Chapter 49 The plot: Her carriage was hijacked.
She knew that Pei Xiaoyun must never see her brother's letter.
After reading the letter, she burned it completely in the incense burner, then carefully examined the sachet, trying to etch Lin Xian's face into her mind, hoping to remember it for a longer time.
But after a moment, the outline of that face became blurry again.
She realized that Pei Xiaoyun must have done something to her to make her this way.
While it was still relatively clear-headed, she painstakingly hid the sachet, covering the cracked wound on her forearm, where blood was constantly seeping out from between her fingers.
She didn't call any servants in, and just sat there on the couch until dusk fell, the blood on her hands getting cold.
When Pei Xiaoyun entered, the room was completely dark. He called her name several times, but there was no response.
A faint smell of blood wafted on the wind, and he frowned abruptly, calling for someone to light a lamp.
The room was brightly lit. Mingying sat with her knees bent, staring at him with her dark, empty eyes.
Pei Xiaoyun's heart skipped a beat. He walked to her side, stepped on a few shards of broken porcelain, and saw that her hands were covered in blood.
She covered the wound with her dress; the flesh was turned inside out, and the blood in that area had all drained away.
"Mian'er, what's wrong?"
Mingying remained silent. She felt pain, but it was this pain that tore a hole in the veil of falsehood, allowing her to regain her senses.
Pei Xiaoyun assumed that she had accidentally knocked over a cup and cut her hand, and that the drug had made her sluggish and quiet, which was why no one had noticed.
He immediately summoned the maids and scolded them, "How do you serve your master?"
Ever since he punished those two maids last time, and considering that the noble ladies bullied Mingying at the flower viewing banquet, he wondered if there would be any more audacious servants who would feign compliance while he was away and disregard Mingying.
She spilled a cup and cut her hand today; it must be because those maids didn't care about her. He wanted to punish them severely.
Mingying slowly reached out and tugged at the hem of his robe, saying calmly, "Don't punish them; it was my own carelessness."
Pei Xiaoyun saw the dried blood on her palms, and her throat went dry. She agreed to her request, spared the group of people, and told them to bring hot water to wipe her hands.
He took the medicine and pulled her hand away from his embrace.
Mingying's wrist was gripped by him, her brows furrowed as she struggled, asking in a trembling voice, "What...what did you do to me?"
Pei Xiaoyun raised his eyes, his hand stiffened, the porcelain bottle was getting hot from his grip, and he only relaxed when he saw her still cloudy and lifeless eyes.
Because he had been deliberately controlling the dosage of that substance, she would occasionally have moments of clarity in her mind, which he was aware of.
He could have increased the dosage further, making her remember only him and forget everyone else.
But when he thought of her alone in a dark corner, looking dazed, he hesitated.
He didn't want to turn her into this either.
But this is the only way to make her have feelings for him.
"What can I do for you?" He asked confidently, smiling gently as he applied the medicine to her face. "Didn't He Lianqing examine you and say you weren't sick? Don't you trust him the most?"
“I…” Mingying felt dizzy.
No, it must be his doing!
Pei Xiaoyun tied the gauze in a knot, touched her face, and lightly kissed her lips, her voice slightly infatuated: "It's because you've always had me in your heart."
If only that were true, she still has feelings for him.
We don't need to rely on his coercion, nor on any kind of mental dust dispersal.
As Mingying was kissed by him, her heart ached unbearably, and a few tears slid down her face, landing on Pei Xiaoyun's lips.
He was her enemy, and she clearly didn't want to get close to him...
Pei Xiaoyun tasted the salty bitterness of the dripping tears, and as he gently rubbed her shimmering eyes, his heart softened a little. He asked her, "Was the variety show performance good today?"
Mingying thought of the letter her brother had given her, and her intuition told her that she couldn't be discovered.
She nodded hesitantly.
"In a few days, there will be performances of various arts on the streets. I'll take you to see them."
He took her hand, touched the cold, rough gauze, and his voice became deep and hoarse: "If you don't want to carry those things, then don't carry them for now."
She looks like a porcelain doll that has been stretched to its limit and is about to break at the slightest touch.
He was afraid that something like today would happen again, so he tried his best to get her to laugh and talk, and that it wouldn't be too late to talk about those things once she got better.
Every night thereafter, just like before, he taught her to write and told her about their past. She loved camellias, so he held her hand and taught her to draw them.
But there was one thing she was forbidden from doing: she was not allowed to see He Lianqing again.
To avoid causing trouble, he would have wasted his efforts.
—
After Mingying falls asleep, Pei Xiaoyun goes to the study to handle official business.
He didn't spend much time on romantic relationships. Recently, he and Shen Chun's troops had been secretly probing, trying to seize Qingshui Bay and gain a terrain advantage.
Although Lin Xian did not die, his whereabouts remained unknown.
Without receiving the topographical map, he dared not rashly send out troops, lest Shen Chun reap the benefits.
On Shen Chun's side, the gloom and despair did not lessen, and he was also helpless.
Therefore, both sides began to use the pretext of the imperial court eliminating bandits to spend a lot of money to recruit talented people from all over the country to draw a topographical map of Clearwater Bay.
It all comes down to who gets the useful blueprints first.
In the dead of night, the moon cast a dark shadow, and all was silent.
An uninvited guest arrived at the Hangzhou Governor's Mansion.
When Shen Chun saw Shen Mingshu barge in alone, she was shocked and furious: "What exactly do you want to do?!"
He underestimated his abilities; the assassination attempt hadn't killed him, and he had betrayed the governor's office, daring to swagger back.
Shen Mingshu dealt with the guards, wiped the blood off his hands, and walked into the courtyard with practiced ease. "I hope Governor Shen can lend me a hand and rescue my sister."
He came to Hangzhou from the Northwest with his private army, which was intended to rebel. This would also alert Pei Xiaoyun, making it difficult to rescue him.
After much thought, only Chen Chun still seems somewhat useful.
Upon hearing this, Shen Chun felt that he was talking nonsense and shrugged with a cold laugh.
"Once it's done, I'll give you the blueprints for Clearwater Bay."
Upon hearing this, Shen Chun's expression turned cold, and he retorted, "How do I know if the blueprints are real or fake?"
"Pei Xiaoyun captured my sister, and Lin Xian and I fled back to Hangzhou to rescue her. This blueprint is naturally his work. If you can help me rescue her, I will give you the blueprint. It would be best if you fought Pei Xiaoyun to the death, so that he could never recover. As for me, I had no desire to get involved in court affairs; I only wanted to take my family and escape far away."
Shen Mingshu struck at the snake's vital point, speaking with utmost precision and without a single flaw.
Only he and Pei Xiaoyun knew about Lin Xian's disappearance; Shen Chun was kept in the dark and knew nothing about it.
Otherwise, Shen Chun wouldn't have only asked whether the blueprints were real or fake.
Shen Chun fell into a long, solemn silence, lost in thought.
He had raised this adopted son for ten years and knew that he valued loyalty and righteousness; otherwise, he would not have broken ties with the governor's mansion for the sake of his younger sister.
Lin Xian, that hothead, willingly accepted being cuckolded, his heart still yearning for the woman who had been violated.
In order to save lives, they might very well offer to exchange blueprints for them.
After a moment of silence, he spoke: "I can help you save people, but I need to get the blueprints first."
"impossible."
Shen Mingshu scoffed: "The court and the country are not at peace right now. With the blueprints, anyone can swallow up Hangzhou, this rich land in Jiangnan. If Governor Shen cannot cooperate, I will have no choice but to take the blueprints and ask others for help."
As he spoke, he opened his robe and prepared to leave the courtyard.
"Wait," Shen Chun called out to him.
When we left the Shen residence, it was already dawn.
Having fought on the battlefield for many years, Shen Mingshu was sharp-minded and vigilant, always watching to see if there were any spies behind him.
He deliberately took a long detour, going through three alleys, before finally returning to his hiding place—an inconspicuous oil shop.
This was his backup plan in Hangzhou, the most secretive place he had left behind.
Just as I was about to knock on the door, a gust of wind swept past behind me.
He turned around and saw a man in a black cloak staring at him.
His intuition told him that this person was no ordinary individual.
Who are you?
"Greetings, General Shen." The cloaked figure spoke in a soft, feminine voice, presenting a golden token embroidered with two soaring dragons. "We are His Majesty's men."
Shen Mingshu's pupils contracted sharply, his brows furrowed, and his clenched fist slowly loosened.
...
The cloaked figure appeared and disappeared without a trace.
After the man left, Shen Mingshu touched the imperial gift, his thoughts rippled with emotion.
The treacherous and wicked are colluding with foreign enemies. If such a person were to seize power, it would surely be a danger to the nation.
Pei Xiaoyun's name is also not legitimate.
Moreover, he and Pei Xiaoyun had a personal feud. If Pei Xiaoyun were to completely seize power, the two siblings would never have a peaceful life.
Your Majesty is still young, and may very well become a wise ruler in the future.
He put away the gold token, as if he had made up his mind.
—
Mingying always remembered the contents of her brother's letter.
On the fifteenth, there will be a variety show on East Street, and she wants to find a chance to go out.
When Pei Xiaoyun wasn't around, she could control her emotions, knew who he was, what had happened between them, and knew very well that escaping was better than staying by his side.
Whenever she saw the sachet she hid under her bed, she would realize what a precious item it was.
But she couldn't remember whose it was, or what it had to do with her...
Pei Xiaoyun ordered someone to prescribe a lot of nourishing medicine for Mingying, which made her complexion quite rosy and less pale. Apart from being quiet and taciturn, her overall health improved.
Seeing her radiant and spirited appearance, he felt as if he had returned to the past with her.
Once he eliminates Shen Chun and stabilizes Jiangnan, no one will be able to stop him from ascending to a high position. Ming Ying will also be by his side, and he will give her an equal status with him.
Mingying had to drink several bowls of medicine every day, and in the end, she couldn't drink any more, her brows furrowed.
Pei Xiaoyun looked at the bowl of fertility-enhancing tonic on the table and pulled her closer. "You've always been weak. This is a nourishing fertility-enhancing tonic. We'll have several more children in the future, but at least you have to give me a son."
Once she gave birth to his eldest son and gained a new identity, no one would scrutinize her past background anymore, and no one would look down on her.
Mingying stared at the brown medicine for a while, then shook her head blankly. Not knowing why, she blurted out, "I won't drink it."
Why did she have a child with him?
"Why don't you drink?" Pei Xiaoyun's voice was deep as he pressed his fingertips against her cheek.
Whenever she rejected him, a slight panic would twitch in his heart.
Although she knew that she couldn't possibly undo the effects of the Forget-Dust Powder.
But he was still afraid that she would turn back into the bright and beautiful girl she used to be.
But soon, he saw her head down, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, and he couldn't think of any more reason to refuse her, so he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Drink it quickly, don't you want a future with me?" His eyes burned with a manic rage.
Mingying was enveloped by the heat emanating from his chest, and her limbs felt light and weak.
Pei Xiaoyun placed the medicine spoon against her lips and watched as she opened her mouth to drink it.
The bowl of medicine was completely empty. He picked up a handkerchief and wiped her mouth with it. Pressing his hand against her soft body felt like it could erase the day's fatigue.
"Be good, tomorrow I'll take you to see the acrobatics." He especially loved to pinch and play with her pink fingertips, then pick them up and gently peck them at his lips.
Mingying trembled, seemingly lost in thought.
Pei Xiaoyun, however, assumed she was shy. With warm charcoal burning in the room, he disregarded everything, pressed her down on the table, suppressed her slight resistance, and removed her clothes...
The tent was filled with heat, and Mingying's cheeks were flushed. Perhaps it was discomfort, or perhaps it was lingering resistance, but she opened her mouth and bit several rows of teeth marks on his shoulder.
Her soft, chewy teeth don't hurt as much when she bites.
Pei Xiaoyun, unusually gentle yet deep, pressed his lips against hers, smoothing away her furrowed brows...
In the early morning, the dew is cool and the flowers seem to be in full bloom.
Mingying remembered that the date mentioned in the letter was today, so she woke up early.
Pei Xiaoyun didn't want to disturb her, but seeing that she had opened her eyes, he said gently, "It's still early, go back to sleep."
"I want to see the acrobatic performance."
Mingying's voice was hoarse, as if afraid he would forget about it, and she looked at him with her dark eyes.
“I remember.” Pei Xiaoyun tucked the blanket around her. “I will go with you.”
It was a rare opportunity to take her out, and he had planned to spend the day with her, so how could he go back on his word?
He suddenly realized that everything was moving in a positive direction, and she was slowly getting better, starting to look forward to doing something with him.
This is enough to prove that everything he did was right.
The maid brought in hot water to help Mingying wash and dress. Mingying looked like a beautiful but lifeless doll as they dressed her up.
Seeing that Pei Xiaoyun was also present, Zisu wanted to curry favor and ask for a reward. She opened a brocade box on the dressing table, bent down and approached Mingying: "Miss looks so beautiful today. This white jade necklace earring matches your dress very well. Let me put it on you."
Those two small, exquisite white jade pieces were dazzling.
The light pierced Mingying's eyes, causing a sharp pain as if she were recalling something painful. She swept the brocade box to the ground.
"I don't wear earrings!"
Zisu, unaware of what was happening, hurriedly picked up the things.
Hearing Mingying's exclamation, Pei Xiaoyun walked over and, seeing the pair of earrings on the ground, understood what had happened.
He stared coldly at Zisu, who had taken it upon herself to do so: "Pick it up and get out."
Zisu was so frightened that cold sweat broke out on her back, and she quickly retreated.
Mingying covered her forehead, her thoughts a jumbled mess, something churning wildly in her mind.
Pei Xiaoyun forcefully took her cold hand, his eyes slightly darkening: "Alright, if you don't want to wear it, then don't. It's getting late, we should get going."
Mingying calmed herself down and was led away from the dressing table by him.
She thought of what he had just said; he had said "we".
If he were there, would she still be able to see her brother?
Just as she was struggling with her decision, Kong Qing rushed in anxiously, "Sir, something terrible has happened!"
When Mingying saw someone come in, she subconsciously pulled her hand away.
Pei Xiaoyun was taken aback. He had always disliked his subordinates trespassing, and his face darkened. "What is it?"
"There has been a riot in the north of the city. Many people have gathered and made trouble. It seems that Chen Chun's troops have made some unusual moves."
Upon hearing this, Mingying was even more moved than Pei Xiaoyun.
What a coincidence! Did my brother do this on purpose?
Upon hearing this, Pei Xiaoyun's face was indeed filled with deep worry.
The soldiers in Shen Chun's army are acting strangely. Could it be that he got the useful terrain map before him?
He looked at Mingying, whose eyes were blank. She didn't understand politics, so he could only hold her shoulders and say, "Mian'er, today's events happened suddenly. I'll take you to see it tomorrow."
He couldn't go with her; he was worried about her and naturally wanted her to stay at the mansion.
Mingying shook her head decisively: "I want to go today."
She was determined to see her brother.
Looking into her hopeful eyes, Pei Xiaoyun couldn't bring herself to say anything harsh to refuse her.
In the past, a no was a no.
He would never allow her to argue with him.
But lately, she has been listless and uninterested in everything. If he were to extinguish any interest she had shown, he fears he would never see her like this again.
“I want to go today,” Mingying repeated.
Pei Xiaoyun's eyes flickered, and she finally relented.
"I will have someone protect you. You must return to the manor in half an hour." He had already backed down, and the tone of his words was not one of discussion, but of command.
Mingying nodded in agreement.
Pei Xiaoyun sent more than a dozen guards to accompany her, and also sent Xingwei to protect her.
It wasn't that he was afraid the riots in the north of the city would hurt her; he was also vaguely afraid that she might run away.
Even if she was drugged and in her current state was not enough for her to escape, he could not let his guard down completely.
He felt at ease letting Xingwei follow her.
As the carriage left the mansion, a dozen well-trained guards surrounded it, protecting Mingying.
The street was indeed bustling with activity, as a variety show was being performed, and men, women, and children were crowding around the center of the street, making it almost impassable.
Pei Xiaoyun was meticulous. While at home, she thought that the streets were crowded and inconvenient to observe, and were also the most suitable place to take advantage of the chaos to escape.
Therefore, he ordered someone to book a private room in a restaurant so that Mingying could go upstairs to watch. She would be accompanied by someone, making it impossible for her to escape.
"Miss Ming, please come upstairs. The master has made all the arrangements." Xingwei lifted the carriage curtain and urged her to get out of the carriage.
Mingying peeked out and looked at the restaurant's signboard, a sense of melancholy welling up inside her.
With no other choice, she could only follow Xingwei downstairs to the private room of the restaurant.
As soon as the window was opened, a performance of illusions was taking place downstairs. The magic was so superb that one moment there was a fight between a tiger and a bear, and the next there was a water sprite playing with a snake. The people applauded and cheered.
Mingying had no interest in watching. Her brother had arranged to meet her at the East Street where the variety shows were being performed, but she was taken to a restaurant. The incident happened so suddenly, how would her brother find her?
No, we can't just sit here and wait to die.
On the table were various exquisite pastries and a pot of steaming tea. She poured herself a cup of tea, took a small sip, and with a flick of her wrist, spilled the rest all over herself.
Xingwei didn't notice, and stood beside her with his sword, solely to protect her safety.
"Miss Xing, is your injury from last time any better?" Mingying asked in a low voice.
The dissipation of mental dust does not cause complete loss of memory.
The person who casts the spell uses blood as a catalyst to make the victim develop an irresistible dependence on them, while at the same time causing the victim to gradually forget the people who caused them pain in the past.
Mingying will forget Lin Xian, Ling Shuang, and Jin Kui, but in her memory, Ke Xingwei is just a passerby.
She still remembered Xingwei, and she remembered that Xingwei had been injured and that Xingwei had applied medicine to her at Ningxue Tower.
Xingwei had personally heard Pei Xiaoyun use the Mind Dust Powder on Mingying. Looking at Mingying's slightly empty dark eyes, she nodded: "I feel much better."
There was a moment of silence inside, with only the jeers from the street escaping.
Mingying clenched her fists, then suddenly stood up and pointed to the water stains on her clothes: "I'm a little cold, I want to go to the car to change."
Seeing that her dress was soaked, Xingwei had no right to refuse her request. "I'll go with you."
Due to the strict separation between men and women, Xingwei had no choice but to order the other guards to stand a few steps away from the carriage. She continued to wait in front of the carriage, separated from Mingying only by the carriage wall.
Having found this excuse to come downstairs, Mingying had no intention of going back upstairs.
She spent a long time untying one garment, trying to stall for time as long as possible, trusting her brother.
Suddenly, several arrows shot from nowhere, piercing the chests of several guards surrounding the carriage. The guards fell to the ground with arrows through their hearts.
Suddenly someone shouted "Murder!" The onlookers scattered like birds and beasts, shouting in panic. The scene was in chaos, and the crowd rushing in from all directions almost swept the carriage away.
Xingwei drew his sword, his body on guard, a cold glint in his eyes.
Her mission is to protect Mingying's safety.
She tapped the carriage window sill with the hilt of her sword: "Miss Ming, stay inside the carriage and don't come out."
When Mingying heard the noise, her heart skipped a beat, and her palms felt a tingling heat.
She knew it was her brother.
Before long, several assassins in black descended from the sky.
Xingwei wielded a sword and fought, killing five people in succession.
Shen Mingshu also masked himself and mingled among the men Shen Chun had lent him. Taking advantage of the chaos, he deliberately dropped an arrow bearing the insignia of the Governor's Mansion.
Then, let Pei Xiaoyun and Shen Chun fight like dogs.
His jaw clenched as he slashed several men, driven by a determination to rescue his sister.
Suddenly, a gust of sword wind swept in. He dodged the sword that Xing Wei had sent, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
He had met Xing Wei before. Last time, he spared her life because she was a woman, but she was still working for Pei Xiaoyun.
He had long since become sworn enemies with Pei Xiaoyun, and now that he encountered anyone working for him, he would show no mercy.
In an instant, Yingjue's brows furrowed slightly, he drew his silver sword, and began to fight Xingwei.
The two swords clashed, sparking a burst of bright sparks.
Xing Wei's martial arts skills were inferior to Shen Mingshu's, and he gradually became somewhat exhausted. He was struck in the chest by the palm wind, fell to the ground sideways, clutched his chest, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
Hearing the clash of swords, Mingying was in a state of turmoil and dared not go out rashly. Just as she was feeling restless, a strong hand lifted the carriage curtain.
"Ah Ying!"
Upon hearing this call, Mingying's eyes stung with tears, and she cried out, "Brother."
Xingwei, who was lying on the ground, changed his expression when he heard the word "brother".
She had initially thought these were innocent people who had plotted this ambush in order to seek revenge, which was why she had vowed to protect them to the death.
Shen Mingshu took Mingying out, and when he saw that Xingwei was still alive, he flicked his wrist, and his sword flashed.
Mingying grabbed his hand, "Brother, don't kill her."
Suppressing his anger, Shen Mingshu knew that this was not a place to stay for long. He led Mingying into his carriage and headed towards a street on the right, which was the way back to the oil shop.
After the person was rescued, Pei Xiaoyun sent other guards who were nearby to hear the commotion and arrived late.
Xingwei used the scabbard to support himself as he weakly got up, pointed his sword, and said, "It's the Governor's Mansion. They ran to the left. Go after them quickly."
Pei Xiaoyun was still dealing with the riot in the north of the city.
When he arrived, he discovered that the armed men were civilians in disguise, the leader had vanished without a trace, and swords and knives were scattered all over the ground. He randomly grabbed one of the participants, but the person knew nothing about the situation.
He is now in a standoff with Shen Chun, and the slightest movement between them will arouse the other's suspicion.
He realized this was a diversionary tactic.
Immediately, a strong sense of unease washed over him. Thinking of Mingying, his heart pounded with each passing moment, and he felt something was very wrong.
"Go to East Street quickly." He got into the carriage, his voice terrifyingly deep.
He wished he could sprout wings and see her face as soon as possible.
On the way to East Street, someone rushed in to report, presenting an arrow engraved with the Governor's Mansion's insignia: "Master, your subordinates have failed in their mission; Miss Ming has been kidnapped by Shen Chun's men."
-----------------------
Author's Note: Countdown to Counterattack
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