Hearing that they had lost Xiao Mingcheng, Xiao Ba asked Pei Zhiyuan nervously: "General Envoy, what should we do now? Should we go back to the city?"
Pei Zhiyuan glanced at Xiao Ba, who had a splint on his leg, and was hesitating whether to chase north, but he heard Shen Xu say: "Return to Panshi City. Xiao Ba and I both need treatment. Besides, even if the Xue family gets the prince, they won't be able to attack in a short time."
Xie Jun was also panicking at this moment and said quickly: "But the Imperial Master will definitely hold us accountable."
"We can present the Xiling Army's rock climbing mechanism to the Imperial Master as a strategy to repel the enemy. It should be able to save our lives."
"Aren't you planning to assassinate the Imperial Master?"
Shen Xu replied, "The little prince is lost, is there any point in assassinating him?"
Pei Zhiyuan's sharp eyes swept over Xie Jun. Seeing that he seemed to be lost in thought, he asked, "Are you sure you can use these equipment to repel the enemy?"
"Build them to equip the Royal Army. Equipped with special crossbows, they will always give you an advantage in weaponry. I'm the only one who can make these things. If you hand me over to the Imperial Master, I should be able to make amends for my mistakes."
Shen Xu continued, "My husband is also working at the Xuan Jing Division now. I can't let him get implicated right after he joins the Xuan Jing Division."
Pei Zhiyuan nodded and immediately ordered to return to Panshi City for rest. After reporting, he waited for the next instructions from Master Hua.
Because of the sudden counter-robbery by Ah Hu, Pei Zhiyuan simply drove the carriage himself and let Song Lin and Xie Jun guard him on the left and right.
They must have encountered a lot of killers just now, and there were splattered bloodstains on their clothes. Fortunately, the three people who came back were not injured.
The carriage began to move slowly again, and soon the wheels rolled onto the bluestone brick ground. Compared to the previous bumpy road, this road was flat and almost smooth.
Shen Xu lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the road ahead. He saw that in front of the carriage was a tall city gate. The rivets on the gate had already grown a thick layer of copper rust. After being exposed to wind and rain, black marks of varying lengths were left on the gate, as if telling the vicissitudes and tenacity of this city.
Since the founding of the country, the Xiao family has been operating in this immovable city for more than 800 years, and has produced 66 emperors. Although there have been several changes in regime during this period, the country has always been in the hands of the Xiao family.
Destiny is as solid as a rock.
At the edge of the tower above the city gate, a row of corpses were hung on the battlements. There were many people, and there was a person hanging on almost every battlement. Some had been dried by the wind, some were being pecked, and some were fresh and still dripping with blood, but there were almost no living people.
It is said that among these people, there are captured rebels, those who intend to rebellion, those who failed in assassination, those who oppose the imperial teacher... In short, anyone who the imperial teacher dislikes will be hung up.
Chen Xu looked at the crows and sparrows that were searching for food in the sky with dark eyes. The dark mass blocked the scorching sun, making the summer near the city seem much cooler.
Pei Zhiyuan saw her gazing at the sky and the sight of the Panshi City towers. He pointed to a spot most exposed to the sun and said meaningfully, "If we anger the Imperial Master this time, we'll have someone hang it there. The sun there is the strongest, the wind dries it out quickly, and there aren't many birds or crows pecking at it."
Shen Xu smiled lightly and jokingly said, "Master Pei really picked a good seat. There are exactly three empty seats there. One for my husband and me, and one for you, Master."
"Young lady, are you really not planning to assassinate the Imperial Master?"
Shen Xu asked, "The people have been kidnapped, what can we use to assassinate them?"
Pei Zhiyuan replied: "Take your spring-loaded crossbow, make it, and keep one for yourself."
Shen Xu asked, "Who will take me to the corridor? Will you take me there?"
Pei Zhiyuan replied: "Use a rock climbing machine to clamp it."
Shen Xu suddenly laughed, pointed at the missing space on the battlements, and said, "Sir, your idea is very dangerous. Do you want to be hanged there first?"
Pei Zhiyuan dully followed her finger and looked towards the empty seat, then asked faintly, "Will Pei be hung up there?"
Shen Xu replied, “I don’t see a place for Master Pei there.”
Pei Zhiyuan sneered at himself, sighed deeply and said, "I hope so."
"Master Pei." Shen Xu was silent for a long time, then suddenly spoke: "What do you think the current emperor is like?"
Pei Zhiyuan was stunned and remained silent for a long time before he said coldly, "I don't like to comment on others."
Perhaps because they lost Xiao Mingcheng, they all looked a little listless. Or perhaps because the horses were very tired after running all day, so the distance to the city gate was only a short one, but it seemed like it took a long time.
Until the sun set in the west, the sky and clouds turned crimson, and the carriage, bathed in the rosy glow, slowly approached the city gate.
The guards at the door stopped the man and asked, "Who is in the car? Please allow me to inspect."
Xie Jun showed his badge and said solemnly, "Xuan Jingsi, return to the yamen."
The guard took his badge, looked at it, and asked, "What's in the car?"
Xie Jun seemed a little impatient and shouted, "Can't you see that the General Envoy is driving the carriage himself?"
Pei Zhiyuan waved his hand and said, "Don't show off your authority. There is no hierarchy between us in the Xuanjing Division and the Dongying. Only by cooperating with each other can we do our job well."
The guards at the door exchanged glances and didn't exchange pleasantries with Pei Zhiyuan. They just came to check the carriage as a matter of routine. Seeing that only Xiao Ba and Shen Xu were in the carriage, they immediately showed a suspicious expression on their faces, but they didn't know what to say, so they just said, "Pass."
The carriage slowly passed through the gate of the city wall. Shen Xu lifted the curtain and observed the scene outside. The guards did not strictly check people entering the city, but they were extremely rigorous in searching people leaving the city.
Both sides of the long gate in the city wall were covered with bounty notices. The guards at the gate carefully compared the faces of every person leaving the city, and searched vehicles, packages, and documents thoroughly.
"Only allow entry but not exit?" Shen Xu walked out from the carriage curtain and sat side by side with Pei Zhiyuan on the edge of the carriage.
Pei Zhiyuan snorted softly, "It's still not too late to run now. Once you pass this doorway, it will be difficult to get out later."
"We've already come here, it's too late to retreat." Shen Xu looked at Song Lin's back in front of him with soft eyes.
People with strong beliefs may become weak if they have weaknesses, but if they have something they want to protect, they will be invincible...
She said calmly, "I will not be hung on any battlement in this city."
“It seems that Miss Shen has already thought of a plan to deal with it.”
"I told you the plan a long time ago."
"Are you serious? Aren't you afraid that someone has already informed the Imperial Master of your assassination plan?"
"In this imperial city, there are countless people who want to kill the Imperial Master. The Imperial Master's eyes are all over the Haoyue Kingdom. So what if he finds out? I guess if the Imperial Master knows about my previous plan, he must have the same opinion as Lord Pei."
"Um?"
"You arrogant fellow, who do you think you are?"
Pei Zhiyuan chuckled and said nothing, driving the carriage slowly and steadily.
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