Chapter 261 Changhong and Sun Jing
The atmosphere on horseback ahead was somewhat subtle.
Chang Hong sat behind Sun Jing, his hands holding the back edge of the saddle obediently. He dared not hug it randomly, but his mouth never stopped for a moment: "Brother Sun, your horsemanship is truly amazing! Steady reins, accurate steps, man and horse are one."
With a mischievous smile, he lowered his voice and said, "He's much better than my husband! Don't let his lazy appearance fool you; once he's on horseback, he's a completely different person. He'd love to shoot the horse like an arrow, and when he gets going, you can't stop him. He always complains that I can't keep up! It's much safer to follow Brother Sun; at least I don't have to worry about being thrown off the horse!"
Sun Jing silently controlled the horse, as if he hadn't heard.
Chang Hong continued, "Hey, that 'Returning Wind Swaying Willow' move you used just now was beautiful! You took one down in just two swift moves! Did you practice it before? Which master taught you it? Would you mind sharing?"
Sun Jing remained silent, only slightly adjusting the reins.
"Hey, Brother Sun, you're a great person in every way, except you don't talk much."
Chang Hong clicked his tongue and muttered to himself, "My husband is boring enough, but you're even more boring! If the two of you were together, you could sit facing each other all day without saying a word, right?"
Sun Jing's lips twitched slightly, but he remained as silent as a mountain.
Chang Hong sized up Sun Jing's retreating figure and continued his unrestrained speech: "But speaking of which, Brother Sun, your aura... tsk, it's just like those lone travelers I've seen in the martial world before! Your eyes are as sharp as an eagle's, you walk without making a sound, and your moves are quick and ruthless. Just now, when you took down those two assassins, your moves were so clean and efficient, without a single unnecessary step..."
The more he talked, the more plausible it seemed to him. Half-jokingly and half-seriously, he said, "Hey! Your approach isn't like that of an ordinary servant. It really does seem like... hehe, like a top-tier assassin who gets paid to do things!"
"Yes, yes, they do look quite like those assassins from earlier."
Sun Jing suddenly clenched his fist on the reins.
His entire back tensed instantly, like an iron plate, and even his breathing seemed to stop for a moment.
Changhong was startled by his sudden reaction, but he didn't think too much about it, assuming that he had just gone too far with his joke.
He quickly leaned forward, awkwardly changing the subject, and added with a hint of gossipy excitement, "Hey, seriously, Brother Sun, let's not talk about this... Look at my husband and your wife, just now, weren't they... um? Is there any chance?"
Sun Jing, who had been silent all along, suddenly pulled hard on the reins!
The horse reared up, and Chang Hong cried out "Ouch!" as he was almost thrown off. He quickly clung tightly to the saddle.
There's a pit ahead.
Sun Jing gave a curt explanation and urged his horse forward again.
Chang Hong, still shaken, patted his chest and muttered softly, "You should have told me there was a trap... You scared me to death..."
This time he finally quieted down for a moment, but after a while, he couldn't help but start examining Sun Jing's leather wristband again...
This was given to him by Lu Zhaoruo.
rear.
Meng Xi carefully controlled the reins, trying his best not to let the horse's jolting disturb the injured person in front of him.
His movements were so gentle they were almost clumsy, a stark contrast to his usual nonchalant demeanor.
The night breeze was cool, blowing a few stray strands of Lu Zhaoruo's hair, gently brushing against his chin, bringing a slight tickle and a faint fragrance.
He instinctively held his breath.
Ahead, the incessant chatter of Chang Hong and the long silence of Sun Jing could be faintly heard. Meng Xi shook his head helplessly, but a smile appeared on his lips that he himself did not notice.
Due to blood loss and exhaustion, Lu Zhaoruo's consciousness became somewhat blurred, and her body involuntarily leaned back slightly, seeking support.
Her back was almost pressed against his chest. Even through several layers of clothing, Meng Xi could clearly feel the warmth emanating from her thin shoulders, as well as the occasional slight trembling she made due to the pain.
This realization caused Meng Xi's body to stiffen instantly.
He has always disliked getting too close to people and even more so, he dislikes being entangled in trivial emotions.
But at this moment, the woman leaned quietly in his arms, docile and vulnerable.
A strange, scalding heat surged into his heart without warning, his heart pounding in his chest like a drum, each beat clearly audible, making his eardrums throb.
He didn't even dare to breathe deeply, for fear of disturbing this sudden and bewildering intimacy.
This was the first time in his life that he had been so close to a woman, close enough to smell the scent of her hair and feel the weight of her life.
That usual languor and aloofness was replaced at this moment by a cautious tension.
Lu Zhaoruo was unaware of the turbulent emotions of the person behind her. She only felt an unexpected sense of security in the chest behind her, which shielded her from the chill of the night wind and eased the throbbing pain in her wound.
The city gate was almost in sight; the night was as dark as ink, with only the faint light of stars and moon.
Xiao Yeming reined in his horse and stood by the roadside, his brows furrowed and his gaze anxiously fixed on the direction of the official road outside the city.
It was already completely dark, but Lu Zhaoruo still hadn't returned, which was definitely not her usual style.
He could no longer contain himself, so he summoned Wang Wu and rode out of the city to greet him.
They hadn't gone far when they saw two riders slowly approaching from the darkness.
When Xiao Yeming saw the person on horseback clearly, his pupils suddenly contracted!
He saw that Sister Lu was riding with Meng Xi!
Sister Lu leaned weakly against Meng Xi's chest, her head slightly tilted to the side, resting on his shoulder and neck, while Meng Xi's arm carefully encircled her, controlling the reins.
The two figures almost blended into one in the night, appearing... unusually intimate.
A sour feeling rushed to Xiao Yeming's throat, and his hand gripping the reins tightened involuntarily.
Wang Wu, who was standing beside him, had obviously seen her too, and blurted out, "General, isn't that Madam Lu? How come she..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the sudden chilling aura emanating from Xiao Yeming.
Xiao Yeming had no time to pay attention to Wang Wu's astonishment; his gaze was fixed on Lu Zhaoruo.
wrong!
Almost immediately, he keenly sensed something was amiss.
Lu Zhaoruo's posture was too soft, completely unlike her usual upright posture; it was a weak and completely dependent posture.
Before his jealousy had subsided, an even stronger sense of worry poured over him like ice water, making his heart tighten.
Without further thought, he spurred his horse, and the steed shot forward like an arrow, barely blocking Meng Xi's path.
"Zhaoruo!"
His voice was strained and trembling, and his gaze fell quickly on her pale face, immediately noticing the glaring, blood-soaked strip of cloth on her left arm.
"Are you injured?"
His gaze instantly sharpened like an eagle's, piercing Meng Xi, his tone as cold as a knife: "What's going on?"
Sun Jing, who was in front, immediately spoke up: "Reporting to the general, we were suddenly attacked by assassins on the road. My wife was injured in her left arm while protecting her and trying to escape. The assassins have been repelled."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yeming did not ask any further questions. He immediately dismounted, walked to Meng Xi's horse, stretched out his arms, and said in a deep voice, "I've come to fetch her."
Meng Xi held Lu Zhaoruo's arm tightly without letting go. He glanced down at the pale profile of the person in his arms, and when he looked up again, the languor in his eyes had been replaced by a stubbornness: "General Xiao, Lady Lu is weak from blood loss and cannot withstand the bumpy ride of changing horses. It would be safer for me to escort her back to the city."
The atmosphere froze instantly, the two men's eyes clashed in mid-air, and a silent contest permeated the night.
Just then, in this awkward moment, Lu Zhaoruo's eyelashes trembled slightly, as if she had been awakened by the commotion.
With difficulty, she lifted her eyelids, her blurred vision meeting Xiao Yeming's anxious face. A barely audible whisper escaped her lips: "A-Ming..."
Then, she turned her head slightly to look at Meng Xi behind her, her voice weak but clear: "Thank you, Young Master Meng... for protecting me all the way."
Before she could finish speaking, she struggled to dismount, her body still weak.
Seeing her like this, Meng Xi felt as if his heart had been suddenly emptied, leaving him feeling suffocated.
He said in a hoarse voice, "I'm sorry."
He immediately dismounted, but still subconsciously reached out his hand to rest on the saddle.
Seeing this, Xiao Yeming stepped forward, subtly separating Meng Xi's hand that was about to help her up. He then gently but firmly wrapped his arm around Lu Zhaoruo's waist and knees, carefully lifting her down from the horse.
Lu Zhaoruo obediently leaned against his firm chest and closed her eyes.
Xiao Yeming carried her horizontally in his arms and steadily walked to his horse.
He carefully placed the person in his arms on the front of the saddle, then protected her with one hand, grabbed the saddle ring with the other, stepped into the stirrups, and nimbly mounted the horse.
He gave the reins a sharp shake and said in a deep voice, "Let's go back to the city for treatment first!"
Having said that, he spurred his horse and galloped towards the city gate, leaving everyone behind.
As Meng Xi gazed at the departing figure, a self-deprecating smirk slowly crept onto his lips.
He remained silent for a moment, then turned and mounted his horse.
Changhong leaned closer to Sun Jing and muttered softly, "Sigh, my husband must be feeling terrible... It's been so hard..."
Before he could finish speaking, Sun Jing suddenly dismounted, walked to Wang Wu's horse, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Brother Wang, please give me a ride."
Wang Wu was taken aback for a moment. Although he didn't understand why, he nodded and agreed: "Brother Sun, you're too kind. Please come on up."
Changhong looked at the horse's back, now empty, and then at his husband's lonely figure ahead. The rest of his words stuck in his throat, and he could only scratch his head helplessly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
