The man closed his eyes but did not feel the pain of the falling stone for a long time.
He slowly opened his eyes and saw Su Ying standing against the light.
Half of her face was in the dark, with only faint moonlight shining on it.
Even so, the man still recognized her.
"Su Ying. So it was indeed Xiao Jue who sent you. Kill me if you want. I won't let you go even if I become a ghost!"
Su Ying recognized him as Xiao Jin's trusted aide as a piece of memory flashed by. He was the former commander of the South Gate of the Imperial Army, Jiang Yang.
Jiang Yang glared at her with hatred. "Su Ying, you conspired with Xiao Jue to kill the Pince. You'll die a horrible death."
Su Ying glanced at the two men she had shot with the tranquilizer. "Were they sent by Xiao Jue?"
The hatred in Jiang Yang's eyes intensified. "Don't you pretend anymore. Who else could it be if not him?"
Su Ying raised one eyebrow. "You are injured?"
Jiang Yang snorted coldly, "Just kill me. Save all this nonsense."
Su Ying noticed his breathing was weak but didn't look like he was in pain. He must have been starved with no strength to resist. She threw some food in front of him. "Get up if you're not dead. I don't want to carry your Prince anymore. He is as heavy as a cow."
Jiang Yang raised his head abruptly. "How is His Highness?" There were many people in the group. He was deliberately separated from Xiao Jin, and things were made difficult for him. So he didn't know Xiao Jin's situation at all.
"If you want to know, come and see for yourself." Su Ying didn't waste any more time and turned around to leave.
Jiang Yang looked at the food on the ground, picked it up, and ate. His strength recovered a bit. He got up and staggered behind Su Ying.
Su Ying returned to the grass and sat down. After making sure the kids were OK, she lay beside them and prepared to nap.
Jiang Yang caught up and saw Xiao Jin lying on the ground.
Xiao Jin woke up after Su Ying left. He heard movements and opened his eyes to see Jiang Yang.
"Your Highness."
Surprise flashed in Xiao Jin's eyes. "Jiang Yang, you're still alive." He knew that someone had been targeting the people from his residence all this time. He was heavily injured and had to look after the children, with no energy spared for anything else. He thought that Jiang Yang had also suffered a vicious attack.
"Some men attacked me tonight." JiangYang glanced at Su Ying and continued, "That woman appeared out of the blue and got rid of them. That was how I managed to escape. I don't know what she wanted."
Xiao Jin's dark eyes swept over Su Ying. He trusted Jiang Yang's loyalty, but Su Ying's actions were indeed strange. She was actually so kind to save his man.
"Your Highness, are your injuries alright?"
Xiao Jin's deep eyes were indifferent. "I won't die just yet."
"I will protect your Highness and the young Prince and Princess with my life."
Xiao Jin's expression darkened. "How many people from the residence are left?"
Jiang Yang clenched his fist. "Not even 30. We don't know if there are any spies among them."
Xiao Jin's eyes were cold and solemn, and there was no fluctuation in his gaze. "Find opportunities to contact the ones you trust. Don't worry about the rest for now."
"I understand."
Xiao Jin slept for the second half of the night, knowing Jiang Yang was around.
A ray of golden light pierced through the clouds and landed on Su Ying's eyelids.
She suddenly opened her eyes, and there was no trace of haziness in them.
She sat up and reached out to touch Ji beside her. The little boy still had a low fever. So she had to continue with the injection.
Ling slowly opened her eyes too. She rubbed her eyes and looked in Su Ying's direction.
Su Ying never knew that a human kid could be so adorable. She held Ling up and fed her water and food.
Ling was no longer afraid of Su Ying. She obediently lay in Su Ying's arms and ate in peace.
After Ling was well-fed, she walked to Xiao Jin, her big eyes full of concern. "Daddy, are you still in pain? Ling will blow on it for you, and it won't hurt anymore."
His daughter's cuteness made Xiao Jin's cold face soften. "It doesn't hurt anymore. I will get better soon."
Ling believed him and laughed happily. "Yeah! Daddy will be well soon. These, these are the medicine and food that daddy need to eat." She placed the medicine and food Su Ying had given her in Xiao Jin's hands.
Jiang Yang wanted to say that food from that evil woman must not be eaten. Then he remembered that he only had the strength to follow her here last night because of the same food, so he didn't part his lips.
Xiao Jin didn't refuse. He only coldly glared at Su Ying before eating the food and medicine.
Su Ying carried Ji in her front like yesterday and waved at Ling. "Ling, come here. I'll carry you on my back."
Ling looked at Xiao Jin. After seeing Xiao Jin nod, she walked over to Su Ying.
Jiang Yang saw Su Ying carrying the two children and helped Xiao Jin get up. "I'll carry Your Highness."
Xiao Jin saw that he was not injured and gave a quiet acknowledgment.
The group set off. Today, they had to walk over the mountain, and the road would not be easy.
The bailiffs began to organize the group, and a team of several hundred people was ready to go up.
Su Ying's eyes lit up as she looked at the lush mountains. She caught a bear last night and wondered what else she would get today.
Su Ying carried the two children, yet her pace was light. Nevertheless, she didn't walk too fast and maintained a short distance from Xiao Jin. She didn't let him get too far away from her so that she could act quickly if something happened.
Along the way, Su Ying picked up all the mushrooms she saw and placed them in her interspace. She would know if they were edible after using an instrument, so there's no concern about them being poisonous.
Because there were too many people in the group, they moved slowly. By almost noon, they were only halfway up the mountain. At this speed, they could not get down the mountain before dark.
"Everyone, stop and rest." A bailiff's voice came from the front.
Su Ying put the two little ones down by a big tree.
Ling ate well in the morning and did not walk. She seemed to be in good spirits.
Su Ying took out some food and placed it in her hands. "You must be hungry. Hurry up and eat."
Ling looked at the food in her hands eagerly, but she could not bear to eat it. Instead, she put it into her small pocket carefully. "I'm not hungry. I'll save it for brother as he is injured."
Su Ying's cold heart almost melted as she looked at her radiant but thin face. "Ji hasn't woken up yet. I've already saved his share. You can eat as much as you want."
Hearing these words, Ling took out the food happily and took a bite.
Su Ying took the opportunity to inject Ji with medicine. She touched his forehead. Although it wasn't as hot as before, it was still a bit warm.
"How's little Ji?"
Su Ying turned around and almost bumped into Xiao Jin's face.