Chapter 25: Pursuit in the Dark

The crisp night air hung heavy with tension as Bai Yue and Weishan moved swiftly through the estate's side corridors, their steps light and calculated. The second mistress's men were already searching for the missing envoy, and if they found him first, Bai Yue knew the outcome would be disastrous.

"We have to move quickly," Bai Yue whispered, glancing at Weishan, who remained eerily composed despite the urgency in the air. "If he's smart, he'll try to slip out through the eastern servants' gate."

Weishan nodded, his gaze scanning the shadows ahead. "Agreed. But if he's desperate, he might take a more dangerous route."

Bai Yue swallowed hard. The Bai estate's perimeter was heavily guarded, but there were hidden paths—ones she had learned over the years while trying to avoid the prying eyes of the household. If the envoy was indeed trying to escape, he would take the shortest but riskiest path: through the abandoned southern gardens.

"Follow me," Bai Yue whispered, grabbing Weishan's sleeve as she led him down a narrow corridor toward a hidden passageway that cut through the back of the estate.

Weishan allowed himself to be pulled along, his usual teasing demeanor replaced by a rare seriousness. "You're too familiar with these hidden paths, Bai Yue," he murmured, his voice barely audible.

She shot him a sidelong glance. "When you grow up unwanted in a place like this, you learn to disappear."

Weishan's expression darkened at her words, but he said nothing as they slipped through a concealed door and into the overgrown southern gardens.

The gardens, once filled with vibrant peonies and delicate orchids, were now a tangled mess of weeds and forgotten stone pathways. Bai Yue moved carefully, her ears straining for any sound beyond the rustling of the wind through the leaves.

"There," Weishan murmured, his sharp gaze locking onto a faint movement near one of the crumbling pavilions.

Bai Yue's heart leaped as she caught sight of a shadowed figure darting between the columns. She didn't hesitate, picking up her pace. "Wait!" she called softly. "I know you're trying to leave, but you won't make it out alone."

The figure froze for a brief moment before turning sharply. Moonlight fell over his face, revealing a man in his mid-thirties, his features drawn and pale, his breathing labored. Bai Yue's eyes narrowed—there was something unmistakably sickly about him.

"You…" the envoy wheezed, eyes darting between her and Weishan. "You're with the Bai family."

Bai Yue shook her head. "No, I'm not with them. I just want to help."

The man staggered back, his eyes filled with distrust. "Help? You don't understand. If I stay, I'll die."

Weishan took a step forward, his voice calm but firm. "You're already dying," he said bluntly. "Whatever the second mistress has been giving you, it's poisoning you slowly. If you run now, you won't get far."

The envoy's eyes widened in fear, his knees buckling slightly. "She… she promised me safety. But instead, I've been growing weaker with each passing day."

Bai Yue stepped closer, carefully observing him. His symptoms—paleness, difficulty breathing, slight tremors—pointed to a slow-acting poison, something that could be masked as illness. "I can treat you," she said softly. "But you need to trust me."

The envoy hesitated, his gaze flickering toward the estate walls. "If they catch me…"

"They won't," Weishan said, stepping into his space, his presence commanding. "But if you run into their hands again, you won't leave the estate alive."

The envoy swallowed hard, and for a moment, Bai Yue thought he might resist. But then he nodded, sagging in defeat. "Fine. Help me, and I'll tell you everything I know."

Bai Yue exchanged a glance with Weishan. This was their chance to learn the truth.

"Let's go," Weishan said, placing a firm hand on the envoy's shoulder to steady him.

Just as they turned to leave, a sharp voice rang out.

"Going somewhere?"

Bai Yue's blood ran cold as she turned to see Bai Rong standing a few feet away, a smirk playing on her lips and several guards flanking her.

"I knew you were up to something, cousin," Bai Rong said sweetly, though her eyes gleamed with malice. "And here I thought you'd finally learned your place."

Weishan stepped in front of Bai Yue instinctively, his stance protective. "We don't have time for this," he murmured under his breath.

Bai Yue's mind raced. If Bai Rong alerted the second mistress now, everything would be lost.

Thinking quickly, she took a step forward, forcing a smile. "Bai Rong, what a coincidence. I was just taking a stroll."

Bai Rong arched a brow. "With a wanted guest? I doubt the first mistress would approve."

Weishan's hand ghosted over the hilt of his hidden blade, but Bai Yue placed a calming hand on his arm. Violence wasn't an option—at least not yet.

"We don't need to make this a problem," Bai Yue said, her voice low and measured. "You know as well as I do that if the second mistress finds out he's gone, she'll be furious."

Bai Rong's smile faltered slightly, and Bai Yue pressed on. "If you let us go now, we'll make sure this doesn't come back to you."

Bai Rong tapped a delicate finger against her chin, pretending to consider it. "Hmm… tempting, but I don't think so." She nodded to the guards. "Seize them."

Weishan moved before Bai Yue could react, his blade flashing in the moonlight as he slashed at the nearest guard's weapon, disarming him effortlessly. Bai Yue grabbed the envoy's arm and pulled him back into the shadows of the garden.

"Run!" she hissed.

Weishan stayed behind, moving with lethal precision, his movements fluid and controlled. Bai Yue didn't dare look back, focusing instead on leading the envoy toward a hidden side passage she had used many times before.

"I— I can't," the envoy panted, his strength failing.

Bai Yue cursed under her breath, wrapping his arm over her shoulders to support his weight. "Just a little further!"

Suddenly, Weishan appeared beside her, his breathing steady despite the confrontation. "We need to move faster."

Bai Yue nodded, determination burning in her chest. Together, they slipped through the narrow gap in the outer wall and into the dense forest beyond, the sounds of shouting fading behind them.

Once they were safely concealed beneath the cover of trees, Bai Yue knelt beside the envoy, checking his pulse. It was weak but steady.

"You'll be alright," she murmured.

Weishan stood nearby, watching the estate with narrowed eyes. "We don't have much time before they start searching outside."

Bai Yue nodded. "We need to get him somewhere safe."

Weishan looked down at her, his expression unreadable. "I know a place."

Bai Yue studied him for a moment before nodding. "Lead the way."

As they disappeared into the forest, Bai Yue couldn't help but feel that they had crossed a line tonight—one they could never return from.

And with Weishan at her side, she was no longer sure if that was a blessing or a curse.