On the other side, Haoyue Kingdom
Not long after, Xie Jun, who had gone to send the secret report, came back.
Pei Zhiyuan ordered them to set off overnight and return to Panshi Imperial City as soon as possible to hand over the little prince to avoid any unnecessary trouble on the journey.
The dim lanterns swayed on the rugged road, and the horses walked slowly, carefully avoiding the potholes on the mountain road.
Shen Xu had already run a fever, huddled on the carriage cushions in a daze, as if he had had another nightmare, mumbling incoherently, "Don't go... I listen to you... Don't go... Don't leave me."
Seeing her sweating profusely, shaking her head in pain, clutching her clothes tightly and refusing to let go, Song Lin hugged her distressedly and comforted her, "I won't leave, Xiuxiu, just hold on a little longer. I'll take you to see a doctor when we get to town."
"Why don't you like me... why?" Tears streamed from the corners of Shen Xu's eyes, and along with the sweat on his head, they soaked his arm. "What should I do... I'm so tired. I can't learn... I'm so tired."
She suddenly began to breathe heavily, her shoulders shaking. She stood up suddenly, and as if using up all her strength, she roared out: "I am not your family at all, I shouldn't be here!"
"Xiu Xiu!" Song Lin was startled and froze in place. "Did you remember something?"
She collapsed weakly in his arms again, and asked for water in a hoarse voice.
Song Lin reached out and took the kettle and fed her some water. She finally woke up. Although she was still very weak, her fever seemed to have subsided.
Shen Xu raised the back of her hand to cover her eyes and cried uncomfortably, "Husband, I dreamed again. I dreamed that my parents didn't want me anymore. I must have been sold, not abducted."
Seeing that she had regained consciousness, Song Lin breathed a sigh of relief and comforted her gently, "Don't be afraid. I'm here. I'm your husband. I want you, I like you, I won't sell you, and I won't abandon you."
"Alin, I must find my parents. I just want to ask them why they left me."
Shen Xu cried weakly as she recounted the scenes in her dream. Her face was pale, and she was crying like a pear blossom in the rain. Her voice was intermittent: "I remember when I was a child, my mother wanted me to practice martial arts, but I couldn't learn it, so she locked me in a small dark room. I was very scared, and I kept crying. My brother beat me, calling me a waste and a disgrace. He didn't let me cry or scream in pain, and he pushed me down on the sharp rocks..."
She subconsciously touched the back of her neck, breathing heavily. "There was a lot of blood on the back of my neck, staining my entire back red. But my mother seemed to think I was naughty. After the injury healed, she locked me in a small dark room and didn't allow me to eat. Then they forgot about me. In the end, it was A Rao who secretly took food for me through the crack in the window..."
Song Lin listened to her story with great distress and asked angrily, "Did your brother Yan do all this?"
"I can't remember." Shen Xu shook her head. She reached out and touched the back of her neck, trying to find any marks, but it was smooth and delicate, without any scars. "I don't have any scars on my neck. Maybe it was just a dream, but it felt so real, like I had experienced it myself."
"What about your father?"
"In my dream, my father was very busy and I could only see him a few times a year. He didn't like me either. He seemed to only like my brother. Every time he came back, he would hug him and wouldn't let go. And I was often punished by standing and doing horse stance, and was tired until I fainted..." Shen Xu rubbed his head, tears in his eyes, and recalled the scenes in his dream carefully.
Song Lin's breathing became heavy, and he clenched his fists in anger as he listened to her experience.
I had heard Pei Zhiyuan say a long time ago that the Xue family in the north has produced many capable officials throughout the generations, and that women must also receive strict family education and be proficient in everything to be eligible to become royal concubines or ministers.
But I didn't expect such harsh methods that would force a girl to practice martial arts until she fainted, and would also beat, scold, and starve her at will!
"Xiu Xiu, do you hate them?" Song Lin's voice suddenly turned cold. He suddenly wanted to meet Xue Yan, the commander of Yuji Pass, and ask him why he was so cruel to his sister.
"I don't know. I just feel sad, not hateful at all. And Brother Yan is very kind. I can feel that I rely on him a lot."
Song Lin pursed his lips and began to speculate in his heart. The more he thought about it, the more outrageous it seemed to him. A cruel mother, an indifferent father, a brutal brother, what kind of environment did she grow up in?
No matter what, she can't be allowed to go back to that kind of home.
He raised his hand to wipe away the tears on Shen Xu's cheeks, and hugged her gently, "Xiu Xiu, if it really doesn't work out, let's not look for our families. Anyway, it will be just the two of us from now on, and you've already passed through the Song family..."
Seeing that Shen Xu seemed a little disappointed, he lowered his head and changed his tone, acting coquettishly: "What if your parents and brothers don't like me as a husband? Can you bear to let them break us up? Xiuxiu, you are so perfect, what if they don't want to marry you to me?"
"But all this is just speculation. If I don't verify it, it will become a nightmare that will haunt me forever. Husband, I won't let them break us up. Perhaps in their eyes, I really am worthless."
She smiled faintly, her sweat-soaked cheeks flushed slightly, her pale lips making her face look broken. She held his hand tightly, her gaze fixed on him with unwavering determination. Her voice was quiet, yet remarkably powerful: "I know I'm not useless. Besides martial arts, I can do many things. I can protect our home and our country."
Song Lin was silent for a long time, and then he said reluctantly: "You will be hurt. I don't want to see you cry."
"With you protecting me, I'm not afraid of anything. No one can hurt me, no one can defeat me."
"But I didn't protect you." Song Lin rubbed her shoulders gently. Pei Zhiyuan still stabbed her in front of him. What qualifications did he have to say that he could protect her?
"My husband has done a great job, much better than my uncle." Shen Xu raised his hand and grabbed Song Lin's hand that was touching his shoulder, leaning his head on his chest, and said softly: "He didn't stab it too deep, it doesn't hurt much, and it reminds me of some past events."
Song Lin told her the information Pei Zhiyuan had told him about Master Hua, deliberately avoiding the Xue family. Shen Xu listened carefully, thought for a while and said, "It seems that with Master Pei's help, our chances of success will be greater."
"But we've already laid out our plan. Do we still have to follow it?"
"To achieve the greatest value with the least cost, we have no choice but to gamble. Only if we win the gamble will we qualify as the planner. When we get to the next town, I need to take a good shower and then discuss the specific implementation plan with them."
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