Chapter 65 Leaving the Palace (Part Two)
The chaos in the imperial city drew ever closer. But just as they were speaking, choking smoke spread from the long, wide palace road, and suddenly, a thunderous drumbeat came from the direction of the east gate.
Qingqing's heart pounded. The drums were beating, signaling the inevitable defeat of the palace guards.
Without a doubt, outside must be the scene of "war raging across the land," a scene that has appeared countless times in history books.
However, the person holding this only path to survival remained silent. Qingqing swallowed hard and said urgently:
"My esteemed sir, the situation in the palace is dire. Could you please grant us a way out? If there is a future, I will repay your kindness today!"
The soldiers also showed signs of doubt.
The young lady had been speaking swiftly before, but after these two disheveled individuals appeared, she remained completely silent, as if no one else was there. How strange.
The soldier leaned forward slightly, somewhat hesitantly: "Miss, the commotion is getting louder. These two... I'm afraid you need to make a decision quickly."
“…”
Release them?
Xiao Yuanshu's face tightened, and she suddenly bit down, leaving a row of white teeth marks on her lips.
What had just happened in a few breaths felt like centuries to her.
Yang Liuqing! Yang Liuqing, who should have been trapped and died in the cold palace with that deposed emperor!
All the things from the past that I was trying to forget are now being replayed before my eyes all at once.
The stinging pain in her palm still reminded her of all her past defeats!
Xiao Yuanshu's chest heaved deeply until the talkative soldier asked a second question, at which point she paused, her expression complex as she re-examined the girl whose face was covered in soot.
Xiao Yuanshu would never forget Yang Liuqing's voice and figure. It was undoubtedly her. That annoying palace maid was indeed not dead.
However, Xiao Yuanshu suddenly grabbed the carriage curtain. His gaze passed over Yang Liuqing and locked onto the silent, slumped skeleton on the ground.
And who is that?
Having bided her time in the palace for a long time, Xiao Yuanshu had a general understanding of all the affairs outside Chonglan Palace. However, due to Yan Xifang's close surveillance, the people around her were extra cautious. They only knew that Yan Dibai had been deposed and relegated to the Cold Palace, and had heard the servants describe his miserable state, but had never actually seen him in person.
Now, facing it directly, she simply couldn't connect that filthy pile of withered bones with the young emperor she had long resented.
Who would have thought that the noble and incomparable young emperor would turn into such a grotesque and inhuman creature?
Xiao Yuanshu looked away and turned her attention back to Yang Liuqing.
I remember that the Yeting Palace was Yang Liuqing's residence when she first entered the palace, so it could be considered her second home. I had occasionally heard about her and those sisters before, but because of my pride, Xiao Yuanshu did not want to deal with Yang Liuqing by getting involved with these lowly people.
She thought about it again and again. If what Yang Liuqing said was true, it seemed that later there was indeed a maid who was also born in the inner palace who became a eunuch's lover and rose through the ranks.
Those who have lost their roots are nothing but twisted, despicable slaves; that's a pretty good match.
The armor clashed, and the soldier drew closer. Xiao Yuanshu glanced at him, two conflicting thoughts still swirling in his mind.
To kill, or...
"There's someone over there! Stop them!"
The outburst came unexpectedly.
Before Xiao Yuanshu could react, the soldiers below, their eyes wide with shock at the billowing smoke along the palace road, immediately sheathed their swords and reined in their horses. The horses snorted, and the carriage walls shook. Xiao Yuanshu stumbled, nearly falling, and instinctively cursed as he steadied himself, "What are you doing!"
She had barely uttered the words when she suddenly covered her mouth and looked at Yang Liuqing, who was equally dumbfounded on the ground.
A soldier whispered through the carriage window, "The reinforcements are late; we're likely ambushed. Miss, leave quickly!"
Xiao Yuanshu was stunned: "Didn't we take control of this place? Why has the situation suddenly changed?"
The soldier hurriedly sat on the hood of the cart and cracked the whip: "Breaking news! The reinforcements are late, and we don't know what's going on. Our lord is not the same as before; he can't control the situation completely. If this side door is discovered now, it's probably because our lord is in trouble somewhere and can't hold out any longer."
"Miss, we must escape for our lives; we must not fall into their hands."
Xiao Yuanshu, supporting herself, turned deathly pale upon hearing this.
"Then isn't my brother in danger...?"
"My lord is blessed by Heaven. Your well-being is of utmost importance right now! Please set aside all your worries for the time being. I will take you to reunite with the main force first!"
Xiao Yuanshu took a deep breath, then turned her head, the dagger slipping from her sleeve. She straightened her body, facing the soldier's slightly raised chin.
"If you really encounter danger, I will not make things difficult for you."
Qingqing was already extremely anxious. When she saw the master and servant drive away, she didn't think twice and immediately helped Yan Dibai up and rushed out after them.
With a deafening roar, as soon as she stepped out of the side door, a palace in the distance collapsed. Thick, reddish-black smoke billowed down from the palace like a north wind, filling the entire palace corridor with a sweltering, foul odor. Intertwined with the increasingly loud curses, Qingqing's clothes trembled violently, but she dared not turn around.
She had never traveled this road leading out of the palace before, and was completely clueless about it. Just as she was wondering which way to run, the inconspicuous carriage turned a corner, its wheels rolling to the other side.
wrong.
"Giddy up! Chase them! We'll squeeze every last drop of oil out of them once we catch them!"
The palace was surrounded by waterways, and it was the season when the aquatic plants were lush and abundant, with many of them growing as tall as a person.
As a troop of cavalry gave chase, Qingqing finally pulled her foot out of the mud and, hearing the sound, hid behind the water plants to peek out a few times.
Qingqing suddenly realized something, and a low, soft voice suddenly came to her ear.
"Yangliuqing".
Qingqing's eyes widened, and she subconsciously slowed her pace.
Yan Dibai moved an inch closer, his lips almost touching hers as he rubbed them together: "Put me down."
The boy's aura was still scorching, almost enough to burn away all life.
Qingqing suddenly woke up with a start and hurriedly turned her head to look at the person on her shoulder: "What are you doing?"
Yan Dibai sniffed the air and moved his arm around Qingqing's neck slightly.
He never looked her in the eye, nor did he answer her questions. His face, blackened by smoke, twitched uncontrollably; he seemed to want to speak, but for some reason chose silence.
The pursuers drew closer, and the dark clouds cleared half the sky, making it look like an apocalyptic scene from a futuristic movie.
Qingqing stared at him for a full three seconds, then suddenly lifted him up and continued walking towards the center of the river.
It's the only place nearby where I can hide for a while, so no matter what, I have to take a step out and try to find a chance.
Yan Dibai lay on this slender back, his chest clearly feeling the flesh and blood bulging beneath the two thin layers of clothing from the constant exertion, throbbing and pulsating, almost merging with his heartbeat.
The boy's eyelashes drooped.
Qingqing had no time to deal with his sudden emotional outburst; her attention was entirely focused on what was ahead.
These people were all wearing cloth armor and carrying knives and arrows, but they had no obvious markings on their bodies. Instead, they were extremely disorganized and acted with the unbridled arrogance of a mob.
"We'll pursue them, you stay here and guard the river, don't miss a single sound!" The leader looked around and waved his hand. The group agreed and casually slashed at the surrounding grass and trees with their knives. Unbeknownst to them, they gradually spread out towards the edge of the river, vaguely forming an encirclement.
Qingqing had a bad feeling; this group was probably looking for the master and servant who had led the way. A carriage wasn't as fast as a horse, but it was much better than walking. With Yan Dibai on her back, she had nowhere to go; hiding here was practically making her a sitting duck.
Lowering her body as much as possible, Qingqing held her breath and retreated. The mud varied in depth, and her feet occasionally wobbled unsteadily.
Fortunately, the river was dug extremely wide, and the foul-smelling water gradually covered his calves, naturally increasing the distance between him and the group of people.
The pursuers haphazardly cut down some water plants and began to curse and grumble. Seeing that they intended to fish, Qingqing breathed a slight sigh of relief and cautiously waded to the innermost part of the area. The water was above her knees, and behind her was the moss-covered outer palace wall; there was nowhere to retreat.
Qingqing had no choice but to stay put and pray that the group of people would leave quickly.
However, it seemed as if fate was deliberately working against her, as an unknown rustling sound suddenly came from the bushes beside her.
Immediately afterwards, her neck tightened, and a terrifying heat emanated from her skin; it was Yan Dibai's hands that suddenly tightened.
"Quick, there might be someone hiding!" The pursuers bared their fangs like wolves smelling blood, and several of them pinpointed their target behind layers of water plants.
The grass swayed, and a strange figure appeared and disappeared.
Suddenly someone burst into laughter: "Here! Come here, everyone!"
"Where is it!"
"A river channel? Wow, you guys have sharp eyes. I wonder what kind of people are hiding here?"
The burly man, with a lewd expression, said: "Who cares! Whether it's the nobles who get the money or the servants who provide for us to relieve our pent-up desires, damn it, I've been suffocating since we came to the capital."
Everyone burst into laughter, and as they talked, more than a dozen people gathered together.
The leader squinted, carefully parting the last layer of concealment with his long sword. Just as he was about to advance, *whoosh*—
"Aaaaaah—! A hidden weapon! There's a hidden weapon!"
After a strange clattering sound, a row of rusty short arrows suddenly pierced through the water plants and accurately struck the breastplate of the person in front, penetrating straight through flesh and blood.
The group was shocked and used the wailing man as a human shield, retreating hastily. The arrows were spaced somewhat widely and narrowly, but their direction was remarkably uniform. Some embedded themselves in the river mud, while the rest impaled the human shield like a hedgehog before falling silent.
The one who had used his companion as a shield carefully observed the now quiet grassy area for a while, then suddenly realized what was going on and sneered, "I know, this son of a bitch has set up traps outside the palace."
"A mechanism? Could it be a crossbow?!"
"With that kind of force, what else could it be but a crossbow bolt? This palace is old and dilapidated, and it's near water; all the mechanisms are rusted. This is the only one that could have been used. The person hiding behind it must be someone of high status." The man laughed excitedly, then tossed aside his gruesome-looking accomplice. The man's body slammed into the muddy water with a thud, but this time there was no reaction from the other side.
"I guessed right!" The blade rose, reflecting terrifying flashes of light. Everyone held their breath, leaning forward in unison. Sure enough, as they approached the swaying water plants again, a woman's voice, on the verge of tears, finally broke through the silence:
"Don't come any closer!"
This scene was clearly a trap to lure them in! The pursuers immediately turned on each other with drooling eyes and charged forward.
After several large strides, the grass and trees were all dragged into the mud, forcing the group to slow their pace. They were overjoyed when they saw the disheveled girl by the wall.
"At a time like this, what brings a young lady here? Her clothes are all wet; she looks so pitiful!"
"Ha ha ha ha!"
The burly men pushed their way in, making her tremble helplessly. As expected, several long bricks were missing from the city wall beside the girl, and among them were rusty crossbow bolts.
The group stopped and instinctively spread out into a flanking formation. Soon, their feet sank deep into the mud, and their steps became heavy.
The girl trembled more and more violently, her hands constantly gripping the wet, slippery brick seams, and behind her semi-transparent skirt soaked in water, one could vaguely see living things floating.
In the eyes of these people, it meant nothing at all; it was just another drink to liven things up.
"Where's the arrow? Where's the mechanism? No matter how impressive it is!" One man impatiently reached out to her, then froze—"Click."
The crossbow bolts, which had seemed exhausted, suddenly snapped back, and several more arrows were fired. With a few swift movements, the dozen or so people present all fell backward.
To capture them all in one fell swoop.
The feigned fear on Qingqing's face vanished without a trace as everyone collapsed to the ground. Wiping the mud splashed on her face, she pulled Yan Dibai, whose body was half submerged in the river, up with trembling hands.
In the heat of the moment, Yan Dibai didn't know where he got the strength, but after struggling off her, he jumped into the water and kept groping around.
Qingqing was initially startled and was about to bend down to pull the boy into the water to escape when she saw the boy silently looking around as if searching for something. She paused for a second, then immediately turned her head and pulled her skirt, which was stuck together, to cover his body, while keeping her eyes fixed on the pursuers.
At the critical moment, the ancient city wall creaked and groaned, her heart pounding, and she swallowed hard again and again.
It wasn't until several streaks of blood shot out simultaneously that it was finished.
Qingqing blinked, quickly banishing the grotesque faces of these people as they died from her mind. She then applied a little more pressure, helping the boy lean against her to steady himself.
The hidden mechanism in the water slowly returned to its original position without being pressed, and the crossbow bolts were replaced by blue bricks.
She finally had a chance to glance at the square stone underwater, and felt a strange sense of surprise.
The young emperor was arrogant, extravagant, and licentious, but at times, he seemed to be an emperor who fit the role of an emperor.
This mechanism, which she had never heard of before, was located precisely by the absurd emperor who was usually indifferent to other matters.
…It seems that he has a certain degree of control over the palace.
When she looked at Yan Dibai again, she couldn't help but bite her lip.
Having passed the brink of life and death, they were surprisingly silent between them. Qingqing tugged at her sleeve, repeatedly wiping the mud and moss off Yan Dibai's white hands, and looking at his exposed reddish-white skin, she said in a strange, insincere voice, "So this is what Your Majesty meant by 'put it down'."
Yan Dibai leaned against the wall, his gaze fixed on the girl's reddish-white lips. He suddenly looked away, suppressing the rising blood in his stomach, and said calmly, "To give up now would be worse than being a dog or a pig."
He still had the strength to speak after his desperate struggle, which shows that the medicine given by Prime Minister Lin was indeed very effective.
Qingqing was pleased and put her arm around Yan Dibai's waist to carry him across the water, but just as she started, she remembered something.
Without hesitation, she crouched down, slightly averting her gaze, and meticulously examined each of the corpses. She successfully removed two thick outer garments, two short knives, and half a bag of gold and silver jewelry—clearly stolen on the spot. She also found several plaques of varying sizes and materials on the human shield. Looking at one in the light, she saw two lines of text engraved on it.
“Jiangbiao…Chen A’er, pass.” Qingqing hesitated for a moment, then turned to look sharply at Yan Dibai.
An indescribable emotion flashed across the boy's half-black, half-white face.
How could people from across the river appear in the capital?
Could it be that the four great families of Wu County, who have always been independent of each other, have also...?
Meeting the girl's questioning gaze, Yan Dibai remained silent, his gaze lingering for a moment on her blood-stained hands before he nodded his chin.
Without a word, Qingqing stuffed the token into the gold and silver pouch, tore off a corner of her clothes, and tightly tied it inside her shirt. She then put on the clothes she had taken off and, together with Yan Dibai, waded ashore.
Walk two miles along this narrow path, which was reserved for the imperial palace's carriages and horses, and you will come to a dense forest.
Corpses lay on the ground, and weapons were scattered everywhere. It was clear that a fierce battle had taken place long ago. Just as Qingqing was about to pretend not to see anything and carry Yan Dibai down the slope, the familiar sound of wheels rolling approached from afar.
She hurriedly slipped into the woods, but after only a few steps, "whoosh!" a long arrow suddenly pierced the tree trunk behind her.
Qingqing was stunned. Before she could take a step, a dagger was suddenly pressed against her neck.
"It really was you." Each word was a cry of hatred that seemed to burst forth from the very depths of his being.
Qingqing's mind jolted, and the long-unheard female voice forced her to look up in astonishment, "Xiao, Xiao Meiren?!"
Before them stood Xiao Yuanshu, who had changed into casual clothes!
She stared intently at Yan Dibai, whose face was disheveled, clearly speaking to him, yet the dagger was firmly held against Qingqing.
Standing to the side was the soldier who had guarded the back door earlier. He cupped his hands and said, "Miss, just in case, why don't we take these two thieves into the carriage for questioning?"
Qingqing instinctively reached out to block Yan Dibai.
Xiao Yuanshu's eyes narrowed slightly, and she suddenly paused, stunned.
The once arrogant and incomparably noble young emperor is now nearing the end of his life, his once beautiful eyes now bloodshot, unrecognizable.
Those cold eyes, devoid of their former arrogant arrogance, still regarded her as if she were dead. As she attacked, they merely slowly lifted their eyelids, seemingly unsurprised that it was her.
Or perhaps, it doesn't matter who it is.
Xiao Yuanshu stared intently, then suddenly withdrew his sword and turned his back.
"Put them on the truck."
-
The carriage didn't look very big, but the interior was quite spacious.
Sometimes, a person's luck is truly strange and inexplicable. Qingqing withdrew her scrutinizing gaze.
Who would have thought that Xiao Meiren, who used to be so hostile towards her, would reunite with them in this way?
The reason why he didn't respond for so long at the door before now makes sense after thinking about it; he was probably quite conflicted.
However, at that time... she probably didn't recognize Yan Dibai. Otherwise, she would have exploded long ago, instead of waiting until now.
Qingqing glanced at Xiao Yuanshu casually, then at Yan Dibai, who was leaning on her shoulder with her eyes closed and whose face was mostly clean.
After getting into the carriage, Xiao Yuanshu stared intently at the curtain, quite unlike the domineering girl she remembered.
They walked quite a distance without realizing it, and Qingqing still hadn't heard Xiao Yuanshu's reprimand.
She could only think about the future, but just then, Xiao Yuanshu straightened his back and looked at her.
"A dignified emperor, reduced to the prisoner of his own sister, is bad enough, but he's made to look like a ghost. Everyone thought the young emperor had perished in the palace coup, but unexpectedly, there was a loyal servant like you who went through fire and water for him. You are truly a first-rate servant who brings tears to the eyes of all who hear of you. Your entire family should be rewarded."
It was the same tone as always. Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief and thought of what to say in reply. She had only said one word when she felt a weight on her leg. Yan Dibai supported himself on her thigh and got up, his tone strangely steady.
"I want to get out of the carriage."
Xiao Yuanshu was stunned: "What?"
There was neither retort nor angry rebuke. Instead, he spoke calmly and frankly.
His reaction was completely different from all the answers that Xiao Yuanshu had been preparing, both expectant and fearful of.
Qingqing also sensed something was wrong, but the scene clearly indicated that it involved Xiao Yuanshu and Yan Dibai.
Yan Dibai glanced sideways: "Are you even less able to understand human language than the donkeys in the West Market?"
"you!"
Xiao Yuanshu was so angry he almost choked: "You wretched wretch! If I hadn't allowed you to board the carriage, you would have been intercepted and killed by the bandits who came later! Do you still think you're the emperor above all others?!"
The young man withdrew his gaze expressionlessly: "You were not the one who saved me from the palace coup, but your Xiao family was largely responsible for the chaos in the palace."
"You, I!" Xiao Yuanshu was speechless, unable to utter a single word for a long time, as Yan Dibai unexpectedly learned of the Xiao family's rebellion. Her fair face flushed with anxiety, adding a touch of youthful vibrancy. After a while, Xiao Yuanshu gripped the fabric tightly on her lap and blurted out:
"That's my brother, not me! I've saved you all without holding a grudge, and instead of being grateful, you're hurling insults at me. Yan Dibai, you really are an ungrateful beast! You haven't changed at all!"
"Hmph, what do I want to transform into?"
Yan Dibai didn't even bother to glance at Xiao Yuanshu, keeping his eyes half-closed. Seeing his arrogant demeanor, Xiao Yuanshu was so enraged she stood up to hurl insults. This outburst of gesticulation immediately eased the previously deathly and eerie atmosphere.
Qingqing, seizing the opportunity, quickly apologized: "My lady, please calm down. His Majesty has suffered for a long time and is not feeling well. It is inevitable that he is in a bad mood. Please do not take it to heart."
As the girl spoke, she naturally took the boy's arm, and his still-wet clothes sank as she squeezed them, making him look even thinner.
Yan Dibai, who was usually sharp-tongued and mean, seemed quite used to it, letting her straighten his clothes as she pleased.
Being so close, not even the slightest movement could escape the eyes of the onlookers.
Xiao Yuanshu was taken aback.
Yang Liuqing, on the other hand, was completely unaware of her momentary pause. He simply exchanged a simple hand salute with her, a sincere smile appearing on his dark face.
"Many thanks to Consort Xiao for leading His Majesty and me to the carriage to avoid disaster. Yang Liuqing is deeply grateful. Although His Majesty did not say it directly, he has remembered it. I wonder what Consort Xiao's plans are next?"
Xiao Yuanshu frowned, inexplicably unable to bear the gratitude on her face.
She impatiently looked away, then glanced back; the girl was still smiling. Her smile seemed especially genuine, not at all feigned.
Xiao Yuanshu paused:
"Who is the beauty? Yan and Jin are about to perish, and that new emperor doesn't seem to be up to the task. If you call me that again, I'll cut out your tongue!"
Caught off guard, Qingqing was berated by Xiao Yuanshu with a glare.
She hesitated for a moment, then realized it made sense and changed her address accordingly: "Miss Xiao."
"Miss Xiao is kind and generous, and she helps others without holding grudges. It was my oversight."
Xiao Yuanshu was even angrier: "Although Yan and Jin are dead, you are still a lowly servant! Don't think that just because you ride in the same carriage as me, you can be on equal footing!"
Yan Dibai's half-closed eyelids suddenly lifted.
"This servant was wrong." Qingqing wasn't surprised at all that Xiao Yuanshu would say this; after all, all the nobles in ancient times were like this. She skillfully adopted a slightly submissive posture, then smiled ingratiatingly with her eyes crinkled, offering a few official compliments. Only then did Xiao Yuanshu give a displeased snort, taking it as a reluctant acceptance.
Despite uttering several harsh words, the dagger beside him never moved from its place.
The car body swayed and the wheels roared, but the interior returned to its usual silence.
Qingqing peeked out the window and noticed that the scenery along the way had changed. The dense forests on both sides of the road had thinned, and weeds had increased. The palace was still a majestic building, and from a distance, the blazing firelight above was even more clearly visible.
Suddenly, Qingqing thought of a bunch of people.
Lin Xiang, Wo Xue, Dai Yun, Dai Xian, Sister Liu, and... Miss Xue, and many other beauties more beautiful than flowers.
Qingqing was a little distracted.
"Xiao Yuanjing's main force is ahead."
"ah?"
She instinctively responded and subconsciously turned her head. Xiao Yuanshu raised her chin, while Yan Dibai stared wide-eyed at another window whose curtains were constantly being blown up by the wind.
Qingqing then realized that it was him speaking.
Xiao Yuanjing has 50% of the aura of an emperor... Does this mean he is really going to ascend the throne?
The mission has only progressed a tiny bit!
She looked at Xiao Yuanshu, who didn't seem angry at all. On the contrary, Xiao Yuanshu's brows furrowed for a moment before she gripped the dagger tightly and stared at Yan Dibai.
It was the first time they looked at each other properly after all the commotion.
Yan Di stared straight ahead, her thin, sunken cheeks still taut with an even sharper line.
Xiao Yuanshu stared intently until the carriage slowed down noticeably, then his dagger was drawn with a whoosh.
Qingqing was on edge, ready to save the day, but Xiao Yuanshu suddenly exhaled, as if a thousand pounds had been lifted from his body in an instant.
Her gaze traced Yan Dibai's profile inch by inch, her eyes filled with a myriad of emotions, but when she turned to look at Yang Liuqing, whose face was full of tension, her emotions suddenly froze and vanished.
Xiao Yuanshu stood up and said directly to Yan Dibai, "I never understood what kind of person you really are."
The boy's expression remained unchanged.
“Although I am not of noble birth or royalty, I am still a pampered and beloved young lady from a wealthy family, no less than those ancient and prestigious families. Of course I am not convinced, and I should be not convinced. I could have killed those pursuers and left today without having to turn back to find you.”
The carriage swayed violently, and Xiao Yuanshu's clear and melodious voice rang in her ears perfectly.
Qingqing was taken aback, and inexplicably sensed sadness in the tone of the voice.
"But I demand an explanation." Xiao Yuanshu suddenly kicked the carriage wall, and the horses immediately neighed incessantly. Dust and grass clippings were constantly swirling in by the wind, showering the three of them. Yan Di's white eyebrows twitched slightly, and Qingqing was astonished:
"Miss Xiao?!"
"Miss!" the soldier on horseback called out urgently, "An Sheng, keep your horse in check!" Startled by Xiao Yuanshu's stern shout, he dared not turn around.
Qingqing hurriedly hugged Yan Dibai, looking at Xiao Yuanshu, who was holding his sword high, with a puzzled expression.
The sand and dust stung her eyes, and the beautiful young woman's eyes reddened slightly before she suddenly gave a cold laugh:
"But now, I don't care to know a single word."
“My family did send me to the palace for ulterior motives, and my brother has indeed harbored rebellious intentions for a long time. You deliberately mocked and humiliated me, and today I finally accept it. But so what? The victor is king, the loser is villain; there are plenty of ambitious people in the world. I, Xiao Yuanshu, owe you nothing!”
"You, die!!!" A sharp, silver blade slashed through the air, and Xiao Yuanshu's face suddenly loomed large. Just as Qingqing tried to stop him, a pair of burning arms suddenly wrapped around her waist. A muffled groan sounded in her ear, and the world spun before her eyes. Her body, along with the person behind her, rolled around in disarray.
The rolling speed just slowed down, and Qingqing's eyes widened again. The feeling of weightlessness was fleeting. The next moment, the two of them tumbled down the slope. A sharp pain shot through her head, and before she could ask Yan Dibai how he was, Qingqing lost consciousness.
After the commotion subsided, the soldier glanced out of the corner of his eye at the sparse grove of trees on the right path and whispered:
"This looks like a barren mountain..."
Xiao Yuanshu was wiping the gleaming blade when he heard this and sneered.
"They're just a half-dead, deposed emperor and his lowly servant. They'll surely die if they roll down from this height, which will only satisfy my hatred. My brother won't blame me."
"But if I don't die..."
Xiao Yuanshu's eyes suddenly sharpened: "Putting aside the height of the mountain, this dagger can cut through iron like mud, and a single stab can pierce through the internal organs. How could you possibly survive?! Are you questioning me?!"
The soldier quickly lowered his head: "No, no! Miss is right!"
The dense, dark mass of soldiers gradually came into view, their banners fluttering as if beckoning. The soldiers immediately changed the subject: "Miss, the majority have arrived!"
Xiao Yuanshu gripped the dagger tightly: "Hurry up and meet up with them so I can inform them about the pursuers!"
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