"Hmm." Xie Lingqin coughed heavily, covering her mouth with her hand, before clasping her hands in a fist salute to Xue Ningshang. "Miss Xue, until we meet again."
"You..." Xue Ningchang's expression grew increasingly grim. Looking at the frail Xie Lingqin, she clenched her fists, a dark and murky look in her eyes. After a long while, she raised her long whip and swung it in the air, striking something without making a sound.
Minglan and the others felt a great sense of relief; the formation had been broken, and they immediately rushed towards Xie Lingqin.
"You... Xie Lingqin, you're a good man." Xue Ningchang tightened her whip and glanced at Minglan. "I won't give up, Minglan. I will come back to find you." As soon as she finished speaking, she leaped like a rabbit and disappeared into the night in the mountains.
The others were slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting Xue Ningchang to leave like this.
She clearly won, so even if her victory was unfair, she shouldn't just leave like that.
“Xie Lingqin…” Ming Lan looked at Xie Lingqin, his expression slightly relaxed. “She’s gone. This tactic of retreating to advance has won. But what did you take to make yourself look so pale?”
Xie Lingqin waved her hand, her face pale, "It's nothing, it's just a medicine that makes people look sickly. You should go back to the other courtyard first."
Minglan looked at Xie Lingqin but was still worried. After a moment of contemplation, she shook her head. "No, although Xue Ningshang is proud by nature and disdains to fight the weak, she will definitely not give up so easily."
Minglan looked suspicious. As she spoke, she cupped her hands and said, "Excuse me." After saying that, she was about to check Xie Lingqin's pulse, but she was quickly pushed away by a strong force.
The force was so great, almost overwhelming, that if Ming Lan hadn't been holding onto a large tree, she would have been forced back an unknown distance. When she looked again, she saw a man in brocade robes and black clothes already placing his hand on Xie Lingqin's wrist.
"Crown Prince!" Ming Lan exclaimed warily.
The Crown Prince ignored her, looked at Xie Lingqin, slowly withdrew his hand, and said with a slightly grim expression, "I will make Xue Ningshang pay the price."
"She plotted against me, but she couldn't overcome her pride and backed down. That's the price she paid."
Xie Lingqin looked at the Crown Prince, never expecting that he would see through it.
Yes, originally, she had taken the medicine that Zongzheng Xu had given her and planned to pretend to be weak. Even if she lost, Xue Ningshang would not be able to overcome her inner pride and would definitely not do it for Minglan.
She knew the Xue family; they lived on the border of Beirong, in a prestigious mansion, a martial and noble family. The whole family was filled with an air of pride, and their inner arrogance made them disdain to compete with the weak, as they would not fight with honor.
Xue Ningshang appeared arrogant and spoiled, and Xie Lingqin had long anticipated that she would resort to underhanded tactics. Therefore, she thought that since Xue Ningshang was under the influence of medicine and was so weak, she would be less aggressive. However, she did not expect Xue Ningshang to be so ruthless.
Just now, she saw that Bai knew she had been ambushed, but did not reveal that she had done so, so she decided that Bai's victory was truly unfair and gave up leaving.
"flutter……"
Xie Lingqin finally couldn't hold back any longer and spat out a mouthful of blood onto the tangled grass beside her, a shocking sight.
“You… you covered for her, so…” Minglan finally understood.
“She couldn’t get over her own conscience, that’s why she left.” Xie Lingqin’s lips were bloody, but her expression remained calm. “Xue Ningshang is no small character. Even if I win against her, she will not be satisfied. The trouble in the future will likely be even greater. If she comes up with any more ruthless ideas and threatens you with your brothers, you will all be in a difficult position.”
Minglan and his brothers looked at the weakened Xie Lingqin, their expressions deeply moved, and they were speechless for a long time.
"I'll take her away first." Minglan wanted to say something more, but upon hearing the Crown Prince's words, she had already carried Xie Lingqin away in the next instant.
"Leader, we..." Behind him, the brothers looked at Minglan, naturally following his lead.
Ming Lan then turned to look at them, his strong and deep face bearing a hint of world-weariness. "Actually, I've known about my background for a long time, but I don't want to go back to the Xue family. Over the years, my life has been marked by fighting and killing. Having lived a life of bloodshed and turmoil, I find it hard to bear any more constraints."
The brothers looked at him, their eyes met, and after a moment, they clasped their hands and said in unison, "Leader, from the day we followed you, from the day we escaped from the underworld with you, we have obeyed your every command. No matter what you do in the future, whether you live or die, we will listen to you."
“Alright.” Ming Lan said with a clang, slamming his palm down on the tree stump where Xie Lingqin and Xue Ningshang had just competed. “The Xue family will definitely make a comeback in the future, and we will need to rely on them. As for Xie Lingqin, she is our benefactor. As I told you before, are you truly willing to do so?”
"We will follow the leader's orders without question."
“No, it wasn’t me,” Minglan corrected, her voice firm and resolute.
There was a moment of silence in the air, and then...
“Leader, from now on we will be just like you, and will obey Miss Lingqin’s orders.”
The sound echoed across the empty mass grave, possessing a powerful and awe-inspiring force that brought inner strength and peace.
...
Xie Lingqin was unaware of what was happening behind her, because she had already fainted when the Crown Prince carried her away.
Hearing the voices behind him, Yuwen Yao regained his composure. Looking at the usually aloof little face in his arms, now serene and pale, his gaze fixed on her gently closed eyes. His pupils contracted slightly, and he raised his sleeve to block out the cold wind.
After a short while, Yuwen Yao led Xie Lingqin to a particularly quiet grove of trees before stopping.
"Listen to the sea, listen to the wind, guard well, don't let anyone approach."
"yes."
Tinghai and Tingfeng obeyed the order and retreated ten meters away to stand guard, but their expressions were unpredictable.
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