reinforcement
The young man kneeling in front of Jing Yao had his back straight, and his tone was full of self-blame, which made her nose sore.
In her previous life, after Zuo Yuanwu took her out of the palace, he sent someone to send her to Ningzhou for protection. Within a month, she was found by Si Pei and taken back to the Eastern Palace. Zuo Yuanwu apologized and went to the northwest to supervise the army. Unexpectedly, he contracted malaria half a year after arriving there and died.
So this night in their previous life was also the last time they saw each other.
"Brother Yuanwu, please get up first."
Jing Yao stepped forward and helped the man up. Zuo Yuanwu stood up flattered. The eyes that were enough to intimidate the enemy on the battlefield at a glance now smiled in an especially innocent way: "Yes, Miss."
Zuo Yuanwu was born to an old woman who served the old lady at the Duke of Jing's mansion. Considered a family child, he grew up alongside Jing Yao, but left the Jing household at the age of sixteen to pursue a military career. He rose to fame at eighteen, and after being promoted to General of the Cavalry, he won numerous victories. The people of Xijing sang praises of him as a rare military prodigy.
Although Zuo Yuanwu was trained directly by the emperor in the army and had long since separated from the Jin Wang faction, he still considered himself a servant of the Jing family. Although he rarely interacted with Duke Jing, he remained loyal to Miss Jing Yao.
"Miss, what's wrong with you?" Zuo Yuanwu asked with concern.
"Ah?" Jing Yao was stunned for a moment and found that tears had already flowed down his face without him noticing.
Zuo Yuanwu subconsciously wanted to reach out, but Jing Yao had already wiped away her tears: "It's nothing, just my eyes are a little sore."
But she knew that she was too happy.
After the tragic death of her family, Yu Jingyao found that of the few people in the world who could still be considered family, Zuo Yuanwu was the one she could trust the most. That year, upon learning that he had died of illness in the northwest, Jingyao cried all night.
He was only twenty-three, yet to marry and have children, and to enjoy more leisure time. He had spent the first half of his life marching and fighting everywhere, so how could his life end so hastily?
Later, when the rebels attacked Shanghua City, Jing Yao thought for a moment, if Zuo Yuanwu was still there, with him protecting the destiny of Dajing, would Prince Lin still dare to rebel?
In her heart, Zuo Yuanwu was always the part that made her feel most at ease.
Now that he could see him standing in front of him again, Jing Yao felt that the empty place in his heart was filled.
Zuo Yuanwu looked around. The conditions in this prison were truly terrible. "Miss, let's get out of here first. I've already arranged a convoy to Ningzhou, and we'll be out of Shanghua City before dawn."
"Brother Yuanwu." Jing Yao took a deep breath, "I think it's unfair for you to be involved in my affairs. Besides, I have changed my mind now and will not leave the East Palace for the time being."
Jing Yao felt a little ashamed when he said it himself. He used to run away no matter what, but now he suddenly said he would not run away anymore.
Zuo Yuanwu was stunned for a moment after hearing this: "Miss...are you afraid of getting me into trouble? I'm not afraid of that. For you, I'll go through fire and water..."
"That's not what I meant..." Jing Yao interrupted him. She knew that she had to make things clear. "The Jing family has completely collapsed. There is no Jingguo Mansion anymore. You don't have to serve me, your old master, anymore."
What she meant was that she hoped Zuo Yuanwu would only think about her in the future, and it was not worth it for him to get involved in trouble because of her, an old friend.
"Miss..."
Zuo Yuanwu clenched his hands tightly: "But the Empress Dowager wants to execute you, I can't just sit back and watch..."
"Don't worry, I'll be fine."
Jing Yao smiled, as if he was convinced that he would leave the imperial prison safely.
"Do you really trust His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?" Zuo Yuanwu muttered, "You clearly said before that he can't be trusted..."
"I was talking about the Jing family incident before. Si Pei won't let me die, so you can rest assured."
Zuo Yuanwu was a little anxious after hearing this: "What about the Jing family..."
He stopped talking mid-sentence, as if he was choosing his words.
Jing Yao understood what he meant. He mistakenly thought that she was willing to let go of the hatred for the extermination of her family and be with Si Pei.
She shook her head: "Maybe I really have wronged Si Pei in this matter. The real murderer... is someone else."
"who?"
Jing Yao didn't answer directly. Instead, he thought for a moment and said half-truthfully, "I'm not sure either...Brother Yuanwu, can you help me check someone?"
Zuo Yuanwu always responded to her requests: "Who?"
Jing Yao raised his eyes: "Prince Lin, Si Jue."
—
The sun rose in the east, the pale sky giving way to a crimson glow. The palace servants rang the morning bells, and the maids from each palace hurried back to their respective masters in an orderly procession to attend to their early morning duties. For a moment, the cacophony of sounds from dressing and dressing, along with the clatter of footsteps and whispers, filled the harem.
Only the East Palace is still silent.
The prince's bedroom was guarded by imperial guards inside and outside. The maid who brought the hot water lowered her head and dared not breathe. She quietly put down the copper basin and retreated.
There was a commotion in the palace last night, with rumors that someone was trying to assassinate the prince. However, the palace servants did not dare to say who it was, for fear that they would be implicated.
The young man sleeping on the couch was unaware of the rumors outside. His eyes were closed, but it seemed as if something appeared in his dream, and his eyelids twitched from time to time.
Because of the wound bandage, Si Peili's shirt collar was not tied, leaving it wide open, revealing the young man's strong and full chest muscles.
There was a sharp pain in his chest, and Si Pei suddenly opened his eyes.
"Your Highness!"
The sound of Si Pei sitting up from the bed woke up Xing Feng, who had been half asleep and half awake outside the screen all night.
Xing Feng said with concern: "Your Highness, how do you feel about your wound? I will call the imperial physician over."
Si Pei had just woken up from a nightmare and subconsciously touched his chest. Following the tape, he realized that his wound was on his shoulder.
"No need." Si Pei stopped Xing Feng who was about to leave, and absentmindedly pressed his chest again.
Xing Feng was puzzled: "Your Highness, what are you doing?"
"I just fell asleep and felt as if someone had stabbed me in the chest with a long knife. The pain was excruciating."
Si Pei frowned. If it was just a dream, it would be fine, but the pain of the knife just now seemed so real for some reason.
Xing Feng: "Maybe it's because of what happened last night?"
Si Pei shook his head, thinking it might just be an unrelated dream. He stopped worrying about it and leaned against the headboard, pretending to be calm and asking, "Where is Madam Jing now?"
"Your Highness, I was just about to tell you this!"
Xing Feng slapped his head. This was a very important matter. The Empress Dowager might make a fuss about what happened last night.
"No need to tell me... since she's leaving this time, let her stay outside longer."
Si Pei's expression was indifferent, and he glanced to the side unconsciously with a hint of loneliness in his eyes.
"ah?"
Xing Feng was completely confused. What was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince worried about?
Who left?
Seeing Xing Feng standing there in a daze without saying a word, Si Pei felt a little embarrassed and said coldly, "Ahem...did she leave Shanghua City?"
Xing Feng finally understood what the prince was talking about and said helplessly: "Your Highness, Madam Jing has not left Shanghua City. She..."
Si Pei subconsciously pounded his fist and laughed a bit harshly: "Is Zuo Yuanwu so useless now?"
He received a tip-off yesterday morning that Zuo Yuanwu had secretly arranged a convoy departing from Shanghua City and heading south to Ningzhou. Zuo Yuanwu even asked for leave from the army, but did not attend Jing Yao's birthday party.
Although he didn't invite Zuo Yuanwu at all.
But Si Pei knew without a doubt who this convoy was prepared for, and who Zuo Yuanwu was here to pick up outside Xuanqing Gate before the banquet started.
Si Pei had long known about Jing Yao's plans, and he didn't want to stop them, fearing that pushing them too far would only make Jing Yao resent him even more. Their relationship had long since sunk to the bone, and perhaps letting go would ease things a bit.
So even though Si Pei was extremely unwilling, he pretended to be indifferent: "Didn't Zuo Yuanwu take her away? Was he stopped?"
Looking up, Xing Feng's face was serious. "Your Highness, I don't know if you know anything else... but what I want to tell you is that General Zuo did not take Madam Jing away. Although the intelligence report said that General Zuo went to the imperial prison last night, Madam Jing did not leave."
"I didn't take him away..." Si Pei lay back for a moment, then seemed to realize something else and sat up straight: "Where did you say Jing Yao was?!"
Xing Feng took a deep breath: "Edict, prison."
—
The morning light shone straight in through the small window. Jing Yao, who was sleeping soundly, felt his eyes stung by the white light. He pulled up the quilt and curled up in the blanket, unwilling to get up.
Although Zuo Yuanwu was unable to take her away last night, he felt sorry for her sleeping on the hay and was afraid that she would feel uncomfortable and not sleep well, so he finally sent someone to deliver clean and high-quality bedding.
After tossing and turning for most of the night, Jing Yao only managed to sleep for a few hours. Fortunately, there were not many prisoners in the imperial prison so it was not too noisy.
"Madam Jing!"
The jailer had no idea how much favors he had received from Zuo Yuanwu, but he brought a breakfast that was so exquisite that it could be called luxurious with a fawning look on his face.
Jing Yao didn't get enough sleep, so naturally he had no appetite. He just waved his hand as a way of dealing with it.
Seeing that Jing Yao had no intention of getting up, the jailer carefully placed the breakfast on the small table and tiptoed out. Before closing the cell door, he did not forget to nod and bow to Jing Yao who had not even opened his eyes.
Jing Yao turned over, but before he could fall asleep again, he heard someone climbing in through the window.
The secret guard was obviously more capable than the jailer. Seeing Jing Yao still lying there without saying a word, he stood up, took the food box from the secret guard outside, placed it on the table, and planned to go out again.
"What's this?"
Jing Yao seemed to smell a familiar scent.
The secret guard hadn't left yet. Seeing Jing Yao was in the mood to eat, he immediately returned and opened the food box to serve the dishes. "My lady, these are crab roe dumplings, braised duck, brocade flower stuffed meatballs, and your favorite pear blossom cakes made by the imperial kitchen."
Jing Yao couldn't help but feel happy. Although she loved beauty, she rarely controlled her appetite. These foods were her favorites. She hadn't eaten a single grain of rice since last night, so she was really a little hungry.
The jailer had already delivered a breakfast, and the secret guard brought so much more, so the small table was almost full. Even if Jing Yao loved eating, he couldn't finish all of it by himself. He turned his eyes and looked at the secret guard next to him: "Have you had breakfast?"
The secret guard didn't expect Jing Yao to suddenly ask him this question. He shook his head subconsciously and then quickly.
"Since you haven't eaten yet, eat with me."
Jing Yao waved his hand and pointed to a seat for him to sit. The secret guard was a little nervous, not knowing whether to sit or stand. "Madam Jing, this is against the rules..."
"Whether it's in accordance with the rules or not is not your decision." Jing Yao had been a young lady for over a decade, so she still had the temper to order people around. "Sit down and eat."
The secret guard was assigned by Si Pei, and his mission was to protect Jing Yao and not to do anything that would disobey Jing Yao. Now, seeing Miss Jing's face sullen and unhappy, he sat down without saying a word.
"Madam Jing, please have your meal too."
The secret guard nodded, and Jing Yao picked up the steamed bun with satisfaction. Just after taking a bite, she looked up and saw the secret guard with his back turned to eat the bun, and suddenly realized something.
These secret guards all wear masks. Are they not allowed to let others see their faces?
"Hey, turn your head and let me see your face."
The secret guard was a little embarrassed and hesitated to speak.
"Madam Jing, we...can't show our faces."
"I won't tell anyone." Jing Yao teased him seriously. Seeing that he still didn't turn around, she understood and changed her tone: "I asked you to come eat with me because I wanted someone to accompany me. This prison is cold and lonely. It's my first time being arrested here, and I don't know how scared I am... You're wearing a pitch-black mask and you're not afraid of scaring me, but you even have your back to me when you eat..."
The more Jing Yao spoke, the more pitiful she felt, and she pretended to wipe away her tears.
"Madam Jing!" The secret guard thought she was really sad, and immediately turned around and handed her a handkerchief.
To her surprise, although the guard was tall and thin, his face still had the youthful innocence of a young man, and he was very handsome. Jing Yao couldn't help but laugh a few times, and the guard realized that he had been deceived, and a faint blush appeared on his cheeks.
"How old are you?"
Jing Yao suddenly leaned close to his face and observed: "Have you ever disguised yourself? You don't look very old."
The girl's breath was as sweet as orchid, brushing past the young man's ear. The secret guard subconsciously tilted his head: "I... I'm nineteen years old, not young anymore."
Jing Yao's face is flawlessly beautiful, especially her amber eyes. When she looks at people with a smile, she always has an alluring temperament that is both charming and heroic.
The secret guard didn't dare to look any longer. He held the bun in his hands, looked out the window and continued to eat.
Jing Yao stopped teasing him, but she really didn't expect that the secret guard beside her was so young.
As if knowing what Jing Yao was thinking, the dark guard blushed and added: "I am the youngest among the fourteen people. The oldest one is already thirty."
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly glanced out the window guiltily.
"Is your boss outside?"
"……Um."
The little secret guard nodded as if he was ready to die. Upon hearing this, Jing Yao stood up and walked to the window and knocked on it.
Sure enough, after a while she saw an upside-down mask appear in front of her.
"What are your instructions, Madam Jing?"
The voice was deep and steady, belonging to the leading secret guard from last night.
Jing Yao didn't have any instructions, he was just curious: "How many people are there outside?"
The head of the secret guards replied, "There are seven of us on the roof, including me. The rest are outside the Dali Temple."
The eldest brother seems much calmer than the younger ones and is not easy to tease.
Jing Yao then gave up: "Have you all had breakfast?"
"Madam Jing, please have your meal by yourself. If you feel lonely, he will keep you company."
The "he" the boss was referring to was naturally the young man who was still eating snacks inside. When he saw that his name was called, he pretended nothing happened and turned his back again.
Jing Yao sat back and picked up a piece of braised duck. She still liked this taste the best.
"Then what should I call you?"
The young man also grabbed a piece of marinated duck: "We don't have a name, so we use numbers to refer to each other. You can call me Fourteen."
Jing Yao found that when Fourteen smiled, his eyes curved like crescent moons, which was very cute, and she felt much better seeing it.
But the mess in front of her has not been solved yet, and she couldn't help but sigh.
"Don't worry, the Crown Prince will come to pick you up as soon as he wakes up."
Somehow, after hearing Fourteen say this, Jing Yao felt that Si Pei was really asking for trouble. Now he was stabbed unconscious and had to rush to save the person who stabbed him.
Si Pei, ah Si Pei...
Jing Yao thought about it over and over again, and the memories of him in his mind turned around and around, and he returned to the last night of his previous life.
What was he thinking when he used all his strength to block the knife?
Is it painful? Do you have any regrets?
Jing Yao was filled with emotion.
"But don't worry." Jing Yao realized that she had been lost in thought for too long, smiled and continued, "I'm not in need of reinforcements."
Before Fourteen could ask who the reinforcements were, he heard bursts of noisy conversation outside.
"Here." Jing Yao raised his eyebrows, "He's here."
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