Chapter 52 The Twenty-First Time of the Three No's!
Chapter 52
A simple sentence, like a thunderclap from a clear sky.
In reality, the moment this man appeared at the entrance of the Northern Yan embassy, he had a strong deterrent effect on everyone. The Northern Yan people's faces instantly turned ugly, and they stared at him intently.
Chi Zhanlan Ce's eyes darkened. Without even asking, he had already thought of the answer that was least likely to happen in his preconceived notions.
This is troublesome. If Yan Danqing comes to the embassy dressed in black with his own men, Chi Zhanlan Ce is not worried. Even if he dies, Yan Danqing will not survive.
But now, this man is brazenly dressed in the robes of a Marquis of Loyalty and Valor, leading the Imperial Guards... He lowered his eyes; the peace talks had probably failed.
"Insolence!" Moller instinctively took a step forward, gripping his whip tightly, and shouted sharply, "What are you doing? Does the Great Liang Dynasty not want to negotiate peace?!"
The imperial guards surrounding the Northern Yan embassy simultaneously drew their swords.
A pair of cold eyes stared at him, and the surroundings fell silent instantly. Moller's voice suddenly caught in his throat, as if someone had choked him, and he could no longer make a sound. There was only silence.
Ayou's face turned ashen, his brow twitching with shock and fear. If it were any other Liang people in front of him, Ayou could still maintain his composure and confront them, but this was Yan Danqing of the Loyal and Brave Marquis Yan family, the nightmare of many in Northern Yan...
With this silence, Northern Yan completely lost its momentum.
Yan Danqing raised his hand, and everyone sheathed their swords. His gaze remained fixed on Chi Zhanlan Ce. In just one brief exchange, Northern Yan had already been suppressed.
“It’s General Yan… I really had no choice.” Chi Zhanlan Ce took two steps forward, rubbing his fingers together vigorously until the tips turned white, a smile appearing on his lips but not reaching his eyes. “But, I’m very curious, Yan Chunzhou, how did you get out?”
The Northern Yan embassy was surrounded by dozens of imperial guards armed with swords and guns. Chi Zhanlan Ce and Yan Danqing stood at the forefront of their respective camps, one in purple and one in white, facing off against each other.
Chi Zhanlan was repeatedly analyzing in his mind, trying to figure out where he had lost in order to find a way to break the deadlock.
Yan Danqing's expression remained unchanged upon hearing this.
Then, he suddenly scoffed, his fingers twitching as he spoke in a cold voice: "Tie them all up, leave no one alive, and ransack this Northern Yan embassy!"
What gives him the right to answer T's questions?
In unison, everyone rushed towards the Northern Yan people.
"You!" Moller's eyes widened in fury as he drew his long whip.
Ayou and the others drew their swords, their Northern Yan scimitars aimed at the Imperial Guards, their eyes fierce. They slowly moved their feet, forming a circle, looking for an opportunity to escort His Highness away.
Yan Danqing calmly looked at Chi Zhanlan Ce, as if he knew what choice he would make. He stood still and watched quietly, without even drawing his sword.
Chi Zhanlan Ce lowered his eyes again, a flash of anger crossing his face, his voice indifferent: "No one is allowed to move." This is Nandu, where can we escape?
Everyone in Northern Yan was tied up. When a guard saw the Crown Prince being humiliated, he couldn't help but struggle. Yan Danqing calmly drew his sword, and the long blade grazed his neck, killing him instantly!
Another guard instinctively tried to stop him, but was also slit in the throat. Both men fell to the ground with their eyes open, dying with their eyes wide open. Yan Danqing, on the other hand, swiftly sheathed his sword without getting a drop of blood on him.
Chi Zhanlan Ce looked down at the two of them, his eyes calm and indifferent.
Mole and Ayou's expressions grew increasingly grim. They dared not resist, and all the Northern Yan people were bound and taken to the Imperial City Guard.
Everything inside the Northern Yan embassy, brick and tile, was thoroughly searched, and all items related to Northern Yan were taken out and presented to Yan Danqing.
Chi Zhanlan Ce turned around to look.
Yan Danqing's back was like a pine tree, upright and resilient. Standing at the entrance of the Northern Yan embassy, he was like a mountain-suppressing stone, calming all the storms and turmoil.
-
Ye Xiren was in a good mood.
After twenty cycles, only on the twenty-first cycle did they feel a little relieved that their lives were saved. Jiang You had obtained an imperial decree, and Yan Danqing had regained his identity. Now they were going to capture the Northern Yan people.
And she was finally able to go home and rest!
I'm so tired. I didn't feel it when the guillotine was hanging over my head, but now that I'm relaxed, my body feels like it's been crushed by a boulder. I'm so tired and sleepy that I can barely lift my hands and feet.
Yan Danqing knew she was tired, so he asked Yan Shuang to take her back, leaving the matters outside to him.
Ye Xiren returned to the Ye residence with peace of mind.
She bumped into Ye Changming, who was about to leave, and grabbed him, asking in confusion, "Brother, where are you going?"
Ye Changming was even more surprised: "What are you doing here? I was just about to go out to find someone to gather information. I heard that General Yan has been released. The Northern Yan people had ulterior motives and were causing trouble for Daliang. They have all been arrested!"
This is truly a dramatic change overnight. Just yesterday, Chi Zhanlan Ce was showing sincerity, and all the officials were kneeling and begging the Emperor to issue an edict to kill Yan Danqing and push for peace talks...
But now, there has been a sudden and shocking reversal!
What exactly happened?
Is it really only been one night?!
Ye Changming was utterly stunned.
Upon hearing this, Ye Xiren pulled him back, saying, "I know about this. Haven't you been wanting to find me all this time? Come on, I'll tell you everything."
Her brother is also pitiful. In many past cycles, he has been trying to catch her and get an explanation, but each time he is either interrupted or she is too anxious to pay attention...
Now that everything is resolved, she can finally give her brother a proper explanation.
Ye Changming was taken aback, his expression strange: "What do you know?"
Ye Xiren; "..."
She released her grip, her face expressionless.
"Go back to your room and sleep!"
Watching her retreating figure, Ye Changming suddenly slapped his forehead, remembering that he had been waiting for Ye Xiren in her courtyard this morning to ask her what she had been doing these past two days, including killing Lu Qian yesterday and the people she had brought with her...
This younger sister has so many secrets, how could I not know?!
"Oh, I was wrong!" Ye Changming hurriedly chased after her, pleading with a shameless grin, "I received so many messages all of a sudden that I forgot about the important matter. Sister, Second Miss, please tell me quickly!"
Ye Xiren quickened her pace.
The two disappeared into the courtyard quickly, one after the other.
When she opened her eyes again, it was already dusk. The sun was setting outside, and the afterglow was shining in the courtyard. Ye Xiren was awakened by Xue Chan, who seemed a little anxious.
Ye Xiren was so sleepy that she struggled to open her eyes:
"What's wrong?"
Xuechan hurriedly said, "It's Master who's back. He asked me to wake you up, Miss."
Ye Xiren was startled and almost immediately sat up, her eyes wide open.
A wave of dizziness and blurred vision washed over her. She rubbed her head, and her vision gradually cleared. Her voice was hoarse and anxious: "What happened? What does my father want with me?"
Could something have gone wrong again?!
Ye Xiren was already scared; her face was as pale as paper, and she was filled with anxiety.
"This servant doesn't know, but the master's expression was normal, and he didn't seem to be in a hurry..."
Xuechan shook her head and quickly helped Ye Xiren get out of bed, dressing and combing her hair. "Don't worry, Miss, it shouldn't be anything serious."
Ye Xiren's brows remained furrowed in confusion.
Ye Pei always doted on her, and he wouldn't have let Xue Chan wake her up unless it was something serious. But Xue Chan said that she looked normal, which meant... it was something serious, but nothing dangerous.
What's going on? Ye Xiren wondered as she hurriedly dressed and rushed out.
They finally breathed a sigh of relief when they arrived at the main courtyard.
Ye Pei, Liao Changying, and Ye Changming were all there, and a meal was laid out on the table for her. She was even in the mood to eat, so it seemed that it really wasn't a big deal.
"Xixi, come and have something to eat. You've been either outside or sleeping all day and haven't eaten much." Liao Changying stood up, put her arm around her, and sat down, her eyes filled with worry.
Ye Xiren was indeed hungry. After washing her hands, she picked up her chopsticks and casually asked, "Father, what did you want to see me about?"
Ye Pei smiled, picked up some food for her, and said gently, "It's nothing serious. You should eat first, and we'll talk about it after you finish eating."
Ye Xiren became more and more relaxed.
It seems like everything is really alright.
She finished her meal, put down her chopsticks, rinsed her mouth, and asked while washing her hands, "Father, what's wrong?"
Ye Pei, with a loving expression, picked up some food for her and said with a smile, "You haven't eaten enough, have some more."
Ye Xiren: "..."
Her heart skipped a beat. Her father had actually put bamboo shoots on her plate, the dish placed furthest away from her. Everyone in the family knew that she didn't eat bamboo shoots at all!
"Father," Ye Xiren's voice trembled slightly, "what exactly happened?"
Ye Pei paused, put down his chopsticks, and sighed: "In the imperial prison, Chi Zhanlan Ce wants to see you."
Thank goodness, nothing happened!
She quickly realized the meaning behind his words, gasped, and looked shocked: "He wants to see me? Why?"
“We don’t know either.” Ye Pei shook his head. “Xixi, we might have to take a risk for you. We want you to go see him and see what he has to say.”
Everyone in Northern Yan was unusually stubborn and impossible to pry open, especially Chi Zhanlan Ce, who remained silent throughout.
However, he suddenly asked to see Miss Ye...
Ye Pei initially disagreed and vehemently objected. At that time, Yan Danqing and Jiang You were summoned to the palace. He and Bai Chengguang were worried that something might happen, so they discussed that they should first see what Chi Zhanlan Ce would say through Xi Xi in order to respond accordingly.
"Father, why hasn't the court killed him yet?" Ye Xiren frowned and asked another question first.
Ye Changming couldn't help but interject, "That's Chi Zhanlan Ce. Taking a living hostage can only benefit the war between the two countries. How could we bear to kill him so soon?"
Even setting aside the possibility of learning anything about Northern Yan's military affairs that would benefit Great Liang's victory, the value of this person to Northern Yan is self-evident!
Killing is too easy, but resurrection is difficult.
Ye Xiren completely relaxed and shook her head:
"It's nothing, I'll go see him."
Although it was strange that Chi Zhanlan Ce met her, it would be good if she could get some information out of her. Since then, she had found Jiang You, successfully rescued Yan Danqing, and captured the Northern Yan people...
I still feel uneasy. Is Chi Zhanlan Ce really that easy to resolve?
Ye Xiren agreed and immediately stood up:
Let's go.
She had developed a habit from these repeated cycles: she was quick and efficient. Ye Pei was taken aback for a moment before replying, "No rush, let's make some preparations first."
Half an hour later.
Ye Xiren appeared in the Imperial City Prison.
In the same dungeon, this time it was Chi Zhanlan Ce who was imprisoned. His hands and feet were also bound by iron chains. He was dressed in a blood-stained white robe and sat on straw with a pale face. Compared to Yan Danqing, who was as pine and bamboo, he always had a lazy and indifferent posture.
The candles in the niche were lit, illuminating the entire dungeon.
"What do you want to say to me?" Ye Xiren stood opposite the dungeon, leaning against the wall, her eyes wary, wishing she could be eight meters away from him.
Chi Zhanlan Ce raised his eyes.
The gaze shifted from Yan Shuang and Ma Shan on the left and right to Ye Xiren standing opposite the dungeon. Ye Xiren was tense, holding a round iron shield in her hand with difficulty, but still holding it tightly, her head tucked behind her.
She seemed afraid that someone would harm her.
Chi Zhanlan Ce suddenly laughed out loud, moved slightly, and said in a gentle voice, "What are you afraid of, Miss Ye? I've been tied up by your father, how could I possibly hurt you? Come closer, it's hard to talk like this."
Ye Xiren glared at him:
"Don't move, or I won't be polite!"
She resolutely stayed in the place furthest away from Chi Zhanlan Ce. So what if it was difficult to talk? Nothing was more important than her safety. She had barely survived one ordeal, and she couldn't die unjustly and have to start all over again.
Before she came in, she even went to make sure that the gunpowder had been dug out and there was no risk.
Seeing Ma Shan and Yan Shuang draw their swords and glare fiercely at him, Chi Zhanlan Ce shook his head and smiled helplessly:
"You really are..."
Before his smile faded, his gaze abruptly turned cold, his eyes fixed on the seemingly timid and harmless girl opposite him. His voice was complex:
“Since I was arrested, I have been repeatedly trying to figure it out. Logically speaking, nothing should have happened yesterday or today. I just can’t understand it.”
He pondered for several hours, but still had no answer.
It's impossible for something to go wrong.
Even if he had a backup plan, he could have made up for it, but everything was heading towards the one and only way out that should never have happened, which was simply impossible!
It shouldn't be, and it's impossible.
"But it happened right before my eyes." Chi Zhanlan Ce looked at Ye Xiren, his distance slightly far, his voice soft, yet still incredibly clear in the silent dungeon, "I began to deduce everything from the moment I stepped into Nandu..."
The biggest change occurred on the fourth day of the third month, when all his hidden tricks were exposed, making it difficult to kill Yan Danqing.
But the changes didn't begin on the fourth day of the third lunar month. On the third day, the gunpowder was exposed, giving Yan Danqing a chance to catch his breath. But if the gunpowder was exposed, then things had to be pushed forward again...
On the second day of the third month, Lu Qian came to see him and questioned whether it was the Northern Yan people who leaked the information, causing his and Jiang You's scheme against the Ye family to fail.
On the first day of the third lunar month, Ye Changming did not attend the imperial examination.
The source of the change began at the beginning of March.
All the clues converged and intertwined around the character "Ye". All the changes started from this family. Then he thought of the second young lady Ye he met on the street yesterday, the person who had "captured his heart" and almost killed him!
Chi Zhanlan smiled, his peach blossom eyes curving, but his eyes held a cold, unfathomable depth of thwarted schemes.
"Second Miss Ye, the change is due to you."
Ye Xiren gasped, utterly horrified.
What a terrifying person!
She instinctively hugged the shield tightly, protecting herself even more closely, her face full of defensiveness and vigilance, her voice annoyed: "I don't understand what you're saying, Your Highness Chizhan. What do you want from me? If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."
They resolutely deny it.
I will absolutely not get close.
I absolutely refuse to believe it.
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Author's Note: Ye Xiren: I'm a coward!
Egg white: ...
Lance: …………
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