hatred
Yin Zhaobai was sweating profusely with anxiety, and looked around but couldn't find Shangguan Muya.
"Miss! Where are you?"
The night was desolate, and the bamboo forest was silent except for the rustling of the bamboo leaves in the wind.
"Shangguan Muya!"
It's all his fault; he should have stayed by her side the whole time.
Yin Zhaobai called out all the way, but he didn't realize he had wandered deep into the bamboo forest.
Shangguan Muya hugged her legs tightly, curled up into a ball, buried her face in her arms, and sobbed softly.
Until a voice suddenly appeared in her ears.
"Yin Zhaobai!"
"I'm here! Yin Zhaobai! Come and save me!"
"..."
Amidst the hurried footsteps, Yin Zhaobai vaguely heard a voice responding to him, and he couldn't help but stop and stand still to listen carefully.
Once he had determined the direction, he sprinted towards the source of life.
"Miss!"
Shangguan Muya looked up and saw Yin Zhaobai, and hot tears finally fell.
"Yin Zhaobai!"
"How are you? Are you hurt?"
"No, I twisted my ankle."
Fortunately, it was just a gentle slope, not a trap set by hunters; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Give me your hand, I'll pull you up!
Shangguan Muya stretched out her hand with all her might, and Yin Zhaobai, lying on the edge, held her hand tightly and pulled her up little by little.
The light was dim, and it was difficult to see clearly the extent of Shangguan Muya's injuries.
Which foot is injured?
"Right foot."
Upon hearing this, Yin Zhaobai tried to move slightly, and Shangguan Muya took a breath.
"Let's go back to the inn first, I'll apply the medicine for you."
Shangguan Muya shook her head: "I'm not going back to the inn. You take me back to my residence."
Yin Zhaobai looked up and gave the person in front of him a deep look. For the first time, he clearly expressed his objection to this young lady, his tone full of unyielding authority: "No."
Shangguan Muya seemed surprised by his decisive refusal, and her temper flared: "I order you to take me back!"
"No means no. The Prime Minister's residence is not safe right now."
"Even if it's not safe, I'm going back. That's my home!"
"That won't be the case for long."
"you……"
Without saying a word, Yin Zhaobai put one arm around her waist and lifted her up by the back of her knees with the other.
"Put me down!"
"I won't let go."
Shangguan Muya kept hitting him: "How dare you! Let go of me!"
"I won't release it, Miss, save your energy."
Where are you taking me?
"Go back to the inn to treat the sprain."
"I'm not going back!"
"Now it's probably not up to you, Miss, because I have legs, and I can go wherever I want."
"you……"
Every word she said received a response, and Shangguan Muya realized that it was like punching cotton, having no effect whatsoever, only leaving her feeling exhausted.
After a moment of silence, Shangguan Muya reached out and hugged Yin Zhaobai's neck.
This action made him catch his breath and his whole body stiffen.
"Yin Zhaobai, what will happen to my father?"
“The crime of treason is no small matter.”
The person in my arms quieted down, but the flaring of her nostrils betrayed her emotions.
"Please, take me back. I want to die with my father."
She grew up without a mother and was raised by her father. In this life-or-death situation, how could she possibly live a life of ignominy alone?
Yin Zhaobai pursed his lips and offered words of comfort: "His Majesty has not yet issued the decree, how do you know the Prime Minister will die? Besides, aren't the Imperial Concubine and the Second Prince still here?"
Shangguan Muya clutched Yin Zhaobai's shirt, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him: "Are you serious? Father won't die?"
Based on his past personality, he would most likely reply casually: I don't know, what does it have to do with me whether he lives or dies? It's his rebellion, not mine.
But for some reason, when the words were about to come out, he let out a soft "hmm," even if it was a lie, just to put the person in his arms at ease.
After Shangguan Dehui and Ma Zhang's attempt to force the emperor to abdicate failed, the Prime Minister's residence was immediately taken over by the Shenji Camp and the Yuling Pavilion.
The man who once commanded respect and wielded immense influence in the court seemed to have aged considerably overnight. When Yin Zhaobai first appeared at the Prime Minister's residence as Lord Zhaobai during the court proceedings, he probably understood everything.
So Shangguan Dehui secretly approached Yin Zhaobai, begging him to save her daughter, saying that she was innocent and should not be implicated no matter what...
Yin Zhaobai felt a pang of pity. In fact, regardless of whether Shangguan Dehui would ask him to save the person, he would still do so, because that person was Shangguan Muya.
He didn't inform He Lin about this beforehand, which broke the rules of Yu Ling Pavilion. He'll definitely be punished when he gets back.
However, I heard that He Lin shot and wounded Jiang Yi with an arrow, and even dragged Wu Yuan out of the palace to the general's mansion to rescue her. It seems that things aren't much better on his end than here. Given Jiang Yi's personality, she probably won't forgive He Lin easily...
It was late at night, and Liao Jing was quiet.
After finishing his business, He Lin rushed back to Luoying Courtyard.
Jiang Yi was still asleep on the bed. Xia Zhi stayed by her side, yawning again and again, but she still dared not sleep, fearing that her young lady might be unwell. She was always on high alert.
When Xia Zhi came in, she was carrying a basin of water and was about to pour it out when she was met by He Lin, who was covered in cold air.
"Young master."
"Okay, you can go out first."
Xia Zhi turned around and looked at Jiang Yi, gave him a polite bow, and then withdrew.
The room was warm and cozy. Jiang Yi was wearing a clean, white undergarment, covered with a soft cotton quilt. The arrow wound on her chest had already been treated and bandaged.
He Lin sat on the edge of the couch, looking down at her with his lips pressed into a straight line. This was not the first time He Lin had appeared since she was injured, but each time he appeared when Jiang Yi was asleep.
On one hand, he was burdened with the affairs of Yu Ling Pavilion, but a large part of the reason was that he didn't know how to face the person in front of him; she would probably hate him.
Jiang Yi vaguely felt that someone was watching her, and thinking it was Xia Zhi, she murmured, "Xia Zhi, go and get some sleep, don't keep watch over me."
Just as I was about to turn over and continue sleeping, a clear, waking bell suddenly rang in my mind.
Jiang Yi immediately snapped back to reality. Before she could even open her eyes, the system, like a celebratory firecracker, began loudly proclaiming: "[Hello host, a key figure has appeared. Please select to accept the mission!]"
What?!
Jiang Yi suddenly opened her eyes, turned her head and saw that the person next to her was actually He Lin!
She quickly closed her eyes again.
[Are you kidding me?! It's the middle of the night!]
[001 will not make any mistakes. Please accept the mission.]
[Bullshit! If it couldn't be wrong, then where were you when I transmigrated? You specifically appeared when I was critically injured and on the verge of death!]
[Sorry, the transmigration system malfunctioned at the time, and 001 couldn't connect to you.]
Get lost! And don't come looking for me now!
[Host, 001 kindly reminds you that if you refuse to accept system tasks, there will be corresponding penalties.]
I don't believe it.
[Warning! Warning! Electric shock ready.]
Jiang Yi swallowed hard. Electric shock? Where did electric shocks come from in ancient times? Don't scare me! She wasn't easily frightened!
This idea came to mind.
"Ahhh..."
I actually felt pain and numbness all over my body!
Jiang Yi couldn't help but cry out, startling He Lin.
From his perspective, the person on the bed was rolling their eyes repeatedly, their whole body convulsing uncontrollably.
"Jiang Yi! What's wrong?"
He Lin grabbed her shoulders, trying to wake her up.
I accept! I accept!
[Congratulations, host, you have successfully accepted the mission. We wish you a pleasant journey through time!]
[This is unpleasant! How can you treat your host like this?! A choice?! What choice do I have?! Isn't this just forced confession?!]
[...]
After cursing in her mind, 001 fell silent and pretended to be dead, acting as if she hadn't heard anything.
Jiang Yi gasped. Her external wounds had just been bandaged, and now she'd suffered internal injuries. Was there no justice in this world?! Were they just targeting her?!
He Lin's worry was genuine, but Jiang Yi didn't want to talk to him. She silently brushed his hand away, and the moment she touched the back of his hand, she felt that his hand was ice cold.
Are you alright?
Despite the pain in her chest, Jiang Yi turned her back to him, her meaning clear: she didn't want to talk to him.
He Lin understood this, pursed his lips, and remained silent.
After a long while, he finally spoke: "I'm sorry."
Jiang Yi did not respond.
"You get some rest, I'll come see you another day."
He Lin gave her a deep look, then pulled the blanket up to cover her, but Jiang Yi pulled it back up again.
Once the door closed, Jiang Yi pulled the system out and ran away again.
[Is He Lin the key figure you're referring to?]
【Yes. 】
I knew he was the male lead all along, but the problem is they've fallen out! How can they hang out together now that they've broken up?!
What is the mission?
[Get close to the male lead.]
[Hehehe, go to hell.]
Sorry, 001 doesn't understand your command.
Jiang Yi sneered: [Request to activate self-destruct system.]
Sorry, 001 does not have this program installed.
Okay, mute, step back.
[...]
Are you kidding me?! She wanted to bite He Lin to death. This damn transmigration system actually made her get close to him?!
"Your Majesty, the Prince of Hannan has arrived."
Upon hearing the report from his subordinates, Emperor Liang slowly turned around, a scroll of memorials in his hand.
At this moment, Ma Zhang was wearing a dirty prison uniform, his hair and beard were disheveled, and his hands were shackled and chained. He was completely different from the spirited young man in Emperor Liang's memory.
"All of you, get out."
The chief eunuch glanced at Ma Zhang, clearly somewhat uneasy. He knew that the Prince of Hannan had been plotting to kill Emperor Liang for quite some time. After a moment's thought, he led everyone in the hall to leave.
"Ma Zhang, how long has it been since I last saw you? How come you've aged so much?"
Ma Zhang chuckled: "Your Majesty is busy with countless affairs of state. You should take a moment to look in the mirror. After all, you are not the same person you were back then."
Emperor Liang paused for a moment, then chuckled twice and nodded: "Yes, we're all getting old."
Having said that, he sat down on the steps below the dragon throne, disregarding his image.
"I know you hate me. You've been planning this coup for a long time, haven't you?"
"Yes, I wish I could kill you to avenge Su Wan and her child!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Liang burst into laughter. When he was tired of laughing, he sighed softly: "Ma Zhang, Ma Zhang, no matter how angry you are, you cannot change the fact that she is my woman. You are just jealous of me."
Ma Zhang gritted his teeth and cursed, "Then why didn't you protect her?! You let her die silently in the palace intrigues, and even Heng'er is gone. You, the emperor, couldn't even protect them, mother and son!"
Anyone who came in and heard these words would probably be shocked. No one would have imagined that Ma Zhang and Emperor Liang had such a connection. He actually dared to scold and berate the emperor in the main hall. What's even stranger is that Emperor Liang did not show any anger. If anyone else dared to speak to him like this, not only would they lose their heads, but their entire family would probably be wiped out.
"I have investigated what happened back then, and it was indeed an accident."
"Bullshit! You're just fooling yourself!"
Emperor Liang lowered his eyes, turned the thumb ring on his thumb a few times, and said in a low voice, "You're right, I've been deceiving myself. Su Wan is the woman I love most. How have I fared well since losing her? And then there's Heng'er, my most beloved son..."
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