Yun Li frowned, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart. This general was none other than Li Ye, whom he had sent to Da Xuan to pick up Zhao Zhi.
He asked in a deep voice, "What's the matter that you're in such a panic?"
Li Ye, breathless, said, "Your Highness, our...our troops were supposed to pick up Miss Zhao on her way back to the palace to express her gratitude...but we were ambushed! Miss Zhao also..."
Yun Li's heart sank, a flash of anger and coldness crossing his eyes. He interrupted Li Ye, saying coldly, "What's wrong with Zhizhi? Speak!"
Li Ye was intimidated by Yun Li's imposing manner and had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Miss Zhao was seriously injured by another group of people and returned directly to Prince Rui's residence..."
Yun Li clenched his fists so tightly that his fingers turned white from the force.
But he quickly calmed down.
"Li Ye, don't be anxious. Have some tea and tell me in detail what happened that day!" He gestured for someone to pour Li Ye a cup of tea.
After drinking a cup of tea, Li Ye gradually calmed down. He carefully recalled the scene of the fight and guessed that the other party might have thought they were going to harm Miss Zhao, which was why they attacked them so fiercely.
But later, the other party impersonated them again and attacked Miss Zhao, which puzzled him.
"Your Highness, that's how it happened."
"Twenty brothers escaped with me. In total, we lost eleven brothers."
Yun Li waved for Li Ye to leave, then turned and instructed Cui Jiu to follow him to his room.
"Cui Jiu, you stand guard outside the door. No matter who it is, don't let him break in."
His voice was cold and firm, leaving no room for argument.
Cui Jiu was startled and frowned, asking, "Your Highness, are you going to use the Thousand-Mile Soul-Tethering Technique? This technique is extremely mentally taxing; I'm worried about you—"
“My mind is made up. Cui Jiu, you don’t need to say anything more. I need to confirm Zhizhi’s safety first, and then think of other ways to get her out of the palace.”
Yun Li stepped into the room and immediately closed the door, shutting out the noise from the outside world. He sat cross-legged on the bed and placed a strand of Zhao Zhi's hair and one of his own hairs in a cross shape.
He closed his eyes, concentrated, formed hand seals, and began to cast the Thousand-Mile Soul-Tethering Technique.
The Thousand-Mile Soul-Tethering Technique is an extremely profound magic that can traverse thousands of miles to find the aura and location of a specific person.
It is also a secret technique that the Cui family of Yunchao does not pass on to outsiders.
In the decades-long history of the Cui family, only Cui Jiao mastered this technique, which she later passed on to her son, Yun Li.
However, this method is extremely taxing on the caster's mental energy, and a slight misstep could lead to utter ruin.
Yun Li silently repeated Zhizhi's name in his heart, over and over again, until his name rippled through his mind.
Zhao Zhi's image gradually appeared in his mind.
As the spell deepened, Yun Li's face gradually turned pale.
Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his hands began to tremble slightly.
Just then, a thought suddenly flashed through Yun Li's mind.
He saw Zhao Zhi, who was standing at the gate of Fengyi's courtyard, bidding farewell to Shen Hanshan, who was dressed in a tight-fitting outfit.
"Why didn't you tell me that your brother wanted to send you to guard Chaoyang County?"
Zhao Zhi's injured shoulder blade arm hung limply to one side, while her other arm was slightly bent, cradling her stomach.
"Your Highness is pregnant, so it's best to avoid worrying about court affairs," Shen Hanshan said calmly.
Seeing this, Yun Li became suspicious and said, "When I left, Shen Hanshan clearly seemed determined to have Zhizhi. How come after a few months, their relationship has deteriorated to this extent?"
“Chen Hanshan, actually I am…” Zhao Zhi hesitated before speaking.
Shen Hanshan looked at her, his gaze falling on her stomach. He took a deep breath and announced the decision he had been agonizing over all night.
"I have no way to repay Your Highness for saving my life. I will accept this child, regardless of who his father is! But I beg Your Highness and the Emperor to abide by our original agreement and divorce me cleanly and decisively two years from now. Don't cause any more trouble!"
"When will you come back?" Zhao Zhi suddenly felt inexplicably uneasy.
“Maybe a few months, maybe a year or two.” Shen Hanshan looked up at the clear blue sky, his expression solemn as he recalled the scenes of his battles on the battlefield. “Maybe, he will never come back.”
"Du Heng, let's go!"
After saying that, he turned and left.
"Shen Hanshan!" Behind her, Zhao Zhi's eyes welled up with tears, and she bit her lip tightly, calling out to him with almost all her might.
Shen Hanshan sensed a deep sense of reluctance in that voice.
But why?
He had only spent a few days with the princess, and she was pregnant with another man's child. Her persistence must mean she was deeply in love with him. Why did she suddenly become so affectionate towards him?
But he remained standing there, silent.
Zhao Zhi took a few quick steps, hugged him tightly from behind with one arm, and choked out, "I don't know what task my brother has assigned you. But, but, you, you must come back safely. Wait, wait for you to come back, and I will tell you the truth."
"The truth? What truth?" Shen Hanshan slowly turned around, keeping a distance from Zhao Zhi.
Zhao Zhi's hand fell into mid-air, and her heart suddenly felt empty.
Lanru watched anxiously from the side. Just as she was about to speak, Zhao Zhi glared at her. She had no choice but to keep her mouth shut.
"I'll tell you if you come back safely." Zhao Zhi suppressed the surging emotions in her heart, took a step forward, grabbed Shen Hanshan's hand, and gently placed it on her stomach.
Shen Hanshan's hand remained stiff as she grasped it. He stared at her, bewildered.
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