36. Where are you?

Early Morning on the Mountain

Yue’er and the others had spent the entire night searching the mountain, yet they found no trace of Zhao Chengxian, Haiyang, or Chen Gui. Although the soldiers had returned to the city, the five of them refused to give up, continuing to scour the slopes while calling out loudly. "Brother! Brother! Brother!" Hai Ming shouted. He knew that, at the very least, Haiyang was not currently suffering any physical agony. Being twins, they had shared a psychic bond since childhood; if one were injured, the other would feel the pain in the exact same spot. Thus, Hai Ming knew his brother was still unharmed.

Feishu and the two guards from Prince Jun’s manor were equally anxious. If they failed to find Zhao Chengxian, they would have no way to account for themselves upon returning. They walked tirelessly, their voices growing hoarse from constant shouting.

In truth, it was Yue’er who felt the most desperate. She darted back and forth among the crags and boulders, crying out, "My Prince! My Prince, where are you?" In her heart, she was whispering, *Bookworm, where are you? Your little Moon is looking for you. Bookworm, please, do not let yourself be hurt...*

After searching for a while longer, Feishu regained his composure and called out to the group, "We have searched the entire mountain, yet we have found no sign of Chengxian and the others. Let us analyze the situation: could they have been captured, or did they meet with some accident?" They had no way of knowing for certain; they could only rely on whatever clues the site might offer.

They returned to the empty hut to search for leads. It was then that Hai Ming recalled what Chen Gui had said the previous day. As if waking from a dream, he exclaimed, "There might be a secret passage here! Yesterday, when Chen Gui followed the man who was stalking the Prince, the man vanished the moment he stepped inside. I was too flustered last night—I didn't think of this!" His oversight had cost them precious time. Usually quite sharp, he wondered how he could have faltered at such a critical moment.

Feishu could not help but snap, "You! Do you realize that your 'I didn't think of it' could cost three lives, one of which is your own brother? If anything happens to them, how will you live with your conscience?" Hai Ming lowered his head, knowing his mistake, and remained silent. The two guards glared at him, making him feel even more wretched.

Yue’er said urgently, "Enough, do not waste time blaming Hai Ming. The priority now is to find the Prince and the others!" She looked at Hai Ming and asked, "Did Chen Gui discover where the mechanism was?" Her only concern was whether Zhao Chengxian was safe; everything else was trivial to her.

Hai Ming thought for a moment and replied, "No. They intended to return last night to look for the mechanism. I do not know if they found it." Knowing he had committed a grave error, his voice was barely a whisper.

Yue’er took charge, demonstrating her natural leadership. "We will search every inch, inside and out. Do not overlook a single corner!" The hut was empty, yet Yue’er began inspecting the floorboards, while Feishu and Hai Ming tapped the walls. The two guards examined the exterior. Everyone searched meticulously, afraid to miss the slightest clue.

Suddenly, Hai Ming cried out in excitement, "This part moves!" He had found a small square section of the wall that slid aside. As it shifted, a hidden passage was revealed in the floor opposite Yue’er. Hai Ming rushed down without hesitation.

Yue’er called to the guards outside, "Hey! We found it! Come in quickly!" Once everyone had gathered, Yue’er addressed them, "We cannot all go down. We must leave one person above. In case this is a trap, someone needs to be here to fetch reinforcements. Feishu, you stay behind." She knew that Feishu’s identity was not ordinary.

"Why me? I want to go down!" Feishu protested, unwilling to wait. But he had not considered that he was the only one capable of summoning help. He only wanted to charge into the fray, believing that to be the mark of a true hero.

Yue’er said urgently, "Stop being so stubborn! You are the only one who can bring reinforcements. Do you think General Huancheng would listen to anyone else? I believe the Tatars will not return here for the time being; you will be perfectly safe alone. Remember, if we have not returned by tonight, go and get help!" She did not give him a chance to argue and moved on. Once the two guards had lit their torches, they descended, leaving Feishu to wait above, helpless and frustrated.