Chapter 228 The Escape Plan
Mu Xun nodded.
Shen Lun then looked at Mu Xi: "What do you mean? You can't live without him?"
Mu Xi's previous mention of Mu Xun was merely a test of Yongguo Marquis Shen Lun's bottom line.
Unexpectedly, Shen Lun really intended to "sacrifice" her, only thinking about helping Mu Xun rise to power.
It seems that not only the Gao family, but also this "close" uncle, only coveted the position of heir apparent.
Now that the position of heir apparent is about to be relinquished, no one cares about her; they only care about that position.
"Uncle..." Mu Xi suppressed her turbulent emotions and made one last plea, "If I go alone, it will be like a lamb entering a tiger's den. My life, honor, and disgrace will all depend on the will of others. I beg you, Uncle, for the sake of my mother and for the sake of me being your only niece, please help me think of a way, whether it is to delay or refuse the marriage, to put this matter aside."
Mentioning his birth mother, Shen Ying, Shen Lun's hand, which was caressing the teacup, paused almost imperceptibly. A complex emotion flickered deep in his eyes, but in the end, he could only sigh deeply: "Alas... Your mother is my only sister. How could I not think of you? However, the current situation is such that everything is interconnected. The assassination attempt at the altar failed, the Red Carp Guard carried out a massacre, and the court and the public are in a state of panic. On Xuan Youjun's side, General Liu Yang of the Eagle Banner has also learned about your disguise as a man. Such leverage is like a sharp blade hanging over our heads. Is there any way for us to escape unscathed without losing our chance? In your uncle's opinion, you should agree for now, feign compliance, and then plan further later."
Mu Xi's heart sank to the bottom: "Let's take it easy?"
“Princess Qingyang is strong-willed. The more you resist, the more determined she will be to have you, and she might even… use force. It would be better to pretend to comply and go with her to the East Sea. The East Sea is far from the troubles of Moyang, and it might be a temporary safe haven for you…” Shen Lun’s willow-leaf eyes shone brightly. “Once your uncle and Mu Xun have stabilized their position in Moyang and dealt with the Gao family properly, they can find a good opportunity to bring you back to the Western Territory.”
The East Sea, which was plotted to send her to marry into the family, was actually described as a "safe haven".
Marquis Shen Lun of Yong State truly deserves the title of "the number one person in Dou Nan".
A wave of immense disappointment and chilling anger washed over Mu Xi, and she could barely control her trembling.
Now, she finally sees clearly that in her uncle's eyes, everyone is nothing more than a pawn to be used.
After being utterly disappointed, Mu Xi's heart calmed down, and he smiled faintly: "Uncle has thought things through. Since you say so, then I have no choice but to comply."
Mu Xun, who was standing to the side, was about to say something.
Mu Xi pressed his hand down and stood up: "You should just listen to your uncle. However, in order to make more preparations, I will probably have to delay Princess Qingyang for a few more days. Anyway, it will take a few more days for the Yu King's camp to return to Moyang, so there's no rush for anyone."
Seeing that she seemed to be softening, Shen Lun also got up to see her off, his tone even more gentle: "You are all so considerate of the big picture, your father's spirit in heaven must be comforted."
Mu Xi bowed to Shen Lun and said, "Then we won't disturb you any longer, Uncle. We'll take our leave."
The two walked out of Shenlun's tent one after the other.
The mountain breeze, carrying the fragrance of grass, trees, and earth, instantly soothed Mu Xi's chaotic and turbulent mind.
Without saying a word, he walked quickly toward his temporary tent, with Mu Xun following closely behind, also without uttering a word.
When the two returned to their tent, Zhelan and Tao'er immediately came to greet them. Seeing Mu Xi's pale face and the lingering coldness in his eyes, they were both frightened into silence and quietly served him hot tea.
Mu Xun waved his hand, signaling them to leave.
Only two people remained inside the tent.
Mu Xi then lowered her broken voice: "We can't count on Lord Shen, we can't go to the East Sea, and we can't go to the West either. The world is so vast, yet there's nowhere left to go. Shall we flee?"
She never imagined that a Princess Qingyang would suddenly appear and take everything away from her with just a few words.
“Okay, wherever you want to go, I’ll go with you.” Mu Xun showed no surprise or hesitation.
Mu Xi was left with only one choice: "Didn't you always say you wanted to go to Jiuyou? It seems like Yan Sheng is about to plunge the world into chaos, so why not leave this place of trouble for good?"
"Are you really willing to go to Jiuyou with me?" Mu Xun's eyes sparkled like the moon reflected in a calm lake.
“Yes, we’re going to Jiuyou. Not only us, but we also need to ask Doctor Luo, Baofan, Tao’er… how should we settle them? Uh…” Once Mu Xi decided to escape, her mind was flooded with questions. Her heart was pounding, and she felt dizzy and about to fall.
Mu Xun rushed over and helped him up: "What's wrong?"
Mu Xi was helped to the bed, rubbing her temples, feeling even more disheartened. She couldn't help but laugh at herself: "Heh, with my current body, even without the matter of Princess Qingyang, I probably couldn't do anything. Oh well, I should stay away from trouble as much as possible."
Mu Xun looked worried: "Don't be discouraged. It's just that the external injuries have healed, but the internal injuries are hard to heal. You must have been overthinking just now, and your temper was on edge. Even if you want to leave, there's no rush. I'll go and invite Doctor Luo right away. You should rest first. As long as you've made up your mind, I'll take care of the rest. You don't need to worry about it. Just focus on recuperating."
Mu Xi was ultimately powerless at this moment, and could only let go of all her resentment.
The next morning, Mu Xi woke up very early and had finished washing up and having breakfast before dawn, but Mu Xun did not appear until the sun was high in the sky.
At first, they thought Mu Xun was busy preparing for his escape, but as time went by, an ominous premonition crept into their hearts.
Upon inspecting Mu Xun's tent, all the bedding and utensils inside were intact. When the soldiers guarding the camp were asked, they were only told that the Second Young Master had gone out early in the morning, without specifying where he had gone.
Since the assassination attempt on Prince Yu in the hunting grounds and the exposure of their identities by Liu Yang, Mu Xi and Mu Xun's guards, both open and covert, have been severely weakened.
Of those who accompanied him that day, only Bao Fan survived thanks to his strong physique, and two other guards escaped without serious injury. The rest of the group was wiped out, especially Mu Xun's personal bodyguard Jiang Meng, who fought to the death, suffering multiple stab wounds.
With Jiang Meng dead, Mu Xun was like a man who had lost his right and left arms. Mu Xi couldn't find Mu Xun and didn't know who else to ask.
However, Mu Xun would never go out on business for such a long time without telling her beforehand, especially after the two of them learned Mu Xun's true identity again. The relationship that was previously maintained by the fragile "blood ties" was no longer as trusting as the mutual trust after they were honest with each other.
Mu Xi felt increasingly uneasy, and having no one to rely on at this time, she could only seek help from her uncle Shen Lun again.
Shen Lun said calmly, "Oh, didn't Mu Xun tell you before he left for his mission? Perhaps he forgot. I had to ask him to take care of something, so he left first. We'll meet up in Moyang later."
"Get things done?" Mu Xi was filled with doubt.
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