Chapter 28 I've Come to Find My Fiancé
Yi Fu rushed over upon hearing the news. Xiao Yuanjing, the host of the banquet, also did not delay. Taking advantage of the chaos, he spoke a few words to his younger sister, who had been staring at him expectantly, before heading off to find someone.
Xiao Yuanshu grabbed him, her eyes brimming with tears: "Yuanshu is unhappy in the palace, I don't want to—"
Xiao Yuanjing's expression darkened: "Yuan Shu, you must watch your words. Do you still have a grudge against His Majesty?"
"I…"
Xiao Yuanshu bit her lip, her brows furrowed into a deep frown. She didn't know how to answer her brother's question.
Her eyes were filled with the image of the young emperor's frenzied and insane state just now.
Xiao Yuanshu was not unfamiliar with Yan Dibai's various expressions.
But such a horrifying sight—a body convulsing and tears streaming down its face, as if possessed by a ghost—was truly something she had never encountered before. Previously, she had scoffed at the fear of Yan Dibai in the palace, but now, witnessing it firsthand, her body stiffened involuntarily.
Is this the young emperor?
Xiao Yuanshu was truly puzzled at this moment. How could Yang Liuqing not be afraid at all and just run after him?
Regardless, Xiao Yuanshu didn't want to stay in this place at all. She said in a muffled voice:
"If I had known, I wouldn't have come like that Wen woman."
Xiao Yuanjing didn't have much time to comfort his sister, but when he mentioned Lady Yue Rong, Wen Puti, he paused and said:
"If I remember correctly, wasn't she promised to Li Mingshao back then?"
"It's her. She probably knew Li Er was coming, so she hid." She said coquettishly, "Brother, please help me—"
Xiao Yuanshu's hand, which was about to shake his arm, was gently brushed away before it could reach him. Xiao Yuanjing said softly, "Don't worry, I won't keep you waiting too long."
Xiao Yuanshu could only nod, her gaze drifting towards the palace gate.
Beneath the silver carpet, two figures, one in red and one in green, disregarded the pleas of those behind them and rolled like balls over the high palace wall.
"slave--"
The goose-feather winter snow, bit by bit, squeezed into her mouth and nose, forcefully silencing the girl's barely audible voice.
Yang Liuqing's face wrinkled from the cold.
Yan Dibai seemed very familiar with the Imperial Guards' tracking methods. He turned into a winding alley as soon as he left, and after feeling around, dug through a dog hole to find a wooden box inside. Inside were several sets of clothing of various styles and materials. It seemed he had been prepared all along.
Indeed, he had sneaked out of the palace quite a few times.
Yan Dibai casually grabbed a piece of clothing. "Change into this."
Qingqing took a look and saw it was all dusty and tattered…
She reluctantly put on her hempen clothes, and seeing Yan Dibai dressed as an ordinary young master, she couldn't help but want to persuade him again:
"Your Majesty, perhaps..."
Yan Dibai replied without hesitation, "No." Then he suddenly clutched his waist.
Did you choke me first?
She immediately swallowed her advice: "...No, no."
Yan Di rolled her eyes at her: "I'll settle the score with you after I pick up my older sister!"
Yang Liuqing fell silent, disheveled her hair, and followed Yan Dibai outside. A moment later, Yan Dibai stood at the alley entrance, panting heavily, and said resentfully:
Do you know which road your elder sister took?
She was already exhausted, and upon hearing this, her vision blurred: "Your Majesty doesn't know the way???"
He was actually being questioned by the person he hated most... The boy's face darkened instantly, "So what if I don't know the way?!"
He was just in a rush and forgot to ask! He's done quite a bit of sightseeing in the capital!
After looking around a few more times, the boy made a decision in frustration:
"They came from the northwest, we are going to the northwest."
It was the winter solstice, and families were gathered around the stove eating hot soup dumplings. Apart from beggars with nowhere to go and slaves chained outside, there was hardly anyone else in the city.
The two of them traveled relatively smoothly.
After walking for a while, Yang Liuqing instinctively began to avoid the eyes of those people with numb expressions.
Some people stared at her and Yan Dibai, their lips moving as if they were muttering about some food.
Her face was tense, but Yan Dibai seemed completely unconcerned. Until they crossed the street, he suddenly stopped and glanced behind him:
What's with that expression?
Qingqing paused.
Yan Dibai laughed heartily: "Yang Liuqing, you sympathize with those two-legged sheep?"
In this era of cannibalism, even the rulers did not value the lives of their subjects, nor did they regard them as human beings.
She hesitated, subconsciously resisting the term "two-legged sheep." Seeing Yan Dibai's interested expression, Qingqing indifferently lowered her eyes.
"I dare not."
"Alright." Yan Dibai crossed his arms and frowned. "Stop with the nonsense. Hurry up, we'll be in the outskirts of the capital soon."
Qingqing remained silent.
The outskirts of the capital were indeed not far, and the boy's judgment was correct. Sure enough, a blue flag could be faintly seen fluttering high in the distance. Yang Liuqing judged that it must be a family crest or some kind of emblem. The snow beneath their feet was deep, indicating that the eunuch who had come to report earlier was right.
Princess Xifang and her entourage should be no more than seven or eight miles away from the capital.
Yan Dibai grew increasingly agitated, even clenching his fists and running towards the crowd, pulling up his clothes.
Qingqing's face stung from the cold snow. Looking down at her feet, she saw that the snow was already up to her thighs. If she walked any further, she would sink in and her legs would surely freeze.
But glancing to the side, Yan Dibai seemed completely oblivious to the cold; his wild energy had returned. With his longer legs, he began to scramble and crawl, leaving a messy trail in the vast snowfield. Qingqing stretched out her leg with all her might—oh no!
One foot is trapped inside!
She could only struggle desperately, secretly worried about why Xiao Yuanjing and Yi Fu's group hadn't arrived yet.
Although he had mostly complex and negative feelings toward Yan Dibai, once he decided to stand up and find him, he was determined not to let anything happen to him.
At least not until the task is completed.
If Yan Dibai were to actually go to Yan Xifang like that, his prestige among the people might plummet to negative numbers. If he were given the initial five stats...
Qingqing had a terrible headache.
Seeing Yan Dibai getting further and further away from her, she quickly retreated, pulled her leg out, and tiptoed to chase after him, saying as she did so:
"Your Majesty, please slow down!"
He seemed not to hear her and continued plunging inside. Helpless, Qingqing called out to him again, trying to find another way to break through.
Suddenly, a strange "shushing" sound came from the air. She looked up and saw an ordinary-looking person flying in from nowhere, throwing a plank at them, then leaping onto it, pressing down hard with his foot, creating a deep crater. Then, he did a somersault and in the blink of an eye, a long sword in his hand was slashing at Yan Dibai's neck.
Another assassin?!
Yang Liuqing nearly fell and quickly shouted, "Get out of the way!"
Yan Dibai's excited mind skipped a beat, and he suddenly felt a gust of wind blowing in a different direction. The vigilance he had felt since ascending the throne, constantly facing assassination attempts, instantly surfaced. He leaned to the right, grabbed a snowball, and threw it behind him.
The assassin missed his target and fell into a pit beside Yan Dibai, clearly sinking into the snow.
Yan Dibai finally regained his senses, his bloodshot eyes glaring fiercely at the newcomer: "Damn it, you've ruined my plans! And who sent you to kill me!"
The assassin sneered, naturally refusing to answer his question. His sword slashed down again, and his legs gradually broke free from the snow wall.
Suddenly, snowballs rained down on him. Yan Dibai looked up and saw that they were thrown by Yang Liuqing. His eyes darkened, and he gritted his teeth in resentment, seizing the opportunity to retreat the way he had come.
Yang Liuqing made snowballs at the spot where the snow was less, throwing them at him while shouting for him to come out quickly. After several more chases, Yan Dibai simply took off his clothes and escaped in only a thin undergarment.
Before leaving, Yang Liuqing made a large ball and, together with Yan Dibai, smashed it open on the path.
The assassin seemed less agile than the woman from the palace last time. In desperation, he swung his sword, intending to pierce Yan Dibai through.
However, the two were considerably shorter than him, and the snow cushioned their impact. With the road blocked, the young couple made their escape.
On the way, Yang Liuqing draped her tattered burlap over Yan Dibai, panting heavily as she guided him:
"Your Majesty, there is an accomplice in the palace. Our whereabouts have been exposed, there must be other assassins! We have no choice but to return to the capital. Lord Yifu should have already arrived, and Lord Xiao will not allow them to cause trouble!"
Yan Di clenched her teeth, stubbornly refusing to walk towards the palace gate.
Yang Liuqing's mouth was dry: "The princess is protected by the Li family's soldiers, she will be fine! If His Majesty is really killed this time, what will the princess do? She only has you as her brother!"
The boy wandered aimlessly, refusing to move. Just then, a series of rapid footsteps appeared behind him—it was the assassin from before.
"Tyrant, prepare to die!"
Her heart stopped, and she cried out sharply, "Your Majesty!"
Yan Dibai, expressionless, suddenly stopped and coldly stared at Yang Liuqing:
"So you're thinking of me this much? Ha, you're so thoughtful."
Qingqing was stunned. How could someone say such a thing at the critical moment of life and death?
Her chest heaved violently; even she, who had always been accustomed to suppressing her anger, couldn't help but feel furious. For a moment, she forgot all about their different social statuses and roared:
"If you're so eager to die, why did you run away just now? If you truly care about your sister, why did you put her in this position of being condemned by all? Do you know that your death will plunge the world into chaos? How many more people will become food on our plates? No, you know perfectly well!"
The girl was furious. Her eyes widened uncontrollably, her lips were swollen with anger, and her hands were clenched tightly. She was so tense that she wished she could knock him unconscious right now.
Yang Liuqing felt a sharp pain in her heart: "Why do you have to make such a fuss? Ordinary people are innocent."
She doesn't like to swear, and her heartfelt words contained not a single vulgar word. Yet, they conveyed a deep sense of disappointment.
"..." Yan Dibai's sarcastic remark was abruptly cut off by her sorrowful gaze.
A vein on his forehead throbbed violently without warning, causing a headache.
Yan Di's white lips trembled slightly, as he was about to retort in displeasure, but the sound of a sharp blade was so close that Yang Liuqing pushed him away almost instantly! The next moment, the boy's pupils narrowed into straight lines. A series of clattering sounds followed as baskets were overturned, and the assassin had a chicken coop over his head. "Come quick!"
Upon hearing the call of a woman she had never heard before, Yang Liuqing immediately helped Yan Dibai up and followed the hem of her pale yellow dress into the alley.
Walking through the alley, a completely new streetscape suddenly appeared.
The assassin had been shaken off. Yan Dibai wrapped his hempen clothes tighter, suddenly flung away Yang Liuqing's hand, and stood coldly against the wall. Seeing that Yan Dibai was unharmed, Qingqing pursed her lips, leaned against the wall to catch her breath, and thanked the girl in the pale yellow dress.
The girl was looking around. "Hey, there are a lot of guards out on patrol."
Hearing this call, she immediately turned around. A bright, vibrant, and plump face grinned at Qingqing. She patted her slightly dirty clothes and said in a local accent she couldn't quite place:
"You're welcome. How did you get involved with a murderer? Luckily, I was sleeping there, or you would be dead."
Qingqing clearly sensed that Yan Dibai's aura behind her had deepened. She quickly said:
Did I wake you up when I pushed him?
The girl nodded: "I hadn't slept for days because I was rushing on my way, so I fell into a deep sleep. I really wouldn't have woken up if the basket hadn't hit me."
She breathed a sigh of relief at the answer; Yan Dibai wouldn't kill the girl. Qingqing glanced at Yan Dibai and, seeing his hands were purple from the cold, immediately took off her coat and gave it to him.
Just as she was about to take it off, she remembered his previous attitude and put her hand down.
I'd rather freeze to death.
She was furious and grabbed the girl, looking around.
The Imperial Guards have already left the palace gates, clearly searching for the young emperor.
She looked at Yan Dibai again; the boy held his head high, as if… he was sulking?
"..." It seems he doesn't want to return to the palace anytime soon.
Yang Liuqing forced herself to remain silent and casually asked the girl, "Judging from your accent, you're not from the capital? Do you have a place to stay?"
The girl was honest: "I'm from Jizhou, and I've come to find my fiancé. I have nowhere to stay, and I only arrived in the capital yesterday before the heavy snow."
As he spoke, he kept rubbing his arms with his chilblain-covered hands, clearly feeling very cold.
Yang Liuqing thought for a moment and then thought of a place.
"If you don't mind, may I take you home to stay temporarily? What is your surname, young lady?"
"Really?" She nodded earnestly, without the slightest doubt. "My surname is Xue, the same as my fiancé's. What's your name, young lady?"
Qingqing answered, and she exclaimed, "Oh? Did you elope? You don't look very old."
Qingqing's face hardened: "No. He is the young master I serve, I am a servant."
"I see." Miss Xue suppressed her curiosity and stood there obediently waiting.
Qingqing took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself before walking up to the lunatic: "Young Master, would you like to go home with me to warm up first?"
Yan Dibai, who had been ignoring everyone, looked at her with disdain and scoffed.
"It's cold, young master, please bear with it." Yang Liuqing had no intention of accommodating him, so she assumed he agreed and followed his memory to take the two of them back to the original owner's home.
Mr. and Mrs. Yang were unexpectedly absent. They had probably gone to visit relatives. Fortunately, the family was extremely poor, and they could easily open the windows.
Qingqing climbed inside, opened the door, quickly started a fire to warm herself, and then rummaged through her clothes for Yan Dibai to wear. Miss Xue drank the hot tea she offered and smiled happily.
"It's so warm."
Yan Dibai snorted coldly, threw the clothes away in disgust, and enjoyed the fire all by herself, locking the two of them outside.
Qingqing was too lazy to bother with it and started making arrangements again.
Miss Xue stared at the newly lit fire: "I don't know if you've seen him or not. My fiancé's name is Feng An, and he's incredibly handsome. He's also exceptionally intelligent; everyone in the surrounding villages praises him. He's good to me too. They say he went with Lord Xiao, who came to quell the rebellion. I've seen Lord Xiao from afar; he's a good man. Everyone says Lord Xiao is more like an emperor than the current tyrant, but actually, my fiancé is quite ambitious."
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Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 21:47:55 on September 8, 2023 and 00:09:39 on September 11, 2023!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Lulululu 4 bottles; Tianya Shuangke and Qunzi 1 bottle each;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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