My Evil Wife Is a Nine-Tailed Fox

Chapter 222 – Su Daji’s Choice (3)

It didn't really occur to Su Daji that the reason why she suddenly felt sick after meeting the ninth prince was that he had cast a powerful black magic spell on her. He knew her condition and whereabouts through this magic spell, making it easy for him to track the young woman. 

Su Daji looked at the white fox in shock, trying to see if she was lying. However, she remained calm and unmoving. Su Daji stayed quiet, only for the truth to sink into her mind. The ninth prince had really had put something on her. 

"Is there something we could do to remove it?" 

She didn't want to be bound to the ninth prince and, in turn, cause trouble to her father and Jiang Mo. 

The fox could easily remove the curse, but she would have to suffer from some side effects upon doing it. 

"There are some possible ways, but it would be better if he removes it himself… to make sure it won't return." 

"Then… what should I do?" Su Daji bit her lip.

Even before the fox could respond, Bai Ting came back with the other two maidservants, bringing in trays with food and tonics for their young lady. 

The food was served at the nearby table, while Bai Ting assisted her young lady in standing up and led her to her seat. 

"Miss, please have some. We will draw your bath once you're done with your meal," Bai Ting said as she scooped some lotus soup they had cooked earlier, which was already considered a luxury within the impoverished villages suffering because of the war. 

Su Daji smiled and thanked Bai Ting before taking her first sip, with her mind still on the conversation she had with the fox. 

When she glanced at her bed, she realized that the fox had disappeared. 

"It left just now, Miss. It's probably hungry, too. The fox hasn't left your side since you have fallen sick," Bai Ting explained when she noticed that Su Daji was looking for her fox companion. 

"Is that so?" She smiled slightly. 

"En, but this time, it didn't leave to find medicinal herbs for you," Bai Ting confirmed. 

Su Daji then realized that medicinal herbs might not be able to heal her this time. She could only wait for the fox to return, so they could resume the conversation they had earlier. 

After all, it seemed that the fox knew more, and she wasn't telling Su Daji everything. 

"Is my Brother Mo here at the camp?" Su Daji asked once she finished her meal. She wasn't sure how many days had passed since she fell ill and hadn't heard from her brother since then. 

Bai Ting hesitated; thus, Su Daji felt something was wrong. 

"W-where is he?" She asked again. 

Seeing that she couldn't lie to her young miss, Bai Ting took a deep breath. 

"Young Master has left with his special group before dawn. I think they are planning to return to the mountain. I'm not sure what the reason is, though… as they left in a hurry after receiving a report last night," she explained to her young miss. 

Su Daji felt a slight panic. Something about her brother's sudden departure made her worry. Jiang Mo could have found out about her meeting with Xuan Yanrui. 

The ninth prince was known to be infamous and merciless throughout the land. She feared that if Jiang Mo confronted Xuan Yanrui, he might lose his life in the process. She wouldn't know what to do if that happened. 

Just remembering the ninth prince's face made Su Daji's heart tremble with fear. Although she was aware of how proficient her brother was, she couldn't help but be worried that Jiang Mo would fall into Xuan Yanrui's hands. 

Su Daji allowed her maidservants to bathe her and then dress her in a more comfortable set of clean clothes. She could only patiently wait for her brother and the fox to return. Who knew what could happen at the dangerous mountain at the northern border, after all. 

Night came, and no one had caught sight of the two still. Su Daji heaved a sigh and wondered where the fox went. This was the first time she had disappeared for a whole day. 

"Miss, why don't you return to your tent first and rest? This servant would stay here and wait for their return," Bai Ting suggested. 

Su Daji nodded and slowly stood up from where she was seated with the help of her other maidservant. However, just as they were about to leave, the sounds of galloping horses reached their ears, stopping them in their tracks. 

The young lady hurriedly went to the entrance of the camp to see if it was her brother. The smile on her face was quickly replaced by pure terror when she realized that something was wrong. 

When the thick clouds passed, the bright moonlight showed the incoming figures. Instead of a military unit, it was a group of bandits coming their way. 

A loud gong resounded within the camp, alerting civilians to flee for their lives and urging the remaining soldiers to fight and buy time for the others to escape. 

"Miss! We really should go now! We can't stay here any longer!" Su Daji heard her maidservant exclaim before they were given their own horses to use. 

Bai Ting forcefully pushed her onto a horse and gave the reins to Su Daji. 

"Miss, run away first! This servant will hold them back for you!" Bai Ting said with a pair of solemn eyes. The young woman knew what was waiting for her if she remained at the camp. 

"Nonsense! I won't leave you here!" Su Daji finally snapped out of her shock. She then demanded a bow and arrow from a soldier, who then passed a set to her. 

After saying so, she pulled Bai Ting up to take a seat behind her and kicked the horse's side to make it run. The night breeze, however, felt too cold upon her skin. Su Daji started sweating again. Her fever came back in full force, startling Bai Ting. 

"Miss…" The maidservant whispered, but she was ignored.

Su Daji focused on where they were going. Since they had ridden to the east, they managed to lead the other bandits away from the camp. The fewer they were, the more chances for the remaining soldiers to deal with them. 

This young miss purposely used herself as bait. 

"Bai Ting, if we lose our lives today, I have to apologize for being an incompetent mistress," Su Daji said as her grip on the reins tightened. 

"Miss is starting to talk nonsense again," Bai Ting said with teary eyes. "I hope this is just her sickness talking, not the Miss. I must be wrong to sense that she wishes to perish with this lowly servant." 

"How could that be? You've been serving me since I was ten, and you are the maidservant who knows me too well," Su Daji replied. 

She then glanced behind her. A gasp came out as she saw that they were being chased, forcing her to make the horse run faster. She could feel Bai Ting tightening her embrace around her waist, her heart beating so fast. Their speed was too dangerous, and the maidservant realized this.

Even if they somehow managed to escape the bandits, they might lose their lives after falling from a horse running at such a speed! 

When Su Daji had glanced behind her, she saw how the bandits were gaining on them. 

A cold shiver ran down her spine. The bandits were aware of her identity, and that's why they were chasing after her. Su Daji knew that she wouldn't meet a good end in the hands of these bandits if they managed to catch her. She could only wish that the others managed to flee on time. 

She forced herself to calm down and stop thinking of the horrible things that could happen to her and her maidservant. The only thing she could do now was her best to at least prolong the chase. If she's lucky, she might find a place where she could hide with Bai Ting. 

The winds beat on her face, and her vision began to tunnel the farther they strayed from the camp. Su Daji could barely hear the gibberish noises of the bandits yelling at her, while all that she felt was the arrhythmic pounding on her head. 

Seeing that she wasn't willing to stop, one of the bandits pulled out the bow he was carrying on his back and drew a sharp arrow from his quiver. He then notched it on the bow and aimed at Su Daji's back. 

Bai Ting, who had just seen this, pulled her body up to shield her young miss from the arrow. 

"Miss, if this one dies tonight… she regrets nothing," she said to Su Daji, allowing a tear to roll down her cheek. 

The arrow was set loose, and Bai Ting screamed in pain…