Chapter 22 Yunxi, I've caught you.
"Giddy up!" The tall figure shot into the night like an arrow released from a bow.
The horses' hooves shattered the solemnity of the palace and crushed the silence of the night.
It was as if they couldn't wait to drag the person back and interrogate them.
The capital city was a bustling commercial center with no curfew.
After leaving the palace, a group of people rode their horses straight to Hongshi Street.
The night wind lifted the hem of his robe, and Xiao Shenjing stared at the ever-closer distance, his enigmatic smile deepening.
The thought of capturing Yunxi, leaving her with no way to deny it and nowhere to run, made Xiao Shenjing's heart beat faster and faster, as if it were about to leap out of his chest.
Even her thick eyelashes trembled.
We finally arrived at that secluded little courtyard.
Xiao Shenjing lowered his voice and instructed, "Don't disturb the people inside."
Dao Yi glanced at Dao Er.
Dao Er immediately understood, and with a light leap from his horse, he was on the courtyard wall and disappeared.
Soon, the door was opened.
Xiao Shenjing lifted his robes and silently stepped into the courtyard.
His dark robes, soaked in the night, appeared even blacker and heavier, exuding an aura of danger.
Zi Shu, inside the house, was completely unaware of the situation.
As soon as Xiao Shenjing stepped into the courtyard, he heard Zishu's voice, "Your name is Congtou, right?"
He paused in his steps.
"That's what the boss calls me." Onion Head nodded, then couldn't help but look at Zi Shu again, "Are you really not the boss?"
Zi Shu sighed, "I'm really not her, but now I want to try to become her."
Onion didn't understand and asked, "What does this mean?"
Zi Shu stood up, revealing a slender figure through the diamond-shaped window.
She trimmed the candle wick, and the lights in the room brightened up a bit.
Xiao Shenjing could see that she had her face slightly lowered and her pointed chin.
“I used to hear how prosperous and bustling the capital was, and I longed to go there. But now I really don’t like this place.” Zi Shu sighed. “The powerful and influential can trample on others at will. My husband is also imprisoned. I want to save him, but I don’t know a single one of the powerful and influential people. It’s all because of my face that my husband has gotten into trouble. Otherwise…”
She paused, her voice sounding slightly choked, but feeling embarrassed to cry in front of the children, she forced back her tears and smiled. "Since they all say I'm Yunxi, if I really become Yunxi, will they let my husband go?"
"I don't know either," Onion scratched his head, "but the boss did know a few powerful people before."
Zi Shu sat back down on the stool and pressed on, "Which young master is he? Is he also a powerful person?"
Even though they traveled together, Zi Shu only heard people call him "Young Master" without knowing his real name.
"Which young master?" Onion asked.
Without a second thought, Zi Shu described him as having "extremely tall stature and a pair of phoenix eyes."
Upon hearing this, Onion Head's expression changed drastically, and he said through gritted teeth, "That's the current emperor."
"What!" She stood up from her chair in shock.
Is he really the supreme ruler?
At first, she thought she had misheard.
Onion spat, "He's the one who saved another woman instead of the boss."
Dao Er's charging figure was stopped by Xiao Shenjing's outstretched hand.
There was no wind tonight, and the inky darkness seemed to have completely invaded those phoenix eyes.
His voice was so heavy it sent chills down your spine; it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
A group of people stood in the dark courtyard.
Quiet, eerie, and terrifying.
"He...he's actually the emperor!" Zi Shu frowned, then collapsed back into her chair as if all her strength had left her. "If I were to impersonate Yun Xi, could he spare my husband out of consideration for our past relationship?"
“He doesn’t like the eldest brother, so it definitely won’t work.” Even though the person in front of him wasn’t Yunxi, but had the exact same face, Onion couldn’t help feeling close to her and wanted to help her solve her problems.
He gritted his teeth and said, "Why don't you try going to that wretched princess? Although she's arrogant and domineering, she owes our boss something, so she should be able to help you out."
"Thank you, Onion," Zi Shu said sincerely.
"No need to thank me. You and Boss look so alike, even though..." Onion Head's eyes suddenly reddened, and he wiped them hard with his sleeve, "Even if you're not her, seeing you alive and well makes me feel like Boss isn't dead."
He couldn't continue speaking and suddenly covered his face.
"Our leader is so capable, she'll definitely be alive and well. She's just too disappointed in us, so she doesn't want to see us anymore."
Outside, Xiao Shenjing's expression suddenly became dazed for a moment.
Was she just too disappointed?
Was she disappointed by everything the Jiangyuan Marquis's family had done for her, or disappointed that he hadn't chosen her?
Tears streamed down his reddened eyes as he choked out, “They all let down the boss, and I let the boss down too. I couldn’t save her, she must hate us to death and never want to see us again.”
Seeing him crying like this, Zi Shu quickly took out her handkerchief and comforted him, "Don't cry, Onion Head. If your boss knew that you still miss her and care about her so much, she would definitely be very happy."
He wrinkled his red nose and looked at Zishu expectantly, asking, "Really?"
“Really, really.” Zi Shu nodded.
Onion said, "Then if you live well, I'll come to see you whenever I miss you, okay?"
Zi Shu paused for a moment. Now, the future was uncertain and she herself was in danger, but she couldn't bear to refuse the child's wish, so she could only force a smile and say, "Okay."
“Then listen to me,” Onion wiped his eyes with a handkerchief, trying to control his tears, and said, “Lu Xiuran, the top scholar four years ago, is now a scholar of the Hanlin Academy. He used to owe the boss a favor. The boss saved him and helped him. This ingrate despises the boss now that he has become the top scholar.”
Onion said angrily, "But he owes the boss a favor. If you really have no other choice, you can ask him. He's an official, after all, and he knows more than we do."
"good."
"By the way, stay far away from anyone from the Jiangyuan Marquis's mansion. Boss once swore that he would never have anything to do with them again." Onion Head said indignantly, "No matter what, don't go near those people, they don't deserve it!"
Zi Shu nodded solemnly, "Don't worry, I will definitely do it."
Xiao Shenjing looked up, as if he had lost patience, closed his eyes, and didn't want to listen anymore.
He turned and walked towards the door.
Onion nodded, then added with concern, "You must change. You're not like the boss at all. The boss is a man of his word and has a straightforward personality."
"Okay," Zi Shu nodded.
Onion, like a little adult, rambled on, "It's not enough for you to just nod all the time; you have to learn and practice."
"Hey, Onion Head," he tried to mimic Yunxi's tone of voice and said to Zishu, "Try calling me that."
Xiao Shenjing slowed his pace.
"Hey, Onion?"
Zi Shu cleared her throat and learned.
Onion Head shook his head. "No, no, no, that's not right. The tone needs to be more dashing. Boss always speaks with a smile on his face. You follow me and imitate him again, oh, Onion Head."
The sound of two people practicing their monotonous exercises came from inside the room.
Extremely boring.
Xiao Shenjing knew he should leave; he still had a mountain of memorials to deal with, including the dispatch of troops to suppress the Nanjing regime after the Yellow River floods, and reforms regarding mulberry cultivation in the Jiangnan region.
Which matter of national importance is less important than these trivial matters?
But his feet were rooted to the spot, and he didn't move.
After Zi Shu had learned enough, Cong Tou gritted his teeth and said, "You still need to learn the way the eldest brother addresses the emperor. Although he dislikes the eldest brother, his words carry the most weight."
"Okay." Zi Shu nodded.
"The eldest brother likes to call him Your Highness. Sometimes when he gets angry, he calls him by his full name. You should learn from me, Xiao Shenjing!" Onion Head imitated him perfectly.
Xiao Shenjing stood in the shadowy courtyard.
After listening to the repeated sounds from inside, the familiar voice that had been absent for so long finally came through.
"Xiao Shenjing! I like you, I like you, I like you!"
"Xiao Shenjing".
Xiao Shenjing
The call seemed to come from a great distance, causing Xiao Shenjing to involuntarily look towards the wall.
There seemed to be a familiar scarlet figure sitting there.
She gave him a flamboyant smile, then leaped into the abyss.
When Zi Shu came out, the dark courtyard was quiet and deserted.
Zi Shu looked at the boy who had walked to the door and said, "Onion Head, I'm leaving now. You're injured, so you should rest early."
When Zi Shu returned to the inn, there were far fewer pedestrians in the city.
She woke Nianxia up after she got back.
"Madam, you're back?" Nianxia opened her eyes groggily.
Zi Shu nodded and stuffed the money bag containing ten taels into her hand.
Nianxia was immediately startled awake. "Madam, what does this mean?"
Zi Shu patted her hand. "Nianxia, I don't know what the consequences will be of what I'm about to do."
It could even be a capital offense.
She pursed her lips, not wanting to frighten Nianxia, and said, "You know I want to save my husband, so I inevitably have to come into contact with those high-ranking officials and nobles. But those people are quick to kill and exterminate entire families. I don't want to involve you, so you will leave the inn tomorrow." She paused and then instructed, "Don't take any luggage."
Nianxia asked with a worried look, "Madam, won't you be in great danger too?"
Zi Shu smiled slightly and comforted her, "Don't worry, once you leave, I'll have no more worries. Remember to go far away."
Due to pressure from Princess Chongning, the news of Yunxi's resurrection did not cause any stir in the capital.
The Jiangyuan Marquis's mansion still stands, but due to the current emperor's suppression of powerful families, it has lost its former glory.
After finishing his court session, Fan Zishi changed into a dark blue Taoist robe. Just as he picked up the secret letter delivered by his spies, he remembered that the maid had come to report that the old lady's cold had not yet healed and that her cough had become more severe in the past few days.
Lady Hou was being helped by Fan Qile as they walked around in the courtyard.
"Big brother," Fan Qile called out.
Fan Zishi nodded calmly and took the Lady Hou's hand from her.
Lady Hou glanced at her eldest son, coughed lightly, and asked, "Have there been any thorny issues in the court recently?"
"Everything is fine," Fan Zishi replied.
Lady Hou patted the back of his hand. "Eldest son, you are already twenty-five. You should start worrying about your marriage. Anyone your age has already married and had children, and their kids are already playing football all over the place."
"What Mother said is true, I will consider it."
Upon hearing this, Lady Hou's expression immediately became complicated. She opened her mouth to say something, but instead coughed violently, and in the end, she could only let out a sigh.
After Yunxi died, her eldest son and she became increasingly estranged.
Thinking of this, she glanced at Fan Qile beside her.
Fan Qile understood and immediately said, "Brother, yesterday General Ningwei's mansion sent out invitations for a lotus appreciation gathering, inviting many young masters and ladies to enjoy the lotus together."
Lady Hou immediately chimed in, "That's right, Da Lang, you should take your sister with you then."
The so-called lotus viewing was actually a pretext for choosing a husband.
Fan Zishi simply shook his head and refused, saying, "I have official business to attend to tomorrow. Let Erlang go."
Fan Qile pursed her lips.
Lady Hou coughed again, her worry growing stronger.
In recent years, although the title of Marquis Jiangyuan still exists, it is no longer what it used to be, and the family's ability to maintain some prosperity depends entirely on Fan Zishi.
He's always been very opinionated, and he used to listen to his parents to some extent, but now...
Fan Zishi waited until the Lady Hou had taken her medicine before leaving.
He didn't say more than a few words to Fan Qile from beginning to end.
The Imperial Palace.
"You mean she just went to the clothing store?" Xiao Shenjing put down the chilled lotus seeds in his hand.
Dao Er nodded and replied:
"Miss Zishu has ordered a bright red embroidered cloud and egret gauze dress."
After a few breaths, Xiao Shenjing nodded.
Is this a suggestion to start with clothing and appearance?
Recalling that familiar "Xiao Shenjing," he was quite curious to see how well she could imitate Yunxi.
Or is he pretending to be someone else to confuse the public and divert attention?
The next day, Princess Chongning arrived at the inn in plain clothes.
Zi Shu's distant and unfamiliar attitude angered her so much that she left after a short while, and gradually she began to feel that Zi Shu was not Yun Xi at all.
That day, Zishu went to another clothing store.
However, on the way, she took the wrong turn and wandered into an alley.
Just then, a woman with disheveled hair and a face covered in blood screamed as she rushed out of the gate. Before she could run more than a few steps, a man dressed as a constable rushed out, grabbed her by the hair, and dragged her back inside.
With a loud bang, the wooden door slammed shut.
Then came a woman's piercing pleas for mercy from inside.
Zi Shu seemed stunned, and it took her a while to remember to leave.
She arrived at the clothing store and spent more than an hour browsing, but it seemed she hadn't bought anything.
On the third day, she went to another, larger shop, a famous one with many female customers.
Because she had the same schedule for several days in a row, the bodyguards who were following her got used to it and waited lazily at the door.
So no one noticed that Zi Shu left silently through the back door.
The back door led to a dead-end alley, and she naturally dared not go through the exit. Instead, she lifted her skirt, nimbly stepped onto the wall, and with a light leap, flipped herself onto the top of the wall.
With fluid grace and lightness, he quickly disappeared from sight.
Constable Wang Qiang strode into the government jail. "Brother Wang, what brings you here today?"
"The prefect is interrogating the new prisoners and asked me to come and take them with me." Wang Qiang smiled somewhat stiffly.
Since they were all acquaintances, the gatekeeper didn't think twice and immediately opened the door.
"Brother Wang, it's been a while since we've had a drink. Shall we go to Willow Leaf Garden for a bit sometime?"
"You're a good kid, let's go together then," Wang Qiang said with a smile, pointing at him.
After turning his back, Wang Qiang's smile froze. He wiped the sweat from his neck with trembling hands, and then walked into the prison with steps as if he were entering an execution ground.
When Xu Yuansi was brought out, he subconsciously raised his hand to shield his eyes from the blazing sun.
The iron chains clanged.
"What are you looking at? Hurry up." Wang Qiang kicked him.
He staggered a few steps, turned around, and stared at Wang Qiang with a frown.
However, he didn't say anything and silently moved on after turning his gaze away.
As soon as they turned the corner, Wang Qiang's feigned ferocity vanished. He dragged Xu Yuansi into the shade of a tree, whistled a barely audible whistle while shaking his leg, and then frantically untied the iron chains from Xu's wrists.
Xu Yuansi was stunned for a moment. Before he could react, he heard a noise from the south. He subconsciously turned his head to look and saw Zi Shu jump down from the wall.
"Wife!" His pupils widened, but before he could finish his worried words, Wang Qiang covered his mouth, "Shh! Do you want to die?"
At this moment, Zi Shu arrived in front of him like the wind.
Seeing Xu Yuansi's puzzled expression, she quickly said, "This is not the place to talk."
"Put it on." She deftly took a yamen runner's uniform from her bundle and handed it to him.
"Where are we going, my wife?" Xu Yuansi, still wearing her outer robe, finally couldn't help but ask.
Zi Shu smiled reassuringly at him, "Husband, you can go anywhere in the world, but you absolutely cannot stay in the capital any longer."
Xu Yuansi opened her lips, swallowing all her questions.
Wang Qiang suddenly knelt on the ground, pleading, "I've already brought out the people you wanted. Please, hero, release my wife and children."
Zi Shu glanced at him sideways and said, "Send me out of the capital, and your family will naturally be safe."
"That's a capital offense, please, sir, spare me!" Wang Qiang said, about to kowtow.
“If I release you now, you will truly be executed.” Zi Shu said quickly without blinking. “If the matter is exposed, it means I coerced you; otherwise, you are an accomplice.”
Wang Qiang's face turned ashen, and he collapsed.
Xu Yuansi stared blankly at the unfamiliar Zi Shu, calling her "wife".
Zi Shu immediately explained to him, "Husband, don't worry. He's a notorious villain and deserves to be punished! You should leave the government office now; there's not much time left."
The three of them would be too conspicuous if they went out, so Zi Shu skillfully climbed over the wall and left, while Xu Yuansi, dressed in a yamen runner's uniform, and with Wang Qiang by his side, arrived at the yamen without any incident.
After turning the corner, Zi Shu, who had been waiting, immediately helped Xu Yuansi into the waiting carriage.
She handed him the money pouch and whispered, "Husband, go from the north of the city, and don't look back as you go."
"And what about you?" Xu Yuansi immediately grabbed her hand and asked nervously.
Zi Shu gently patted the back of his hand, comforting him, "We'll meet at the Gathering Pavilion in the north of the city."
She paused for a moment, then said, "If I hadn't come, you should have found a good place to hide. Go to Shamao Street in Rongcheng and find a Shenwu Escort Agency. That agency is run by someone I know. I will definitely come looking for you."
Xu Yuansi felt a bad premonition rise in his heart. He held her hand tightly and said, "Zishu, come with me."
Zi Shu suddenly raised her eyebrows and smiled, assuring him, "Husband, don't underestimate me. I'm better suited to escape on my own."
It was a familiar face from my memory, yet it felt somewhat strange.
Xu Yuansi paused, "But..."
"Husband, hurry up and go!" Zi Shu interrupted him directly. "You don't want me to worry day and night, do you?"
Xu Yuansi was speechless. Zi Shu raised her hand and lovingly touched his face. As his eyes trembled, she resolutely stepped out of the carriage and said, "Let's go."
Outside the clothing store.
After waiting for almost half an hour, the guards finally sensed that something was wrong.
Ignoring the large number of female guests inside, he lifted the curtain and went in, but couldn't find Zishu anywhere.
"Is there something you need, sir?" Seeing the unfriendly expressions on their faces, the shopkeeper walked over and asked cautiously.
Ding Wu asked, "Where is that beautiful girl in the green dress from earlier?"
The shop owner thought carefully for a moment, then remembered that "the girl left through the back door shortly after she came in."
"Where is the back door?" Ding Wu could no longer keep a straight face and immediately asked.
The menacing aura was palpable, and the boss trembled with fear, quickly pointing in a direction.
"Go and send a signal to inform the palace!" Ding Wu glanced back at the other man beside him, and before he finished speaking, his figure had already disappeared from the spot.
When a special rattlesnake shot into the sky, Gong Zhongdao's expression changed instantly.
Dao Er immediately went to prepare horses and call for men, while Dao rushed straight to the Imperial Study.
The eunuch stopped him, saying, "His Majesty is discussing important matters concerning the defense of the border with General Cai."
Dao Yi pushed open the door almost without thinking.
If that girl Zishu were to escape right under our noses, no one could bear Xiao Shenjing's wrath.
Seeing him barge in, Xiao Shenjing glanced at him.
Even with a detached expression, one could still feel an overwhelming sense of pressure descending upon them.
Despite the immense pressure, Dao Yi immediately bent down and said, "Miss Zi Shu is missing."
Xiao Shenjing stood up almost immediately and said to the general without turning his head, "This matter will be discussed later."
With that, he strode away quickly.
"Order all city gates to be sealed! If Yunxi is spotted, tell the guards stationed at all intersections not to alert him."
Xiao Shenjing had a slight smile on his lips.
Yunxi, this time, I've caught you.
Zi Shu's expression changed when the rattlesnake exploded in mid-air.
She led Wang Qiang toward the city gate as fast as she could.
Seeing the rows of soldiers guarding the city, Wang Qiang felt his legs spinning.
Zi Shu adjusted the veil over his face. "Remember, no matter what happens, don't show your face."
Wang Qiang nodded repeatedly.
With the lives of his wife, children, and elderly parents still in her hands, how could he dare to do anything reckless?
At the city gate, Zi Shu was the first to dismount from the carriage to register.
Looking at the long queue, Zi Shu turned around and glanced to the north.
It's as if they're watching from afar, or perhaps saying their final goodbye.
She can't leave.
At the moment the rattlesnake exploded, Xiao Shenjing must have already known that she was missing.
He would definitely close the city gates immediately.
However, it will take Xu Yuansi time to leave the city.
Even if he has already left the city gate, once the city gate is closed, the person leaving the city will be too small a target and too easy to be exposed.
She needs to buy him more time.
From the very beginning of her planning, she had anticipated this situation and had made all the necessary preparations.
No matter what, she had to keep Xu Yuansi alive.
He was already burdened by her.
Zi Shu pursed her lips, her expression instantly becoming incredibly resolute.
She gave the coachman some silver and then sent him away.
She got into the car with her brows furrowed, her expression no longer showing her former gentleness.
Wang Qiang was frightened by her expression. Just as he was trying to ask why, Zi Shu took out a rope and quickly tied him up, then stuffed her handkerchief into his mouth.
"Hmm," Wang Qiang moved, stretching his neck as if to ask her what she wanted.
"Remember to pretend to faint, and don't come out no matter what you do." Zi Shu gripped the riding whip she had taken from the coachman, lowered the curtain, and shouted, "Giddy up!"
The sudden neighing of horses startled those around, who instinctively moved aside.
"Giddy up!" Before the soldiers guarding the city could react, Zi Shu whipped the horse again, and the horse, in pain, reared up and charged towards the city gate.
A soldier shouted, "Someone is trying to break through the city gate! Stop her!"
Amidst the piercing clang of weapons, several spears thrust directly at the horses.
Zi Shu raised an eyebrow, and the horsewhip in her hand transformed into the softest rope, wrapping around the nearest spears. With a forceful pull, she caused the soldiers' spears to immediately slip from their hands.
The sound of something cutting through the air rang out, and even more spears were thrust towards her face.
Undeterred by the danger, Zi Shu seized the opportunity to grab one of the spears, performed a somersault in the air, and after a piercing clang, she bent down and swept it forcefully.
After sweeping away the thrusting spear as if conquering the world, she cracked her whip and urged the carriage toward the city gate.
Despite being surrounded and attacked by a group of soldiers, she still held her own.
But even more soldiers surged forward.
The guards on the city wall had already drawn their bows, waiting only for the order to capture this audacious thief.
At this moment, the city gate commander recognized Zi Shu and his expression changed. He immediately shouted, "It's her! Quickly, close the city gate immediately. Do not fire any arrows without my order."
As he spoke, he pulled out a cloud-piercing arrow from his pocket without hesitation.
With a deafening "bang," a deafening sound exploded above the city gate.
Zi Shu knew this was a signal.
Xiao Shenjing will definitely come over immediately.
That means the other city gates are safe for the time being.
Xu Yuansi had more time to escape further away.
She also tried her best to break through.
Leave this place that she hates.
Even if the chances are slim, she's going to give it a try.
With a determined look, she wielded her long spear with fierce force, instantly forcing back a group of soldiers who rushed forward.
The commotion had already caused the queue to disperse, and the aching horse galloped away, bringing Zishu closer and closer to the city gate.
However, no matter how brave Zi Shu was, she was facing dozens of well-trained elite imperial guards.
Even if she bravely took down a group of them, more and more people rushed up to her.
It was as if we were surrounded, with attacks coming from all directions aimed directly at our face.
A long spear was thrust straight at her legs. She could only use the spear as a springboard to flip in mid-air and barely dodge it when several more long spears came flying at her.
The situation was fraught with danger and peril. Zi Shu's strength was waning, and when her arm was cut by a sharp spear, the horse had already rushed to the vicinity of the gate.
Once you get over the gate, you can get out.
Then you can leave this annoying and troublesome place.
No matter how strong Zi Shu was, her movements became slower and slower in the face of attacks from all directions. When her right leg was slashed by a spear, she staggered in pain and could no longer defend herself against the fierce attacks that charged towards the horse.
Amidst the splattering blood, the horse's limbs were brutally severed.
The carriage lost its balance and crashed straight forward.
With a loud crash, the carriage struck the city wall.
Wang Qiang was thrown out of the carriage and fell unconscious.
Dust billowed up, and Zi Shu used the momentum of her fall to dissipate the force of the impact. As a result, she barely managed to regain her footing when the spear, gleaming with a cold light, thrust towards her face once again.
She had to tilt her head and raise her gun to block, barely managing to dodge with all her might.
In the repeated battles, Zi Shu's hair became disheveled, and her fresh green clothes were stained red with blood and covered in dirty dust.
She was in a terrible state, so exhausted that she could barely stand, yet she held onto her gun and stayed by the man on the ground, refusing to leave his side.
When Xiao Shenjing rushed over, he saw this scene.
A long spear thrust straight at the man lying on the ground, while at the same time, another long spear thrust towards Zi Shu's shoulder.
Xiao Shenjing saw that she could have easily avoided it, but she didn't!
In her attempt to protect the man on the ground, she couldn't dodge the spear thrusting at her.
A stream of blood immediately seeped from his arm, splattering in the air.
Its slender figure was as fragile as a fallen leaf, yet it resolutely refused to cling to a large tree in the face of endless attacks.
"Knife One!" Xiao Shenjing shouted sharply.
"Stop!" Dao Yi, who was already prepared, swept away all the attacking spears and shouted.
The city's garrison commander naturally recognized Dao Yi and immediately shouted, "Commander Dao! Stop! Stop! All of you, stop!"
"Greetings, Your Majesty," he said, then knelt on one knee and immediately bowed to Xiao Shenjing on horseback.
As soon as he knelt down, the other soldiers immediately followed suit.
The people who had been hiding far away were startled and knelt down like a tide, not daring to raise their heads.
The spear fell to the ground, leaving only Zi Shu standing there, clutching her arm, her hair disheveled and her clothes torn, slowly raising her eyes to look at Xiao Shenjing not far away.
Xiao Shenjing also looked at her.
The moment their eyes met, even the air seemed to quiet down.
Riding on his tall horse, Xiao Shenjing suddenly chuckled and asked, "Yunxi, where do you want to go?"
A pair of phoenix eyes flashed with a light that sent chills down one's spine.
Zi Shu frowned slightly, then resumed her delicate and frail demeanor. "I am Zi Shu. How come you always mistake me for someone else?"
"What's the use of denying it now?"
Xiao Shenjing's horse trod slowly toward her along the bluestone path.
Like a hunter who has seen his prey fall into a trap, slowly walking out of the jungle.
When a cat catches a mouse, it doesn't rush to eat it.
Instead, they played with it to their heart's content.
Knowing that the mouse could not escape his grasp, the hunter was not in a hurry at all.
Zi Shu glanced at the sky and thought she could still buy Xu Yuansi some more time.
She raised her hand and brushed the hair that had fallen on her cheek behind her ear.
"My lord, what will it take for you to spare me?" The bloodstains on her sleeves stained her cheeks, adding a strange brilliance to her pale face.
The white horse moved slowly, its hooves barely touching Zi Shu before Xiao Shenjing slowly pulled it back.
Zi Shu remained completely still throughout.
"Yunxi." Xiao Shenjing raised an eyebrow, sat on his horse, and bowed down, saying, "It's time we settled our scores. What do you say?"
Zi Shu clutched her arm and suddenly turned her head to ask, "Young Master, why won't you let Yun Xi go? Is it because she did something to wrong you?"
Xiao Shenjing was taken aback by her question.
With a naive and bewildered expression, she continued to ask, "Or is there some deep-seated hatred between you that makes you so determined to fight to the death?"
“”
Did Yunxi do anything to betray him?
Does Yunxi have a grudge against him?
Xiao Shenjing was unable to answer immediately.
Seeing that he didn't speak, Zi Shu quietly tightened her grip on the dagger hidden in her sleeve. Her whole body was tense and ready to strike, but her expression became even more gentle and innocent as she continued to ask, "I heard from that child Cong Tou that you hate Yun Xi, so you even burned the fox fur coat she gave you, afraid of having any connection with her. So why won't you let her go?"
Xiao Shenjing suddenly tightened his grip on the reins.
In the instant he was distracted, Zi Shu suddenly sprang up, gripping her dagger and lunging directly at Xiao Shenjing.
At that moment, Xiao Shenjing was stunned for a second.
It was as if he had never imagined that one day Yunxi would turn against him with swords.
Zi Shu knew that if she wanted to leave the capital, the only way was to make a desperate gamble and capture Xiao Shenjing as a hostage.
Unfortunately, even though she tried her best and seized every opportunity, her body was already exhausted and at its limit.
Xiao Shenjing didn't even move before Dao Yi, who had been on guard, grabbed her hands.
She was forced to kneel down by the heavy pressure.
With a clang, the dagger in his hand fell to the ground.
He knelt at Xiao Shenjing's feet.
"Yunxi, how dare you!" Upon realizing what Yunxi was planning to do, Xiao Shenjing's expression instantly turned stormy.
To my utter surprise, she actually dared to draw her sword against him in order to leave the capital.
Yunxi forced herself to lift her head, the tenderness on her face long gone. She stared at Xiao Shenjing with a mocking look. "You ruined my life and forced my husband and me to separate. Do you expect me to be grateful to you?"
A familiar voice and tone.
Seeing the familiar arrogance between her brows, Xiao Shenjing's anger flickered like a candle flame in the wind.
Even though they were already certain that Zi Shu was Yun Xi, it was still hard not to feel a sense of disorientation when they actually saw that familiar expression and face.
Like a grand dream.
There was no fall off a cliff, no funeral, no wedding, nothing happened.
She was still Yunxi, the one who would climb over the wall to find him whenever she had a nightmare.
She really didn't die.
Xiao Shenjing gripped the reins tightly, his pupils contracting as he stared at Yunxi, as if he were trying his best to suppress something.
"Your Majesty," Dao Yi said, "this place is too crowded and noisy for people to talk."
Xiao Shenjing slowly composed himself and whispered, "Take everyone away."
Dao Yi escorted Yunxi away.
Dao Er, who was standing to the side, went to arrest Xu Yuansi, who was lying on the ground.
Just as Xiao Shenjing's horse turned around, the man on the ground was flipped over.
A completely unfamiliar face made Xiao Shenjing turn around abruptly.
When he saw the true face of the person on the ground, his expression turned gloomy for a moment, then turned into overwhelming rage.
Where is Xu Yuansi?
The man's anger, which had just dissipated, instantly gathered again, surging and making his phoenix eyes appear particularly sinister and terrifying.
Yunxi just looked at him and smiled.
It sounded like a provocation, almost like a mockery.
Her unrepentant attitude instantly enraged the young emperor.
"You've made yourself into this state just to give him more time to escape?" He stared intently at Yun Xi. "Do you even know what crimes you've committed? Harboring a foreigner, assassinating me, and storming the city gates—each one of these is a capital offense!"
"Yunxi!" The coldness in his eyes grew more piercing with each word. "Do you really think I wouldn't dare kill you?"
Yunxi tilted her head and asked, "Do you mean you'll let me go if I don't do this?"
"Good, good, good!" Xiao Shenjing said three times. "Throw her into the imperial prison and send someone to bring Xu Yuansi back to me." After saying that, he stared intently at Yun Xi, who looked calm and fearless, and said, word by word, "Whether he lives or dies!"
As if she had stepped on a weakness, Yunxi's composure vanished instantly. "Xiao Shenjing, why do you keep targeting him?"
Her emotions changed so obviously.
From facing death with equanimity to being emotionally charged and filled with rage, it was all because of Xu Yuansi!
She seemed indifferent to the world.
Only that one person can stir my heart.
They committed a heinous crime, yet they showed no remorse or desire for forgiveness.
Xiao Shenjing's eyes grew even colder. "What are you standing there for? Take him away and don't allow anyone to visit him."
Before leaving, Xiao Shenjing paused for a moment in the spot where Yun Xi had stood.
The dripping bloodstains turned dark on the bluestone slab.
Like scattered, mottled stains.
When Yunxi was thrown onto the damp, moldy, withered grass, her vision went black.
She endured the pain all over her body, sat up straight, and stubbornly held on without uttering a single weak groan.
She was covered in blood and her face was deathly pale.
Dao Yi couldn't help but sigh and waved the soldier away.
When she was the only one left in the cell, he took out a purple bottle from his pocket and placed it beside her.
Seeing her looking at him, Dao Yi explained, "Don't worry, it's not poisonous. This is a specially made hemostatic powder."
"Thank you." Yunxi licked her lips.
"You're welcome, please get your wound bandaged quickly!" Dao Yi stood up and backed away, but stopped at the door and turned back to say, "Miss Yunxi, His Majesty is not a cold-hearted person. If you soften your attitude a bit..."
"Dao Yi." Yun Xi smiled and interrupted him, "One day I will repay you for the favor of the hemostatic powder."
Her attitude was indescribably resolute, as if she was even impatient with the mere mention of Xiao Shenjing's name.
It's as if I hate this person to the core.
"Dao Yi could not continue speaking, so he had no choice but to say goodbye and leave."
Yunxi did not stop the bleeding from her wound immediately.
She took out a small jade flute from around her neck.
This was the token of love that Xu Yuansi gave her back then.
But now it was stained with her blood.
She instinctively raised her hand to wipe it, but the pain from the wound on her arm made her groan.
The stinging pain felt like a sharp knife scraping her bone, and she habitually gritted her teeth.
Only when she remembered that she was alone did she finally let out a loud "Ahhhhhh, it hurts, it hurts!"
Once the pain subsided...
She endured the pain, wiped the bone flute clean, and carefully placed it against her chest.
He gasped for breath and said, "If only I had practiced martial arts properly these past few years, I wouldn't have been beaten up like this."
When the hemostatic drug was applied, there was an excruciating pain that seemed to shoot straight to the sky.
She was in so much pain that she was sweating profusely.
After a long while, she finally tore off her inner garment and clumsily bandaged herself with one hand, panting heavily. She didn't care about the dirt and just sat upright on the straw, breathing heavily.
No one knows where Xu Yuansi has fled to.
He has no martial arts skills, will he be bullied on the road?
Yunxi sighed more and more as she thought about it.
She is currently imprisoned in the imperial prison, and it will take considerable effort for her to have any chance of escaping.
The more she thought about what had happened these past few days, the angrier she became.
"I never thought that even after four years of hardship and a complete makeover, I still couldn't escape!"
Xiao Shenjing was standing outside the prison gate when he heard those words.
He paused, and just as he was about to take another step, the person inside spoke again.
"I'm so angry!" Yunxi cursed through gritted teeth in pain. "If it weren't for that madman Xiao Shenjing coming to Yangzhou for no reason, I would already be living happily ever after with my husband."
Dao Yi couldn't help but secretly glance at Xiao Shenjing.
Xiao Shenjing stood against the light, the dim firelight dividing his face into half light and half shadow.
The shadow, distorted and elongated by the candlelight, resembled a terrifying behemoth.
It was dark and dangerous.
In the prison cell, Yunxi sighed heavily, "He was forced to separate from his wife before they even had a wedding night, before he had experienced even a fraction of the joys of life!"
Xiao Shenjing's face suddenly darkened.
For a woman to be so shameless, constantly talking about matters of the inner chambers, she is truly a utterly uncultured ruffian.
Looking at his knife, I felt my scalp tingle and a murderous intent enveloped me.
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