HMHSE - 28

A few hours later, Zhao Jinlian arrived in the mountains with his entourage, rushing to the scene.

He panted all the way, only exhaling in relief when he saw with his own eyes that the group of prisoners had been brought back.

“Thank goodness nothing happened. Otherwise, I can’t even imagine the consequences. If these people were lost, none of us would escape responsibility,” he said, adjusting his official hat nervously, still shaken by the close call.

Shen Rong and Shan Zong stood on either side of him, exchanging a glance but saying nothing.

They both knew that the situation had been dire at the time—half a moment later, and those men might have collapsed into the muddy marsh, their bodies never to be found.

The rescue had been harrowing, and mentioning it now would only make Zhao Jinlian more anxious. It was best left unsaid.

Zhao Jinlian had rushed over upon receiving the news, and now, seeing that the situation was resolved and no one was missing, he finally relaxed.

As he prepared to leave the mountains, he suddenly remembered something and turned to Shen Rong: “By the way, news from Chang’an arrived some time ago. People from the Ministry of Works are already on their way. Does the young lady know about this?”

Shen Rong was surprised: “Is that so? I haven’t received any message.”

Zhao Jinlian chuckled: “It must have slipped Lord Changsun’s mind. This message came directly from the Ministry of Works to Youzhou’s official office. I suspect they’ll arrive in the next few days.”

Shen Rong was even more surprised. When had her brother ever been someone who played tricks like this? She hadn’t received a letter from him in so long, and now she learned that people were already on their way.

She nodded to Zhao Jinlian: “Then we’ll wait until they arrive to discuss further.”

Zhao Jinlian also nodded. Before leaving, he glanced once more at the large group of prisoners squatting near the mining site, then finally departed from the mountain.

After he left, Shen Rong remained standing.

Shan Zong glanced at the sky, then at her: “You’re not leaving yet?”

If she stayed any longer, it would be late.

Shen Rong replied: “No, I need to stay here today.” Looking at him, she added, “And you have to stay too.”

Shan Zong stared at her: “Why?”

Shen Rong pointed to Wangji Mountain: “Because this place isn’t stable yet. I need to perform a ‘Mountain Stabilization’ ritual.”

“Mountain Stabilization?”

“Yes.”

Shan Zong felt that this phrase sounded like something a general guarding a territory would say and couldn’t help but smile. How many hidden talents did she still possess?

Shen Rong shot him a glance: “What’s so funny? You’re laughing, but you’ll have to stay too. I’ll stabilize the mountain, and you stabilize them.” She gestured toward the group of prisoners.

Shan Zong touched his lips, smiling silently.

There was nothing more to say. She had taken the lead today, and naturally, everyone would follow her orders.

It was only after discovering the peculiar geothermal winds within the mountain that Shen Rong needed to perform the ritual.

Given the recent incident, the geothermal winds were unstable. Based on experience, there would likely be more disturbances in the short term.

This was akin to an earthquake—after the main shock, aftershocks often followed. Only when everything settled could it truly be considered over.

Her presence here, ready to respond at any moment, was what constituted the “Mountain Stabilization” ritual.

This was her first time performing such a ritual—it had never happened before.

When Dong Lai and Zi Rui learned that Young Mistress intended to stabilize the mountain, they immediately began preparations and sent people back to the official residence to fetch the necessary items.

As dusk approached, a fire was lit on the open ground not far from the mining site. A pot of hot soup simmered over the flames, its meaty aroma wafting through the air.

On the other side, the heavily guarded prisoners were now resting in small groups of three or five. None of them had returned to the pit, crouching silently like shadows.

Shen Rong had changed into a thick cloak. As she passed by, she suddenly felt someone staring at her. Turning her head, she saw a crouching figure facing her, its face obscured.

Her intuition told her it was Unsinned Five. She asked: “What do you want now?”

The person let out a strange laugh, and sure enough, it was Unsinned Five’s voice: “I heard from the soldiers that it was you, little miss, who found us.”

Shen Rong replied coldly: “So? Are you going to thank me?”

Unsinned Five emitted another strange sound, still laughing, but then abruptly fell silent.

Shen Rong instinctively turned her head and caught sight of Shan Zong standing nearby, sword in hand.

His face was turned toward her, but against the firelight, his expression was indiscernible. His tall stature, broad shoulders, and strong waist were clearly outlined.

No wonder Unsinned Five had gone quiet.

She glanced at the subdued figure behind her and walked over to Shan Zong.

Only when she got closer did she realize that his deep, dark eyes were fixed on Unsinned Five. As she approached, those eyes finally shifted to her.

“If there’s going to be another disturbance in this mountain, what kind of disturbance will it be?” he asked.

Shen Rong shook her head: “I don’t know. Last night’s incident suggests that if nothing happens by tomorrow, it means the geothermal winds have stabilized, and excavation can continue. If something does happen, we’ll only know when it occurs.”

Shan Zong reflected on her casual explanation. He had never heard the term “geothermal winds” before. Glancing at her bright features illuminated by the firelight, it was as if he were seeing her anew.

The hot soup over the fire was ready, and Zi Rui came to invite them to eat.

Nearby, Dong Lai and the guards had erected windproof curtains for warmth.

Shen Rong sat by the fire, holding a bowl of soup. After taking only two sips, she handed it to Zi Rui.

Shan Zong, seated beside her, glanced at her and said: “You’d better finish it. The mountain drains your energy, and it’s cold at night.”

Shen Rong couldn’t help but look at his face.

He met her gaze: “What?”

“I’m checking if you’re teasing me again.” He had once joked that the nights in the mountains were restless.

Shan Zong’s eyes twinkled with amusement: “I’m not lying. Finish it.”

Seeing that he didn’t appear to be mocking her too much this time, Shen Rong hesitantly picked up the bowl and resumed drinking.

Hu Eleven and Zhang Wei had just finished sending the extra troops back to the military post. Upon returning, they saw the noble setup of the Changsun family—a luxurious windproof curtain erected in the wilderness, complete with every comfort imaginable.

They marveled quietly, then noticed the scene of the two sitting together, drinking soup.

Shan Zong held his bowl, legs crossed, his eyes casually glancing to the side. The firelight illuminated his face, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile lingered at the corner of his mouth.

Hu Eleven had never seen such an unintentional smile from him. Nudging Zhang Wei with his elbow, he whispered: “Am I seeing things? Why does Boss look so… kind?”

Zhang Wei muttered: “Are you praising Boss or insulting him? Are you implying he’s usually unkind?”

Hu Eleven thought to himself, Of course not , but dared not say it aloud: “I’m just saying he seems a bit different.”

He couldn’t shake the feeling that Boss was paying more attention to Lady Jin than usual. What was so fascinating about watching her drink soup? Zhang Wei replied: “You’ve always said they’re a good match. Naturally, you’d find it different.”

That made sense. Hu Eleven scratched his ear.

…

After finishing the soup, the windproof curtain was fully set up.

While Dong Lai invited Shen Rong inside to avoid the wind, Shan Zong left the fire and went to the mining site.

Unsinned Five was still squatting there, chewing on a dry biscuit given by the soldiers, the crunching sound audible between his teeth.

Seeing Shan Zong’s boots appear in his line of sight, he raised his head and let out a strange hum: “What? What do you want?”

Shan Zong spoke coldly: “Stay away from her in the future.”

Unsinned Five grinned: “Stay away from whom? Your ex-wife? Such a capable little beauty—how could you bear to let her go? Now you can only look but not touch. Doesn’t it hurt?”

Shan Zong pointed the tip of his sword at him: “Keep talking, keep going. I can send you those four tongues anytime.”

Unsinned Five’s eyes darkened, his smile turning sinister: “Don’t worry. As you said, I won’t ‘speak nonsense’ anymore.”

Shan Zong gave him a cold, sweeping glance and turned to leave.

Shen Rong was standing outside the windproof curtain when she saw him approach. She asked: “Where will you stay tonight?”

Shan Zong smiled: “It’s not a big deal.”

Soldiers on the march never cared about such trivialities.

Shen Rong looked at him, then pointed to the windproof curtain in front of her and said softly: “Would you like me to set one up for you? Right next to mine.”

Shan Zong saw her casual glance and knew she was teasing. Glancing around, he replied quietly: “Why don’t you just invite me into your tent?”

Shen Rong’s eyes flickered slightly, caught off guard by his counter. She smoothed her hair by her ear and looked at him again: “I dare to invite you. Do you dare to enter?”

When men and women bicker, if either side backed down, it would end there. But neither was willing to yield.

Shan Zong’s gaze deepened slightly. Taking a step forward, he brushed past her and chuckled softly: “Such words should be spoken less often in the future. You’ll regret it sooner or later.”

Shen Rong turned her head, watching his retreating figure, and silently cursed him as a troublemaker. Ungrateful fool—why should she care where he stayed?

…

Inside the windproof curtain, Zi Rui had specially laid out felt blankets and stacked several layers of cushions.

But Shen Rong didn’t lie down, finding it uncomfortable. She leaned against them instead.

She kept the scroll in her hands, reading the description of Wangji Mountain repeatedly by the light of the fire outside, pondering the possible scenarios that might arise.

Eventually, she managed to sleep for a short while. When she opened her eyes, it was already dawn.

Pushing aside the curtain, she stepped outside. The area was silent.

Zi Rui, who had stayed awake all night, immediately brought her a water pouch and helped her wash up.

Shen Rong stood outside, washing her hands and face, slowly surveying the surroundings.

Zi Rui said: “Young Mistress, rest assured. Dong Lai has been keeping watch all night. Everything is normal, no disturbances.”

Shen Rong nodded: “Good.”

Dong Lai approached to ask: “Young Mistress, may they continue excavating?”

Shen Rong glanced at the group of prisoners, now stirring like awakened beasts: “Go ahead.”

Dong Lai relayed the order.

Just as Shen Rong turned around, she saw Shan Zong approaching.

She didn’t know where he had slept that night—or if he had slept at all—but he appeared remarkably energetic.

Shen Rong gave him a quick glance and didn’t bother asking.

Shan Zong noticed her look and couldn’t help but smile. Sometimes, her temper was truly formidable.

Shen Rong said: “It’s fine now. You don’t need to keep watch anymore.”

He glanced at Wangji Mountain: “So, your mountain is stabilized?”

Before she could reply, she suddenly sensed something amiss. Raising a finger, she tested the air and frowned: “Why has the wind picked up again?”

Zi Rui brought her cloak and draped it over her shoulders, explaining: “Indeed, it started blowing in the second half of the night. Fortunately, the wind doesn’t feel too strong here in the mountains.”

It wasn’t that the wind was weak in the mountains—it was just that the people in the mountains barely felt it.

Shen Rong turned her head and saw that Dong Lai had instructed Zhang Wei to send the prisoners back into the tunnels. She immediately went over.

Shan Zong’s gaze followed her.

By the time Shen Rong reached the pit entrance, she had already retrieved the scroll from her sleeve.

The geothermal winds had been disrupted, and even the slightest breeze required caution.

The fact that digging here had triggered the suction of water flow was unusual. She felt as though she had overlooked something.

Staring at the scroll, she suddenly remembered.

She recalled seeing tiny cracks on the black stones below once before. That had been a warning sign back then.

“Quick, call them up!”

Upon hearing this, Dong Lai immediately relayed the order: “Come up!”

Zhang Wei, seeing this, curiously asked: “What’s wrong? Didn’t you say they could dig?”

Shen Rong declared firmly: “No, it’s unstable down there. There will definitely be a collapse. Hurry up and come out!”

Yesterday, her tone had been equally certain. Though everyone found it strange, they trusted her.

Below, chains dragged across the rocky floor of the pit as the prisoners were once again driven out.

Unsinned Five, who had been the first to enter, naturally emerged last, covered in dust and dirt, casting a glance at Shen Rong.

But when he saw Shan Zong standing not far away, he merely let out a strange laugh.

Shen Rong paid him no mind, suddenly raising her head and concentrating: “Do you hear that? Is there a sound?”

Shan Zong also raised his head. In the next instant, he sharply called out: “Hurry!”

Accustomed to giving harsh orders, his voice immediately made everyone tense. Soldiers pulled the prisoners out faster.

At the moment the prisoners were yanked away, the ground beneath them began to shake.

A muffled roar erupted as the wooden pillars supporting the tunnel snapped, causing the interior to collapse. Dust billowed out from the pit entrance.

Hu Eleven shouted from the other side: “Run!”

Zi Rui hurried over to support Shen Rong: “Young Mistress, quickly move away!”

Shen Rong had just taken a step toward her when the ground shook again, nearly causing her to fall. The scroll slipped from her hand and rolled straight toward the pit entrance.

Anxious, she chased after it without regaining her balance.

“Young Mistress!” Zi Rui and Dong Lai shouted in unison.

Hu Eleven and Zhang Wei, watching from afar, were startled as they saw her chase the scroll and tumble toward the edge. Suddenly, a black shadow flashed, rushing toward her.

“Boss!” Shan Zong practically leapt into the pit alongside her.