Chapter 143: No coincidences, no stories
There was no village or shop in the distance, and it was a bit strange for a beggar to walk alone on the road. Moreover, he fell in front of the team, and the guards immediately became alert.
The guards immediately surrounded them vigilantly.
After checking, the guard reported, "Your Highness, it's a beggar. His right leg is broken and he has wounds all over his body. He looks like he's dying."
Pei Jing frowned slightly: "Take it with you."
Duan Jiu immediately ordered his men to carry the beggar onto the last carriage loaded with miscellaneous items. He knew that it was the word "beggar" that made the prince feel pity for him.
When it was completely dark, the team stopped at an inn to rest.
Pei Jing had just finished washing up when Duan Jiu came hurriedly to report: "Your Majesty, there's something wrong with that beggar."
Pei Jing was wearing a belt and tilted his head when he heard this: "Speak."
"I had someone carefully examine his injuries. Although he had a broken leg and was poisoned, his muscles and bones were strong. He was obviously a martial artist with considerable skills. Anyone who could injure him like this must be extremely skilled in martial arts."
Duan Jiu lowered his voice, "But the strange thing is, he can't remember anything, he can't even say his own name."
Pei Jing thought for a moment, sat down in a chair, and said, "Bring him to see me, and call Wen Zhu."
Soon, the beggar was brought in.
After washing up, the beggar had changed his previous disheveled appearance. He was about twenty years old, with a handsome face, sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. Even though his face was pale at this moment, it could not hide his heroic spirit.
But those eyes that should have been bright were now dull and lifeless, revealing some doubt and confusion.
Pei Jing looked at the young man calmly, "What's your name?"
The beggar shook his head: "I don't remember."
"Where are you from?"
"I came from the north and walked south for a while, but I didn't know where to go, so I had to go back north."
This beggar has extraordinary manners and is definitely not an ordinary beggar.
Pei Jing signaled, and Wen Zhu immediately stepped forward and grabbed the beggar's wrist. The beggar instinctively tried to break free, but he was unable to do so due to his leg injury.
Wen Zhu quickly let go of his hand and said thoughtfully, "The pulse is disordered, and it seems to be Qianjixue who was infected."
"Qianjixue?" Duan Jiu gasped, "You didn't make a wrong diagnosis, did you? Qianjixue doesn't spare anyone. If it was Qianjixue, he would have bled to death long ago."
Wen Zhu frowned thoughtfully, "I find it strange too. What's so special about his physique that he could survive under the Thousand Machine Snow?"
Wen Zhu circled around the beggar twice, her eyes looking as if she wanted to dissect him open and study him carefully. The beggar was so nervous that he leaned on his crutches to avoid her gaze.
Pei Jing walked to the table, picked up his brush and quickly drew a pattern. He held up the paper and pointed it at the beggar. "Do you recognize this?"
The beggar stared at the pattern for a long time, as if trying to think hard. After a long while, he shook his head in disappointment and said, "I don't know."
Pei Jing's eyes darkened slightly as he slowly folded the piece of paper with the Sword Forging Pavilion emblem painted on it. "Take him down."
The confusion in the beggar's eyes didn't seem fake, and no one should be stupid enough to cast Thousand Machine Snow on himself just to ambush him.
Only Pei Jing and his brother and sister were left in the room.
Wen Zhu immediately said, "The calluses on his right hand are from years of holding a sword. He must be an expert swordsman."
Pei Jing narrowed his eyes slightly. "This kind of person wouldn't be without his own sword, but when I found him, he had nothing beside him except a crutch. Thousand Machine Snow is a poison unique to the Sword Forging Pavilion, and it's hard for ordinary people to obtain. He's good at using a sword, and he survived after being poisoned by Thousand Machine Snow..."
Duan Jiu stared at the candlelight, his eyes suddenly brightening, "Your Highness suspects that he is the Jiang Linyuan that the Sword Forging Pavilion is looking for?"
"No coincidence exists in the world," Pei Jing said calmly, "If it really is Jiang Linyuan, then Wei Ciying's report is very interesting."
Duan Jiu quickly spread out the map on the table and pointed to a certain place, saying, "Your Highness, the Qingyakou is just ahead. If we continue along the same route tomorrow, we will have to pass by this place."
"If we go any further, we'll miss her. We have to let her think we were originally planning to go through Qingyakou and wait here for Wei Ciying to report the news. Judging by the distance, we should be there tomorrow at the latest."
Just as he finished speaking, a guard knocked on the door. "Your Highness, there's a girl outside the inn. She claims to be Miss Wei from the Dingyuan Marquis's Mansion. She says she has something important to tell you."
Speaking of Cao Cao, Cao Cao arrived half a day earlier than he expected.
Pei Jing's eyes turned cold, and the few of them exchanged glances quickly.
"You've arrived just in time." He straightened his sleeves, a sneer curling his lips. "I want to see how this Miss Wei plans to 'save' me."
Soon, the guards led a woman in a plain cloak into the room.
The woman took off her hood, revealing a beautiful face. It was Wei Ciying, the daughter of Marquis Dingyuan.
Her face was pale, with a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, and she looked like she had been through a lot. When she saw Pei Jing, she immediately bowed and saluted: "Ciying greets the prince."
Pei Jing gave her a soft support and said gently, "Miss Wei, there's no need to be so polite. You've come to visit me so late at night, but what's the important matter?"
Wei Ciying raised her eyes, her eyes full of worry, "Your Highness, Ciying has risked her life to come here because she has something important to tell you."
"Oh?" Pei Jing pretended to be surprised. "What's the matter?"
"The eldest prince set an ambush at Qingyakou and wanted to take the prince's life!"
Pei Jing picked up the teacup and asked, "If this is true, how did you know?"
"Absolutely true." Wei Ciying stepped forward and lowered her voice, "My father, while ostensibly seeking refuge with the First Prince, is actually a secret agent under his command. Recently, the First Prince ordered my father to set up an ambush at Qingyakou. Upon hearing the news, my father asked me to disguise myself and escape from the capital. I'm here to report this to His Highness, and ask His Highness to take a detour."
After hearing Wei Ciying's words, Pei Jing stroked the edge of the teacup with his fingertips, and said thoughtfully, "Miss Wei, you've been running around late at night, it's really hard. But... I have no friendship with your father, so why would I risk saving him?"
Wei Ciying's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her eyes sparkled with tears. "Your Highness, please understand. Although my father has never had any dealings with you, he hates shady plots and schemes. This time, I'm here not for personal gain, but to uphold my conscience."
After hearing this, Wen Zhu couldn't help but want to applaud this woman.
This woman was an excellent liar and a master at disguising herself. It was completely different from what she had heard in Jiang Fei's room. This story whitewashed Marquis Dingyuan, one of the masterminds, into a righteous man who came to the rescue. If Miss Jiang hadn't heard it with her own ears, she would have been easily deceived by this woman.
Pei Jing smiled and said, "Then why did Miss Wei help me?"
Wei Ciying bit her lip, "Ciying...I can't bear to see the prince in danger."
"Really?" Pei Jing suddenly stood up and looked down at her, causing Wei Ciying's cheeks to flush.
"Since you are so sincere to me, I will not treat you unfairly." He stood up and said, "Send Miss Wei down to rest. We will set off together tomorrow."
Wen Zhu agreed and walked with Wei Ciying to a guest room. "I won't go in. Miss Wei, please have a good rest. Someone will arrange for your entourage."
Wei Ciying nodded, "Thank you, Miss Wenzhu."
Wen Zhu paused as he was about to leave. Something strange flashed through his mind. He fixed his gaze on Wei Ciying for a moment and said with a smile, "Miss, please rest early."
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