Ruolan's response was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, bringing a moment of peace to Lin Wanwan's tense heart. She knew she wasn't alone. In this impending storm, at least there was a sword that obeyed her command, ready to be drawn at any time.
The mountain path grew increasingly narrow, with the mountain walls on both sides looming over like the fangs of a giant beast, squeezing the sky into a thin, bright line. The caravan's pace was forced to slow, and the sound of horses' hooves pounding on the gravel was exceptionally clear and unsettling in the silent forest.
The invisible pressure in the air had become so thick it was almost tangible, making it nearly suffocating.
Just then!
"ah--!"
A piercing scream, sharp as a blade, tore through the oppressive silence, its intensity piercing everyone's eardrums!
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Consort Xian Su Jinxiu's white mare, whether it had stepped on a sharp stone or was frightened, suddenly reared up and let out a terrified neigh!
This sudden turn of events plunged the already crowded queue into chaos.
Su Jinxiu's already poor riding skills seemed so helpless at this moment. She was violently thrown backward by the huge force, and like a kite with a broken string, she fell heavily off the horse's back!
With a muffled thud, her delicate body slammed heavily onto the hard mountain path, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Your Majesty!"
"Your Highness, the Virtuous Consort!"
The maids following behind her screamed in terror, and chaos erupted instantly. Several nearby imperial guards rushed forward, trying to control the frantic horse that was still kicking wildly. The surrounding concubines were even more terrified, their screams rising and falling, bringing the entire procession to a complete standstill.
"Quick! Save Her Majesty!" Consort Xian's trusted maid rushed to Su Jinxiu's side, her cries almost tearing her throat.
Su Jinxiu lay on the ground in a disheveled state, her moon-white riding attire covered in dust, her hair disheveled, and her usually flawless face now deathly pale. She was curled up in pain, clutching her right ankle tightly with both hands, and beads of cold sweat instantly appeared on her forehead.
"My foot..." Her voice was broken and trembling with pain, choked with heartbreaking sobs, "My foot... feels like it's broken!"
Her words were like a bombshell dropped into the chaotic scene.
A concubine falling from her horse, and possibly suffering a broken bone, would be a serious accident during the royal autumn hunt, enough to condemn all accompanying officials for dereliction of duty!
Xiao Che tightened the reins, his brows furrowing deeply. His gaze, as cold as ice, swept across the chaotic scene, finally settling on Su Jinxiu, who was groaning in pain on the ground.
As emperor, he could not ignore his injured concubine in this situation. It was not only a matter of a concubine's safety, but also of the dignity of the royal family and the benevolence of the emperor. No matter how wary and disgusted he was of Su Jinxiu, under the watchful eyes of everyone, he had to make the most appropriate and "politically correct" response for his position.
He glanced at the most elite personal guards beside him, the last line of defense protecting his safety, each one capable of taking on ten men.
Lin Wanwan's heart jumped into her throat instantly.
She stared intently at Xiao Che, her mind screaming: Don't fall for it! Don't fall for it! This is a trap!
However, under the dual pressures of humanitarianism and political correctness, even a monarch finds it difficult to make a cold-blooded choice.
Xiao Che's voice was cold and steady, carrying an undeniable authority, as he issued the order: "Captain Li!"
“Your subordinate is here!” A captain of the Imperial Guard immediately stepped forward.
"You, take half the men and dismount immediately!" Xiao Che's voice was crystal clear amidst the chaos. "Seal off the surrounding area and check for any abnormalities! The rest of you, rescue Consort Xian and summon the imperial physician!"
"Yes, sir!"
At Xiao Che's command, half of his most core, impenetrable personal guards immediately dismounted. Some drew their swords and formed a defensive formation, vigilantly blocking the narrow mountain path; while the other rushed towards the fallen Su Jinxiu, ready to offer assistance.
Lin Wanwan watched helplessly as a huge gap appeared in what was once an impenetrable defensive line because of this order.
She knew that the villain's scheme had finally been revealed.
This was not an accidental fall from the horse at all; it was a meticulously planned "ruse"! The purpose was to divert Xiao Che's most core protective force!
Just as the imperial guards left the emperor's side and rushed towards Consort Xian, Lin Wanwan suddenly looked up at the top of Xiao Che's head!
Her heart almost stopped beating at that moment!
In an instant, the burning skull above Xiao Che's head underwent a tremendous change!
The burning flames and grotesque bones vanished instantly, replaced by a huge, piercing, and frantically flashing red alarm icon!
The siren spun silently, flashing a crimson light that signified extreme danger, as if sounding the most piercing alarm in Lin Wanwan's mind! And above the flashing siren icon, in bold black font, were four large characters that made her blood almost freeze:
[A diversionary tactic!]
The name of the scheme was revealed directly by the Golden Finger in the most straightforward and cruel way!
However, this is not the end!
Immediately following those four large characters, another line of text, even more despair-inducing, appeared rapidly. Each word seemed to be written with ice water, chilling her to the bone:
[Danger! We're surrounded!]
The moment Lin Wanwan saw those words, her blood froze completely!
Her mind went blank. All the sounds around her—the maids' cries, the guards' shouts, the horses' neighing—faded away in that instant, leaving only the frantically flashing red alarm and the two lines of cold text that proclaimed death.
Luring the tiger away from the mountain...
We're surrounded...
So this was the real trap!
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