Chapter 77 Changing Clothes You...you're here...I...I can't...
Yin hour (3-5 AM).
Huan Xun set the time for midnight, but Yu Nie did not know his intention.
The timing alone was tricky enough. Hongzheng Pavilion was heavily guarded, and she wondered how he planned to take her out quietly.
This thought has been haunting her since last night.
During the day, she outwardly followed Song Ai's instructions to learn etiquette, but her mind wandered elsewhere.
Seeing her absent-minded appearance, Cuiwei and Song Ai assumed that she was still upset about yesterday's dispute. They wanted to comfort her but were afraid of touching on her feelings, so they exchanged glances and neither of them asked any more questions.
Finally, noon arrived, and the lessons were finally over.
Yu Nie collapsed onto the couch, her mind still preoccupied with planning her meeting with Huan Xun that night.
She hadn't expected him to act so quickly. The news arrived in less than half a day.
She turned the pages of her script, deep in thought, and a thought suddenly popped into her head—could he have made a secret deal with the Jie people to get a reply so quickly?
But this question lingered in her mind. If she were to ask it aloud, she would have to choose a good time and subtly probe him. If she were to ask rashly and annoy him, it would be counterproductive.
"Qiqi..." A familiar voice suddenly called from outside the hall, with a hint of anxiety in the last syllable.
She got up to look at the sound and saw Xiao Chengyan, dressed in a brocade robe, striding into the hall with undisguised urgency in his eyes.
Seeing his anxious appearance, she asked, "Cousin, what's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Xiao Chengyan rushed to her and grabbed her wrist without saying a word.
His gaze swept over her from head to toe, scrutinizing her meticulously.
Yu Nie felt puzzled by his gaze and turned halfway around in the direction of his eyes.
Only after confirming that she had no injuries did Xiao Chengyan's tense back relax slightly.
He said, “I heard from people in the palace that you were assassinated the day before yesterday, but when I saw you yesterday, I didn’t notice anything at all, and I didn’t even ask you a single word of concern.”
His voice was full of frustration: "What kind of cousin am I? I'm so stupid, I only found out about such a big thing today."
Yu Nie didn't think anything of it.
She knew perfectly well who the mastermind behind the assassination was, but what could she do even if she knew?
Those people hold high positions of power; what can she do about them?
Looking at Xiao Chengyan's self-reproachful expression, she smiled faintly, withdrew her hand, and comforted him: "I'm fine, and my cousin has other things to attend to. Besides, the people from the Imperial Horse Administration have already gone to investigate the assassin, and they will catch him sooner or later."
"The Imperial Horse Stables are usually so powerful, but now they can't even catch an assassin," Xiao Chengyan said with dissatisfaction.
After saying that, he softened his tone: "But don't worry, I have asked Han Jie to help with the investigation, and His Majesty has also given the Imperial Horse Administration and the Censorate a death order to find the murderer and the mastermind."
Han Jie was his close follower, and they had grown up together since childhood.
Yu Nie listened and began to believe it to some extent.
They had just returned to their residence yesterday when the palace sent people to deliver calming medicine and food, showing their thoughtful concern.
The emperor wanted to elevate her status as his younger sister, so he had to put on a good show. Besides, an assassination attempt right under the emperor's nose was tantamount to challenging imperial authority, and to maintain the royal family's reputation, he had to investigate further.
But... how could the emperor not know the mastermind and the reason for the assassination?
But the new emperor, having just ascended the throne, must first secure the internal stability before dealing with external threats.
With war imminent in the northern frontier, he dared not confront the gentry head-on. This case would most likely end without a resolution.
The hall was quiet, with wisps of incense smoke rising, making one feel suffocated.
Noticing her bad mood, Xiao Chengyan could easily connect it to what had happened between them the day before.
He tentatively asked, "Qiqi, are you still troubled by what happened yesterday?"
At this point, he recalled Han Jie's actions in stopping him back then.
Ultimately, this matter stems from his special status. The Li family is a prestigious clan with a history spanning centuries. If a prince of Nan Yin were to rashly intervene, he could easily be accused of interfering in internal affairs.
He himself didn't care about these rumors; he was always upright and had nothing to fear. However, his close associates were always worried about his safety and didn't want to offend the Li family because of it.
Besides, what Li Yunsheng did was nothing unusual in Jian'an; he had only killed a commoner, and any pretext could easily be used to cover it up. It was precisely for this reason that Han Jie felt there was no need to put his master at risk.
Yu Nie was filled with all sorts of worries, but she couldn't tell him, so she could only nod casually.
Xiao Chengyan explained to her why he didn't intervene yesterday and comforted her: "If Qiqi feels that Li Yunsheng got off too easy, I'll find an opportunity to teach him a lesson and vent your anger."
Yu Nie didn't think that simply giving someone a lesson could offset the value of a human life.
But she could also understand Xiao Chengyan. She understood that given his status, it was indeed inappropriate for him to get too involved.
She used Song Ai's words of advice to persuade him, pointing out the status of the aristocratic family and making it clear that she did not want to put the emperor in a difficult position, thus ending his hopes.
Xiao Chengyan understood her meaning and outwardly agreed.
Seeing that she was sullen, he offered to take her out to cheer her up, but she was worried about how to go out that night and didn't agree.
Xiao Chengyan was at least perceptive, so he spent the entire afternoon with her. Even though he was usually a restless person, he insisted on staying up all afternoon to listen to her lectures.
It wasn't until evening, after her gentle persuasion, that he reluctantly left.
Gu Xiangzhi, who was staying at the same inn, returned from his shift at the Imperial Stables and happened to see her standing at the door, gazing absently at her receding figure.
Yu Nie was completely unaware that this person had been staring at her for a long time. When she turned around, her gaze unexpectedly met his.
He did not bow, and she did not speak.
The two stared at each other silently for a moment, an inexplicable silence filling the air.
In the end, Yu Nie took the first step, turning around and entering the hall.
The words he was about to say were swallowed back down as she walked away.
The young eunuch who had been waiting by her side couldn't help but mutter, "Princess Shunhe has quite the temper. The master clearly didn't do anything to her, and he returned the medical book to her long ago. Is it really necessary for her to be so angry?"
Gu Xiangzhi stood still for a moment, then slowly turned his eyes, his voice devoid of emotion: "Talking so much, do you want to go to the Imperial Stables to raise horses?"
Upon hearing this, the young eunuch shrank back, immediately fell silent, and lowered his head.
*
She was worried about how Huan Xun would pick her up the day after tomorrow.
For two nights in a row, Yu Nie didn't get a good night's sleep.
On the night she was to leave, after washing up, she told Cuiwei about it.
When Cuiwei learned that she was going to risk going out at night, she couldn't help but feel worried.
But she understood that there was no other way to resolve this matter, and only she could persuade the Jie people with her own abilities, so they had no choice but to let her go.
Yu Nie had already come up with a plan. The two of them agreed that once she went out, Cui Wei would lie on the bed and pretend to be asleep to avoid being seen.
Cuiwei repeatedly told her to come back early and not to linger too long, otherwise they would have a hard time explaining themselves if Song Ai found out.
She agreed.
The wait felt exceptionally long. She sat at her desk for a while, but finally couldn't bear it any longer and paced back and forth in the inner room. Every slight movement of the wind or grass outside the window made her heart skip a beat.
A soft sound came from the small window near the backyard, and Yu Nie followed the sound.
The window screen was lifted, and a bundle was thrown at me, landing in my arms with the cool night air.
The moonlight illuminated the figure leaping in through the window.
Cuiwei, who was already on edge, was startled when a dark figure suddenly darted in. She took a half step back, hurriedly covered her mouth, and her eyes were filled with lingering fear.
She calmed down when she saw it was Huan Xun.
A familiar voice rang out, and before Yu Nie could speak, Huan Xun, dressed in a black outfit, was already standing in front of him.
He lowered his voice: "Change into it."
He walked silently to the door, his fingers lightly parting the door panel as he glanced at the white-clad guards patrolling outside the courtyard.
"What's this?" She followed and opened the bundle.
"If you want to go out, you need to disguise yourself. Put on these clothes and I will take you out to meet the Jie people immediately."
"They're special agents, they really want to see us?" She couldn't believe it.
Only after the patrol team outside the courtyard had gone far away did Huan Xun turn around:
"As a disciple of Lord Dugu Lou, I went to pay my respects to their envoy. I gave them a jar of prickly pear juice. After they had someone test the medicine and I tested it myself to prove that it was not toxic, I also negotiated the terms with Dulong. As long as the medicine takes effect within two days, they will agree to see you."
She never imagined that he would use his position as someone close to Dugu Loujun to get close to the Jie people.
But on the other hand, it makes sense. Dugu Loujun saved those people once, and they are looking for her now. By using this relationship to meet, she won't be turned away.
He spoke quickly: "We only have an hour left, we'll talk about the rest on the way."
Yu Nie knew that there was no time to lose, but clutching the clothes in her hands, she couldn't help but feel troubled.
Although no candles were lit inside the hall, the moonlight pouring in from the window was bright and clear, casting shadows all around, clearly outlining the contours of his black robes and his hands hanging at his sides.
With him still here, how could she possibly change her clothes in public?
He seemed completely oblivious to her embarrassment and urged, "Why aren't you getting up yet?"
Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her voice was barely audible as she stammered, "You...you're here...I...I can't change." As she finished speaking, her voice grew softer and softer.
Hearing this, Huan Xun glanced at the clothes in her hands, his eyes flickered slightly, and he looked up at her with a hook-like gaze: "I thought something had happened..."
She lowered her eyes, bracing herself for a few jokes from him, but instead heard him say, "However, this matter is indeed a big deal." His tone was calm, but it wasn't joking.
As soon as he finished speaking, he took off the face mask around his neck, turned around decisively, and raised his hand to cover his eyes with the mask.
Having done all this, he turned his face to the side, the moonlight slanting across his cheeks. The edge of the blindfold pressed against his straight nose, casting a deep shadow. His jawline was sharp and taut, and his exposed neck was as white as cold jade. Yu Nie stared at his motionless profile, and the air suddenly fell silent.
They were separated by a visual barrier, but she could still seem to see those eyes as dark as the night.
His tone was calm, with a slight curve at the corners of his lips: "Is this alright?"
She heard him say, "Should we get it checked and see?"
She heard the faint, deep tone in his voice, and for some reason, her heart pounded. Grabbing her clothes, she lifted the layers of curtains and ran to the bedside.
"Anyway, you shouldn't turn your head."
Huan Xun didn't speak, but listened for a moment before turning his back to her again.
She spent the whole day worrying about how to get out, but Huan Xun easily led her away from Bai Zhiwei.
At the foot of the backyard wall, he reached out and grabbed her waist. Before she could react, he lifted her up, and the two of them leaped over the high wall together. The wind swept past her ears as they landed, startling her so much that she closed her eyes.
When she landed, she lost her footing and instinctively grabbed his shirt.
"Scared?" His voice was laced with sarcasm.
When teased, she snapped back to reality, let go of her grip, took a half-step back, and said stiffly, "I'm just afraid of heights."
He looked at her with a half-smile, said nothing, and then walked toward the carriage that had been prepared in the shadows.
The two got into the carriage. On the way, she was still worried about the Imperial Guards, but with his token, no one dared to stop him.
Arrived at the gate of the post station.
Huan Xun stepped forward and negotiated with the Jie people guarding the gate. The man took the token he handed over, examined it carefully for a moment, and then, without lingering, turned and led the way.
At this moment, the two looked completely different from before.
Huan Xun had a messy stubble on his face and his hair was styled with a unique ethnic hairstyle. Yu Nie wore a cross-collar long robe, looking like a pale-faced scholar. His face was covered by a half-mask, revealing only his soft jawline and tightly pursed lips.
After passing through the long corridor, Dulong was already waiting at the end.
Huan Xun lowered his voice, which sounded somewhat hoarse, and exchanged a few words with him.
Dulong's gaze lingered on Yu Nie's face for a long time before he seemed to finally relax.
He gestured for them to go inside.
As they walked to a brightly lit house, the noise seeped through the crack in the door. The sounds of music and laughter mingled together, sounding particularly jarring in the night after curfew.
Dulong raised his hand and knocked on the door, leaning against the door panel: "Special Agent, the Dugu family has arrived."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
