Chapter 104 He may truly be lost forever
When Yunxi distrusted him the most, he was taken away by Xu Yuansi, a treacherous villain with ill intentions.
The thought of what might happen between the two of them nearly overwhelmed Xiao Shenjing's rationality, sending a surge of violent killing intent through him.
The guards at his feet were terrified, their faces pale, trembling like leaves, wishing they could shrink into the ground.
Xiao Shenjing closed his eyes briefly.
When he opened his eyes again, the raging flames that were powerful enough to scorch the heavens and boil the seas were forcibly suppressed.
It was as if ancient ice had suddenly covered the boiling lava.
The emperor spoke almost word by word: "Pass down my order: distribute Xu Yuansi's portrait. Report it immediately upon discovery. Bring him back to me, dead or alive!"
"Strictly investigate all passes, main roads, and secret paths leading to the Turks!" The Emperor's voice suddenly rose. "Send messages by carrier pigeon to all military towns in the Yin Mountains, double the number of sentry posts! Arrest all suspicious foreigners."
Xiao Shenjing suddenly remembered what Yunxi had said.
Given her personality, would she insist on going to Youzhou?
"Increase checkpoints and inspections along the route from the capital to Youzhou, and dispatch the most elite inspectors to track them down." He turned his head and stared at Dao Yi. "Find Yunxi at all costs and bring her back to my side unharmed."
Yunxi and Xu Yuansi didn't dare to stop along the way.
Unable to take the official road, the group walked along the east bank of the moat, eventually turning southeast and passing through the country lanes of Gaobeidian, where they spent the night at an abandoned land temple in Zhangjiawan.
“This place is a canal wharf, busy with a diverse population, making it easy to blend in. We’ll find a boat to Huoxian early tomorrow morning,” Xu Yuansi had just finished speaking.
Yunxi suddenly spoke up and asked, "Tell me, why do you have this medicine pouch?"
When she rushed to the Gathering Pavilion, she was not unprepared for Xu Yuansi, after all, he had half Turkic blood, and Lu Xiuran had most likely already met with a terrible fate, and must have died at the hands of the Turks.
He might even have been killed by Xu Yuansi.
The medicine pouch she gave to Lu Xiuran was stained with blood; how could she bear it?
He asked almost impatiently, "Where is Lu Xiuran? How is he now?"
“That Lord Lu is dead,” Xu Yuansi replied.
In that instant, Yunxi swayed and almost fell off her horse.
"You killed him?" Her eyes burned and turned red rapidly, and her throat felt like it was blocked by a branding iron.
Clearly sensing the wariness in her eyes, Xu Yuansi gave a bitter smile. "It wasn't me. When I met him at the northern foot of Yinshan Mountain, he was already wounded by arrows and on his deathbed."
"The northern foothills of Yinshan? Why would he be at the northern foothills of Yinshan?" Yunxi asked, suppressing her tears.
Wasn't he sent by Xiao Shenjing to oversee the opening of the horse and tea markets in Guihua City?
How could it appear on the northern slope of Yinshan Mountain!
"He didn't have time to explain at the time; he just said he knew me, that I had saved him, and then asked me to bring the things to you."
As Xu Yuansi spoke, he took out a jade hairpin from his bosom.
Yunxi slowly reached out and took it.
The hairpin is made of warm, lustrous white jade, polished into an elegant bamboo-like shape, with a small, translucent tourmaline set at the top, its understated luster shimmering in the dim light.
The hairpin was also engraved with Yunxi's name.
This hairpin is not extravagant, but it exudes a refined and timeless charm, just like Lu Xiuran himself.
Xu Yuansi said, "He asked me to tell you, 'May our black hair always remain, and may we enjoy happiness and peace year after year.'"
Yunxi could no longer hold back her tears. "Yunxi, don't cry." Seeing her red eyes and obvious distress, Xu Yuansi panicked.
He subconsciously took a step forward and called out, "Yunxi!"
"Don't come any closer!" Yunxi arched her back in pain, unable to withstand the successive and intense blows.
"Okay, okay, don't cry, I won't come over." Xu Yuansi immediately stood still.
He was so tall, yet he was as awkward and nervous as a helpless child.
Just like before, whenever Yunxi, who accompanied Zishu, would tease him with a wronged look, he would do the same.
Several years have passed.
Despite all the trials and tribulations he had endured, even amidst bloodshed, he remained, at heart, the reliable Doctor Xu in front of Yunxi.
Yunxi's weeping was silent, a testament to her profound grief.
She pressed her hand tightly to her chest, and it took her several breaths before she could barely breathe.
Despite being trembling with pain, she forced herself to remain calm and asked, "Why did you risk coming to the capital?"
“I know about what happened to you in Datong,” Xu Yuansi explained. “I learned that Xiao Shenjing had arrested you and brought you back to the capital. I was so worried about your safety that I came here specifically to find you under the pretext of this inspection tour.”
"How can I trust you?" Yunxi gripped the reins, unmoved.
“Miss Yun, do you still remember me?” Yierjian took off his hat and asked eagerly.
Yunxi remained unmoved.
She was like someone frozen in ice, or a trapped beast driven to the brink of despair.
Be wary and vigilant towards everyone.
Seeing this, Xu Yuansi stood in the twilight, his brows and eyes sharp and sculpted, and said earnestly, "You saved me from the brink of death back then, and when you were in deep trouble, how could I stand idly by? Besides," he paused, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "you know that my feelings for you have always been the same. I would rather hurt myself than hurt you."
Yunxi pursed her lips.
The wariness in his eyes finally eased a little.
At that moment, she was like a frightened bird, feeling that everyone was so untrustworthy.
She dared not believe or trust anyone but herself.
At that moment, they realized that the guards were chasing after them.
The group worked together to subdue the guards, then rode away at full speed.
Inside the dilapidated temple.
The campfire burned fiercely.
"Yunxi, do you have a good relationship with that Lord Lu?" Xu Yuansi couldn't help but ask after thinking it over and over again.
Yunxi nodded, her eyes filled with sorrow and melancholy.
Xu Yuansi said, "Although I don't know what happened at the time, the arrow that hit this gentleman was a penetrating arrow commonly used by the Jing army."
He hesitated before saying, "He must have died at the hands of the Jing Kingdom's garrison."
Yunxi clenched her fists tightly. After a long pause, she asked in a hoarse voice, "Where is his body? Have you buried him?"
Xu Yuansi nodded and immediately said, "Of course, I buried him properly and erected a tombstone. If you want to see it, I'll go with you." He paused, then said cautiously, "I'll go with you then."
"I'm going." Yunxi nodded after a long pause, her voice heavy with emotion.
She's going to bring him back.
How can we bring him home and leave him to be buried alone in a foreign land?
Seeing her head bowed and large tears rolling down her chin, Xu Yuansi immediately said, "Yunxi, I won't ask anymore. Don't be sad, I didn't mean to."
She took the handkerchief that Xu Yuansi handed her.
Suddenly she covered her face and burst into tears.
The eldest brother's fate is unknown.
Lu Xiuran is dead.
It's all because of her.
It's all because of her.
If it weren't for her, they wouldn't have suffered this calamity.
Her shoulders trembled as she cried, her body looking utterly forlorn.
He showed none of the carefree and resolute air he had when he stormed into the Xueyantuo camp that night.
But it was because I had seen her radiant spirit and her bravery and strength that I came to know her.
Seeing her shed tears at this moment made one feel even more heartbroken, distressed, and even jealous.
Unable to bear it any longer, Xu Yuansi pulled her into his arms.
He stopped trying to stop her from crying and instead said softly, "If you want to cry, then cry. I'll be with you."
He spoke while holding her tightly in his arms.
Yunxi cried herself to sleep. The emotional ups and downs she had experienced throughout the day, coupled with the late-night rush, left her exhausted. Finally, she closed her eyes and fell asleep in Xu Yuansi's arms.
Xu Yuansi gently placed her on his cloak.
She lay curled up, her brow furrowed even in her sleep, her eyelashes trembling like butterfly wings battered by a storm.
"Yunxi, don't be afraid, it's all over now." He quickly bent down and gently patted her back with his broad hands.
Watching the tears roll down from the corners of her tightly closed eyes, like a red-hot iron burning Xu Yuansi's heart, a surge of bitterness welled up and choked his throat.
He knew.
These scalding tears are not for him.
That furrowed brow wasn't caused by him.
In this trembling dream, is the person beside her Xiao Shenjing, who took her away from him? Or is it Lu Xiuran, who is now buried in the yellow sand, yet whom she can never forget?
Her dream was already overflowing with people, but sadly, the place that once belonged to him had been completely erased by time and others, leaving not even a speck of dust behind.
The thought of such a possibility made Xu Yuansi feel as if her heart was being gripped, kneaded, and torn apart by an invisible giant hand!
An increasingly sharp pain exploded from my heart, quickly spreading to every part of my body.
It wasn't just a simple bittersweet feeling; it was mixed with jealousy and the helplessness of trying his best but being unable to grasp the quicksand. He might really have lost her forever.
It's all that damned Xiao Shenjing's fault. If he hadn't suddenly appeared and interfered, he and Yunxi would have been living a good life in Yangzhou.
The couple is in love and live happily together.
How could we have encountered all this bitterness and separation, until we ended up on different paths?
His hand, which had been clapping lightly, clenched tightly in mid-air.
He wished he could kill Xiao Shenjing.
But seeing her fragile, curled-up figure, the raging fire of anger was forcibly suppressed, leaving only ashes burning her internal organs and excruciating pain.
He could only stiffly maintain that patting posture, as if he had used up all his strength, leaving only heavy, suppressed breathing.
I'm afraid I'll wake her up.
After being tormented for so long, he couldn't help but think of how Yunxi had once traveled thousands of miles, disregarding the danger, to rescue him from deep within the enemy camp.
If she truly had no place for him in her heart, why would she act this way?
Thinking about it this way made him feel a little better.
In any case, we have to fight for it again.
Otherwise, how could I be content?
When Yunxi woke up, she felt warm all over and couldn't feel the howling, biting north wind outside the window at all.
She had barely moved when she felt a gentle pat on her back, as if to comfort her.
She opened her eyes.
He found himself still in the dilapidated temple from yesterday, being held in Xu Yuansi's arms.
Yunxi was taken aback.
She closed her eyes and lay down for a while longer.
In the end, she could no longer keep up the pretense.
She had just sat up when Xu Yuansi was startled awake. "Yunxi, what's wrong?"
Looking out through the crack in the wall, it remained dark and without a trace of light.
"Xu Yuansi." Yunxi patted her face to fully regain her senses. "You should go back to the Turkic Khaganate."
Xu Yuansi's expression changed instantly. "You're just going to kick me out?"
Yunxi shook her head.
“Xiao Shenjing knows I escaped and will definitely send people to investigate. It’s too dangerous for you to be by my side now. If you fall into Xiao Shenjing’s hands,” she paused, “given his ruthless nature, you will definitely not survive.”
Xu Yuansi remained silent for a long time before suddenly asking, "When I was trapped deep in enemy territory, were you absolutely certain you could escape unscathed?"
"How could there be?" Yunxi shook her head.
After he finished speaking, she slowly realized what he meant.
Her expression gradually turned serious. "Xu Yuansi, you should leave."
Before he could speak, Yunxi cut him off, saying, "You brought me out of the capital this time, just like I saved you back then."
You don't owe me anything anymore.
Xu Yuansi looked at her, but this time he did not refute her.
Instead, he paused for a few moments before asking, "Where do you plan to go now?"
"Xu Yuansi, this is my business, you don't need to interfere anymore." She turned her back and stood up.
The obvious rejection brought a hint of sadness to Xu Yuansi's eyes.
Yunxi pulled up her hood and said without turning her head, "I'm leaving. Goodbye."
Xu Yuansi neither tried to keep him nor said anything.
Until Yunxi led his horse and disappeared into the wind and snow.
The two guards they brought looked at each other, and Irgen cautiously asked, "Second Prince, shall we not give chase?"
Another, smaller man suggested, "Why don't we listen to this girl and go back to Yinshan? There's always danger in this Han territory."
Before Xu Yuansi could speak, Yierjian glared at him angrily and said, "What the hell are you talking about? If it weren't for Miss Yun's chivalrous courage in risking her life to save the Second Prince, would you still be alive and well today? Anyway, if you want to leave, then leave. I, Yierjian, would rather die than abandon my friend."
"I was just saying," the smaller man scratched his head sheepishly, "but the second prince is unlikely to listen to me."
Irgen snorted and looked at Xu Yuansi.
Xu Yuansi silently draped the cloak, still warm from Yun Xi's body, over his shoulders and picked up the water jug and curved knife.
Irgen realized what was happening and his expression brightened with joy.
She also started packing her things quickly.
Despite her frail body, Yunxi led a group of people in a surprise attack on the enemy camp. Her heroic and valiant fighting had already won over this man from the grasslands.
As the Han people say, they would go to great lengths for a true friend.
Regardless of whether Yunxi considers him a friend, he regards her as a confidante.
The eastern horizon was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn, diluting the deep night into a hazy, bluish-gray hue.
The intense chill, accompanied by snowflakes, silently seeped into our clothes.
Zhangjiawan Wharf, however, had already broken free from the silence of the night, awakening amidst the low murmur of the canal and the bustling sounds of people.
Yunxi wrapped her worn-out indigo cotton jacket tighter around her, and pulled her reed hat, which covered most of her face, low. She had just hastily sold the horse that had accompanied her on her journey at the livestock market, and now she was mingling in the bustling crowd, heading towards that noisy place where lights and steam mingled.
Before us lies Zhangjiawan Wharf, a vital passage on the Grand Canal. Even before dawn, the wharf is already bustling with activity, a forest of masts and sails!
The massive cargo ships, like lurking beasts, crowded the wide river, their gunwales creaking against each other. Colorful lanterns hanging from the bow cast hazy, yellowish glows in the morning mist, illuminating the shadowy figures bustling about on board.
Smaller merchant ships and passenger ships squeezed into the gaps between the cargo ships or moored close to the dock embankment.
On the dock, a different, bustling scene unfolded. Bare-chested porters, chanting low work songs, carried heavy sacks, wooden crates, and grain bags, scurrying about in the narrow space between the gangplank and the shore.
The heavy cargo was unloaded or loaded onto the boat with a thud and a thud, mixed with the rough shouts of the overseers, the anxious urging of the boatmen, and the impatient snorting of the mules and horses, creating a deafening cacophony.
Yunxi had to find a boat heading towards Tongzhou that would dock or pass by Huoxian Town. Naturally, she couldn't ask the official ships or large merchant ships, so she could only focus on those small boats or mixed passenger and cargo boats that looked inconspicuous and whose boatmen seemed relatively friendly.
Yunxi deliberately asked around in accented Mandarin and finally found a private boat that was about to leave the dock.
She was already dressed as a man at this point.
He looked very thin and had hunched shoulders. To avoid being taken advantage of, it took him a while to pull out a small piece of silver and give it to the boatman.
But just as she stepped onto the deck, before she could even turn around, she heard a familiar voice behind her.
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