Chapter 54: Humiliating choice, gifted personally

The morning mist in the villa outside the capital had not yet dissipated. Yun Zhi, Xie Heng, and Liu Zhong were sitting around a simple wooden table, studying the secret report from Black Wind Village. Liu Zhong's people had found out that Zhao Feng was indeed in Black Wind Village, but was being suppressed by the village chief and was temporarily unable to escape.

"Wait another two days, and my people will be able to contact Zhao Feng. Then we'll go to Black Wind Village to pick him up," Liu Zhong lowered his voice, his eyes full of anticipation. "As long as we get Zhao Feng's testimony, combined with the incomplete letter in our hands, we can bring down Prime Minister Shen and clear the Yun family's name!"

Yun Zhi nodded, her fingertips lightly tracing the name "Zhao Feng" on the secret report. A glimmer of hope finally ignited within her heart. Despite the fears she'd endured during these past few days of hiding in the other courtyard, she also saw a glimmer of hope for revenge. She even began to contemplate leaving the capital with Qingzhu, finding a quiet place to live a normal life once the Yun family's injustice had been cleared.

But this tranquility was soon broken by the sound of hurried horse hooves.

"Miss, this is bad! There are a lot of people outside, and they seem to be... the prince's men!" Qingzhu ran in in a panic, her face pale. "The one leading them is the prince, he's already at the gate!"

"Xiao Jin?" Yun Zhi stood up suddenly, her heart sinking to the bottom. How did he find this place? Did Prime Minister Shen tell him? Or did he send someone to keep an eye on her?

Xie Heng immediately drew the dagger from his waist and stood in front of Yun Zhi, his eyes alert: "Don't be afraid, I'm here. If he dares to take you away by force, I will fight him!"

Liu Zhong also clenched his long sword, his face solemn: "Miss, let's go through the secret passage, I will cover you!"

But just as they reached the entrance to the secret passage, the gate was kicked open with a bang. Xiao Jin, dressed in a dark suit, still stained by the dust of travel, his eyes as cold as ice, walked straight in with a team of guards. His gaze swept across the courtyard, finally landing on Yun Zhi, filled with a complex and difficult-to-decipher emotion—anger, irritation, and a hint of pity that he himself was unaware of.

"Yunzhi, follow me." Xiao Jin's voice was cold, as if he was ordering an insignificant person.

"I won't go with you!" Yun Zhi took a step back, her eyes filled with vigilance and determination. "You want to give me to Batu, right? Xiao Jin, I'm telling you, even if I die, I won't serve that barbarian!"

"Die?" Xiao Jin sneered, approaching step by step. His dark battle robe swept across the ground, carrying a strong sense of oppression. "Do you think that if you die, everything will be over? Yun Zhi, don't forget, you are the daughter of a traitor. Your life has never been your own!"

"Daughter of a guilty minister?" Yun Zhi's eyes were red, her voice filled with tears and anger, "My father was wronged! It was Prime Minister Shen who framed him! Why don't you believe me? Why do you have to help your enemy to torture me?"

"Unjustly accused?" Xiao Jin suddenly pinched her chin, the force so strong that Yun Zhi frowned in pain. "Back then, the evidence of Yun Xiao collaborating with the enemy was irrefutable. Do you think you can overturn the verdict with just a few empty words? Yun Zhi, stop deceiving yourself!"

His fingertips touched her cold skin, and his heart inexplicably tightened. These past few days at the border, he had thought of Yun Zhi countless times - thinking of her pale face when she miscarried, thinking of her despair when he drugged her, thinking of her words, "Xiao Jin, I remember the pain of today." But Prime Minister Shen's threats, the emperor's cowardice, and the safety of the people on the border were like mountains, weighing down on him, making him breathless. He told himself that giving Yun Zhi to Batu was for the greater good, and that it was the punishment she, a sinner, deserved, but seeing her red eyes at this moment, his heart still ached.

"Your Highness, please let the young lady go!" Liu Zhong could no longer bear it and raised his sword to rush forward, but he was held down by the guards and could not move.

"Thank you, Imperial Physician," Xiao Jin ignored Liu Zhong and turned his gaze to Xie Heng, his tone carrying a hint of warning, "I advise you not to meddle in other people's business. You are the Chief Medical Officer of the Imperial Hospital. If you get involved in this kind of thing, losing your position is a minor matter, but losing your life is not worth it."

Xie Heng tightened his grip on the dagger, his eyes filled with resentment, yet he knew he was no match for Xiao Jin. He looked at Yun Zhi, his heart filled with heartache, but he could only grit his teeth and watch Xiao Jin take her away.

Xiao Jin grabbed Yun Zhi's chin and forcibly dragged her out. Yun Zhi struggled desperately, her nails digging deep into his arms, but he was too strong, and she couldn't break free. She looked back at Xie Heng and the pinned Liu Zhong, and at the villa that temporarily sheltered her. Tears finally fell - her hopes, her revenge plan, were they going to be shattered like this?

"Xiao Jin, let me go!" Yun Zhi's voice was hoarse, and she cried out in despair, "You can't give me to Batu! Have you forgotten our child? Have you forgotten that you said you would 'keep an eye on me'? How can you be so cruel!"

At the mention of "child," Xiao Jin paused, a flicker of pain in his eyes. But he quickly suppressed the pain, his tone becoming even more cruel: "Child? He's just your and Xie Heng's bastard. He deserved to die! Yun Zhi, don't mention him anymore. It's disgusting!"

He flung Yun Zhi to the ground, her knees slamming against the bluestone slabs, the pain blinding her. But she struggled to her feet, clutching Xiao Jin's shirt tightly, her voice filled with a final plea: "Xiao Jin, I beg you, don't give me to Batu. If you hate me, you can kill me, I won't resist! But I can't serve him, I can't..."

Xiao Jin felt a pang of pain in his heart as he watched her kneeling on the ground, clutching at the hem of his clothes. He wanted to bend down and help her up, to tell her, "I won't let you suffer any injustice." But Prime Minister Shen's words, the Emperor's decree, and the battle on the border echoed over and over in his mind. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, only a cold determination remained in them.

"Get up." Xiao Jin's voice was even. "It's your good fortune to serve the envoy. Don't act pitiful to me, and don't force me to take action against you."

He signaled the guards to come forward, and two guards immediately lifted Yun Zhi up and dragged her out. Yun Zhi struggled desperately, crying, "Xiao Jin, you will regret this! You will definitely regret this! Even if I become a ghost, I will not let you go!"

Xiao Jin stood there, his back to her, not turning back. He could hear her cries, her struggles, and could feel his heart breaking, bit by bit. But he didn't move. Not until Yun Zhi's voice faded away, not until the guards announced, "Your Highness, the people have been taken to the carriage," did he slowly turn around and look at the empty courtyard, a flicker of pain in his eyes that no one could see.

"Keep an eye on Liu Zhong and Xie Heng. Don't let anything happen to them, and don't let them rescue Yun Zhi," Xiao Jin instructed the chief guard in a hoarse voice. "Also, send someone to monitor the embassy. If Batu dares to attack Yun Zhi, report immediately."

The captain of the guards was stunned for a moment, then realized—even though the prince was giving Yun Zhi to Batu, he still cared about her in his heart. He quickly bowed and replied, "Yes, I obey your command."

Xiao Jin said nothing more and turned to walk towards the carriage. The curtains were closed, and he could hear Yun Zhi's suppressed sobs inside. He stood beside the carriage, hesitating for a long time, but finally hardened his heart and ordered the driver, "Drive to the embassy."

The carriage slowly moved along, and Xiao Jin rode alongside it. He stared at the curtains, repeating to himself over and over again: This was for the greater good, for the people living along the border. This wasn't his original intention. But only he knew how much pain and regret this "consideration for the greater good" had caused him.

Inside the carriage, Yun Zhi leaned against the wall, tears streaming silently. She watched the trees rapidly receding outside the window, her hope fading bit by bit, leaving only a cold hatred. She secretly vowed that if she could survive this time, she would make Xiao Jin, Prime Minister Shen, and Batu pay a heavy price!