Eternal Night - Chapter 74
"I know I can give up my own life, but I can't give up my brother Yongye's life!" Rose said, reaching out to grab Yuepo's hand and twisting it hard.
"I'll make her succumb to the poison tonight!" Yuepo gasped in pain, but managed to utter these words.
Rose was startled and let go. She was usually hot-tempered, but now she both hated and feared Yue Po, and couldn't find a way to deal with him. She was so anxious that her face turned red.
"Your back aches from lying down all day. Give me a back massage, and I won't activate the Gu poison," Yuepo slowly instructed.
"You dare... use Gu poison? You're so ruthless!" Rose had heard of the power of Gu poison and pointed at Moon Soul, wanting to punch him to death.
"You want her to be poisoned?!"
"Brother Yue! Is this alright?" Rose instantly changed her expression to a smile, gently tapping Yue Po's shoulder with her hand.
Yuepo was quite pleased with himself. He noticed her face was still wet with tears, and her delicate, spring-flower-like features were plastered with a fawning smile. He couldn't help but recall the scene when he first met Qiangwei at the teahouse. She was charming and lovely, yet a little willful and unreasonable, her emerald green dress perfectly complementing the spring scenery. She was originally a noble lady cherished by everyone, but she suppressed her temper for Yongye.
He coughed lightly twice to cover his guilt. Thinking that he had to take her away, he closed his eyes and endured it, groaning comfortably a few times, saying, "If you serve me well, I will take you to get the antidote after we leave Sanyu Pass. If you can get the antidote sooner, your Yongye brother will be free from suffering sooner!"
Yi Hong listened anxiously to the sounds inside from outside the door. Yong Ye stood silently in the courtyard, gazing at the sky.
Instead of the expected sounds of fighting, there were some soft laughs coming from inside the house. Yongye smiled and had Yihong bring a chair to the courtyard, where he made tea and sat quietly.
The stars shone brightly in the sky, and a crescent moon hung like a hook. Yongye's fingers twitched slightly, making a gentle hook in the air. Before his eyes, the moon etched onto the bedboard reappeared.
Let Rose go with Moon Soul to the State of Qi. She has martial arts skills, and Moon Soul has experience in the martial world; they should be fine.
She could still be with him for half a month.
"Ping An Medical Clinic..." Yong Ye murmured several times, then smiled brightly as she looked at the starry sky. Once this matter was settled, she would go to Qi Kingdom to find him.
Such is the responsibility
A spring breeze caresses the railing, and the morning light emerges.
At dawn, the faint sound of horses neighing could be heard. The Dingzhou post station was not large, consisting of only a few courtyards. Yongye thought that Feng Yangxi probably wouldn't follow her within the territory of Anguo.
If he were to follow and discover Yuepo, she could only give him the same answer she gave to Prince Duan. She had treated Yuepo in Youli Valley and met her at the Soul Returning Place. As for who saved Yuepo, couldn't Prince Duan's mansion find a master among them?
Rose, Yongye sighed softly. The only thing to do was let her leave Anguo to avoid the storm for now; perhaps everything would settle down after August.
"If anything happens, you guys escape from under the car." Yongye lifted up the interlayer, then pulled open another layer, revealing the bottom of the car.
Yuepo smiled and said, "I'll have to trouble the princess to take me with her. I'm too weak to even kill a chicken."
Rose gently tugged at Yongye's sleeve, gazing at her with longing. Yongye possessed a kind of magic that made her feel safe and secure in his presence. Yongye had always been cold towards her, yet the more he avoided her, the more she longed to be with him. Suddenly, Rose smiled, a bright and sweet smile: "Brother Yongye, don't worry. Until we get the antidote, I'll protect him even at the cost of my life. If he doesn't die, you won't die either."
Her face was as delicate as a spring flower, and the emotions flickering in her eyes made Yongye somewhat unable to resist. Her gaze involuntarily shifted to Yuepo, who was looking at her with tenderness.
If there were any people in this world that Eternal Night would least like to scheme against, it would be him and Rose.
Even in the Prince's mansion, no matter how close she was to the Princess Consort of Duan, she would hide her feelings and even use some scheming. Only with Yuepo and Qiangwei did Yongye lower her guard for the first time.
One had been kind to her since childhood, and the other was deeply in love with her.
But they had to leave.
Leaving is for the sake of getting closer.
Yongye reached out and touched Qiangwei's head, adjusting the hairpin in her hair. He softened his voice and said, "Qiangwei, be good. You've never suffered outside since you were little. You have little experience in the martial world, so listen to Brother Yue."
If these words were said to Li Tianyou and Feng Yangxi, they would sound full of holes; she hardly seemed like someone who had been poisoned and threatened by Yuepo. Only Qiangwei, moved to tears, nodded frantically in agreement.
"You'd better listen to me on the way. And if you reveal this secret, I will activate the Gu poison and make your Yongye brother wish he were dead!" Yuepo added, her gaze towards Yongye showing some disapproval.
If the Crown Prince or Li Tianyou were to abduct Rose, the mere mention of it would raise suspicion about Yongye's identity. Yongye, you're becoming less and less like an assassin. He smiled and boarded the carriage.
Yongye glanced at Yihong, signaling her to be quick-witted, then got into his own carriage and called over Commandant Lin to ask about the situation outside.
Lin Hong lowered his voice and said, "The prefectures along the way have all received reports of searching for the princess, and the eldest prince's men seem to be investigating Yue Po and an assassin named Xing Hun as well."
"No one is allowed to approach the carriage; we must travel through the night to cross the border."
Commander Lin suddenly said, "When I brought you back to your residence, I knew you were no ordinary man. I have received great kindness from the Prince, so please rest assured, my lord."
Looking at the armor on his body, Yongye recalled the novelty and envy she had felt back then and smiled, "When I was a child, I saw how brave and valiant the Commandant was and I really liked this armor. However, I am physically weak. If Commandant Lin has any skilled craftsmen, how about making me a set of light armor?"
"My lord, you may not know, but even the lightest of these armors weighs several dozen pounds. To protect against arrows and bayonets, the vital parts are all made of steel plates joined together..."
Yongye interrupted him and said softly, "I only need to sandwich a thin steel sheet between two layers of tanned cowhide in my vest; I don't need to do anything else."
Lin Hong was a little surprised, but nodded in agreement.
"If I can't win, I can only run. I will never give anyone the chance to stab me in the back." Yongye's voice was extremely soft, as soft as a sigh.
The caravan encountered no obstacles along the way, but the city was heavily guarded. Several times, Yongye felt someone was following them, making no sound, seemingly trying to track their movements. Who could it be? It couldn't be Feng Yangxi; his skill wouldn't allow her to detect him so easily. Was it Li Tianyou, the Crown Prince, or someone from Youli Valley? Yongye looked at Sanyu Pass not far ahead, worried about Yuepo and Qiangwei's safety after their separation.
During the past two weeks, Rose was so angered by Moon Spirit that she attacked him several times. But after Yongye coughed a few times, Rose's attitude changed completely, and she treated Moon Spirit with the warmth of an elder brother. Yongye once asked Rose, "Aren't you afraid of implicating your parents if you don't marry the Crown Prince?"
Rose's eyes reddened, and she lowered her head in silence. After a long while, she managed to utter a sentence: "If you're going to get married, it will be next year. I... I'll get the antidote for you first."
Yongye was stunned. The closer she got to leaving the pass, the more silent she became. This was a debt she didn't want to owe, nor a burden she wanted to carry. It seemed that life was like this; unless she could harden her heart, she would never be able to escape guilt in this lifetime.
If Emperor Yujia's message to Li Tianyou proves that Crown Prince Li Tianrui's good days are numbered, then this is the only way for Qiangwei to escape marrying Li Tianrui.
If the Crown Prince is deposed, he will either die or be placed under house arrest. Rose's engagement will naturally be null and void. Therefore, as long as she cooperates with the plan and takes down Youli Valley, she will have repaid Rose's favor.
Another favor to repay? Yongye couldn't help but smile bitterly. The thing you can't afford to owe in this world is a favor.
Like Prince Duan, she didn't want to get too involved in court affairs, but she was forced to get involved.