Chapter 69: Hostage

Qian Deng slowly retreated to Ling Tianshui's side and lowered her voice, "Be patient, just go with him and check out the situation. I will definitely find a way to bring you and the other young men back as soon as possible..."

Ling Tianshui ignored him, his gaze fixed for a moment on Meng Lanxi, who lay lifeless on the ground. He whispered, "Please ask the county lady to handle his funeral. Although... he has wronged my mother, I think my mother would still want him to be buried beside her."

Qian Deng's throat was blocked, and a bad premonition suddenly surged in his heart: "What are you going to do?"

"I will not surrender, and I will not meet someone I don't want to meet."

He just uttered this last sentence, then stood up and jumped high on the wall.

He was very skilled in martial arts, and the Jin family cemetery was not surrounded by high walls, so he was about to climb over the wall and leave.

Even though Wei Fengyang reacted extremely quickly, the soldiers around him had already put arrows on the strings, but they were unable to react in time in such a hurry.

But just as he placed one hand on the wall and was about to use his toes to gain leverage to leap over, his palm suddenly felt numb and weak, his hand immediately loosened, his upward momentum slackened, and his whole figure slowed down.

——It was the wound that Qiandeng had stabbed him with before. It was still bleeding and had not healed.

The gift he designed for her and gave to her personally was as sharp and decisive as his style, so much so that after it penetrated her skin, it broke her tendons and could not heal without treatment.

In this slight moment of delay, Wei Fengyang had already given the order, and the arrows in the soldiers' hands rained down on him.

Amid the exclamations of surprise from the people around him, Ling Tianshui was seen as swift as the wind. He had already torn off his outer robe and, with all his strength, he spun like a shield, deflecting and blocking most of the arrows.

But even with his immense strength, he couldn't stop the barrage of arrows. Although he managed to protect his vitals amidst the chaos, he felt a sharp pain in his leg, having been pierced by a stray arrow.

Seeing that his legs were injured and he had obviously lost the strength to escape, Wei Fengyang felt relieved, knowing that this important mission had been completed. With a happy look on his face, he signaled his soldiers to go forward and capture him.

Ling Tianshui leaned his shoulder against the wall and broke the arrow shaft.

The arrow hit the middle of the thigh, four inches above the knee. Although it did not hit the artery, the wound was bleeding and it was obviously inconvenient for him to move.

But he still had power, even though his hands and legs were bleeding. The soldiers, holding long swords, did not dare to rush towards him easily.

Mingjiu took a deep breath, moved closer to Cui Fufeng, and asked in a low voice, "This...what should we do? Cui Shaoqing, this is a big deal!"

At this moment, Cui Fufeng had no time to pay attention to him. He just gave him a look, signaling him to shut up.

Ling Tianshui, surrounded by them, seemed completely unconcerned about his injuries. He simply turned his mocking gaze from Wei Fengyang to Qian Deng, "Princess Lingling, it seems I can't escape this calamity today... Before I leave, I have something important to say. Do you want to hear it?"

Qiandeng pursed her lips silently, staring at him intently without moving.

"Regarding...the death of Madam Qi, I have some questions. Don't you want to know?"

Her expression changed slightly, and she finally couldn't help but take half a step towards him.

Wei Fengyang said quickly, "This man is extremely evil and has been implicated in numerous murders. County Lady, please do not listen to his nonsense!"

"Whether it's nonsense or not, the county lady will know it as soon as she hears it." He looked directly at Qian Deng and said in a deep voice, "Or is it that the county lady keeps talking about the deep love between mother and daughter, but at the critical moment, she doesn't even dare to listen to a word I say?"

Qiandeng stared into his eyes, hesitated for a moment, and then quickly walked towards him.

"Princess Lingling, do you know..." As she approached, he lowered his voice even more, as if to tempt her to take a few steps closer, "The death of my wife..."

Just as Qiandeng approached him and listened attentively, he had already grasped the handle of the Hundred Refined Blade on her armlet. With a slight "clang" sound, he put his arm around her shoulders and with his other hand he had drawn the sharp blade and pressed it against her heart.

Qian Deng was held in his arms, looking down at the steel blade, motionless, letting the blade light reflect on his face.

"I'm sorry, County Lady. There's nothing wrong with my wife's death, but I don't want to die today."

The people around him could not believe that he would actually hold the county lady hostage, and they were shocked and silent for a moment.

Ji Linyou was the first to burst into anger, and he was about to rush forward: "Ling Tianshui, you bastard..."

"Step back." Ling Tianshui didn't look at him. His eyes just swept over Wei Fengyang, and then he tightened the blade in his hand.

Qiandeng turned her head slightly and looked at Ling Tianshui, who was pressing against her cheek in an attempt to restrain her.

Being so close suddenly reminded her of that day in the dense forest when she lay on Ling Tianshui's back and he carried her step by step through the shady forest.

Similar intimacy and ambiguity, completely different situations.

Ling Tianshui's voice rang softly beside her ear: "I'm sorry, but no matter what, I can't let the humiliation my mother has suffered be exposed to others."

Qian Deng took a deep breath, raised his voice, and said to Ji Linyou who was rushing towards him, and even more to Wei Fengyang in front of him: "Don't worry, everyone, get out of the way, I'll give him a ride."

Xue Xiyang said anxiously: "County Lady, although you have always trusted him, he is cruel, cunning and ruthless. I am worried about him..."

"Not really. He just wants to get away. I think he'll let the county lady back once we're in a safe place." Cui Fufeng raised his hand to stop everyone, staring directly at Ling Tianshui and asking word by word, "Ling Tianshui, are you willing to promise?"

Ling Tianshui's gaze finally paused for a moment on Meng Lanxi's body, then he removed the sharp blade from Qiandeng's heart and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, once I'm free, the county lady will return home safely."

Cui Fufeng didn't ask any more questions and immediately signaled Wei Fengyang to release the man. "If the imperial court interrogates this matter, all consequences will be borne solely by Cui Fufeng, the Junior Secretary of the Dali Temple."

At this point, Wei Fengyang could only dejectedly signal the soldiers to retreat, allowing Ling Tianshui to hold Qiandeng hostage and retreat step by step to the door.

The horse he had ridden was waiting at the door, and when it saw him coming, it trotted forward.

Ling Tianshui pulled Qiandeng onto the horse, and in full view of everyone, he urged the horse to gallop out like an arrow, and in the blink of an eye, he was out of everyone's sight.

No one spoke along the way, they just galloped along the official roads.

After passing the last guesthouse, there is a forest of weeping willows, which is where the scholars of Chang'an bid farewell.

He stopped the horse and silently released the arms that had been holding her tightly all the way.

The early summer wind blew the lush willow branches, brushing against his cheek and her skin. This gentle and warm scene made Qiandeng's heart cold.

She gritted her teeth, held onto the saddle, broke free from his embrace, jumped off the horse, and stood alone on the ancient willow path.

Looking up, she saw wet marks all over the black horse's body. She turned her gaze to his legs and realized that this was the blood from the wound on his leg that had burst during the gallop, and the blood had already soaked the horse's body.

She was both afraid and sad in her heart. How could there be such a tough person in this world? He was silent while speeding all the way and didn't let her notice anything unusual.

On horseback and off horseback, the two men stared at each other across the wind that penetrated from afar, yet they seemed so close yet so far away.

He remained silent for an unknown amount of time before he raised his whip and pointed at a low house not far away. He whispered, "Originally, I had placed Meng Lanxi there and had already packed his luggage, ready to send him to the northwest as soon as possible... It seems that now all these arrangements will be used on me."

It was an inconspicuous, simple house, located in a remote area and hidden among willow trees. If he hadn't pointed it out, few people would have noticed such an ordinary courtyard.

Qiandeng subconsciously glanced at the yard, only to find that the gate was ajar.

Ling Tianshui also noticed something was wrong. Meng Lanxi was cautious by nature, so why didn't she lock her hiding place when she left?

After exchanging a glance with her, he dismounted and approached the gate.

Although he had an injury on his foot, he had a strong personality and refused to show weakness in front of others even with the injury. He seemed to be moving as usual.

Just as they were approaching the crack in the door, he glanced inside and immediately pulled her aside.

Qiandeng was still in shock when he saw a blue figure staggering out of the house.

The royal blue silk gown she wore was filthy and torn, covered in bloodstains, both new and old, but she paid no heed to it, not even tending to the scars on her face. Her eyes, emitting a faint glow of fire and a terrifying determination, rushed straight towards Qiandeng, "Lingling County Princess, you are Lingling County Princess!"

Qian Deng recognized her as Lan Xiurong at a glance. He had seen her once in the dilapidated temple that day, but Qian Deng was dressed as a man at that time and had not revealed her identity. Lan Xiurong should not have recognized her.

"He said you would come... and you did!"