Chapter 92 The City Of Warriors Part 28

Standing on the top of the hill, overlooking the small valley below, from where the group stood, they could see the top of Nanmen Temple. Liling, the two servant girls and the soldiers stood behind Lan Huan without saying a word. They watched as dust from the road began to slowly rise into the air and the ground began to shake under their feet.

Fang tightly grasped Liling's left sleeve, and asked, "What is she doing?"

"I don't know," Liling said, hiding her fear. "Let's wait and see what she does."

A big hand made of clay slowly emerged from the ground, causing the people standing behind Lan Huan to gasp and move away from Lan Huan one after another.  As soon as the earth hand burrowed back into the ground. Lan Huan continued to chant, stirring Liling's blood inside her palm with the middle finger of her right hand, and the sound of grief gradually receding from the valley below.

"Who sent you here?" Lan Huan asked suddenly.

Bao asked frighteningly, "Huan, who are you talking to?"

Lan Huan looked down at her palm, then turned around to face Liling, Bao, Fang, and the other soldiers. "It's safe to continue traveling now," she said, feeling unsteady.

Liling asked, "What did you do just now?"

Lan Huan said, "I just... get rid of those who want to hurt you."

Liling said, "Huan, please explain yourself."

Lan Huan looked at the soldiers behind her and then at Liling.

Liling said to the soldiers, " Go and rest, we will continue later." When the soldiers retreated, Liling looked at Lan Huan again. "Now, can you tell me what just happened?"

Lan Huan said, "Does Your Highness know why we are called untouchable people?"

Liling shook her head.

Fang said, "Because you can curse people and kill people?"

Lan Huan said, "That's what you were told."

Bao asked, "So, you can't curse people?"

Lan Huan shook her head. "We untouchable being are cursed to see only the ugliest desires of humanity." She chuckled. "Do you know why our master often causes us pain?"

Liling said, "No..."

Lan Huan said, "Because they know in their hearts that the only thing, they can do is to bring us pain. When they want to sexually arouse, they will bring us pain to help them sexually arouse."

Fang asked, "What do you mean?"

Lan Huan said, "The untouchables must maintain their virginity. Once violated, their curse will be broken. This is the real reason why they label us untouchables, because they want to continue to use us for profit."

Bao asked sadly, "Like what?"

Lan Huan said, "Such as killing, stealing, or anything their heart desires."

Liling said, "If you can do this, why would your master hurt you?"

Lan Huan laughed and said, "If the boss tells me to do something, it doesn't mean I have the same desire in my heart.  I might be sold to them, but they are not my master." She sighed. "So, I often give them the wrong information, share with them inaccurate visions, and I'm often beaten for it."

Fang asked, "Then why do you conclude that there are assassins on the other side of the mountain?"

Lan Huan said, "Because my vision is as clear as my eyes can see, I can hear the sound of raindrops, I can smell the blood in the rain, and I can taste the fear in the three of you."

Both Bao and Fang's lips were trembling. "Did you watch us die?" Bao asked.

Lan Huan nodded. " I saw you all died," Lan Huan said, looking at Liling and her servants. "But..." She stared at Liling. "But I don't want you to die. Of all my bosses, you are the best..."

Liling smiled at Lan Huan and said, "Thank you..."

Light rain began to fall in the sky. The lead soldier stepped forward and said, "Imperial Princess Consort, please get back in the carriage, we are going back to the palace."

Liling said, "I'm going to Nanmen Temple."

The lead soldier said, "Imperial Princess Consort, please forgive me, I think we should go back to the palace to discuss with the Crown Prince first."

Liling looked at the leading soldier and asked, "What do you want to report?"

The lead soldier didn't respond.

Liling asked, " Do you want to report what Huan did that you saw?"

The lead soldier said, "Your Highness, His Highness ordered me to report everything to him."

Liling said, " I'm sorry, I shouldn't be strict with you, don't worry. When we arrive at Nanmen Temple, you can send someone back to report to His Highness, but it's not the time yet."

The lead soldier hesitated, "But..."

Liling said, "If His Highness wants to find someone to take the blame... I will, so you don't have to worry."

The lead soldier knew that he could not disobey Liling's request, so he chose to bow and said, "Then let's get ready and rush to our destination before the rain gets heavier."

Liling smiled and said, "Thank you." Liling looked at Lan Huan. "You said it was going to rain just now, but now it's raining, let's go back to the carriage."

The large carriage drawn by four horses rolled slowly down the hill and into the valley. As the leading four soldiers approached the narrow path, they saw twenty men in black impaled by vines hanging from the trees.

The carriage stopped suddenly, and Lan Huan said, "Don't look out the window. What you see is unpleasant."

Bao raised the curtain and poked her head out. "Why are we stopping?" she yelled, then shrank back into the carriage with a sudden shriek.

Fang asked, "What did you see?"

Bao's lips trembled. "Dead people hanging from the trees," she cried, covering her face with her hands.

Lan Huan said, "They haven't died yet, but they will die soon."

Liling asked, "What do you mean?"

Lan Huan said, "These people are here to want to hurt you."

After careful inspection, the twenty men hanging from the tree were seriously injured and on the verge of death.  Countless vines protruded from the ground, piercing the twenty men. The men hang from the trees like puppets hang from the street.

The lead soldier said, "This place is not safe...we must inform Her Highness to leave here immediately."

A soldier asked, "Should we go back to the palace or continue to Nanmen Temple."

The lead soldier sighed with a heavy heart, and said, "Her Highness will not return to the palace without a visit to Nanmen Temple. Let's continue but be extra careful."

The three soldiers said, "Yes, sir."

The lead soldier walked back to the carriage and said from outside the carriage, "Your Highness, reports."

Liling asked, "What's wrong?"

The Lead soldier said, "We found twenty men hanging from tree branches, and they were on the verge of death. I suggest we go back to the capital."

Liling said, "Nanmen Temple is right in front of my eyes; therefore, I will not return to the capital empty-handed. Let's continue."

The lead soldier asked, "Those twenty people hanging on the tree branches, should we save them or not?"

Lan Huan interrupted suddenly, "Don't save them. They are here to kill us." She quickly knelt in front of Liling. "This slave speaks for Her Highness.  Please forgive this slave."

Liling sighed and said, "What do you think we should do?" 

Lan Huan lifted her head up and asked, "Your Highness is seeking my opinion?"

Liling smiled and said, "Yes, what do you suggest we should do?"

Lan Huan said, "Since they came to kill us, someone should go back and report the matter to His Highness. Only His Highness has the right to interrogate these assassins. I tried to ask them, but they would rather die than answer my question."

Bao looked at Lan Huan strangely and asked, "When did you ask them? I didn't see you talking to them at all."

Fang said, "Exactly."

Lan Huan said, "I asked them when those vines were going to pierce into their bodies, but they refused to say who is their master."

Liling said, "Just do what Huan said."

The lead soldier said, "Yes, Your Highness."

The carriage rolled again, and Liling looked at Lan Huan who was still sitting on the floor of the carriage. She said, "Huan, you don't have to sit on the floor anymore, I don't blame you for speaking for me." She smiled and felt embarrassed again. "As you probably already know, I'm a person with a few words.  I'm afraid to argue with people because I know I'll never win any arguments. Also, I don't think I'll live long, so I don't want to have anything to do with anyone. Grudge or hate. I'm using my time wisely and collecting as much merit as I can before the last day. Maybe... just maybe, if I'm born again, I'll live long enough to see my grandchildren." She Laughed. "Maybe I can still grow old with Jianjun."

Lan Huan looked up at Liling and asked, "If anything needs to happen, it must happen while you are still alive and breathing. Who can guarantee that we will still exist in the next life."

Bao said with tears, "Your Highness, you will live long enough for all of that to come true."

Liling sighed and said, "All deaths are sudden. No matter how prepared we are, tears will still flow." She opened the curtains and saw the dense forest. She closed her eyes and listened to the echo of the birds' chirping. "The darker the night, the brighter the stars. The greater the love, the deeper the sorrow."