Chapter 25 Intercepting "Lying comes at a price."...

Inside the tent.

The scout jolted, suppressing the urge to urinate between his legs, barely daring to breathe, "...Yes!"

“Missing.” Jiang Xu glanced at him and suddenly spoke, “What a fine ‘missing’ statement.”

The scout dared not utter a single word, only kowtowing repeatedly, kneeling for a long time.

The tent was deathly silent. Jiang Xu stared at the glaring words on the letter, the anger of being fooled burning brighter and brighter in his chest, almost eroding the confidence and composure he had maintained these past few days.

The man's fingertips turned white from the force, crumpling the paper into a crease before it shattered instantly, turning into powder and dissipating into the air.

The flickering candlelight illuminated his expression.

Those eyes, which were always smiling and gentle, were now filled with silence. Long black eyelashes concealed all the rage and ferocity in Jiang Xu's eyes. His gaze was fixed firmly on the misty blue ribbon on his wrist.

This was a gift from Wan'er to him on the eve of his departure for the campaign.

They said it was to wish him a triumphant return.

Thinking of this, Jiang Xu felt a chill in his heart, but calmly ordered, "You may leave."

The scout, as if granted a pardon, hurriedly retreated, tightly closing the tent curtains. Only after the footsteps faded into the distance did Jiang Xu make any move.

Standing before the map like a malevolent god, his towering figure blocked most of the light in the tent. He walked a few steps to the table, his nearly 1.9-meter-tall frame casting an extremely oppressive shadow.

On the map, Jichuan is surrounded by villages and cities of all sizes, densely packed together, forming an encirclement. Hundreds of miles away lies his target, the Turks.

Jiang Xu gazed at the scene quietly, then suddenly announced loudly, "Send five hundred light cavalry to accompany me on my return journey."

......

*

On the lakeside, reeds blocked out much of the moonlight, only sparsely revealing the two figures.

Shi Wan was stunned, her face turning slightly pale. But in an instant, she forced herself to calm down. If she was so easily alarmed by news of the Jingbei Army, she would probably miss it if she had the chance.

She had just calmed herself down when she heard Zhang Yi ask, "Did I say something wrong?"

Shi Wan pursed her lips, her guard up even more, and silently shook her head.

The two remained silent for a moment. Suddenly, a figure darted out from the reeds and pounced on Zhang Yiwen's side, exclaiming, "Young Master!"

"I've finally found you! Are you alright?" The servant who spoke looked young and was trying to hold back his sobs. He looked his master over carefully and only smiled when he was sure that he was unharmed.

He was accompanied by a pageboy, and at a glance, it was clear that he was a wealthy young man from a prestigious family, with a fair complexion, tall stature, and dressed in the manner of a young nobleman.

Unexpectedly, her movement was noticed by Zhang Yiwen, who had been watching her closely. He said cautiously, "Please wait, young lady!" His ears had turned red again. "If you have any urgent matters to attend to, perhaps I can help you."

As darkness fell, Shi Wan did not notice anything unusual about the man. Instead, a thought struck her. "To be honest, young master, I do have a favor to ask. Could I... borrow your carriage?"

As the night deepened, the uneven ruts on the official road stretched forward, and the carriage sped along. Shi Wan sat beside the servant and subconsciously tightened the bundle on her body.

This person had only exchanged a few words with the innkeeper, who then borrowed a carriage and horses. It seems her guess was correct, which... saved her a lot of trouble.

Her consciousness was hazy, but she subconsciously sat up straight and recounted her current situation.

Although the clothes he was wearing were clearly men's style, the other party still recognized him at a glance, which showed that his disguise was not very good. He had been pressed for time earlier, and after settling in, he needed to improve his skills.

Furthermore, one cannot stay in one place for too long; one must change places multiple times in order to shake off Jiang Xu's men.

Shi Wan's heart was in turmoil. Meanwhile, Jiang Xu's personal guards had already surrounded Ji Chuan. Jing Ye, the personal guard left at the prefect's residence, finished his search and came to pay his respects to Jiang Xu.

"Hirsu?" Jiang Xu asked, puzzled.

Jing Ye bowed respectfully and explained in detail, "From the moment Miss Wan'er dismissed me and left the theater, my men began to investigate. But that night, the Zhang family's assassins also came to the theater, making the situation quite chaotic."

Originally, everyone was just conducting a routine search, and with some preparation, their speed was already quite fast. But when they saw Jiang Xu suddenly return in person, leading a large force of five hundred elite soldiers, the men below put in even more effort, determined to achieve results.

Everyone wanted to earn some credit in front of the king, especially since this was on their own turf. In less than half an hour, they had made a new achievement.

"One of my soldiers is quite clever. He said that after Miss Wan'er disappeared, the theater caught fire, and many people fled in all directions. Among them, he saw several people acting strangely."

Shi Wan took advantage of Liu Ying's influence and escaped unprepared. By following the clues, it is easy to find her whereabouts. Moreover, since the incident just happened, she couldn't have gone far.

Seeing Jiang Xu nod, Jing Ye continued, "The brothers immediately went to investigate. With Wan'er's portrait in hand, they soon got a clue. There was a temporary post station ten miles outside the city. Our men made a fuss, and the post station manager hurriedly told the truth, admitting that he had indeed seen Wan'er and sold her a carriage."

"The reason I kept it a secret before was because there was a rich young master traveling with us, and he was given an extra twenty taels of silver to keep his mouth shut."

At this point, Jing Ye couldn't help but say, "My lord, our men are already in Pingsu, just waiting for your command to capture Miss Wan'er."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xu merely sneered, "She hasn't even arrived in Pingsu yet."

The carriage was much slower, and the journey was tiring for Wan'er's body, so they would definitely stop to rest along the way.

Now that he had caught the person, Jiang Xu wouldn't let it go so easily.

He said, "Incorporate that soldier into Jing Yan's command as his deputy. Tell him that if he does well, he can one day come to my side and command an army."

"Even chickens and dogs rise to the heavens in one day," it seems this person has become rich. Jing Ye snapped out of his reverie and hurriedly agreed. After a moment, seeing that his king was only focused and silent, he tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, when Miss Wan'er arrives in Pingsu, should we capture her directly?"

Jiang Xu remained silent for a moment, then said, "No need. Just tell the shops along the way to keep an eye on her whereabouts and wait for me."

Since we've already deceived him, we should at least make him grab it himself.

Only in this way can she give up.

*

The distance between Jichuan and Pingsu was much farther than expected. It took more than a day of travel before Shiwan finally arrived at the place at dawn.

Following her memory, she found the inn and only relaxed a little after checking in.

When she reached Pingsu, she bid farewell to the other party, found another donkey cart to enter the city, smeared her face with dirt, changed her clothes, and disguised herself before setting off again. After the long journey, her spirit and physical strength were almost at their limit.

Inside the room.

The hotel seemed to have renovated all the rooms; the one I stayed in this time was completely different from the one I was forced to stay in three months ago.

The space is larger and brighter, and the decorations inside are more numerous and more exquisite.

As Shi Wan pondered, her gaze involuntarily fell upon the screen that separated the bed. The gauze screen was embroidered with a bird about to take flight, its pale yellow hue accentuating the pure white background, and a few withered lotus leaves adding a touch of charm.

She couldn't help but think of the cage hanging in front of the inn when she entered, inside which were chicks of the same size.

Even a caged bird can eventually fly out, but this one will probably be stuck on this screen for the rest of its life, unable to move an inch.

Shi Wan was momentarily dazed, then suddenly stood up and looked around. The dull pain in her chest constantly reminded her that something bad might be going to happen.

This intuition had once saved her from dire straits, and now, Shi Wan was naturally on high alert.

Just past the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), the outside was quiet, with only a few shops open. A sliver of warm light shone from the inn's window.

Shi Wan stood in front of the window, looked around outside, and then blew out the candle, and the room returned to silence.

She lay on the couch fully clothed, and even with her eyes closed, her heart was pounding frighteningly fast. She didn't know if it was from the long journey or from suddenly learning that Jiang Xu hadn't left the city as agreed.

Now, she hasn't had that dream for several days.

But these days, she is still not at ease, and even hopes that her dreams can give her some more warnings.

Thinking about it carefully, everything went too smoothly from the moment she decided to seek help to the moment she left the city. Although she encountered some setbacks along the way, her escape to Pingsu was just as smooth.

Thinking of this, Shi Wan suddenly felt a chill.

A strange, subtle feeling of being watched rose in my heart.

She shifted from side to side, feeling restless. After a moment, she suddenly got up, slung her bag over her shoulder, gave the waiter a few perfunctory instructions, and turned to leave.

Behind her, the shopkeeper saw her leave and hurried to the backyard to report.

Outside the inn, the faint light filtered through the eaves, casting her long, thin shadow.

The streets were deserted. Shi Wan, wearing a veiled hat, walked quickly forward, her sense of panic growing stronger. She dared not look back and could only keep heading towards the lake.

On the lake shore, the boatmen were taking a rest when they suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of their necks and fainted. The guards rowed the boat further away, leaving only one boat on the shore.

When Shi Wan arrived, this strange scene greeted her.

The lake was calm and still, shrouded in a bluish-gray mist that blurred everything on the surface.

Alarm bells rang in her mind, and she quickly turned back and headed towards the bushes nearby, but she stopped abruptly after only a few steps.

A sudden gust of wind swept through the treetops, the rustling sound almost instantly bringing Shi Wan back to her senses.

A little further away, people could be faintly seen approaching, accompanied by the soft sound of horses' hooves. In a moment, a man and a horse appeared before them.

Jiang Xu was slightly out of breath, clearly having rushed here. In the sweltering summer heat, the man's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat. But when Shi Wan met his dark eyes, she was instantly struck by the coldness within them.

Unfathomable depths, his eyes swirling with a fury and ruthlessness capable of destroying everything. In the dim morning light, he peered at her from the shadows, his gaze almost tearing her apart, revealing a nakedness he had never shown before.

Jiang Xu sat upright on his horse, and under his control, the steed took a few steps forward, closing the distance between the two men and the horse.

A few steps away, the sound of horses' hooves stopped.

Shi Wan slowly raised her head and saw only the tall shadow of the horse. She pinched her palm to try and calm herself down.

His expression was hidden in the shadows, making it difficult for her to see clearly. It had only been a little over two days since she learned the truth and fled in panic. The fact that Jiang Xu had found her in such a short time showed that everything that had happened during this period was just a deception.

It was a complete trap.

Her escape was so smooth, and she was terrified the whole way, but it was all the deliberate doing of the person in front of her.

All that effort—how laughable!

At this moment, Shi Wan's last thought of escaping faded away.

There was no escaping it, she thought, and subconsciously raised her face to look at Jiang Xu. The gentle smile she usually wore was gone, and her voice was calm, unlike anything she had ever heard from a man. "Why did Your Majesty arrive so quickly?" There was even a hint of relief in her tone.

Wan'er's clothes were soaked through, and even after being dried and aired, her panic and dishevelment over the past few days were still evident.

But her eyes were extremely bright, amber in color, like the most beautiful gemstone in the world. Such beauty should be kept hidden away and carefully concealed.

But at this moment, it was truly presented before Jiang Xu's eyes.

Bright, sharp, even somewhat dazzling.

Yes, this is the real her.

All her attempts to please him, even her promises and affection, were feigned.

This is the real her now.

He finished her sentence, saying, "It is now time for me to cross the Huai River and march straight to the city bordering the Turks."

Instead of appearing in Hirsuku, appearing in front of her.

He observed her every move with a condescending air.

The two were so close, their breaths mingling, it felt like being slowly sliced ​​to death. Shi Wan was tormented. After a long while, unable to bear the accusing gaze, she looked away first.

Seeing her evasive manner, Jiang Xu, recalling the new information gathered by his spies, asked with a hint of sarcasm, "What should I call you?"

"...Wan'er?" His smile deepened. "A fake name and a tattered ribbon, and you think you can really fool us?"

Shi Wan was startled, and unconsciously softened her tone, "Your Majesty's wisdom and strategy are beyond my reach."

She had thought she would have a lot to say when facing death, but at this moment, her lips moved a few times before she closed them tightly and remained silent.

She paused for a moment before continuing, "Leave this servant with a whole corpse."

In the darkness, Jiang Xu dismounted and approached step by step. In no time, his familiar, burning breath enveloped her again, gently landing on her ear like a venomous snake's tongue, lightly coiling around her earlobe. Then, his voice, as if coated with poison, traveled upwards, "A complete corpse?"

He drew his knife, its sharp blade covered in silver frost under the moonlight. With just a light slash, she would be torn apart and bleed to death.

Under such intense pressure, Shi Wan trembled almost uncontrollably, biting her lower lip tightly to avoid looking too disheveled.

Seeing this, Jiang Xu instinctively supported her waist, his voice low and husky, as if he had returned to the time at the prefect's mansion, gentle and calm, but once he spoke, the fierceness in his words could not be suppressed, "What?"

He chuckled and said, "Why are you shaking?"

Shi Wan wished she could completely break ties with him, but over the years, she naturally developed a subtle mix of ingratiation and fear towards such powerful figures, especially since this person was Jiang Xu.

A young and ambitious man, he was the de facto ruler of a large area in the north.

He was gently stroking her waist, again and again, as if it were something new and exciting. The armor on her wrist was digging into her, the cold temperature colliding with the gentle touch of the man's fingertips, giving her a momentary illusion of being torn between ice and fire.

Shi Wan resolutely closed her eyes, tears welling up in her eyes and sliding down her face. "This servant... has her reasons."

Jiang Xu stared at Shi Wan's expression. Her willow-leaf eyebrows were furrowed, and her lips were bloodless. The moist and lustrous look that he had been carefully cultivating these past few days was completely gone.

"Difficulties?"

Jiang Xu chuckled twice, letting her cry as she sobbed like a kitten.

Shi Wan didn't know who he was laughing at, she only followed her survival instinct and skillfully pleased him, leaning against him. When she realized that Jiang Xu had pulled her into his arms, she steeled herself and leaned in to trace the man's soft lips.

During these three months, although the two did not go all the way, they kissed many times.

Shi Wan thought she was quite familiar with Jiang Xu in this matter, but almost the instant she thought that, she tasted a strong metallic taste of blood in her mouth.

It was as if a dark fire was hidden inside Jiang Xu's body, seeping through the cold armor into her body, and then quickly spreading to her limbs and bones, burning brighter and brighter. Suddenly, Shi Wan felt a suffocating pain in her chest.

Before she could think any further, Jiang Xu grabbed the back of her neck.

His dark eyes stared at her, and in the bright moonlight, his tall figure stretched out as a long shadow, blending into the darkness like a demon crawling up from the depths of hell.

"But there will be a price to pay."

Shi Wan understood the meaning behind Jiang Xu's words, and her grief intensified. She gave a silly laugh, her eyes brimming with tears, and her voice trembled as she said, "This servant knows that Your Majesty is angry. This servant has done something wrong and is willing to accept punishment."

"But... my face is dirty and messy, and I'm afraid it will offend Your Majesty's eyes."

"May Your Majesty permit me to go to the riverbank for a quick wash?"

Jiang Xu's eyes were filled with coldness. He remained silent for a moment before releasing his grip and slightly raising his chin.

Having received permission, Shi Wan's smile became even brighter and more beautiful. Despite being dressed in coarse linen and looking extremely disheveled, she still made Jiang Xu's breath catch in his throat. He cursed inwardly and said, "Hurry up."

Shi Wan hurriedly ran to the shore, squatted down, and pretended to wash her face. With this action, she turned half of her body to Jiang Xu. Seeing the man turn his body slightly, she sneered inwardly and instantly sprang to her feet.

Immediately, he leaped into the river.