Chapter 19 What exactly is so good about Shen Zhao? Xiao Yuan has already accepted it thoughtfully...
"How about I become your protector?"
After Shen Hegui finished speaking, Lu Wensheng was stunned for a moment, then laughed: "What nonsense is Your Highness talking about?"
How could she possibly let Shen Hegui be her backer? That would be tantamount to putting her own head on Shen Hegui's belt, and she wouldn't even know how she died in the end.
Moreover, she was playing the role of a court jester to Prince Su, while Shen Hegui was surrounded by loyal and virtuous men, making her incompatible with them.
Having said that first sentence, Shen Hegui no longer needed to consider the rest. He said, "It's not nonsense. That day in the West Warm Pavilion, I also knew that you had held back in what you wrote. You are talented and capable, not just a theorist. You are also very young and have great potential. I am willing to help you climb the ladder to success and support your lofty ambitions."
This promise was weighty and hard to come by, so Lu Wensheng raised his hand and gave an extremely respectful bow.
Upon seeing Lu Wensheng's greeting, Shen Hegui almost assumed that Lu Wensheng was about to agree.
What I didn't want to hear was a rejection: "Your Highness appreciates your kindness, but I feel that things are fine as they are now. I have no lofty ambitions; I just want to live my life well."
He wasn't exactly disappointed, but a bittersweet feeling welled up inside him: "What's so good about Shen Zhao that makes you so devoted to him!" Besides, hadn't he always had feelings for him? Did Lu Wensheng dare to do that when he was a prince, but now that he's about to ascend the throne, he doesn't dare to?
Lu Wensheng knew in his heart what was good about Shen Zhao, but he found it difficult to answer aloud, fearing that telling the truth would anger Shen Hegui.
Lu Wensheng: "Prince Su is now nothing more than a defeated opponent of Your Highness. Why compare yourself to him? I am not loyal to him, I am only loyal to myself."
Taking the imperial examination was for self-preservation, becoming an official was for self-preservation, taking sides and getting caught up in power struggles was for self-preservation, and now refusing Shen Hegui is also for self-preservation. If she were a genuine man, she could have lofty ambitions and climb the ladder to success, but she is not.
She couldn't fight against the prevailing social atmosphere on her own, and if her identity were exposed, she wouldn't dare gamble that Shen Hegui would definitely protect her.
"Being true to yourself could lead to your death," Shen Hegui said bluntly, getting straight to the point.
Lu Wensheng replied with a very confident and arrogant statement: "The road is one that you walk yourself, and no one can predict the outcome until the very end."
She tilted her head slightly and said, "The rain is getting heavier. Let's find some shelter under the eaves, Your Highness."
Just ten steps away, there is a roof with green tiles covering the top, and the eaves are like wings, drawing a steady arc in the misty water vapor.
The two walked silently toward the same destination, an invisible chasm taking root and growing rapidly between them.
Lu Wensheng's back was already wet. The icy rainwater seeped into the fine fabric of her bodice, creating a stuffy feeling. She couldn't help but raise her hand and tug at it.
Shen Hegui was two steps ahead of Lu Wensheng, so he didn't see her little movement.
Suddenly, Lu Wensheng couldn't help but narrow his eyes.
Which scoundrel is using a mirror to dazzle people?!
A fire ignited in her heart, and she looked up to follow the light, only to see many masked men emerging from rooftops and alley corners. A chill ran down her spine, and she froze for a moment before realizing that she had encountered assassins.
Did the pimp from the brothel tip her off? Or did someone she had offended in the past hire someone to kill her? Or perhaps, was it someone who came for Shen He's return?
Just moments ago, this long alley was deserted, with the occasional pedestrian hurrying by with an umbrella. But now, as the rain intensifies, only the patter of rain can be heard in the air; even the birds have vanished. The entire alley has been isolated like a deserted island, and the deadly trappings have suddenly closed in!
The assassins surrounded the two men, their long swords gleaming with a chilling light.
"Do you know martial arts?" Shen Hegui drew the soft sword hidden at his waist, his whole demeanor unusually calm.
The raindrops were cleaved in two by the sword's edge. Lu Wensheng shook her head, trying to remain calm, but her trembling voice betrayed her inner fear: "No, I can only write... write articles, to kill... Xinxin." It seems she's after Shen Hegui.
"Have you ever killed a chicken?" Shen Hegui abruptly changed the subject.
The calmness in his voice, like a block of ice thrown into boiling water, strangely calmed Lu Wensheng's nearly collapsing mind. She took a deep breath of the icy air: "Killed them."
Shen Hegui's gaze remained fixed on the approaching enemy, his words quick and clear: "I have a dagger in my hand. Take it out, then go and take shelter from the rain under the eaves. If someone comes toward you, imagine him as a chicken. If necessary, let the chicken peck at your hands and legs, but only your hands and legs. Got it?"
"I've got it." When Lu Wensheng's icy hand reached into Shen Hegui's arms, she could clearly feel the steady, powerful heartbeat and warmth beneath the fabric. She curled her fingers, somewhat reluctant to linger in the sudden warmth.
She and Shen Hegui will definitely be alright!
The rain intensified, and only the area around their chests remained dry.
Rainwater gathered and poured down from the eaves, forming a transparent curtain of water in front of Lu Wensheng, blurring the glint of swords and shadows just inches away into a cruel and indistinct backdrop.
As several ghostly figures lunged at Shen Hegui, the soft sword in his hand seemed to come alive, constantly drawing sharp arcs in the air.
Unlike Shen Hegui's handsome and indifferent appearance, he is ruthless and cruel in his actions.
Before coming into this world, Lu Wensheng liked to play a game to relieve stress; the game was called "Watermelon Cutting".
Now, those assassins are like watermelons under Shen Hegui's blade. Spectators can never predict when, at what tricky angle, Shen Hegui's sharp soft sword will pierce through the enemy lines, or what it will pick out.
Limbs, bits of flesh, internal organs, and severed heads were scattered everywhere. Endless blood mixed with the puddles on the ground, just beginning to spread into a glaring crimson before being washed away and diluted by the rain, winding into countless pale red streams.
The only safe haven in the alley was the eaves of Lu Wensheng's little hut where he sought shelter from the rain.
Lu Wensheng gripped her dagger, ready to fight at any moment, but found that Shen Hegui protected her very well. All her killing intent was intercepted by him several steps away, and not even a wisp of blade wind could reach her.
There was a water channel along the eaves, connecting every household in this alley. At this moment, the once clear water channel was stained red with blood. Lu Wensheng saw half a hand being carried by the water and flowing rapidly downhill, much like a chicken foot that had been abandoned and soaked until it was swollen in winter.
A wave of nausea washed over Lu Wensheng, and he couldn't help but vomit.
She suddenly felt an urge to read beyond chapter ten, wanting to find out why Shen Hegui, wielding a longsword, seemed to have transformed into a bloodthirsty, murderous demon, so different from his noble, ethereal character in the book.
Killing to protect oneself is fine, but the scene before one's eyes is nothing short of hell on earth.
Through the rain, Lu Wensheng saw several masked assassins exchanging glances and couldn't help but back away.
It's a good thing that they fear the return of the sunken crane.
Before this joy could spread, another group of people flew down from the rooftop.
"Whoever kills this monster and brings his head back will not only be rewarded with a thousand pieces of gold, but will also be granted a noble title and a high-ranking position!"
The assassin was masked, and Lu Wensheng couldn't tell who was speaking, but based on the literal meaning, it was a planned assassination, and the person in charge was in a high position.
If many people hadn't seen them eating noodles together, she would have been held responsible for Shen Hegui's accident; if Shen Hegui hadn't protected her so well, she would have run away with her last remaining conscience.
What we fear most in life is not sudden mishaps, but premeditated schemes.
Panic spread through Lu Wensheng's heart, and he frantically asked himself what to do and what he could do.
During the event, Xiao Yuan's hard shell bumped against Lu Wensheng's arm.
She has books, and she can foresee the future.
Grasping at a straw, Lu Wensheng instantly calmed down and asked, "Xiao Yuan, according to the book, did Shen Hegui ultimately escape this assassination attempt?"
Xiao Yuan: [I don't know, this is left blank; the book doesn't describe this assassination.]
Lu Wensheng's heart sank, but then he remembered that Shen Hegui was the male lead, so he asked again, "Anyway, Shen Hegui is the male lead, so he won't die, right?"
Xiao Yuan: [In principle, that's true, but this novel is a restricted novel; everything revolves around sex, and the male protagonist is not the center of the world.]
Lu Wensheng exclaimed in disbelief: "So the spotlight is all on the flesh, not on the protagonist?!"
Xiao Yuan's answer was both absurd and logical: "Yes, the protagonist's 'halo' lies in what the readers most want to see, so the protagonist might be near death, or even die, but the flesh of the story must remain stable."
Lu Wensheng: ...
Restricted novels are indeed different from others! It seems the female lead doesn't need to cling to anyone beforehand.
Lu Wensheng complained, and Xiao Yuan's childish voice rang out again: [Friendly reminder: We just detected that the host really wants to read the paid chapters. Xiao Yuan has thoughtfully accepted the side quest, urging the host to increase Shen Hegui's favorability. The side quest is: Kiss Shen Hegui within one hour.]
Lu Wensheng gritted his teeth: "You really are a bastard!"
Xiao Yuan, simple-minded and unable to discern right from wrong, replied: "You're welcome, it's all my pleasure."
The killing continued in the rain. Cold arrows and sheer numbers gradually left wounds on Shen Hegui's limbs, and blood blossomed on his light blue clothes.
Rain splashed, and Lu Wensheng smelled a faint, pungent odor in the air. It was a bit smelly and a bit choking. She couldn't help but cough twice to suppress the discomfort rising in her throat.
Why does it smell so strongly of sulfur?
The thought had barely formed when the answer that surged into Lu Wensheng's mind sent shivers down his spine.
Those in power always prioritize results over process. Could they have planted explosives? Did this rain cause an accident? With such heavy rain and such a strong smell, we can't just sit here and wait to die.
Lu Wensheng steadied himself by holding onto the door frame, looking for an opportunity to call for help.
Shen Hegui can die, but not today, lest it implicate her.
She peered around, trying to find a chance to run away, ignoring the blood at her feet and the dismembered limbs in the distance.
Suddenly, she saw someone on the roof ridge diagonally above setting up a crossbow, trying to aim at Shen Hegui's heart, while Shen Hegui was dodging several sharp long knives coming from the opposite direction.
We cannot speak to remind him, as it would distract Shen Hegui.
This would only cause the crossbow to miss its target.
Having already made up his mind, Lu Wensheng pulled out a handful of sleeping pills from his thick cotton boots.
She had been hunted down and assassinated before, so she carried some items to protect herself.
Lu Wensheng silently locked onto his target, his pupils slightly dilated due to intense tension.
The water dripping from the eaves flowed in thin streams, rushing straight into the back of Lu Wensheng's collar; at this moment, she no longer felt the cold.
Everything happened within a few breaths.
Shen Hegui deflected several long knives. Lu Wensheng rushed into the rain at top speed, sprinkled medicine, and at the same time pulled away Shen Hegui, whose movements had become somewhat sluggish. A cold arrow grazed past his clothes without causing any harm.
A note from the author:
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Something unpleasant happened, so this update is a bit late. I'll probably update late again tomorrow. [Facepalm emoji]
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