Free Web NovelChapter 397: Chapter 399: Fetal Protection Pill
The moment the carriage rushed out of the West City Gate, a system notification sounded in Hua Manman’s mind.
"Congratulations! You have completed an important plot mission. Your reward is one lucky bag!"
A thought struck Hua Manman.
’If the lucky bag gives me a weapon, maybe I’ll have a chance of survival!’
She immediately said to the system in her mind.
’Quick, open the lucky bag for me.’
The system agreed.
Hua Manman prayed silently, hoping for something good this time.
A moment later, the system announced monotonously.
"Congratulations! You have successfully obtained one Fetal Protection Pill."
Hua Manman thought she must have misheard.
’What the hell did you say I got?’
Even the system seemed to find it absurd. After double-checking, it replied, "It is indeed a Fetal Protection Pill."
Hua Manman mentally flipped a table and roared.
’Is there something wrong with your lucky bags? I’m about to die, and you fucking give me a Fetal Protection Pill?
I’m not even pregnant! What the hell do I need a Fetal Protection Pill for?!’
The system knew it was in the wrong and didn’t dare to argue.
Clinging to a last shred of hope, Hua Manman asked, ’Can I try again?’
The system replied sheepishly, "Sorry, dear. That’s not possible."
Hua Manman: "..."
She took a deep breath, silently telling herself not to get angry. It wasn’t worth making herself sick over.
She asked through gritted teeth, ’Can I file a complaint?’
System: "Sorry, dear. That’s not possible."
’Get lost!’ Hua Manman roared, feeling utterly helpless.
System: "You got it."
Hua Manman was so furious that the pain in her abdomen intensified.
’Could it really be the shepherd’s purse I ate for lunch that’s upsetting my stomach?’
’Or is my period starting?’
Either way, it was just making a bad situation worse.
Hua Manman forced herself to calm down.
’She remembered that the previous elixirs from the lucky bags had come in small porcelain bottles. This time should be no different.’
So, Hua Manman said to the system.
’Give me the Fetal Protection Pill.’
The system didn’t know what she was planning, but it obediently complied.
The next moment, Hua Manman felt a small, cool, delicate porcelain bottle materialize in her palm.
She was lying on her side on the floor, her back against the carriage wall. Her hands were tied behind her, placing them in Xianfei and Prince Dongyang’s blind spot. As long as she was careful, they wouldn’t notice.
Hua Manman quietly poured the pills from the bottle into her palm and tucked them into her sleeve.
The carriage left the main road and turned onto a remote mountain path.
The road surface was rough, and the carriage began to jolt violently.
Everyone and everything inside was tossed from side to side with a loud CLATTER.
Hua Manman smashed the porcelain bottle hard against the carriage wall.
The bottle shattered with a sharp CRACK.
But since the carriage was shaking so violently, the sharp crack was lost amidst the general CLATTER and went unnoticed.
Furthermore, Xianfei and Prince Dongyang were on edge, their minds focused only on meeting up with Xu Jiwu as soon as possible, so they didn’t notice the sound.
Gripping a shard of porcelain, Hua Manman began sawing at the hemp rope binding her wrists.
System: "I’m so nervous."
Hua Manman was nervous too, but the system’s sudden interruption surprisingly calmed her down.
She even had the presence of mind to ask, ’I’m the one who should be nervous. What does a system have to be nervous about?’
System: "I’m afraid you’ll get caught."
’Tong’er,’ Hua Manman teased, ’you’re actually starting to care about me. How rare.’
The system was about to retort when it suddenly cried out.
"Xianfei’s looking this way!"
Hua Manman instantly froze, lying perfectly still and feigning unconsciousness.
Xianfei’s gaze lingered on Hua Manman for a moment. Seeing she was still unconscious, she looked away.
Li Hao asked, his voice fraught with anxiety.
"How much longer until we reach Moon Cold Mountain?"
Xianfei didn’t know either.
She had been in the Imperial Palace for nearly twenty years and had never once left it on her own. She knew nothing of the outside world, let alone the location of Moon Cold Mountain.
She could only answer vaguely, "We should be there soon."
System: "All clear."
Hua Manman resumed stealthily sawing at the rope. ’Thanks,’ she thought.
’If the system hadn’t warned me, I would have been caught.’
The system replied in a world-weary tone, "No thanks needed. I’ll be perfectly happy as long as you complete your missions properly from now on and stop calling me a shitty system."
’Heh,’ Hua Manman chuckled to herself.
Fortunately, the hemp rope was rather thin and didn’t take much effort to cut through.
Soon, she cut through the rope.
Hua Manman continued to feign unconsciousness, secretly searching for a chance to escape.
Just then, a sound tore through the air.
An arrow shot out from the side!
It struck the horse squarely in the foreleg.
The horse shrieked in pain, its forelegs buckled, and it collapsed forward.
The carriage behind it tipped forward as well.
The driver yelled, "Get out!"
With that, he leaped from the carriage, rolling across the muddy ground and into the nearby bushes.
Inside the carriage, Xianfei and Prince Dongyang were in a panic.
They tried to jump out, but it was too late. They were thrown violently forward along with the entire carriage!
At that moment, they were in no state to worry about Hua Manman.
Hua Manman seized the opportunity. Bracing her hands on the floor and her feet against the opposite wall, she pushed off hard, her slender body vaulting out through the window.
But the ground was too slick; she lost her footing on landing and twisted her ankle.
She tumbled awkwardly onto the grass.
The thick, soft grass cushioned her fall.
She wasn’t badly hurt by the fall, but the pain in her abdomen grew sharper.
The carriage slammed into a large tree by the road, shattering into pieces with a deafening CRASH.
Seeing this, the Yulin Guards quickly dismounted and rushed forward to help.
Hua Manman gritted her teeth against the pain, scrambled to her feet, and fled into the nearby woods amidst the chaos.
Xianfei and Li Hao were pulled from the wreckage.
Li Hao’s head was bleeding profusely from a gash.
Clutching the wound on his forehead, he spotted Hua Manman trying to escape and immediately bellowed.
"Seize Princess Consort Zhao! Don’t let her get away!"
Dozens of Yulin Guards immediately gave chase.
Ignoring the pain, Hua Manman used Qinggong to speed away.
Seeing her getting farther and farther away, Li Hao’s eyes turned bloodshot as he snarled viciously.
"Archers, ready! If she keeps running, kill her!"
The Yulin Guards immediately drew their bows, nocking arrows and taking aim at Hua Manman’s retreating figure.
Hua Manman glanced back. The sight of dozens of arrowheads glinting coldly stole her breath. Only one word echoed in her mind—
Danger!
But she knew she couldn’t stop.
If she stopped, she’d never get another chance to escape.
Dozens of arrows shot forth, raining down on Hua Manman!
Hua Manman squeezed her eyes shut.
’I’m done for!’
But in the next instant, she was pulled forcefully into a warm, familiar embrace.
Hua Manman opened her eyes.
Her gaze fell upon Li Ji’s flawless, handsome face.
He held Hua Manman with one arm while tearing the black cloak from his shoulders with the other.
The cloak unfurled like the massive wings of a black eagle, deflecting all the arrows before settling lightly over Hua Manman.
