Chapter 7: Whom do you choose to live, and whom do you choose to die?

The old woman's vision went black, and she shouted at the guards, "Chase them! What are you all standing there for?"

The Prince of Huailing's Mansion.

The steward came to report on the banquet, and the Prince of Huailing changed his clothes and came to the front hall.

Today, he wore a dark blue brocade robe with a round neck and cloud pattern. His tall and straight figure was accentuated by a sliver of white undergarment peeking out from the collar. The hem of the robe was decorated with extremely fine silver wavy lines, as if the night waves of the Qinhuai River had been cut into his clothing.

The five dark black python patterns on the hem of the robe were not ordinary gold embroidery, but were embroidered with different shades of gray-blue silk threads. The whiskers and claws were hidden in the woven gold four-sided clouds, and only the light flowing between the lines could illuminate the peacock feathers hidden on the scales.

Like a dragon lurking in the deep abyss, concealing its power.

After exchanging a few polite words with his guests, the Prince of Huailing did not see anyone from the Marquis of Jiangyuan's residence.

He thought of Yunxi, who had been punished, and figured she definitely wouldn't come this time.

The Prince of Huailing didn't think much of it; with her temperament, it was only right that she should suffer a little if she didn't temper her.

"Your Highness." At this moment, the Minister of Revenue bowed and walked down the steps, followed by his wife and two legitimate daughters.

Neither of the two women was married. They glanced at the Prince of Huailing from afar, and when they saw him looking in their direction, they blushed and quickly looked away.

The Prince of Huailing was unmatched in the capital in terms of physique and appearance.

Looking across the world, few can compare to him. Every move he makes makes women swoon. Yet, he is aloof and indifferent, and cares little for love, breaking the hearts of countless noble ladies waiting to be married.

"Lord Yao," the Prince of Huailing nodded, but before he could finish speaking, a commotion suddenly broke out.

"What happened?" Minister Yao asked, stroking the beautiful woman's beard in confusion.

Just then, Dao Er rushed in from outside, shouting, "Master, Princess Yong'an and Miss Fan have been kidnapped by bandits!"

"Who?" The Prince of Huailing was stunned for a moment before asking.

"Princess Yong'an and Miss Fan have been kidnapped," Dao Er quickly said.

"What?! Such a big thing happened in broad daylight? Those robbers are incredibly audacious!" Minister Yao's expression changed drastically.

Despite the danger, the Prince of Huailing remained calm. As he walked towards the door, he calmly ordered, "Immediately send someone to inform the palace." After he finished speaking, he asked, "Where is Dao Yi?"

Dao Er immediately replied, "After the incident, my brother immediately went after them. Once he found any trace, he would light a signal."

The Prince of Huailing nodded, his expression calm and composed, though his jaw was taut as a thread. "In which direction did the robbers disappear?"

Dao Er pointed to the north.

Suddenly, a sharp screech broke out.

The Prince of Huailing immediately looked up at the sky and sure enough, a cluster of colorful fireworks exploded in the north.

"Come with me." He mounted his horse, his usually indifferent eyes now filled with coldness.

"Your Highness," Dao Er said as he mounted his horse, "Don't worry, Your Highness. Princess Yong'an is a lucky person and will definitely be alright."

His answer was the Prince of Huailing's shout of "Giddy up!"

Although Dao Yi was not known for his lightness skills, the robbers were, after all, holding hostages.

The distance between them remained neither too close nor too far, and with the imperial guards coming to pursue them, they quickly became a vast, dark mass.

Driven to desperation, the robbers fled headlong towards Snake Mountain, seemingly hoping to use the natural barrier to escape their pursuers.

When the Prince of Huailing arrived, the robbers had already been cornered at the edge of a cliff.

The other robber had already disappeared. Yunxi and Princess Yong'an were both gagged and had their hands tied behind their backs, standing on the edge of the cliff.

The mountain wind was strong and gusty, making people's clothes flutter.

The mountain is not high when viewed from the west, but it is a sheer cliff on the north side. At the bottom of the mountain is a bottomless ravine, which is said to be filled with miasma and where wild beasts roam year-round.

With tears welling up in her eyes, Cen Yuwei felt instantly reassured upon seeing the Prince of Huailing and couldn't help but take a step towards him.

She was immediately dragged back by the robbers. The knife against her neck twitched slightly, and tears rolled down her cheeks as she let out a soft whimper in pain.

The voice was mournful, enough to make one's heart tremble.

Yunxi, whose hands were tied behind her back, was unusually quiet at this moment, only staring at the Prince of Huailing from afar.

The wind was too strong, the sky too heavy, and her black hair drifted across her cheeks, obscuring her expression.

The Prince of Huailing's gaze quickly slid across her face, then swiftly turned to the robbers without the slightest pause. "What will it take to release them?"

"Great." The robber chuckled twice. "Prepare a fast horse for me within half an hour, and a fast boat at Tongzhou Wharf. Load it with a thousand taels of gold. Once I'm out of danger, I'll release the man."

The Prince of Huailing narrowed his eyes. "How can I trust a petty scoundrel like you?"

"What can I do if you don't believe me?" The robber moved the knife against Cen Yuwei's neck. "At worst, I'll just die, but having two beauties with me isn't a loss."

As he spoke, he intimately leaned closer to Yunxi's cheek.

The act of kissing her disgusted Yunxi.

Even though her acupoints were sealed and she couldn't use her martial arts, she still stubbornly rammed her head into the robber's nose.

The robber seemed to have anticipated this, easily stopping her attack with one hand. With a "slap," before anyone could react, he delivered a hard slap to Yunxi's face.

Yunxi's face was violently thrown to the side, and she nearly fell to the ground, losing her balance.

Cen Yuwei's shoulders trembled with fear.

Yunxi, barely managing to steady herself, looked up unwillingly, glaring at the robber with a look that seemed to say, "Go ahead and kill me if you dare."

The robber, clearly enraged by her provocative gaze, slapped her face again.

The Prince of Huailing sneered and suddenly said, "No matter how far the world is, it is still the prince's land. Since I have made a promise to you, you should keep your promise."

The robber chuckled and withdrew his hand. "Fine, but..."

Her eyes darted between Yunxi and Cen Yuwei, and she dragged Yunxi to her side with a drawn-out voice.

The robbers were extremely strong and showed no mercy to the women.

Yunxi turned pale as she was pulled.

The rope passed through her chest, causing her already painful wound to ache, and the pulling made the pain even more excruciating.

My legs, body, and face are all in pain.

She didn't want to make a sound, as if she were begging for mercy or seeking pity.

If there is no liking or love, then such pity is worthless, and she doesn't need it.

"Since we're trying to escape, I obviously can't take two people with me." The robber's knife remained pressed against Cen Yuwei's neck, but his eyes were like those of a cold, venomous snake as he stared at the Prince of Huailing. "So, Your Highness, choose. Which of these two beauties do you want to keep alive, and which do you want to die?"

Cen Yuwei's pupils trembled in fright, and tears streamed down her face.

Yunxi clenched her hands, her face pale, and subconsciously looked towards the Prince of Huailing in the distance.

Facing each other from a distance.

In just a moment, the Prince of Huailing looked away and his gaze fell on Cen Yuwei.

Then he said, "A thousand pieces of gold is not enough, I will add ten thousand pieces of gold."

Seeing that the robber showed no joy, the Prince of Huailing's expression turned cold in an instant. "Since you did all this not for money," he stared intently at the robber and slowly asked, "what do you want? Do you have a grudge against me?"

"You're very clever." A clear murderous intent flashed in the robber's eyes, and he sneered, "Back when Ruyang County suffered a drought, do you remember someone kneeling on the ground begging you for food?"

The Prince of Huailing frowned.

"You can't remember because so many people knelt and begged you." The robber's face was filled with hatred. "To survive, the matchmaker asked my mother who to sell, saying that selling one would save the other. And do you know how my brother was tortured to death?" The robber threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Heaven's justice is clear, and retribution is swift. Today, even the dignified Prince Huailing, a member of the imperial family, will make a choice." The hatred in the robber's eyes turned into the exhilaration of revenge. "Prince Huailing, today, who will you choose to live, and who will you choose to die?"

The Prince of Huailing said with a stern face, "What else do you want? You may ask for anything."

"You want to protect them all?" The robber laughed, then suddenly held his dagger to Yunxi's neck. "There's no such thing as a free lunch. Today, you must choose one."

The blade was so sharp that it instantly drew blood from Yunxi's neck.

"Naturally, we should choose a princess."

The old woman was practically dragged over.

Behind him followed a dense mass of Southern Palace Imperial Guards.

She was covered in sweat, panting and looking anxious. "Your Highness, the Princess is your childhood sweetheart. You must choose the Princess."

"Release them, and I guarantee your safety and a peaceful life." Prince Huailing didn't even glance at the old woman.

The robber, however, was clearly losing patience, his eyes flashing with malice. "I'll ask you one last time, who do you choose?"

The old woman trembled with fear, "Prince Huailing, you've chosen my princess!"

The Prince of Huailing's gaze swept over Yun Xi and Cen Yuwei, his eyes so deep that no one could guess his thoughts.

For a moment, even the wind was silent.

The robber was probably very unhappy with this passive situation. He sneered and tore off the cloth that was covering Yunxi and Cen Yuwei's mouths. "Only one of you can live today. If you have anything to say, say it as your last words."

This person clearly wanted to enjoy the suffering of the Prince of Huailing, which could be considered a great revenge.

Cen Yuwei trembled, tears streaming down her face, but she forced a smile at the Prince of Huailing. "Brother Yin'an, I'm not afraid. She is a subject of my Jing Sheng. Brother Yin'an, please save her."

Because her parents died in battle, Cen Yuwei was adopted and raised by the Empress Dowager from a young age.

Every word and action of hers is a model for noble ladies from all walks of life.

Upon hearing this, the "princess's" nanny immediately became anxious and agitated. "Prince Huailing, you must save the princess! The people sent by the palace are definitely on their way. If anything happens to the princess, you will be held responsible."

The robbers didn't have time to listen to their bickering. They tugged at Yunxi forcefully and said, "It's your turn. Speak."

The old woman was still talking when Prince Huailing's gaze fell on Yunxi.

With blood on his lips, “Prince Huailing” Yun Xi raised an eyebrow and smiled, “I am not the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Jiangyuan’s family. The real legitimate daughter has already been found.”

It seemed the mountain wind was too strong, and the Prince of Huailing didn't hear him clearly. He even asked, "What are you saying?"

Yunxi looked at him and smiled.

Her almond-shaped eyes curved slightly, showing neither tears nor fear.

It was as if he had already seen through everything and knew his choice.

Yunxi had always known the reason why the Prince of Huailing had distanced himself from her.

Because Marquis Jiangyuan was a member of the Crown Prince's faction, he naturally did not get along with the Prince of Huailing.

She couldn't change Jiang Yuanhou, nor did she have the power to influence the court, but she truly loved Huailing Wang.

So she didn't give up and came up with a solution.

She takes control of her own destiny; she is not afraid of facing danger or being caught in a hail of bullets.

If she loves him, she can move mountains and fill seas.

But now she doesn't like it anymore, she doesn't want it anymore.

She tilted her head and said loudly, "I am not the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Jiangyuan's mansion. The true legitimate daughter of the Marquis's mansion has already been found. I, Yunxi, am just a commoner orphan."

The Prince of Huailing stared at her, then suddenly narrowed his eyes.

If she is not the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Jiangyuan's family, then she loses her last value.

Although Princess Yong'an had no powerful maternal family, she had been pampered by the Empress Dowager since childhood, and the current emperor valued filial piety above all else. It could be said that she could easily reach the emperor's ears, making her the best choice for Prince Huailing.