“Let me through!” Mu Xi banged on the car window, but the driver ignored her without a trace of sympathy.
The convoy started up again, and Mu Xi was left behind, separated from Ye Lan.
Her fingers touched her lips, where she could still feel the lingering sensation of Ye Lan’s final, almost gentle kiss.
‘Will she die?’ The thought filled Mu Xi with both fear and confusion, ‘I should want her dead.’
The silence in the car felt like an invisible hand tightening around her throat.
Mu Xi closed her eyes, trying to calm herself.
She shouldn’t worry about her captor, and yet that inexplicable anxiety surged over her like a rising tide.
‘Jing Ji came for me,’ her thoughts twisted into chaos, ‘If Ye Lan dies, would I be free? But would Jing Ji really take me somewhere safe?’
The convoy moved forward in the darkness.
Mu Xi felt like a fallen leaf, swept up by a storm of fate, utterly powerless.
She didn’t know how long had passed before the convoy finally stopped.
Mu Xi awoke from her daze and realized they had arrived near the Gold Mine.
Outside the car window, members of the Imperial Guard were organizing everyone to get off and line up to enter the Gold Mine.
“Get out.” The driver opened the door, his tone hard as iron.
Mu Xi staggered out, her legs weak from prolonged tension.
In the darkness, she saw shadows stepping down from the other cars—most were maids and staff from the manor, their faces etched with fear and exhaustion.
“Where is Ye Lan?” Mu Xi grabbed the arm of a passing Imperial Guard, her nails nearly digging into the other’s skin.
“Don’t ask so much,” the other brushed off her hand, a flicker of warning in their eyes.
“Just get inside.”
At the entrance to the Gold Mine was a tunnel sloping down, its walls lined with dim yellow lamps, illuminating a sinister path.
Mu Xi was pushed into the crowd, moving forward slowly with the line.
The air was thick with the damp scent of earth and the chill of metal, every breath stifling.
At the end of the tunnel was a vast underground space, its ceiling towering above, support columns rising like a forest.
Rough veins of gold ore were embedded in the walls, glinting coldly in the light.
Mining tools and makeshift beds were stacked in the corners—clearly, this place had been prepared as a temporary refuge.
Mu Xi found a relatively clean spot and sat down, hugging her knees to her chest in a desperate bid for a sense of safety.
Her silver hair, dulled by sweat and dust, clung to her cheeks.
A few other maids scattered nearby also sought places to sit.
Their uniforms were thick with grime, their gazes hollow—like refugees in wartime.
“Young mistress,” a familiar voice came from behind.
Mu Xi turned and saw Little An.
“Are you alright?”
A scratch ran across Little An’s face, and one corner of her uniform was torn, but her eyes still shone with concern.
“Little An!” Mu Xi almost burst into tears, “You’re safe! I thought you…”
“I was in the last car,” Little An crouched beside her, voice lowered to a whisper, “Jing Ji isn’t dead—she killed two Imperial Guards and escaped.”
Mu Xi’s heart leapt and she asked, “What about Ye Lan? Is she badly hurt?”
A complex look flashed in Little An’s eyes “Very badly. But she probably won’t die. She was taken to the medical room deep in the Gold Mine.”
She paused, “Why do you care about her? She’s kept you prisoner for so long…”
Mu Xi bit her lower lip, unsure how to answer.
“This place isn’t safe,” Little An suddenly changed the subject, moving closer.
“When Jing Ji escaped, she swore she’d come back for you—and anyone who tried to stop her would die.”
Mu Xi’s breath caught, “How do you know?”
Little An made a shushing gesture and said, “Just something I heard—can’t say for sure if it’s true.”
At that moment, a commotion rose at the entrance.
Mu Xi looked up and saw several Imperial Guards dragging in a woman covered in blood.
The woman’s uniform was shredded, exposing a body mottled with wounds, but her gaze remained stubborn and unyielding.
“Li Xin!” Mu Xi cried out, nearly leaping to her feet.
Little An quickly pressed down on her shoulder, “Don’t move, you’ll draw attention.”
Li Xin was thrown roughly to the ground, her legs twisted—clearly still injured.
She lifted her head, scanning the crowd, and at last her gaze met Mu Xi’s.
In that instant, Mu Xi saw a faint glimmer of light flicker in her eyes.
Mu Xi could not tear her gaze away from Li Xin.
The girl whose legs had been hurt for helping her was once again swept up in chaos.
Guilt crushed Mu Xi’s heart like a heavy stone.
“I have to help her,” Mu Xi struggled to rise.
Little An’s fingers tightened, “Not now, the Imperial Guards are watching. We’ll think of something when they leave.”
Mu Xi was forced to sit back down, but her heart had already flown to Li Xin’s side.
The Gold Mine’s lights fell on Li Xin’s pale face, highlighting the pain and resilience in her eyes.
“It’s all because of me,” Mu Xi whispered to herself, “Ye Lan is hurt, Li Xin was caught, Jing Ji risked everything to come back… all because of me.”
Little An seemed to sense her guilt, gently squeezing her hand she said, “It’s not your fault, miss. It’s Ye Lan who treated you like a possession—that’s why all this happened.”
Mu Xi didn’t respond, her gaze wandering between Li Xin and the tunnel leading deeper inside.
In those depths, Ye Lan was fighting the God of Death; outside, Jing Ji was likely planning her next move.
She was caught in the middle—trapped and helpless.
“What should I do?” she asked softly, unsure if she was speaking to Little An or to herself.
Little An held her hand tighter, but could offer no answer.
Her silence was more suffocating than any words, as if under this brass-colored light, even hope had become vague and dim.
“Everyone, assemble!” An Imperial Guard’s voice sliced through the Gold Mine’s murmurs, the cold gleam of gun barrels sharp in the dimness.
“Food will be distributed. No shoving—anyone who pushes gets nothing!”
The crowd surged like a tide, hunger overwhelming fear.
Mu Xi looked at the coarse rations and murky water—her stomach clenched in disgust.
Her fingers clutched at Little An’s sleeve, but her gaze couldn’t stray from Li Xin, whose uniform was soaked in blood.
“Miss Mu Xi,” an Imperial Guard suddenly came to her side, speaking in a low voice, “You, your maid, and that one—”
She gestured at Li Xin with her gun, “Come with me.”
Little An stepped in front of Mu Xi and asked, “Where to?”
“Don’t ask.” The guard’s eyes were cold as ice.
They were led away from the main cavern, through a narrow tunnel, and into a small, simply furnished but much cleaner room.
On several folding tables, steaming dishes were laid out, but the most eye-catching thing was the woman sitting in the corner.
Ye Lan.
She was swathed in bandages, white strips stained with blooming patches of blood, like cruel flowers.
Her hair was loose and disheveled, making her look haggard, but her eyes remained sharp as an eagle’s.
When she saw Mu Xi, a look flashed in her eyes—one Mu Xi had never seen before.
Fragility and pleading.
“I’m sorry,” Ye Lan’s voice was hoarse, as if scraped raw by sandpaper.
“For making you suffer with me.”
Mu Xi curled her fingers and hid her hands behind her back, remaining silent.