Chapter 131: In the Hands of the Gods

It was Wei Jie who left Prince Jin's mansion with the man in black and had been waiting for so long. He wanted to get you out. However, you could do nothing but choose to stay...

## Fumble

Detecting a strange wind, the patrolling guards in Prince Jin’s Mansion rushed towards the bamboo thicket where the wind blew, unaware of a fleeting shadow behind them.

Man in Black: My lady, could you keep your dagger a bit further from me?

MC: [Carried by the Man in Black, with the dagger pressed against his neck] Keep quiet. Are you going to draw the guards? I warn you. There are lots of hidden guards in the corners of Prince Jin’s Mansion.

Man in Black: If so, why don’t you put the blade away from my neck? One mishit and we are both done for!

MC: I’m a servant maid of Prince Jin’s Mansion, while you are a abductor. Why would I be done for? What’s more, I have no idea whether you are telling the truth. It’s natural for a fragile girl like to act with caution.

Man in Black: Fragile? You? Why would you think so? I think you have a deep misunderstanding for yourself!

MC: Shut up!

Man in Black: [Whisper to himself] I shouldn’t have accepted this job… My reputation would be ruined if other’s get to know me being threaten by a girl with a knife.

## Weakness

The Man in Black agilely evades the guards with you on his back. He crosses the garden into a quiet corner and stops before a wall, about to put you down.

MC: [Alerted] What are you doing?

Man in Black: [Annoyed] You think the mansion is your own house? Prince Jin’s Mansion is famous for being heavily guarded. It took me months to find this least guarded spot as an exit…

I follower his gaze suspiciously, and see him revealing a small hole covered by bushes.

Man in Black: This is no ordinary hole! You’ll see when you get in… Are you going or not? Don’t draw the guards’ attention.

* I’m not.
* After you.
 MC: I’m not going through. I don’t know if you are lying to me.

Man in Black: Why would I lie to you after carrying you all this way and getting threaten?

MC: Who knows if you have some more tricks.

Man in Black: There is none! I swear! My Lord would have taken my life should I ever harm you. Otherwise I would never be so kind to you!

MC: [Hold the dagger steadily and get down from his back] All right. Let’s go! MC: [Hold the dagger tightly and get down slowly from his back] Go! After you!

Man in Black: [Smile] Such alert. Don’t worry. My life will be forfeit if I dare to lay a finger on your hair.

## Outside the Mansion

The Man in Black bends down and enters the hole swiftly. There is no time for hesitation. You hold the dagger tightly and follow him.

What appears to be a hole for a dog turns out to be an underground tunnel. It’s not long and soon lead to outside of the mansion. Out in the night you can barely see the shadow of trees, unaware of your location.

Man in Black: [Surprised] My lord is here… Who are you truly?

You’ve heard the Man in Black’s surprised voice, yet can’t see a thing in the surrounding darkness. Then you spot some light up ahead, and realize that a carriage has been waiting there.

Man in Black: Let’s go. Don’t keep my lord waiting.

The Man in Black lifts the carriage curtain, revealing a handsome young man with a book inside.

Wei Jie: Get in and be careful… How is your wound?

MC: [Slightly brushed] It’s all right. No big deal.

Man in Black: [Interrupt loudly] My Lord! She doesn’t look like what you told me! I thought you’d got the wrong person! She even threatened me when I was getting her out!

## How Many Secrets

Hearing that, you turn your head and throw a vicious gaze at the Man in Black. He coughs at your gaze and steps back hastily, as if he hasn’t got over the scare yet.

Wei Jie: It’s right to be cautious. Take the rein and let’s get away from here.

Man in Black: My Lord, don’t let you guard down in the face of this lady. Just be careful. I’ll waiting for you outside. Just ask me or make some noise if anything happens!

MC: [Stop him] Sir, I need to return to the mansion after our conversation is over.

Man in Black: What!? You are going back there? Do you know how much effort it took me bring you out?

MC: I’m sorry, but I can’t leave yet.

Wei Jie: Not even the ache of your wound can clear your mind, huh?

MC: [Lower face] Sir, don’t tell my father of me in Western Liang.

Wei Jie: So he doesn’t know about it, just as I expect. I thought I got the wrong person. Why would someone supposed to be in Peking appear in Western Liang all of a sudden? And you are unwilling to leave now. How many secrets are you holding?

## Hard Pressed

The Man in Black draws the curtain without a word after Wei Jie glanced at him and leave. It’s silence and still inside the carriage, except the flashing candle light. You keep your gaze at the floor, as if you are trying hard to find something out of it.

MC: [Moments later] Sir…

Wei Jie: Forget it. I don’t need your answer. I’d rather you tell me nothing than a lie.

He places a chest gently at your side.

Wei Jie: There are some medicines inside. Treat your wound and don’t keep me worrying. Due to some situation, Prince Jin now needs me as much as he is alert of me. We can’t afford to let him find out we are getting too close, or you could be in greater danger.

MC: I understand. Please don’t worry about me. I’ll take care of myself.

Wei Jie: When I was looking for doctors in Peking and staying at your home, what I heard most was that you asked me to take care of my body. I can still hear your words ringing at my ear, though its easier to ask others for something than to do it yourself, isn’t it?

MC: [Sulkily] That’s not true, I will take good care of myself.

Wei Jie: What if I insist to take you away?

## At What Cost

Although you keep your head low, you can still feel Wei Jie’s gaze at you. You are grateful for him not asking in details, yet you don’t know how to respond to his concern.

MC: [Hesitatingly] I don’t think you will do so, sir.

Wei Jie: In fact I would much like to, but I know that a restless person like you would try to escape if I take you away by force. Then the only thing I earn would be your resentment.

MC: Sir, have you encountered anything against your own will?

Wei Jie: I can offer you help at this moment, yet you are unwilling to take it. Do you understand that you don’t have to face everything on your own, and that someone is standing right behind you?

MC: I do, but aren’t you dealing with Prince Jin at the same time, sir?

Wei Jie: I can protect myself. How about you?

MC: [Unsatisfied] Sir, why would you underestimate me?

Wei Jie: Forget it. I don’t intend to convince you.

MC: [Raise head] Anyway, I’ll be careful! Sir, it’s late already. I’ve got to go back, or I may cause more trouble if they have found out I’m gone.

Wei Jie: [Reach out to pull you] Don’t be hasty. You haven’t taken the medicine chest… How can I not worry about you like this?

MC: [Slightly nervous] I haven’t forgotten it. Don’t worry!

Man in Black: [Voice from outside the carriage] My Lord! We’ve got to go!

Wei Jie: [Let out your hand] Go. We can save the rest of words for the day we meet again.

You nod and get off the carriage, then return along the route you came with the Man in Black. It’s midnight already, and when you get back to your bed, you feel particularly tired, but your pain seems to have been eased, and you have slept well through the night.