The inertia was so great that the entire carriage swayed when Song Tangxue stepped onto it. The coachman pulled on the reins and stopped the horse. Song Tangxue then stepped into the carriage in one go.
Unsteady on his feet, he lurched forward a little, but the coachman grabbed the fluttering curtain and calmly looked towards the alley entrance with an air of serene contentment.
Song Tangxue couldn't stop in time and fell into Xie Qianzhong's arms.
The familiar fragrance enveloped Song Tangxue, her ear tips turned slightly red, and her palms revealed strong, muscular muscles. Song Tangxue felt her palms burning and breathed heavily to calm herself.
With each breath, the scorching breath from his chest filled the air in the person's arms, and for a moment, the atmosphere inside the carriage became tense.
A sense of relief washed over her chest; the straps that bound her breasts had come loose during her escape. Her black robes were ripped in places by the blade, revealing her fair and delicate skin beneath with the slightest movement.
Some of the marks were slightly red from accidental scratches, and glowed with a soft white light under the candlelight. My large hand, which was supporting her, just happened to touch a tear on her shoulder.
A cool, smooth sensation touched my palm, and a sweet, cloying scent, like the fragrance of spring flowers, wafted to my nose and lingered. It was the scent of the sachets that Song Tangxue often used, and the clothes in her wardrobe were all infused with it.
This black robe is no exception.
"Thank you, sir!" The pursuing soldiers stopped.
The soldiers outside recognized Xie Qianzhong's car and shouted, "Lord Xie, are you inside?"
The delicate body in her arms trembled slightly, her head buried in his chest, unable to see his face. Her fingers brushed over the cool fabric, landing on the clothes beside her.
Xie Qianzhong lowered his eyelashes and gently tapped Song Tangxue's shoulder blade with his fingertips, hinting that she should relax. However, Song Tangxue gripped his sleeve even tighter. Xie Qianzhong frowned, raised his head, and lifted a corner of the carriage curtain to look outside.
"What is it?"
"Have you seen a tall, thin man dressed in black?" The soldiers outside, having confirmed Xie Qianzhong's identity, asked respectfully with their heads bowed.
"A man?" The finger bone tapped the shoulder of the person in his arms again, and the body trembled slightly, the fingers that were gripping his sleeve turning crimson.
There is only one woman here with him.
"They went deeper into the alley." Xie Qianzhong's voice lowered, and his hand remained on Song Tangxue's shoulder.
With soldiers and officers outside, too much noise would arouse suspicion. Xie Qianzhong did not push her away immediately, but let her fall into his arms, even gently embracing her.
The officers glanced at the long, narrow passage and couldn't believe that the thief could run so fast, disappearing from their sight in the blink of an eye.
His suspicious gaze fell on the blue carriage: "My lord, if I may be so bold as to inquire about your carriage, may I?"
The carriage was completely silent, bathed in moonlight that filled the space with a serene tranquility that made one hesitate to approach.
The person sitting inside is none other than the current Emperor Jiuyuan.
The officer gritted his teeth and took a step forward: "Sir Xie?"
Lord Xie, inside the carriage, met the gaze of the girl who suddenly looked up, and was speechless for a moment.
Her rosy cheeks were flushed, whether from a light sweat or from shyness, and her eyes seemed to hold a pool of rippling spring water.
Her delicate, thin lips parted slightly, revealing a charming smile: "Mmm~"
The serenity of the moonlight was broken by a voice that sparked wild thoughts; the charming, lingering tone seemed to hook the hearts of everyone present.
Xie Qianzhong's eyes were deep and calm, like the stillness before a storm.
Song Tangxue lowered her eyelids and parted her thin lips slightly: "Thank you, Your Excellency~"
A voice, seemingly hesitant yet enigmatic, rang out, causing the soldiers outside to blush and nearly collapse.
Is this something he can hear? "I apologize for disturbing you, farewell."
The officers and soldiers hurriedly ran into the depths of the alley, their speed seemingly even faster than when they were chasing Song Tangxue.
The soldiers behind them hurriedly followed, their faces red and necks bulging, almost fleeing in panic.
Hearing the footsteps receding into the distance, Song Tangxue patted her chest: "Thank you for your help again, Lord Xie."
Suddenly, Song Tangxue's eyes widened as she looked at the person in front of her who showed no sign of calming down. Xie Qianzhong raised his eyebrows and stared into her eyes like a wild beast.
Xie Qianzhong reacted...
This realization made Song Tangxue blush deeply. She stood up repeatedly, pulling at her sleeves to cover her exposed fair skin, her body slightly hunched.
Her eyes darted away, avoiding Xie Qianzhong's face and the rest of the area.
Xie Qianzhong took the cloak and handed it to him. Song Tangxue said thank you softly and put it on, finally covering up the uncontrollable spring colors all over her body.
"What did you go to do?" Xie Qianzhong slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, changing the subject.
"I'm going to investigate the saltpeter matter." Song Tangxue was still in a daze.
"Stupid." Xie Qianzhong's lips curled into a faint smile: "You rushed off like that, didn't investigate anything properly, and got tricked."
Song Tangxue felt a little embarrassed. This time, she had indeed been too hasty and almost made a big mistake, ruining herself.
Seeing Xie Qianzhong's seemingly effortless expression, Song Tangxue's eyes darted around, and she took the opportunity to praise him, saying, "This humble woman is without strategy, naturally unable to compare with your unparalleled wisdom. Nothing can escape your discerning eyes."
Xie Qianzhong looked at him, the blackness in his eyes blending into the darkness: "Aren't you just eager to go and get yourself killed?"
Song Tangxue sighed, "Thank you for your unparalleled wisdom and for saving my life. Oh, by the way." As Song Tangxue leaned against the carriage wall, she touched something in her arms.
What was taken out was a crumpled letter, which had just been traveling with Song Tangxue and had been tormented beyond recognition.
Song Tangxue straightened the letter and opened it.
As she read through the text word by word, her brows furrowed even deeper. This was a trap within a trap, and she had been used as a stepping stone.
Perhaps noticing the change in Song Tangxue's expression, Xie Qianzhong was somewhat puzzled as to what was written in the letter.
Song Tangxue handed the letter to Xie Qianzhong, who glanced at her and slowly unfolded it.
The letter was left by that scoundrel. Xie Qianzhong read it through and then folded it up, sneering, "You're not so smart after all, you managed to find this."
The letter stated that this rogue soldier had assured people that he had successfully escaped to Qing County, and the corpse in the courtyard was a scapegoat with a similar build to him.
This approach both drew out the people behind the investigation and prevented the loss of any resources.
Qingxian is a neighboring county of the capital, not far from it, so this rogue soldier also needs to keep an eye on the movements in the capital.
Everything that happened tonight was meticulously planned, and Song Tangxue, because of her impatience, stepped into this trap.
Xie Qianzhong snorted and placed the letter on the small table: "Finding this means you're not entirely useless."
The candlelight inside the carriage flickered gently, casting Song Tangxue's shadow on the wall in various shapes and images.
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