Looking into Xiahou An'er's eyes, which were as clear as spring water, Hai Chenxi's anger suddenly subsided. His figure was reflected in those black pupils that sparkled like obsidian. The man in the eyes had an angry look on his face, and his eyes were extremely ferocious, but also contained a rare anxiety, as if he didn't want others to see his inner feelings, and even more so didn't want others to expose his thoughts.
It was precisely because of this emotion that the man's face showed a calmness and wisdom different from the usual. The embarrassment of having his thoughts seen through was like a shy child whose secrets were exposed. He immediately concealed his inner embarrassment with a ferocious look.
Hai Chenxi's evil eyes stared straight into the beautiful black jade eyes before him. Seeing that he was not only unmannerly but also using all kinds of strange emotions to hide the secret in his heart that was seen through by others, a sneer rose in Hai Chenxi's heart. Then, he put away all the expressions on his face and said coldly, "Xiahou An'er, don't forget our current position! If you have the mind to care about other people's private affairs, you'd better worry about your own situation!"
Xiahou An'er hadn't expected Hai Chenxi to return to his old self so quickly. A faint pain lingered in her heart, and her brows furrowed even tighter. A faint, self-deprecating smile appeared on her beautiful face, and she said lightly, "Is running away like this going to solve the problem? Hai Chenxi, are you so cruel to everyone who cares about you?"
"I told you, don't think you know me very well, and don't forget your current situation! Xiahou An'er, you and I are destined to be enemies for life, so why bother holding on to some obsessions and delusions that are simply impossible to achieve!" Seeing the self-deprecating smile on the face of Xiahou An'er, who was always happy, Hai Chenxi's eyes sank slightly, and he suddenly realized in his heart, and cruelly opened his mouth to expose Xiahou An'er's thoughts.
However, compared to his previous rage, Hai Chenxi had already returned to his usual calmness. His eyes, as sharp as fire, seemed to be able to see through everything in the world. He instantly saw through Xiahou An'er's thoughts, but ruthlessly denied Xiahou An'er.
A face so beautiful that it could captivate a nation instantly turned pale at Hai Chenxi's words. Gazing at the majestic figure standing before her, Xiahou An'er lowered her eyelids and blinked away the tears that threatened to overflow. Then, she slowly stood up, enduring the pain on her lips. She raised her bright and beautiful eyes and smiled calmly. Her voice, as clear as an oriole, reached Hai Chenxi's ears, "What does Prince Hai intend to do with the three of us?"
Seeing Xiahou An'er return to normal in the blink of an eye, Hai Chenxi was slightly surprised. This Xiahou princess, who always stayed by Yun Qianmeng's side and enjoyed her protection, always gave people an innocent impression. But now it seemed that Xiahou An'er also had a side that was unknown to others. Facing his rejection, she could act so calmly, which was beyond his expectations.
With a smile full of interest on his lips, Hai Chenxi was looking forward to Xiahou An'er's next performance to see whether she was really capable or had only learned some superficial skills from Yun Qianmeng.
"What do you think, Princess? Didn't you want to use yourself as a bargaining chip to get the Sea King's Army to surrender to the King of Chu? But, Princess, you should know that in the eyes of this prince, no matter if she is a princess of a foreign race, even if she is a princess of the royal family, I am afraid the emperor would not dare to propose such a condition even if he gets her!" His tone was very loud and there was a hint of arrogance. These words were enough to show that Hai Chenxi had great confidence in the Sea King's Army.
"Does the prince think that the king of Chu is the Yugan Emperor? Are the two of them comparable?" Little did he know that Xiahou An'er's tone was louder than Hai Chenxi's. The trust and understanding he expressed in his words for his relatives made Hai Chenxi's eyes, which were originally full of sneers, slightly stunned. Then he looked at Xiahou An'er again thoughtfully.
"What a big tone! If this gets out, the Chu family will probably be labeled as seeking power and usurping the throne!" Hai Chenxi sneered repeatedly, but his words made Xiahou An'er's eyes suddenly darken.
Realizing Hai Chenxi's intention, Xiahou An'er's expression gradually darkened. A hint of caution appeared in his eyes as he looked at Hai Chenxi. He tactfully retorted, "Why does Prince Hai impose the Sea King's thoughts on others? Do you think everyone is as ambitious as the Sea King? You..."
But before Xiahou An'er could finish her words, she felt someone pinching her slender neck in an instant. After seeing clearly that Hai Chenxi was blocking the light in front of her eyes, Xiahou An'er opened her big eyes and looked at Hai Chenxi proudly, without a trace of begging for mercy on her face.
'Tear...' Unexpectedly, Hai Chenxi did not refute Xiahou An'er's accusation against Hai Quan this time. In the silent tent, only the crisp sound of tearing silk was heard.
Xiahou An'er felt a sudden chill in her chest, and the belt around her waist suddenly loosened. She instantly realized what Hai Chenxi had done to her...
"You might as well kill me!" The iron arm wrapped around his waist was strong and powerful. Xiahou An'er knew that even if he resisted, it would be useless.
A stern look appeared between her delicate brows. Xiahou An'er did not shout or make any drastic moves. Instead, she emphasized these words calmly. Her eyes, which were clearly black and white and did not show any anger at all, stared fixedly at Hai Chenxi who was nearby, as if she felt pity for this man who only had violence to vent in front of her.
Hearing her calm and unperturbed voice demanding death, Hai Chenxi frowned slightly. His evil eyes then turned to Xiahou An'er, but he saw that she didn't show any fear of death. This made Hai Chenxi feel inexplicably frustrated. He pushed Xiahou An'er away and ordered the guards outside the tent in a cold voice, "Come here!"
Xiahou An'er stumbled to her feet. Upon hearing Hai Chenxi's voice, she immediately turned her back and quickly gathered up her torn clothes. A trace of sadness flashed through her half-closed eyes, which seeped into her heart bit by bit, leaving a desolate feeling...
"What are your orders, Prince?" The curtain was lifted, and the guards strode into the tent, waiting for Hai Chenxi's orders.
"Immediately take Xiahou An'er, Han Yu, and Qu Feiqing to the imperial city secretly!" Hai Chenxi's gaze was fixed on Xiahou An'er's back, and he said this in a cold and ruthless voice.
Xiahou An'er froze for a moment, standing stiffly in place. Even with her back to Hai Chenxi, she could still sense the murderous intent between his words. But what conspiracy was behind Hai Chenxi's actions? Wasn't he afraid someone would rescue him along the way? Why would he take such a dangerous action?
However, before Xiahou An'er could sort out her doubts, a guard came forward, grabbed her arm, and pushed her out of the tent...
Xiahou An'er only had time to glance at Hai Chenxi, who stood indifferently in the tent. Before she could take in his expression, the curtain in front of her had already fallen...
Xiahou An'er had been taken away from the tent by Hai Chenxi for such a long time, and Qu Feiqing and Han Yu were extremely worried. Seeing her return, they immediately surrounded her and asked with concern, "An'er, are you okay?"
Xiahou An'er silently shook her head, her expression somewhat solemn. She told the two of them Hai Chenxi's decision, "I don't know why he made such a decision! However, if we go to Chaocheng, it will definitely not be a good thing for my cousin."
"Your clothes..." Qu Feiqing noticed the torn marks on Xiahou An'er's chest with her sharp eyes. She frowned, her eyes were full of heartache, and she became even more dissatisfied with Hai Chenxi.
Following Qu Feiqing's gaze towards her chest, she indeed saw obvious damage under her left armpit. Xiahou An'er gave a wry smile, but was unwilling to talk about what had just happened between her and Hai Chenxi. She simply replied, "Don't worry, Sister Qu, I'm fine. It's a pity that all the secret codes we had were confiscated. If we could notify my cousin, he would definitely send someone to rescue us on the way to Chaocheng."
After hearing Xiahou An'er's words, Han Yu's face also showed a difficult expression...
Before the three of them could agree on a way to escape, several guards came in with shackles in their hands. Without a word, they put the shackles on the three of them, blindfolded them with black cloth, and pushed them into the carriage...
After dealing with Yun Yijie, there were fewer bandits and Dongyu's men on the road, but in order to avoid a collision with Chen Wang and Hai Wang's men, Yun Qianmeng chose mountain roads for the rest of the road. This way, he could take a shortcut and avoid some unnecessary trouble.
In this way, after traveling for several days, taking Yun Qianmeng's physical condition into consideration, the group finally arrived in the northern territory.
"Princess, we will be able to reach Pingyao Town on the northern edge this evening." Qiao Ying lowered the curtain and whispered to Yun Qianmeng about the distance.
In recent days, although they were in a hurry on the road, whenever they saw people fleeing on the roadside, the princess would order the carriage to stop and distribute the food and herbs on the carriage to the people. Whenever they arrived at a place to stay, they would spend a lot of money to purchase food and herbs so that they could distribute them to the people on the road.
As a result, the princess's body gradually became overburdened, and she often leaned back in the carriage with her eyes closed to rest. Her complexion had lost its former rosy and plump complexion, and a look of fatigue often appeared on her face.
Yun Qianmeng leaned back in the car tiredly. After hearing what Qiao Ying said, she nodded lightly without opening her eyes.
Mu Chun and Qiao Ying were heartbroken when they saw Yun Qianmeng's face pale and her brows etched with weariness. The princess should have stayed in the prime minister's residence to recuperate, but she hadn't expected to encounter war. Furthermore, because of Prince Chen and Concubine Yuande, the princess had no choice but to leave the prime minister's residence and flee north.
However, before they reached Pingyao Town, they could faintly hear the sound of horse hooves from behind. Yun Qianmeng opened her eyes instantly, the weariness in her eyes vanishing, and her usual wisdom and calmness gleamed in them. A look of vigilance appeared on her face, and she recalled the time when she had accompanied Chu Feiyang to Nanxun and was shot by Qi Jingyuan in Jiangzhou. Yun Qianmeng's face darkened slightly, and she immediately ordered, "Don't lift the carriage curtain, in case someone takes the opportunity to shoot you! Qiao Ying, go out and investigate the situation. Act on your own, and don't get hurt!"
Mu Chun and Ying Xia immediately sat on either side of Yun Qianmeng, protecting her with all their hearts, not wanting her to get hurt in any way.
"Princess Xin, I will be back immediately!" Qiao Ying nodded cautiously to Yun Qianmeng, then quickly stood up and stepped out of the carriage. He stood outside and carefully observed the situation behind the carriage.
Less than half a cup of tea later, Qiao Ying returned to the carriage. Her face was solemn, with a hint of murderous intent between her brows. However, she gently warned Yun Qianmeng, "Princess, I'm afraid our whereabouts have been discovered. There are people chasing us from behind. Please take a seat, Princess. I have ordered the guards outside to speed up. We must hide in Pingyao Town as soon as possible."
Upon hearing this, Yun Qianmeng's expression suddenly darkened, but she did not show any panic. The calmness between her brows made the man admire her.
Yun Qianmeng calmed down, a map of Western Chu instantly appearing in her mind. She immediately ordered Qiao Ying, "Change direction. Don't go to Pingyao Town. Let's go directly to Jincheng."
Seeing Yun Qianmeng actually put forward other suggestions, Qiao Ying's face flashed with surprise. Although he knew that the princess was resourceful and very familiar with the terrain of Western Chu, he was afraid that the current special situation would not allow them to escape to Jincheng.
After thinking for a moment, Qiao Ying immediately expressed his opinion to Yun Qianmeng, "Princess, Jincheng is at least a day and a night away from here. I'm worried about your health..."
Yun Qianmeng's words did not receive Qiao Ying's approval. Qiao Ying glanced at Yun Qianmeng's face and bulging belly, and her face was full of worry.
Although Yun Qianmeng knew that Qiao Ying was only concerned about her health, she still insisted on her own opinion. Her face was solemn and she said, "Listen to me and go directly to Jincheng. Pingyao Town is just a town and has no ability to resist a large army. If we go there, I am afraid we will bring danger to the people in the town. But Jincheng is different. The one guarding Jincheng is Dong Jin, a former subordinate of my grandfather. Thanks to his defense, Jincheng is one of the few cities in the north that has not been captured. I believe that once we reach Jincheng, not only will we be safe, but the people in the city will also be safe for the time being. Moreover, Jincheng is the closest city to Pingyao Town and is our only way out at this time."
After listening to Yun Qianmeng's analysis, Qiao Ying's eyes flashed with admiration. He immediately nodded, got out of the carriage, personally drove the carriage, and galloped towards Jincheng.
At the same time, Qiao Ying blew the flute, and the secret guards who were originally hiding around to protect the carriage appeared one after another, temporarily blocking the way of the pursuers behind, buying time for Yun Qianmeng and others to escape.
However, just as Yun Qianmeng had predicted, the number of pursuers on this route was truly increasing. The secret guards stopped one group, but another would follow from another route. The route was so diverse, and the pursuers kept pouring towards the carriage. Qiao Ying suddenly felt an unprecedented pressure. She could only grit her teeth, grip the reins tightly, and desperately urge the horse forward. In this situation, she had to seize every moment. Otherwise, no matter who captured the princess, the consequences would be disastrous.
"Princess..." Mu Chun and Ying Xia both opened their arms in the carriage, and hugged Yun Qianmeng tightly on the left and right to prevent the bumpy carriage from hurting her.
Yun Qianmeng's eyes were calm, with a deep solemnity hidden in them. She knew that if they didn't get to Jincheng as soon as possible, they would be caught on the way.
The sounds of fighting filled the air on all sides. Yun Qianmeng could even smell the strong smell of blood from inside the carriage. Mu Chun and Yingxia's faces were also pale, but they were diligently protecting Yun Qianmeng, not letting up even a little.
"Princess, I just realized that the pursuers are dressed differently this time, and there are two groups in total. I have already sent a distress signal to His Majesty, and I believe reinforcements will arrive soon." The pursuers were gradually catching up with the carriage. The fighting outside was fierce, but apart from the two maids, there was no one else in the carriage who could protect Yun Qianmeng. After careful consideration, Qiao Ying handed the reins to the secret guard and returned to the carriage to protect Yun Qianmeng, reporting the problem she had discovered to her.
Hearing this, Yun Qianmeng nodded. Long before Qiao Ying entered the carriage, she had already sorted out the situation in her mind and had a certain idea of who was behind the pursuit. She spoke calmly, "If nothing unexpected happens, it must be Prince Chen and Prince Hai's men. However, judging by the current situation, both sides only want to capture us alive, otherwise they would have shot us long ago. What do you think of Concubine Yuande?"
The carriage they were riding in was quite simple, and if the enemy had shot arrows, the people inside would undoubtedly have been spared. However, the enemy's actions were only intended to force the carriage to stop, and there was no attempt to harm them for the time being. It seemed that they wanted to capture them alive.
If the two groups appeared at the same time, there would definitely be a fight. This was an excellent opportunity for Yun Qianmeng and the others. They just needed to reach Jincheng as soon as possible while the two groups were fighting.
As for reinforcements, they cannot rely entirely on them, otherwise they may be captured by King Chen and King Hai before the reinforcements arrive.
"Don't worry, Princess! Concubine Yuande's carriage is following closely behind us. We're not in too much danger for now." At this point, Qiao Ying couldn't help but feel thankful. Luckily, the carriage had been overloaded with food, so Concubine Yuande had been allowed to sit in another carriage. If Concubine Yuande were to take advantage of the chaos and harm Princess, they would be completely defenseless.
"Let everyone be vigilant. No matter who those two groups are, Concubine Yuande must not fall into their hands." Yun Qianmeng held her abdomen tightly with both hands, but her expression was extremely calm. She gave orders to Qiao Ying calmly.
Concubine Yuande is the biological mother of Prince Chen, and Prince Chen is trying every possible means to rescue his mother. Haiquan is probably even more eager to hold the most important relatives of Prince Chen and the King of Chu in his hands to threaten them.
Moreover, with Concubine Yuande in his hands, Prince Chen would be somewhat cautious and would not dare to kill her. He would also be on guard against the Sea King's men trying to kill her. This was a favorable condition that they could take advantage of while fleeing.
As the sounds of fighting outside gradually intensified, Yun Qianmeng's thoughts became clearer and clearer.
Suddenly, she remembered how, after Prince Chen had captured the Imperial Palace and taken control of the capital, her grandfather had managed to smuggle her out of the city's defenses. Yun Qianmeng suddenly closed her eyes, letting the map of Western Chu she had been studying for days resurface in her mind, trying to find a way through it. This was the map Chu Feiyang had given her before leaving the valley. It not only showed the mountainous boundaries of Western Chu, but also the places Chu Feiyang had passed through over the years. The map also marked the garrison commanders of various cities, so they could help her in the event of danger.
Suddenly, a very obscure road on the map appeared in his mind. Yun Qianmeng's expression suddenly brightened. He opened his eyes suddenly and immediately instructed Qiao Ying, "Go southwest. There is a road there that can save an hour or two."
"Yes." After hearing Yun Qianmeng's words, Qiao Ying nodded and turned around and got out of the car without hesitation.
Almost at the moment when Qiao Ying stepped out of the carriage, Yun Qianmeng felt that the carriage was running faster and faster, while the sounds of fighting outside the carriage gradually decreased, and the body of the carriage became increasingly bumpy. It seemed that the road she had just pointed out was correct. This was a road that had not yet been developed. I am afraid that King Chen and King Hai have not yet discovered that there is such a road leading to Jincheng.
"Princess, we have left the pursuers a long distance behind." Half an incense stick of time passed before Qiao Ying walked into the carriage, sweating profusely. Qiao Ying's face was still heavy and tense, but her tone was less tense and anxious than before.
Yun Qianmeng nodded slightly, a cautious look still in her calm eyes. She instructed Qiao Ying in a deep voice, "Although the prince has left 500,000 troops in the north, they are in the northernmost part. I'm afraid they are powerless to rescue us. Although we have temporarily shaken off the pursuers, I'm afraid there are more pursuers waiting for us at every intersection. The enemy is in the dark, and we are in the light. If we are not careful, we will be captured! Send a signal to the 'Yu Family Pawnshop' in Jincheng immediately and have the owner go and inform Dong Jin, the Jincheng garrison commander. We are now racing against time with the enemy. We must not be caught at the gates of Jincheng!"
Seeing Yun Qianmeng's expression become more cautious than before, Qiao Ying also instantly became alert. She nodded to Yun Qianmeng unconsciously, but she saw her pull out a secret code from her sleeve and quickly send it towards the sky...
As night gradually fell, the carriage galloped in the cold wind, and the shafts rolled over the bumpy and gravelly road, causing the people sitting in the carriage to suffer from the bumps.
Yun Qianmeng kept his eyes wide open for the entire night. No matter how tired or sleepy he was, he remained on high alert. Various thoughts kept churning in his mind, hoping to solve problems immediately when they arose.
Fortunately, he ran all the way here, and there were no new pursuers except those who were right behind him.
The rooster crowed, and another day came. In the gray light, the carriage arrived at the gate of Jincheng.
Lanterns with candles still burning were hanging on the towering city walls. The morning frost and dew lingered at the foot of the city walls, creating a sense of solemnity.
Yun Qianmeng lifted the car curtain and looked at the closed city gate, a hint of admiration flashing in her eyes.
Qiao Ying quickly jumped off the carriage and handed the Chu Palace badge to the guard.
After a while, Dong Jin, the garrison commander of Jincheng, hurried in from the corner gate beside the city gate, leading officials behind him. He stood outside the carriage and saluted respectfully, saying, "Jincheng garrison commander Dong Jin pays his respects to the Princess of Chu."
"General Dong, there's no need to be so polite. Let's go back to the city first. There are pursuers behind us." Hearing Dong Jin's voice, Yun Qianmeng smiled faintly between her brows, and the anger that had been held back for a whole night finally relaxed.
"Open the city gates."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com