Chapter 277 An Unintentional Result

Xiao Beiheng slept well.

After burning the white silk that proved Xiao Zhuo's identity, he felt something that had been weighing on him lift off. He was often awakened by nightmares, but this was a rare occasion where he slept until dawn.

Ji Yunyan was Ji Zhong's granddaughter. Though only nineteen, her swordsmanship was so advanced that even he found it formidable. However, she suffered from a common flaw among martial artists: naiveté. With just a few fabricated lies, Ji Yunyan viewed Xiao Zhuo as her sworn enemy.

If she were to assassinate Xiao Zhuo, maybe she could kill him?

Using the same tactics he used to blackmail Ji Zhong, he had Yongwei's Lin Kui place the Ji family members under house arrest. While they were paid salaries, the Ji family members were forbidden from leaving the house, allowing him to exploit his granddaughter, Ji Zhong.

But when he thought about the fact that Shen Yuexi was with Xiao Zhuo, Xiao Beiheng felt that it was unlikely.

Shen Yuexi, this woman, felt that as long as she was by Xiao Zhuo's side, Xiao Zhuo would be fine. Previously, Xiao Zhuo had suffered a crushing defeat at Yongwei City, and only Shen Yuexi had accompanied him in his escape, ultimately successfully escaping his encirclement.

If Xiao Zhuoru were a fish, Shen Yuexi would turn him into a slippery loach. She'd think she'd caught him, but then he'd slip out of her palm in a flash.

Xiao Beiheng shook his head, strapped the Yanque Sword to his waist, and walked out of the tent.

Inside the barracks, the soldiers had already left their tents and started to light fires and cook. It was still dark, and the bonfires illuminated the soldiers' faces.

There was still some time before the roll call, and since he had nothing to do, he went to the general's tent first.

The guards at the door bowed and saluted when they saw the Crown Prince arrive. Xiao Beiheng was in a good mood and smiled at the guards before entering the tent.

The commander's tent is where all the generals gather to discuss matters, and it is also where the generals are rewarded after a great victory. It is the largest tent in the entire camp.

When he came to sit down in front of the coach's desk, Xiao Beiheng inexplicably felt a chill on his back.

It's already mid-June, so it shouldn't be this cold. Could I have caught a cold last night?

He stretched his shoulders, turned his head, and looked around at the furnishings in the general's tent. It was exactly the same as yesterday.

Why does this chilly feeling on my back still linger?

He turned around and saw the source of the cold. There was a two-foot-long hole in the tent behind him, and the morning wind was rushing in through it.

Xiao Beiheng was startled, stood up, reached out to grasp the Yanque Sword, and pulled it out half a foot.

Ji Yunyan's voice sounded coldly behind him: "Prince Xiao."

Xiao Beiheng's body stiffened, and he turned around abruptly to look at Ji Yunyan, who was wearing a black veil.

Completely different from last night, her eyes were now filled with anger, and the sword in her hand shot towards his right shoulder at the same time. The sword's speed was like a flash of lightning.

Xiao Beiheng was horrified and quickly stepped back while drawing his sword.

With a "clang" sound, the long sword that Ji Yunyan stabbed with was broken into two pieces by Yan Que Sword. The shining broken blade flew into the air and passed through the top of the tent.

Ji Yunyan glanced at the Yanque Sword, bent down and crawled out through the broken part of the tent.

Hearing the sound of weapons clashing inside the tent, the guards at the door rushed in. They saw Xiao Beiheng half-kneeling on the ground, holding the Yanque Sword, and breathing rapidly.

"There's an assassin!" the guards shouted, "Hurry up and protect His Highness the Crown Prince."

"No need," Xiao Beiheng finally stood up and sheathed the Yanque Sword. "You can't catch her."

Ji Yunyan was elusive and had clearly been lying in ambush inside the tent. If she hadn't called out first and drawn her sword directly, he would be dead by now.

After going through the gates of hell, he noticed that his back was soaked with cold sweat.

…

In the city of Langya Pass, in the hall of Xiao Zhuo's mansion.

"Hey, why did Sister Ji shout?" After listening to Ji Yunyan's story, Shen Yuexi stomped her feet regretfully.

Wouldn't it be better to just stab the bad guy to death with one sword?

After she stomped her foot once, she saw Xiao Zhuo sitting opposite her looking at her, so she smiled awkwardly and gently put her raised foot down on the ground.

Although Xiao Beiheng was a bad guy, he was Xiao Zhuo's younger brother. It was wrong for him to be here hoping for his brother's death.

"Sister, sneak attacks from behind are not the style of our Ji family," Ji Yunyan pulled down the black veil covering her face. "Drawing a sword without warning is a tactic used by assassins."

She had an oval face and delicate features. The heroic spirit between her eyebrows was something Shen Yuexi had never seen on any other woman's face. If anything, Mei Dai had some of that, but compared to Ji Yunyan, it was far inferior.

"Why bother talking to a despicable villain like Xiao Beiheng..." Shen Yuexi stopped talking mid-sentence, turned around and coughed, "I'll get you some tea, you guys take your time."

After saying that, she ran into the side room.

Ji Yunyan looked at Xiao Zhuo and said, "Sir, I must leave immediately to return to Xiliang. Although you have asked the Queen of Xiliang to rescue your family from Lin Kui, I am afraid that Xiao Beiheng will vent his anger on them."

Xiao Zhuo said, "When the teacher committed suicide, it was to prevent my younger brother from harming his family. I cannot let him take advantage of the teacher's family again, otherwise the teacher will blame me in his afterlife."

"Grandpa had no choice but to commit suicide at that time," Ji Yunyan lowered her head with some sadness. "His most proud disciple was the young master. He didn't want to kill the young master, so he had no choice but to commit suicide. If we go back, our whole family will be executed by Xiao Beiheng. I didn't expect Xiao Beiheng to stab Grandpa so many times in order to conceal the truth about Grandpa's suicide."

Xiao Zhuo stood there silently without responding.

Ji Yunyan raised her head and smiled, "I know you're in a difficult position, caught in the middle. I stabbed him only to repay a debt, not to kill him. Besides, he has the Yanque Sword for self-defense, so I can't get close. Xiao Beiheng is a very cruel man. If you show any mercy, he will become a serious threat sooner or later."

Xiao Zhuo pondered for a moment and sighed, "He is my brother after all."

Ji Yunyan walked towards the door and waved, "I also know that you are not Xiao Beiheng, so Grandpa would rather commit suicide than let you go. But as for Xiao Beiheng, when that day comes, you will have to make a decision. There is no need to see me off, we will meet again later."

When Shen Yuexi came out with the teapot and three teacups, Xiao Zhuo was the only one left in the room.

"Sister Ji left so quickly, she didn't even ask anyone to see her off," she muttered. "If only she could teach me a few sword techniques."

Thinking back to what she saw last night about Ji Yunyan's swordsmanship, she was simply stunned and it was hard not to be envious.

Xiao Zhuo sat down and said, "When the war subsides, I will take you to Xiliang to find her."

"Really?" Shen Yuexi almost jumped up with joy. "It's a great opportunity to see Sister Mei on the way."

She placed the tray on the table and pouted at Xiao Zhuo, "Husband, I always thought you were unrivaled in swordsmanship. I never thought you couldn't even beat Sister Ji."

Xiao Zhuo smiled bitterly and shook his head: "When did I ever say that I am unrivaled in the world?"

"But this is a blessing in disguise," Shen Yuexi finished pouring the tea and sat down at the table next to Xiao Zhuo with emotion. "Sister Ji saw you duel with swords and realized that you couldn't kill the teacher at all. Naturally, she knew Xiao Beiheng was lying."

"Of course I can't do that," Xiao Zhuo picked up the teacup and took a sip, "The teacher deliberately let me do that."

Shen Yuexi recalled the scene at that time. No wonder Ji Zhong gave them the horse and stayed there. No wonder Xiao Zhuo bowed to Ji Zhong three times so solemnly. At that time, she had foolishly asked Xiao Zhuo if someone had come to pick up Ji Lao...

If Xiao Zhuo had killed his mentor to save his own life, he would have died at the hands of Ji Zhong's sword.

I guess Xiao Beiheng would do the same. He is the kind of man who will do anything to achieve his desires and goals.

"Xiao Beiheng has always wanted to kill my husband," Shen Yuexi held the hot teacup in both hands, "My husband must have a plan to deal with it. He can't be so passive."

"Of course," Xiao Zhuo drank the teacup in one gulp and placed it on the table, "We have to make the King of Qi withdraw his troops."

"But how can we withdraw?" Shen Yuexi asked with a sad face.

Xiao Zhuo reached into his arms, took out something and handed it to Shen Yuexi.

Shen Yuexi looked down at her palm and saw the white silk that Empress Pei had left for Xiao Zhuo. She couldn't help but exclaimed, "It turned out it wasn't lost."

"This was written by the Queen Mother herself, and I keep it close to my heart," Xiao Zhuo said. "The one stolen by Miss Ji was just a fake I wrote when I had nothing better to do."