"Hanhan, how much longer until we reach the Northwest?" Yan Wan licked her chapped lips. It was getting hotter and hotter, and there were more and more refugees on the road. Some of them were even lying motionless by the roadside, clearly suffering from dehydration and heatstroke. This made it easy to imagine how bad the situation must be in Yunzhou. She wondered how Jingxi was doing now.
"It'll be soon. If we move quickly, we'll arrive in five days," Ji Mohan said in a hoarse voice. He frowned as he looked in the direction of Yunzhou. For some reason, he felt a vague unease in his heart, hoping that he was just overthinking things.
Yan Wan looked at Ji Mohan's solemn expression. She understood his concerns, so she forced a smile and said, "Hanhan, let's keep going."
Ji Mohan met Yan Wan's gaze, looked at her with concern, and said, "Rest a little longer, your body can't take it."
They dared not delay on the road, and even traveled day and night for the past few days. Yan Wan was already thin, and now she was even thinner. She could have stayed comfortably in the capital, but for his sake, she still followed him to the Northwest without hesitation.
Yan Wan smiled, gently took Ji Mohan's hand, held it in hers, and shook her head slightly, saying, "It's alright, let's go. I haven't seen Jing Xi in a long time, and I miss her quite a bit." Yan Wan saw the guilt in Ji Mohan's eyes. She was doing this willingly because she loved him.
Ji Mohan twitched his lips, looked at Yan Wan's stubborn eyes, and had no choice but to nod. He helped Yan Wan into the carriage, and the group set off again in a grand procession.
At this moment, Li Shang rode up quickly from behind on horseback and rode alongside Ji Mohan. Li Shang said seriously, "Your Highness, I may have to go back to the Li family first. I don't know what's wrong with the old man, but he insists on calling me, an outsider of the Li family, back."
"Go back now?" Ji Mohan asked, frowning.
"Well, the old man said his health is failing and he wants me to go back and see him. Ha, how ridiculous. Who in Qingzhou City doesn't know that I, Li Shang, am just a bastard child that Aunt Li Ge picked up from the Mongol Kingdom? They forced Aunt Li Ge to her death, but after her death, they pretended to be kind to me. It's disgusting," Li Shang said sarcastically.
Ji Mohan frowned again. He had a bad feeling, as if someone was manipulating things in the dark, and they were all just pawns.
"Yes, be careful when you go back. Things have been getting increasingly strange since you left home these past few years. By the way, didn't you say before that you caused Uncle An's death? But if that's the case, that person was probably involved too. However, the strange thing is that Uncle An's body was never found back then." Ji Mohan stated his conjecture, which, although somewhat unbelievable, was not impossible.
Li Shang turned to look at his friend in surprise, paused, and said blankly, "You mean? In that case, the only innocent person from beginning to end is Aunt." Li Shang's eyes were red with anger. He hoped it wouldn't be like that, otherwise he couldn't guarantee that old dog Li Shu would still be alive.
"This is just my guess, but I have a vague feeling of unease. Anyway, be careful when you go back home," Ji Mohan said in a deep voice.
"Yes, I know. It's not far from Qingzhou. If I'm quick, I might be able to catch up with you in a few days." Li Shang smiled indifferently.
Ji Mohan reached out and patted his shoulder, silently comforting Li Shang. They were both people abandoned by fate, and could only rely on each other for warmth.
Li Shang ruthlessly slapped Ji Mo Han's hand away. How old is he? So mushy. It's unbearable. He doesn't care about leaving home anymore. The only thing he cares about in the whole Li family is his aunt, Li Ge.
"By the way, you went to the Yunzhou military camp. If I haven't caught up with you by then, remember to give my regards to Wei Ting, Yunlong, and Song Jue. It's been so long since I've seen them." Li Shang said casually, then raised his whip and rode off into the distance, his hooves kicking up a cloud of dust, looking just like a wandering knight.
Ji Mohan curled the corners of his lips and said in a cold voice, "Speed up."
——
Leaving home.
"They've reached the vicinity of Qingzhou?" the man in black said coldly.
“Yes, Li Shang and Han Wang are near Qingzhou,” Li Shu said respectfully from the side.
"You sent your adopted son away?" the man in black asked unhappily, showing a woman's soft heart.
“Ge’er loved that child the most. Now Ge’er is gone, he…” Li Shu murmured. They left home, they were sorry to Ge’er, but if they didn’t do that, their home would be doomed.
The man in black robes paused, then snorted coldly and said, "Woman's compassion! Go and kill your adopted son too, otherwise, the consequences will be endless. We've already come this far, there's no turning back. Do you want to kill everyone because of him?" The man in black robes said angrily. Their plan could only succeed, not fail.
That position should have been his! He lived like a rat, like a shadowy cockroach, but why? For that position, he was willing to sacrifice everything, including love!
A hint of murderous intent flashed in Li Shu's eyes, but he suppressed it and replied, "Yes, I will set up an ambush on the road."
The man in black robes slowly turned around, looking at Li Shu with a sinister gaze, as if trying to discern the truthfulness of his words. After a while, he withdrew his gaze and nodded in satisfaction.
With the evidence of his leaving home in his own hands, Liang dared not do anything.
The man in black robes continued, "Have you arranged all the men for my good nephew? They're already near Qingzhou. Don't let them escape. My nephew has extraordinary abilities. If you don't kill him, he'll hold you hostage once he comes to his senses." The man in black robes seemed somewhat apprehensive as he spoke. Apart from this troublemaker and the crown prince, he didn't take the other princes seriously at all; they were nothing but a bunch of good-for-nothings born in the deep palace and raised by women.
Mentioning Han Wang, Li Shu also perked up and said, "They sent the most skilled assassins; they're sure to succeed."
"Well, that's good then. Hahahaha, all of you, die! All of you, die!" the man in black robes said suddenly, his emotions running high.
Li Shu watched the crazed man in black robes and silently walked out.
There was no turning back now that I had left home.
Tonight's assassination must succeed!
——
"This damned place! How long will it take to get to Qingzhou? And that old bastard! He was perfectly fine in Lingnan, but he had to send me to this hot and thirsty place. He's really senile. I hope he's dead by the time I get back." Shangguan Wei'er cursed as she walked, her resentment heavier than a ghost. Even the passing dogs would get cursed twice.
She impatiently pulled over a refugee who was fleeing the disaster and asked sternly, "Do you know how far it is from here to Qingzhou?"
The refugee looked at the intimidating female bully and said tremblingly, "Almost there, almost there. Once we cross that mountain, we'll reach Qingzhou."
Having gotten the answer she wanted, Shangguan Wei'er released her hand. Seeing that the female tyrant had let go of them, the refugees quickly ran away.
Shangguan Wei'er sighed, having no choice but to continue on her way. Looking at the setting sun, it seemed she would have to spend the night on the mountain.
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