Luan Yennan didn't help her up but continued walking forward: "You don't need to panic so much. I'm just reminding you. Xiao Xing is not trustworthy. But don't worry, I will definitely complete the mission to assassinate Prince Dan. You can wait to receive the commander's reward."
"Senior sister, that's not what I meant..." Gu Duo scrambled to catch up with Luan Ye Nan, her eyes full of grievance.
Luan Yenan remained unmoved, silent and lost in thought.
...
When the imperial carriage emerged from the woods, it was seen that Prince Dan was riding a tall horse with soldiers standing behind him, looking quite smug.
Luan Yenan sat on the carriage crossbar and asked, "Why is Prince Dan blocking the road here instead of going to Qingquan Prefecture?"
"There's no need to go. I sent someone to Qingquan Prefecture early this morning to ask the governor for troops. Now I'm preparing to lead the marriage procession directly to the Grand Canal," Prince Dan said arrogantly.
"The plan has changed. Why didn't the prince send anyone to inform the princess?" Luan Yenan frowned.
With soldiers behind him, Prince Dan felt more confident. Although they were all soldiers from the Dali Kingdom and couldn't do anything to the princess, dealing with a palace maid was certainly no problem for them.
He sneered, "I thought about this all night. Such a major event as a marriage alliance is known throughout the entire Dali Kingdom, yet the rebel army suddenly rose up in Yicheng. It's possible that there's a traitor within our ranks. To prevent them from setting up an ambush, I decided to launch a surprise attack. Does Lady Luan have any objections?"
Luan Yenan stared intently.
This seemingly incompetent prince is not stupid; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to navigate so easily among the other princes.
"I wouldn't dare. It's up to the prince to decide now. I'll inform the princess. But let's set off soon, otherwise, those dark clouds in the distance will soon be drifting over. The road won't be easy to travel." Luan Yennan pointed to the gloomy sky.
Having said that, he showed no respect to Prince Dan and climbed into the phoenix carriage.
Zuo Baixuan looked at Luan Yenan: "Sister Nan, the plan has changed. Do we have to cross the river ahead of schedule?"
We finally managed to calm things down yesterday, but today all our efforts might be in vain.
Luan Yenan was thinking, but before she could come up with any comforting words, she heard Zuo Baixuan ask with a smile, "Are we a little closer to our freedom?"
Zuo Baixuan can accept any kind of freedom with equanimity.
Luan Yenan looked at Zuo Baixuan.
As expected of her Xuan'er, the girl she watched grow up since she was a child. Once she figured out the key point, she wouldn't get stuck on it anymore. She hugged Zuo Baixuan's shoulders.
Boom—
A muffled rumble of thunder came from afar.
The sky was clear and blue this morning, but the weather has changed before noon.
The heavy atmosphere made it hard for Luan Yenan to breathe.
Her intuition told her that there might be some changes in this matter.
A note from the author:
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2022-08-11 21:42:57 and 2022-08-12 21:51:07!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the rocket: 77 Not Grumpy Y1;
Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: rain877. 2 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 100 Crazy Maid X Arrogant Princess 8
The marriage procession proceeded towards the canal.
Fortunately, the dark clouds that had been brewing since morning never managed to reach their heads and drop a single drop of water, allowing the troops to safely remain stationed five miles from the canal.
The terrain near the canal was flatter than along the way. After finding a high vantage point to hold their position, the guards chose a suitable spot on the grass, using the trees and wild grass as cover.
Zuo Baixuan lay in the tent, the damp, low-pressure air making her restless.
"It's getting late, you should go to sleep," Luan Yenan said, sitting down beside her bed.
Zuo Baixuan was startled by Luan Yenan's sudden voice and turned to look at her: "Sister Nan, you're still awake?"
Luan Yenan was indeed still awake, but she didn't want to amplify Zuo Baixuan's unease, so she just smiled and said, "I fell asleep sitting up, and you woke me up while I was lying down. Do you need me to hold you? Or are you not tired enough?"
Judging from the Prince of Dan's hurried manner today, Luan Yenan was unsure whether he would decide to march across the river in the middle of the night, so he simply sat aside, ready to deal with any unexpected events.
But seeing Luan Yenan's current attitude, Zuo Baixuan lost her composure again. She lay down on her side, her hand precisely landing on Luan Yenan's waist.
The phrase "not tired enough" took on a different meaning, startling Zuo Baixuan into a cold sweat.
"Sister Nan! This is a camp, and there are guards and palace maids outside." Zuo Baixuan held Luan Ye Nan's hand and said softly.
"It's late, keep your voice down, they won't come in easily," Luan Yennan whispered in Zuo Baixuan's ear.
Zuo Baixuan still didn't dare.
Yesterday, Luan Yenan succeeded in his scheme, and I indulged myself.
Today, she could hear not only people around her, but even the footsteps of the patrolling guards. How could she be as audacious as Luan Yenan?
"Sister Nan, you really love pushing your limits. Have you been eyeing me for a long time, hoping someone would find out?" Zuo Baixuan held Luan Ye Nan's hand tightly, exposing her thoughts.
Luan Yenan was quite cooperative, loosening his grip and only giving Zuo Baixuan a light kiss on the forehead: "If you don't like it, you don't have to do it."
"It's not that... I don't like it," Zuo Baixuan said awkwardly in a low voice, though the excitement was still there...
In public, Luan Yenan is serious, dutiful, and rarely smiles, exuding an imposing aura. Only she knows what he's like in private, and she also likes how Luan Yenan is completely defenseless against her.
Luan Yenan kissed Zuo Baixuan's earlobe after hearing her words.
But Zuo Baixuan quickly hid under the covers and replied, "But it doesn't mean I like it!"
Luan Yenan was amused by the little rabbit's fickle behavior, but he didn't make things difficult for her.
He reached out and gently covered her eyes: "Then just go to sleep and don't think about anything else. Otherwise, I'll have to use my own methods to help you fall asleep. It worked quite well yesterday."
The words, spoken with a seductive smile, made Zuo Baixuan's ears itch, but she dared not speak.
Last night, not only did Luan Yenan have a blast, but she went crazy with him too. But the most amazing thing is that she doesn't feel tired this morning. She's been corrupted by that inexplicable feeling of excitement.
Thinking that things will continue like this for the next ten or fifty years, there seems to be nothing to be afraid of about tomorrow.
Luan Yenan felt a smile appear on the eyes pressed under his palm, so he lowered his head and kissed Zuo Baixuan's forehead and the tip of her nose.
And, the lips.
Ding ding ding—
The final kiss didn't land peacefully.
The sound of gongs grew louder as they approached.
Zuo Baixuan was startled and opened her eyes: "A fire? Yes, have the rebels arrived ahead of schedule?"
Ding ding ding—
The gong sounded crisp and urgent.
"It's alright, I'll go out and take a look." Luan Yennan gently patted Zuo Baixuan and turned over to get up.
“I’ll go too.” Zuo Baixuan stood up as well, picked up the coat that was placed by the bed and put it on, staring firmly at Luan Yenan.
During this period, she stopped being picky about food and ate a variety of vegetables and fruits diligently. She would also drink two doses of medicine given to her by Luan Yenan from time to time. Her night vision has improved a lot, at least it is no longer a burden.
Luan Yenan stopped and looked at Zuo Baixuan.
Zuo Baixuan said softly, "I'll just take a look. I can't sleep anyway."
Luan Yenan had no idea what trouble was going on outside, and he was really worried about leaving Zuo Baixuan alone in the tent.
Even if they had been instructed, those sentries would still prioritize their own lives.
She nodded, took Zuo Baixuan's hand, and walked out of the tent.
Several guards had already gathered in the open space.
Upon seeing Luan Yenan and Zuo Baixuan come out, he stepped forward and bowed.
"Princess, Lady Luan, rebels have launched a sneak attack. They are shouting, 'The rebels are here! Surrender now!' and have set fires outside. The soldiers of Qingquan Prefecture are dealing with the situation. We will do our utmost to protect the princess," the head guard reported.
Zuo Baixuan quickly looked at Luan Yenan.
Luan Yenan frowned.
Even if the rebels had carried out the assassination plan ahead of schedule, they wouldn't have used the name "rebel army".
Unless they are all wiped out, the plan to "frame the Southern Gao Kingdom" will fail if even one or two guards escape.
Of course, their plan wasn't foolish enough to shout "We are soldiers of the Southern Kingdom" and then storm in to ambush them.
Their original plan was simply to kill the Prince of Dan and then use public opinion to create the impression that it was the Southern Gao Kingdom that committed the murder.
Whether the Northern Gao Kingdom believed it or not, their alliance no longer existed, nor did their marriage alliance with Emperor Li.
The rebel army benefited from this, took the opportunity to overthrow Emperor Li, and then dealt with the Northern and Southern Gao Kingdoms, still having the strength to spare.
But now the situation has changed.
These troops shouting "rebel army" were most likely sent by the Southern Gao Kingdom.
They used these clumsy methods, also to sabotage the marriage alliance. At the same time, it was a warning to the Northern Gao Kingdom and the Dali Kingdom: we know everything, but we don't want to escalate the conflict.
Luan Yenan rubbed his fingers together in frustration.
Zuo Baixuan pulled Luan Yenan back into the tent.
“Sister Nan, this doesn’t seem like a rebel army.” Zuo Baixuan also noticed something amiss.
Luan Yenan nodded.
"Sister, do you have a way to escape?" Zuo Baixuan asked. Even if she was going to die, she wanted to die knowing why.
Luan Yenan shook his head, took Zuo Baixuan's hand, and said calmly, "I'm sorry, Xuan'er, I can't run away now. I still have to kill Prince Dan. This is my mission."
After a moment of silence, Zuo Baixuan smiled and said, "Sister Nan, I'll help you."
Luan Yenan frowned and stared at Zuo Baixuan for a long time.
...
Awakened by the commotion outside the tent, Prince Dan hurriedly got up, dressed, and ran out of the tent, demanding that his bodyguards escort him to the canal so he could escape by boat.
There were only a dozen or so guards, and it would be difficult for them to break through the encirclement. They were still hesitating.