Chapter 91 Xie Shanglu firmly wrapped her arms around his waist.
There was already little sound around, and this question made the surroundings even quieter; for a moment, you could almost hear the sound of a candle burning.
The four guards standing outside the pavilion exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of surprise and delight. Clearly, they were unaware of the significance behind the grand search for the missing person, and were simply pleased that the troublesome matter had finally been resolved.
Without waiting for a reply, Su Heng stepped forward, nodded slightly to the four guards who greeted him, and then went straight into the pavilion.
He looked up at Jiang Geyun, his eyes, like cold stars, gleaming with an amber hue in the candlelight, revealing him as a refined and elegant young man with a clear mind.
But Jiang Geyun heard clearly that he was not asking "this immortal master", but rather "what does this Night-Shining Envoy think I will do?"
The four guards outside the pavilion looked at each other, hesitant to speak.
It seemed they wanted to inform the group that had left earlier, but since Su Heng hadn't given the order, they didn't act and obediently stayed by the pavilion, waiting for instructions.
With a sigh, Jiang Geyun understood that Jingzhou and the Jingwang Mansion were, if not completely, at least 50% or 60% controlled by the person in front of her.
It's possible that she and Pei Xuexiao were already under close scrutiny as soon as they entered the city.
In the blink of an eye, Pei Xuexiao had already bowed straight to Su Heng, who had entered the pavilion, and said, "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Jiang Geyun was a beat behind, but managed to keep up, saying together, "...Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Su Heng waved his hand and said, "No need for formalities."
He casually found a seat and sat down.
This was the very spot where Jiang Geyun had just sat.
Jiang Geyun wasn't sure if he was doing it on purpose, so she couldn't help but glance at him again.
Su Heng seemed oblivious and said gently, "I had no idea that my elder sister cared so much about me, and was willing to send two Night Watchers to Jingzhou."
Upon hearing this, Pei Xuexiao replied, "Your Highness is unaware of the situation here..."
Jiang Geyun suddenly interrupted, "This place is a thousand miles from the capital. Her Highness the Princess was worried about His Highness the Crown Prince, so she asked the two of us to secretly protect him. I didn't expect that His Highness would still find out."
"Is that so?" Su Heng said calmly. "Thank you for your concern, elder sister."
Pei Xuexiao glanced at Jiang Geyun but said nothing more.
Jiang Geyun felt a chill run down her spine.
Pei Xuexiao was probably trying to tell the person in front of her that there were unusual movements in the forbidden area of Jingzhou, with black mist overflowing, and that this place was not the real Jingzhou.
In a sense, there's nothing wrong with doing this. His Highness the Crown Prince seems so reliable; he might be able to offer some help.
However, His Highness the Crown Prince himself was the mastermind behind Jingzhou turning into a ghost town overnight. Telling him about this is tantamount to telling him in advance, "You've done a great job on what you wanted to do."
Forget about helping them, it would be more in line with the thinking of a medium-sized villain to find a way to keep them both and refine them together.
Su Heng didn't press the matter, but looked down at the strange and wonderful things displayed in the pavilion.
He's about the same height as Jiang Geyun now, but a villain is a villain after all. Every move he makes seems to have a deeper meaning, and he exudes an aura of power that is quite intimidating.
Su Heng turned his head and raised his voice to the people outside the pavilion, saying, "You lot, take this immortal master to see the head guard. It's nothing serious, why make such a fuss?"
The four men obeyed and stepped forward, gesturing to the two people in the pavilion.
Pei Xuexiao nodded and followed.
Jiang Geyun resisted the urge to glance at Su Heng again and obediently followed Pei Xuexiao. After walking a few steps, the young man's leisurely voice came: "You stay."
Jiang Geyun paused, exchanging a glance with Pei Xuexiao who had turned around.
Finally, she turned away helplessly and replied, "...Yes."
...She had just been thinking that the villain was calm now, but this time he had been outmaneuvered by her uncle, and she wondered if he had encountered any danger.
Yes, after seeing Su Heng, Jiang Geyun was certain that the truth was that Prince Jing intended to kill the villain and pin the blame on her and Pei Xuexiao. She never expected the villain to be so slippery.
She suddenly remembered the rainy night before.
...I empathized with King Jing for a moment.
The scattered footsteps faded into the distance, and once again, silence returned to the pavilion.
Su Heng said, "This one..."
Jiang Geyun replied, "Jiang Geyun."
He nodded, "Miss Jiang."
Jiang Geyun: "..."
Su Heng ignored Jiang Geyun's silence and said to himself, "Miss Jiang's constitution seems to be quite special? My elder sister has only been in Xuandujian for a short time, yet she has already received help from a senior. She is truly fortunate."
Jiang Geyun said, "We are all doing this for the Great Zhou, not just to be at Your Highness's beck and call. Now that we are in Jingzhou, we must obey Your Highness's orders."
That answer was perfect.
Su Heng paused for a moment, then quickly said, "The seniors of Xuandujian have the temperament of seniors and often live in seclusion, which is why I have never met Miss Jiang before."
Jiang Geyun chimed in, "Her Highness the Princess is truly concerned for His Highness." That's why she was specially invited here, and there was no other reason.
Su Heng clearly understood her unspoken words and followed up, "That makes sense, but it's strange... I didn't know the Pei family had such a young master, and his age doesn't match up either. How could this be? Could he be a senior member of the Pei family?"
Jiang Geyun: "..."
Su Heng continued, "In theory, General Pei would not want his younger generation to enter the Xuandu Bureau. After all... Miss Jiang, you can understand that, right? If it were the Prophecy Bureau, that would be fine, but the Strange Suppression Bureau is something I have never heard of."
Jiang Geyun lowered her eyes and said, "I don't know anything about other people's affairs."
This time, she felt Su Heng's gaze linger on her for an unusually long time.
After a long while, he stood up and said softly, "Let's go, don't keep the Imperial Uncle waiting."
Having said that, Su Heng stepped aside, keeping a small distance between them.
The pavilion is spacious, but the passageways are still somewhat crowded.
Jiang Geyun braced herself and tried her best to keep her eyes straight ahead as she walked through the space he had given her. In that instant, she seemed to smell the familiar medicinal fragrance again, and her heart stirred slightly.
From the moment she started walking, Su Heng's gaze became even more blatantly fixed on her. After she had taken a few steps out of the pavilion, he vaguely heard a soft call from behind, "Miss Jiang."
She stopped and turned to look.
Su Heng seemed somewhat surprised and paused for a moment, but he quickly recovered and said gently, "I only hope that Miss Jiang will not become my enemy."
Otherwise, it would be such a waste.
*
The next day, the sky was high and the air was crisp.
The season in Jingzhou in the past was exactly the same as the Jingzhou that Jiang Geyun and her companion came from. Even the date was the same. It was a bright autumn day, and the scenery was pleasant everywhere.
However, the good weather did not improve Jiang Geyun's mood.
Pei Xuexiao led the horse beside her and asked in a low voice, "Why didn't you let me tell His Highness the truth last night?"
Jiang Geyun glanced at Pei Xuexiao, who was dressed in a dashing riding outfit. With a more composed demeanor after his training trip, he exuded a mysterious yet agile chivalrous air.
After the sudden incident last night, Prince Jing said that in order to appease His Highness the Crown Prince, the banquet would be canceled so that His Highness could get some rest. Su Heng agreed with a smile, and the two appeared to be amicably in love and caring towards each other.
It seems that Prince Jing never intended to hold a banquet in the first place. If the plan had succeeded, the three of them would have been packed up and sent away together. If the plan had failed, he would have simply dealt with it like this.
However, the next day, King Jing said that he and His Highness the Crown Prince were preparing for the autumn hunt and often went out together to practice riding and archery. There was a beautiful archery range in the suburbs, and he invited the two immortal masters to go there together.
Even knowing that what awaited her at the "scenic" archery range was probably not good, she had no choice but to comply, since she was under someone else's roof.
Unexpectedly, it was Pei Xuexiao who started the trouble.
Jiang Geyun said calmly, "The investigation is the priority. As for the impact on the people here, I think it's best to minimize it. Who knows if something unexpected might happen... or any other unforeseen events. By the way, I was just about to ask you, have you discovered anything?"
As someone who has thoroughly investigated Jingzhou, and as someone who knew long ago that the forbidden area was abnormal, have you discovered anything after being here for so long?
Pei Xuexiao gave Jiang Geyun a deep look, and was about to speak when a gentle, smiling voice came from behind them.
"Two immortal masters, why don't you accompany me?"
The two turned around and saw Su Heng riding on horseback, looking over from afar, seemingly unaware that he was disturbing them.
The horse was large and had a glossy coat, and looked quite untamed, but it was very gentle in Su Heng's hands, and was slowly walking towards him at a speed that was completely disproportionate to its appearance.
The two finally found a brief moment for a one-on-one conversation, but before they could discuss anything, they were interrupted after only a few words.
Jiang Geyun and Pei Xuexiao exchanged a glance, then led their horses and walked up to Su Heng.
Su Heng said, "Are you two immortal masters not in high spirits? How about this, we'll use Moon Shadow Dew as a wager. If the two immortal masters hunt more than I do today, I will give you Moon Shadow Dew as a gift."
Both of them were taken aback.
For Pei Xuexiao, this was just a rare treasure, and it didn't matter whether she had it or not. But for Jiang Geyun, the Moon Shadow Dew was a rare treasure that could nourish the soul.
"It's a deal," she said.
There was a moment of silence, then King Jing's hearty laughter rang out.
He rode up on horseback, as if he had just noticed the commotion: "Gentlemen, what a refined interest! Since that's the case, why not count me in as well? If the two immortal masters defeat His Highness, I will provide the Moon Shadow Dew; if they defeat me, they can choose any treasure from the treasury. How about it?"
Su Heng smiled slightly, "Since Imperial Uncle is in the mood, I will naturally keep you company."
The archery range is a wide field with many targets, and further away there is a small grove of trees for people to hunt on horseback.
Jiang Geyun mounted her horse, her movements slightly hesitant due to her preoccupation.
Yueying was determined to win, but somehow the situation had inexplicably turned into a power struggle between the uncle and nephew...
Riding into the forest, the autumn light and shadows dappled through the trees. Jiang Geyun composed herself and, working with Pei Xuexiao, managed to shoot down several rabbits and pheasants.
Su Heng rode alongside King Jing, occasionally drawing his bow and shooting arrows, each shot hitting its mark. Amidst their laughter and conversation, the atmosphere appeared very harmonious.
Just as Jiang Geyun was struggling to draw her bow and aim at a muntjac, a sudden change occurred!
"Whoosh—!"
A jet-black crossbow bolt shot out from the depths of the dense forest without warning, its target aimed directly at Su Heng's back!
"Your Highness, be careful!" Pei Xuexiao reacted quickly, shouting a warning while simultaneously throwing out the feathered arrow in her hand in an attempt to intercept.
The arrow missed its mark and failed to stop him. This action, however, delayed him, preventing him from riding back to Su Heng's side in time.
Su Heng seemed to sense something and was about to turn to the side when his horse, for some reason, reared up, putting him in a situation where he had no way to avoid it!
The instant the anomaly occurred, Jiang Geyun's hand was already pressed against her waist.
It was completely empty.
— Shouzhuo was not taken away by her.
For a moment, her mind went blank, then her body moved before her consciousness could react. Jiang Geyun leaped off her horse and pounced on Su Heng.
"puff--"
The sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh was dull yet clear.
The crossbow bolt grazed Su Heng's arm, leaving a bloody mark, while most of its force sank into Jiang Geyun's shoulder blade, who was standing beside him.
Because of this lunge, Su Heng was caught by Jiang Geyun and fell off the horse, rolling twice on the ground before stopping.
"Your Highness!!"
"Immortal Master!"
A cacophony of voices and the rapid clatter of horses' hooves instantly filled the woods.
Su Heng steadied himself and looked down. The person in his arms was deathly pale, her lips were bitten until they were bloodless from the pain, and the black crossbow bolt was deeply embedded in her thin shoulder blade, a shocking sight. A hint of surprise and confusion flashed in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.
"Seal off the mountains and forests! Search them for me!!" King Jing's voice rang out, filled with both shock and anger.
Jiang Geyun opened her eyes, recovering from the pain.
Given her current physical condition, her pain sensation has actually decreased significantly. She can only exaggerate her pain to avoid being noticed. Right now, she's unsure whether she should stand up or not.
The first person he saw was Su Heng.
After all, he had been tackled off his horse by her and was still in a daze, unable to stand up for a long time.
The next thing she saw was Pei Xuexiao.
The man sat on his horse, his eyes deep and somber.
...Yes.
He didn't use his natal fire, and neither did she.
He became suspicious.
Jiang Geyun could understand. What if someone she hadn't seen in a long time suddenly got involved in danger with her, started by saying something that differed from her own memories and insisted on it, and then couldn't use any of her abilities...
...Isn't this just getting more and more suspicious?
Pei Xuexiao only threw an arrow and did nothing else, which was probably a test.
Jiang Geyun pursed her lips tightly. For a moment, the discomfort in her body and the confusion in her mind combined to make her dizzy.
She took a deep breath, about to say something, when her vision suddenly changed, and she was picked up horizontally by the person next to her.
Su Heng stopped looking at the chaos and said in a low, steady voice, "I will take her back to heal her wounds. I will leave this to you, Uncle."
Without even waiting for King Jing's response, he picked up the person and strode quickly toward his horse, leaving behind a sea of bewildered gazes.
Pei Xuexiao followed closely behind, her brows furrowed, and glanced at Su Heng's back with a complicated look before ultimately standing protectively to his side.
...
That night, in the guest courtyard of the Prince's Mansion.
The wound had been properly treated and the arrow had been removed, but the slight chilling aura clinging to the arrow kept Jiang Geyun in a daze, sometimes feeling like she was in an ice cellar, and sometimes like she was being roasted over a fire, her consciousness fluctuating.
In a daze, it seemed as if someone pushed open the door and entered, bringing a cool night breeze and that familiar, very faint medicinal fragrance.
She struggled to open her heavy eyelids. In the dim candlelight, Su Heng sat on the edge of the bed, dressed in a light blue casual robe, his dark hair unbound.
It seems familiar.
"Awake?" His voice was soft, but there was a rare and genuine deepness in his tone.
Jiang Geyun opened her mouth as if to speak, but no sound came out.
Su Heng didn't say much. He took out an exquisite jade bottle from his sleeve. The bottle was crystal clear and contained half a bottle of liquid that shimmered like moonlight. The soft halo made his fingertips look almost transparent.
It is the moon's reflection.
This was an unexpected delight, and Jiang Geyun blinked.
Without her having to speak, he leaned over, carefully supporting the back of her neck with one hand, and brought the jade bottle close to her lips.
The cool liquid slid down my throat, carrying an indescribable freshness of grass and trees and a warmth like moonlight. Almost instantly, a warm current rose from my dantian and slowly flowed to my limbs and bones, quickly dispelling and soothing the sharp pain in my shoulder blades and the coldness in my body.
As the medicine took effect, Jiang Geyun felt as if her soul was being immersed in warm water, becoming light and ethereal.
She looked at Su Heng, who was so close to her. He lowered his eyelashes and stared intently at the jade bottle, making sure she swallowed every drop of the medicine.
He wasn't laughing.
Why?
Indeed, she was always overwhelmed whenever she got involved in these kinds of things, let alone him, who had to face endless troubles since birth.
Until he became who he is today.
Su Heng noticed her gaze, paused, and then said, "Miss Jiang, do you have something to ask?"
Moon Shadow Dew is a wonderful thing. It can nourish the body and soothe the soul. Even its side effects are extremely mild. However, it is like moonlight, illuminating only the heart. It is the gentlest form of guidance, making every word and action of a person come from the heart and is difficult to fake.
He was very curious.
What is this person whose thoughts he cannot hear thinking about? What will this person who makes him want to explore again and again bring him?
—Do you have something to ask?
Yes, there are.
Thinking back, she had a question she wanted to ask during that earlier illusion, but why didn't she say it?
There might be too many other things that concern her more, or perhaps... it would be a loss to speak out.
What to lose?
She suddenly couldn't remember.
After taking the Moon Shadow Dew, she regained some strength, stood up, raised her uninjured arm, and firmly wrapped it around his waist.
Su Heng's body stiffened abruptly, his hand that was supporting the back of her neck stopped, and he looked down at her with undisguised astonishment in his eyes.
Such obvious emotions; it seems the mid-sized villain hasn't evolved to his final form yet.
Using this force, Jiang Geyun slightly propped herself up and then gently pressed her warm forehead against his.
She felt the cool warmth of his forehead, their eyes met, and she spoke in a voice exceptionally soft because of her weakness:
"I've been wanting to ask you, are you very tired?"
-----------------------
Author's note: This story teaches us not to eat or drink indiscriminately (not really).
Also: Actually, Heng fell in love with Yun at first sight at every stage (he might not even have realized it himself). The scene at the Prince's mansion gate was the perfect opportunity to act, but then it was Prince Jing who invited Yun and PXX in, which didn't fit his usual persona. If it were anyone else, he would have immediately started acting like, "Immortal Master, please come in!" And subtly calling her "Miss Jiang" instead of "senior" is also very much in line with his usual style. It's written rather subtly; you might not even notice it if it weren't mentioned [poor thing].
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