Mysteries of the Great Zhou Dynasty

Chapter 224 Extra Chapter: Rong Junye (7)

The carriage swayed and rocked as it traveled, and Yu Nishang felt dizzy and disoriented.

The little one in her arms raised her head, her cool little hand gently touching her burning forehead, and asked in a childish voice, "Big sister, are you feeling unwell? Why is your forehead so hot..."

With her last bit of strength, Yu Nishang gently pressed her burning cheek against the little girl's fluffy head. The soft hair brushed against her skin, carrying a faint scent of soapberry—it smelled so good.

"Don't be afraid, I'm alright..." Her voice trembled as she tried to comfort her younger sister in her arms and also to soothe her own anxiety.

The younger sister, however, looked up with her innocent face, her clear eyes full of longing: "Big sister, aren't you happy? Didn't the Sixth Prince say he would send someone to take us back to our hometown in Yueyang? There are still many of our clansmen there!"

Yu Nishang's throat tightened, and she forced a smile, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the stray hairs on the back of her sister's neck. She sighed, "Sweetie, go to sleep for a while, we'll be there when you wake up..."

Unbeknownst to her, Yu Nishang also fell into a deep sleep, but who knew that when she woke up again, it would be five days later!
Yu Nishang suddenly woke up from her dream, opening her eyes in terror. It seemed she had been having a very long nightmare in which her loved ones died one by one, and even her younger sister died of a serious illness...

"Miss Yu, you're awake? That's wonderful! I must inform the Sixth Prince immediately!" A round-faced maidservant beamed with joy upon seeing Yu Nishang awake, put down the washbasin in her hand, and ran out.

Yu Ni Chang's memories slowly began to surface. That's right, this is the Sixth Prince's residence! So it wasn't a dream after all!
Oh, right, where's my sister?

Yu Nishang braced herself against the edge of the bed, trying to stand up, but the illness that had struck in the past few days had left her weak and powerless.

"Hey, Miss Yu, why are you up! You've just recovered from your illness!" The round-faced maid had probably already gone to report to the Sixth Prince, but she came back herself.

"My sister...where is my sister?" Yu Nishang gripped the round-faced maid's arms tightly with both hands, her voice anxious.

The young maid glanced into Yu Nishang's eyes, then lowered her head, avoiding her gaze: "She...she..."

"She's in the side courtyard!" The Sixth Prince beamed, lifting the hem of his robe as he entered from outside. "I was worried you were sick, so I let her stay in the side courtyard after you recovered. Once you're better, I'll naturally arrange for you to meet."

"She's sick, isn't she?" Yu Nishang recalled the scene in her dream. No, perhaps it wasn't a dream. Maybe she was seriously ill when she overheard the servants talking.

"..." The Sixth Prince pursed his lips, looked away, and after a few moments, looked at Yu Nishang again. "Yes, but don't worry, I've already invited the best imperial physician to see her and prescribed the most expensive medicine. In a few days, she'll be as well as you! You should focus on recovering now, and only see her when you're better!" Yu Nishang didn't speak again, slowly walked to the bed, and sat down against the headboard. She seemed to have been persuaded. However, only Yu Nishang herself knew that something strange was amiss!
When Yu Nishang, her body weak and frail, stumbled into the side courtyard, she saw servants hurrying past carrying a thin bamboo mat. The wind lifted the edge of the white cloth, and a small hand tied with a five-colored rope slipped out. She had tied that five-colored rope herself for her younger sister on the Dragon Boat Festival, promising to throw it into a puddle when it rained, so that the water would carry away illness and misfortune.

At this moment, the red rope swayed gently in the wind, but those sitting below never got to see the rain that could wash away their pain.

It started to rain, and the colorful rope on her little wrist slipped off and fell into a small puddle.

Yu Nishang then realized that her conversation with her sister in the carriage had become their last words to each other.

Yu Nishang almost knelt down to pick up the five-colored rope. She clutched it tightly in her palm, placed it against her heart, and wanted to cry, but couldn't make a sound. She just wept silently.

"Miss Yu, what are you doing here! I've been looking for you everywhere! You've just recovered from your illness, you shouldn't get wet in the rain!" The little maid said with a sob in her voice as she pulled Yu Nishang up from the ground. Although the little maid was holding an oil-paper umbrella, her clothes were almost completely soaked, and her stray hairs were stuck to her forehead, whether from sweat or rain, it was hard to tell.

"If the Sixth Prince finds out, I'll be dead! Miss Yu, I'm begging you, please come back with me! I still have my parents and two younger siblings at home. If I die, they'll be devastated!" The little maid couldn't pull Yu Nishang away and cried out in desperation.

Yu Nishang seemed to come to her senses only then. Yes, she couldn't let anyone else die because of her!
Yu Nishang used all her strength to support herself with the help of the little maid before she could stand up.

That night, when the Sixth Prince came to see Yu Nishang, she stared at his face, her fingernails digging into her flesh. Now she had only one obsession: to live, she had to live.

I must live to tear off this man's hypocritical mask, live to seek justice for my family who suffered such a tragedy, and most importantly, live to let my sister rest in peace!
The longer Yu Nishang spent with the Sixth Prince, the clearer she saw the fangs beneath his gentle exterior. He showed no mercy to those who dared to defy him! Defeating him wouldn't be easy! She needed help!
Yu Ni Chang gradually discovered that the Khitan princess would visit the Sixth Prince's residence every few days. Yu Ni Chang was also a woman; she knew the Khitan princess didn't love the Sixth Prince. Words could deceive, but eyes couldn't! In the Khitan princess's eyes, the Sixth Prince was merely someone to be exploited, not someone she deeply loved!
Yu Nishang, however, had an opportunity, a chance to get close to the Khitan princess, and a bargaining chip!
Soon, the opportunity arrived, and it was created by the Sixth Prince himself.

The sixth prince was suspicious by nature and trusted no one. Although he treated Yu Ni Chang a little better, he was still somewhat wary of her.

These past few days, he's carried a wooden box with him wherever he goes. The Sixth Prince visits a small courtyard every three days, instructing his servants to park his carriage at the entrance. He only stays briefly, returning quickly. The Sixth Prince never allows Yu Ni Chang to accompany him; this is one of her few opportunities.

That day, it was time to go to the courtyard again. The Sixth Prince's horse was parked outside the courtyard. The Sixth Prince put the wooden box in his arms into the hidden compartment of the carriage, blocked Yu Ni Chang's view with his body, and closed the hidden compartment.

Yu Nishang closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep, but listened carefully to the sounds. There was a mechanism in that hidden compartment! Success or failure hinged on this moment!
Yu Nishang watched the Sixth Prince's figure disappear behind the courtyard gate, her fingers tracing the hidden compartment. The moment the courtyard gate closed, she carefully searched for a way to open the hidden compartment.

This is the Luban Box!
This Luban box appears unremarkable from the outside; it can only be opened by following a specific sequence and finding the right trick. It can be opened, but it takes time!