Chapter 105 Wavering, yearning for his embrace
Inside the earthen house, the candlelight flickered.
Qi Yuan and A Lu Heng were sitting facing each other, discussing their next plan in hushed tones.
Suddenly, Qi Yuan's ears twitched slightly. He raised his hand to stop A Luheng from speaking and his sharp eyes swept towards the window.
"There's some noise outside." He said in a very low voice.
A Luheng's expression changed, and he suddenly stood up: "It's Xia Gou! I have to go!" He said, and rushed towards the back door.
"It's too late!" Qi Yuan grabbed him, his gaze sweeping darkly over the shadowy figures moving outside the window. "Look, the entire area is surrounded. Going out now is like walking into a trap!"
"What should we do then? Just sit here and wait to die?" Aluheng growled anxiously.
A ruthless glint flashed in Qi Yuan's eyes. He suddenly bent down and swiftly pulled a gleaming dagger from under a loose piece of clay on the table.
Before Aluheng could react, Qi Yuan flicked his wrist, and the dagger precisely pierced Aluheng's chest!
Aluheng stared wide-eyed in disbelief, opened his mouth but couldn't utter a sound, and his body went limp as he collapsed, his blood quickly staining the ground beneath him.
Qi Yuan didn't even glance at A Luheng lying on the ground. He quickly darted to the window and peered out through the crack.
Just then, he happened to see He Ruo, the former sheriff of Carletown, walking briskly towards Li Zuo, who was in charge of commanding the outer perimeter, at the outer defensive line. The two seemed to be talking urgently about something.
Qi Yuan's lips curled into a cold, calculating smile.
The opportunity has arrived.
Outside, Fangru clutched the burning-hot piece of paper, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. Her son's handwriting, that glaring bloodstain… Qi Yuan's men were watching her from the shadows! If she didn't do as he said, Xi Yuan would surely die!
She forced herself to calm down, took a deep breath, and quickly walked to Li Zuo, who was staring intently in the direction of the earthen house. She made a panicked expression on her face and deliberately lowered her voice so that Li Zuo could hear her clearly:
"Lord Li! Something terrible has happened! I think I just saw... I saw Qi Yuan disguised as an old farmer, sneaking off to the south!"
Li Zuo frowned, his gaze still fixed on the earthen house, his tone tinged with suspicion: "South? Our men have already surrounded this place completely, how could he possibly escape from the south?"
"Absolutely true!" Shen Fangru's tone became even more urgent. She grabbed Li Zuo's arm, the force showing her panic. "I saw it clearly! Although he had changed into tattered clothes and his face was smeared with ash, I recognized his figure and the way he walked! It was him! Lord Li, quickly take men and chase after him! If we are any later, he will really get away! If Lord Zhou blames us, none of us can bear the consequences!"
Li Zuo's arm ached from her grip, and seeing her extremely anxious expression, which seemed completely genuine, he couldn't help but feel a surge of unease. Recalling the "intimate" scene he had witnessed between her and the Emperor, and the Emperor's tacit approval of her participation in this operation, his resolve wavered violently.
He had overheard Zhou Ling and Fang Ru's conversation and already knew that Fang Ru was a woman disguised as a man.
Perhaps... His Majesty really has a different opinion of this woman? Perhaps she really did discover the loopholes they had missed with her womanly keen observation? What if... what if, because of his hesitation and stubbornness, he really let the number one target, Qi Yuan, escape? Even if Li Zuo had ten heads, he couldn't bear the responsibility!
After weighing the options, Li Zuo dared not delay any longer. He immediately called upon most of his men and shouted, "You few, come with me! Search the south! The rest of you, stay put!" With that, he led his men in a hurry to chase after the south direction that Shen Fangru had pointed out.
Inside the earthen house, Qi Yuan peeked through the window and saw that Li Zuo had indeed led most of his men away, instantly creating a gap in the southern defense line. He dared not delay, immediately lifting a hidden wooden plank in the corner to reveal a dark cellar entrance, and quickly slipped inside. Below the cellar was a secret passage, already dug, leading to an abandoned courtyard at the other end of the alley.
Almost simultaneously, Zhou Ling led his men to smash open the main door of the earthen house, engaging in a fierce battle with several of Qi Yuan's personal guards who were stubbornly resisting inside. These guards were all fearless and ruthless, and the battle was brief but intense.
A moment later, Zhou Ling and the others dealt with the resisters and rushed into the inner room, only to find A Luheng lying on the ground, barely clinging to life, and the open, empty cellar entrance.
"Chase him!" Zhou Ling's face turned ashen. He immediately sent men into the cellar to investigate. At the same time, he looked around the house and his heart sank. Qi Yuan had escaped!
Back at our temporary lodging, the atmosphere was so heavy it could drip water.
Zhou Ling's face was ashen as he stared at Li Zuo, who was kneeling on the ground: "Who is in charge of the southern defense line? Why was there a gap that allowed Qi Yuan to escape?!"
Li Zuo's forehead was covered in cold sweat. He forced a smile and replied, "Your Majesty, it was...it was He Ruo! He rushed over to tell me that he saw Qi Yuan disguised and fleeing in the north...uh, no, in the south. I...I was worried that he had really escaped, so I led men to chase after him, but who knew..."
"He Ruo?" Zhou Ling's eyes flashed with a cold light. "Where is he?"
"After returning... I haven't seen him since," Li Zuo replied in a low voice. He actually wanted to suggest that He Ruo be severely interrogated, but when he thought of the scene of "throwing himself into someone's arms" and He Ruo's identity as a woman, he swallowed his words. He dared not presume to guess what His Majesty was thinking.
Zhou Ling suddenly turned around and strode towards the room where Shen Fangru was temporarily resting.
He pushed the door open and saw "He Ruo" sitting on the edge of the couch, seemingly still in shock.
Suppressing the rage that threatened to burst from his chest, Zhou Ling's voice was as cold as ice shards in the dead of winter as he pounded into her, each word a sharp, menacing blast: "You! You'd better give me a reasonable explanation! Why did you lie about military intelligence at such a crucial moment and deliberately lure Li Zuo away?! What exactly were your intentions?!"
Shen Fangru had already mentally rehearsed countless scenarios for dealing with such situations.
Before she could confirm Xi Yuan's absolute safety, she absolutely could not reveal her true intentions, nor could she leave Zhou Ling's sphere of influence; otherwise, her path to saving her son would be completely severed. She raised her head, her face quickly filling with a perfectly balanced mix of guilt, fear, and unease. Her eyes deliberately avoided Zhou Ling's piercing gaze, which seemed to see right through her, and her voice trembled noticeably:
"I'm so sorry, Lord Zhou... I... I was so scared and nervous... I really... I really thought the figure I saw running away in the south looked a lot like Qi Yuan. I panicked and was afraid he would get away, so I... so I quickly sent Lord Li to chase after him. I swear, I'm absolutely not lying! I didn't expect... I didn't expect that I would make things worse and interfere with your plans, allowing the real Qi Yuan to slip away from there... It's all my fault! It's all my fault!" As she spoke, her voice choked with sobs, and she even raised her sleeve, pretending to wipe away non-existent tears from the corners of her eyes.
Looking at her "remorseful" and "pitiful" appearance, Zhou Ling's anger did not subside in the slightest. His eyes remained sharp as a hawk, intently watching every subtle change in her expression. He clearly did not completely believe her story.
Seeing his unmoved and scrutinizing expression, Fangru knew that words alone wouldn't be enough to get through him. She steeled her resolve, disregarding shame and pride; protecting her son was her top priority! She held her forehead, her brows furrowed, feigning weakness, dizziness, and a swaying gait. Her voice became soft and feeble, filled with profound exhaustion:
"Lord Zhou... I... I know I was wrong... You can punish me however you want... It's just that I rushed here to deliver the message, traveling all night, crossing mountains and valleys, barely sleeping, and still have old injuries... I'm just... too tired, I can't hold on any longer. Perhaps it was overwork that made me dizzy and disoriented, that's why... that's why I misjudged and caused this disaster..." As she spoke, her body seemed to lose all its strength, swaying softly, letting out a soft groan, and she collapsed directly into Zhou Ling's arms, who was standing very close to her.
Zhou Ling almost instinctively reached out and supported her as she fell over.
Although she was still dressed in coarse men's clothing and her face was disguised, making her appear plain and unremarkable, Zhou Ling already knew what kind of woman's body was wrapped under those rough clothes. At this moment, with that soft, slender body in his arms, he could feel the unusual softness and the faint, feminine scent emanating from her even through the clothing, causing his body to stiffen slightly involuntarily, and the muscles in his arms to tense up instantly.
Shen Fangru felt his arm stiffen instantly and his body tense up. Instead of backing down, she felt a little calmer and did not push her away immediately!
She seized the opportunity to bury her face in his firm, broad chest, her arms wrapping around his strong waist like vines, and pleaded in a low, tearful voice, full of dependence and vulnerability, "I'm sorry... Lord Zhou, I really didn't mean to... Please don't be angry, don't send me away... I'll definitely look carefully before I speak next time, and I'll definitely listen to you..."
Time seemed to stretch out infinitely in Fangru's perception, becoming viscous and slow.
She nestled against Zhou Ling's firm, warm chest, her cheeks warmed by his body even through his rough clothing. His unique, crisp scent lingered around her nose, a faint, tangible blend of the desert's chill and leather's harshness, and… the very faint whiff of blood from their recent battle. This complex aroma created a powerful, unsettling presence.
She kept her eyes tightly closed, her ears filled with the pounding of her own heart, which was still pounding like a drum. But gradually, another, more steady and powerful rhythm pierced through her eardrums. It was Zhou Ling's heartbeat, thump, thump, thump, steady and strong, like the most solid barrier.
The voice possessed a strange magic, causing her heartstrings, which had been taut for so long and were on the verge of breaking, to involuntarily relax one by one. The days of desperate running, the suspenseful scheming, the excruciating worry about her son's safety... all these heavy emotions that had almost crushed her seemed to find a temporary haven, a place to catch her breath, in this unexpected, somewhat forceful embrace.
An indescribable sense of security and dependence, like warm spring water, silently seeped into her limbs and bones, making her feel weak all over, almost drowning in it. At this moment, the dam of reason became incredibly fragile.
In that moment of mental lapse, an intense impulse, suppressed for eleven years, surged forth from the deepest recesses of her heart like a beast breaking free of its cage. Tell him! Tell him everything! Tell him I am Shen Fangru! Tell him how the woman he thought was long dead had spent the past eleven years hiding her identity and fleeing! Tell him Xi Yuan is his son, the continuation of their bloodline! Tell him the people of Qi Yuan are threatening her with their son's life—go save him!
The thought was so overwhelming, so real, almost burning hot, that it was about to burst out of my mouth.
Her lips trembled slightly uncontrollably, and the secret, buried for eleven years and capable of overturning everything, rolled wildly on the tip of her tongue, about to burst forth...
Just then, Li Zuo's deliberately heavy footsteps, carrying a clear hint, came from the porch outside the door.
Li Zuo originally had urgent military intelligence to report immediately, but when he reached the half-open door, he subconsciously slowed his steps, and through the narrow crack in the door, he caught a breathtaking scene inside.
The slender "He Ruo" nestled almost entirely in His Majesty's arms, while His Majesty... though standing ramrod straight with an expressionless face, his hands hanging at his sides... seemed to have no intention of immediately pushing her away; in fact, his posture carried a stiffness of tacit approval.
Li Zuo's feet froze in place.
Eleven years ago, memories flashed through my mind: His Majesty's shocking infatuation with Shen Fangru, the daughter of Shen Wenzheng, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices; the Drunken Immortal Pavilion after the Xuanji Banquet... However, Miss Shen, who was said to be in love with her fiancé Gu Zhou, vanished from His Majesty's side as if she had disappeared into thin air, leaving behind only the news of her death in the Western Rong.
For the past eleven years, His Majesty has been devoid of all enthusiasm and vitality. He is indifferent to women, his harem is a mere formality, and he has no children. He lives like a widower, devoid of joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness, existing only for the sake of the country.
Now, He Ruo, whose identity is shrouded in mystery and whose behavior is suspicious, seems to... be able to stir a long-dormant emotion in His Majesty? Even if it's just that he doesn't immediately and decisively push him away?
Li Zuo sighed inwardly, swallowing back the "My Lord" that was already on his lips.
He silently and very slowly withdrew his hand, which was about to knock on the door.
In matters of loyalty to the emperor, one must also understand the emperor's heart.
If... if this He Ruo, no matter how many secrets she hides, could be like a tiny flame, rekindling His Majesty's long-frozen heart, making him feel like a real man again, with flesh and blood, capable of feeling cold and warmth, and having even a little bit of genuine interest in romantic love... then Li Zuo would rather temporarily suppress all the churning doubts in his heart and the unease of being a subject, and not disturb this hard-won, even if false, moment of "tenderness".
He silently moved back a few steps, like the most loyal and silent shadow, standing guard in the shadow of the pillars not too far away.
However, this brief, delicate silence was mercilessly shattered by a sudden and violent commotion erupting from the adjacent room!
"Let me go! I need to find my mother! Let me out! Mother! He promised! He promised me!"
It was Xiangna's voice, with the sharpness and desperate sobbing unique to a young girl, filled with despair and stubbornness after being deceived.
"I need to find my mother! I need to find my mother right now!" She seemed to have exhausted all her strength. Taking advantage of a moment of lapse in guard, she broke free from her restraints and ran out. She was crying and struggling in the courtyard, while several guards were trying to stop her.
It turned out that Fangru had made a promise in her haste to get Xiangna to talk—if Xiangna revealed where her father Qiyuan was hiding, she would take Xiangna to find her birth mother whom she had never met.
This promise struck the softest and most vulnerable spot in the heart of this girl who had lacked maternal love since childhood and longed for her mother, which led her to reveal crucial information in extreme fear.
The piercing cries were like a bucket of ice-cold water in the dead of winter, suddenly waking Fangru from her near-overwhelming impulse and emotion, and also instantly shattering Zhou Ling's complex and unpredictable emotions.
Fangru jolted violently, snapping out of her vulnerable state of wanting to tell everything and seek reliance, a fine layer of cold sweat instantly breaking out on her back.
What was she just doing?! She almost... almost ruined all the efforts she and Xi Yuan had painstakingly made over the past eleven years because of a moment of greed and weakness! Revealing her identity could very well have put her and her child in an irrecoverable situation!
The people begging for Yuan's life are still watching from the shadows, and Xi Yuan's life is hanging by a thread!
Zhou Ling also frowned deeply at this sudden and sharp interruption.
He glanced down at the woman in his arms, who was still nestled in his arms but whose body had become as stiff as a stone. The subtle fluctuation in his heart caused by her "docile" dependence, which he himself had not carefully discerned, was quickly covered and dispelled by the noise of reality, the anger of betrayal, and the rationality of being a commander.
Without making a sound, he used some force in his arm, with an unquestionable, almost cold determination, to gently push her away.
"Go take a look." His voice returned to its usual calm, even more deliberately distant than usual, as if the brief physical contact had never happened.
The embrace suddenly vanished, the brief warmth and protection she had drawn vanished instantly, and the cold air enveloped her again. The pressure of reality and the anxiety for her son's safety overwhelmed her once more like a surging tide.
A strange emptiness welled up in Fangru's heart, and... a lingering reluctance that even she herself found shameful? She actually... craved that embrace that should have been filled with calculation, testing, and defensiveness? This realization made her feel flustered and deeply self-deprecating.
She dared not look up at Zhou Ling's eyes again, and squeezed out a low "yes" almost from her throat. She hurriedly raised her hand to tidy her hair, which was not actually disheveled, and turned around to walk quickly towards the door as if fleeing, to deal with the girl who had gone crazy because of her promise.
Watching Shen Fangru's somewhat hurried departure, the last trace of warmth in Zhou Ling's eyes, born from memories, completely vanished, leaving only a bottomless, icy pool.
He stood silently for a moment, until the figure completely disappeared outside the door, before calling out in a deep, emotionless voice, "Li Zuo."
Li Zuo, who had been guarding the corridor like an invisible man, immediately responded and entered, bowing and standing at the door with his hands at his sides, holding his breath and concentrating intently.
Zhou Ling didn't turn around, remaining with his back to Li Zuo. His gaze seemed to be fixed on the desolate courtyard scenery outside the window. His voice was eerily calm, as if he were stating something unrelated to himself, yet something he had to do. Every word carried immense weight and a cold, decisive tone.
“He Ruo deliberately let Qi Yuan go in Camel Lane. Just now, she also tried to use… that method,” he paused very briefly, almost imperceptibly, as if choosing the right words, “to confuse the public and cover up her traitorous acts. In addition, she let A Lu Heng go in the Tuyu tribe before, indirectly causing the deaths of three Imperial Guards. This woman cannot be allowed to live.”
"Go and kill her."
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Author's Note: There will be one more chapter. The identity will be revealed in the next chapter.
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