Chapter 57: Storm on the Back Mountain

Before Shang Qinghua could reply, Mo Yi rose to his feet suddenly, his voice shaking with urgency. “My lord! Please, allow me to lead men to the back mountain to rescue the Fifth Prince!”

His words hit Shang Qinghua like thunder. “What? You said Yue Mingxuan is in the royal ground back mountain?”

Mo Yi lowered his head, shame burning through him.

“Yes, my lord. Because one herb was still missing for the detoxification, the Fifth Prince said he might find it there…” His voice faltered.

Guilt weighed heavily on him, if something happened to Fifth Prince, he would never forgive himself.

Shang Qinghua clenched his jaw, his voice sharp with fury. “You won’t go. I’ll go myself.” He turned toward the door, adding coldly, “And when I return, go to the military court and take one hundred strokes for lying to your commander.”

He had barely stepped out of the study when Gu Xiang blocked his path. “My lord, please! You are too important to risk yourself. Think of the greater picture.”

Shang Qinghua stopped, then laughed bitterly, anger twisting his expression. “Very good. It seems everyone has grown bold lately, lying to me, blocking my way. Am I even still your prince, or have you all forgotten who rules here?”

“Your servant does not dare,” Gu Xiang said quickly, dropping to her knees. “I would never lie to or defy my lord. But this matter concerns your safety and the future of the realm. Please, my lord think twice before you go.”

Gu Xiang’s careful persuasion failed to change Shang Qinghua’s decision.

“Someone, prepare my horse!” Shang Qinghua ordered coldly and in the next moment, his figure flashed past and disappeared into the pouring rain.

The weather is raining so heavily that it felt as if the heavens themselves were collapsing.

Yue Mingxuan crouched beside a cluster of Emberveil Herb, hiding under the edge of a rock that was wedged beneath another boulder.

It only offered a tiny bit of shelter from the storm and though it blocked some of the wind and rain, the downpour was too fierce.

Within minutes, he was soaked from head to toe, there was hardly any difference between standing under the rain and hiding here.

Just moments ago, he had seen the lightning flash, but now it had vanished.

Ignoring the cold rain dripping from his hair and clothes, Yue Mingxuan stared intently at the field of Emberveil Herb ahead.

Come on, just one more flash of lightning.

One more, and I’ll see it clearly.

As if answering his silent plea, a sharp crack of lightning tore across the sky.

For an instant, the field was bathed in white light and then, in the northern part of it, he saw it: a faint yellow glow shining through the storm.

That glow was the sign of the rare Emberveil Herb, the one that grew only in places of extreme darkness and cold.

“Thank the heavens,” Yue Mingxuan muttered with a relieved smile.

These rare herbs usually took ten days or even half a month to find, let alone pick by hand.

It was pure luck that the back mountain was royal territory otherwise, the Emberveil Herb would have been harvested long ago.

He adjusted his gear, bent low against the wind and moved toward the spot where the yellow glow had appeared.

The rain pounded down so fiercely that it was difficult to even stand upright.

That Shang Qinghua guy… really has luck on his side, he thought bitterly while wiping rain from his face.

He’s got capable subordinates gathering herbs for him and now I’m the one climbing a mountain in a thunderstorm just to collect his cure.

Some people are just born with all the luck.

Despite his complaints, Yue Mingxuan didn’t slow down.

Soon he reached the area where the glow had been.

When heooking around, all the Emberveil Herb looked nearly identical.

Digging them all up was impossible.

He frowned, which one had been glowing just now?

While he stood there thinking, he failed to notice what was forming high above him.

On the upper slopes of the mountain, a massive landslide of mud and rock was slowly building up and a monstrous force that only needed a little more rain before it would come crashing down, devouring everything in its path.

“Let’s start with the biggest one,” Yue Mingxuan muttered, gripping his small digging tool.

After comparing several plants, he decided to begin with the largest.

Bracing himself against the storm, he worked nonstop, digging up several clumps of Emberveil Herb and stuffing them all into his medicine pouch.

Meanwhile, above him, the mudslide was nearly ready to break free just like a wild beast hiding in the storm waiting for its moment to strike.

When he straightening his back, Yue Mingxuan glanced at his pouch, it was already filled to the brim with herbs.

He was just about to head back when he noticed another Emberveil Herb plant growing under a rock wall to his right.

He then stepping forward, dug it up and added it to his pouch, brushing his hands off once he was done.

It’s time to go.

By now, the rain had merged heaven and earth into one endless curtain of white.

It was impossible to tell where the sky ended and the ground began.

Feeling the pouch at his side, Yue Mingxuan sighed with regret.

He should never have brought all his other herbs with him with this much rain, the moisture would ruin their potency.

Holding the pouch tightly, he decided to find a place to take shelter before making his way down the mountain.

In such brutal weather, finding a dry spot was nearly impossible.

But for once, luck seemed to be on his side.

After walking for only a short while, he finally spotted a small cave ahead.

It was a place where he could escape the raging storm.

Although it was still daytime, the heavy rain made the entire cave dim and shadowed.

Thick vines hung over the entrance and Yue Mingxuan stood on his toes to pull them down, using them to cover the opening.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep