Chapter 66 A Carefree Young Man: Xie Feigns Illness + His Majesty's Visit + Jiang Chao's Assistance...
Arrows rained down in dense clusters!
Shadow's escape route was cut off, and Xie Qianli was already upon him.
Although the dragon boat was enormous, the space on the roof of the main cabin was limited, and this not-too-near distance allowed Xie Qianli's long weapon to have its advantages fully revealed.
The gun barrel was thrust forward, and the shadow quickly dodged!
The essence of the Phoenix Three Nods lies in attacking three parts almost simultaneously.
The shadow dodged one bullet, but not the second or third. He was shot in the chest and abdomen, both of which should have hit vital organs.
The spearhead hooked out a wire stained with blood.
He was wearing protective soft armor inside the shadow.
This person is greedy for money and fears death, and has a terrible character. He probably knew that this trip would be fraught with danger, so he made thorough preparations.
It's hard to imagine how Xiao Xi managed to deal with this cunning old fox before ascending the throne.
Xie Qianli felt a burning anger rising within him, and his hand gripping the gun clenched so tightly it ached.
Instead, he swung his dragon-sword, the blunt weapon aimed at shattering the shadow's heart and lungs.
With a chilling killing intent, Shadow provoked Xie Qianli as he dodged, seizing the opportunity to find an opening: "He's already your uncle's woman. How could the late emperor bear not to have his eye on such a beauty?"
"While you were away, the late emperor wanted her many times. They had an affair, and she is your maternal aunt!"
"You picked up a boy your uncle had played with; doesn't that tarnish the Xie family's reputation and disobey the Grand Princess's teachings to you...?"
The river breeze masked their conversation.
Only the clear light scattered wildly, and the heavy blows of the spear shaft came suddenly, yet it was not disturbed in the slightest.
Knowing he couldn't escape his fate, Shadow instantly summoned his inner energy and used his external martial arts to save his life, but he was still struck hard by Xie Qianli and sent flying far away by You Long'e's blow, as if he were playing polo.
The shadow crashed down the deck!
Upon landing, it spat out blood and foam, and its shadow fell to the ground with its eyes closed.
An ordinary person would definitely not be able to do it.
Before the soldiers of the Dragon Martial Army could even examine the body, a thick plume of white smoke suddenly rose from the deck. The smoke billowed and dissipated in an instant, turning the deck of the dragon boat into a vast sea of fog.
A seasoned soldier shouted, "He's trying to escape! It's a firework bomb!"
The crowd blocked the way, but they couldn't catch up in time.
With his last breath, Shadow rolled over on the deck, then tumbled out of the crowd and plunged into the river!
The blue and red water surface was instantly disturbed.
The soldiers rushed to the side of the ship to search.
The river surface was vast and boundless, and the shadows had long since vanished.
***
After the fierce battle, the soldiers cleaned up the wreckage and washed the ship planks with river water.
As dusk approached and the twilight fell upon the river, the red glow of the setting sun created an illusion that the blood could not be washed away.
Ying Xi took two bowls of herbal medicine on time. The medicine was bitter, but he tried to remain calm.
Lian Qing's movements in taking the bowl were not as smooth as Yu Jing's. After finishing, he followed the emperor onto the deck, his cloak fluttering in the wind. He was stiff and respectful.
Suddenly, a soldier from the lookout called out, "Fishing boat!"
Several other soldiers muttered, "Wasn't a no-navigation order issued? Where did these fishing boats come from?" "Go and drive them away immediately!"...
The noise from that direction was quite loud. Ying Xi saw it from afar and instructed Lian Qing to inquire about the situation.
Lian Qing reported: "The soldiers discovered small boats that were secretly fishing."
Ying Xi lowered her eyes and sighed softly: "Fishing along the river is the livelihood of the people. It was I who ordered the war and disturbed them. I was afraid that the people would be injured in the war, so I ordered the Dragon Martial Army to issue a warning and not to use torture."
Lian Qing: "What if they don't listen to us in the future?"
"Life and death are preordained, and I will act swiftly and decisively," Ying Xi said.
"yes."
Passing by the wounded, Ying Xi saw many injured soldiers. The wounded soldiers rose to pay their respects; Ying Xi had witnessed the naval battle just now, how could he bear to do so?
Ying Xi dismissed their formalities.
After offering his condolences, he returned to the cabin with Lian Qing and told Lian Qing that if the imperial court had the money, it should further improve the soldiers' treatment.
The emperor's words are of course law, regardless of whether there are other witnesses present.
So when Lian Qing looked at Ying Xi, it was as if he had seen a living Buddha or a God of Wealth, and he immediately smiled a little foolishly.
Ying Xi said, "For any industry in the world to develop, the stability of the country is the foundation. If you fail the imperial examination, you can take it again; if you lose money, you can earn it back. Only joining the army means risking your life, and that is what you deserve."
Lian Qing stopped grinning foolishly.
If she was just expressing gratitude to the emperor, now her eyes were red-rimmed.
The idea that a scholar will die for one who understands him has existed since ancient times, and this is generally true.
"Why is Xie Qing nowhere to be seen?" Ying Xi asked casually.
Lian Qing inwardly sighed, but dared not make a fuss on the surface. He obediently replied, "The general usually checks the brothers' injuries first before bandaging himself."
"Is he injured?"
Just now, in order to attract the assassin, Xie Qianli took the hit of the Fish Intestine Sword.
Although it was concealed by a wrist guard, no one knew the truth. Given the assassin's skill, his sword couldn't possibly be ordinary.
Lian Qing felt that the problem was not serious, but he dared not answer carelessly, carefully considering the words in his mind.
Ying Xi said, "Then take me to visit Minister Xie."
"Okay, okay!"
***
The captain's cabin is, after all, a private space.
Even if Ying Xi could enter anywhere, she should have sent Lian Qing to inform him first. Ying Xi waited outside.
Lian Qing accepted the order and went inside. The interior was extremely simple, and everything could be seen at a glance.
Xie Qianli removed his armor, revealing the sharp and powerful Fish Intestine Sword. The wrist guard was severed in the middle, fortunately only a small cut was made inside, but the force of the impact left his arm covered in bruises. He had just applied some medicinal powder to his arm.
Lian Qing: "The general is wounded..."
Xie Qianli interrupted, "It's nothing."
“Oh,” Lian Qing paused, “then His Majesty wants to come and see…”
Xie Qianli's brow twitched!
A secret joy spread through him. He subtly took out bandages from his medicine box, turned around, and said calmly, his cold face expressionless, "Welcome His Majesty in. You may leave."
Lian Qing: "Yes."
The emperor went inside, and Lian Qing closed the door behind him.
As she closed the door, she cautiously peeked into the room one last time. She couldn't see clearly, but she could smell the medicinal powder mixed with the lingering scent of the imperial incense His Majesty had just passed by. Lian Qing's nose twitched slightly.
The falcon that had landed on the cabin window chased him away with a combination of scratching and clawing.
***
"Thank you, Qing."
Xie Qianli lay half-reclined on the bed.
The room reeked of medicine. Xie Qianli's arms were wrapped in bandages. As the emperor approached, he tried to get out of bed but stumbled for a moment and was supported by Ying Xi.
No need for formalities.
Xie Qianli trembled slightly when those hands touched him.
Of course I know that what I did was wrong, or that it might be suspected of deceiving the emperor, but the injury should indeed have been bandaged, and I just treated it carelessly.
Xie Qianli was torn between his inner turmoil and his outward composure, but he remained polite and indifferent: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am already well."
Ying Xi asked, "Why did you take that sword strike head-on?"
Xie Qianli answered frankly: "The assassin is highly skilled in martial arts, treacherous and ruthless. I fear that if I lose distance from him, I will fall into his trap. I bear the heavy responsibility of protecting Your Majesty, and I must keep him occupied."
The frankness in his words and the sincerity revealed in his actions made Ying Xi feel a kind of warmth in the cold, supreme position.
In his youth, it was the same person, the same person, dealing with shadows.
Koma had stood in front of him countless times.
Since becoming emperor, he had to consider the national system at all times and appear tough.
When Ying Xi recalled that he too could hide behind someone and seek protection, the emperor felt a very peculiar emotion.
Ying Xi slightly curled the corners of her lips, her smile faint.
He pointed to the injured arm: "Let me see."
"..." You can't show this to anyone!!!
Xie Qianli's mind went blank for a moment, his thoughts racing.
Putting aside the fact that time was of the essence and he packed haphazardly, even if Xiao Xi were to see through his scheme, how would he handle the situation?
Feeling guilty, Xie Qianli pulled his arm back instead.
But just then, Ying Xi reached out to touch his arm, and the two of them awkwardly missed each other.
Xie Qianli immediately felt apologetic.
Ying Xi felt a pang of sadness: Ju'er likes women.
Just now on the deck, even asking him for a signal elicited an overreaction from Xie Qianli, let alone now that we're openly trying to make contact with him.
Yingxi didn't know the source of the unease that was rising in her heart.
He suddenly remembered what Xie Qianli had just said. The word "responsibility" was simply because he was doing his job and fulfilling his duties, nothing more.
Ying Xi regained her composure and said, "Then I will go find a military doctor to take a look at you."
The woman who sat by his bedside only stayed for a short while before leaving because of her own rudeness.
Xie Qianli felt a chill run down his spine and was filled with even more shame. He hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please wait a moment!"
His tone was anxious, which was quite unusual.
Even if Mount Tai collapses before him, he remains unmoved; upon hearing that the dragon boat is about to sink, he can still calmly deal with it. This is the true nature of a steed.
Ying Xi naturally sat back down, tilting her head slightly: "What's wrong?"
A thought flashed through Xie Qianli's mind: "His Majesty does not wish to appear weak in front of the generals, and neither do I. I... fear that my injured body may be unsightly and displease His Majesty, so I withdrew my hand. I, I—"
To lie, one must make it plausible and reasonable, and to deceive another exceptionally intelligent being is truly difficult.
Xie Qianli's tone grew increasingly urgent, and the tips of his ears turned a blush.
The sight reminded Ying Xi of a hunting dog that his father had kept in the Yongning Prince's Mansion, a dog that always liked to nudge him.
The situation amplified Ying Xiqing's shallow joy, but also intensified his indescribable bitterness.
He simply said, "Ju'er, stop calling me 'Your Majesty,' it's getting tiresome."
Xie Qianli's eyes suddenly lit up with a sky full of stars.
He was thrilled by that nickname.
And because Ying Xi was unwilling to address him as a subject to a ruler here, his heart pounded wildly, bursting with an exhilarating joy.
He wants to get close to Xiaoxi, but will Xiaoxi still allow him to get close to her?
No outsider could know that the Duke of Ying, with his gleaming silver armor and icy demeanor, who seemed like a fierce and ruthless man, was actually the same naive boy who had mistakenly wandered into Fanglan Palace when he faced Ying Xi.
His Adam's apple bobbed, and he swallowed.
He tightened his lip line and scrutinized Ying Xi, but ultimately could not get any answer from Ying Xi's face.
Was that closeness just now merely a favor bestowed upon me?
Buzzing...
Buzz...
The teacups inside the cabin swayed on the tray.
The medicine box rattled and rustled, the bottles and jars clattering together.
Just then, the dragon boat seemed to be heading into turbulent waters again, and the cabin began to rock violently.
The boat rocked as if it had hit a big wave, causing the dragon boat to rise and fall.
As the dragon boat was raised, Yingxi could no longer sit on the chair in front of the bed!
He staggered forward and collapsed onto Xie Qianli's bed.
His forehead slammed into Xie Qianli's chest, like a wild beast startled in the forest.
Xie Qianli's muscles suddenly tensed up!
The boat tilted backward again.
Fearing that Ying Xi would fall off the bed, Xie Qianli held down Ying Xi's back, unintentionally pulling her even closer into his arms.
The bitter scent of herbs mingled with a strong masculine aroma filled Yingxi's nostrils.
He was so terrified by Xie Qianli's physical prowess that he got goosebumps all over his body, and a shiver that an emperor shouldn't feel instantly rose within him.
He tried to get up, but the waves continued to surge.
His cheeks and eyes were already flushed from the bumpy ride, and he could no longer support himself. Instead, they became entangled and their clothes overlapped as they pushed each other away.
Until the tide gradually subsided.
Ying Xi felt like he was being burned alive. A hand was steadily supporting him. Xie Qianli's firm palm was like a branding iron, pressed tightly against him. The high temperature made him feel a tingling sensation from his tailbone.
Both of them were left bewildered by the surging waves.
Ying Xi lifted her eyes from Xie Qianli. He steadied her arm, and they separated slightly. The emperor's long eyelashes were wet with water.
"His Majesty?"
Without hesitation, Ying Xi strategically and swiftly began coughing: "Cough, cough cough cough, cough..."
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