Chapter 2: Prison Break "You little sickly fellow, you're quite good at teasing people."...
Wen Zheliu was born with a beautiful appearance, willow-shaped eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, and her complexion was always pale due to her frail health. Her every move was filled with a delicate beauty that made people feel pity. She had been the focus of the crowd since she was a child.
Children have thick skin and love to play and have fun everywhere, but he takes three breaths with every step and often has to take medicine in the middle of a game.
It's a complete bummer.
His peers isolated him in groups. Not only did they not play with him, they also laughed at him from a distance: "Sickly boy, short-lived ghost, you smell like medicine, it stinks!"
His strong elder brother Wen Liuqing couldn't stand it, so he beat up every child he saw, scaring all the children away. This made Wen Zheliu, who was already eye-catching, even more of an outlier. When he occasionally went out for an outing, the ladies and gentlemen in the circle would avoid him when they saw him.
Wen Zheliu is a meticulous person and is very sensitive to other people's overt or covert resistance. He finally thought he could fit in with the crowd, but when he saw that everything was ruined, he cried and asked Wen Liuqing for an explanation.
Wen Liuqing was not good at talking and couldn't even fart after grunting for a long time. He was also afraid that Wen Zheliu would complain to his mother and father, and he would be punished by the family, so he gritted his teeth and hid in the big bunk bed in the martial arts training camp.
Wen Zheliu knew that his elder brother had good intentions, so he didn't tell his mother and father about him.
But he felt depressed and unwell, and his old illness relapsed. He refused to eat or drink for two days. No matter how his mother and father asked, he refused to answer, and no matter how the servants tried to force him to drink medicine, he refused to drink it. He starved himself to death.
When he was half asleep, he saw He Jiuyue nimbly climb over the wall into the hospital, pinching his jaw and stuffing candy into his mouth.
"If they don't play with you, I will."
Wen Zheliu was already accustomed to other people changing their minds, so he initially thought she was joking.
Until one time, when he and He Jiuyue went to a temple to pray for blessings, a boy called him a sickly boy. He Jiuyue drew her sword on the spot and cut a long bloody mark on the boy's mouth. The boy cried and looked for his father, and then he realized that she was not lying.
But now, the one making fun of him became He Jiuyue.
She lowered her peach blossom eyes and looked at Wen Zheliu, who could only stand firmly by relying on her. She pinched his skinny cheek with her fingertips, and her sharp eyebrows curved into crescents.
"You little sickly girl, you're quite good at teasing people."
Wen Zheliu felt as if struck by lightning, his body was hot and cold, and the places where he was whipped couldn't stop hurting, but he felt even more stuffy in his heart. Why... even she called him like that?
She knew clearly that he hated these three words the most.
Wen Zheliu was so angry that he couldn't catch his breath and suddenly spat out blood on her clothes.
"You, go away." He actually wanted to push her away.
There was a moment of silence in the sky prison, and even Chen Jin, who was following behind He Jiuyue, couldn't help but hold his breath.
He Jiuyue led the troops at a young age and was the commander in chief when he went into battle. He often used surprising tactics, which seemed risky, but he was always able to attack the enemy by surprise and achieve the effect of one against a hundred.
Because of this, she was used to having the final say in the army and hated others' comments.
How could she not get angry when she heard that Zhe Liu was stabbing her like that?
He Jiyue really didn't get angry. She just frowned almost inaudibly, relaxed for a moment, and then reached out to support Wen Zheliu's thin arm: "Be good, stop it."
Wen Zheliu covered his chest and coughed.
She still had the nerve to call him "good boy"? In her princess's mansion, there must be dozens or even hundreds of good "good boys"!
He Jiuyue knew that Zheliu's cough was aggravated by the cold, and wanted to hold him in her arms to warm him for a while, but seeing that he was struggling violently, she was worried about hurting him, so she just patted his back slowly.
The prison was cold and gloomy, and his paper-made body might not be able to withstand it.
"Your cough just got better, why is it back? Can you breathe? Where's the medicine?"
Wen Zheliu had been clashing with He Jiuyue recently, and was frightened by her sudden attentiveness. He couldn't stop coughing. Before he could reply, Chen Sanxi, who was being held hostage by Wen Liuqing, started shouting.
"Princess, princess, help me!"
Chen Sanxi yelled at the top of his voice for a long time, but He Jiuyue had no intention of making a decision for him. She just patted Wen Zheliu's back skillfully.
"Is the medicine at home?"
The slap was mixed with sweet words. Wen Zheliu saw through her strategy. He hardened his heart and tried to push He Jiuyue away, but his legs were weak and he felt dizzy. He fell down as soon as he left her. It was all thanks to her reaching out to grab him that he didn't fall.
Filled with shame and anger, Wen Zheliu coughed even more violently: "Cough, I've finished the medicine I prescribed last time, cough cough..."
"Why are you pushing me when you can't even stand?"
He Jiuyue didn't understand why he was making such a futile resistance, pushing her like a cat scratching a person. It was obvious that when he was healthy, he had no chance of winning against her. Now that he had a cough, it was like an ant trying to shake a tree.
"Be good," she coaxed Wen Zheliu indifferently, and picked him up sideways. "Chen Jin, go to the Imperial Hospital and get someone."
Chen Sanxi, who had been ignored from beginning to end, was stunned. Seeing that He Jiuyue was about to leave like this, he was so anxious that he mixed up her official title and shouted: "Master Sima! Princess Pingyang! Save me!"
"What are you clamoring for? Are you calling for the soul?"
He Jiyue paused, raising her thick eyebrows: "This princess hasn't even bothered to figure out why you took the initiative to break the willow tree, and you're the first to complain?"
Chen Sanxi's face turned red and white.
It was not his intention to kill Wen Zheliu, but Emperor Jingming's intention. He Jiuyue probably knew that Emperor Jingming would not acknowledge it, so he took his anger out on him.
Isn't Wen Zheliu her mortal enemy? It would be better if he died!
The blame was put on Chen Sanxi, and he dared not deny it. He wanted to kneel down and wipe his tears, but Wen Liuqing held him hostage and he could not move. He was stuck in the middle, neither going up nor down, and howled miserably.
"Princess, please spare my life! It was my fault that I didn't recognize the great man and offended you! I hope that since this is my first offense, you will forgive me!"
He Jiuyue knew very well that without the authorization of Emperor Jingming, Chen Sanxi would definitely not have the courage to kill Wen Zheliu before the execution.
Although the incident of saving Wen Zheliu was just a play she took advantage of to ensure the safety of her father and brother who were far away in their fiefdom because Emperor Jingming had kept her under house arrest for many days in order to obtain her tiger talisman, the old fox Chen Sanxi was not a good person either.
During the war, he supervised the army several times, and although he said "the whole country's strength will be used to support the army", he actually enriched himself and almost made his soldiers go to the battlefield hungry.
If she had not flown to the capital with a memorial, and Emperor Jingming had not rewarded Chen Sanxi with gold and silver for settling the matter and transferring him back to the Palace of Tranquil Longevity, she would have really wanted to open Chen Sanxi's head to see whether it was filled with cotton wool or straw.
"Princess, save me!" Chen Sanxi was still howling.
He Jiyue was too lazy to save him, so she turned around and left, but Wen Zheliu in her arms grabbed her clothes and said, "Princess."
His voice was as light as silk, as if it would be cut off by the wind.
"You want to save him?" He Jiuyue was puzzled.
"No." Wen Zheliu shook his head and buried his head in her shoulder, like a cold-fearing cat snuggling in its owner's arms in the cold winter. It was warm, and his hair rubbed against her chin, making her feel itchy, but she didn't hide. She just lowered her eyes and looked at his lips that had turned white from coughing.
He did such a provocative move, but he still retained the charm of the courtesan in Zuifeng Tower, and also added a unique purity.
"Then what are you doing?" He Jiuyue snorted softly, "Are you so eager to acknowledge your master and serve me in the Heavenly Prison?"
Wen Zheliu was still coughing, his voice as clear as a spring passing over rocks, a little hoarse, and when he heard it, it had a unique charm that made people want to bully him: "The princess broke into the prison without permission. This is against the rules."
He Jiyue looked around and laughed loudly: "I, He Jiyue, want to take you away, who dares to stop me?"
The jailers lowered their heads, their eyes on their noses and their noses on their hearts, and no one stepped out.
"Ahem, why, save me?"
They were at loggerheads. Shouldn't she be hoping for his death? Why had she gone to all that trouble to rescue him from prison? Could it be that, as he wished, she still had feelings for him?
He Jiuyue held him with one hand, pinched his jaw with the palm of her free hand, and wiped the blood foam from the corner of his mouth with her fingertips.
"You were beautiful when you were alive, but it would be a pity if you died."
Since she is willing to save him, can she also save his mother, father and elder brother at the same time?
"No joy."
Wuhuan is He Jiuyue's courtesy name, which, combined with her surname, means happiness is within reach. Unfortunately, Wen Zheliu loves alone, and she has been separated from her father and brother since childhood, and from her mother.
These two words seemed like a curse coming true.
Because of her high status, not many people called her that. Among her peers, only Wen Zheliu did so. After returning to Beijing, Wen Zheliu became her enemy. This was the first time in three months that he was willing to call her that.
His eyes were filled with clear water, with layers of soft ripples, making it impossible to say no. "Save my family, please."
Even if He Jiuyue had a heart of stone, he was stunned for a moment when he saw his rare show of weakness.
Wen Zheliu was stubborn and would not give in easily. This was the first time he had been so humble to her in all the twelve years he had been with her. Whenever she came to their house, his mother and father would cook for her and entertain her warmly. His eldest brother was even a disciple of the same person as hers, who often taught her to improve her martial arts.
He Jiuyue glanced at the hopeful Wen Zheliu and the remaining three anxious members of the Wen family and laughed at himself.
She is like a clay Buddha crossing the river. She can't even protect her own father and younger brother who are far away in her fiefdom, and she still wants to protect others?
What's more, she was also a victim of treason.
"I can't do it." He Jiyue suppressed the anger in her eyes, glanced coldly at the three Wen family members, and said word by word, "They collaborated with the enemy and caused my sisters to die on the battlefield. They deserve to die."
The jailer saw that the execution time had come and could not be delayed any longer. He also saw that the Grand Marshal He Jiuyue, who was able to stop babies from crying at night, was here, so he thought there would be no trouble. He gritted his teeth and said "I'm sorry" to Chen Sanxi, who was trapped under Wen Liuqing's knife. He ordered his men to step forward and, regardless of Chen Sanxi's life or death, forcibly tied up the remaining three members of the Wen family with thick ropes.
I was in a trance for a moment when I heard the willows being cut.
When He Jiuyue was young, he often went to the battlefield with his mother, the princess. When he was sixteen, his mother died. He then became the Grand Marshal and led the Red Armor Army on a westward expedition, fighting with Western Yue for three years.
During these three years, he was trapped in the capital and could only catch a glimpse of her through letters sent from Xiyue.
Seeing her conquering cities and plundering ponds, he had an idea, dipped his pen in ink, and a heroic general came to life on the paper. Her portrait was hung all over the books of sages. After being scolded by his father, he quietly folded the painting and hid it under his pillow.
After waiting for her return with great difficulty, he saw that she was not interested in calligraphy and painting, but was actually a dandy who was addicted to alcohol and sex. He was so angry that he couldn't help but say a few sarcastic words to her, and she became his enemy.
She saved him now just because of his good looks.
There was a dull pain in his heart like needles stabbing him. Wen Zheliu struggled to get out of her arms and fell to the snow to calm down for a moment.
Their life experiences destined them to be enemies in this life. She had done her utmost by not taking advantage of his misfortune. He should not ask her to abandon her family and country and have mercy on him.
He Jiuyue thought that Wen Zheliu could not give up his family ties, so she hugged his waist tightly and finally felt pity for him.
"Well, you're so naive. You don't know how dangerous the Western Yue people are, nor how serious collaborating with the enemy is. You only know they are your mother, father, and eldest brother. If you insist on doing this, then I'll send your family on their final journey."
Hearing the sound of willow branches being cut in silence is more mournful than a dead heart.
The executioner raised his sword and brought it down. He Jiuyue thought Wen Zheliu would cry, but to her surprise, he remained calm.
It was only when she accidentally touched his thin fingertips that she felt the coldness.
Yes, Wen Zheliu had lived a life of luxury since childhood, and was too weak to practice martial arts. He had never seen so much blood, so when his mother, father, and elder brother died tragically in front of him, he must have been frightened.
"Be good and don't collude with the enemy. I will protect you."
He Jiuyue's words were clearly extremely soft, and her lips, which had been tightly pursed for years, rarely lifted up in an arc, like the secret words of a lover, but Wen Zheliu got goosebumps.
Was she treating him so well because of their past affection, or was it because of his good looks? She hated the people of Xiyue to the core. If the letters and scrolls he hid in the prime minister's residence were to see the light of day, would she still be so gentle to him?
He should just flee back to Xiyue, the farther away from her the better!
"I need to go back to the Prime Minister's residence." Wen Zheliu's hands and feet were cold, and his body was still weak. He couldn't move his strength, but he tried his best to break free from He Jiuyue's arms, "Princess, I'm sorry."
The breath he exhaled was too hot. He Jiuyue grabbed his wrist and frowned when she saw his face was abnormally red.
"No, you have a fever."
Seeing her frown, Wen Zheliu became even more panicked.
She never showed her emotions, and the frown she had on her face must have meant she was mad at him, and when she was angry, she would be even more unkind.
Wen Zheliu retreated tremblingly.
He would rather run away far away so that He Jiuyue couldn't find him than stay in her house and let her skin him alive and dig out his shameful life story.
Being cut with a blunt knife is much more painful than being stabbed with a needle.
"No, I want to go back." He shook his head repeatedly.
He Jiuyue stared at the piece of white jade that was trying to escape from her arm at any time, feeling inexplicably irritated.
How come Wen Zheliu is so much more stubborn now than when he was little? It's clear that when he went on hunger strike before, she could just pamper him with a piece of candy, but as time goes by, he becomes more and more prone to temper tantrums.
She wanted to scold him, but when she met his wide eyes, she couldn't bear to do so: "...Then let Chen Jin follow."
"No!" Wen Zheliu refused even louder.
He Jiuyue always keeps his word, and it is inevitable that she feels depressed after being rejected twice in a row.
"Wen Zheliu, do you still think you are the pampered young master of the Wen family? Do you have the right to challenge this princess?" Her fingers with thin calluses brushed across his delicate snow-white skin, and the gloom between her brows deepened.
Couldn't he just cry a little? At least pretend to cry!
Wen Zheliu pursed his thin lips, his face cold and calm, as if he believed that "a gentleman can be killed but not humiliated."
He Jiuyue suddenly thought of those Western Yue assassins who came to assassinate her. They also refused to speak no matter what. How strange. Could it be that Wen Zheliu and his mother and father learned bad things?
But she had flipped through the scroll before and found no evidence pointing to Wen Zheliu collaborating with the enemy.
Then he was stubborn and intended to be her enemy.
"You insist on going back to your prime minister's residence, and you won't let me send anyone to follow you? Okay." He Jiuyue sneered, drew his sword, and drew a long line in front of Wen Zheliu. "Once you cross this line, I will no longer care about you."
Wen Zheliu said nothing, walked over, and like this, one step deep and one step shallow, slowly faded out of He Jiuyue's sight, and really left.
He Jiuyue was about to explode with anger when a group of people suddenly appeared in the distance in the vast snowy field.
It was Chen Sanxi and the imperial guards of the capital.
Chen Sanxi lowered his head, his expression difficult to discern, but his voice could not conceal the briskness of someone who relied on his power: "Princess, His Majesty invites you into the palace for a conversation."
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