Chapter 115: Defeat the scheming boy and tease the sultry general (25)
When Li Ziyan opened his eyes again, he felt a pain in his neck and his head became dizzy.
This must be the worst time in several worlds. Li Ziyan took a breath and felt that his current condition was terrible.
It was dark all around him, as if he was locked up. Without light, he couldn't see where he was. He could only occasionally hear some rustling sounds, like the sounds made by some small animals moving, or like the sounds made by shaking. His hands were tied and his feet were also bound, making him unable to move.
The space was very small, and his body was curled up. Although he was thin, he was a man after all, with a slender figure. It would not be comfortable for him to be curled up in a small space, not to mention that his body was now restrained, which made it even more uncomfortable.
He moved back, hit a wall, breathed a sigh of relief, and leaned over.
Recalling the pair of eyes he saw before he fainted, Li Ziyan had a guess in his mind. The King of Southeast had indeed not left the capital. He had been lying in ambush here, probably waiting for an opportunity. But why did he want to catch him?
He couldn't figure out the answer to this question, and there was no need for him to think about it any longer. The wooden board above his head was removed, and light shone in, making Li Ziyan unable to open his eyes. He slowed down, looked up, and saw the King of Southeast holding a candle.
"King of Southeast."
"Long time no see, Saint Prince." The Southeast King was still handsome and energetic. Compared to the haggard and increasingly thin Li Ziyan, he looked even more radiant. "It's been a month since we last met. Saint Prince has lost quite a bit of weight."
"The King of Southeast wants to invite me for tea? Ahem, ahem..."
"Holy Prince, please don't be angry. I finally invited you here. You can't let me take you back half-dead, right?"
"What do you mean?" The space above his head became much wider, and Li Ziyan adjusted his posture. Although it was a bit clumsy and stiff, it at least made him feel a little better.
The King of Southeast smiled and waved his hand. The two people behind him dragged Li Ziyan up from the narrow space below. Only then did Li Ziyan realize where he was.
It's a carriage, a moving carriage.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Your Majesty, can't you guess it?" The King of Southeast put the candle aside and said softly, "Your Majesty is so smart that you can see through my thoughts and even destroy my plans. Could it be that Your Majesty can't guess what I'm going to do this time?"
The two men just stared at each other straight on. Li Ziyan coughed lightly occasionally. He was obviously the one in a weak position, but he was not timid at all. There seemed to be a light in his eyes, which made his delicate face look even brighter.
The King of Southeast snorted and pinched Li Ziyan's chin, "I really want to destroy your eyes like this. I really don't understand what you Central Plains people are thinking. Even if you die, you still want to oppose us."
"Defending one's home and country is a common duty. How can I say I'm against you? As a subject, you're disloyal if you attempt rebellion. As a local leader, you're unjust if you start a war. Disloyal and unjust people like you deserve to be punished by all."
"You're really sharp-tongued, but I wonder how much longer you can keep talking." The Southeast King's expression wasn't good, but he remained calm. The man before him was still useful to him. "I'll give you a chance. Consider cooperating with me. Otherwise, I can't guarantee your life or the life of General Chu."
After saying that, the King of Southeast stopped the carriage and took Li Ziyan here.
007: Host, they have gone far away, probably planning to set up camp here.
Li Ziyan: How many people are there?
007: 20 people, five horses.
The King of Southeast has probably been hiding here for a long time. He was afraid of being discovered, so he didn't dare to take the pipeline, and it was not convenient to bring too many people with him.
It was already dark outside, and the candle next to him had been taken away. Li Ziyan could only see a vague outline in the moonlight.
It was late at night and the King of Southeast and his men were resting outside. Li Ziyan had his mouth blocked and was huddled in the carriage. He had not eaten for a day and was extremely weak.
"Your Majesty, wake up!"
Someone seemed to be calling him. Li Ziyan opened his eyes and saw the person in front of him clearly in the dim light.
"……asparagus?"
"It's me." Wen Zhu had a messy beard on his face and was wearing a coarse linen shirt. He looked much more haggard. He took the cloth from Li Ziyan's mouth, untied his hands, and took out a steamed bun. "Your Highness, have some first."
There was nothing to complain about in this situation. Li Ziyan took a few bites and most of the steamed bun was gone.
"Why are you here?"
"..." Wen Zhu was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, "The prince got into trouble that day, and it was because of me."
"I know."
"You know?!"
Li Ziyan nodded, suppressing the cough in his throat. "You always smell like flowers, but that day it became sandalwood. I guess it was to cover up the bitter taste of the muscle softening powder."
“…”
"Why are you here today?"
"To save you," Wen Zhu pursed his lips, not daring to speak too loudly, his eyes filled with pain. When he learned that Li Ziyan and Chu Heng were suspected, he felt no fear, only regret. He just wanted to have a place in Chu Heng's heart, and just wanted Chu Heng to stop always looking at Li Ziyan. He never thought of treason, nor did he think of harming them to this extent. "The King of Southeast has been hiding outside the capital. During this time, I disguised myself as a countryman, followed them as a groom, and stole their secrets."
"The King of Southeast has contacted the surrounding small countries, attempting to attack the Great Jin Dynasty from different directions. I've captured you today to threaten the general and force him to surrender. Even if we can't succeed, we must disrupt the morale of the army." Wen Zhu's hands moved faster and began to take off her clothes. "The general has high hopes for the prince. If he succeeds, there will be endless trouble. You and I will change clothes later. You sneak away and tell the emperor the information. I..."
Li Ziyan held Wenzhu's hand and shook his head, "No."
"Why?! If you don't come now, it will be too late."
"I'll go with them, you go back to the capital." Li Ziyan's tone was firm, his eyes bright. "The King of Southeast is no fool. He will definitely find something different tomorrow. My body won't last much longer. If he finds me, you won't survive, and I'll be captured too. Even if I escape, there are so many people in the capital who want to kill me, no one will believe me."
"I……"
"Huan Zhi and I haven't told anyone about you, so no one will suspect you. Ahem..." Li Ziyan covered his mouth, feeling a sharp pain in his chest. "Now is not the time to express your feelings. Take this token and go to the General's Mansion to find Marquis Dingyuan. He will make the arrangements."
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