Chapter 275 Disappeared
Shen Yuexi took advantage of the time when Xiao Zhuo was surrounded by the generals to go down the city wall, pass through the crowd of people carrying stones and bows and arrows, and return to the mansion.
Although the Qi King's army attacked fiercely, as long as Xiao Zhuo was there, she was not worried that the enemy would be able to break through the city.
The real problem was that the city's food supply wouldn't last much longer. Xiao Zhuo couldn't bring himself to deal with Xiao Beiheng, and Xiao Beiheng took Xiao Zhuo's words as a lie. If this continued, what would happen if the city ran out of food?
Worried, he returned to the mansion and ran into Shen Lan who was watching from the courtyard. Seeing Shen Yuexi's worried face, he asked, "What's wrong, sister? Are you worried that the city can't be defended?"
"I'm not worried about that," Shen Yuexi shook her head, "it's something else."
Chen Lan reached out and took her hand, walked into the hall, and said: "If you have anything bothering you, can you tell me and see if I can help you."
The two of them came to the hall and sat next to each other. Shen Yuexi looked at Shen Lan's sincere eyes and hesitated.
When Bai Ling's secret was revealed, she and Xiao Zhuo were the only ones present. After returning from Xia Yuangu, she continued to hide it from others, mainly because she was afraid that if everyone knew the truth, there would be trouble.
Chen Lan said: "Apart from your brother-in-law, your sister is your only relative. Is there anything you can't tell her?"
Shen Yuexi thought about it and it made sense, so she briefly told Shen Lan the secret that Xiao Zhuo's biological father was Xiao Ming.
Chen Lan was quite surprised after hearing this and asked, "Then the Xiao Beiheng who is attacking the city now is Xiao Zhuo's younger brother?"
"My husband wrote a letter to him and the King of Qi. Not only did they not reply, they launched a fierce attack on the city..."
As the two were talking, the maid Xia Lan came from the side door to bring them tea. When she heard their conversation, she was stunned on the spot.
It wasn't until Shen Lan turned around and called her that Xia Lan came back to her senses. She quickly took two steps, put the tray on the table, and said to Shen Yuexi, "Madam, I have a few words to say. I wonder if I can say them."
Shen Yuexi and Shen Lan both looked at Xia Lan. Shen Yuexi nodded and said, "Don't be restrained."
Xia Lan said, "I used to serve Xiao Beiheng, so I know him a little bit. My Lord, just writing a letter to him might not be enough to convince him. A token of trust is needed."
Shen Yuexi was surprised. What Xia Lan said seemed to make some sense.
Xiao Zhuo had indeed been negligent. The two armies were engaged, and it was possible that the enemy would mistake the letter for a ruse. If he wanted to convince them that this was real, he had to show them the token.
Chen Lan said: "Xia Lan is right, does my brother-in-law have any token of love?"
"Bai Ling." Shen Yuexi stood up.
Since the white silk was written by Empress Pei herself, Xiao Zhuo knew it was Empress Pei's handwriting at first glance. Then the Prince of Qi, who had a close relationship with Empress Pei, should also be able to recognize it.
After Xia Lan's reminder, she already knew what to do next.
She was going to find King Qi Xiao Ming.
Xiao Zhuo was commanding the defense of the city from the top of the city wall and could not leave. It seemed that she had to go in person.
When Shen Lan learned that she was going to see the King of Qi, she was shocked and said nervously, "The two armies are fighting now. If my sister goes to see the King of Qi, what if she is caught and killed on the spot?"
Shen Yuexi smiled and shook Shen Lan's hand: "Don't worry, sister, I will adapt to the situation."
Shen Lan was still worried, but Shen Yuexi was not one to fuss. She had long understood a truth: when faced with difficulties, those who wait for others to save them are weak.
Weak people only wait for others' charity and salvation. They never have the courage to change their destiny, and they also think that their weakness is justified.
At the beginning, she was also a weakling clinging to Xiao Zhuo's thigh. Even when she was using the Ice City to resist the attack of the Xirong people, she was hoping that Xiao Zhuo would come to save her.
She truly grew up when she discovered that she could actually catch pheasants.
People underestimate themselves simply because they never dare to step out of the circle that confines them. Whether it's Mei Dai, Chen Lan, or Su Mo.
Concubine Mei Dai once thought that she was just a woman who used her body to please men. After the death of her father and brother, she became decadent for a while.
Sister Shen Lan thought she was just a man's vassal, no matter how Xiao Kai beat and abused her, she never dared to leave Xiao Kai. Even though she risked her life to rescue Shen Lan, Shen Lan actually went back to find Xiao Kai.
Fortunately, Xiao Beiheng killed Xiao Kai, otherwise it is hard to say whether Chen Lan could survive.
Su Mo shares her interests, but also believes that women can only live by relying on men. After Xia Lan tells her that Xiao Beiheng is cruel, murderous, and a deceiver of his family, she still chooses to forgive him.
Of these women, only Mei Dai is the one she admires the most. Mei Dai is beautiful yet strong. She shoulders the heavy responsibility of reviving the Mei family and is currently resisting the attack of the Xirong people alone in Xiliang.
Now she has to do the same thing as Mei Dai: to stop this fratricidal war.
She said goodbye to Chen Lan and returned to the bedroom door. Two secret guards stood outside, and they bowed to her upon seeing her return. Shen Yuexi opened the bedroom door and entered the room, first closing the half-open window and then lighting the candle.
Candlelight illuminated the neatly arranged room. In the center of the desk lay a small bag containing the fragments of the Dragon Huan jade pendant, but Bai Ling was nowhere to be found.
She clearly remembered that the white silk was placed on the table, along with the letter Mei Dai had written to her. Why was there only the small bag containing the fragments of the Long Huan jade pendant left?
She looked around, then quickly walked out of the bedroom and said to the two secret guards, "You two have been guarding the door this whole time?"
The two secret guards didn't understand why she asked that. One of them nodded and said, "The master has ordered us to keep a close watch on it. We have six people guarding it in three shifts, and we haven't left since."
Shen Yuexi frowned and shouted, "Where's Qiang Lin? Come quickly."
The loyal Qiang Lin has always been protecting her in secret. As long as she calls, he will immediately appear in front of her.
"Master, what are your orders?" Qiang Lin jumped down from the eaves and half-knelt on the ground with his hand on the hilt of the knife.
Shen Yuexi asked, "Has anyone entered this room before?"
Qiang Lin shook his head and said, "Master, I have been following you up the city wall. Since the secret guards say there is nothing, then there must be nothing. Besides, this room is your bedroom with Prince Zhao. No one else can enter without your permission."
Shen Yuexi asked in surprise: "Then why did the things I put on the table disappear?"
"It's gone?" Qiang Lin looked up, his eyes filled with surprise. "Can I please let someone in to check?"
Shen Yuexi stepped aside and said, "Come in and take a look."
Qiang Lin entered the room, looked around, then knelt on the floor and looked carefully for a while, then turned to look at Shen Yuexi's feet.
"Master," Qiang Lin stood up, took a candle from the table, and shone it on the ground, "There is a stranger's footprint here."
Shen Yuexi hurriedly came to Qiang Lin, squatted down, and looked at the place he pointed.
There was a faint footprint on the ground, which was impossible to see clearly unless you looked carefully.
"These footprints are neither the master's nor King Zhao's. They belong to a woman. Her skills are such that she can hide from the eyes and ears of the secret guards at the door. She is definitely not an ordinary woman."
"Ah, could it be a female thief?" Shen Yuexi looked up at the window. "I know, she came in through the window!"
No wonder the window was half-closed when she first entered the room. She thought she had been careless and forgot to close it. Now that she thought about it carefully, why would she not close the window when there was something as important as Bai Ling in the room?
Qiang Lin stood up and walked to the window. He placed his hand on the window frame and felt around, stopping at the latch. "Master, there are traces of a sharp object poking at the latch."
Shen Yuexi was stunned.
She had originally planned to take Bai Ling to find the King of Qi, but now Bai Ling was gone.
It's so hateful. This thief could have stolen anything else, but not only did he steal the white silk, he even stole Mei Dai's letter.
…
The Qi King's army surrounded the city camp.
Xiao Beiheng sat alone in the general's tent, his hands crossed supporting his chin, his elbows resting on the table, staring at the candlelight in front of him.
He had strictly ordered his generals not to come to see him until the city was captured. But more importantly, he was waiting for someone.
A gust of cold wind blew by, and the candle in front of him began to dance. When the candlelight settled, a woman in a tight black outfit was standing in front of the table.
She wore a black veil, her eyes were as cold as ice water, her figure was slender, and her lightness contained strength, which reminded Xiao Beiheng of a female leopard hunting.
"Haha, Miss Ji is really good at fighting," Xiao Beiheng raised his eyes, "From entering the camp to the commander's tent, no soldiers were able to detect it. If you come to assassinate this prince, I can only wait for death."
The woman in black did not respond, but raised her hand and threw out two objects.
A piece of letter paper and a small piece of white silk.
Xiao Beiheng raised his hand to catch it, and immediately unfolded it to look at it in the candlelight.
"He is indeed the Crown Prince's brother," the masked woman looked at him.
Xiao Beiheng showed a look of shock and shook his head repeatedly, saying: "The news is indeed true... This is impossible, this is absolutely impossible..."
"It's clearly written in Concubine Xian's letter," the masked woman's eyes fell on the letter in Xiao Beiheng's hand, "that your father and Queen Pei Jingyun had a child out of wedlock."
"Mei Dai must have spread the rumor," Xiao Beiheng held his forehead with his hand, tears streaming down his face, "I...how could I have such a cruel brother?"
"I don't care whether the letter is true or not. I just want to avenge my grandfather." The masked woman ignored his sobs. "Your Highness, I have done as you requested. Now, fulfill your promise and order the soldiers to stop attacking the city. You promised to let me kill him with my own hands."
"This prince always keeps his word," Xiao Beiheng choked up, "I hope Miss Ji will understand. This prince is truly shocked. I never thought such a villain would be... my brother."
The masked woman said, "I will kill him tonight. Then, like he did to Grandpa, I will stab him in the chest a dozen times."
As she said this, her originally calm tone finally turned angry.
Xiao Beiheng covered his face with his hands and said:
"Miss Ji wants to kill the evil disciple who murdered our master. Even if he is my brother, I can only sacrifice my own brother for the sake of justice... My father is injured in bed. If he knew this news..."
As he was speaking, he saw through his fingers that the masked woman had disappeared.
Xiao Beiheng cried for a while longer before he placed the letter in his hand on the fire and burned it to ashes. He then placed the white silk on the fire and set it alight. His face flickered in the flickering light of the candle.
When the letter and the white silk were reduced to ashes, he breathed a sigh of relief and called the soldiers, "Send an order, stop the siege."
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