The Double
Chapter 290 - 113 East Mountain_3

Chapter 290: Chapter 113 East Mountain_3

Xiao Hei? Jiang Li recognized the person’s face clearly.

"Xiaohei has been sick for over half a month now, we guess he won’t live for many more days," He Jun said hatefully, "Feng Yutang’s people won’t get us a doctor. The other ten brothers of mine all died like this, being tortured to death." As he spoke, he trembled while untieing Xiao Hei’s clothes on his back.

The clothes and flesh on that back had already merged into one piece; the bloody, indistinct mess emitted waves of foul odor. It was hard to imagine this was the flesh of a living person. Each lash mark was embedded in the flesh, and there wasn’t a single piece of intact skin left.

"The whips they use to beat us with, they all have barbs on them," He Jun said, looking at Xiao Hei, "Xiao Hei is young, yet he stubbornly held on until the end, and now he too is close to his last breath."

Jiang Li knew Xiao Hei, the youngest of her father’s subordinates. Similar in age to Xue Zhao, he also had a youthful baby face, looking like a naughty young lad from someone’s family. Every time she saw Xiao Hei, he reminded her of Xue Zhao, and seeing Xiao Hei lying there motionless, Jiang Li felt a deep, wrenching pain in her heart.

The people by her side, she had lost far too many of them.

"We must take them out immediately, go get a doctor, he can’t die," Jiang Li said, deciding quickly. To Ye Mingyu she said, "Uncle Mingyu, please help carry Xiao Hei, I’ll support the Gu Da brothers, and let’s leave this place as soon as we can. Once the people from outside come, we will take them to a secret room and find a doctor for Xiao Hei, we can’t delay any longer."

"But how do we get out?" He Jun couldn’t help but ask, "Though we’ve been in the mining tunnels for several months, all the paths in the tunnels are interconnected; we eat and live in the tunnels and have never walked outside of them."

"Don’t worry," Jiang Li said, "I know the way."

"How do you know how to..." Before he could ask, Jiang Li was already helping Ye Mingyu to carry Xiao Hei. He Jun had no choice but to swallow his doubts and follow Jiang Li.

The party headed towards the exit of the mining tunnels.

Jiang Li assisted Gu Da and Gu Er. Though she was dressed as a young manservant, her face was delicate and tender, her skin fair as jade, clearly a lady raised in a wealthy household. Peng Xiao hadn’t forgotten what Jiang Li mentioned before, that she was the legitimate daughter of the current Grand Secretary. Such a noble’s daughter, helping them, these dirty and smelly people who seemed like mere ants in her eyes, yet her gaze was very gentle, with not the slightest hint of disgust.

Peng Xiao felt somewhat dazed. The girl’s lips pursed gently, her look tender yet resolute, reminded him of the adult’s daughter, Miss Xue. Miss Xue was also the pride of Tongxiang, a moonlight-like existence in their hearts, not to be insulted by anyone. Miss Xue was stunningly beautiful and extremely intelligent, yet she never put on airs, having grown up before their eyes. When they later learned of the misfortune that befell Miss Xue, the disgraceful crime it entailed, everyone could not believe it.

The adults didn’t believe it either, but they didn’t wait for the truth and instead waited for the adult to be clapped into jail, and they became prisoners at his feet.

Fortunately... Peng Xiao looked towards Jiang Li, who was helping Gu Da and Gu Er. She was carefully watching their steps while resolutely moving forward. In the pitch-black mining tunnels where you couldn’t see your hand before you, she seemed to know in which direction there was light, as if just by persevering, they would find the exit.

Fortunately... just by persevering, one would see hope. Peng Xiao thought to himself, feeling as though suddenly endowed with limitless strength, he perked up and continued moving forward.

...

When they reached the exit, it had taken them less than half an incense stick’s time, but Jiang Li and Ye Mingyu felt as if the time had been especially long.

Ye Mingyu’s men were waiting outside, eager to welcome them out as soon as they emerged. Jiang Li let the carriage to Xiao Hei, Gu Da, and Gu Er, as they were too weak to walk. Ye Mingyu was contemplating what to do about Jiang Li when he saw her mount a horse without hesitation, her movements so graceful that even Ye Mingyu was impressed.

"Let’s go, Uncle," Jiang Li said, "We must hurry to the next place, hide them first."

Feng Yutang’s men would soon discover that the government officer had been taken away from the mining tunnels and would likely search everywhere for their whereabouts. If they could get people to the secret room before Feng Yutang started a thorough citywide search, it would be safer.

Ye Mingyu agreed completely, and rode alongside Jiang Li’s horse, setting off with the convoy. At the same time, he asked Jiang Li, "How will we get a doctor to see to them? Won’t Feng Yutang’s men just follow the doctor and find us? Even if they don’t, the common people are afraid of Feng Yutang’s official power, how would they dare to help us willingly?"