They could only hear their own footsteps and breathing; everything around them was eerily quiet. But they knew that this tranquility did not mean safety.
Qi Hanlin, holding a torch, walked carefully ahead. He sensed that Xu Yuehuai behind him was somewhat nervous, so he slowed his pace and tried to appear calm.
He knew they were on the run and needed to remain calm and vigilant.
Suddenly, Qi Hanlin heard some noises. He immediately stopped and gestured for Xu Yuehuai to be quiet.
They waited quietly, their heartbeats echoing in their ears.
The sounds were getting closer; Qi Hanlin could hear faint footsteps and breathing. He knew they were pursuers, approaching the entrance to the secret passage.
Qi Hanlin quickly considered his next move. He knew they couldn't stay in the secret passage forever; they had to find a way out as soon as possible.
He quickened his pace, heading forward along the secret passage. Xu Yuehuai followed closely behind, her eyes fixed ahead, her hand gripping a dagger tightly.
The secret passage began to twist and turn, requiring Qi Hanlin to navigate a series of bends. They had to be extremely careful, as a wrong turn or discovery could put them in grave danger.
Suddenly, Xu Yuehuai cried out in surprise. She tripped over something and fell forward. The dagger in her hand flew out, and the torch went out.
Qi Hanlin quickly turned around and helped Xu Yuehuai up, "Are you alright?"
Xu Yuehuai rubbed her knee. "It's nothing, I just fell."
Qi Hanlin lit a torch and helped her continue walking.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, they finally arrived at an exit. Qi Hanlin used his token to open the exit door, and the two climbed out.
They found themselves in a desolate area outside the palace. Dawn was breaking, and the distant sunrise painted the horizon red.
Xu Yuehuai sat on the ground, panting heavily. Her wound was still bleeding, but it was much better than before.
Qi Hanlin looked at her and said, "You need to rest for a while." Then he turned and walked away.
Xu Yuehuai watched his retreating figure, her heart filled with gratitude and respect. She knew that if Qi Hanlin hadn't arrived in time, she might have already perished in the palace.
Meanwhile, Qi Hanlin had already started a fire beside a patch of grass, roasting a wild rabbit. He turned to look at Xu Yuehuai and said, "Have something to eat."
Xu Yuehuai walked over and took the rabbit from Qi Hanlin. "Thank you," she said softly.
The two sat around the fire, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility. They didn't exchange many words, and their faces appeared exceptionally gentle in the firelight.
"What should we do next?" Xu Yuehuai asked. "Aze is also not in the capital for the time being."
Qi Hanlin frowned and said, "Perhaps I will have to live in exile for the foreseeable future."
Xu Yuehuai felt a little bad when she heard this. After all, Qi Hanlin had only been emperor for a short time, and yet such a thing had happened in the palace.
"You don't know who wants to kill you?" Xu Yuehuai asked.
“I have never met them before, and I don’t know which faction they belong to, but their target is likely not just our Great Zhou Kingdom,” Qi Hanlin sighed.
Xu Yuehuai was shocked: "Do they want chaos throughout the four kingdoms?"
"Perhaps." Qi Hanlin gazed at the distant sky, his feelings a complex mix.
Suddenly, a series of footsteps approached them.
Is the assassin catching up with us?
No, the footsteps in the distance weren't just one person, but a group of people. Qi Hanlin and Xu Yuehuai exchanged a glance, both seeing wariness and doubt in each other's eyes.
They quickly got up, preparing to deal with the newcomers, only to see a general in armor appear in their line of sight with several soldiers.
"Your Majesty, are you alright?" the general asked anxiously, his gaze fixed on Qi Hanlin, revealing deep concern.
Qi Hanlin was stunned. He didn't know this general, but the other party was obviously there to help him.
"Who are you?" Qi Hanlin asked, though he had a vague idea of the other person's identity.
"Your Majesty, I am Gao Shun, the commander of the Imperial Guards. I am here on a secret order to protect your safety," the general replied, his tone tinged with humility.
It turns out that when the Emperor was alive, he had already arranged a candidate for the commander of the Imperial Guards for Qi Hanlin. It's just that on the day Qi Hanlin was assassinated, the Emperor had other duties to attend to, which is why he was not able to protect Qi Hanlin's safety in the palace.
Qi Hanlin felt a warmth in his heart, knowing that his father had been quietly arranging everything for him. His eyes welled up with tears, and he choked out, "I understand. Thank you for your hard work."
Gao Shun breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that Qi Hanlin was unharmed. He turned to the soldiers behind him and said, "Protect His Majesty well, strengthen the guard!"
The soldiers immediately sprang into action, forming a protective circle around Qi Hanlin and Xu Yuehuai. Their eyes scanned the surroundings warily, making sure no danger was approaching.
Qi Hanlin and Gao Shun sat around the fire, discussing their next course of action. Xu Yuehuai listened in, her face pale, clearly from blood loss.
“Your Majesty, according to my investigation, this assassination attempt was most likely carried out by the Kingdom of Wuling,” Gao Shun said solemnly. “They are trying to incite war among the four kingdoms so that they can profit from it.”
Qi Hanlin frowned and asked, "If it was done by the Wuling Kingdom, did the other two kingdoms take similar actions?"
After a moment of silence, Gao Shun said, "There is no conclusive evidence yet, but we must remain vigilant."
Qi Hanlin took a deep breath, knowing he still faced many challenges. "We cannot sit idly by and wait for our doom; we must take the initiative," he said firmly. "General Gao, immediately send someone to the other two countries to inform them of this matter and see if they have experienced similar situations."
"Yes!" Gao Shun replied, "I will send someone there immediately."
Qi Hanlin added, "At the same time, we need to strengthen the security of the palace to prevent any more assassins from infiltrating."
"I have already arranged for reinforcements," Gao Shun replied. "Your Majesty, please rest assured."
Qi Hanlin nodded in satisfaction. "In addition, the Princess Consort was seriously injured while protecting me, and we need to find a safe place for her to heal."
Upon hearing this, Gao Shun looked at Xu Yuehuai and saw that her face was pale, but a smile lingered on her lips. He couldn't help but feel deeply moved; such a loyal minister was truly rare.
He solemnly said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will send someone to safely escort the Princess back to the palace."
Qi Hanlin looked at Gao Shun gratefully, "Thank you for your trouble, General Gao." He knew in his heart that the Imperial Guard Commander his father had arranged for him was indeed a capable assistant.
As dusk fell, Gao Shun ordered his men to set up a tent for Qi Hanlin to rest in. Qi Hanlin lay inside the tent, lost in thought.
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