Chapter Eighteen: Nowhere to Run

"This way, Eldest Miss Chu," the servant said, leading the way with a display of respectful formality.

Behind them, Caiping’s muffled sobs could be heard. She had clearly seen the tears in Chu Xi’s eyes, confirming that the ominous premonition she had felt since morning had now come to pass. There was not a single person in this Marquis’s residence who genuinely cared for the young mistress; even Lady Liu, her own mother, was a heartless, venomous woman. At this thought, Caiping’s heart tightened. She longed to escape the Prime Minister’s residence immediately and seek help from Mo Zixiao. In this world, he was the only one who could—and would—save Chu Xi. Yet, Caiping was watched too closely by the household staff; she could not take a single step away.

Chu Xi followed the servant through the rear garden, walking along a winding, narrow, and secluded path. Thick shrubbery and woods lined both sides; though it was winter and the leaves had fallen, the interwoven, withered branches still obscured most of the view. The path seemed to stretch on forever, imbued with an air of silence, mystery, and menace. Occasional rustling sounds from the underbrush made the atmosphere feel increasingly eerie and stifling, to the point where even breathing felt difficult.

Chu Xi glanced up at the clear, azure winter sky and let out a long breath, trying to bolster her courage. She asked, "Where are you taking me?"

The servant ahead kept walking, not looking back. "We are almost there."

Chu Xi felt the chill of the place seep into her very bones. Unable to bear it, she slowed her pace. Seeing the servant turn a corner and vanish from sight, she stopped dead in her tracks.

Where had the servant gone? Should she continue or turn back? She had already found the path unsettling and terrifying, but as long as the servant was there to guide her, she could force herself to keep moving. Now that he had suddenly disappeared, true terror gripped her. She hovered in hesitation, involuntarily backing away a few steps.

*Flutter, flutter!*

Suddenly, a sound erupted from above, startling Chu Xi into looking up. A crow was flying overhead. She clutched her chest, only to witness a cold arrow pierce the bird. A moment later, the blood-stained creature plummeted from the sky, landing right at her feet.

"Ah!" she shrieked in horror, trembling as she stumbled backward. "Is anyone there? Is anyone there?" she cried out in panic.

But the surroundings remained deathly silent, as if she and the lifeless crow were the only things left in this desolate place. Chu Xi could no longer think of anything else; she turned to flee back the way she came.

However, the moment she lifted her foot, she collided with a soft form. "Ah! Who is it?" she gasped in panic before she could even look up.

"You are trembling. Is it from the cold, or from fear?" A low, heavy voice resonated from above.

Chu Xi jerked her head up. Instantly, a deathly pale face filled her vision. More terrifying still were the blood-red lips and a pair of narrow, almond-shaped eyes. His black hair hung loose, and he narrowed his eyes as he stared down at Chu Xi, who stood inches away. Chu Xi could not tell if the person in the purple robes was a man or a woman; she was so frightened by his appearance and attire that she scrambled backward.

"Who—who are you?"

"Hahaha," he laughed. "What does it matter who I am? Come, since you are here, you might as well join me in the side hall for a while."

Chu Xi had no intention of complying and looked for a chance to slip past him. But before she could move, he seized her as easily as if she were a chicken.