with many talented warriors.

The enemy gradually decreased in number and the only left were the soldiers who was protecting Li Shun.

"It looks like you've underestimated us? Have you forgotten? I am still a general who witnessed bloodshed in the frontlines, while are still a pampered princess hiding inside the palace.", FengSheng said while pointing his sword at the concubine.

Because of this, Li Shun lost her temper, " What are you all waiting for? Kill them!"

The remaining soldiers rushed towards FengSheng. While they are busy fighting Li Shun pulled a crossbow from a servant and aimed at LuXuan but she suddenly shifted her aim to the little child.

LuXuan saw her and shouted at Xiao Ling. LuXuan was in a hurry, ran towards them and covered the two.

She spat blood in an instant, as she felt her knees wobble and slide down.

Xiao Ling stared at her in horror, she was frozen for a little while then shouted, "M—my Lady!!", she knelt down to LuXuan's side, not knowing what to do.

FengSheng heard Xiao Ling's cry and glanced at them. He saw an arrow stabbing behind his sister's back then glanced at Li Shun who was holding a crossbow with a mischivious smile.

FengSheng's vision darken as his eyes became bloodshot. He took heavy steps towards the concubine. Li Shun tried to shot him but before the arrow could pierce to him, his sword already split it in two.

Li Shun staggered back bit by bit. FengSheng held his sword high, about to slash the concubine, but before he could, an arrow pierced his shoulder, making him sober once again.

FengSheng saw that the reinforments came, and they'll definitely die if they couldn't escape. But he really wanted to kill Li Shun first.

" General Zhao, we need to go! LuXuan needs to be treated!", Xiao Ling shouted behind him.

He looked back and hesitated, he turned to look at Li Shun but the witch already staggered away to meet the other soldiers. He don't have any choices but to wait a little longer until he could go back and take revenge.

He hurriedly ran over, broke the tail of the arrow and carried LuXuan in his back then ran as fast as they could until they cast off the pursuers.

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After a long journey, they stopped at a remote cave in the midst of a thick forest.

They went inside while FengSheng gently laid his sister down. LuXuan was already in a bad state, her breaths are becoming more shallower in each minute that passes.

FengSheng worriedly said, "A-xuan, hang in there, okay? You'll be fine."

LuXuan just smiled in response and glanced over Xiao Ling. Xiao Ling got the message and handed over the little boy.

"Xiao Ling, stay with them for a moment. I'll look for some herbs outside.", FengSheng said as he stood up and left while Xiao Ling sat beside her Lady.

LuXuan gently held her child then kissed his chubby cheeks, while showering the little bundle with affection, he eventually giggled and calmed down, but seeing this, LuXuan wept silently, smiling with regret.

She felt regret towards the things that she'll miss as her little baby grows. Although she already got to hear her baby said his first words and saw him walk, she still wants to witness his first love and so many others. She regrets that she will not be by his side, guiding him as he discovers the world. Also add the fact that her son haven't made a single word besides crying since yesterday. It may be due to trauma after witnessing such scenes.

LuXuan is in a bad state both physically and emotionally, but Xiao Ling is not any good either. The maidservant was also crying her eyes out on the side.

She returned the little baby to Xiao Ling.Xiao Ling wiped her face and said in between her sobs, " My Lady, you'll be fine. I—I know you will. Y—you're a strong woman."

LuXuan, "I—", before she could reply, she cough out a lot of blood, plattering it in the cave's floor in front of her and also staining her clothes. Xiao Ling looked at her with horror and extended her free hand to help LuXuan but LuXuan just squizzed Xiao Ling's hand as if assuring her that she's fine.

LuXuan closed her eyes and rested, while Xiao Ling was worried and would check LuXuan's breathing from time to time.

A few minutes later FengSheng came back with a bunch of herbs, fruits and twigs.

Fengsheng made a bonfire and tended LuXuan's wound, but the herbs are not that effective because it could only clot the blood to stop it from bleeding, in short, the herbs is only good for shallow wound while the arrow that shot LuXuan penetrated deep inside damaging her lung.

After wrapping LuXuan's wound, he sat down infront of the fire as he threw some more twigs to it.

FengSheng, " I saw a some houses in a distance, we could go there and ask for help tomorrow, for now we should stay and rest for the night."

Hearing this, Xiao Ling's eyes brightened up because finally they could save the Lady. LuXuan just nodded weakly.

—*—*—*—*—*—*—*—*—

Meanwhile, as they slept deeply, it snowed for the whole night. No one noticed the cold weather because of too much fatigue.

Xiao Ling was the first one to wake up, she looked around and saw that the other three people are still sleeping so she got up and went outside just to see that everything is white.

She went inside once again and woke the others up. She first went to FengSheng, after waking him up, she went to LuXuan. However, after a long time, LuXuan haven't shown any sign of waking.

Xiao Ling turned to FengSheng who was also watching them,

"G—general, the Lady."

Fengsheng immediately squatted down and checked his sister's pulse. Seconds later he heaved a deep sigh, "She got high fever, we need to get her to that little town as soon as possible"

Xiao Ling also sighed, thank goodness the lady is alive!

FengSheng carried LuXuan on his back then asked Xiao Ling to drape his robe on LuXuan so she would not get cold. Xiao Ling carried the little baby and they rushed outside.

However, while they we're in the middle of running a faint voice stopped them, "Stop, don't move too much, it hurts."

Fengsheng slowed down while Xiao Ling also followed behind slowly, fengsheng looked over to LuXuan, "But we need to go to the village they can save you."

LuXuan, "It's okay, I don't want to feel pain anymore. Let's just walk and enjoy this scenery, hm?"

Fengsheng, "But—."

LuXuan cut him off before he could reason, "Just keep quite and let me speak."

FengSheng nodded and walked slowly.

LuXuan started, "Gege, do you also think that my life is very fulfilling? Because I think it really was. I enjoyed it so much, all the happiness, the sadness, the helplessness, and the hopefullness. My life is full of surprises, full of ups and downs. It's fulfilling but I don't wanna feel more pain, I wanna rest, I want to be free from the clutches of fate, or maybe this is also my fate. It's unexpectedly short but I got to spend it with my loved ones. I was able to spend it with mom, dad, you, Yijun, Xiao Ling and even my little Bai."

Fengsheng had a bad premonition in his heart but he kept silent, "..."

LuXuan smiled, "If I die today, I will gladly accept it, I'll join with my lover and protect our child from above. I'll also be able to see Father and Mother again, maybe I'll also meet Emperial Father (Yijun's biological dad)."

After Xiao Ling heard this, she once again can't control her tears, crying without any sound.

LuXuan, "Please take care of my little child, please give him happiness in my place."

Even though LuXuan already given out on her life, FengSheng still kept hoping that she would continue to live. He fasten his steps, believing that he could make it.

LuXuan, "It's regrettable that I couldn't see the peach blossoms for the last time. Those blossoms are YiJun and I's favorite. They would always remind me when YiJun proposed to me under that tree, saying that although we are engaged since a long time ago, he still wants to personally propose.", she paused a little and sighed, " The peach blossoms also somehow reminds me of my life, it's beatiful, but it's fleeting."

She suddenly got quite, just observing her breaths, as her eyelids started to feel heavier and heavier until she finally closed them. The long upper and lower lashes met and made a faint shadow underneath. Then a tear trickled down her pale cheek.

She smiled for the last time.

Xiao Ling stared at LuXuan's back earlier when she stopped talking but as time passed she noticed something that made her to cover her mouth and fell behind even more.

LuXuan's arms that was originally holding on FengSheng's shoulder, little by little, drooped down. Losing all their strength and finally falling on the sides.

FengSheng noticed this as well but he was still indenial and couldn't accept the fact, so he just smiled bitterly and looked over to Xiao Ling who couldn't control her sobs, "X-xiao Ling, don't be too noisy, Your Lady is sleeping."

Hearing this Xiao Ling stopped. She couldn't take a step anymore, she felt that she'll fall if she walk. She hugged the little boy who was still sleeping and deprived of the knowledge to know what was going on.

Fengsheng, on the other hand, continued to walk slowly, he also somehow started to cry. Tears are falling down one by one but he was still smiling a bitter smile.

"LuXuan, you need to excuse Xiao Ling, she's a little noisy and disturbed your sleep....", FengSheng wanted to add more but his voice started to tremble and all the deceiving words he wanted to tell his self got stuck on his throat.

............

The male lead will appear in the next chapter!!!

Who's excited?..... I am !!

Author's note: You can also go and read at G O O D N O V E L & W A T T P A D!