050 Frightened

Sitting in the carriage on the way back, she leaned against the window, her heart hollow and empty, unsure what thoughts to summon. Suddenly, her body jolted violently, hitting the side of the carriage with a sharp pain. She frowned silently, listening to the chaos outside. What was happening? She reached out to pull open the curtain, peering anxiously outside.

“Nanyu, what’s going on?” Yun Xinyin, trembling with fear, shrank into Duan Nanyu’s embrace, frightened by the clamor of battle outside.

“It’s nothing, Yin’er. Close your eyes; it’ll be over soon.” Duan Nanyu gently closed Yun Xinyin’s eyes, then quickly opened the curtain and leaped into the fray outside.

Just then, Yun Xueyan opened her own curtain and witnessed the coachman struck down by a sword. Blood splattered across her pale pink dress, its metallic scent overwhelming her senses and flooding her mind. Startled by the sudden carnage, she forgot even to retch, her terrified gaze fixed on the scene before her.

Before she could react, the carriage bolted forward, propelled by a wild force. Thrown back inside, she crashed hard onto the seat, pain stabbing at her spine and snapping her back to awareness. She stared at the door curtain in terror, her body tossed about uncontrollably within the carriage. Every jolt sent aches through her bones, and fear surged upward, eroding all reason. The panicked whinnying of the horse slashed through her heart, letting terror pour in.

She had no idea where the carriage was headed or what awaited her ahead. The breakneck speed made it impossible to steady herself.

Clutching the gap in the seat with all her strength, she dug her fingernails deep, anchoring her trembling body. Her petite frame shivered, almost melding herself into the corner, seeking comfort from her helplessness and anxiety.

Watching the carriage crash through every obstacle and rush ahead, Duan Nanyu’s face darkened—she was still inside!

“Damn it!” he cursed under his breath, his movements quickening as he dispatched the black-clad assailants nearby. Vaulting onto his horse, he shouted, “Zihun, protect the princess and escort her home!”

With that, his dark silhouette vanished into the night.

He raised his whip, pursuing the runaway carriage, his cold face shadowed by worry. The road ahead led straight to a cliff.

If anything happened to her, what would he do?

The sudden thought stunned Duan Nanyu, the worry flickering and then dissipating, replaced only by his relentless urge to spur his horse faster. As he closed in on the carriage, he leaped onto the frightened horse, bringing it to a halt.

Without pausing, he turned and entered the carriage. All he saw was the trembling, pale pink figure in the corner—nothing else. Seeing her curled into herself, his heart wrenched with sudden pain.

He pulled Yun Xueyan from the corner and held her tightly in his arms, as if to impart a sense of safety.

“Blood… blood… so much blood.” She clung to Duan Nanyu’s sleeve, shrinking desperately into his embrace, trying to drive away her fear. At that moment, she didn’t care who he was; she only wanted something to hold on to.

Feeling the warmth, tears crept from the corners of her eyes. She sobbed quietly, not daring to be loud, her body trembling uncontrollably.

“It’s all right now. It’s over.” His icy gaze softened, holding her tightly. How could she have ever witnessed such carnage? She must have been utterly terrified.