Drunk on Madness - Chapter 19

It was early December, and the first snow of the season had begun to fall in Jiangzhou. A cold wind swept through, swirling the snowflakes in the air. Su Mo lifted the door curtain, the hem of his robe fluttering noisily in the wind as the biting chill grew more intense.

He picked up the teapot on the table, poured himself a cup, and drank it in one go. “Still no word from Uncle Li and the others,” he said. “I went to inquire at a few escort bureaus in town. The imperial courier routes to the capital have been under strict guard since last month, but they weren’t as tightly controlled as they are now.”

Ever since news of the emperor’s critical illness reached Songshan Academy five days ago, the situation in the capital had grown increasingly tense. The generals guarding the city were replaced one after another, some executed by the imperial family, others, like the outspoken censors, choosing to end their lives by crashing against the palace pillars.

A few suspicious strangers had also appeared in the academy. Su Mo had noticed them but chose not to confront them outright, instead discussing countermeasures privately with Zhou Mingxuan.

Zhou Mingxuan’s profile was as flawless as jade, his long lashes casting faint shadows. His entire demeanor exuded a frost-like calm. “There’s unrest in the capital,” he said. “Early this year, the emperor fell ill. My father instructed us to leave immediately and rendezvous with him at the border if anything happened.”

Su Mo looked at Zhou Mingxuan, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes. Zhou Mingxuan frowned. “There’s no time to waste. We should set out now. It’s best if we split up and regroup in town to avoid suspicion.”

He continued, “You and Li Xiang head to the Half-Day Inn first and wait for us. I’ll go find Gu Ci now.”

A trace of hesitation flashed in Su Mo’s eyes. “That’s not ideal. You’re the heir. Their targets are you and me. Li Xiang should be fine, let her go to the inn first and wait for us.”

Zhou Mingxuan’s brow furrowed slightly. “Traveling together would draw too much attention. You and Li Xiang moving separately won’t raise suspicions.”

Su Mo shook his head, uneasy. “If we charge out on horseback together, we’d at least have a chance. Even in a fight, I could hold them off for a while. But if I’m not with you and Gu Ci get caught, I’d have no way to explain it to my adoptive father.”

His voice turned cold and resolute. “It’s better if you and Li Xiang go first. Gu Ci and I will cover the rear.”

Zhou Mingxuan’s expression darkened with disapproval. “That’s not acceptable.”

Su Mo arched an eyebrow. “What’s unacceptable? This is a matter of life and death. Protecting her is what matters, you’re both important to me.”

When Zhou Mingxuan remained silent, Su Mo pressed on, “Once you’re safe, light a firework as a signal. We’ll regroup west of the city. Gu Ci and I will ride straight out and take the mountain paths. We won’t linger in town, it’ll be safer that way.”

Time was short. Soon after finalizing their plan, the two set off separately.

Zhou Mingxuan arrived at the door of Li Xiang’s room in the Linfeng Residence and knocked lightly. Thinking it was Su Mo, Li Xiang opened the door with a playful remark, “You finally remembered me.”

But when she saw Zhou Mingxuan’s solemn face, her expression turned to shock. “Why is it you?”

Zhou Mingxuan remained composed. “Let’s talk inside.” Li Xiang quickly stepped aside to let him in.

Not far away, two shadowy figures observed the scene. The younger one, dressed in gray, smirked. “This little lady is something else. Not only is she involved with the adopted son of Prince Yan, but even the prince’s heir is her intimate guest.”

The older man, clad in black, scoffed. “She’s just a maid serving two young masters. Naturally, she’d take anyone who comes her way.”

The younger one chuckled. “Can’t blame her. After being cooped up in the academy with all those men, this little lady does look quite fetching.” The two whispered among themselves, their eyes fixed intently on the room.

Inside the room, Zhou Mingxuan’s arrival made Li Xiang somewhat uneasy. Without preamble, he laid out his plan to her. Before she could fully process it, they had already smoothly exited the academy. In the distance, she caught sight of two figures following them at a measured pace.

Li Xiang grew nervous, frequently glancing back, but Zhou Mingxuan stopped her each time.

A crow cawed hoarsely from a barren branch, its lonely cry piercing the cold air. Li Xiang’s palms were sweaty, and her breathing grew uneven from the brisk pace. “How do we lose them now?” she asked.

Zhou Mingxuan noticed her unsteady steps and sighed softly. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and whispered, “Once we reach the corner ahead, I’ll knock them out. Just relax, pretend we’re out for a stroll.”

Without any means of transportation, their progress was slow. Once Li Xiang understood his plan, she gradually relaxed, even picking a few wildflowers by the roadside and showing them to Zhou Mingxuan with a smile. He plucked a small purple bloom from her hand and tucked it into her hair.

The tender scene did not go unnoticed by the two figures trailing them. The younger man in gray muttered, “See? What else would a man and woman sneak off for?”

The middle-aged man beside him warned, “Don’t let your guard down. If we lose the young master, the lord won’t spare us. We can’t openly seize them yet, just keep watch.”

“Just a couple of brats. What’s there to fear?” the younger scoffed.

Soon, they reached the intersection. Li Xiang immediately dropped the flowers and snatched up a wooden stick from the ground, while Zhou Mingxuan drew a flexible sword from his waist.

“Stay back,” he told her, his voice firm. “I don’t want you hurt.”

Li Xiang hesitated. “Can you handle them alone? Maybe we should just run.” Two against one, she didn’t like the odds.

Zhou Mingxuan smirked. “Relax. No one at the academy knows I practice martial arts. The men they sent probably aren’t that skilled. I can manage.”

Reassured, Li Xiang gripped her stick and ducked into the nearby bushes. Zhou Mingxuan pressed against the wall, waiting. As the two pursuers drew near, he lunged, his blade piercing one man’s abdomen. The gray-clad youth crumpled to the ground, caught off guard.

The uninjured middle-aged man brandished a dagger and charged. With a flick of his wrist, the blade flew toward Zhou Mingxuan, who sidestepped just in time. The older man leaped, spinning midair to deliver a kick. The two clashed in a flurry of blows.

Crouched in the grass, Li Xiang watched the fight with a pounding heart. Then she noticed the younger man stirring, clutching his wound as he struggled to rise. Seizing the opportunity, she crept behind him and swung her stick with all her might.

The young man collapsed, unconscious. Worried he might wake, Li Xiang struck him a few more times for good measure.

Suddenly, an iron-like grip clamped around her arm. The middle-aged man had seized her, his fingers digging painfully into her flesh. The stick clattered to the ground as he twisted her arms behind her back.

“Drop your sword,” the man growled at Zhou Mingxuan, “or this little lady dies.”

Caught off guard by the sudden threat to Li Xiang, Zhou Mingxuan hesitated, his breath uneven. For a moment, he was at a loss.

Li Xiang suppressed the panic in her heart and forced a smile, saying, “I’m just a maid. Do you really think the young master would surrender himself for my sake?” As she spoke, she stomped hard on the gray-clad man’s foot. Enraged, the man brandished his dagger, ready to end Li Xiang’s life.

Zhou Mingxuan swiftly drew his sword and slashed the man’s throat. A startled cry escaped as the middle-aged assailant collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Blood splattered across Li Xiang’s face, and she wiped it away with her sleeve.

Zhou Mingxuan’s gaze turned cold. Though relieved to see her unharmed, he couldn’t help but chide, “Didn’t I tell you to stay hidden?”

Still shaken from the recent threat, Li Xiang was drenched in cold sweat but maintained her composure. “I saw the other gray-clad man getting up. I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to handle them both.”

Zhou Mingxuan said nothing more. Not daring to risk taking the main road, he immediately set off into the mountains and lit a signal fire. Grabbing Li Xiang’s hand, he hurried toward the western part of the city.

Su Mo and Gu Ci, who were at the academy’s horse grounds, spotted the signal. Without hesitation, they leaped over the fence on horseback and charged toward the nearby forest. Several men behind them, noticing their reaction, immediately spurred their horses in pursuit.

Once Su Mo and Gu Ci entered the woods, they abandoned their horses and fled on foot, whipping the animals to send them galloping in another direction. The pursuing gray-clad men, hindered by the dense trees, instinctively followed the sound of hoofbeats. The two young men wasted no time and pressed onward up the mountain.

As dusk fell, snowflakes as large as goose feathers drifted lazily onto Li Xiang’s head. She looked up at the sky, listening to the howling wind sweeping through the snowy forest.

The two trudged westward, leaving deep footprints in the snow, each step a precarious reminder of the danger trailing behind them.

Li Xiang’s shoes had long been soaked through, her feet numb from the cold. Yet, unwilling to slow Zhou Mingxuan down, she kept her head low and pressed forward. Zhou Mingxuan, walking ahead, glanced back at her every so often.

Night was fast approaching, and at their current pace, they still had another hour to go. Zhou Mingxuan turned to look at the lagging Li Xiang, then walked back and crouched before her. “Get on,” he said.

A flicker of surprise crossed Li Xiang’s face, but she didn’t hesitate to climb onto his back. “Young Master, I’m sorry for burdening you,” she murmured.

Her warm breath tickled Zhou Mingxuan’s neck, sending a shiver down his spine. But he didn’t falter, striding forward with steady determination.

Western City

Su Mo and Gu Ci concealed themselves among the tree branches, the biting wind howling around them as heavy snow swirled through the air. Su Mo gazed into the distance, his beautiful eyes swirling with unreadable emotions.

Two hours passed before they finally spotted a familiar figure approaching, carrying what looked like a snowman on his back. Su Mo’s expression softened slightly, and he nudged the half-asleep Gu Ci beside him. The two quickly descended from the tree and went to meet them.

Zhou Mingxuan halted abruptly upon sensing movement, but his tension eased when he recognized Gu Ci and Su Mo.

Su Mo took Li Xiang from Zhou Mingxuan’s back and carried her himself. The three of them re-entered the mountains, this time moving much faster.

They arrived at a cave, its entrance blocked by a wooden plank. Outside, the fierce wind battered against the door, making it creak ominously. By the dim light of a small fire, they melted snow for water to quench their thirst.

Su Mo glanced at Li Xiang, who remained unconscious, and touched her hand, only to find it as cold as ice. A thought struck him, and he immediately reached for her shoes.

Upon confirming his suspicions, Su Mo wasted no time in removing her shoes. Gu Ci, standing nearby, couldn’t help but comment, “Isn’t this inappropriate? You two aren’t married yet.” Su Mo gave him a calm glance, turned Li Xiang’s body toward the shadows, and continued his task.

When his fingers touched her damp, icy toes, Su Mo didn’t hesitate, he tucked them into his embrace. He casually placed the wet shoes near the fire to dry.

Before long, the warmth around her feet gradually roused Li Xiang from unconsciousness. The moment she realized her bare feet were nestled in his arms, she quickly withdrew them. Su Mo, who had been resting with his eyes closed, noticed she was awake and handed her a water flask.

Li Xiang took the flask and drank. She surveyed the cave: Zhou Mingxuan and Gu Ci were asleep by the fire, and her dried shoes and socks lay nearby. She quietly put them on.

The first light after the snowstorm pierced through the sparse branches, casting a lazy winter glow over the thick ice and snow, making everything shimmer brilliantly.

With a flick of his wrist, Su Mo sent a stone flying toward a rabbit nearby. The creature toppled over.

A night had passed without food. At dawn, while the others still slept, Su Mo ventured out and hunted two rabbits. He quickly returned to the cave, rinsed them with snowmelt, and they all enjoyed a hearty meal.

After eating, they discussed their next steps. The border was too far without horses, the journey would take forever. But the mountain paths, though treacherous, were often the safest option.

After much debate, they decided to take the mountain route for safety, estimating it would take two months.

Among them, Li Xiang had the safest identity and was tasked with procuring supplies along the way. Passing through remote villages, she traded silver for clothes and salt with the locals. Thus, they traveled safely for over ten days.