As Yun Chuwei had expected, the rebels soon sent word that they agreed to let Yun Chuwei go in exchange for Xie Xin.
Huo Qingjue intended to follow Yun Chuwei, but Yun Chuwei stopped him.
"You stay!"
Huo Qingjue was puzzled: "Why? His Majesty ordered me to follow you and protect you no matter what!"
Yun Chuwei's expression was solemn as she slowly said, "The common people and the rebels have a prejudice against the Embroidered Uniform Guard. If you go, it might incite their hatred. Many officials in the court also have a prejudice against the Embroidered Uniform Guard. If you go to the rebels, it's tantamount to handing over a handle to these officials!"
Huo Qingjue understood Yun Chuwei's meaning after hearing her words.
Yun Chuwei is protecting him and his brothers.
Huo Qingjue frowned slightly and asked, "Aren't you afraid they'll accuse you of treason?"
Yun Chuwei tilted her head back, her eyes shining with light and confidence.
"If they want to impeach me, let them. Nobody will care what they say."
Huo Qingjue remained silent.
Yun Chuwei's radiant image seemed to be imprinted in his mind.
He knew that Yun Chuwei was so confident because she had the right to be so.
That magnanimity she displayed, unconcerned even when the entire court attacked her, all stemmed from her own strength.
But he couldn't do it.
He could only bow to Yun Chuwei and Yan Wei, saying, "Please, Hero Yan, protect Miss well, and please make sure Miss returns safely!"
What she was tied to was not only his head, but also the heads of all his brothers.
Yun Chu smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, I will come back safe and sound."
After saying that, she headed towards Jizhou City.
Yan Wei followed behind her the whole time.
As Xie Sheng watched the two figures disappear into the distance, he felt a tightness in his chest and a sharp pain in his heart.
Yun Chuwei didn't look at him once from beginning to end.
"Yun Chuwei..." he called out to Yun Chuwei subconsciously.
However, neither Yun Chuwei nor Yan Wei seemed to have heard him and completely ignored him.
Huo Qingjue glanced at Xie Sheng sideways, then quickly lowered her head.
Xie Sheng felt Huo Qingjue's gaze, frowned, and said, "Why are you looking at me? Do you have something to say?"
"Your subject dares not!" Huo Qingjue replied.
Xie Sheng felt this was not a kind remark and was about to get angry, but then he remembered something and suppressed his anger.
He took a deep breath and said to Huo Qingjue, "You've been following Yun Chuwei for a while now, haven't you? Do you know what kind of person she is, and what her attitude towards me is?"
Huo Qingjue replied coldly, "I dare not speak, for fear of offending His Highness the Crown Prince."
Xie Sheng was annoyed, but he didn't lose his temper. He simply said, "I forgive you. Say whatever you want to say!"
Upon hearing this, Huo Qingjue said, "I would like to say that Your Highness is indulging in wishful thinking. You are not worthy of the young lady at all!"
Upon hearing this, Xie Sheng flew into a rage: "You! How dare you! Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"
Huo Qingjue spoke up, "I am indeed afraid, but didn't Your Highness say that you would pardon me? Besides, killing the Embroidered Uniform Guards must have taken courage and boldness from Your Highness, right?"
The Embroidered Uniform Guard was the emperor's personal guard, directly responsible to the emperor, and in a sense, represented the emperor.
Xie Sheng was furious, but he also knew that Huo Qingjue was right; he dared not kill the Embroidered Uniform Guard who represented the emperor.
-
When Yun Chuwei arrived at the city gate of Jizhou, she saw that the rebel army was already waiting outside the city gate with Xie Xin and the others as hostages.
The two sides discussed whether Yun Chuwei should enter the city first or they should release the people first.
In the end, both sides decided to replace Yan Wei with Xie Xin.
Xie Xin knew that Yun Chuwei was coming to replace her, and with a sullen face, she kept objecting.
"Yun Chuwei, go back and don't do such things!" Xie Xin said, looking at Yun Chuwei.
If the rebels hadn't kept her tied up, she would have already drawn her sword and fought her way out. Why would she need Yun Chuwei to exchange for her?
Yun Chuwei looked at Xie Xin and said with a smile, "Your capture has demoralized the army. Only your return can put their minds at ease."
Yun Chuwei paused for a moment, then continued, "If you were in the hands of the rebels, even if we didn't retreat, it would be difficult to take action against them, since we would be hesitant to act against them. But with me here, I don't have to worry about that."
She knew the rebels wouldn't kill her, much less use her to threaten Xie Xin.
Xie Xin finally agreed.
After bidding farewell to Xie Xin, Yun Chuwei followed the rebel army into Jizhou City.
The city of Jizhou was very quiet. Apart from the patrolling troops, no civilians could be seen.
Shops and residences in the city were all tightly closed.
Clearly, people are staying at home.
Along the way, Yun Chuwei discovered that the governor's mansion in Jizhou City had been occupied by the rebels, and the granaries and armories of Jizhou were heavily guarded by the rebels.
Finally, Yun Chuwei met the rebel leader and strategist in the main hall of the governor's mansion.
Yun Chuwei glanced at the two men and quickly determined that the robust middle-aged man should be Li Ping, the leader of the rebel army in Jizhou.
The scholarly-looking man was Zhang Gong, the strategist of the rebel army in Ji Province.
Li Ping looked at Yun Chuwei and couldn't help but frown.
He turned to Zhang Gong and said, "Mr. Zhang, is this her? Could there be a mistake?"
Zhang Gong shook his head and said, "There shouldn't be any mistake."
Dressed simply in a blue robe, her hair casually tied up with a jade hairpin, she still exuded an air of grandeur.
Zhang Gong knew at a glance that this was the person they were looking for.
Because this kind of temperament is both so familiar and so unique.
After Zhang Gong finished speaking, he cupped his hands slightly towards Yun Chu and asked, "Zhang Gong of Qingcheng Mountain, may I ask if you are from Xian Mountain?"
Yun Chuwei returned the greeting and said, "Yun Chuwei, Hidden Sect of Xian Valley."
Zhang Gong's eyes lit up a little.
The secluded gate in the valley of Xian Mountain is a place that all Taoist practitioners yearn for.
Legend has it that it was the place where the strategist lived in seclusion.
Although they would go to Xianshan to participate in the Luotian Grand Ceremony, they rarely came into contact with the core figures of the Hidden Sect in Xianshan Valley.
After someone revealed Yun Chuwei's information to him, he sent people to investigate. Knowing that she was indeed a descendant of Prime Minister Yun, he was basically certain the news was true.
That's why he asked Li Ping to bring the person back as much as possible.
At this point, they were caught in a dilemma, unable to make a decision.
He hoped that Yun Chuwei could give them some guidance.
Zhang Gong bowed slightly to Yun Chuwei again and said, "Fellow Daoist, do you know why we've summoned you?"
Yun Chuwei's expression remained calm as she slowly said, "Forgive my ignorance, but I do not know!"
Zhang Gong: ...
She couldn't possibly not know that by saying this, she meant she didn't want to get involved with them, right?
Li Ping then spoke directly: "The current emperor is ambitious and fond of military exploits, waging war year after year, and even now, the war against foreign tribes continues. Now, we are also facing natural disasters and man-made calamities, the people are suffering, and the country is on the verge of collapse. We have chosen to revolt so that the people can survive."
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