Big Boss – Chapter 58

Her lips

She instinctively wanted to leave, but was secretly held back by Zhou Ziqiu, who was sitting nearby, controlling her movements.

“Outrageous! Outrageous!” The Emperor’s voice grew louder with each shout, until his fist slammed heavily on the table, sending the fruits scattering in all directions. The bright red fruits rolled to the feet of the kneeling imperial guards. “You just stood by and watched the traitor escape from the capital? Is this how the Palace Guards operate?”

The imperial guards kept their heads down, not daring to wipe the sweat off their faces, fearing they might become targets of the Emperor’s wrath.

“Where did the traitors flee?” The Emperor took a deep breath, forcibly calming himself, and asked angrily.

“Your Majesty, they fled southwards. The commander-in-chief has personally led the pursuit, distributing notices everywhere, and ordering all provinces and prefectures to join the search.”

“Don’t just search the south; conduct a thorough search around Bianjing. I suspect they haven’t gone far. Remember, besides the traitors, it is imperative to find the woman from the Ye family. Alive or dead, she must be found! Report any developments to me.” The Emperor ordered emphatically.

“Brother Emperor, my son, my son…” The princess wept bitterly, kneeling by the Emperor’s knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

The Emperor glanced at her twice, then extended a hand to help her up, continuing, “Find Wei Yanei.”

The imperial guards quickly took their orders and retreated, leaving as if fleeing. No sooner had they left than they returned with some items, once again kneeling on one knee.

“What now?” The Emperor asked, staring at the items in their hands.

“This was just brought by my subordinates. They said it was found beside the bridal sedan. It looks like it belongs to the legitimate daughter of the Ye family.”

As he spoke, he presented a broken arrow, its wooden shaft stained with a few spots of red. “According to the eyewitnesses among the imperial guards, the legitimate daughter of the Ye family was struck by a hidden arrow.”

Ci Ke quickly covered her mouth to stop herself from crying out, gripping Zhou Ziqiu’s palm tightly with her other hand, her body swaying.

The Emperor nodded, and his expression seemed to relax a bit. He then waved his hand: “Go, inform the Duke’s household that I will certainly find their daughter. Tell them to remain calm.”

The imperial guards took their orders and left. The grand wedding was thus forcibly interrupted. After consoling the princess for a few moments, the Emperor rose and left the hall, destination unknown.

Ci Ke finally released her grip, stepping back to lean against the wall, her breath rapid and her eyes vacant.

Ye Youqing… she repeated the name in her heart over and over again, trying to calm her wildly beating and sinking heart.

This was her plan. She would be fine.

But why would she design a plan that got herself hurt? Something must have gone wrong. That blood was real. What on earth happened?

Ci Ke slowly stood up and walked towards the blood-stained broken arrow lying on the ground. Ignoring the dirt, she reached out and picked it up.

The princess had already been escorted back to her room by the servants, and the others followed to comfort her. The main hall quickly emptied, leaving no one to witness Ci Ke’s reddened eyes and her action of grasping the broken arrow, heedless of the dirt.

“Ci Ke…” Zhou Ziqiu frowned and stepped forward, but before she could approach, the woman in front of her suddenly dropped the broken arrow, stood up, and ran out of the main door, into the bright sunlight outside.

“Ci Ke!” Zhou Ziqiu called out, furrowing her brow as she saw her ignoring her. She hurriedly pushed aside the palace attendants who tried to stop her and lifted her robes to chase after her.

Ci Ke’s light pink clothes fluttered behind her like clouds. She moved swiftly and soon reached the gate of the Wei Mansion. She was about to rush out when several imperial guards reached out to stop her.

“Miss Ci Ke, the Emperor has decreed that the capital is not safe at the moment. Please stay here until the city has been thoroughly searched,” one guard said, cupping his fists in a respectful gesture.

“Get out of my way!” Ci Ke used all her strength to push the guard aside. As she raised her leg to step forward, several more guards extended their arms to block her path.

“Miss Ci Ke, it’s dangerous outside,” the guards insisted.

“I told you to get out of my way!” The usually gentle and graceful Ci Ke showed a rare hint of madness. She suddenly snatched a long sword from one of the guards and held it against the leader’s neck with both hands.

The guards were stunned by her sudden action and looked at each other in silence, hesitating and moving aside to leave her a gap to pass through.

Ci Ke’s hands trembled as she threw down the sword and started to walk, but then she heard hurried footsteps approaching from behind.

Turning around, Zhou Ziqiu stopped, panting heavily, her elaborate hairpiece slightly askew. Her delicate cheeks were flushed from the sun, and she used her jade fingers to push aside the strands of hair covering her face.

“Aunt…” Ci Ke’s crazed expression faded as she clasped her hands behind her back, gripping the edge of her garment tightly.

Zhou Ziqiu glanced at her a few times, then turned and waved behind her. A pale-faced eunuch approached unsteadily on a fast horse. He dismounted and handed the reins to Ci Ke.

“Miss Ci Ke, hold on tight,” the eunuch said softly, with a hint of concern.

Ci Ke blankly took the reins. The horse snorted loudly at her, making her nose suddenly sting with emotion.

She looked at Zhou Ziqiu through teary eyes, receiving a comforting smile in return. Then, holding the reins firmly, she mounted the horse with ease. After a crisp command of “Hyah!”, she rode off in a cloud of dust.

Zhou Ziqiu’s red lips slowly curved down, with only a trace of a smile left in her eyes. She walked a few steps forward and stood inside the tall, deep walls, watching as Ci Ke disappeared down the empty street.

“Follow her and protect her,” Zhou Ziqiu murmured. At her words, several imperial guards departed.

Though she stood regally, there was a touch of loneliness about her. The pale-faced eunuch beside her asked quietly, “Your Highness, should we wait for Miss Ci Ke to return before heading back to the palace?”

Zhou Ziqiu shook her head. “No need.”

The midday earth was like a steamer, with burning coals overhead, sizzling and scorching. Before long, Ci Ke’s back was burning hot from the sun, but she couldn’t feel the heat. She galloped her horse through the deserted streets, and in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, she saw scattered drums and red silk all over the ground, an abandoned bridal sedan, and a shattered carriage.

The bustling scene from the morning had long vanished. The celebratory silk lay strewn across the ground, the red fabric crushed under hooves, creating an eerie and desolate sight.

Before the horse had come to a complete stop, Ci Ke dismounted, almost stumbling. She staggered a few steps and steadied herself beside the carriage, which was hacked with countless deep cuts.

The scene revealed the severity of the chaos. Clutching her chest, she frantically searched for any sign that Ye Youqing was safe. As her eyes swept the ground, she noticed something glinting.

She hurriedly stepped forward and picked up the object, holding it in her palm. It was shining silver, stained with blood, and broken in two.

It was Ye Youqing’s willow-leaf hairpin.

“No, no…” She clenched the cold hairpin tightly, tears she had been holding back now flowing uncontrollably.

“Ye Youqing, I’m sorry.” She bowed her head, sobbing and sniffling in panic, overwhelmed with regret. Her heart felt like it was shattering, aching with a numbing pain.

What had she done? She had rejected her without explaining.

Now, with her fate unknown, Ye Youqing must surely hate her.

Ci Ke’s mind was a tangled mess. Her body started to slump to the side, but just before she hit the ground, a pair of strong, slender hands caught her.

“Ci Ke.” The voice was gentle.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Bianjing, inside a foul-smelling courtyard, a chaotic hut exuded a stronger scent of blood than outside.

“Hurry, hurry, stop the bleeding!” A burly man with a face full of scars placed a blood-soaked woman on the bed. In his haste, he knocked over a low table, causing its contents to clatter to the ground.

“Big brother, stop getting in the way!” Ma Xiao, a sturdy woman who took up half the room, pushed the large man out of the room and slammed the door shut. Inside, only she and the unconscious Ye Youqing remained.

Ma Xiao wasn’t particularly calm either; the severity of Ye Youqing’s wound was daunting. Although not life-threatening, blood was gushing out. They had already removed the obstructive wedding dress, but the white inner garment was soaked in dark red blood, a shocking sight.

Ma Xiao exhaled sharply twice, rolled up her sleeves, and pulled down Ye Youqing’s inner garment, revealing the gruesome wound.

Ye Youqing’s once smooth and delicate back now bore a bloody hole where an arrow had pierced through. Half the arrowhead was still lodged inside, with the blood around it already coagulated. This meant that to remove the arrow, they would have to reopen the wound.

Although Ma Xiao was used to hammering iron with a strong hand, seeing such a delicate young lady suffering like this made her hesitate. She couldn’t bring herself to pull out the arrow and instead called out towards the door, “Second brother, can we get a doctor?”

“Right now, the city is under search. If we get a doctor, the whole city will know!” Ma Er, her second brother, replied in a low voice from outside.

Ma Xiao let out a wail of despair, then, trembling, she held a hemostatic herb in one hand and gripped the blood-covered arrow with the other. She applied slight pressure, but when she heard the woman let out a painful groan, she dared not move further.

“What should I do now?” She was at a loss.

In her panic, she suddenly heard two people outside the door. After a brief exchange, the wooden door was flung open, and a woman stumbled in, collapsing beside Ye Youqing’s bed.

“Ye Youqing…” The woman’s clothes were in disarray, her hair tousled by the wind. Her eyes and nose were tinged with a clear redness, indicating she had been crying.

It was unclear whether she felt relief or anxiety; her words were halting as she reached out to touch Ye Youqing’s hand, only to recoil at its coldness.

Her eyes fixed on the dried blood behind Ye Youqing, she abruptly turned around and demanded, “Where’s the hemostatic medicine?”

Shi Li, who followed her, nodded at Ma Xiao. The stunned Ma Xiao hurriedly retrieved a jar of hemostatic powder and handed it to the woman.

Ci Ke, her fingers trembling, struggled to remove the stopper from the jar. After several attempts, she slapped her hands hard against her body to steady them before pouring the powder onto a clean piece of cloth.

At that moment, Ye Youqing let out a groan of pain. She lay prone on the bed, her shoulder and back exposed, appearing much more fragile than usual.

The always-protective Ye Youqing was just a girl, no older than Ci Ke. Swallowing her sorrow, Ci Ke crouched beside her lips.

“It hurts…” Ye Youqing’s voice was weak, sounding slightly different from usual in her semi-conscious state. She reached out with sweaty hands, and Ci Ke gently placed her own soft palm into them.

“Just a moment, it’ll be fine,” Ci Ke said in her gentlest tone.

“I’ll stay with you.” Suppressing tears about to burst forth, Ci Ke then stood up, tore off her outer garment, bunched it up, and stuffed it into Ye Youqing’s mouth.

Then, she bent down to hold Ye Youqing’s hands, glancing at Shi Li. Understanding her intention, Shi Li stepped forward, grasped the arrow, and swiftly pulled it out. With a hiss, fresh blood sprayed, splattering almost everyone nearby.

Ci Ke bore the brunt of it; her cheeks flushed crimson, but she didn’t flinch.

Meanwhile, Ye Youqing, who had been unconscious just moments ago, seemed to be awakened by the pain. She struggled, pushing against the hands holding her down. Ma Xiao hurriedly pressed the cloth soaked with hemostatic powder onto the wound, halting the flow of blood.

A painful whimper echoed as Ye Youqing, at some point, spat out the garment in her mouth and instead bit her tongue, fresh blood dribbling from her lips. Seeing this, Ci Ke reached out to retrieve the cloth bundle. But as she passed by Ye Youqing’s mouth, she was caught off guard as Ye Youqing bit down on her forearm.

“Ci Ke!” Shi Li rushed forward, but Ci Ke shook her head, stopping her.

Furrowing her brows lightly, as if she couldn’t feel the pain, Ci Ke’s free hand gently patted Ye Youqing’s head, one stroke after another, slow and tender.

Gradually, Ye Youqing’s struggles lessened, and the flow of blood from the wound ceased. Instead, it slowly coagulated. After some time, Ye Youqing, who had been trembling incessantly, finally lay still.

The people present all breathed a sigh of relief. Ma Xiao sat down heavily, finally daring to wipe the sweat from her cheeks.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to Miss Ye for reminding us in advance and purchasing strong liquor and medicines. Otherwise, we would have been completely at a loss!” Ma Xiao said, pulling out torn strips of gauze to dress Ye Youqing’s wounds.

Ci Ke took the gauze from her hand and said softly, “Let me do it.”

Ma Xiao was about to say something but was patted on the shoulder by Shi Li, immediately falling silent, and followed Shi Li out of the door.

“We’ll go brew some blood-replenishing soup medicine.” Shi Li blinked at Ci Ke and then the wooden door creaked shut.

Only two remained in the room. Ci Ke slowly withdrew her arm from Ye Youqing’s mouth, her eyebrows furrowing as she sucked in a breath of cold air. There were clear bite marks, already bleeding.

Ignoring her own injuries, Ci Ke casually applied some medicine. She then sat on the bed, carefully lifted Ye Youqing’s upper body, cradling her in her arms, and brought over a nearby basin of water. Dipping a cloth into it, she gently wiped away the bloodstains on Ye Youqing’s shoulders and back.

As the fair skin gradually emerged, Ye Youqing’s slender and bony back became visible. Her face rested against Ci Ke’s shoulder, still cold.

Tears finally rolled down Ci Ke’s cheeks. She sniffed, wiping away her tears, and continued to methodically clean Ye Youqing’s wounds, disinfect them with strong liquor, and finally apply medicine before wrapping them with gauze.

She lowered her head, looking at Ye Youqing’s pale lips, and sat silently for a long time before softly saying, “Do you hate me?”

Naturally, no one answered her. She wiped away her tears, draped a thin blanket over Ye Youqing’s shoulders, and then used her fingers to moisten Ye Youqing’s chapped lips with water.

“What should I do? I can’t leave you.”

The two remained like this for a while. Ye Youqing gradually warmed up, no longer as icy as a dead person, but her body began to tremble again.

The door was knocked open, and Shi Li walked in, placing a small bowl down. She reached out and held Ye Youqing’s wrist, sighing in relief, “It’s all right. She’s just lost a lot of blood. There’s good ginseng in this bowl of medicine. She must drink it.”

With that, she sighed again and turned to leave.

Ci Ke pursed her lips, picked up the soup spoon, scooped some brown medicine, tested the temperature, and then gently turned Ye Youqing over, letting her semi-recline in her arms, and poured the medicine into her mouth.

There were several dry coughs, and all the medicine in her mouth was coughed out.

Ci Ke’s brows furrowed with concern. For a moment, she didn’t know what to do. She looked at the door, which was tightly closed.

Then, as if making a determined decision, she lifted the bowl and took a sip. Then she leaned down, hesitated for a moment.

She pressed her lips against those pallid ones, and the bitter medicine flowed into her mouth through their close contact.

Ye Youqing seemed to strongly dislike the bitterness, still trying to spit it out. In the chaos, the clear, bitter tip of her tongue met Ci Ke’s lips.

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