Early that morning, long after Cao Fengge and his murderous crew had vanished, a chilling silence settled over the mountain. Dong Lanying and Yuan Xiurong stood together at the sheer, terrifying lip of the cliff. The air was a biting, thin presence, and the precipice plunged into a roiling, gray abyss of mist—a visual void that seemed to swallow all light and hope. The only sound was the desperate whine of the wind tearing at the slick, jagged rocks, a raw, mournful cry echoing their despair. Below, the dense, deadly foliage was barely visible, confirming the untamed wilderness had indeed consumed their beloved companions.
Yuan Xiurong, her voice catching with fear, whispered, "How far down do you think it is?"
Dong Lanying's face was pale; her eyes fixed on the terrifying drop. "I don't know." She picked up a sharp rock, a useless gesture, and hurled it into the fog. They waited, their breath held tight in their chests, but no sound—no distant thud—returned to them.
"Could it be a bottomless cliff?" Yuan Xiurong murmured, the question a stark terror.
Dong Lanying could only reply with a fragile, numb "Maybe?"
A sudden commotion broke the desolate silence: six figures were rushing toward them. Dong Lanying instantly drew her sword, her last defense, prepared to fight for their lives. But as the group arrived, she recognized the distraught figure leading them: Cao Yanmei, along with five of her own men.
Dong Lanying lowered her sword slightly, the tension in her shoulders easing only marginally. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.
Cao Yanmei was frantic, her face tear-streaked and horrified. "Did my father and his men are coming?"
"He came already," Dong Lanying informed her with cold, bitter finality.
Cao Yanmei looked around wildly, desperation mounting. "He did…? Where is the stinky Taoist?"
Dong Lanying didn't mince words, pointing a trembling finger at the swirling abyss. "Your father sent him over that cliff."
Cao Yanmei let out a choked sound, rushing recklessly to the edge. She screamed his name into the mist-choked air, a primal, heartbroken cry: "Stinky Taoist!"
Yuan Xiurong grabbed her arm, pulling her back from the brink. "Cao guniang, don't get too close! It seems like a bottomless cliff!"
Cao Yanmei's eyes were wide and filled with a desperate denial. "I don't believe it!" she choked out, unwilling to accept that the "stinky Taoist"—the man who had shown her kindness—was gone.
She spun around to her five men, her voice cracking with fierce urgency. "Go! Collect all the ropes and vines you can collect!" She was determined to defy the bottomless cliff, refusing to leave Yongzheng's fate to the mountain's mercy.
Down at the bottom of the cliff, where the fog had choked almost all the light, Xue Horan looked at his reflection in the flowing river. Though the morning light was poor, he could clearly see the angry red handprint on his neck—a stark reminder of Yongzheng's nightmare grip. Just then, he saw the reflection of Yongzheng silently approaching from behind him.
Yongzheng sat down behind Xue Horan and immediately wrapped his arms around Xue Horan's waist, resting his head heavily on Xue Horan's left shoulder. He whispered, his voice thick with the trauma of his past, "Horan, I am not a good person. You are right. In reality, you can never choose me, nor should you choose me."
Xue Horan remained calm. "Would you like to talk about it? Sometimes it's not good to keep things inside for a long time?"
"I'll tell you when I'm ready," Yongzheng said, then stared at the red handprint on Xue Horan's neck. He leaned closer and softly kissed the side of Xue Horan's left neck. "I'm sorry."
Xue Horan gently guided the moment back to peace. "Yongzheng, look in the river. A couple without faces, although their faces are not clear, each has its own beauty."
Yongzheng took a peek from Xue Horan's left shoulder. He smiled, watching their entwined reflections in the water. He whispered in his heart, 'Yes, indeed, the couple he saw in the river are beautiful together'. But the fleeting joy vanished as he remembered Xue Horan's stark declaration: in reality, he could never choose him. He had to face the reality of Rao Zhengsheng and Xue Horan's prior agreement, complicated now by the painful fact that Rao Zhengsheng was his brother. A good brother will not take away his brother's lover.
Yongzheng watched Xue Horan, who was smiling happily at the two reflections. He thought, 'Horan, every time I see you, I hope to talk with you happily. Maybe it can warm my heart and take away my guilt. Maybe you don't even want to look at me or talk to me. Even if I know that in reality, I will never be able to express how much I love you, but it's nothing, because as long as I feel that you are mine in my heart, I am already very satisfied. No one needs to know my feelings for you. I will share my story with the sun and the moon, and I will tell them how much I like you.'
Xue Horan nudged him. "Yongzheng, winter is coming soon, remember to wear a thicker coat."
"Hmm…" Yongzheng murmured.
Xue Horan took Yongzheng's hand and looked up, pointing toward the thick fog above them. He saw a square shape, like a basket, hanging down. "Yongzheng, look. That looks like a basket."
Yongzheng looked up. He immediately flew quickly over the bottomless pond to the other side, grabbed the bamboo basket, and flew back. Inside, he found a letter, some food, paper, and ink. He handed the basket to Xue Horan and read the letter. It was from Cao Yanmei, telling Yongzheng that they were preparing the means to rescue them.
Yongzheng looked at Xue Horan, a genuine smile forming. "This letter is from Cao Yanmei, and she said they are going to help us get out of here."
Xue Horan's face lit up. "That's great!"
They quickly walked back into the cave and awakened Rao Zhengsheng and Dong Shun. All three of them felt a surge of excitement, knowing their ordeal might soon be over.
Rao Zhengsheng quickly took charge of their escape plan. "You and Horan are the only two people who aren't injured," he stated. "I will climb up first. If this is Cao Fengge's scheme, at least I will die alone. Yongzheng, since Dong shushu can't climb, you have to carry him up." He looked at his newly discovered brother. "Do you think you can do it?"
Yongzheng gave a firm nod.
Rao Zhengsheng then picked up a piece of paper and quickly wrote a message confirming that they were still alive and planned to leave early tomorrow morning. As soon as the basket was tied to the rope, Rao Zhengsheng shook it twice, and the rope slowly began to pull up, carrying their message of survival.
That night, Rao Zhengsheng woke up to find that Dong Shun had vanished. He searched the cave and saw that only he and Yongzheng remained. Xue Horan was nowhere to be found. Worried, Rao Zhengsheng quickly got up and walked out of the cave. He found Xue Horan sitting on a small rock, silently overlooking the pond. He walked over to him.
"Why are you still up?" Rao Zhengsheng asked, concerned.
Xue Horan looked at Rao Zhengsheng. "I just woke up." He looked down, then back at his da shixiong. "Da shixiong, are you going to marry Xiurong?"
Rao Zhengsheng was surprised by the sudden, heavy question. "What's wrong? Why did you suddenly ask?"
"I just want to know," Xue Horan said simply.
Rao Zhengsheng reached out, trying to reassure him. "Horan, all you have to know is that I will marry you too."
Xue Horan gently smiled, his expression tinged with sadness and then rephrased the question. "Then let me rephrase my question. Da shixiong, if I were a woman and could have children, would you still marry Xiurong?"
Rao Zhengsheng faltered. "Horan…"
Xue Horan moved closer, resting against his shoulder, knowing he had struck a nerve. "I already know the answer, but I just want to hear it from you." He grabbed Rao Zhengsheng's left arm and leaned in. "Zhen ge, please tell me honestly, you don't have to hide it. This will be the last time I will ask you this question."
Rao Zhengsheng held onto Xue Horan's hand, forcing himself to be truthful. "Horan, I like you, and I also like Xiurong. You gave me love and safety, and she gave me strength and courage. Whether you are a man or a woman, I will also marry Xiurong with you in the future. Because I owe her a lot." He pulled Xue Horan away slightly to look him in the eye. "Horan, I'm sorry if I let you down. When I first developed feelings for Xiurong, I did try to keep myself away, but..."
Xue Horan smiled at Rao Zhengsheng, the expression brittle but sincere. "But, Zhen ge, you just can't help your feelings for her. In my opinion, I think you two look good together." He continued to smile, successfully holding back his tears. "I really meant it. I'm glad Zhen ge told me the truth." He paused, resting his head back onto Rao Zhengsheng's left shoulder, savoring the proximity. "Zhen ge, can I name your first child?"
Rao Zhengsheng rubbed Xue Horan's head affectionately. "Yes, I will let you name all of our children."
Xue Horan chuckled, a light, genuine sound. "No, I just want to name your first child."
"What do you have in mind?" Rao Zhengsheng asked.
Xue Horan proposed, "Rao Bu Hen. Do you like it?"
Rao Zhengsheng chuckled softly. "Rao Bu Hen...I like that."
Rao Zhengsheng and Xue Horan continued talking until dawn. When they realized it, two thick ropes had fallen down early in the morning.
Rao Zhengsheng stood up, the plan now in motion. "It's time. Let's continue talking when we're up on the cliff."
Xue Horan smiled and nodded.
Rao Zhengsheng quickly went into the cave and soon returned with Yongzheng and Dong Shun.
Rao Zhengsheng reiterated the signal. "I will go first, and when I'm up and safe, I'll shake the rope three times."
As Rao Zhengsheng moved to climb onto the tallest boulder, Xue Horan rushed to him, embracing him tightly. He quickly tucked a piece of folded paper into a crevice in Rao Zhengsheng's robe.
Xue Horan pulled back, giving him a bright smile. "It's some good luck words I recalled from the monks in the temple."
Rao Zhengsheng smiled. "If this is not Cao Fengge's trick, I will see you up there."
Xue Horan wrapped his hands around Rao Zhengsheng's waist for a final, desperate hug. He murmured, "Be careful."
The group waited in tense silence. Soon, the rope swayed three times, indicating that Rao Zhengsheng had made it up safely.
Yongzheng looked at Xue Horan. "Horan, it's your turn."
Xue Horan looked back at Yongzheng, his resolve hardening. "You and Dong qianbei go first. I'm afraid you and my da shixiong will have to pull me up."
Yongzheng accepted the request without question. "When we drop the rope for you and tie it around your waist, we will pull you up."
Xue Horan gave Yongzheng a gentle smile. Just as Yongzheng was about to begin pulling himself and Dong Shun up, Xue Horan called out, "Yongzheng…" Yongzheng turned around, and Xue Horan's smile widened slightly. "Thank you, for everything."
Xue Horan watched as Yongzheng and Dong Shun slowly began their climb, disappearing into the dense fog.