Chapter 79 Starting a Fight "Give me a child, and I'll let you go."...
A series of ear-piercing sounds of swords clashing echoed from the ground to the high platform, and the dust kicked up surged towards the high wall like a tidal wave, the sounds of battle resounding through the sky.
The wind made the pufferfish sway and sway, and when it blew towards us, it stopped right under the eaves.
The young man, with his hair tied up with a jade crown and dressed in a black casual robe, leaned back in a round-backed chair. The trumpet creeper pattern on his belt was particularly eye-catching in the sunlight.
Lu Xiuyi picked up his teacup and took a leisurely sip. He glanced at the dark-faced man beside him and chuckled, "How is it? Our newly forged weapons, not bad, right?"
Watching his men being routed, Ning Jianxing glared at him, and after a long pause, finally uttered, "When did you improve your weapon skills? How could I not know?"
Lu Xiuyi smiled with satisfaction: "I invited Yang Tieshou back half a month ago."
He spoke lightly, but his words struck Ning Jianxing like a thunderbolt, leaving his mind blank. Lu Xiuyi's words seemed to resonate in his ears like a booming roar.
After a moment of confusion, he composed himself and hurriedly asked, "He...he didn't he die thirteen years ago?"
"Fake."
Ning Jianxing immediately said, "Lend it to me."
Lu Xiuyi raised an eyebrow slightly and glanced at him: "Why should I?"
"Just because you and I are both generals and commanders of the Great Qi."
Lu Xiuyi, with his legs crossed, didn't even spare him a glance before flatly refusing, "Nonsense, no way."
Ning Jianxing suppressed his temper: "Just tell me what you want."
Lu Xiuyi gave him a cold look: "Let my wife come over, and I'll replace Yang Tieshou with you."
The words echoed in the air, and suddenly the surroundings froze.
Ningjian Petrochemical was on the scene.
***
Meng Yu's face changed drastically. She stood up in shock, paused for a moment, then immediately realized what was happening and hurriedly started to pack her medicine box. But halfway through, she suddenly frowned and slowed down.
"Did Dr. Zhao send you here?"
She didn't turn around, but asked calmly.
The person behind him said without hesitation, "No, it's the general's order."
Ning Jianxing.
Meng Yu breathed a sigh of relief, and her hands moved faster again. Before leaving the tent, she raised her hand and pressed down behind her ear with some unease.
Dongying doesn't tolerate idlers, and since there were military exercises, she expected that Ning Jianxing would most likely ask her to help.
The commander-in-chief must be sitting on a high platform. She went to the shooting range, where there were many people and gossip. She was also wearing a mask. How could Lu Xiuyi possibly find her if she looked down from a distance?
After a brief mental preparation, she took a deep breath and followed the soldier to the shooting range.
The rain had stopped by then.
As soon as she entered the doorway, a cloud of dust billowed out, choking Meng Yu so much that she couldn't help but cover her mouth. The soldier was still walking forward. She looked around and suddenly saw Zhao Yangyi bandaging the wounded soldier right across from her.
"Most of the wounded are over there, why are you going forward?"
Meng Yu chased after him for a few steps and called out to him.
The soldier turned around, stepped back to her position, and pushed her back forward: "They have minor injuries, no rush. The general's headache has flared up and he's in a lot of pain, so he wants you to go over there quickly."
Meng Yu frowned.
Does Ning Jianxing have a headache?
Why has Ning Sui never mentioned this to her?
As she was pondering this, the soldier led her up the steps.
A sticky, compelling, and extremely familiar gaze suddenly fell upon her. Meng Yu's heart trembled, and a familiar sense of danger instantly spread through her body. She abruptly opened her eyes, only to meet the person's gaze that had turned towards her.
It is Lu Xiuyi.
On the high platform, there was no one else but him.
She was startled, her legs went weak, and she quickly lowered her eyes.
The soldier noticed something was wrong and immediately reached out to support her shoulder, asking in confusion, "Dr. Li, what's wrong?"
"I'm not feeling well, so I can't see a doctor. I'll go back first. You can have Dr. Zhao take a look at him."
Meng Yu, carrying her medicine box, hurriedly tried to turn around.
Without saying a word, the soldier grabbed her shoulder and turned her around: "It won't be long. My general's headache is an old problem. You can give him some acupuncture and he'll be fine."
Meng Yu's face turned ashen: "Why didn't you say earlier that your general was Lu Xiuyi?"
"You didn't ask me!" the soldier said matter-of-factly, then asked in confusion, "Hey! So what if my general is Lu Xiuyi? You're a doctor, treating him won't cost you your head, what are you afraid of?"
When he asked that, Meng Yu snapped out of her reverie.
Lu Xiuyi might not know it was her, and the more that's the case, the less she can afford to panic.
After calming herself down a bit, Meng Yu raised an eyebrow and raised her voice slightly: "What am I afraid of? I just have a bit of a headache from the wind, and I'm afraid that if my hand shakes, I'll prick the wrong acupoint."
The soldiers pushed her forward, saying, "My general said he's tough and thick-skinned, so he's not afraid that Dr. Li will make a mistake."
After climbing the steps, it was only a short distance of about ten steps to the high platform. Meng Yu walked forward with difficulty, her legs feeling like they were filled with lead, as if she had traveled several light-years.
The distant sounds of fighting circled her ears but never reached them.
She lowered her head, forced to move forward step by step.
Even without looking up, Meng Yu could feel that gaze lingering on her, filled with inquiry, doubt, and a few unspoken deeper meanings.
Suddenly, a pair of black boots appeared in front of them.
The shoe upper is clean and has a smooth texture.
Meng Yu put down his medicine box, sat down on the small stool next to him under that piercing gaze, and said with lowered eyes, "Please extend your hand, General."
The words were lost in the void, and then a large, rough hand appeared in his eyes. Meng Yu stretched out two fingers and checked his pulse.
"Diagnosis always involves observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation. Doctor Li has been keeping his head down the whole time. How can he possibly diagnose my illness?"
After a moment of silence, a soft laugh suddenly poured down from above.
Upon hearing this, Meng Yu was startled and her heart trembled. However, she suppressed her fear and composed herself, replying, "I have heard that the general's headache has been a long-standing problem. This illness is nothing more than a result of overthinking and worrying. I don't need to examine him further; a simple check of his pulse will suffice."
"oh?"
The man drew out the last syllable of his sentence, paused for a moment, and then, suppressing a smile, said, "With such extraordinary abilities, why should Doctor Li be confined to this place? I can offer ten thousand taels of gold to hire Doctor Li to serve in my household. What do you say?"
“I appreciate the general’s kindness,” Meng Yu said, trying to keep his composure so as not to appear too hasty in putting away the pillow. “Your headache is nothing serious. Just make sure to get plenty of rest, avoid drafts, and avoid overthinking. I’ll also prescribe three doses of calming medicine. Take them before bed, and you’ll feel better the next day…”
His words were swallowed up.
"I feel like I've seen you somewhere before."
Lu Xiuyi suddenly interrupted her.
Upon hearing these words, an overwhelming sense of fear surged into Meng Yu's heart, making her dizzy and almost unable to sit still on the low stool.
“General, you have indeed seen me,” Meng Yu suddenly raised his head, meeting his gaze calmly, “on the day you came to search.”
Lu Xiuyi suppressed his smile and stared intently at her, his scrutinizing gaze falling on her face with a mixture of inquiry and doubt.
Those few breaths felt like an eternity. Just as Meng Yu was about to lose his composure, he suddenly smiled: "I have indeed seen it before."
"Your face is much better, and even your voice is normal now."
Meng Yu immediately bowed his head: "Reporting to the general, I was initially infected with heat poisoning, but now my throat and all that has been cured have been healed."
As she spoke, she closed her medicine box. "I'll go back and write out the prescription, prepare three doses of medicine, and have someone deliver them to your tent this evening."
Lu Xiuyi shook his head and smiled: "I'm afraid it won't work tonight. Didn't you say that I need to avoid the wind? Besides, my head is still a little sore. I need to go back and rest now. You can pack it up and bring it to me personally."
"personally?"
Lu Xiuyi nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, gesturing for her to look around a bit further: "Today is a military exercise, no soldier has a moment's rest. You're a surgeon, so it's only right that you bring it here personally, isn't it?"
The wall behind him was pitch black, and when combined with his pure and innocent eyes, it made Meng Yu's trembling heart steady.
Perhaps, he really didn't know it was her.
After a moment's thought, Meng Yu nodded and said, "Then I'll bring you the medicine as soon as I've finished picking it up. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."
"Um."
Having received his permission, Meng Yu hurriedly picked up her medicine box and turned to leave. She silently repeated to herself, barely managing to suppress the urge to run away.
Once she was far from the shooting range, her tension suddenly eased, and her legs went weak uncontrollably.
Her face turned deathly pale. She leaned against the wall, then collapsed to the ground, her racing heartbeat slowly returning to normal.
Recalling Lu Xiuyi's expression, she was fairly certain that he hadn't recognized her, yet there was something strange about his expression.
Thinking of this, Meng Yu's heart jumped into her throat. She quickly raised her hand to touch behind her ear and felt that the mask was not loose at all. Her heart gradually calmed down.
Having wasted so much time, she picked up her medicine box again and hurriedly returned to her tent.
Regardless, it's best to stay away from him.
The farther away she is from him, the less likely he is to find her.
Meng Yu quickly gathered three doses of medicine, wrapped them up, and carried them to the tent where Lu Xiuyi was resting.
But as she approached the door, fear still welled up uncontrollably in her heart. She looked at the gray curtain, took a deep breath, and after a moment of mental preparation, she spoke calmly, "General Lu, I've brought the medicine."
"..."
After waiting for a while, no one answered.
As darkness deepened, strangely shaped gray-black clouds gathered overhead, making the entire sky seem as if it had been splashed with ink, pressing down heavily and making it hard to breathe.
Just as Meng Yu thought he wasn't there and turned to leave, a pained voice came from inside: "Come in."
She took another deep breath, then lifted the curtain and went inside.
The tent was dark. Meng Yu looked around and could only vaguely make out a person lying on the bed. She walked over carefully and asked as she went, "General Lu, are you alright?"
"I caught a chill when I got back, and now my head hurts so much. Come over and take a look at me." Lu Xiuyi's weak voice came from beside the bed.
Meng Yu was somewhat puzzled. Logically speaking, Lu Xiuyi was so strong that it was unlikely he would become so weak from just a gust of wind.
Thinking of this, she turned to leave.
But before she could take two steps, she suddenly remembered his headache. Chu Ze had described how he couldn't sleep all night because of it. How much pain must he be in? Besides, if something really happened to him, she would definitely be in deep trouble, and her identity would be exposed.
After thinking for a moment, Meng Yu withdrew her foot, groped her way to his bedside, and reached out to touch his forehead.
But the next moment.
A cold touch suddenly coiled around her wrist, like a cold snake, tightly binding her, and then forcefully pulled her down.
Meng Yu was caught off guard, and by the time she reacted, Lu Xiuyi had already flipped her over and pinned her down.
She was startled, and the sense of danger that surged into her heart made her instinctively want to break free from his grasp.
"Meng Yu, you're still pretending..."
The familiar scent of cedarwood filled her nostrils, and Lu Xiuyi whispered in her ear, suddenly opening his lips.
His cold breath followed her neck and spread throughout her body. His words were like a thunderclap, making her dizzy and disoriented. As if someone had struck her acupoint, Meng Yu opened her eyes wide in horror, unable to move her body.
"This human skin mask is well made," the man said, his rough fingertips stroking her chin, the tips slowly circling behind her ear. "If you have the chance, how about introducing me to the person who made this mask?"
As he was speaking, he exerted a little force.
The tearing pain brought Meng Yu back to her senses instantly. She abruptly raised her hand and pushed him away.
Fresh air rushed towards me, and every pore on my face was instantly able to breathe.
As her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, Meng Yu looked at Lu Xiuyi, who had retreated to the edge of the bed. She saw his slender fingers hooking the torn human skin mask, and his icy eyes were filled with a smile.
She trembled as she tried to rush out, but the moment her feet touched the ground, she snapped back to reality.
Lu Xiuyi already knew that Li Shu was her, so what was the point of running away? Besides, in terms of skill, she was far inferior to him.
After considering it this way, Meng Yu calmed herself down and simply gave up the idea of escaping.
She took a deep breath and said coldly, "How did you know I was here? And how do you know I am Li Shu?"
Her scent permeated the human skin mask, a faint fragrance lingering at the tip of his nose. Lu Xiuyi took a deep breath, and all his fatigue vanished instantly.
He slowly pulled out a round-backed chair and sat down, crossing his legs. He rested the human skin on the back of the chair, a meaningful smile on his face. "It's not hard to know that you are Li Shu, but it's hard to figure out that you are indeed in the military camp. Good Yu'er, do you still remember Zhi Mian?"
Meng Yu's heart sank to the bottom instantly.
All her questions were answered, and she suddenly stood up: "What did you do to her?"
"What can I do to her?" Lu Xiuyi smiled self-deprecatingly, his sharp eyes surging with turmoil. "Yu'er, I've always had only one goal, but you've lied to me time and time again, causing my trust in you to crumble time and time again. Even if I chain you up and confine you, you haven't changed in the slightest. I should be asking you, what do you want to do to her? Do you know that every time you run away, someone else will get hurt in your place?"
As he spoke, his voice grew louder and louder, until finally, he stood up abruptly with a "bang," bumping into the armchair behind him. His long-suppressed rationality suddenly went out of control like a wild horse, roaring wildly in the burning field of anger.
A sense of danger rushed to Meng Yu's head, and she turned pale with fright, instinctively wanting to back away.
But the thought that Zhi Mian was still in his hands forced her to suppress her inner turmoil and barely steady her trembling voice: "Release her, and we can talk everything."
Lu Xiuyi shook his head with a wry smile, "No, it's hard to say. Do you think I'll trust you again after you've lied to me so much?"
Meng Yu took a deep breath, suppressing her temper, and patiently asked, "What exactly do you want?"
"Don't you know very well what I want?" In the dim light, the man's face grew paler. "I love you, and I think you love me too."
As her voice lingered in the air, Meng Yu found it increasingly difficult to breathe.
His words, his presence, even the man himself, felt like an invisible shackle, suffocating her.
The entire tent smelled of him, as if declaring that no matter where she ran, she could never escape his grasp.
Driven to the brink of collapse, Meng Yu cried out, "Xiu Yi, this isn't love. You're using the guise of protection to control me. What right do you have? What right do you have to treat me like this? I have my own friends, my own preferences, and the right to choose how I want to live. Lu Xiu Yi, you're not my whole life, and I'm not your whole life either. Why, why do you have to hold on to me so tightly?"
She roared with all her might, her voice filled with grief and fear. If anyone else were there at that moment, they would surely be saddened and weep.
Hot tears streamed down his cheeks. Meng Yu's words were like a sharp knife, slowly carving into his heart: "Yu'er, we have bowed to heaven and earth, performed the grand ceremony, witnessed by the heavens and blessed by the earth. You are my wife. I just want you to stay by my side like an ordinary couple. Is that so difficult?"
“It’s difficult,” Meng Yu blurted out sharply. “Our marriage was forced upon you, so how can we expect to receive the blessings of Heaven and Earth? You think I can live like an ordinary couple? You’re dreaming.”
Her last three words deeply stung Lu Xiuyi's nerves, and he lowered his head, supporting his back.
His thick eyelashes obscured his gaze, and Meng Yu couldn't see his expression, but a dangerous aura suddenly spread around them, and her eyelids twitched uncontrollably.
A sudden roar filled my mind.
Without much thought, Meng Yu turned around and tried to run away.
Before her hand could even touch the corner of the curtain, a large hand suddenly wrapped around her waist. Then, after a dizzying spin, she was violently thrown onto the bed.
The couch in Dongying was not as soft as the one in the General's Mansion. Being thrown like that, a sharp pain shot through her heart. Meng Yu frowned, and before she could even utter a cry, Lu Xiuyi leaned down and silenced her.
Meng Yu was so angry that she raised her hand, wanting to punch his chest hard, but her limbs were restrained by him, and her hands were raised above his head.
A sticky sensation swept through her mouth, a cool feeling enveloped her entire body, and tears once again surged like a raging tide, completely overwhelming her.
After an unknown amount of time, as Lu Xiuyi lay down on her side, she heard a shout from outside: "Plum juice is here!"
That's for cooling off in the afternoon.
Meng Yu, pulling the quilt tighter around her, remained expressionless, her emotions unreadable: "Are you satisfied? Zhi Mian has nothing to do with our affairs, can you please..."
"Zhi Mian, Zhi Mian, all you ever do is talk about other people," the man, who had just calmed down, saw that even after the lovemaking, she still had a cold face and was still uttering someone else's name. Overwhelmed by rage, he suddenly leaned down, tightly gripped her neck, and shouted, "Meng Yu, do you have even a shred of heart for me?"
She simply closed her eyes, letting him pinch her tightly, and remained silent.
Seeing her fearless and resolute demeanor as she faced death, Lu Xiuyi's burning eyes gradually cooled. He suddenly released her, chuckled, and said, "You want to die? I won't allow it."
"Have a child for me, and I'll let you go."
A man's voice came from above, and Meng Yu opened her eyes: "Do you think I'd believe you?"
“You don’t believe me?” Her eyes were filled with icy coldness, which made Lu Xiuyi’s heart grow colder. As if he had expected her answer, he raised an eyebrow. “How about a life for a life? You give birth to my child, and I can release Zhi Mian.”
Meng Yu flatly refused: "Impossible."
“I will kill her right now.”
"If you dare kill her, I will never live on."
The atmosphere grew increasingly heavy, as if even the sound of raindrops dripping onto the floor outside the curtain could be heard from afar. Meng Yu met his burning red eyes and her lips moved slightly: "I mean what I say."
After staring at each other for a long time, Lu Xiuyi finally gave in: "Come back with me, and I can pretend none of this ever happened, but Zhi Mian is never allowed to return to the capital, and you can never see Ning Sui again, not even once."
As he spoke, as if he were terrified that she would refuse, he added, choking back tears, "This is my bottom line, Yu'er. Don't push me any further, or I really don't know what else I might do."
The voice was low and aggrieved.
Meng Yu lowered her eyelashes, turned her head, and softly replied, "Okay."
***
Dark, inky clouds descended heavily, and soon the clouds turned into a light drizzle, drifting down from the depths of the sky and falling on the mountains, rivers, rooftops, and the iron-clad fence surrounding Dongying.
Ning Sui, accompanied by dozens of her personal guards, blocked the gate.
The rain soaked her high-tied black hair, and her hawk-like gaze seemed to pierce through the heavy curtain: "Yu'er, don't be afraid of him. Just say one thing: he forced you into marriage back then and is now coercing you again. Even if I, Ning Sui, die, I will never let him take you out of here."
Ning Sui's voice, laced with suppressed anger, pierced through the rain. Lu Xiuyi felt his hand tremble slightly as he spoke in a deep voice: "Yu'er, there's something I think you should know. The fact that I was able to summon you here is inextricably linked to Ning Jianxing. If a fight breaks out, not only will you be my wife, and Ning Sui be in the wrong, but even if she claims it was forced marriage, who can testify? Your father? Your grandmother? Or perhaps Zhi Mian?"
His voice was cold and hard, like a piece of jade striking Meng Yu's heart.
Ning Jianxing had his reasons for doing this, and she couldn't blame him. Besides, he had taken her in for so long, allowing her to learn so many useful things from Dr. Zhao Yang, and she was already very grateful to him.
After a moment's hesitation, Meng Yu said softly, "I won't go with her, but if she insists on blocking this way, there's nothing you can do. Let me go down and talk to her for a bit, and I'll persuade her to leave."
Lu Xiuyi refused outright: "No, I don't trust you. You wait here, I'll go down and talk to her."
After saying that, Lu Xiuyi didn't give her a chance to reply and immediately lifted the curtain and jumped off the carriage.
Ning Sui, soaked to the bone and wielding a sword, stood in his way, her aura menacing, as if she wanted to devour him alive.
Lu Xiuyi met her gaze, his expression fierce: "Ning Sui, you have kidnapped my wife time and time again, and I haven't even held it against you yet. You still dare to come to my door willingly? Do you really think I, Lu Xiuyi, am a pushover?"
Rainwater slid down the eaves of the umbrella, dripping onto the faces of the soldiers holding it. But feeling the heavy atmosphere pressing down, he didn't even dare to raise his hand, and could only let the raindrops run down his face.
"You are the one who forced someone else to marry you, you are the one who coerced someone else, and you are the one who used your power to oppress others. Why shouldn't I dare to come to your door? If you don't release Yu'er today, don't even think about leaving the gates of Dongying."
Ning Sui drew her sword and faced him, her expression stern.
The rain intensified, soaking the hem of Lu Xiuyi's clothes. The coldness on his face was even colder than the rain: "Is that so? Ning Sui, I gave you a chance for the sake of Ning Jianxing and Qin Musui. Now that you want to start a fight, don't blame me for being impolite."
As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Ze raised his hand, and the archers hidden behind him immediately appeared, their sharp arrows gleaming white in the rain.
Ning Sui looked at him incredulously: "Lu Xiuyi, you openly led your troops into the Eastern Camp. Do you intend to rebel? Do you think you can escape unscathed once this reaches the Emperor's ears?"
"Ning Sui, do you need evidence for your words and actions? Which eye of yours saw me trespassing into the East Camp? The military exercises held by the East and West Camps were approved by His Majesty himself. I was merely carrying out the military exercises to the end. However, swords have no eyes. If anyone is accidentally injured, it has nothing to do with me."
Lu Xiuyi took the sword from Chu Ze's hand, gently drew it, and the sharp blade reflected a chilling light, mirroring the angry face of the person opposite him.
Ning Sui was the type who wouldn't shed a tear even when she saw the coffin. Hearing this, she almost laughed in anger: "Yu'er is so clever, no wonder she fell into your hands. It turns out that even my brother was used by you."
Lu Xiuyi was not polite at all: "Thank you for the compliment. It's not so much about using each other as it is, but rather a win-win situation."
Ning Sui's face darkened further.
"Enough talk, take this!"
Ning Sui drew her sword and charged forward.
She knew her brother's temperament better than anyone else, and that was precisely why she was even more furious.
Before them, they didn't even have the right to choose. But by what right? By what right should their fate be controlled by them? Just because they are the ones standing in the court?
She was not convinced.
"Ning Sui, stop!"
A rapid sound of hooves came from behind. Qin Musui dismounted and, ignoring the umbrella held up by his attendant, rushed into the military camp. He snatched Ning Sui's sword and angrily rebuked her: "She is Lu Xiuyi's wife. It is only right for him to take her back. What good will it do to stop him? Even if you complain to the Emperor, you will not have a single point of reason."
Seeing Qin Musui not only appear in front of her but also snatch her sword away, Ning Sui's anger intensified.
Rainwater slid down her temples to her heart, a chill seeping into her soul. Ning Sui coldly stretched out her hand to him: "Give me back my sword. I don't want to see you right now. Get out of my way."
Her words were like a sharp sword, piercing Qin Musui's heart, but he remained unyielding, even turning aside and throwing the sword far away.
Ning Sui glared at him fiercely, then turned around to pick up the sword.
The torrential rain splashed mud onto the ground, which stuck to the corners of his clothes. Qin Shizi, who was always extremely particular about cleanliness, ignored it and rushed over to grab Ning Sui, saying sternly, "Ning Sui, how long are you going to be so willful?"
Her voice was lost in the sudden rain. Ning Sui stopped abruptly and turned around sharply: "In your eyes, it's all willful for us to fight for what we want. And you? You use every means at your disposal, whether the means are clean or dirty, as long as you achieve your goal, it doesn't matter. Lu Xiuyi is like that, and so are you."
Her last three words struck Qin Musui like a thunderbolt, shattering him into pieces. He stood there, stunned, watching her break free of his hand and walk away step by step, her face streaked with what seemed to be tears or rain.
The desperate shouts outside the curtain mingled with the pattering rain, and Meng Yu finally couldn't resist lifting the curtain and rushing out.
She jumped so fast that even the soldiers beside her didn't react in time, so Lu Xiuyi watched helplessly as she ran towards Ning Sui.
In his haste, he tried to rush over, but as he passed Qin Musui, he was grabbed by the arm: "Let them have a proper talk! Only she can persuade Ning Sui to back down."
Seeing her getting soaked by the heavy rain, and then looking at the umbrella hanging above his head, Lu Xiuyi was extremely frustrated and suddenly raised his hand.
A torrential downpour suddenly began.
The soldiers behind him were startled. Seeing the umbrella lying in the mud, they didn't dare to bend down and pick it up, wondering what had gotten into Lu Xiuyi this time.
"Yu'er, are you really going to give up?"
Looking at Meng Yu's hand that was holding hers, Ning Sui's originally strong voice carried a hint of barely perceptible sorrow, but she still said with unwavering determination, "We can petition the Emperor, perhaps..."
His words were swallowed up.
Meng Yu, who had been looking down, suddenly raised her eyes: "Maybe we can turn the tide, but then what? Do you think His Majesty will severely punish him for this? Or perhaps revoke his military power?"
Her mournful tone pierced through the rain and seeped deep into Ning Sui's ears. Ning Sui was stunned. A thousand words were stuck in her throat. After thinking for a moment, she found that she could not refute a single word.
Women's marriages have never been a consideration for them. If they could appease Lu Xiuyi and Qin Musui, would the Emperor side with them?
As princesses, Huaiyin was no exception, and so were the others.
“Ning Sui, go back! You have done so much for me. You are the first female general in the hundred years since the founding of Daqi. You should be fighting on the battlefield to recover Canglin Jiuzhou, and you should be debating with heroes in the male-dominated court, instead of being dragged into this mess and trapped in the inner quarters.”
Boom!
A white light streaked across the sky, making the sky appear even more silvery-white.
Rain streamed down Meng Yu's face, and her choked sobs seemed to thunder, striking Ning Sui's heart.
She stared blankly as Meng Yu let go of her hand and walked towards the deep pit, his back looking lonely and resolute.
***
"Put them on."
The sound of rain outside the curtain gradually subsided. Inside the carriage, Lu Xiuyi pulled out a garment from somewhere and handed it over.
Meng Yu glanced at it indifferently. The clothes were a bright pale yellow, and the hem of the skirt was embroidered with delicate trumpet creeper flowers. It was clear that the quality was excellent and the texture was silky smooth.
"I don't want to wear it."
These embroidered robes inexplicably reminded her of the days when she was treated like a fish in a pond or a bird in a cage. She turned her head and looked through the bamboo curtain at the pattering rain falling from the depths of the sky. The dampness, along with the freshness of the earth, spread through the gaps in the bamboo.
"It will take at least half an hour to get back to the manor from here. Do you want to catch a cold?"
Lu Xiuyi frowned, suppressing her agitation. Her loose-fitting clothes clung to her body after being soaked by the rain, even faintly outlining the curves of her waist.
Men's clothes looked quite good on her.
Meng Yu still tilted her head.
"Or do you want me to help you get dressed?"
He swallowed hard, the sound clearly reaching the ears. The person leaning against the window was startled, quickly looked away, glanced outside the curtain, grabbed his clothes, and glared at him angrily: "I can dress myself. Turn your back and don't look."
Lu Xiuyi couldn't help but laugh: "What did we do this morning? Have you forgotten? Why are you being shy?"
“Turn your back,” Meng Yu kicked him, “otherwise I’d rather catch a cold than change into these.”
Lu Xiuyi hissed as she kicked him, quickly pulled his foot back, and turned his head: "Change it quickly, I don't want to see it."
Meng Yu stared intently at him, quickly taking off her clothes and putting on her dress.
After a moment, she straightened her dress and said, "All done."
Lu Xiuyi turned his head, his eyes brightening slightly.
The bright colors accentuated her delicate features; though her eyebrows were light and her face was plain, she possessed a unique and elegant beauty.
He swallowed hard, lowered his eyelashes, and then turned his face away.
Meng Yu also remained silent.
The carriage fell silent. Lu Xiuyi coughed lightly, about to break the silence, when he suddenly heard the sound of fierce fighting coming from outside the curtain.
The clashing of weapons produced a piercing sound, mingling with the screams of the crowd. He frowned and hurriedly tried to lift the curtain, but Chu Ze's tense voice came through: "Young Master, there's an assassin."
How many people are there?
"Judging by appearances, there are about forty or fifty people."
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiuyi's expression hardened. He immediately drew a sword from under the chair, gently squeezed Meng Yu's hand, and instructed her, "Wait here and don't go out."
He brought back only about ten soldiers to the mansion; the rest remained in the eastern camp for military exercises.
After saying that, Lu Xiuyi turned to leave, but as soon as he stood up, the warmth of her palm seeped into his limbs. He was slightly surprised and turned back to see her brows furrowed and her lips, glistening with moisture, moved slightly: "Be careful."
Those three simple words instantly softened his hardened heart. Lu Xiuyi's fingertips trembled, as if his breathing had become easier. He softly replied, "Mm."
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