The corners of her mouth slowly lifted up, she smiled faintly, then nodded heavily and said softly: "Okay, let's go to Yanbei."
During the long night, in the cold and damp Imperial Capital Prison, two little children sat in a cell, leaning against a wall. Their hands penetrated the barrier and clasped together tightly.
If we go to Yanbei, we will definitely escape.
The long night and the storm gradually passed, and the sky became slightly brighter.
The heavy footsteps woke the sleeping child up. He quickly retracted his hands and blocked the pried hole before he opened his eyes. Black velvet cotton boots stepped on the dusty sky prison, step by step, and the crisp sound of keys colliding continued to be heard.
With a crisp sound, soldiers wearing light green armor and khaki cloaks walked in. There were at least fifty people in the group, filling the small prison. The jailer of the Heavenly Prison followed them carefully, bowing and nodding to apologize. Chu Qiao sat in the corner, looking at the imperial guards coldly, her heart gradually sinking.
Yan Xun sat on the ground with his back to the door without opening his eyes. He took off his gentleness and wrapped himself up layer by layer with sharp edge, like an old monk in meditation, paying no attention to outsiders.
The head of the guards looked at the prince of Yanbei, who had the golden blood of the Great Xia royal family flowing in his veins. His stern face showed no flattery or respect. He took out the imperial edict in his arms and read it out: "The Shengjin Palace has ordered that the prince of Yanbei, Yan Xun, be taken to Jiuyoutai to await his fate."
Another guard stepped forward and sneered disdainfully, "Prince Yan, please."
The young man slowly opened his eyes, with a sharp light flashing in them. Just a slight glance from the corner of his eye made the guard's back involuntarily feel a chill. He seemed to understand something, but still maintained his pride on his face. He stood up stubbornly and walked towards the prison door first. A group of palace guards took the prepared shackles, thought for a while, and put them behind them. They exchanged glances with each other and surrounded the man.
The snow-white fur coat swept across the ground, and the dirty dust flew up and landed on the boy's white deerskin boots. On it, there was a dark-line embroidery of a five-clawed golden dragon specially used by the royal family. Under the shining morning sun, it looked even more bright and dazzling. Even in such a desolate environment, it was still so outstanding, as if reminding everyone in this way that once upon a time, the Yanbei lineage was also a branch of the Great Xia royal family.
The wind blew slowly from the long and dark corridor, bringing the fresh air from outside, but also the biting cold from outside.
A hand suddenly stretched out from the cell fence, pale and slender, like fine porcelain, giving people the illusion that it could be easily broken with just the slightest force. But it was this slender little hand that blocked everyone's way, grabbed Yan Xun's calf, and tightly grasped his trouser leg, stubbornly refusing to let go.
"What are you doing? Are you tired of living?" An imperial guard was furious and stepped forward and shouted angrily.
Yan Xun turned around and looked coldly at the face of the imperial guard with a stern gaze, and immediately forced the imperial guard to take back the rest of his words. The boy squatted down, held the child's thin fingers, frowned and looked at the thin child, and whispered: "Achu, don't make trouble."
"You don't keep your word!" Chu Qiao's eyes were bright. She raised her head stubbornly and spoke word by word, "You said you wouldn't abandon me."
Yan Xun frowned. From the moment he saw the Imperial Guards, the young man who had been at the center of power in the imperial capital for a long time was keenly aware that things could not simply develop in the direction he wanted. Something uncontrollable must have happened without his knowledge. It was hard to predict whether this trip would be a blessing or a disaster. How could he take her with him to take the risk? The young man frowned and scolded in a low voice: "I won't abandon you, just wait here for me to come back."
"I don't believe you." The child said stubbornly, but the strength in his hands did not relax at all. "Take me with you."
One of the guards was immediately furious and shouted, "You daring slave!"
"Did you call me slave too?"
Yan Xun turned his head abruptly, stared at the soldier with sharp eyes, and said in a cold voice: "When did the laws of the empire allow a lowly person like you to shout and scream in front of me?"
The man's face suddenly turned red, and the guards on both sides grabbed him, fearing that he would do something extreme in anger. Yan Xun ignored him and just turned around, looking at the child's pale face, frowned and said, "Ah Chu, be obedient, I'm doing this for your own good."
"If it's for my own good, take me with you," Chu Qiao raised her head, tightly grasped the boy's trouser legs, and repeated in a low voice with a stubborn determination not to give in, "Take me with you."
Time passed quickly, and a low wind blew away in front of their eyes. The young man silently gazed into the child's eyes, in which a sharp and resolute gleam was flickering. He knew that with her intelligence she would be aware of the danger of this journey. The boy's lips moved slightly, wanting to say something, but finally stopped at her stubborn gaze. After a while, Yan Xun stood up and said in a deep voice to the imperial guards behind him: "Open the door."
"Prince Yan, the imperial edict only summoned you..."
Before the man finished speaking, Yan Xun suddenly turned around and strode towards his cell, saying coldly as he walked, "Carry my body to Shengjin Palace to report."
The imperial guards had no choice but to open Chu Qiao's cell door after discussing for a while.
After all, he was just a little slave.
It was already bright outside the skylight. Yan Xun grabbed the child's hand before everyone else, preventing any ropes from being put on her small body. The boy's eyes were sharp and decisive. He looked at the child who was a head shorter than him and asked in a deep voice, "Are you afraid?"
Chu Qiao raised her head, suddenly grinned, and said, "Don't be afraid."
Yan Xun smiled slightly, took Chu Qiao's hand and walked out first.
Outside the gate of the Heavenly Prison, soldiers and armor stood in a row, swords and knives were sharp, and the cold armor reflected the white snow on the ground, which made people's eyes hurt. The soldiers stood in line, their faces solemn, as if facing a powerful enemy. The people stood far away on the periphery, standing on tiptoe and watching secretly, their eyes full of unconcealable curiosity and fear.
What kind of person is it that can dispatch the Golden Guards of Shengjin Palace to guard it personally?
A long wind blew up, and the wings of the white eagle swept across the sky above Zhenhuang City. The sky covered with thick clouds suddenly let out a sharp cry, and the people all looked up. At that moment, they seemed to hear the first crisp sound of the collapse of the Empire State Building. The Imperial Capital's Heavenly Prison is divided into two parts, east and west, each with two main roads. The eastern one leads to the main street Jiuwai, which is the only way for prisoners to be released and exiled. The western one leads to Jiuyoutai, where most death penalty executions are carried out.
There was no prison cart, no so-called trial, torture, or identification. There was only a pitch-black warhorse prepared in front of the gate of the Heavenly Prison. The horse was tall and strong, and it snorted with delight when it saw Yan Xun. It was obviously Yan Xun's mount. The young man smiled faintly, touched the horse's head, helped Chu Qiao onto the horse's back, and then he climbed on the horse himself, went straight to Zhuwu Street, and followed the team. Common people along the way all scrambled to get out of the way, looked around, and then followed behind, heading towards Jiuyoutai.
Thick clouds piled up in the sky, and black clouds rolled as if they were going to press down on people's heads. A strong wind rolled up from the ground and hit the two children head-on from the distant and empty road. Yan Xun opened the front of his fur coat and wrapped Chu Qiao's small body inside, leaving only her tiny head exposed.
Chu Qiao turned around and looked at the young man's handsome features, clear eyes and beautiful eyes like water. Yan Xun lowered his head and smiled gently at her, then clenched his two small hands tightly under his fur coat.
They have no idea what fate awaits them. The wind in this world is too strong, and they can only stumble forward, looking up stubbornly, waiting for the moment when the storm comes.
With a loud bang, all the people walking on the street stopped unconsciously and looked up at the Yalangcang Mountain towering above the eastern plain of Hongchuan. There, a heavy bell rang from the Chengguang ancestral temple of Shengjin Palace. The huge Canglang bell was struck again and again by the golden pillar. The sound echoed violently in the land of Hongchuan, thirty-six times, a full thirty-six times.
Yan Xun's face suddenly turned pale. Chu Qiao clearly felt the hands holding her tremble violently. She raised her eyebrows and looked at Yan Xun in confusion, but the young man did not say a word.
The Emperor is the Supreme Being, and when an emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty passes away, the bell must be rung forty-five times. However, thirty-six bells are the etiquette for the death of a member of the royal family, to complete the number of forty-nine.
The blood of the Great Xia royal family flows in his body. Many years ago, the Prince of Yanmen, who had worshipped the same ancestors as the Zhao royal family, sneered coldly. What is coming cannot be avoided, so let it come.
All the way to Jiuyou Terrace, there are flags everywhere. Looking to the north, you can see the majestic and solemn Purple Gold Gate in the distance, with red walls and golden tiles, which is very imposing. The Jiuyou Terrace, made of a whole piece of black ink-blue stone, stands solemnly on the flat ground. The dark ground reflects the white light of snow, which makes it look even more solemn.
Yan Xun got off his horse and was about to walk onto the stage when a square-faced middle-aged man wearing court robes suddenly stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Prince Yan, please come this way."
"General Meng Tian?" Yan Xun raised his eyebrows slightly, looked in the direction the middle-aged man pointed, and said, "That shouldn't be where I sit, right?"
"There is an order from Shengjin Palace, and Prince Yan is sitting there."
Yan Xun looked at the executioner's seat next to the high platform. If the person to be killed today was not him, then which prince or relative of a noble family would it be?
"In that case, it is better to obey than to be respectful."
The young man turned around coldly, walked up to the execution platform in the astonished eyes of everyone, and sat down in the executioner's seat. Next to them were the inner court officials of the Council of Elders.
The young man had sharp eyebrows, a handsome face, and was as stern as ice and snow. There wasn't even a trace of nervousness or awkwardness on his face.
Time passed slowly, but no prisoners were seen being brought in from Zhuwu Street. At this moment, there was a loud bang, and the side door of the Purple Gold Gate opened wide. The powerful figures of the various families in the Council of Elders, the generals of the outer court, the warriors and civil officials of the inner hall filed out one after another. Even Zhuge Huai, Wei Jing and others followed the crowd and came to the position to watch the execution with the heads of each family and sat down.
Wei Jing's face was slightly pale, his wrists were tucked into his wide sleeves, and there was no visible injury. His eyes were like knives as he cut through Chu Qiao behind Yan Xun. Yan Xun saw it and turned around to look. The young men's eyes met in mid-air like lightning. He smiled coldly, and then, as if nothing had happened, they all stood up straight with calm expressions.