Chapter 125 He was anxious and panicked!
Yun Zhao felt helpless and could only tell the truth: "He is Zhao Ze, the second son of the Jinzhou prefect. He came with me to join the army to fight the enemy."
Zhao Ze had never seen Xiao Jin before. He only felt that although this man was dressed in rags and his face was covered in dust, he had an upright posture and an indescribable dignity and majesty between his brows. It was a demeanor engraved in his bones that was definitely not possessed by ordinary people.
Seeing this person's arrogant and rude attitude towards Yun Zhao, he felt very upset for Yun Zhao and immediately stepped forward to ask, "Who are you then? Why do you treat Ah Zhao like this?"
Xiao Jin was already furious, and upon hearing this, he became even more furious. He retorted in a bad mood, "What do you care?"
Seeing his attitude, Zhao Ze immediately lost his temper. "How ungrateful! Now that the Wala have invaded our borders and we're facing a formidable enemy, instead of thinking about how to jointly resist the aggression, you're just sitting here getting angry for no reason! If you don't want to be with us, you can leave. No one will try to stop you!"
Seeing this, Yun Zhao hurriedly pulled Zhao Ze behind him and tried to ease the situation again. He said to Xiao Jin, "Please prioritize the overall situation and make a decision as soon as possible. I can immediately arrange for reliable people to escort you back south. The Oirat are extremely brutal, but my father and the soldiers are guarding this place, so we have a plan to deal with it."
The words "Aze" (Aze) pierced his heart like sharp thorns—Yun Zhao had never called him "Ajin" so affectionately. They had spent most of the year together in the deep palace, enduring life and death trials, yet she had always maintained a distance between her and him, a monarch and a subject.
Seeing her subconsciously protecting Zhao Ze behind her once again, Xiao Jin's anger instantly soared even higher. His voice was icy and piercing, "You're protecting him? What do you think I'll do to him? Just based on those few words he just said, if it were any other day, he would have died countless times over!"
Yun Zhao suddenly felt a deep sense of powerlessness and explained, "Aze didn't mean to offend me. It was simply your unkind attitude that got you so angry. Well, if you insist on not going back, then go to Xuanhua Prefecture and find my father. At least the city is heavily guarded and someone can protect you. It's better than staying here in this dangerous place."
Xiao Jin felt his heart and lungs ache with anger. He suddenly grabbed Yun Zhao's wrist with such force that he couldn't let her get away. His tone was strong and resolute: "Come with me, I want to talk to you alone! It's been a long time since we last met, don't you have anything to say to me? If you want me to go back, I can, but you must come back to the capital with me! After we go back, we will immediately prepare for the wedding, you and I will marry!"
Yun Zhao felt pain in his wrist, but he shook his head firmly: "No! I absolutely cannot go back with you!"
Xiao Jin tried to capture her inner voice as usual, but found that the familiar lake in her heart was silent and could not sense anything! When did this ability lose its effect? He became increasingly anxious and asked, "Why?!"
Yun Zhao avoided his scorching gaze and steeled her heart, "Because... because I've already been engaged. Aze and I...plan to get married upon returning to Jinzhou. Therefore, it's impossible for me to marry Your Majesty."
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhao Ze's face showed an expression of disbelief and astonishment, which then turned into an unconcealable joy.
Xiao Jin felt as if he had been struck hard. He clenched his fingers tightly, nearly crushing her wrist bones. His voice trembled with shock and anger. "What did you say?! You want to marry him?! Break off the engagement immediately! Come back to the capital with me now!"
As soon as the word "I" came out, Zhao Ze's whole body trembled. He looked at the man in front of him in astonishment. He was actually the emperor? But even if he was the emperor, so what? Could he take everything by force?
He suppressed his fear and took a step forward, trying to separate Xiao Jin's hand: "Please let go! Ah Zhao doesn't want to go back with you!"
Xiao Jin's murderous gaze swept over him instantly, like a sharp blade: "If you still want your father, brother, and the entire Zhao family to be safe and sound, get out of here right now! Don't get in my way!"
[What should I do? I've even lied about the engagement, why is he still so stubborn and won't let go?]
Yun Zhao was extremely anxious.
At this moment of anxiety, Xiao Jin unexpectedly caught sight of this clear voice again! His heart suddenly relaxed, as if he had seen a ray of light in the darkness - so the engagement was fake? Was it a trick to deceive him?
He suppressed his turbulent emotions, stared at Yun Zhao, and said in a cold voice: "Since you are engaged, where is the marriage certificate? Take it out and let me see it!"
Yun Zhao's eyes flickered slightly, and he forced himself to remain calm and said, "Of course I have a marriage certificate, but why would I carry such an important item with me? Naturally, I keep it safely at home in Jinzhou..."
As she spoke, she subconsciously looked at Zhao Ze for evidence: "Right, Aze?"
Zhao Ze immediately realized what was happening and nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes! The marriage certificate is well kept at home."
[Let’s just deceive him like this for now… otherwise, I don’t know how long this entanglement will last…] Yun Zhao’s inner voice once again clearly reached Xiao Jin’s ears.
Xiao Jin's expression didn't soften; instead, it grew even darker and more terrifying. He stopped looking at Zhao Ze and stared intently at Yun Zhao, his voice clenched between his teeth: "You, come with me! If you still want your 'fiancé' to live!"
Yun Zhao had no other choice but to give Zhao Ze a soothing look, signaling him to calm down, and then followed Xiao Jin to a secluded corner. Although Zhao Ze was filled with worry, he didn't dare to move forward and could only wait anxiously from a distance.
As soon as he stood still, Xiao Jin barged in with questions, his tone carrying a subtle hint of grievance and accusation: "You haven't seen me for over a year, don't you... miss me at all?"
Yun Zhao immediately lowered her eyes and replied respectfully and distantly, "Your Majesty, I dare not think of you. This is an unreasonable thought and I cannot break the rules."
[Do you miss them? Even if it's a kitten or puppy you've raised for a year or two, you'll still feel the pain of parting with them suddenly. How much more so with someone you've been with almost every day, through life and death, several times...]
"I'm sorry, Xiao Jin... I can't admit it! The Yun family is now too prestigious and holds military power. If I were to take over the imperial palace again, it would bring catastrophic disaster! I absolutely cannot put my family in such danger!"
"You!" Xiao Jin listened to her inconsistent response, feeling both angry and anxious. His tone suddenly turned extremely gentle, even with a hint of cautious probing. "The Yun family has been loyal for generations, and has made great contributions to the country. You are worried... worried that I will no longer be able to tolerate the Yun family, right? Back then, in order to wipe out the Qin Wang's rebels, I staged a drama with the Duke. That time... did it scare you? Does it still give you lingering fears?"
[What's wrong with him? Why does he seem to be able to see through my thoughts?!]
Yun Zhao's heart was filled with alarm. She raised her eyes abruptly, but her expression remained calm. "No, Your Majesty, you are worrying too much. I naturally knew that the incident was just a temporary measure, a show."
[Acting? But the play was far too convincing! House arrest, dethronement, constant companionship with Ah Yun, even causing her to become pregnant with the heir... The deep affection and loyalty of the imperial family, it turns out, were all just talk!]
Xiao Jin's heart ached upon hearing this, and he immediately explained eagerly, "Ayun and I were just acting from the beginning! That child wasn't mine at all! I admit... I condoned and even contributed to her death. I stood by and watched... But I did that because I was afraid that if you learned the truth in the future, you would harbor resentment and become alienated from me..."
As Yun Zhao listened to his explanation, her mind quickly connected all the strange things that had just happened—his unusual questioning, his precise responses, and the insight that seemed to predict her next lie...
An astonishing, absurd, yet extremely clear thought suddenly exploded!
She suddenly took a step back, her beautiful eyes wide open, staring at Xiao Jin in disbelief, her voice trembling slightly with extreme shock: "You...you just now...how did you know what I was thinking?! I clearly...didn't say anything!"
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