Broken Jade - Chapter 95

Chapter 95

The assassins closed in from all sides. Relying on a killer’s instincts, Sheng Zhaoning swiftly identified the weakest point in their encirclement. She wheeled her horse around and charged straight toward it.

Before the assassins could close the gap, the fine steed leaped forward and successfully broke through the siege.

“After them!” one of the assassins shouted.

Wang Qi and Song Han were in no position to stop them. They could only watch helplessly as Sheng Zhaoning carried Wei Heng away, with countless assassins pursuing them from behind.

Wang Qi handed the Petition of the Myriad Citizens and the case files to Song Han. “Take these back to Jizhou first, then return with reinforcements. I’ll go find His Highness and Lord Sheng!”

Without wasting a moment, Song Han took the bundle, squeezed his legs around his horse, and galloped off in the opposite direction.

Wang Qi had no intention of continuing the fight either. After committing the direction in which Wei Heng had disappeared to memory, he withdrew.

The assassins had never been targeting the two of them in the first place. When they saw them flee, they spared little effort on pursuit and instead turned as one to intercept Wei Heng.

The chaotic thunder of hooves echoed over the forest before gradually fading into the distance. Soon, the woods fell silent once more.

Only a cloud of dust remained, hanging in the air for a long time.

…

The pair fled onto a mountain road.

Night was already falling. The mountain path was rugged and overgrown with dense vegetation.

More than a dozen riders pursued them relentlessly. Sheng Zhaoning gritted her teeth as she tried to make out the road ahead, but as the sky darkened, it became increasingly difficult to see.

If it came down to a fight with real blades, she might not necessarily lose to these dozen men.

Besides, there was a strong chance they had been sent by Prince Zhenbei.

They would not try to kill her.

No matter what, however, she could never hand Wei Heng over to them. Nor could she fight them casually and risk exposing her identity. Her only choice was to flee with Wei Heng as fast as she could.

Sheng Zhaoning could feel that they were heading farther and farther up the mountain.

That was not good.

After traveling continuously for several days, the horse beneath them was clearly exhausted. Its speed was gradually declining.

The assassins behind them drew steadily closer.

Sheng Zhaoning’s gaze hardened. By the last glimmer of daylight, she spotted a fork in the road choked with thorns. She was just urging the horse to leap across when, the instant its hooves left the ground, an arrow suddenly tore through the air from behind.

“Neigh-!”

The horse screamed in pain. As it landed, its hind legs buckled, and it crashed to the ground.

Wei Heng reacted instantly, sweeping Sheng Zhaoning tightly into his arms.

They were thrown from the saddle and tumbled across the ground several times before rolling straight down the mountainside.

“Your Highness!”

Sheng Zhaoning heard the muffled groan rumble from Wei Heng’s chest, and alarm flooded her eyes.

The slope was steep and covered in loose stones. In mere moments, Wei Heng was drenched in blood.

Seeing the two of them tumble down the mountainside, the assassins had no choice but to dismount and pursue them on foot.

Several others turned their horses around and rode toward the foot of the mountain, preparing to surround them from below.

As Sheng Zhaoning listened to rocks and broken branches battering flesh and bone around her, it felt as though something had seized her heart and was crushing it.

She tried to raise an arm to shield Wei Heng, but he held her so tightly that she could not move.

The metallic scent of blood filled her nose. Wei Heng was already covered in wounds, yet Sheng Zhaoning had not suffered so much as a scrape.

The slope was long. If they rolled all the way to the bottom like this, even if Wei Heng survived, he would be half-dead.

Sheng Zhaoning forced herself to calm down and scanned the slope below. Beneath the bleak moonlight, her gaze swiftly locked onto a dead tree. The moment they tumbled past it, she hooked one leg around the trunk. Their powerful momentum could not be stopped at once, and the sudden pull wrenched them off course, flinging them sideways. Only after rolling several more times did they finally come to a precarious stop.

She struggled free of Wei Heng’s embrace and hurriedly felt him over from head to toe, checking for broken bones.

Wei Heng lay on the ground, his face already as pale as paper. He was too weak to resist.

Sheng Zhaoning worked her way from his arms down to his legs. The moment her hand touched the bone in one leg, Wei Heng shuddered violently, though he gritted his teeth and made no sound.

Her hand instantly froze. She did not dare move it again.

Wei Heng’s left leg was broken.

The assassins’ footsteps were drawing closer. With no time to treat his injury, Sheng Zhaoning draped one of his arms over her shoulders and helped him to his feet before heading deeper into the valley.

Under the cover of night, the valley seemed even deeper and more foreboding.

The trees and darkness concealed their figures, preventing the assassins from immediately locating them. The assassins split up and began searching.

Supporting Wei Heng, Sheng Zhaoning carefully evaded the search parties and made her way farther in along the foot of the mountain.

She had no idea how long they had been walking beneath the dim moonlight when a vast cave suddenly appeared before them.

The faint sound of running water came from within.

Sheng Zhaoning’s eyes lit up. “Your Highness, let’s hide inside for now.”

Whenever she had fled from pursuers in the past, caves had always made the best shelters.

There was even a source of water nearby, making it the perfect place to rest for a while.

Supporting each other, the two of them made their way into the cave.

The entrance was dark and damp. The deeper they went, the dimmer it became, while the sound of water grew clearer.

Sheng Zhaoning had a habit of carrying a tinder tube with her, and now it finally came in handy.

A weak flame sprang to life, illuminating the small patch of space around them.

By its faint glow, Sheng Zhaoning discovered that a raging underground stream ran through the cave, its turbulent waters rushing toward some unknown destination.

She found a relatively level spot and helped Wei Heng sit down, then placed the tinder tube beside them.

“Easy.” She carefully supported his injured leg.

Wei Heng had never suffered such a severe injury before. Not wanting Sheng Zhaoning to worry, he clenched his teeth and remained silent, but his deathly pale face betrayed him completely.

Sheng Zhaoning rolled up his trouser leg, exposing his battered left leg.

It was covered in scratches, with trails of blood seeping from every wound. The bone was broken, and the flesh around it was badly swollen and mottled with dark bruises.

At the sight of such a grievous injury, her breath caught. She immediately checked his other leg and both arms. Every one of them was covered in blood.

“Don’t look anymore…”

Wei Heng spoke weakly, his expression turning awkward as he stopped the hand she was about to use to strip off his clothes.

Sheng Zhaoning’s fingertips paused on his belt. She stared blankly for a moment before seeming to realize something and snatching her hand back as if shocked.

An awkward silence descended between them.

Avoiding his gaze, Sheng Zhaoning lowered her head and stammered, “I-I’ll set Your Highness’s broken leg first.”

Wei Heng blinked. “…Hm?”

She knew how to set bones too?

At this point, Sheng Zhaoning could no longer afford to keep up the pretense.

When it came to setting bones, there was little she was more skilled at.

Sheng Zhaoning raised her head and looked at Wei Heng solemnly. “This may hurt a little. Please bear with it, Your Highness. If the bone isn’t set in time, the injury will only worsen.”

Wei Heng naturally understood that. Meeting Sheng Zhaoning’s gaze, he nodded.

“Do what you must, Lord Sheng. You needn’t hold back.”

Though he found it unbelievable that she knew how to set bones, Wei Heng still placed his complete trust in her.

That was exactly what Sheng Zhaoning needed from him.

“All right,” she said.