{"id":3779,"date":"2026-06-03T23:13:31","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T23:13:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pursuit-of-jade-62\/"},"modified":"2026-06-03T23:13:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T23:13:38","slug":"pursuit-of-jade-62","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ms\/chapter\/pursuit-of-jade-62\/","title":{"rendered":"Pursuit of Jade 62"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapter 62

When Fan Changyu woke up, every part of her body hurt.

The first thing she saw was a patched bed curtain.

Supporting herself with her right arm, she sat up halfway and surveyed the small room.

The low walls were made of packed earth. Places where the wind leaked through had been covered with wooden boards. The only table and two stools in the room were so old that they were riddled with wormholes.

She remembered that before losing consciousness, the bandit chief had been forcing her underwater.

Had someone saved her?

Looking down, she saw that she was no longer wearing her own clothes.

Her wounds had been bandaged, and her dislocated arm had been reset.

Using the old bedpost for support, she slowly stood up.

The moment she exerted strength through her waist and back, pain shot through her body, making her bare her teeth.

She frowned.

Her waist had not been injured. Why did it hurt so much?

Could she have slammed into something during the fighting without realizing it?

After everything she had been through, her first instinct upon standing was to look for her boning knife.

When she found both the knife and the deerskin wrist guards Yan Zheng had given her on the stool beside the bed, she finally relaxed.

Her fingers brushed over the smooth, resilient leather.

Lowering her eyes, she was about to fasten one onto her right wrist when hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside.

Her expression changed instantly.

Moving silently, she pressed herself against the wall beside the door and peered through a crack in the old wooden planks.

Outside appeared to be a peasant family’s courtyard.

Two armored soldiers carrying sabers stood beneath the eaves.

Another soldier was striding into the courtyard.

Fan Changyu relaxed slightly.

It seemed she had been rescued by the same soldiers who had pursued the drifting boat along the riverbank that day.

What she did not understand was why they were staying here.

\u201cMy Lord… Is the Master here? The soldiers from Jizhou Prefecture are still searching this area. We won’t be able to hold them back much longer…\u201d the newly arrived soldier said in a lowered voice.

The relief that had just surfaced vanished immediately.

If they were soldiers from Jizhou, why would they be stopping their own people?

One of the guards replied,

\u201cWord has come back from Yansong Mountain. The Master has gone to question someone. Continue guarding the mountain pass for now. I’ll report it to him once he returns.\u201d

The messenger quickly departed.

Leaning against the door, Fan Changyu became completely alert.

Who exactly was this \u201cMaster\u201d?

These men were dressed as soldiers.

They were operating within Jizhou territory.

Yet they seemed opposed to the Jizhou authorities.

Could they actually be bandits in disguise?

The thought made her shudder.

Just then, the two guards outside began chatting.

One of them remarked,

\u201cWe can’t stay here much longer. If we run into the Jizhou soldiers, the Master’s identity will be exposed. Once he returns, we’ll probably have to leave whether the woman inside has woken up or not.\u201d

The other clicked his tongue.

\u201cOur Master seems unusually concerned about her. Last night she had a nightmare and started convulsing. To stop her from biting her tongue, he actually let her chew on his finger. His index finger was covered in bloody bite marks!\u201d

Fan Changyu still remembered fragments of her nightmare.

Hearing that she had bitten their so-called Master, she frowned.

She wanted to keep listening, but another sound interrupted them.

A bamboo cane tapped softly against the ground.

Looking through the crack, she saw an elderly blind woman with gray hair approaching beneath the eaves.

One guard asked,

\u201cIs there something you need, Elder?\u201d

The old woman carried a bundle of clothes and smiled kindly.

\u201cThe clothes your young wife wore when she fell into the river have dried. I brought them back for her.\u201d

The guard immediately stepped aside.

\u201cPlease go in.\u201d

The moment the old woman began feeling her way toward the room, Fan Changyu silently retreated to the bed.

She kicked off her shoes, climbed beneath the blanket, and pretended to still be asleep.

The old woman entered, made her way to the bed, and set down the clothes.

She tucked the blanket around Fan Changyu and touched her forehead.

\u201cGood girl, at least your fever’s gone. To think you and your husband ran into bandits on a boat and suffered so much. Fortunately, you’ve got such a considerate husband…\u201d

After muttering to herself for a while, she added more firewood to the brazier before leaving.

One of the guards peeked into the room while she was inside.

Seeing only a lump beneath the blankets, he assumed Fan Changyu was still asleep and resumed standing watch.

The moment the door closed, Fan Changyu opened her eyes.

After hearing the old woman’s words, she became even more convinced these people were not real soldiers.

Why would government soldiers pretend they had encountered bandits on a boat?

And why pretend she was someone’s wife?

As for the mysterious Master the guards kept mentioning, Fan Changyu immediately thought of Sui Yuanqing.

That fellow already served the rebel prince.

After being wounded by Yan Zheng, he had been rescued by Qingfeng Stronghold.

Now he was apparently leading bandits disguised as soldiers.

Who knew what scheme he was plotting?

Since the real soldiers from Jizhou were nearby, she needed to break out and warn them.

Unsure how many bandits were outside, she did not dare act rashly.

After some thought, she flattened the wrist guards and tucked them inside her clothing over her chest like armor.

Then she strapped the boning knife to her leg beneath her skirt.

Only after preparing herself did she climb out of bed and deliberately knock over a stool, creating the sound of a fall.

As expected, the door immediately burst open.

Inside, Fan Changyu leaned heavily against the table with one hand as though she might collapse at any moment.

Pale-faced, she said,

\u201cI need to use the latrine.\u201d

One guard casually replied,

\u201cThere’s a chamber pot in the corner\u2014\u201d

His companion elbowed him sharply.

Only then did he realize there was still a young woman inside, and one their lord favored at that.

Embarrassed, he immediately shut his mouth.

Fan Changyu put on an expression of discomfort and urgency.

\u201cSir, my stomach hurts.\u201d

That was not something a chamber pot could solve.

Neither guard thought much of it.

After all, she still looked extremely weak.

Since they did not dare touch the woman their lord favored, they summoned the old woman to help escort her.

The latrine stood behind the house.

As the old woman led her there, Fan Changyu quietly observed the surroundings.

She intended only to determine how many bandits were present.

To her surprise, there were only the two guards.

That made things much easier.

As the old woman helped her back toward the room, they passed beneath the eaves.

Without warning, Fan Changyu threw a punch at the guard on the right.

The poor man was instantly dazed.

With blood streaming from both nostrils, he stared blankly at her before collapsing unconscious.

The second guard froze.

Before he could even speak, Fan Changyu snatched the bamboo cane from the old woman’s hand.

Since the old woman stood between them, she feared he might accidentally hurt her.

She swung the cane directly into the side of his neck.

The cane snapped in half.

The guard collapsed unconscious.

The old woman stood there in confusion.

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d

Fan Changyu did not know when \u201cSui Yuanqing\u201d and the other bandits would return.

Though everything had happened quickly, her palms were slick with sweat.

She crouched before the old woman.

\u201cThese people are bad men. The person who brought me here isn’t my husband. Grandma, climb onto my back. I’ll get you out of here.\u201d

The old woman was completely stunned.

As she climbed onto Fan Changyu’s back, she worriedly asked,

\u201cBut your arm was dislocated. How can you carry an old woman like me?\u201d

Fortunately, the old woman was very thin.

Carrying her with one arm posed little problem.

After leaving the courtyard, Fan Changyu quickly examined the terrain.

\u201cJust hold tightly to my shoulders.\u201d

The roads were still covered in snow.

Since it was no longer snowing, any tracks they left behind would be impossible to hide.

If they wanted to avoid being recaptured, they needed to find the real Jizhou soldiers first.

She remembered hearing the guards mention a mountain pass.

The Jizhou soldiers were probably stationed there.

\u201cGrandma, which road leads most directly to the mountain pass?\u201d

Though blind, the old woman knew the local paths very well.

\u201cTake the road west of my house. At the fork, choose the middle path.\u201d

Fan Changyu memorized the directions and immediately began jogging with the old woman on her back.

\u2014

Xie Zheng had left the house because discussing the Yansong Mountain campaign inside the courtyard might create unnecessary complications.

He had taken his men elsewhere to receive reports.

When he returned and saw both guards unconscious in the courtyard, his expression changed.

The moment he pushed open the door and found the room empty, he assumed someone had abducted Fan Changyu.

His gaze instantly darkened.

One of the guards accompanying him noticed there was no blood.

After checking the unconscious men, he quickly reported,

\u201cMy Lord, they’re still breathing!\u201d

He immediately pressed on one guard’s pressure point.

The guard whom Fan Changyu had knocked unconscious slowly came to.

Seeing Xie Zheng’s terrifying expression, he instantly dropped to his knees.

\u201cMy Lord, this subordinate deserves death!\u201d

Xie Zheng looked at the broken bamboo cane on the steps.

A layer of frost seemed to settle across his eyes.

No one had ever dared abduct someone right under his nose.

All routes leading here had been sealed by his men.

To avoid disturbing the old woman, he had brought only three guards.

Who could have slipped past the cavalry at the mountain pass?

Suppressing his anger, he asked,

\u201cWho took her?\u201d

The guard answered miserably,

\u201cThe young lady knocked us out.\u201d

Xie Zheng paused.

His handsome brows drew together.

\u201cShe knocked you out?\u201d

\u201cWhy?\u201d

The guard replied,

\u201cI don’t know. She said she had a stomachache. We let the old woman escort her to the latrine. On the way back, she suddenly punched Anzi unconscious, then grabbed the old woman’s cane and knocked me out too.\u201d

Another guard emerged after searching the nearby rooms.

\u201cThe old woman is missing as well.\u201d

After a brief moment of thought, Xie Zheng understood.

Fan Changyu must have misunderstood something.

She had mistaken them for villains and fled with the old woman.

\u201cWhat happened in the courtyard while I was gone?\u201d

The unconscious guard thought for a moment.

\u201cA scout came from the mountain pass. He reported that the Jizhou soldiers were attempting to search the mountain again. Since Your Lordship wasn’t here, I told him to continue blocking them.\u201d

Xie Zheng lowered his eyes.

\u201cSo that’s it.\u201d

She must have already been awake by then.

Seeing armed soldiers who opposed the Jizhou authorities, she had naturally assumed they were impostors.

At that moment, another scout galloped down a side path.

He practically fell from his horse before kneeling.

\u201cMy Lord! The young lady you rescued yesterday is carrying an old woman downhill. Should we stop her?\u201d

Xie Zheng looked toward the snowy mountains without answering.

Most of the hundred cavalry he had brought had already been deployed to eliminate the remaining bandits on Yansong Mountain.

He had only returned because he believed Fan Changyu was in danger.

Now that she was safe, he truly should not remain here any longer.

The war demanded his attention.

And Li Huai’an’s presence in Jizhou complicated matters further.

Finally, he said,

\u201cWithdraw the men guarding the mountain pass.\u201d

\u201cWe return to Lu City.\u201d

The scout acknowledged the order and rode off.

After preparing their horses, the guards led them from a nearby pine forest.

As Xie Zheng mounted, he glanced toward the road leading downhill.

A trace of unwillingness lingered in his chest.

He pressed half of a flesh-colored disguise mask against his face\u2014the one he had prepared before entering the region.

Then he addressed his guards.

\u201cYou leave first.\u201d

\u201cI’ll return shortly.\u201d

With that, he jerked the reins and galloped downhill.

The remaining guards could only stare at one another in confusion.

\u2014

Meanwhile, Fan Changyu carried the old woman along the road.

Suddenly, she heard a large group of horses approaching from below.

Unsure whether they were genuine soldiers or bandits in disguise, she immediately hid inside a nearby pine forest.

To be safe, she whispered,

\u201cGrandma, stay hidden here and don’t make a sound. I’ll go check first. If they’re truly government soldiers, I’ll come back for you.\u201d

The old woman repeatedly urged her to be careful.

Using a tree branch, Fan Changyu swept away her footprints as she retreated toward the road.

Just as she reached it, another set of hoofbeats sounded behind her.

This time there was only one horse.

But it was approaching incredibly fast.

Fan Changyu had just prepared to dive back into the forest when horse and rider appeared.

Afraid she might accidentally lead the pursuer to the old woman, she decided against hiding.

Since there was only one enemy, she might still be able to overpower him.

Gritting her teeth, she sprinted down the road instead.

The winding mountain road offered a clear view all the way to the foot of the mountain.

There, she spotted a large force carrying Jizhou banners.

Her heart leapt with joy.

Running as fast as she could, she shouted,

\u201cHelp!\u201d

The soldiers below immediately looked up.

Someone called back,

\u201cDon’t be afraid, Miss! I’ll bring men to rescue you immediately!\u201d

Only then did Fan Changyu notice a scholar in sky-blue robes among them.

It was the same young man who had once given her a ride.

The moment their eyes met from afar, relief surged through her.

To Xie Zheng, however, watching that exchange was an entirely different matter.

The scarred disguise mask covered half his face and one eye.

Even people familiar with him would struggle to recognize him.

Now only several yards separated him from Fan Changyu.

Instead of slowing, he urged his horse even faster.

As he passed, he reached out to grab her and pull her onto the saddle.

Fan Changyu reacted instantly.

Dodging his hand, she abandoned the road entirely and threw herself down the steep slope beside it.

Below the slope ran another section of the mountain road.

No matter what, sliding down would be faster than riding all the way around.

What she never expected was that the fake soldier chasing her would abandon his horse as well\u2014

And follow her straight down the slope.<\/p>","protected":false},"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"novel":[],"class_list":["post-3779","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3779"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3779\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3780,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3779\/revisions\/3780"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"novel","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novel?post=3779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}