Chapter 19 Mei Xi (XIX) Blood Wolf Guard
Kudin's crying cry for help echoed in the side hall, like a dying wail, hitting the cold ground and everyone's heart.
His forehead was red and swollen, and blood was oozing out of it. His goatee was matted with cold sweat and tears, and he was shaking like a dead leaf in the autumn wind. Where was the dignity of the former Lord Kus?
Lin Jiaojiao stood in front of the window, facing the light, her figure stretched out slenderly. She did not turn around immediately, but just looked out the window quietly.
From the direction of the city wall, a wind seemed to still carry the smell of blood, sweeping up dust and panic, blowing the bare branches outside the palace. Zhao Liang's head hung there like a rotten fruit, silently announcing the horror of the tyrant's thundering wrath.
Sikou was probably unable to escape either. She knew clearly in her heart that Xia Jie's Blood Wolf Guards were like the most accurate hunting dogs. Once they smelled blood, they would not let go of any prey. Sikou Zhao Qian, the poisonous vine clinging to Zhao Liang's body, would eventually not escape the fate of being uprooted.
She slowly turned around. Sunlight streamed in from behind her, casting a hazy glow around her, but her face was shrouded in shadow, her expression unclear. Only her eyes, still clear, now looked down calmly like a bottomless pool at the disheveled Kuding on the ground.
"Lord Kusi." Lin Jiaojiao's voice was low, but with a strange penetrating power, it reached Ku Ding's ears clearly. "What are you afraid of?"
Ku Ding shuddered all over and raised his head suddenly. His tearful face was filled with extreme fear and despair: "Princess Yuan! Princess Yuan, save me! The Blood Wolf Guards... The Blood Wolf Guards are catching Lord Sikou's accomplices! I... I was forced! It was Lord Sikou who forced me! He... He threatened me with my family! And... He also said that I withheld the accounts of supplies... Wuuuu... Princess Yuan! Please, for... for the sake of our past friendship, save this humble servant!" He spoke incoherently and kowtowed desperately, trying to grasp the last straw.
Wanyan and the other girl were so scared that they hugged each other and huddled in the corner of the couch, not daring to breathe. Chun also nervously clenched the corner of her clothes and looked at Lin Jiaojiao worriedly.
Lin Jiaojiao did not answer immediately. She walked to the table, picked up the coarse earthenware kettle, and slowly poured a bowl of clear water. The clear water flowed into the bowl, making a subtle sound that was particularly clear in this silent hall.
She picked up the bowl, walked to Kudin, leaned over slightly, and handed the bowl of water to him.
"Drink some water and speak slowly." Her voice was still calm, and no emotion could be detected.
Ku Ding was stunned. He looked at the bowl of clear water in front of him, then looked at Lin Jiaojiao's calm eyes. For a moment, he forgot to cry. He stretched out his hand tremblingly and took the bowl of water. The cold touch calmed his confused thoughts a little. He sipped it in small sips, like a dying traveler in the desert.
"Lord Sikou...what did he force you to do?" Lin Jiaojiao's voice was like a feather brushing past, but it carried a power that could not be avoided.
Ku Ding held the bowl of water, his voice hoarse and filled with endless regret: "He... he forced me... to secretly transfer Ku Si's food, medicine, cloth... and... and the tribute that was about to be shipped to Nanchao... all... all! He hid them outside the city... in the cellar of Yuwang Temple! He said... he said it was to offer the city... to the Shang army... as a token of his loyalty!" He didn't dare to look up, and his voice became lower and lower.
Lin Jiaojiao's eyes narrowed slightly. As expected, transferring supplies is like cutting off the source of fuel. The soldiers on the front line are fighting bloody battles, but someone in the rear is handing over life-saving supplies to the enemy. Their hearts are evil!
"What else?" Lin Jiaojiao asked, her voice a little colder.
Ku Ding's body trembled again: "And... and asked me... and asked me to send someone... to monitor you, Princess Yuan... your every move... and report to him at any time... and... and said..." He glanced at Lin Jiaojiao, his voice as thin as a mosquito, "... and said that when the time comes... they will... they will 'invite' you over..."
"Please come over?" Lin Jiaojiao's lips curled up in a cold arc. "You want to capture it, right? As a gift to the new master?"
Ku Ding was so frightened that his soul was about to leave his body. He kowtowed repeatedly: "Princess, please forgive me! Please forgive me! Your humble servant... your humble servant was forced to do this! Your humble servant... your humble servant deserves to die! Damn it!"
"You really deserve to die." Lin Jiaojiao's voice was very soft, but it was like an ice cone, piercing Ku Ding's heart fiercely.
Kuding collapsed to the ground in an instant, his face ashen, with only despair in his eyes.
At this moment, heavy and hurried footsteps were heard outside the hall, accompanied by the clanging sound of armor.
"General Shi Hu requests to see Princess Yuan!" Shi Hu's loud but anxious voice came from outside the palace gate.
Lin Jiaojiao's heart moved: "Come in."
Shi Hu strode into the hall, his burly figure carrying a chilling aura. His gaze was like lightning, instantly sweeping over the limp Ku Ding on the ground. A trace of undisguised disgust and murderous intent flashed in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed his emotions and saluted Lin Jiaojiao with a fist clasped, "I pay my respects to the Concubine Yuan!"
"What's the matter, General Shi?" Lin Jiaojiao asked.
Shi Hu's face was solemn, and his voice was low: "Reporting to the Princess! The Blood Wolf Guards have captured Sikou Zhao Qian! They are interrogating him strictly! In addition..." He paused, and glanced at Ku Ding again, as if looking at a dead man, "This general... This general just received a secret report! Ku Siku Ding... is suspected of colluding with Sikou, secretly communicating with the merchant army, and diverting military supplies! This is a serious crime of treason! The commander of the Blood Wolf Guards... has ordered his arrest!"
boom--!
Kudin collapsed to the ground as if struck by lightning, his last bit of strength drained away, leaving only desperate sobs.
Lin Jiaojiao understood. The Blood Wolf Guards were indeed quick to act. When they interrogated Sikou, they exposed the small fish, Ku Ding, along with them.
"Princess Yuan!" Shi Hu stepped forward, his voice filled with urgency and pleading, "Kuding has committed a heinous crime. Please hand this beast over to me, and have me escorted to the Blood Wolf Guards, so as to avoid... polluting your hearing!" He obviously wanted to get rid of this traitor himself and save Lin Jiaojiao trouble.
Lin Jiaojiao looked at Ku Ding, who was lying on the ground like a pile of mud, and then at the anger burning in Shi Hu's eyes. She knew that Ku Ding was dead, and if he was handed over to the Blood Wolf Guards, he would only die a more miserable death, but... should he be handed over like this?
She was silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on Ku Ding. She spoke slowly, her voice carrying a strange penetrating power: "Lord Ku Si, you just said... that you were coerced by Si Kou to move the supplies?"
Ku Ding suddenly raised his head as if he had grasped the last straw, tears streaming down his face. "Yes! Yes! Princess Yuan! I was forced to do this! It was Si Kou who forced me to do this! Please have mercy on me, Princess Yuan! Please save my life!"
"Forced?" Lin Jiaojiao leaned forward slightly, her eyes sharp as a knife, as if to pierce his soul. "Then... the location of the hidden supplies, are only known to you and Si Kou?"
Ku Ding was stunned, then nodded desperately: "Yes! Yes! Only Sikou and I know! The cellar of Yuwang Temple! The entrance is behind the statue! The key... the key is with me!" He hurriedly took out a small, quaint bronze key from his arms and raised it above his head tremblingly.
A gleam of light flashed in Lin Jiaojiao's eyes. This was what she had been waiting for.
She stood up and turned her gaze to Shi Hu: "General Shi."
"I will be here!"
"Although Ku Ding's crimes are heinous, he has shown remorse and... has revealed the hiding place of the supplies." Lin Jiaojiao's voice was calm, yet filled with unquestionable determination. "I command you to gather your men immediately, take this key, and proceed to the Yuwang Temple cellar. You must recover all the removed supplies, especially the food, medicine, and cloth. No mistakes!"
"This..." Shi Hu was stunned, somewhat puzzled. Ku Ding was a traitor, so why didn't he just hand him over to the Blood Wolf Guards? But he had already formed an instinctive obedience to Lin Jiaojiao's orders, and immediately clasped his fists and said, "Yes! I obey your command!"
He stepped forward and snatched the bronze key from Kuding's hand without any hesitation. He looked at Kuding with disgust as if he had crushed a bug, then turned around and strode away, his armor clanging.
Ku Ding looked at Shi Hu's departing back, then looked at Lin Jiaojiao, his eyes filled with the bewilderment of surviving a disaster and a faint hope. Concubine Yuan... are you going to protect me?
Lin Jiaojiao didn't look at him again. She walked to the window and looked in the direction where Shi Hu was going. Her eyes were deep. The supplies... must be recovered! That was the royal court's last remaining capital! It was also... their hope of survival. As for Ku Ding... she sneered inwardly.
[Logic Module: Objective (Recovering Supplies) Priority: Extremely High. Executing. Emotion Simulation Unit: ...Detecting a strong desire to survive in the host... Redundant data increasing... Analyzing...] The system's notification tone fluctuated slightly.
Night fell upon the royal court once again. The bloody stench from Zhao Liang's residence had not yet dissipated. The news of Si Kou's arrest spread like a plague, bringing with it even deeper fear. The royal court was in a state of panic, and everyone felt insecure.
Lin Jiaojiao dismissed Wanyan, the two daughters, and Chun early, letting them go back to their rooms to rest. She stayed alone in the side hall, sitting by the fire pit. The dancing flames illuminated her quiet profile, flickering.
She appeared calm, but the tension in her heart was growing ever tighter. Could Shi Hu successfully recover the supplies? What would Si Kou confess under the torture of the Blood Wolf Guards? How should Ku Ding... this hidden danger be dealt with?
Time passed by little by little, and everything outside the hall was silent except for the crackling sound of burning firewood in the fire pit.
Sudden!
[Warning! High-energy individual (Blood Wolf Guard) approaching detected! Target: Side hall where the host is! Threat Level: High! Intention: Unknown!] Without warning, the system's alarm pierced Lin Jiaojiao's mind like an icicle!
Lin Jiaojiao stood up abruptly, her heart in her throat. Blood Wolf Guards?! What were they doing here?!
Almost at the same time as the system alarm sounded, heavy and orderly footsteps were heard outside the hall, like thunder rolling across the ground. Then, a cold, emotionless sound like the friction of metal penetrated the hall door and came clearly inside:
"The Blood Wolf Guards obey the king's orders! Princess Yuan, please—open the door!"
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