Chapter 40 Unexpected Event Li Chengyi frowned with heartache, but he couldn't care less...
She turned around and saw two men dressed in black staring intently at her, brandishing their knives.
Lin Yanshu dodged to the side, panting heavily, and looked at them.
The two were stunned for a moment when they saw Lin Yanshu's face, and then a surge of anger welled up in their hearts.
They chased the wrong person.
Lin Yanshu naturally sensed the other party's anger. She calmly stepped back.
If she runs a little further, she'll get out of there; there must be someone there!
But the other party clearly didn't want to give Lin Yanshu that chance. He raised his knife and swung it at Lin Yanshu.
Before he could even raise his knife, an arrow shot from behind, striking the assassin squarely in the chest.
A second arrow followed immediately.
The two men then collapsed in front of her.
Lin Yanshu turned her head in horror to see Xie Ciyan sitting on horseback, looking coldly at the assassin, before his gaze shifted to Lin Yanshu.
His expression softened only after he saw Lin Yanshu's face clearly. Xie Ciyan dismounted and rushed to Lin Yanshu's side.
Upon seeing familiar faces, Lin Yanshu's tense nerves finally relaxed, and she almost collapsed into a ball, panting heavily.
Seeing her like this, Xie Ciyan reached out and grabbed her arm, trying to pull Lin Yanshu up. Lin Yanshu passively accepted the man's pull, her face contorted in pain as she whispered:
"pain."
Xie Ciyan then took a closer look and saw that Lin Yanshu's clothes were filthy, with weeds and damp soil clinging to his body, and his arms were covered in bruises.
Xie Ciyan planned to find another place to take Lin Yanshu.
"It hurts too."
"Xie Ciyan, don't worry about me for now. There are assassins chasing the princess and the others. That's more important."
Xie Ciyan groped around but didn't hear Lin Yanshu cry out in pain. He picked Lin Yanshu up in his arms and replied:
"His Highness the Crown Prince has already gone there with his men. The princess and the others will be fine."
During this time, he had been humbly serving Xiao Chen, acting on the Crown Prince's orders to investigate Xiao Chen's secrets. He had long since discovered that Xiao Chen wanted to tamper with the hunt, but he never expected that Xiao Chen would target the princess.
Both he and Li Chengyi thought that Xiao Chen was going to harm Li Chengyi as a warning, so Li Chengyi did not bring Lin Yanshu with him on the hunt.
If Li Chengyi saw Lin Yanshu like this, he would definitely regret it.
Hearing Xie Ciyan's promise, Lin Yanshu finally felt relieved and stayed peacefully in Xie Ciyan's arms.
She was really exhausted.
Xie Ciyan felt that Lin Yanshu was too light; when he held her, she felt no weight at all. He carried Lin Yanshu towards the camp.
Just then, Li Chengyi returned from the woods with his men. He brought back both Mo Duosi Mei and Mo Langzhuo, but the assassin was already dead.
He immediately spotted Lin Yanshu in Xie Ciyan's arms, quietly leaning against Xie Ciyan's chest, her pale face lifeless, her eyes tightly closed, the shadow of her eyelashes falling on her eyes.
Li Chengyi frowned with heartache. He didn't care about being jealous of Lin Yanshu being held in someone else's arms. He just felt sorry for him and wanted to know what had happened to Lin Yanshu and what suffering he had endured.
Li Chengyi didn't speak, but reached out to take Lin Yanshu. Xie Ciyan, understanding the situation perfectly, handed Lin Yanshu into Li Chengyi's arms.
Sensing the movement beneath her, Lin Yanshu involuntarily bit her lip and murmured:
"pain……"
Li Chengyi looked up at Xie Ciyan, who saw the interrogation in his eyes and said:
"Miss Lin must have been seriously injured during her escape."
Li Chengyi carried Lin Yanshu into the tent and had the doctor examine Lin Yanshu's injuries.
Lin Yanshu had large bruises on his abdomen and back, and his arms were covered with cuts from tree branches.
Li Chengyi watched as the doctor slowly removed Lin Yanshu's clothes. The red thread of the bodice was tied around Lin Yanshu's neck, contrasting with her pale skin. Further back, Lin Yanshu's smooth back was covered in bruises.
He turned his back, his ears red.
He turned around only after the doctor had finished treating her. Lin Yanshu kept her eyes tightly closed, and the pain in her body lessened somewhat.
People are like this: under great pain, they can remain expressionless; but if they receive even a little comfort, they can't help but burst into tears.
Lin Yanshu didn't burst into tears. She simply opened her eyes and saw Li Chengyi's back. Seeing the person she was closest to here, Lin Yanshu couldn't help but feel wronged.
Her face was contorted in pain, tears welled in her eyes, and she called out to Li Chengyi in a pitiful voice:
"It hurts so much..."
Li Chengyi turned around when he heard her voice. At that moment, Lin Yanshu had just finished applying the medicine and was only halfway dressed. She was showing her shoulders and looked at Li Chengyi.
Li Chengyi's eyes darted away as he sat down next to Lin Yanshu and reached out to pull up her collar. If he looked any further, he could see the red bodice hidden underneath, its rounded curves visible.
"I'm here, everything will be alright."
Lin Yanshu snuggled closer to Li Chengyi, completely unaware of her dependence on him. She nestled affectionately against his chest, whimpering and complaining:
"That assassin kicked me so hard, I almost couldn't escape."
As she spoke, Lin Yanshu became even more aggrieved, pouting and bursting into tears. Her tears and snot smeared onto Li Chengyi's chest. Li Chengyi looked at her with heartache, gently wiping away her tears with his fingertips, and softly comforted her:
"Alright, I'm here, you'll be fine now."
"Where does it hurt? Let me blow on it for you. Don't cry, Yanshu. You've cried yourself into a little kitten."
Lin Yanshu stretched out her arm, rolled up her sleeves, and said in a spoiled, childish tone:
"My hands hurt, it hurts everywhere. Keep blowing."
Li Chengyi actually did as he was told. He bent down, looked at Lin Yanshu's cut, and gently blew on the wound.
A gust of hot air blew onto Lin Yanshu's arm, tickling her. Her eyelashes fluttered a few times, and her cheeks flushed slightly.
Li Chengyi held Lin Yanshu's wrist tightly, his palm burning hot, but he dared not use force:
"Does it still hurt?"
Lin Yanshu abruptly pulled her arm back and stammered, "No...it doesn't hurt anymore."
She then remembered the important matter: "How are the princess and the others?"
"They're fine; we're currently investigating who's behind this."
Because apart from the assassination attempt, the entire hunting grounds were cordoned off, and no one could leave until the matter was fully investigated.
This matter concerns the diplomatic relations between the two countries and should not be taken lightly.
Outside, people were being checked one by one. Although Li Chengyi knew that Xiao Chen wouldn't leave any clues in his actions, he understood who he shouldn't touch.
During the investigation, Ji Yuan was detained because of his identity. Xiao Chen sent people to report Ji Yuan's illegitimate background.
Upon hearing that Ji Yuan had been detained, Li Chengyi immediately got up and walked outside.
Lin Yanshu disregarded her injuries and followed Li Chengyi to go together.
"You're injured, you should go alone."
"I want to go."
The girl's words were not to be questioned.
"He is my master!"
Li Chengyi had no choice but to take her along, but he still gave her some instructions:
"Don't speak when you get there, just observe quietly."
When they arrived, Ji Yuan was already kneeling on the ground, while the emperor listened to his subordinates' reports from the platform.
"Your Majesty, this person is highly suspicious."
The princess glared coldly at the speaker. Ji Yuan was her male concubine; to say he was suspicious was tantamount to slapping herself in the face. Moreover, they had no grudge against each other, so why would Ji Yuan orchestrate this disturbance? It was merely an excuse for these good-for-nothings to avoid punishment.
"What do you mean by that, my lord? Are you implying that my people are not of proper character?"
The officials were sweating profusely, but they had to continue. After all, such a huge mess had occurred, and all they had to do now was find clues about the deserters from the Epoch. If they didn't confess anything today, they would definitely be demoted.
“Princess, I did not mean to target you. It is only natural that you were temporarily misled by a villain.”
"This man is a fugitive wanted for many years. His identity is so suspicious. His presence here cannot help but arouse suspicion."
Lin Yanshu listened to their conversation in silence. How could her master be a deserter!
Ji Yuan was held down below the stage, remaining silent. Ever since regaining his memories, he had known that his identity would one day be exposed, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
He initially went to the capital to find medicine for his apprentice, intending to keep a low profile. However, his identity was unexpectedly discovered by those people, leading to him being tricked into losing his memory and ending up in a brothel. Because of this, they never found him again.
"You say he's a wanted deserter, but what evidence do you have?"
The official presented the evidence in his hand and explained in detail:
“Your Majesty, this man is a deserter from the Ji family, Ji Yuan. His military record and other documents prove this. The presence of someone of such status here cannot be ignored.”
Ji Wenxuan gasped. No wonder Lin Yanshu looked familiar; he was the second uncle her father hated so much.
The princess narrowed her eyes without changing her expression. Very well, she's going to mess with her people.
“I am indeed wanted, but today’s assassination attempt has nothing to do with me. I beg Your Majesty to investigate.”
Lin Yanshu took a few steps back in panic, feeling weak all over. Her master actually... then his life was in danger.
Li Chengyi stepped forward and subtly helped Lin Yanshu up, letting her lean against his arm without her noticing.
Lin Yanshu looked at Li Chengyi with watery eyes. She didn't even realize how dependent she was on him. She was asking him for help and seeking reassurance.
As if grasping at a straw, Lin Yanshu reached out and held Li Chengyi's hand, drawing warmth from it, and whispered:
"Ah Zhao, I'm scared."
"Don't panic, I'm here."
No one present dared to speak; they were all waiting for His Majesty to speak.
"Father, this matter concerns both countries and should not be taken lightly. It would be better to detain this person first, and after I have investigated him, I will be able to give the barbarian a proper explanation!"
The emperor originally intended to use Ji Yuan as a scapegoat to give the other party an explanation, but Li Chengyi stepped forward to take the blame. His son has always been a smart man and knows best what to do in what situation.
He had seen all of Li Chengyi's private interactions with Lin Yanshu, and he had also heard the rumors circulating outside.
However, when men are young, they may be impulsive and romantic, which can be considered a good thing. But ultimately, they cannot overstep their duties as princes.
This made the emperor somewhat displeased with Lin Yanshu.
The emperor's thunder and rain, all are acts of imperial grace. He began to speak:
"In that case, lock this person up in jail for now, and leave this matter to Zhao'er."
Now, the hunt and assassination attempt can be considered temporarily over.
After returning home, Ji Wenxuan immediately relayed what had happened at the hunting grounds to her father, especially about her second uncle.
Upon hearing this, Ji's father's face darkened, and he took out the family law from the ancestral hall, intending to throw it into the jail.
His younger brother was always a handful; when he was young, he would climb on the roof and remove tiles, and when he was studying, the teacher would have to call him every three days.
He finally raised him to adulthood, and Ji Yuan turned around and said that he wanted to serve the court and join the army. But when he heard news of his good younger brother again, it was that he had become a deserter.
He thought that Ji Yuan would just keep running away and die someday, and he would never know.
But he actually came back, yet he didn't even know to come back to see his older brother. Was he afraid that his brother would beat him to death?
Without the crown prince even lifting a finger, he'll go and kill his good younger brother first!
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Author's Note: Will anyone throw lightning at me or water my plants with nutrient solution? [Let me see][Let me see][Let me see] [Will it? Will it? Will it? [Pity]]
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