Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 185 Crisis

Chapter 185: Chapter 185 Crisis

Lin Xiao and Zhang Boxin were filled with lingering fear after narrowly escaping disaster, their spirits shattered. Xie Xun saw how truly bedraggled they looked and grabbed Zhou Liyu with one hand and Cai Wensen with the other, urging them to lie down on Zhuifeng. "Let’s go, get back to the camp and treat the wounds first."

Xie Xun turned back, put on his gloves, and picked up all the darts scattered around. Gathering them together, he threw them into a crevice and covered it with weeds.

By the time they returned to the camp, dusk had not yet fully settled. In spring, after the sun descends, there remains a lengthy stretch of gray twilight before nightfall. Fang Chuning and Xie Jue were standing by the river fishing; one dressed in black, the other in white, their silhouettes elegant. When they saw Xie Xun returning with young men who were barely recognizable, Fang Chuning glanced at the four swollen faces and frowned. "How did you end up stung by poisonous bees like this?"

"Foolishness." Xie Xun called over Feiying and Nuanyang, instructing them to escort the group for medical attention. "Has Fang Lingjun come back yet?"

"She went to pick fruits; I haven’t seen her at all." Fang Chuning, who is typically uninvolved in his sister’s affairs, replied nonchalantly. Fang Lingjun was lively and outgoing, impossible to keep in check.

Usually, no one dared to provoke her.

Xie Xun’s expression shifted slightly, and he hurriedly went to find Fengyu. Fang Chuning’s smile faded, handing the fishing rod to Xie Jue. "Ting Feng, I’m off to look for Junjun."

Xie Jue was left fishing alone, finding it utterly dull. Just as he put the rod down, he saw Fang Chuning leading a contingent of Fang Family guards charging into Xiyanshan under the evening glow.

Xie Jue raised his hand, and six Shadow Guards appeared. "One, Two, Three, follow him."

"Understood!" Three Shadow Guards mounted their horses and departed the camp, trailing Fang Chuning. Soon afterward, Xie Xun, Feiying, and Nuanyang also mounted and entered Xiyanshan.

Feng Shu was stopped by Xie Zhang as night deepened. Unfamiliar with Xiyanshan’s terrain, Feng Shu hesitated, her movements faltering. "Zhixu and Chuning have gone searching; don’t worry, they will certainly find them."

Fengyu and Fang Lingjun did not return to the camp!

Feng Shu was restless but knew that Fang Chuning and Xie Xun had ventured into Xiyanshan to search. Her lack of familiarity with the terrain could lead to complications. Anxiously pacing, Feng Shu’s mind drifted back to the two years her sister was missing, her face pale as snow.

Xie Zhang gripped her hand, having already dispatched guards to follow Xie Xun.

Xie Jue approached briskly. "Big Brother, what’s happened?"

"Lin Xiao, Zhang Boxin, and others took Fang Lingjun and Fengyu into the mountains and were stung by poisonous bees. The two sisters have yet to return and were likely injured and lost in the wilderness," Xie Zhang explained gently. "Shu’er, don’t worry. There are armored riders stationed around the hunting grounds. If they manage to leave the hunting grounds, someone will find them immediately."

Xie Jue pondered aloud. "Was this coincidence?"

Xie Zhang nodded helplessly. A group of frivolous sons of nobility had provoked this disaster. Emperor Jianming was hosting a banquet tonight to entertain officials and the Beiman Envoy, complete with a bonfire performance. Neither Marquis Zhenbei nor Xie Zhang could afford to miss the occasion. Xie Xun, as the main negotiator for the peace talks, likewise couldn’t leave without drawing severe attention. All their hopes rested on finding Fang Lingjun and Fengyu swiftly.

Xie Jue said, "Aliu, send people to investigate the Beiman camp and tally their numbers."

"Understood!"

Shadow Guard Aliu slipped away silently. Xie Jue gazed at the now-dark Xiyanshan, feeling the tension rise. Bloodshed before the hunting game had even begun—not ideal for anyone, whether it was the Eastern Palace, the Beiman, or himself. It seemed plans were destined to be disrupted!

The severity of Lin Xiao’s injuries had alarmed Lin Cheng, who was in the Crown Prince’s camp overseeing negotiations. Upon hearing of the incident, Lin Cheng brought the Imperial Physician to treat Lin Xiao. Doctor Zhang Lingzheng was applying thick layers of white ointment to their wounds, causing the injured to scream in agony. From a distance, Lin Cheng heard the cries and cursed under his breath. "Idiots!"

Flustered and anxious, Lin Cheng watched as Doctor Zhang Lingzheng and the Imperial Physician worked together to treat them. Lin Cheng noticed Lin Xiao’s face was swollen and flushed, feeling a pang of pity. "Doctor Zhang, will they be in mortal danger?"

Doctor Zhang Lingzheng was applying medicine to Cai Wensen’s leg, which was swollen to nearly twice its normal size. With a calm tone, he replied, "No, they won’t die."

But they would suffer greatly.

Lin Cheng let out a sigh of relief. "Who is the idiot that provoked Xiyanshan’s poisonous bees? You’re lucky to be alive!"

Typically, anyone stung by Xiyanshan’s swarms of poisonous bees wouldn’t survive. Fortunately, knowing about the presence of these venomous creatures, the Imperial Hospital always prepared antidotes during annual hunting expeditions. Incidents of bee stings were common but rarely as severe as what Lin Xiao’s group had experienced.

Doctor Zhang Lingzheng ordered Lin Cheng to leave, not wanting him to interfere with the treatment. Lin Cheng restrained his temper and stepped outside the tent. He called one of Lin Xiao’s servants over and lashed out, kicking the servant hard enough to send him rolling into a rock nearby. Doctor Zhang Lingzheng, hearing the commotion, simply shook his head, thinking: Why take your anger out on the servant when it was your brother who led them into the mountains?

The servant scrambled up, kowtowed repeatedly, and cried, "Please spare me, Young Master! Second Young Master and the others brought Miss Fang and Miss Feng into the mountains and forbade us from following them. We wouldn’t dare disobey. Please have mercy, Young Master..."

Kneeling and pleading, the servant’s desperate cries further enraged Lin Cheng. His fury reached its peak as he narrowed his eyes. Before entering the Crown Prince’s camp earlier, Lin Cheng had noticed both Fang Chuning and Xie Xun leading their teams into Xiyanshan, their urgency clear. He reported this to the Crown Prince, assuming it was merely part of their hunting ground patrol. Now, it was evident that Fengyu and Fang Lingjun hadn’t returned.

The Crown Prince’s face turned grim. Lin Cheng said, "They ran into poisonous bees in the northern hunting grounds. If they ventured into the southern grounds and triggered the traps..."

Lin Cheng’s words hung ominously as he knelt down, saying, "Your Highness, allow me to lead a team to the southern hunting grounds to investigate the situation."

"Idiot! Do you know how many eyes are watching the hunting grounds? Do you really want to drag Xie Jue’s attention over there as well?"

Lin Cheng dared not argue further.

The hunting expedition had yet to formally begin. A fatality now would be catastrophic. The Crown Prince said softly yet firmly, "Do not act recklessly. Ask Lin Xiao whether Xie Xun led the group southwards and bring them back. Do not act with undue haste."

"Understood!"

The Crown Prince could not suppress the unease tightening in his chest. Summoning Zhang Bolan, he commanded, "Remove all the traps in the southern hunting grounds."

Zhang Bolan hesitated briefly before responding, "Understood," and left to carry out the order.

Xie Jue stood at the highest point of the camp, with Shadow Guard Aliu stationed quietly behind him, almost blending into the deepening night. After Fang Chuning and Xie Xun led their teams into the mountains, the area remained silent, and no one else ventured into Xiyanshan.

Meanwhile, Fengyu and Fang Lingjun—stung by poisonous bees in two or three spots—were panic-stricken and running aimlessly. Like two terrified young beasts, they dashed forward with all their strength, uncertain how far they’d run. The forest grew darker and denser, with towering trees blocking out the sky, leaving no paths to follow.

Fengyu hunched over, her hands braced on her knees, panting heavily. "I... I can’t run anymore."

Thankfully, the little marquis had been training recently; otherwise, she wouldn’t have lasted this long. Though darkness hadn’t fully descended, Fang Lingjun was also panting like a beast. The two exhausted girls grabbed onto Lin Xiao’s outer cloak and collapsed against a rock, gasping for air.

The noble daughters of prominent families were now disheveled and drained, their hair loose and faces pale. Fengyu’s basket of fruits had been abandoned halfway through their escape. The two were utterly spent.

Fatigue and fear overshadowed the pain from their bee stings. When the chaos settled, the sting wounds began to throb with sharp discomfort. Fang Lingjun murmured, "That swarm of bees is finally gone. This hurts so much. Ayu, does it hurt for you too?"