Chapter 96 Still Trembling with Fear: "Which hand touched her?"...
Ever since Gu Xiao and Yu Xinyao's wedding date was set, Gu Xi would leave the palace every few days to visit Yu Xinyao, sometimes to drink tea at the teahouse, sometimes to buy things, all to keep an eye on her for Gu Xiao, fearing that she might change her mind and run away.
Yu Xinyao saw through her little trick at a glance, so she deliberately said some things to make her misunderstand. Gu Xi became even more nervous and anxious, as if facing a formidable enemy, and started asking her out even more frequently.
The two arranged to meet at a teahouse to listen to music that day. Yu Xinyao sent a message saying that she was delayed and would arrive later.
Gu Xi sat alone in a private room on the second floor, her gaze drawn to the music playing on stage, sometimes smiling broadly, sometimes looking sad.
Just as he was engrossed in listening, he suddenly caught a glimpse of the hem of a coat on the chair next to him out of the corner of his eye. Thinking that Yu Xinyao had arrived, a smile immediately appeared in his eyes. But when he looked up, he saw an unfamiliar figure and froze, his smile freezing on his face.
A man sat beside her, with a handsome face but a faint scar on his forehead, looking at her with a smile in his eyes.
Gu Xi was still in a daze when the other party spoke first: "Young lady, we meet again."
Gu Xi finally realized what was happening and exclaimed in surprise, "Second Master?"
The man sitting next to her was the second-in-command of Black Wind Stronghold. Although they had only met once, the experience was so vivid that Gu Xi immediately remembered him. But after the Empress Dowager's palace coup, didn't he return to Jiangnan? Why was he in the capital?
The other man's smile deepened: "I didn't expect that you would recognize me, young lady. It is my honor." He raised his eyebrows, seemingly genuinely pleased that Gu Xi recognized him.
Gu Xi snapped out of her surprise and asked the question that had been bothering her: "Why is the Second Master in the capital?"
He didn't answer Gu Xi's question, but instead solemnly introduced himself: "Young lady, Black Wind Stronghold no longer exists, and I am no longer the second-in-command. My name is Chen Shu."
Gu Xi didn't respond. She was wary of his sudden appearance, but she wasn't afraid. Wei Ran and the others were nearby, and they would come to her rescue if she was in danger.
Seeing the wariness in her eyes, Chen Shu said with a hurt expression, "Young lady, there's no need to be so afraid of me. I didn't hurt you back then, did I? I'm here in the capital on business." He also came to see someone.
Gu Xi felt a little embarrassed by his words. After all, he had helped her in the past. She relaxed a bit and asked with concern, "Young Master Chen, has the matter been settled?"
He smiled meaningfully: "It's all taken care of." And the person has been met.
Seeing that the other party did not intend to leave, Gu Xi said tactfully, "Young Master Chen, I have an appointment here and will be there soon."
A half-smile played on his lips, a hint of amusement in his voice: "This young lady is truly heartless." He had heard that she had pleaded with the emperor of Sheng Kingdom for him. If he hadn't seen her at the victory banquet that day, he wouldn't have known she was so stunningly beautiful; otherwise, he would never have allowed his elder brother to touch a single hair on her head.
There was a small table between them. Chen Shu suddenly picked up the teapot on the table, poured a cup of tea for Gu Xi, and handed the teacup to her.
She pursed her lips and politely accepted it. His fingertips brushed against her unintentionally, and Gu Xi flinched as if burned. This person was clearly the same as before, but something seemed different. Before, his features were slightly gentle, but now the aggressiveness and ambition in his eyes were too strong, making her feel scared.
Wei Ran and the others seemed to sense her fear, their hands already on the hilts of their swords. Gu Xi gave them a look, signaling them not to act rashly, as there were many civilians here.
Chen Shu had already sensed the murderous aura around him, but he remained calm and composed. He had brought troops with him, so although he couldn't win, escaping wouldn't be a problem.
He leisurely sipped his tea, then vanished from the teahouse in a flash, leaving only one sentence echoing in his ears: "Young lady, we will meet again."
Wei Lin and Wei Ran had already come to her side and asked with concern, "Young Madam, are you alright?"
Gu Xi shook her head, sat for a while with lingering fear, then sent someone to deliver a message to Yu Xinyao before returning to the palace.
As soon as she arrived at the Meridian Gate, she saw Xiao Heng getting off his palanquin. He was probably about to leave the palace to find her. She suddenly threw herself into his arms.
Xiao Heng was unaware of what had happened, but he sensed that she was in a bad mood. After comforting her for a while, he returned to Kunning Palace with her.
After Gu Xi fell asleep, Xiao Heng learned what had happened from Wei Ran, and his heart sank.
None of them expected that this person would establish himself as king in the southern border, let alone that he would take over Anguo in just a few months and now extend his reach to Shengguo.
Anguo is now in his hands with real power; the one in power is just a puppet. He only needs a legitimate reason to become emperor.
Rumor has it that he was born into the royal family of An Kingdom, but for some unknown reason he was separated from his family. His personal visit at this critical juncture suggests that evidence of his lineage is hidden in Sheng Kingdom.
But why would he risk seeing her? Xiao Heng's heart skipped a beat.
We can't wait any longer.
"Summon Bai Xingzhi to the palace," Xiao Heng said in a deep voice, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
"Yes," Wei Ran replied.
*
After this incident, Gu Xi dared not leave the palace for several days. She repeatedly confirmed with Xiao Heng that the person had left the capital before she dared to go out.
Later, when everything calmed down, she gradually forgot about it.
What she didn't know was that since then, the capital had been under martial law, and all vehicles, pedestrians, officials, merchants and travelers entering and leaving the capital had to undergo several strict checks before being allowed to pass.
Every time she left the palace, Xiao Heng would mobilize almost all of his personal guards to protect her, keeping them hidden in the shadows so she wouldn't be afraid. Many of the vendors and pedestrians she saw on the street were also his personal guards in disguise.
The day finally arrived: Gu Xiao and Yu Xinyao's wedding day.
Gu Xi and Xiao Heng moved into the Gu family residence two days early. After they moved in, Xiao Heng assigned a large number of soldiers to guard the Gu family residence. Gu Xi was angry and wanted him to transfer the soldiers away, but strangely, her father and brother did not object this time and even told her not to interfere, so she had no choice but to give up.
On the wedding day, Gu Xi got up very early. Xiao Heng smiled helplessly and indulgently as he watched her busy herself. As the Empress, she had plenty of people to help her and didn't need to do everything herself. But if anyone tried to persuade her, she would get upset, so he naturally didn't dare to say anything.
Many ministers from the court also arrived. When they saw that the emperor and empress had come, they were surprised but also felt it was only natural.
As expected, the Emperor and General Gu's discord was only superficial, leading many to speculate about their true intentions behind their confrontation in court. Was the Emperor testing the hearts of the people? It seems best to refrain from making hasty judgments in court from now on!
And their legendary empress is breathtakingly beautiful; no wonder she is the emperor's favorite. This Gu family is truly not to be trifled with.
"I bow to Heaven and Earth!"
When the auspicious hour arrived, everyone's thoughts and attention shifted from the Emperor and Empress to the protagonists of the day—the bride and groom.
During the wedding ceremony, Gu Xiao's expression was extremely tense, his nervousness visibly evident. Today, he acted like a naive young boy, making frequent mistakes and causing several embarrassing incidents, completely lacking his usual composure.
Yu Xinyao's face was obscured by the veil, but her taut back betrayed her current mood.
After the ceremony, Gu Xi looked at the two of them with a smile in her eyes. She straightened Yu Xinyao's slightly disheveled wedding robe and led her into the bridal chamber.
After the wedding banquet began, Yu Xinyao went to the main hall to serve tea and then returned to the bridal chamber, where the guests enjoyed their meal.
After several rounds of drinks, the guests were already quite drunk. Several young guests took the lead in clamoring to make a ruckus in the bridal chamber, and Gu Xiao was thus escorted by them towards the new room.
Many of those who came today were soldiers under Gu Xiao's command. The originally spacious courtyard was now completely packed with people, and the covered walkways were filled with them.
Gu Xi also wanted to join in the fun, but there were too many people and she couldn't squeeze in, so she could only watch from the outside. Xiao Heng stood beside her, protecting her and not letting anyone touch her.
Inside the bridal chamber, red candles burned brightly. Gu Xiao was pushed to Yu Xinyao's side, his ears turning red, but he kept a straight face as he responded to everyone's teasing. The laughter grew louder and louder, and outside the bridal chamber, there were also cheerful whispers.
"I never imagined General Gu had this side to him. It's a pity Vice General Ye isn't here today, so we can't see General Gu's embarrassing moment!" a young man said, judging from his robust physique, he must have come from a military background.
"That's right! They never hold back when they scold us!"
"I've remembered everything. I'll tell my brothers about it one by one when I get back to the barracks..."
Gu Xi eavesdropped nearby, chuckling to herself as she listened, and occasionally glancing up at Xiao Heng as if wanting to share in his joy.
She had drunk some wine, her face was flushed, and she smiled so wide her lips stretched to her ears.
Xiao Heng kept his head down, looking at her. His usual majesty and sharpness had turned into tenderness. Whenever someone noticed them about to step forward to pay their respects, he would make a shushing gesture so that no one would disturb her happiness.
Meanwhile, far beyond southern Xinjiang.
Three hours ago, the Sheng Kingdom's army and Chen Shu's army fought a bloody battle and successfully captured the An Kingdom's capital. Unfortunately, Chen Shu escaped and his whereabouts are now unknown.
"General Sun, Vice General Ye, we still need you two to guard this place. After I return to the capital to report to His Majesty, you two can return to the capital soon to be rewarded for your merits." Bai Xingzhi said to Sun Qi'an and Gu Xiao's vice general Ye Ping. He pondered for a moment, "But we still need to find Chen Shu. If we don't kill him, there will be endless trouble in the future."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a guard outside the tent came to deliver a message: "Your Excellency, there is someone outside the camp requesting an audience."
"Who is it?" Bai Xingzhi asked.
"The man who came said he was an old acquaintance of yours, and he brought someone with him, who seems to be Chen Shu."
Sun Qi'an and Ye Ping looked at each other in bewilderment.
Bai Xingzhi thought for a moment: "Send it immediately!"
Who could it be?
A moment later, a man dressed in black and wearing a black hat led in a bound figure. The bound person had a strip of cloth stuffed in his mouth, and it was indeed Chen Shu!
"Who are you?" Bai Xingzhi asked.
The man in black raised his hand and yanked off his hat, revealing a familiar face underneath.
"Lu Yong?" Bai Xingzhi was taken aback, then narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of coldness flashing in his usually calm gaze, but it vanished in an instant, so quickly that it went unnoticed. It's truly a case of searching high and low without finding him; the descendants of the palace coup disappeared without a trace, and it turns out they were hiding here.
"Lord Bai, it's been a long time." Lu Yong kicked Chen Shu in the back of the knee, and Chen Shu knelt down in front of Bai Xingzhi. "I'm entrusting the man to you." With that, he bowed and took his leave.
"Wait a minute!" Bai Xingzhi called out to him. "I have something to ask you later."
Lu Yong stopped in his tracks.
Bai Xingzhi removed the gag from Chen Shu's mouth, his face expressionless. He looked down at Chen Shu and asked, "Which hand touched her?" His tone was calm, as if he were asking a trivial matter, but Chen Shu, a veteran of many battles, could clearly hear the killing intent in his voice.
Chen Shu swallowed hard but didn't reply. Bai Xingzhi didn't mind either, and extended his palm upwards. Lu Feng, understanding the gesture, handed him the already drawn sword.
Chen Shu's pupils contracted sharply. He wasn't afraid of death, but his survival instinct made his tone urgent: "I know you. Don't you want her?!" He knew that he was the all-powerful Left Prime Minister of Sheng Kingdom, and he had heard the rumors about him and her. He tried to coax him, "If you let me go, I can help you! If we cooperate, not only can we take over An Kingdom, but we can also take over Sheng Kingdom. Then she will be yours!"
Bai Xingzhi chuckled lightly: "You don't know me very well." As soon as he finished speaking, screams of agony, growing louder and louder, came from inside the tent.
The tent reeked of blood. A pair of severed hands convulsed on the ground, while a head rolled to the side with its eyes wide open and blood gushing from its neck—a gruesome sight.
Bai Xingzhi didn't even lift his eyelids. He only slightly lifted his toes when the pool of thick blood on the ground was about to reach his feet, not wanting to soil his shoes.
Ye Ping stared at Bai Xingzhi in horror. He never imagined that the usually gentle and refined Prime Minister could have such a cruel side. Even more terrifying was his chillingly calm gaze, as if he hadn't just severed the arm and head. But then he thought, how could someone who had reached this position be a soft-hearted person?
Sun Qi'an was also shocked. Bai Xingzhi had just struck without hesitation, and even though he was used to life-and-death battles on the battlefield, the indifference in his eyes was still chilling. He had known him for several years, but he felt like he was meeting him for the first time.
Lu Yong wasn't too surprised. He had worked for Xiao Heng for many years and knew very well what kind of person Bai Xingzhi was, but a complex expression still flashed in his eyes.
Bai Xingzhi still held his sword, blood dripping from its tip and forming a small pool. He turned slightly to Sun Qi'an and Ye Ping and said, "Generals, I have something to discuss with this old friend of mine."
The two exchanged a glance and left the tent.
"Does Lord Bai have something to instruct me?" Lu Yong asked, looking at Bai Xingzhi walking towards him.
The words had barely left his mouth when his eyes widened in shock. He heard the sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh and looked down to see Bai Xingzhi's sword already embedded in his heart. Lu Yong stared at him in disbelief. He had always trusted Bai Xingzhi, which was why he had stayed until now after just one sentence. He never imagined that Bai Xingzhi intended to kill him.
“You shouldn’t have touched her,” Bai Xingzhi’s voice was as calm as ever, but the pressure on his hand increased, and the sword completely pierced Lu Yong’s heart. As if to make the other party understand why he died, he explained, “I don’t trust you.”
He killed her that day for Xiao Heng's so-called great cause; there's no guarantee he won't harbor murderous intentions again in the future.
His existence was a threat to her, and he wouldn't allow such a threat to exist.
Bai Xingzhi twisted his wrist, the sharp sword grazing flesh and bone as it was pulled out, a jet of blood gushing out. Lu Yong fell straight to the ground, his eyes unfocused. The blood gushing from his body mingled with Chen Shu's blood, making it impossible to tell whose it was.
Bai Xingzhi glanced down at the blood dripping from the sword tip, then tossed the sword back to Lu Feng. He then pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve and slowly wiped the bloodstains from his hands. "Take the person up the mountain and throw them at the bottom of the cliff." He paused, "Come back when they're completely dead."
"Yes," Lu Feng replied.
Bai Xingzhi folded the handkerchief neatly and put it back into his sleeve. At the last moment, his hand subconsciously reached into his clothes, but he stopped abruptly, letting it hang at his side. He then turned and stepped out of the tent.
Upon reaching the entrance of the camp, he paused and asked, "How is the matter concerning the Su family going?" He was referring to the Su family of the Imperial Medical Academy.
"Everything has been taken care of." The Su family has completely disappeared from the Imperial Hospital and will never be able to enter the Imperial Hospital or enter the capital again, for all eternity.
Bai Xingzhi hummed in agreement.
Looking at Lu Yong's corpse on the ground, Lu Feng couldn't help but ask, "Young Master, if Xiao Heng finds out about Lu Yong's matter..." He hesitated, "And Miss Gu..." After all, she was the one who saved him.
"She won't know." As for him, it doesn't matter if he does find out.
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Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, the last chapter has been revised again! [laughing and crying emoji]
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