Chapter 29 "Master, Miss Su is gone..."

This is what she wanted.

Su Muying bowed gracefully and accepted.

So, one night, a fire broke out in the west courtyard where she lived.

Xie Linyuan thought this was his and her wedding room.

"Fire! Fire!"

"The west wing is on fire!"

"Miss Su is still inside!"

"Help! Someone's in danger!"

"Quickly, save them!"

...

The towering flames illuminated the entire courtyard and burned the night sky red.

The assassins guarding the Xie residence immediately became alert and exchanged glances.

Their master had instructed them to guard the Xie residence and ensure the safety of the Xie family, especially Miss Su, and absolutely not to let...Miss Su leave the residence.

But the west courtyard is on fire right now, and Miss Su is still inside. If they can't guarantee Miss Su's safety...

Thinking of this, the assassins surrounding the Xie residence, like streaks of swords, rushed into the residence to rescue the people.

Only a few people were left to guard the perimeter of the Xie residence.

The fire in the west courtyard grew larger and larger, with flames surging outwards, and everything in the room seemed to be constantly being burned.

The wooden pillars collapsed, the roof beams broke, and just as these assassins were about to rush in, the entire house collapsed with a bang.

At this very moment, Su Muying had already left the Xie residence.

She carried her luggage and a bundle on her back, and ran towards the city gate.

It was dusk, and the last rays of the setting sun fell on the gradually deserted streets. Martial law would be enforced after dark, and the city gates would be closed.

Pedestrians hurried along, all rushing home before dark. When a corner of the sky that was about to darken was suddenly illuminated by firelight, the pedestrians all stopped and stared.

Where did the fire start?

"How can the fire be so big?"

"Looking in that direction, it seems to be the direction of the Xie residence."

"General Xie had just gone to fight on the frontier when his house caught fire..."

"Don't worry about it. The Xie family is powerful and has plenty of people to put out the fire. Hurry back. Martial law will be in effect after dark, and soldiers will patrol. If bystanders are killed, they will have no recourse."

"That's right, last time two people were still on the streets even when martial law was in effect, and they were mistaken for rebels and killed on the spot..."

"Hurry up and leave, hurry up and leave..."

As the firelight on the horizon gradually disappeared, the sky completely darkened.

It was almost Chen Shi (7-9 AM), and the city gates were about to close.

Su Muying had been running all the way, and the cloth covering her hair was blown off by the wind, leaving her hair disheveled. Her stomach also began to ache slightly.

But she didn't dare to stop for a moment.

She couldn't stop, she couldn't stop... She didn't want to go back to the Xie family mansion, she never wanted to go back again!

There were two people queuing up at the city gate, wanting to leave the city. Su Muying saw them; she saw the city gate!

However, before she could get there, the last two people who wanted to leave the city were quickly checked, and the city gate was about to close.

Su Muying watched helplessly as the two city gates closed in front of her, and she fell to the ground in her anxiety.

Soldiers quickly surrounded them.

Su Muying had a travel permit given to her by Xie's mother in her bundle. She disguised herself as a maidservant who had been dismissed from the Xie household and was returning to her hometown. Although she wasn't afraid of their questioning, she worried... what if they harbored ill intentions...?

As Su Muying watched the soldiers gathering around her and pondered how to deal with them, a command rang out.

"Get out of the way."

When the soldiers saw who was speaking, they all knelt down and made way for him.

Su Muying looked up and saw... Wu Zizhuo.

She recognized him.

She still had those slightly upturned, smiling fox-like eyes.

"Miss Su, we meet again."

Wu Zizhuo helped her up, and Su Muying bowed to him to thank him before taking two steps back.

"Thank you, Young Master Wu."

Su Muying knew... that he and Xie Linyuan were enemies.

If she could use this to her advantage, Xie Linyuan would surely let her go.

Su Muying raised her head and smiled sweetly: "I wish to leave and return to my hometown. If Lord Wu can let me out of the city gate, I will repay your kindness today if you ever need anything in the future."

Wu Zizhuo came here today precisely because he wanted to hear Su Muying's words.

He smiled, fanning himself, and narrowed his eyes slightly, making him look even more like a cunning fox.

Su Muying knew he had ulterior motives, but she didn't care about her. As long as she could return to Anzhou and leave the Xie family, she didn't care what he did.

Whether she kills Xie Linyuan or anything else, it has nothing to do with her.

"I hope Miss Su will remember my promise today." Wu Zizhuo smiled and bowed to her, then ordered his men to open the city gate.

"Someone, open the city gate."

The city gate opened in response, and Su Muying returned the greeting: "Ying'er will definitely remember today's promise."

After saying this, she asked, "If Lord Wu doesn't ask where I'm going, how will he find me in the future?"

Wu Zizhuo bent slightly, his dashing face revealing a hint of inscrutable meaning.

"If we are destined to meet, we will meet again."

Su Muying was startled, but she had no other choice at this point, so she could only reply, "Thank you, Lord Wu."

After saying that, Su Muying tightly gripped her bundle and left the city gate.

Once outside the city gate, Su Muying started running again without stopping, until she could no longer see the lights of the capital city, and then she stopped.

The moon has risen, hanging high in the night sky, casting a faint silver hue over everything around it.

Su Muying sat down against the tree trunk, panting heavily. There were some scattered lights in the distance, like a small village, but Su Muying no longer had the strength to walk over.

Su Muying leaned against the tree trunk, panting heavily. The pain in her abdomen was getting worse, and she realized... she was pregnant.

She was pregnant with another child, her child with Lin'an.

She can't... she can't sleep here.

Su Muying brought some travel money; she wanted to stay in a small village ahead for a while.

It's too cold at night; the baby in her belly won't be able to stand it.

However, she was too exhausted. After running for so long in fear and trembling, she was about to faint.

Just as she was losing consciousness and about to close her eyes, she heard a voice she hadn't heard in a long time, yet which sounded strangely familiar:

"Ying'er! Ying'er!"

——

The border region of Liang Kingdom is a land of wind and sand, bitterly cold all year round. The endless yellow sand stretches as far as the eye can see, almost like the Gobi Desert. There, strong, steep, and heavily fortified city walls were built with huge stones.

Banners fluttered atop the city walls, soldiers in heavy armor patrolled, and soldiers on watchtowers monitored enemy movements.

The weather was calm, and there was no news of enemy invasion.

Xie Linyuan had already arrived at the border. The general's mansion, where they held discussions, was brightly lit.

Xie Linyuan stood in front of the sand table, surrounded by a large group of generals, all of whom were his men who had fought alongside him through thick and thin.

“I previously had Qingshan deliver a letter to the border and give it to Chen Ling. Now that you are standing here today, you must have guessed what is going to happen next.”

The faces of the generals inside the room were filled with excitement, their fists clenched in anticipation.

They had been stationed on the border for many years, fighting alongside Xie Linyuan on the battlefield, risking their lives together. To them, General Xie Linyuan's orders were greater than the emperor's decrees.

This court is rotten to the core. The powerful officials only care about enjoying themselves. If it weren't for General Xie's continuous victories keeping things in check, they probably wouldn't even be able to get military rations! If they don't rebel, they'll all be doomed once the border is replaced by a new general!

Moreover, whether they lost or won at the border was not the same as whether they won or lost. In order to prevent the barbarian tribes from invading and plundering, their general led them in every battle as if they were risking their lives. But every victory was seen by the emperor as an achievement that threatened his position.

They had wanted to rebel for a long time, but their general had been holding them back.

After all, General Xie's dying wish remained.

"We swear to follow the general to the death!" Qingshan led the way, kneeling down to swear an oath.

Upon seeing this, the others all knelt down and declared, "We swear to follow the general to the death!"

"We swear to follow the general to the death!"

“There’s no need for so many people.” Xie Linyuan was dressed in a tight-fitting outfit with narrow sleeves, his black hair tied up high with a crimson brocade ribbon. He planted a flag in Anzhou territory. The candlelight inside the room flickered on his profile, reflecting his sharp, blade-like features, and even his pale skin exuded a cold and fierce aura.

When he arrived at the border battlefield, his murderous aura was much stronger than before.

"Chen Ling will come south with me. Eighty thousand troops will be enough. From the border to Anzhou, there are eight cities. The governors of four of these cities are our men. As for the other four cities, we will fight them if they do not surrender. Once we reach Anzhou, we will clear out the rebels and take back Anzhou. We will use this as a base to establish a separatist regime. Then we will head north. The rest of you will be stationed at the border and await orders. If there are any unusual movements, please send a message immediately."

"Yes!" Chen Ling was someone Xie Linyuan had personally promoted, and he held Xie Linyuan in extremely high esteem. Although he was still a young man, he had experienced many battles. Hearing this, he was even more excited and immediately kowtowed to swear an oath.

"We swear to follow the general to the death!"

"Alright, you can all go now. Qingshan, stay here."

Upon hearing this, the others withdrew, leaving only Yu Qingshan.

Xie Linyuan lowered his eyes, staring intently at the flag planted in Anzhou, and ordered, "Go to the capital and bring out Mother, Ying'er, and the rest of the Xie family."

"At 3:45 AM on the 15th, our men will be changing guards at the city gates. We will use this time to send the Xie family out."

"Ying'er is pregnant, please be careful."

His master had indeed entrusted him with an extremely important task.

Qingshan didn't dare delay and immediately replied, "Yes! Qingshan obeys!"

After that, Xie Linyuan led 80,000 troops and, with utmost speed, marched all the way from the border to Anzhou.

The name Xie Linyuan resounded not only throughout the surrounding small states but also throughout the entire Great Liang, striking fear into the hearts of all. The garrison troops of the Great Liang cities, long unprepared for battle, were utterly routed and utterly powerless against Xie Linyuan's army.

Thus, after capturing one city, the remaining three cities surrendered. Upon reaching Anzhou, the suppression of the rebels was also a great victory, and the Anzhou Rebellion was quelled.

No one expected that he, who should have been stationed at the border, would march south all the way to Anzhou with unstoppable momentum. When Anzhou rebelled, he incorporated the Anzhou rebels and his power grew.

The troops sent by the imperial court to eliminate him were still on their way.

After Xie Linyuan fought his way to Anzhou, he stopped and rested there.

His original plan was to settle the Xie clan and Su Muying in Anzhou after Qingshan brought them back, and to place Su Muying in her hometown with heavy guards.

He then sent a message to the border, whereupon he joined forces with the border troops and marched straight towards the capital.

This was his plan.

If Su Muying can return to Anzhou safely.

All the things he planned for the future had one unchangeable premise: that Su Muying would return to Anzhou safely.

However, Qingshan did not bring Su Muying back.

He only brought back Xie's mother and the Xie clan members; Su Muying was nowhere to be found.

That day, Qingshan rushed through the night and arrived at the general's mansion in Anzhou late at night, his face already deathly pale.

When Xie Linyuan came out to greet him, before Xie Linyuan could even ask a question, Qingshan knelt down with a thud and kowtowed heavily.

"Master, Miss Su is gone..."