A woman's heart is as unfathomable as the bottom of the sea; he couldn't understand her at all, and Ling Mohan couldn't help but sigh.
"What's with that expression? Did I bully you?"
She looked like someone who had been wronged, as if she had suffered great mistreatment.
Ling Mohan quickly shook his head, "No."
Feng Jin stared at his face for a long time. After confirming he wasn't lying, she withdrew her gaze, "Let's focus on how to get up first."
Ling Mohan pulled out a vine from somewhere, tugged it hard to ensure it was strong enough, and tied it around Feng Jin's waist, binding them tightly together.
"I'll carry you up," Ling Mohan said, pulling Feng Jin's arm slightly and lifting her onto his back.
"The cliff face is too steep. And with you carrying me, can you do it?"
Feng Jin had seen steep cliffs before. It was difficult for one person to climb, let alone with the weight of another. Feng Jin couldn't help but worry that Ling Mohan wouldn't be able to handle it.
"You trust me so little? Rest assured, I will definitely get you up safely."
Ling Mohan gripped the two rudimentary daggers he had fashioned from his long sword tightly in his hands. He leaped forcefully, swinging the makeshift daggers and embedding them firmly into the stone wall.
Using this clumsy yet effective method, they struggled to climb. The cliff face was steep, and with Ling Mohan carrying someone on his back, sweat soon beaded on his forehead.
"Ling Mohan, are you alright?" Feng Jin's voice was laced with concern.
"I'm fine, don't move and hold on tight!"
Ling Mohan said in a low voice, exerting force with his hands and feet to climb upwards, the veins in his temples bulging.
Feng Jin's heart was in her throat. She didn't dare to breathe, her entire body stiffening, afraid to move.
The rudimentary daggers, unable to bear their combined weight, suddenly loosened and slid down a few centimeters, dislodging small stones that tumbled down.
Feng Jin trembled violently, biting her lip to stifle a cry of alarm.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here," Ling Mohan reassured Feng Jin. He simultaneously used his hands and feet to propel himself upwards a few feet, gripping a protruding rock. With his other hand, he grabbed a nearby vine and offered it to Feng Jin.
Having sustained all his strength on one hand for an extended period, Ling Mohan's palm was torn by the sharp edges of the rock, and bright red blood flowed from between his fingers, a sight that painfully struck Feng Jin's eyes.
"Ling Mohan, put me down. You go up first, and then find a way to save me."
"Shut your mouth," Ling Mohan snapped angrily. "Say less and don't distract me."
Ling Mohan put all his strength into each step, yet the distance to the summit seemed immense. The daggers were worn down, embedding less deeply into the rock with each movement, trembling precariously.
"Ling Mohan, if I fall, don't come looking for me. You must protect the people of Yingzhong Commandery. If I truly die, I give you permission to remarry, I won't blame you..."
She realized she would only be a burden to Ling Mohan here, and then neither of them would make it. Comparatively, Ling Mohan's life was far more precious than hers.
Feng Jin had made up her mind. She reached for the vine tied around her waist, binding them together.
"What are you doing!" Ling Mohan exclaimed angrily, sensing Feng Jin's intention.
"If you dare to let go, I'll jump down with you. We can die together."
He couldn't imagine a life without Feng Jin. Such a life would be worse than death, a fate he did not wish to experience.
"Ling Mohan, you must live well. The people of Dong Chu need you."
For the first time, Feng Jin looked at Ling Mohan with such seriousness. A faint smile touched her lips as she gazed at him. She untied the vine around her waist, and her body, no longer supported, plummeted downwards. Feng Jin closed her eyes in resignation.
But suddenly, a force wrapped around her waist, arresting her descent. Feng Jin opened her eyes and looked up. Lu Shi, on the cliff above, was pulling on a rope. "Young Madam, I'll pull you up."
"Give me your hand!" Ling Mohan slid down the rock face to Feng Jin's side, grabbing her hand and pushing her to climb.
Feng Jin gripped the rope tightly and began to ascend. Only by getting up herself could she have a chance to save Ling Mohan.
"Young Madam, take your time."
After Feng Jin climbed up, her first action was to reach for Ling Mohan, who was still behind her.
"Give me your hand." Feng Jin tightly grasped his hand and pulled with all her might.
After Ling Mohan reached the top, he immediately pulled Feng Jin into a tight embrace, a feeling of relief washing over him.
Just moments ago, he had almost lost Feng Jin forever.
"Cough... cough... Ling Mohan, you're too tight. I can't... I can't breathe..."
Feng Jin gasped out, her face flushed from the pressure, finding it difficult to even draw breath.
Ling Mohan loosened his grip slightly but still held Feng Jin tightly, afraid she would vanish if he blinked.
"Let go, people are watching."
Feng Jin whispered into Ling Mohan's ear, feeling embarrassed by the onlookers.
Fortunately, Lu Shi was perceptive. Seeing the situation, he quickly signaled for everyone to turn around, giving the couple some privacy.
After a while, Feng Jin lost her patience and pushed Ling Mohan away with all her strength, thinking that if she didn't fall to her death, she would be worn out.
"Let's go back," she said, steadying her numb legs and walking forward with difficulty.
In her haste to pull Ling Mohan up, she hadn't noticed the corpses strewn everywhere.
"Lu Shi, what just happened?"
"Reporting to Young Madam, as soon as we lowered the rope, a wave of rebels appeared from nowhere and surrounded us. After a fierce battle, we managed to break free, which delayed us and almost led to a terrible mistake."
Lu Shi still felt a tremor of fear recalling the danger. If he had been a second slower, Young Madam would have fallen off the cliff.
Fortunately, he arrived in time to save the Young General and his wife.
Ling Mohan straightened his clothes and approached with a cold expression. "Lu Shi, lead a team to thoroughly search the vicinity of Yingzhong Commandery. Ensure all escaped rebels are killed, leaving none alive."
He regretted not ordering a city-wide manhunt and extermination of the rebels when the city was breached.
Who would have thought that such an oversight at the time would almost result in a catastrophe today.
"Yes, Young General!"
"Let's return to Yingzhong Commandery," Ling Mohan said, helping Feng Jin onto a horse. He then mounted the horse himself, and they rode back together.