Qi Mingxuan leaped after him, exchanged several blows, and ripped off the other's mask—it turned out to be a young man who looked seven or eight parts like Gu Nianzhi!
"Are you Gu Nianzhi's brother?" Qi Mingxuan asked sternly.
The boy grinned maliciously: "Qi Mingxuan, you stole everything that should have belonged to my brother! The Gu family will not let you get away with this!" He then tried to bite the poison sac.
This time, Qi Mingxuan was prepared and instantly dislocated his jaw: "Want to die? Not so easy!"
Inside the interrogation room, the boy remained stubbornly silent. Xiao Chengyu observed him carefully, then suddenly said, "You're not a member of the Gu family."
The boy's pupils contracted slightly.
"Everyone in the Gu family has a fine mole at the corner of their eye, but you don't," Xiao Chengyu said calmly. "Whose side are you on? Why are you impersonating a remnant of the Gu family?"
The boy gritted his teeth and remained silent.
Qi Mingxuan suddenly said, "You are a Northern Di. The tattoo behind your ear is the mark of a Northern Di assassin."
With his identity exposed, the boy finally spoke: "King Kumor will not let you go! The Northern Di cavalry will surely trample the Central Plains!"
They were actually spies sent by the Northern Barbarians! Using the Gu family's name to sow discord!
The truth came out, but Xiao Chengyu felt uneasy: "The Northern Barbarians have just suffered a great defeat, where would they get the strength to invade again? Unless..."
Qi Mingxuan interjected, "Unless someone in the court is colluding with them from the inside!"
The two immediately launched a thorough investigation into officials who had dealings with the Northern Barbarians. However, the Northern Barbarians were very cunning, and the leads kept slipping away.
On this day, Xiao Chengyu was troubled when Ashina Yun arrived, heavily pregnant.
"Yu'er looks so worried, is it because of the Northern Di?" She smiled and handed over a letter. "Take a look at this."
The letter was a secret report from the former Northern Barbarian tribes, which stated that the remnants of the Kumor tribe were colluding with a certain "master" from the Central Plains to assassinate His Majesty during the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven!
"The sacrificial ceremony to Heaven..." Xiao Chengyu was shocked. "The sacrificial ceremony to Heaven is in three days!"
Time was of the essence! She immediately worked with Qi Mingxuan to deploy defenses. However, the enemy was in the dark while they were in the light, making it impossible to defend against their attacks.
On the day of the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, everyone was solemn. Emperor Xiao Xun led the royal family to the Altar of Heaven to offer sacrifices, and all the officials knelt in worship.
Just as the ceremony reached its most crucial moment, a sudden change occurred! Several poisoned arrows were suddenly shot out from the crowd below the altar, aimed directly at Xiao Xun!
"Protect the Emperor!" The Imperial Guards immediately provided protection.
In the chaos, an official suddenly sprang up and thrust a dagger straight into Xiao Xun's back—it was none other than Minister Li, who was usually the most loyal and honest official!
At the critical moment, Qi Mingxuan leaped to block the attack, catching the dagger with his bare hands! Blood gushed out immediately!
At the same time, Xiao Chengyu noticed a man in black operating a crossbow below the altar and immediately threw his hairpin! The hairpin struck the man's wrist with pinpoint accuracy!
The assassin was subdued, but Minister Li laughed wildly: "You tyrant! You have harmed loyal officials, today is your death day!" With that, he bit into poison and committed suicide.
An investigation revealed that Minister Li's son had been kidnapped by the Northern Barbarians and used to coerce him into assassinating someone.
Although he escaped danger, Qi Mingxuan's hand injury was severe, so deep that the bone was visible.
Inside the Imperial Medical Bureau, Xiao Chengyu personally bandaged him, tears welling in her eyes: "Why are you always like this... never taking care of yourself..."
Qi Mingxuan smiled: "I would gladly die to protect Your Majesty and His Highness."
At this moment, the secret guards delivered the confidential letter found on the man in black. The letter read: "The plan has changed; it will now be a Mid-Autumn Festival palace banquet."
Xiao Chengyu's heart sank: "They still have a backup plan!"
Qi Mingxuan held her hand: "Don't worry, I'm here."
However, that night, Qi Mingxuan developed a high fever. The wound was infected, and the old toxins hadn't been cleared, causing his condition to worsen rapidly.
Xiao Chengyu stayed by his bedside day and night. Watching him call her name with a furrowed brow even in his unconscious state, her heart ached.
Three days later, Qi Mingxuan finally woke up, and his first words were: "Your Highness... are you injured...?"
Xiao Chengyu sobbed uncontrollably: "You're always thinking about others... can't you think about yourself...?"
Qi Mingxuan weakly wiped away her tears: "If Your Highness is well, then I am well."
This incident deepened their bond. However, the enemy lurking in the shadows did not give up.
On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Xiao Chengyu received a mysterious invitation, inviting her to go alone to the Mingyue Pavilion in the suburbs, saying that he had something important to tell her about Qi Mingxuan's life.
Knowing it might be a trap, she had no choice but to go.
Inside the Bright Moon Pavilion, a figure wearing a bamboo hat stood with his back to her: "The princess is indeed sentimental."
Xiao Chengyu calmly asked, "Who are you? What is your purpose?"
The man turned around and took off his straw hat—it was Gu Zhili, who was supposed to die of illness during his exile!
"Surprised?" Gu Zhili grinned maliciously. "Didn't expect I'd be back, did you?"
Xiao Chengyu calmly asked, "What do you intend to do?"
Gu Zhili's eyes were filled with madness: "I want you to kill Qi Mingxuan with your own hands! Otherwise..." He clapped his hands, and two burly men escorted someone out—it was Qin Sang!
If you don't respond, this girl will die immediately!
Xiao Chengyu's mind raced, and he suddenly said, "Alright, I agree. But you have to release the people first."
Gu Zhili asked suspiciously, "How can I trust you?"
Xiao Chengyu pulled out a gold hairpin and pointed it at her own throat: "Is my life enough?"
Gu Zhili hesitated for a moment, then finally signaled to release the person. Just as Qin Sang ran over, Xiao Chengyu suddenly threw a golden hairpin, which struck Gu Zhili's arm squarely!
The Imperial Guards, lying in ambush, swarmed forward! But Gu Zhili, laughing wildly, detonated the gunpowder: "Let's all die together!"
With a deafening roar, the pavilion collapsed! Xiao Chengyu pushed Qin Sang aside, but was trapped in the sea of fire himself!
"Yu'er!" Qi Mingxuan's exclamation rang out. He rushed over despite his illness, disregarding everything and charging into the sea of fire!
Flames raged, and beams collapsed. Qi Mingxuan found Xiao Chengyu, whose leg was trapped, and desperately lifted the beam, shouting, "Hold on!"
Just as the two were freed, a burning beam crashed down on Qi Mingxuan! Without hesitation, Xiao Chengyu rolled over to shield him—
A sharp pain struck, and she lost consciousness.
When she woke up again, she was in the palace. Qi Mingxuan was by her bedside, his eyes were dark and his stubble was messy.
"You..." She had barely opened her mouth when she was pulled into a tight embrace.
"Don't do this anymore..." His voice was hoarse and trembling, "If anything happens to you, I will not live on alone..."
Xiao Chengyu stroked his thin cheek and said softly, "Okay, we'll never be apart again."
Having faced life and death together, the two finally understood that only by supporting each other could they overcome numerous crises.
However, Gu Zhili's body was never found. Only half a charred jade pendant was found in the ashes, on which the Northern Di patterns were still faintly visible.
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