83 Assassination

◎The young man's behavior towards the princess is a bit too...unreserved!◎

Qi Gu felt a sudden darkness before her eyes, and her whole body was tightly embraced by a strong hug.

Qi Gu couldn't see it, but she felt a cold arrow fly past her head, and a large hand placed on the back of her head. "It's alright, don't be afraid," Sima Hong's clear voice comforted her.

She almost died from arrows again, and the thought of it made her heart race and her body tremble uncontrollably.

She clung tightly to Sima Hong, as if only in this way could she slow her heartbeat and stop her body from trembling so much.

The feeling of being pierced in the heart by an arrow is too cold and too painful. Having truly experienced the despair of death, how can one endure that overwhelming hopelessness again?

She vividly remembered being kidnapped and nearly having arrows aimed at her by Shen Wei's men. She had convulsed from fear and eventually fainted from the intense terror. She was glad she had fainted.

Sima Hong's embrace greatly comforted her, preventing her from fainting from the food.

Feeling the person in his arms trembling, Sima Hong felt as if his heart had been pierced by countless icy arrows. So this was what it felt like to be pierced by a thousand arrows.

His expression turned cold. He shouldn't have let those tails follow him today. He gently comforted the person in his arms, and with the hand that was protecting Qi Gu's head, he reached out and draped the cloak that was hanging to the side over Qi Gu's body.

"It's my fault, don't be afraid, don't be afraid," Sima Hong gently comforted him.

Qi Gu leaned against Sima Hong's chest, absorbing his warmth to calm her fear. Sima Hong's embrace was warm and reassuring.

The long-standing high level of vigilance was like a fully drawn bow; in a comfortable temperature and a safe embrace, this taut bow softened.

Qi Gu's tears flowed uncontrollably. She didn't want to cry, especially in front of Sima Hong. She hated that she was always weak and pathetic in front of Sima Hong.

But she had to admit that she loved this embrace in her past life, even though Sima Hong rarely looked at her, she was still happy with it.

"Sima Hong, I hate you, I hate you..." Qi Gu said while crying, as if she was saying this to Sima Hong for her past life.

"Okay, I know." His clothes were soaked with tears. Sima Hong, who had never regretted anything before, wavered for a moment. If he had held Qi Gu in his arms before leaving that day and told her not to leave the manor no matter what, perhaps... He dared not continue to think about it.

"Sima Hong, you have no idea how painful it is to be pierced by an arrow." A voice with a heavy nasal tone came from his arms again.

"Yes, don't forgive me." Because he couldn't forgive himself either. Qi Gu was right. He prided himself on his infallible plans, but his arrogance and pride caused the person in his arms to lose her life. He had known this for a long time, but he didn't want to admit it because admitting it would bring regret, and regret would magnify the pain of losing Qi Gu infinitely.

"Don't tell Father that I almost got hit by an arrow again today."

"Okay." Sima Hong's heart had never felt so tender before, as if in a dream, Qi Gu trusted him wholeheartedly, how could this not be a dream.

"I'm just too scared right now, so I'm leaning on your arms for support. Don't misunderstand, I don't have any improper thoughts about you," Qi Gu added sullenly.

"Okay" means I have improper thoughts about you.

Sima Hong gently stroked Qi Gu's head, as if soothing a frightened deer. His slender fingers smoothed Qi Gu's temples, and his fingertips touched her soft cheeks.

Startled, the fawn didn't act as wary as usual. Instead, it kept its distance from him and buried its head in its chest.

Sima Hong chuckled. "Qi Gu, how can I let go of someone like you?"

The noise outside gradually subsided.

Ah Feng's voice came through: "Master, the tail has been dealt with, and we have no casualties."

Sima Hong said to the door, "Leave one alive, and clean up the roadside."

"yes."

He then asked the person in his arms, "Let's not go to General Zhang's place today. Shall we go back to the manor first?" Sima Hong asked softly, afraid of startling Qi Gu.

Although she felt the embrace was warm and reassuring, Qi Gu knew that it didn't belong to her. She thought she was just a little tired and a little scared. Every day since returning to the capital, she had been thinking and considering many things.

She finally understood how exhausting it was to consider the whole picture and devise a flawless plan like Sima Hong; no one was like him.

The days in Lijia Village were too leisurely and carefree, which made her realize upon returning to the capital that living in Changyang Palace was not suitable for just anyone. She was not suited for it at all. In her previous life, her insistence on staying in the capital and by Sima Hong's side was a very wrong choice.

Qi Gu reluctantly left this warm embrace. Putting Sima Hong aside, the embrace was indeed quite comfortable.

This was her second favorite embrace after her father's. Of course, she hadn't had the chance to try many other embraces yet. In the future, she would definitely find an embrace that was more comfortable and reliable than Sima Hong's.

Qi Gu sat up straight, composed herself, and dared not look Sima Hong in the eye. "Ahem, I, I... I was just frightened by the assassin. I hope Lord Sima will forgive me. We should still go to my uncle's residence as planned."

Qi Gu didn't want her uncle to worry. Since everything was alright now, judging from Sima Hong's expression, the assassin was within his expectations and probably nothing serious.

Since it wasn't directed at her, to avoid any unforeseen complications, and considering her uncle's health was of utmost importance, she decided to have Doctor Ye examine him so she could finally put her mind at ease.

Qi Gu asked anxiously, "By the way, is Doctor Ye alright?"

Sima Hongdao said, "It's alright. I was prepared for today's events."

Qi Gu raised an eyebrow and accused, "Hmph, so that's how it is. Then I'm implicated because of you today. You knew there were assassins, yet you still insisted on getting into my carriage. Was it on purpose?"

Her words were full of accusations, but now that her nose was red, to Sima Hong it didn't seem like an accusation, but rather like she was venting her dissatisfaction with him.

"Yes, it's all my fault. I owe you again. How do you want me to make it up to you?"

Qi Gu believed that she was no longer the innocent person she was in her previous life, having been reborn. Sima Hong, that old fox, claimed to owe her something, but who knew what kind of wicked schemes he was plotting? She dared not ask him to make amends.

She asked, "Who wants to kill you this time?"

Sima Hong smiled slightly, realizing he wasn't as easily fooled as he had been in his past life.

He didn't want Qi Gu to know so much, but... he still said, "It's because of the state monopoly on salt and iron."

Qi Gu knew that in his previous life, Sima Hong was attacked by many people because he proposed the state monopoly of salt and iron. She remembered that it was a few years later.

Sima Hong's decision to reclaim the salt and iron monopoly ahead of schedule was likely a calculated move, as those whose livelihoods were cut off by him naturally harbored deep resentment towards him.

"Aren't you worried at all? If something goes wrong, both of us will be in danger." Only then did Qi Gu realize that she had been dragged into Sima Hong's affairs again.

"It was precisely because I was worried that I insisted on getting into your carriage, so that we could live and die together."

"Who wants to die with you, Sima Hong? Can't you at least tell me before you use me, so I can be mentally prepared? I don't want to be completely unaware every time, ending up like in my past life, not even knowing how I died." Qi Gu was truly angry this time. "Of course, if you can be lenient and not use me again, I will thank you!"

"Okay, I'll tell you everything from now on."

Looking at Qi Gu's angry face, Sima Hong smiled and said, "The one who wanted to assassinate me this time was the Earl of Chengen. His family is in the salt business in Yan County. It can be said that the salt in Yan County, Ling County and Yong County is monopolized by the Earl of Chengen's family. Even people from the imperial court have to give way to them."

"So this time, it was because you cut off someone's source of income that the Marquis of Chengen sent people to hunt you down," Qi Gu asked.

Sima Hong nodded, "That's only on the surface."

Qi Gu looked at Sima Hong, waiting for him to continue, but Sima Hong changed the subject, "The reason I don't tell others about these things is firstly because they involve national affairs; secondly, they involve my own safety, and I can only tell my own family. Qi Gu, do you really want to hear it?"

He's truly a cunning old fox. Gao Ruyu should really be called to see what Sima Honghe looks like. Is this still the same pure and spotless Sima Xiuyuan? He's clearly a shameless scoundrel!

Qi Gu chuckled, "I'll go and call Gao Mingyu over for you, and you can talk to her."

The carriage stopped again, this time finally arriving at the Marquis of Zhongping's residence.

“Aunt Qi, I have never had any ulterior motives towards Miss Gao.” Sima Hong suddenly leaned closer to Aunt Qi and stared at her intently.

"What a joke. So, I was the one who was supposed to marry Gao Mingyu in my past life?" Qi Gu looked at Sima Hong's face, which was so close to hers. "Just talk, why are you standing so close to me?" She turned her head away.

Sima Hong wouldn't let her escape. He cupped her face in his hands and said, "Qi Gu, look at me. I didn't marry Gao Ruyu in my past life. It was my grandfather who made the decision to marry her."

Thinking of Sima Taigong, Qi Gu felt depressed. In her previous life, Sima Taigong was so dissatisfied with her that he didn't even attend their wedding.

It turns out that from the very beginning, she and Sima Hong were destined not to have a happy ending.

"This is none of my business, it's your business." She grabbed Sima Hong's wrist, trying to make him let go of her.

Sima Hong looked at Qi Gu with a dark expression, watching her utter those words that severed ties with him. He clasped his fingers tightly around Qi Gu's, then lowered his head and kissed her rosy lips.

Qi Gu never imagined that Sima Hong would do such a dissolute thing. She stared at him with wide eyes.

When she felt a soft, warm, and delicate peck on her lips, Qi Gu finally felt a sense of reality.

How dare Sima Hong? What gives him the right to do so?

With her lips sealed by Sima Hong's, Qi Gu let out a "woo woo woo~~~". She struggled with both hands to push Sima Hong away, but Sima Hong's body was like a rugged mountain, pressing down on Qi Gu so that she could not breathe and could not budge him at all.

A sharp pain shot through his lips as Sima Hong maliciously and lightly bit the lips of the person who wasn't cooperating.

Qi Gu couldn't believe it. "You rogue! You lecher! You scoundrel! Sima Hong, how could you do such a thing to me!"

Unfortunately, her questions and her refusals were all silenced by Sima Hong.

Restraint, etiquette, and the privileges of a noble family—none of those things mattered as much as her soft sobs in his arms. They were all external things. He wanted her to be by his side forever.

"My lord?"

"Princess?"

"It's time to get off the bus."

Hongyan noticed that the carriage had been parked for a long time, but the princess and Sima Langjun had not come out yet. She wanted to go forward and open the door for the princess.

Atai stopped him. "Miss Hongyan, let's wait a little longer," Atai said, rubbing his nose.

The wild goose asked in confusion, "Why?"

Just then, a crisp "snap" sound came from inside the carriage.

Hongyan and Atai looked at each other in bewilderment!

The door slammed open, and a woman jumped down from the carriage, her face flushed with anger. Hongyan noticed that the princess's face was red, and her lips seemed swollen as well.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, as if it were covered in some indelible filth, and entered the Zhongping Marquis's residence like a gust of wind.

Looking at the princess's expression, Hongyan belatedly realized that she had almost...

Atai lowered his head, not daring to look at the princess. As for his husband, there was a faint handprint on half of his face, but his face was full of a joyful smile that he didn't want to hide at all. His husband was too... undisguised towards the princess!

[Author's Note]

A sweet and romantic chapter, but my goal is to go crazy chasing after my wife, that's not enough! [Sunglasses][Sunglasses][Sunglasses]