102 hit by arrow

◎Could it be that she didn't like Sima Hong? ◎

The arrow, as fast as a black shadow, reached Qi Gu in an instant. Qi Gu could no longer move her feet. It was as if all the blood in her body had drained from her calves, and she stood frozen in place.

Just like in her previous life, she could only watch helplessly as her predetermined fate arrived, dying by arrows. It was like a rope of destiny, tightly locking her throat, and no matter how much she struggled, it was all in vain.

Just as the arrow was about to pierce her heart, a white shadow flew up behind him and hugged her tightly.

"Sima Hong!" he shouted, and the arrow pierced his back in an instant!

He actually stood in front of her, and the arrow that should have pierced her heart instead pierced Sima Hong's back. He took the arrow for her!

"Ugh!" The arrow pierced his back; so this was the feeling of icy coldness.

Sima Hong gave a soft hum, his arms still around Qi Gu, and whispered in her ear, "Qi Gu, are you cold?"

Qi Gu knew that he was asking if she felt cold after being pierced in the heart by an arrow in her past life, because now he finally understood her feelings. When pierced by an arrow, the first thing you feel is not pain, but the bone-chilling cold that comes from the wound.

Qi Gu hugged Sima Hong tightly with both hands and cried, "I'm not cold, I'm not cold at all, and you're not cold either, understand!" Qi Gu shed tears, but Sima Hong's body was getting heavier and heavier, and she had been shot in the leg with an arrow, so she could not support him at all.

She touched his back; it was wet and sticky. Qi Gu raised her hand, which was covered in bright red blood.

"Qi Gu, I... regret it..." Sima Hong murmured.

"Sima Hong! You'd better live! You owe me so much! Even if you shielded me from an arrow this time, it still won't make up for it. Live! Do you hear me? Live and be my slave to make up for it!" Qi Gu roared, as if Sima Hong wouldn't die unless she forgave him.

Sima Hong rested his head on Qi Gu's shoulder and softly said, "Okay..." before collapsing onto Qi Gu.

Qi Gu's face was covered in tears. "Sima Hong, Sima Hong..." she kept calling him, but he was silent... The immense fear made Qi Gu's legs go weak. She staggered half a step and fell to the ground with Sima Hong.

After dealing with the archers, Atai stepped forward and saw the two men collapse together. He quickly went to take his master away.

The person on his body was supported to the side by Atai. Blood soaked through Sima Hong's clothes, and his face was as white as the snow on the roof of Changyang Palace, so white it was dazzling.

Qi Gu couldn't believe that Sima Hong had died like that. The Sima Hong who had sacrificed her life without batting an eye in her previous life was now exchanging his life for hers to save her.

Qi Gu crawled to Sima Hong's side, frantically found his wrist, and placed her fingers on his pulse.

“Princess…” Atai wanted to tell the princess that he had detected that his husband was still breathing.

After the princess took her husband's pulse, she looked up, her eyes filled with surprise and joy, her expression a mixture of tears and laughter. "Atai! Sima Hong is still alive! He still has a pulse!"

The city guards had already noticed the fighting that was taking place not far from the city gate, and just then, they finally arrived at the scene.

Upon seeing the city guards in armor, Qi Gu immediately said, "Quickly lead men to rescue people in the woods dozens of miles ahead!"

He then said to Atai, "Go quickly and inform the Sima family to prepare the physicians to treat Sima Hong's injuries."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Qi Gu coughed up a mouthful of blood. Blood mist filled her vision, and before she completely lost consciousness, she glanced at Sima Hong, and then everything went black…

"Sister!"

"Qi Gu!"

"Princess!"

In the darkness, Qi Gu seemed to hear many people calling her, but she was too tired and wanted to sleep and rest a little longer.

She realized there was something important she hadn't finished.

That's right! Sima Hong! Zhuang'er!

Hongyan was wiping Qigu's face when she saw the princess's eyelids seem to twitch. Her face lit up with joy. "Princess! Princess, you're awake!"

"Sima Hong!!!" Qi Gu suddenly sat up in bed.

"That's wonderful! Princess, you're awake! I'll go and inform Her Majesty the Empress right away!"

Just as Hongyan was about to leave, Qi Gu stopped her. "How is Sima Hong...?" Qi Gu asked, her voice dry.

Hongyan looked at the princess, who had just woken up from her coma, with a troubled expression. Her once vibrant face was now pale and weak. She hesitated, unsure whether to tell the princess or not.

Seeing her hesitation, Qi Gu felt uneasy. "Is he... still alive?"

Hongyan nodded. "He's still alive, but after the palace physician removed the arrow from him, Sima Langjun, who should have been awake long ago, has not yet woken up."

How long did I sleep?

"The princess has been unconscious for three whole days. The physician said that you lost too much blood and were exhausted and frightened, which is why you have been unconscious for three whole days."

Knowing that the princess was worried about Sima Hong's injury, Hongyan continued, "His Majesty and the Empress have invited all the famous physicians and doctors from inside and outside the palace to Sima's residence to treat the young master. The young master's injury was very dangerous; it was just an inch away from hitting his heart. Fortunately, the treatment was timely, and the arrow missed by an inch. Originally, he should have woken up the day after the arrow was removed, but the young master has not woken up yet, and the physicians are also at a loss."

"Where are Zhuang'er and Xu Jin?"

"Princess, rest assured. Fulian came to our rescue that day. Zhuang'er has been guarding you in the palace for the past two days, and today the Empress ordered her to go back and rest properly."

"Who shot me and Sima Hong that day?" The arrow that day was not shot from Wu Zhuan's direction. Her words had already made him give up the idea of ​​shooting her. Someone else must have shot the arrow.

Hongyan said, "Yes, the people sent by Miss Gao Er have already been arrested and imprisoned in the inner prison by Her Majesty the Empress."

"Where is Wu Zhuan?"

Hongyan said, "He was also secretly imprisoned by the Empress. However, since this matter involves the Sima family, people outside do not know that Sima Taigong was also involved in the assassination attempt on you."

Qi Gu gave a cold smile. "Hongyan, help me change my clothes."

"Princess, you've just woken up. Your leg and shoulder injuries haven't healed yet. Although the bones weren't broken, the physician said you need to rest well."

As soon as the Empress arrived at the Jade Flower Palace, she bumped into Qi Gu, who was being helped by Fu Lian and Hong Yan and was about to leave the palace.

"Nonsense! With your health like this, why are you in such a hurry to run out? No matter how important the matter is, you must maintain the dignity and composure of a princess." The Empress frowned as she looked at her daughter's pale face, her heart aching for her.

That old scoundrel Sima Heng is truly senile, doing such a foolish thing! Well, it's all for the best. When Qi Gu marries into the Sima family, Sima Hong will surely have to make amends to her for this.

"Mother, I just want to see if Sima Hong is dead or not. If he is not dead, we should investigate this assassination case as soon as possible so as not to affect Father's trip to Mount Tai for the Fengshan ceremony."

The Empress looked at her daughter, never expecting that after waking up, this was the matter she cared about most.

Sometimes, she could hardly believe that her daughter was so obedient and met all her expectations.

She heard that on that day she lured away the pursuers alone and even persuaded Wu, a confidant of Sima Taigong, to retreat despite her injured leg.

She both admired and felt sorry for her daughter, who was so tenacious and unyielding.

That day, if Sima Hong hadn't arrived in time, the archer's arrow would have pierced her chest.

Whenever she thought of this, the Empress would lose her appetite and sleep. In the past few days, she would often wake up in fright from her dreams. The scenes in her dreams were simply unbelievable. She dreamed that Qi Gu was actually shot and killed in her Changxin Palace. What was even more bizarre was that in the dream, it was Sima Hong who ordered the arrows to be fired!

She also dreamed that after Qi Gu died, Sima Hong never remarried and died young, burdened by guilt towards Qi Gu.

Lu Ao said she was too worried about Qi Gu, but the scene in the dream was so real, and Sima Hong's withered eyes made her startled.

Meng Fu's prophecy to Qi Gu at A Zhi's birthday banquet that day had already been presented to her word for word by someone.

The Empress looked at her daughter, who had miraculously survived a great calamity when she was eight years old. She had tenaciously survived such a desperate situation, which alone was a blessing from heaven.

"Once Sima Hong wakes up, your marriage with him can be arranged," the Empress said.

Qi Gu said, "Mother, if you need anything, I will do my best to help you. However, I will decide for myself who I marry. Also, after the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, I want to return to my fiefdom."

"You're leaving? Aren't you going to marry Sima Hong?" The Empress thought that Qi Gu was so concerned about Sima Hong because the two had already pledged their love to each other, and that marrying Sima Hong would be a win-win situation for Qi Gu.

“I know that my marriage to Sima Hong would be the best thing for my mother and Ayan, but Sima Hong and I have agreed that you can let us get engaged first, and then find a reason to break off the engagement after everything is settled.”

When Qi Gu said this, the sadness that involuntarily showed in her eyes reminded the Empress of the chaotic nightmares she had been having these past few days. In the dreams, Qi Gu seemed to have given her the same sorrowful look.

The Empress watched as Qi Gu boarded the sedan chair and left the palace without looking back.

The Empress's tone was unusually vulnerable, "Qi Gu still resents me, doesn't she? She doesn't want to stay in the capital because she doesn't want to see me."

Lu Ao comforted her, "How could that be? I think the princess has been handling things smoothly and skillfully since she returned to the palace. She has done everything beautifully, and everyone in the capital praises her. The Empress is truly blessed."

"She is very good. It is my fault as her mother. I thought she was interested in Sima Hong, but I did not expect her to say such a thing today. Does she not like Sima Hong?"

"The princess is probably heartbroken because of what Sima Taigong did, but I heard that the son of Physician Xu also went out of the city this time..."

"You mean Qi Gu likes Xu Jin?" The Empress seemed to have some impression of Xu Jin. He was a handsome man, but... she had also heard about his reputation for having bad luck no matter what he did.

"No, the young master of the Xu family is not worthy of my son."

"Your Majesty, there's no need to worry. I think Lord Sima is completely devoted to our princess. Not to mention the time he held our princess's hand at the banquet hosted by Marquis Quzhou, just look at this time, he disregarded his own safety to shield the princess from an arrow. Who else in the world could do that?"

"Let's wait and see..." the Empress said, looking at the sedan chair that had already disappeared into the distance.