Yun Xun's face turned deathly pale instantly.

Upon seeing this, his men involuntarily stopped fighting and instinctively looked at him.

Yun Xun looked towards the back of the mountain and saw Cui Shao leading his men in a fierce battle, gradually coming into view.

Yun Xun took a deep breath, made a decisive move, closed his eyes, and let the bandits' fists and feet hit him before Ye Qingxue and Ye Cunsi could reach him.

At the same time, he secretly ordered the bandits and fugitives to kill Ye Qingxue and Ye Cunsi to death!

So when Cui Shao led his men around from the other side of the mountain, what they saw was Yun Xun being forced to the edge of the hillside by the bandits, and then being kicked down the hillside, rolling downhill.

Cui Shao was startled and hurriedly ordered, "Quickly go and save His Highness Prince Xuan!"

Countless soldiers rushed forward to catch Yun Xun and protect him. Yun Xun's head hit a large rock, and when he stopped rolling, his face was covered in blood.

He wiped the blood from his face, not caring at all, and instead looked up at the Ye siblings who were surrounded again, and sneered - now it's up to you siblings to see if you can deal with these bandits and fugitives!

Ye Qingxue and Ye Cunsi missed Yun Xun, but instead saw countless bandits and fugitives attacking them.

As Ye Qingxue fought her enemy, her brows furrowed.

General Lan and the historians already know about Yun Xun's actions. Now that they have entered the palace, they will surely tell the emperor the truth.

What is Yun Xun's purpose in pretending to be kicked down the hillside by bandits and injured? Does he think that this will absolve him of his crimes of colluding with bandits, releasing fugitives, and kidnapping students?

It's not that easy!

But Yun Xun did indeed do that.

Does he have some other trick up his sleeve?

The bandits and fugitives attacked the siblings even more fiercely, forcing Ye Qingxue and Ye Cunsi to turn around and fight back. Her thoughts were interrupted in an instant.

However, following Cui Shao's orders, the soldiers who were originally dealing with Ye Qingxue and her brother turned to suppress the bandits and capture the fugitives.

In an instant, the bandits scattered and the fugitives fled again, running for their lives in a panic. About an hour later, the bandit suppression was a great success, and the fugitives were captured again.

Yun Xun watched this scene from the foot of the mountain, his anger so great that he clenched one hand into a fist. So many bandits and vicious fugitives had actually been captured by the Ye siblings just like that.

Absolutely despicable!

He then discovered that not only was his head bleeding from the impact, but his right leg had also been broken after being hit during the fall.

He immediately ordered his men to carry him away.

On the mountain.

Ye Qingxue and Cui Shao began to count the number of people and determine the casualties, while clearing the mountaintop and the bandit's den.

Ye Qingxue said, "Lord Cui, does this bandit den seem to have been just established?"

Cui Shao nodded. That was indeed the case; there was no sign that they had lived in the bandit's den for very long.

Ye Qingxue said, "It seems that bandits from other places deliberately set up a bandit den on my brother's way back to the capital in order to frame him for colluding with them."

"This is outside the capital, right under the emperor's nose. These bandits must be tired of living to dare to build their den here, right, Lord Cui?"

Cui Shao pursed his lips; he understood what Ye Qingxue meant.

Ye Qingxue added, "Criminals from the imperial court also deliberately run here, as if to emphasize that it was my brother who colluded with mountain bandits to break out of prison and release the escaped convicts."

Cui Shao looked at her, and Ye Qingxue smiled.

Her face was stained with blood, which made her smile seem particularly chilling.

The sun was already setting in the west, and they began their descent. They were all injured to varying degrees, and their movements were not very agile.

When Ye Qingxue arrived at the foot of the mountain, Yun Xun's carriage had already left. The soldiers he left behind said, "His Highness Prince Xuan is seriously injured and must be sent back to the capital for treatment as soon as possible, otherwise his right leg will be in danger."

Ye Qingxue frowned again.

The injured were carried down the mountain one after another.

Ye Qingxue saw Madam Zhou.

Ye Cunsi stayed by Madam Zhou's side the whole time. Madam Zhou was lying on the bed frame with her eyes closed and her face pale. It was unclear whether she was alive or dead.

Ye Qingxue watched quietly. Ye Cunsi seemed to notice her gaze and suddenly looked up at her, his eyes revealing pain, helplessness, and guilt towards Ye Qingxue.

He probably felt that he should stand on the same side as Ye Qingxue, and he couldn't forgive someone Ye Qingxue couldn't forgive either.

But Madam Zhou risked her life for him, almost losing her own. He wasn't made of stone, so how could he not feel anything?

Ye Qingxue slightly raised the corner of her mouth and asked, "Is she still alive?"

Ye Cunsi was in great distress: "He's still breathing, but he's lost too much blood, and his condition is not optimistic."

Ye Qingxue nodded: "You stay and watch over her, don't worry about me."

After saying that, she turned and walked away without looking back.

Ye Cunsi watched her back. Her light blue dress was stained with blood, but was that blood more than half the blood in her heart?

...

Princess Consort Ji Mingwei did not travel with Prince Xuan.

However, she could obtain information about events both inside the palace and outside the city immediately.

Yun Xun arranged for more than a dozen people to be there for her, specifically to inform her of everything as soon as possible.

Therefore, before Yun Xun even entered the capital, Ji Mingwei already knew that Ye Qingxue, Cui Shao, and Ye Cunsi had wiped out the bandits and recaptured the fugitives. Of course, all the students were also saved.

She also knew that General Lan and the historian were hiding in the mountains.

They also knew that Lan Yi had rescued the two of them from the layers of soldiers and that they had already entered the palace.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!