Ouyang Yue took the letter directly from A-Da's hands: "A-Da, I'll have to trouble you to handle this matter. These two letters cannot be kept together. Normal transmission requires this, but I also need you to deliver this letter safely to my brother. You cannot use anyone else in between, understand?"
"Yes, Princess Mingyue."
Princess Shuangxia also looked unwell and said directly, "There's no time to lose. You should leave the manor immediately to deliver the message. Be careful."
"Yes, I understand." After saying that, A'da rushed out the door.
Princess Shuangxia's heart tightened, and she asked Ouyang Yue, "Ada has gone to deliver the message. Tell me quickly, what danger is your brother in?"
Ouyang Yue was also feeling depressed. She said, "Grandmother, today Ru Shuang and Qi Qi went to the market, but who knew..." She then recounted the story of Lü Yan. As she spoke, Princess Shuangxia's expression darkened. "The Lü Yan we knew before was actually a fake. What was her purpose in getting close to Qi Qi and then to you and Chao Hua?"
Ouyang Yue said, "Grandmother, what I fear most now is that Lüyan's target is my brother. She used Qi Qi to enter the capital and then asked me to help her find my sister, but why did she suddenly disappear? Now that I think about it, nothing seems right. Even if my brother said something to her, leaving is not the best solution. But if she is an imposter, she is currently outside the capital, while my brother has been ordered to leave the capital. It's hard to say that there is no connection between them. Her main target is probably my brother."
"You're right, and it was right of you to send Ah Da to deliver the message. Chao Hua and the others have only been gone for a few days, so there's still time. Chao Hua will be careful too." That's what they said, but the situation wasn't so optimistic. After all, Xuan Yuan Chao Hua had clearly fallen for the fake Lü Yan. Although they didn't know what Xuan Yuan Chao Hua and Lü Yan had said, based on their understanding of Xuan Yuan Chao Hua, he must still feel guilty towards Lü Yan. If Lü Yan suddenly appeared at this time, Xuan Yuan Chao Hua's guard would probably not be high, and the danger would be greatly increased.
Both Shuangxia Changgong and Ouyang Yue remained silent, and even at lunchtime, neither of them had much of an appetite.
Inside the carriage, Baili Chen wrapped his long arm around Ouyang Yue, who was already unresponsive, and held her in his arms. Baili Chen said softly, "Yue'er, don't worry, your brother-in-law will be alright."
Ouyang Yue didn't speak, but sighed, "It's my fault. I trusted Lü Yan too easily. If I had been more vigilant, I wouldn't have let her disappear so mysteriously. I should have stopped her before this happened."
Baili Chen said, "My wife need not worry. When we were dealing with the real and fake Lü Yan, I had already sent Leng Sha with the best fighters from the First Killing Alliance. Even if my brother-in-law is in any danger, I will save him first."
Ouyang Yue suddenly frowned: "Husband, how is Dongxue doing in the First Killing Alliance?"
Baili Chen was taken aback. In fact, whether they said it or not, they already knew some things. Dong Xue was from the First Killing Alliance, and Baili Chen was her former master. Although the mastermind behind her was not Baili Chen, there was no difference between her and Baili Chen, who was acting as her master: "Her real name is Leng Xue, and all twelve assassins of the First Killing Alliance, which are the ten elites among elites, have the surname Leng. Dong Xue's strength is about average."
Ouyang Yue's eyes narrowed: "It seems you'll have to take some more people with you. I'm worried. My brother and father left together this time, and they might also be in danger. I'm planning to have Dongxue take some people to protect my father."
Baili Chen nodded: "Okay, that's necessary. This happened very suddenly and almost caught us off guard. But there's always a way to mend things. I'll give the order now: the entire First Killing Alliance will be mobilized to protect the two of them."
Ouyang Yue's eyes narrowed, her expression turning icy. Anyone who dared to harm her family would have to bear her wrath!
At the same time, on the official road of Qizhou City, a magnificent convoy was traveling. It was Xuan Yuan Chaohua and his entourage, who had been appointed to guard the border. They had been away from the capital for several days. Because Xuan Yuan Chaohua was concerned about the border, he had been traveling very fast these past few days. In just a few days, they had reached the border of Qizhou. At this speed, they should be able to reach the border in less than a month.
"Tap tap tap!"
Just then, the sound of galloping hooves suddenly rang out from ahead, and someone immediately shouted, "Who goes there? This is General Xuanyuan's chariot! Who dares to disturb us? Dismount at once!"
Gradually, they could see clearly that it was two messengers who were galloping over. Upon hearing the man's shout, they jumped off their horses as soon as they got close. However, due to their haste, they didn't stop after jumping off the horse and rolled on the ground before landing. The man, however, didn't care about being covered in dirt and shouted, "It's extremely urgent! A secret letter has been sent from the border. This humble servant must present it to General Xuanyuan in person."
The guards accompanying him in the front row were startled and rushed to report. Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuan Chaohua disregarded etiquette and immediately summoned a messenger. The messenger immediately retrieved a secret letter from his person. The letter was in a white envelope with a strange pattern drawn on it, completely covering the entire envelope. Once opened, the pattern would not match, and no one could replicate it, making the letter impossible to forge. Considering the cost of such a letter, this type of envelope represented the most confidential correspondence in the Great Zhou army. Xuan Yuan Chaohua was shocked and quickly opened the letter. After reading it, his expression changed drastically, and he ordered the troops, "All generals, listen to my command! We must immediately return to the border at half the speed! Form ranks and depart immediately!"
"Yes, General!" the crowd shouted in unison. With a command from Xuan Yuan Chaohua, the entire convoy sped forward like a gust of wind.
At the same time, a bloody battle broke out in the suburbs of Beijing.
"Whoosh!" Suddenly, a gust of wind swept by, accompanied by a high-pitched sound. Wherever the wind passed, sand flew up and grass rolled.
The group of people on the ground were blown about, but not far away, a woman dressed in bright red pointed at the eagle with glossy black feathers flying in the sky and shouted angrily, "Quickly, shoot that beast to death, shoot it to death quickly!"
There turned out to be a group of about twenty people on each side, each riding a tall horse, dressed in tight-fitting clothes, and carrying swords and bows and arrows, all attacking the majestic eagle in the sky.
Originally, one was in the sky and the other on the ground, so there was no conflict. But this big black eagle was flying in the sky when suddenly several arrows were shot out from below. To dodge them, it kept flying around haphazardly. However, the arrows were still burning, and each shot was a fireball. It could only fly very high, but this was not good for flying. If it went lower, not only would it be attacked by arrows, but also by people wielding swords. This entanglement kept hindering the black eagle's progress. In order to get on its way, it suddenly became angry and attacked the humans from below.
"Chirp!" The eagle's flying speed is extremely astonishing. It is the king of the sky, and even the tiger, the king of the earth, dares not provoke it. The two are just doing their jobs. The speed at which it falls directly downwards, the sound of it cutting through the air, makes people tremble. The horses, as animals, begin to be frightened and agitated, running wildly.
"Don't give it a chance! Quick, shoot it dead!" The woman in red's expression changed drastically upon seeing this, and she kept shouting orders. The others looked grim, but they dared not disobey the woman's orders and all attacked with all their might.
The eagle had a great advantage in the sky, but as it approached the ground and was attacked by so many people, it gradually weakened. "Chirp!" Suddenly, the eagle let out another long cry, and then its gray eyes flashed. It flew down quickly, and its sharp claws suddenly slashed downwards.
"Thud." Like the sound of a watermelon being pierced, the man closest to the eagle had his head pierced by it, and he fell to the ground with a "thud" as his eyes widened.
Seeing how ferocious the eagle was, the group was already considering retreating. However, the woman in red was not about to give up. She had about four people around her, closely protecting the knife. At this moment, she said angrily with a pretty face, "Quick, now is the chance. It's close to the ground. Fire quickly! Swordsmen, hurry up and pierce its head or eyes to make it blind in one eye!"
The woman was very noisy, but what she said was a good idea. The men saw that one of their companions had died, but considering that they were now in a fight to the death, they had to kill the eagle first before they could complete their mission.
"Brothers, kill!" one of them shouted. Everyone used all their skills to surround the eagle. The eagle hurriedly tried to fly into the air, but the archers fired arrows continuously, shooting them into the sky above it, and some even aimed at the eagle itself. If it flew upwards, it would inevitably be hit by arrows in the high sky. Its only way out became flying at low altitude.
His grey eyes gleamed with a sharp light, and in his eagle eyes were the faces of more than a dozen men on horseback.
"Chirp!" The eagle suddenly took flight at lightning speed.
"Ahhh!"
"I!"
Suddenly, cries of pain rang out around it, followed by a series of thuds as people fell to the ground. Those who had fallen either had bloody gashes on their necks or gaping holes in their eyes. The eagle had taken down four people in an instant. Then, it seemed to realize that the woman in red was the one who had given the order, and flew towards her. The woman in red was horrified: "Quick, shoot it! Don't believe it! Burn it! Quick!"
The others, still shaken by the eagle's quick killings, dared not delay any longer and unleashed their swords. However, the two people in front of the woman in red were caught by the eagle's sharp claws and pierced through their chests, dying instantly.
The woman cried out in terror, "Hurry!"
"puff!"
"ah!"
The woman screamed in pain, only to see that a piece of her face had been torn off, and blood was flowing out continuously. This was only because the woman dodged quickly; otherwise, with the eagle's sharp talons and the force of its high-speed flight, it could have pierced through the woman's head with a single claw, killing her on the spot.
However, it was the woman who blocked the attack, preventing the eagle from killing it directly. Just as it turned to attack, a dense barrage of arrows came flying from the side.
"boom!"
A rocket shot towards the eagle at high speed and "thud" pierced its leg.
"Chirp!" the eagle cried out in pain, but the rocket quickly set its feathers ablaze. The eagle immediately dodged and fled for its life, but as it fled, something suddenly floated down from the sky.
"The letter, it's this secret letter!" someone shouted, and immediately took the envelope.
The woman in red covered her face in pain, but shouted, "Let me see it." Someone immediately handed her the letter. The woman in red opened the letter, and then smiled coldly. Half a palm-sized piece of skin had been torn off the left side of her face, and it was still bloody. Combined with the woman's expression, it was extremely horrifying. Even men who were used to seeing death couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines and their scalps tingle.
"As expected, it's a letter from Xuanyuan Yue. Xuanyuan Yue is quite perceptive, immediately figuring out the truth about the real and fake Lü Yan. Hmph, but it's too late now. I've intercepted this letter. Even if you find another way to deliver it to the border, it'll be too late! Xuanyuan Yue, I will make sure you never recover and die a horrible death!" the woman said coldly, her originally gentle face now tinged with gloom. Who else could it be but Ouyang Rou!
Ouyang Rou carefully put the letter away, then took out a mirror from her bosom. Although her face was in pain, the eagle had flown very fast, and she had dodged quickly, so she figured she had only been scratched. But she never expected that when the mirror was pointed at her, she would see something neither human nor ghost in it! Was that her?!
"Xuanyuan Yue, I'll make you suffer a terrible death! Ah! How dare you disfigure me, I'll take your life!" Ouyang Rou screamed in hatred, her sharp voice almost piercing people's eardrums.
In the Princess's residence, in the Frost and Snow Pavilion, Princess Shuangxia and Ouyang Yue were sitting and drinking tea. However, neither of them spoke, and they only occasionally took a sip of tea, not even noticing that the tea had gone cold.
Granny Shan rushed in anxiously: "Your Highness, something terrible has happened! Big Black has returned, and half of its body is burned. If it hadn't been quick enough to fly into the river, it would probably have been burned alive!"
"Crack!" Princess Shuangxia dropped her teacup, which shattered into pieces on the ground. Ignoring the pieces, she exclaimed, "What? Dahei is back, and he's injured!"
Hearing this, Ouyang Yue's expression changed. Back then, Xuanyuan Zheng was incredibly knowledgeable, from astronomy to geography, and even possessed the ability to communicate with animals. He had tamed two very strong black eagles, a husband and wife pair. Not long after Xuanyuan Zheng died, these eagles became messengers between Princess Shuangxia and Xuanyuan Chaohua, who was far away in this pass. Ouyang Yue couldn't help but marvel at the kingly aura of these black eagles, something she rarely saw even when she was traveling around, like in the desert oasis. Moreover, these black eagles were extremely intelligent; unless there were special circumstances, they would definitely complete their missions before returning. But these black eagles had only been released recently, yet they had already returned injured. They must have been attacked on the way, and the message was certainly lost.
"As expected, someone deliberately set a trap! But what exactly do they want to do? Do they want to kill my brother on the way? With my brother and the strength of the Xuanyuan Army, even if they only send out a caravan, not just anyone can harm them. Grandmother, don't worry, there's also A'da secretly sending a message. There shouldn't be any problems with A'da."
Actually, there shouldn't be a problem, but Ouyang Yue is unaware that Xuan Yuan Chaohua received an urgent secret report from the border, which halved his travel time. Sometimes, to save time, he even choked on a few steamed buns on horseback. Such a speed is beyond the capabilities of even martial arts masters. If it were only a few days' difference, A'da might be able to catch up. However, given Xuan Yuan Chaohua's urgent pace and the increasing distance, it's simply impossible for A'da to catch up with Xuan Yuan Chaohua upon arrival!
Half a month later, a war suddenly broke out on the border. Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide led their troops to fight the enemy. However, unexpectedly, these two generals, who had always been very brave and skilled in battle and were praised by the people of Da Zhou, not only failed to return victorious as before, but were also defeated by the enemy and forced to retreat from a city. This was the most miserable and incompetent war in their history as generals. This war shocked and disbelieved all the people of Da Zhou!
However, at this moment, news suddenly spread that there was more to the story than met the eye in this war. The reason for the defeat was that Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide had embezzled military weapons and replaced the weapons that were actually allocated by the court with inferior ones. These inferior weapons were no match for the superior ones on the battlefield. For example, the shields were practically useless and did not provide any protection. These two wars not only caused the Great Zhou Dynasty to lose face and lose two cities, but also resulted in heavy losses for the soldiers.
Emperor Mingxian was furious and sent men to arrest Xuanyuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide and bring them to the capital, intending to personally investigate this earth-shattering case!
This case is so shocking not only because the Great Zhou Dynasty suffered heavy losses and lost face, but also because Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide were merely generals. Their responsibility was to lead troops into battle for the country and its people. What use could they possibly have for secretly switching weapons? The answer is obvious to most: they needed them. Why did they need them? Would ordinary people need them? What use would military weapons be to them? No one but the soldiers would have them. But why would they secretly collect them for the sake of the Great Zhou Dynasty? There is only one possibility: they are plotting to usurp the throne; they intend to rebel!
On the official road, a group of nearly a hundred soldiers were pressing down on a dozen or so people sitting in a wooden cage. These people, led by Xuan Yuan Chaohua, all had solemn expressions, but also showed anger.
Xuanyuan Chaohua also felt that this matter was too sudden. Half a month ago, he received a secret letter and had been on his way. When he finally arrived at the border, the two armies had already started fighting, but fortunately, it had not reached a fever pitch. He immediately summoned his generals and soldiers to discuss the matter, and the next day he personally led his troops into battle. He was very confident in the strategy he had come up with to deal with the enemy, but who knew that as soon as he entered the battlefield, the situation became one-sided. It was not that the other side was defeated, but that they were. He immediately realized that something was wrong, and in order to avoid casualties, he hurriedly ordered the entire army to retreat. Even so, many soldiers were sacrificed. However, just as he was wondering about the weapons and was about to make some adjustments, he was immediately ordered by the emperor to arrest him.
Xuan Yuan Chaohua wasn't stupid. He immediately realized he'd been set up. Why hadn't the enemy attacked a year before his arrival, but instead attacked right after he'd received his appointment, and in such a disastrous manner? How could their weapons be so easily destroyed? How could these people arrive so quickly? It was like a thread binding him tightly. Even now, he couldn't think of a way to explain himself. The battle was intense; he was focused on defeating the enemy. He'd always thought the weapons were under strict management and inspected before each campaign. How could they suddenly malfunction? Once something like this happened, it would be entirely his responsibility!
This is a truly vicious scheme! If Emperor Mingxian suspects him of plotting a rebellion, not only will his life be in danger, but the military power of the Xuanyuan Army will fall into the hands of others. Furthermore, Ouyang Yue and Princess Shuangxia could very well be suspected of being accomplices and implicated. After all, Ouyang Yue is married to Baili Chen, and for his own throne, Baili Chen might collude with Xuanyuan Chaohua to seize power. That's why he's secretly collecting weapons for future plans. If that happens, Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue's entire army will be wiped out, and they will likely all be executed!
Xuanyuan Chaohua's face darkened, and his heart tightened!
On the other side, Ouyang Zhide was also captured and taken to the capital. Ouyang Zhide and Xuan Yuanchaohua were in the same situation. They both received secret letters and rushed to the border. Then, the situation was basically the same. They both knew that they had been tricked and had been severely betrayed!
"Ping-pong!"
Just then, the sounds of fighting erupted in front of them. A group of men in black, wearing black headscarves, suddenly rushed out from both Xuan Yuan Chaohua's and Ouyang Zhide's escort teams. They began to kill the soldiers on sight, and the two sides immediately clashed. The two men were shocked; these men had arrived so quickly that the soldiers were caught off guard and lost a third of their force in the process. "Quick! They're the prisoners' accomplices, here to rescue them! Quick, kill them all!"
The officers and soldiers were immediately alarmed. Who else could this be but an accomplice of Xuan Yuan Chaohua and Ouyang Zhide? The two sides immediately engaged in battle, and the officers and soldiers suffered heavy losses.
"Who are you? Who sent you?" Xuan Yuan Chaohua shouted angrily from inside the prison cart as two of the men in black approached.
Neither Princess Shuangxia nor Ouyang Yue would be foolish enough to attempt a prison break before the trial in the capital. Even if Xuanyuan Chaohua is innocent, their resistance is still a crime, and they will not even have a chance to defend themselves.
"Go to the underworld and ask King Yama!" one of the men in black said coldly, then took out a dagger from his pocket and stabbed at Xuan Yuan Chaohua. The prison cart was not spacious, and Xuan Yuan Chaohua's hands and feet were chained, making it inconvenient for him to move. He quickly dodged to the side, but the dagger attacked again.
Xuan Yuan Chaohua was filled with resentment. Was he really going to die like this, without knowing why? He still had his grandmother and sister to take care of!
"stop!"
Just then, a cold shout rang out.
"Bang!" The man in black who had been standing properly in front of the prison cart was suddenly stabbed in the waist with an arrow and died on the spot. Then a group of people rushed over from all directions. Now the soldiers and the men in black present were both badly injured, and there were hardly any survivors.
As the convoy approached, one of the men in black pulled back a black cloth to let Xuan Yuan Chaohua see him: "General Xuan Yuan's residence. I have come to take you away on my master's orders. I'm afraid you'll have to suffer."
"I see!"
Returning to the capital with these soldiers now would mean facing more than just one ambush. As long as he survived, those behind him wouldn't let him go; it was far too dangerous. Although fleeing might cause rumors, if he were to die at this point, no one would speak up for him. At the same time, Ouyang Zhide and his men were also taken away by a group of men in black.
A gray-clad servant in the east of the city looked so ordinary—ordinary appearance, ordinary clothes, even his build was quite ordinary. But as soon as he stepped out of the city gate, he realized someone was following him. He quickly walked a few steps, turned into an alley, and realized he had shaken off the person. He took a deep breath and was just about to relax when he heard an extremely cold voice: "Long time no see, Green Beauty. No, fake Green Beauty."
The gray-clad servant suddenly looked up in surprise, only to see several people emerging from the previously deserted alleyway where various odds and ends were piled up. The servant turned and ran, but then several more people rushed in and kicked him. The servant heard a crack as his leg bone broke. He was covered in sweat from the pain, and soon a strange liquid began to trickle from his face. A moment later, a strikingly handsome face appeared. Ouyang Yue approached the fake Lü Yan, and, surprisingly, used a dagger to lift Lü Yan's chin: "You're clever, but too clever for your own good. You've accelerated my counterattack plan. Your master will thank you properly when he goes to hell!"
Green Beauty's face stiffened. Looking into Ouyang Yue's eyes, which were sharper than the sharpest knife, she trembled violently. How did she know her master?
"take away!"
Ouyang Yue's eyes were extremely cold. How dare they scheme against her brother and father! She would get back a million times over!
☆、196、Under torture, capture Ouyang Rou!
"Bang!" After the fake Lvyan was caught, Ouyang Yue gagged her without saying a word, tied her hands, and blindfolded her. Then she was taken to an unknown place. She only knew that the road was winding and difficult to walk. She seemed to have arrived at some place and was roughly thrown to the ground, landing on her back first. The huge impact made her groan.
"Take the cloth down." Then came a cold voice, which the fake Lvyan recognized as Ouyang Yue's voice.
After being deprived of light for a while, the fake Lvyan instinctively squinted to adjust. When she looked up, she saw Baili Chen, Ouyang Yue, Dai Yu, and Leng Caiwen standing in the room, looking at her with extreme indifference. The fake Lvyan didn't speak, but just lowered her head slightly.
"What's your real name?" Ouyang Yue asked, looking at the fake Lüyan. The fake Lüyan didn't speak, but just lowered her head. Ouyang Yue narrowed her eyes and looked at the top of the fake Lüyan's head. Then she slowly lowered her body and squatted down to look at the fake Lüyan at eye level. The fake Lüyan was stunned but still didn't speak.
Ouyang Yue said calmly, "It's fine if you don't tell me your name, just tell me who ordered you." The fake Lüyan remained silent. Ouyang Yue sneered, "From the beginning, you intentionally approached Qi Qi, or rather, you intentionally approached Lüyan to learn about her, and then devised a plan, plotting and scheming step by step. You're quite a clever woman. Unfortunately, you have no motive for the crime. There must be someone behind you. Tell them who it is to avoid physical punishment."
The fake Lvyan lowered her head and even closed her eyes, showing absolutely no cooperation.
Leng Caiwen sneered: "Yue'er, it seems this person is stubborn and doesn't want to talk anymore. I think I should teach her a lesson."
Dai Yu is the Minister of Rites, but that doesn't mean he's a pedantic person. He agrees with this matter, and Baili Chen is even more so. Treating his father-in-law and brother-in-law like this is not only a slap in the face to him, but also a direct attack on him. If this matter isn't handled well, none of them will escape punishment. Regardless of considerations of family, love, or friendship, they all have to pry open Lü Yan's mouth and make her reveal the truth.