Chapter 197 I'm Late
"restart?"
Fu Langxing was stunned, but he was still wary of Shen Yiqiu's sudden change.
"You're not plotting something again, are you? Trying to kill me under the guise of this? I'm warning you, you'd better keep your little schemes to yourself. I won't be fooled by you!"
Shen Yiqiu lowered her eyes and feigned a weak sob:
"How could you think of me like that? My limbs are already restricted, and I only hurt you in a moment of panic. I already know I was wrong. Even if I had other intentions, what can I do now?"
"Right now, who else can I rely on besides you?"
Hearing her gentle words, Fu Langxing's tone unconsciously softened as well:
"Yiqiu, if you had said this earlier, you would have suffered so much less. It's not too late now..."
His eyes darted around and landed on Shen Yiqiu's fair neck, his gaze becoming dark and unfathomable.
There are several faded scars on her collarbone, which look particularly alluring.
"Then let me see your sincerity."
After saying that, he pounced on her.
Shen Yiqiu closed her eyes and stopped resisting.
But she kept her attention on the sounds coming from the eaves. The sounds grew closer and closer, and her heart began to pound.
In his excitement, Fu Langxing paid no attention to the details.
He frantically began to unbutton the buttons on Shen Yiqiu's chest, his hands slipping several times in his excitement, his whole body trembling with elation.
Just then, the sound of tiles breaking suddenly came from the roof beams.
It's here!
A sense of relief washed over me as I recalled the autumn.
Fu Langxing realized something was wrong, and his expression changed drastically:
What was that sound?
Before he could finish speaking, a startled cry came from outside the door:
"Assassins! Protect the Crown Prince!"
Then came a series of chaotic screams from outside the door.
"What happened?"
Fu Langxing's expression changed drastically. Coming to his senses, he abruptly pushed Shen Yiqiu away.
"You bitch! Was it you who did this? How could I have believed you?"
Fu Langxing realized he had been tricked. Enraged, he ignored the pain in his ears, drew his long sword, and pressed it against Shen Yiqiu, saying, "Even if I die, I'll drag you down with me!"
Just then, the door was kicked open from the outside.
"stop!"
With a gloomy expression, Xiao Yongjing stood at the doorway like a demon god, holding a long sword dripping with blood.
Behind him were the elite guards of the Eastern Palace, who were already engaged in battle with the Earl's guards who had rushed to the scene after hearing the news.
Xiao Yongjing's gaze was fixed on the open buttons on Shen Yiqiu's collar, revealing her fair skin.
Seeing that she had no obvious wounds, I finally felt relieved.
He glanced at Fu Langxing as if he were looking at a dead man:
"Fu Langxing, for imprisoning a marquis of the current dynasty and colluding with traitors, deserves to be executed!"
Fu Langxing was both shocked and furious, and drew his sword to confront them:
"Xiao Yongjing! You're already a grasshopper in autumn, yet you still dare to be so arrogant! Arrest the traitors and protect the Marquis of Yongjia!"
He was still calling himself the Marquis of Yongjia, trying to confuse the public.
Several skilled fighters hidden among the Trident Guards suddenly leaped out of the shadows, heading straight for Xiao Yongjing.
A chaotic battle broke out in the small courtyard.
Even though the Three-Halberd Guards were well-trained, they were no match for the well-prepared Eastern Palace guards. Seeing that they were at a disadvantage, they hurriedly shouted:
"Your Highness, let's go! We'll cover your retreat!"
Almost simultaneously, Song Sangyu stumbled and rushed to the door.
She had been secretly watching this place, and as if on command, she pulled Fu Langxing away:
"Brother Langxing, forget about her! The outside is full of Xiao Yongjing's men. Let's get out of here through the secret passage! Let her be hacked to death here!"
In the chaos, Fu Langxing glared fiercely at Shen Yiqiu, then turned around without hesitation and tried to escape with Song Sangyu in the confusion.
"Trying to leave? Too late!"
Xiao Yongjing changed direction and thrust his weapon at Fu Langxing.
"Protect the Crown Prince!"
The two guards rushed forward and held Xiao Yongjing hostage.
Xiao Yongjing was extremely anxious, his gaze fixed on Shen Yiqiu.
He endured a blow from a Trident Guard, circled around to Shen Yiqiu, and broke the iron chains binding her.
After days of confinement, this sudden freedom made her legs go weak, and she almost collapsed.
She took a deep breath, picked up the heavy inkstone beside her, and walked around to the cabinet next to her, looking for an opportunity.
A Trident Guard assassin was forced to stagger backward by the Crown Prince's guards, and happened to get close to Shen Yiqiu.
With all her might, she smashed the inkstone hard against the back of the man's head.
The assassin groaned and collapsed to the ground.
"Walk!"
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Xiao Yongjing parried Fu Langxing's counterattack, picked up the weakened Shen Yiqiu in his arms, and then turned and charged outwards.
"Fire! Fire! We can't let them get away!"
Fu Langxing retreated to a relatively safe spot, watching Xiao Yongjing's back as he carried Shen Yiqiu, and roared hoarsely.
In an instant, a rain of arrows poured down from the roof.
"Raise your shields!"
The well-trained soldiers quickly retreated, forming a mobile barrier with their shields to tightly protect Xiao Yongjing and Shen Yiqiu behind them.
Xiao Yongjing pressed Shen Yiqiu's head tightly against his chest, his steps unwavering as he struggled forward through the rain of arrows.
Shen Yiqiu could clearly hear the strong heartbeat coming from his chest.
They finally broke through the last line of defense of the Earl's mansion and rushed to the back door.
The waiting carriage had been waiting for a long time. Xiao Yongjing carried Shen Yiqiu into the carriage and hoarsely called out:
"Go! Go quickly!"
Inside the carriage, Xiao Yongjing still held Shen Yiqiu tightly. Only after confirming that she had not suffered any new injuries in addition to her original ones did he let out a long sigh of relief, but his brows remained furrowed.
Having escaped danger, Shen Yiqiu could no longer hold on and leaned weakly against Xiao Yongjing's chest.
Xiao Yongjing took off his outer robe and gently draped it over Shen Yiqiu's body.
His gaze moved from her disheveled clothes to the bloodstains at the corner of her mouth, her swollen cheeks, and the blood that had already congealed on her forehead.
The deep bruises on her wrists and ankles from the iron chains made it clear what kind of inhuman torture she had suffered these past few days.
Looking at her like this, Xiao Yongjing felt a dull pain in his heart, and his eyes were full of heartache.
He carefully reached out his hand, wanting to touch the injury on her face, but afraid of hurting her.
He could only wrap her more tightly in his cloak and use the clean lining of his cuffs to wipe away the dried blood from the corners of her mouth, bit by bit.
"I'm sorry, Yiqiu, I'm late..."
Shen Yiqiu slowly shook her head, wanting to say something, but first coughed violently, aggravating her injuries.
Xiao Yongjing quickly pulled her into his arms, letting her lean against him, and whispered comforting words in her ear:
"Don't be afraid, it's all over now. Qingzhu is already working on an antidote for the poison from Red Bean Ash, and Baimei has gone to find Southern Red Bean. We will definitely heal you, we definitely will."
He gently held her cold hand, forcing a smile to reassure her.
“Father...he knows everything, he supports me. Let’s return to the Eastern Palace and stabilize the situation.”
"Then we can expose Zhao Ke'er, Fu Langxing, and their crimes of colluding with the Three Halberd Guards to disrupt the court!"
“Uproot them completely, and then no one will be able to hurt you anymore. We can…”
"We can be together openly and honestly. We have a long future ahead of us, and we will live a peaceful and joyful life that belongs to us."
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