Just as I was getting impatient and preparing to leave, a cluster of lights suddenly appeared on a hilltop not far away. I squinted for a while before my eyes adjusted.
When I saw who it was, I was stunned for a moment. Wasn't that the bearded head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) of the Thousand Autumns Bureau?
"City Lord Nangong, Li Mu hasn't shown up yet, so how come...City Lord?!"
So there were people lying in ambush here, and they specifically brought in outsiders to lower Li Mu's guard? Does that mean Li Mu wasn't involved in the killing just now, and he was hiding somewhere else?
"We shouldn't stay here any longer. Let's go to the headquarters first."
The group moved swiftly. Xiangrui and I helped Yunzhi over, one on each side. He was hanging mostly on me, and even though he was so injured, he was still careful to control his strength so as not to hurt me.
"Chief镖林, please turn off all the lights. There are still Xiao Lianjue's men around here."
"Prince Xiao?" Chief镖师 Lin immediately frowned. "This is troublesome..."
Tsk, where are the Four Protectors when it matters most? Oh well, it's better to rely on yourself than others.
Looking down, the person was now in a semi-conscious state, his body soaked in blood like overlapping blood lotuses in full bloom, reaching the extreme before decay, perhaps about to wither and die at any moment.
Instantly, my heart clenched with pain, and an unprecedented fear gripped me.
But at this moment, I had no time to hesitate. I took a breath and tried to calm myself down. With trembling hands, I touched the arrow. How should I pull it out?
The person nestled in my arms suddenly hesitated, half-closing their eyes, "No...don't hesitate...just pull it out in one breath..."
I almost cried; it felt like the pain wasn't my own.
Chapter 118
I thought I could at least wait for him to stop bleeding and rest for a while, but before half a quarter of an hour had passed, the sound of war drums rang out outside. It's true that when you're down on your luck, even drinking water can cause problems.
"Your Majesty!...My Lady?"
The person who suddenly rushed in was so fast that no one was prepared, but Cheng Lu, who was next to Xiang Rui, drew her short sword and stabbed at the newcomer in the blink of an eye.
"Wait a minute!" I quickly called out to Cheng Lu after recognizing the person. "You've come at the right time. You take Yunzhi north first, and we'll follow you."
I was both surprised by Cang's appearance and, upon reflection, it was also expected. No matter how chaotic the situation outside is, it is really important to let Yun find a place to recuperate.
Just as I was about to hand the person who was half-lying on me over to Cang Zhe, the person opened their eyes as soon as they moved, gripping my clothes tightly and staring blankly with no focus.
"...You go first, I'll be there shortly. I won't let anything happen to me and I won't leave again, okay?"
His fingers loosened slightly but not completely, so I leaned down and whispered reassurance in his ear before he slowly let go.
I have complete peace of mind entrusting him to Cang Zhe. As I watched his figure carrying Yun Zhi disappear into the night, I breathed a long sigh of relief. Looking down at my hands covered in blood, I felt as if I had just walked through the gates of hell, and I was still shaken.
Lin, the head镖师, and the others stayed behind, saying they dared not act rashly without Yun Zhi's orders. I didn't linger either, and followed them with Xiang Rui and Cheng Lu.
Twenty li to the north was the former residence of the Han family. Isn't this the place most likely to be discovered?
"How many villagers can be gathered here?"
"How much does the Commander want?"
"At least let us have a month or two of peace and quiet here."
"That's not a problem, just leave it to my subordinates to handle."
After the auspicious omen had faded into the distance, Cang Zhe approached, seemingly having something to say.
"I'll bring He Xiuqi over first." He frowned. "It's not advisable to stay at the Han residence for long; it's best to leave as soon as possible."
"Can't even stay for a month?"
"Don't underestimate Li Mu, especially with Xiao Lianjue suddenly appearing."
Where are the people from Juyizhuang?
“Li Mu also has the Imperial Guards under his command, and Xiao Lianjue’s Yeting Palace is no joke either.”
"Well... let's wait for He Xiuqi to arrive before making a decision. Go and come back quickly."
"How did my junior brother get injured like this?" Jing Tianxiang, who had been standing to the side, finally had a chance to speak.
"I caused half of the injuries, and I don't know about the other half."
But it was obvious that someone only heard the first half of my sentence, "Why is it you again?"
I almost forgot about Yue Linghe. "I'll go in and take care of Yunzhi."
He Xiuqi arrived just as dawn was breaking, looking travel-worn, his expressionless face revealing nothing of his true feelings.
"Whether it's good or bad, just say so!"
"There are both good and bad aspects. The good thing is that most of the poison he was poisoned has been removed due to his injury and blood loss. The bad thing is that he lost too much blood and will have to wait for his blood to be replenished before the remaining poison in his body can be completely cleared. This will cause great damage to his body."
"How about using the Nine-Turn Great Rejuvenation Pill to suppress the poison first, and then nourish the blood?" He Mengyan, who was following behind He Xiuqi, suggested.
"He has lost too much blood; it's not feasible."
"We can't linger here any longer. When is it appropriate to set off?"
He Xiuqi looked over, still expressionless. "With me here, you can come anytime."
"Can you take responsibility if something goes wrong?"
"Nothing will happen."
Alright, I'll believe you this once, since you're the Medicine King.
"Set off immediately, Azure One!"
In fact, I was the last person who wanted to stay here any longer, for fear that I might impulsively go and cause trouble for Xiao Lianjue.
He had been asleep for as long as the journey had taken, and I was so worried about his safety that I didn't notice who opened the door.
The first thing I did upon returning to Xianglong Pavilion was to bathe him, change his dressings, and make the bed so he could lie down comfortably. Only then could I finally put my mind at ease after these past few days.
The person who usually wakes up most easily seems to be catching up on all the sleep he missed this time, having been unconscious for half a month with no sign of waking up. When asked, He Xiuqi said this is normal; an ordinary person injured to this extent might not even be able to save their life.
Because he was unconscious and unable to drink his medicine, He Xiuqi would bring herbs and a wooden tub every day around noon. He would have Yunzhi sit in the tub with the herbs and hot water for an hour. Over time, the smell of medicine in Xianglong Pavilion became stronger and stronger, and even with the doors and windows open, it was difficult to dissipate. He Xiuqi also said that smelling the medicine was good for his health, and that even if he didn't give me any supplements, he would give some to the little one in my belly.
I didn't stay up all night or skip meals to foolishly stay by his bedside. I couldn't even take care of myself, how could I care about him? That day, I was eating in the outer room when I suddenly heard a heavy thud. I looked up and exchanged a glance with He Xiuqi, then immediately got up and rushed in. It turned out that it wasn't a person who had fallen, but rather the corner stool by the bed that had fallen to the floor. He really woke up at the worst possible time. For the past two hours, there had been people in the room, and he hadn't opened his eyes. Now that I had sent everyone away to eat, he finally woke up. I guess he wanted to get up but couldn't, so he got caught on the bed curtains and pulled on the corner stool.
"It's good that you're awake, but since you've already injured your shoulder once before, and this time... you can basically forget about being able to hold a sword with your left hand again."
"It's best if he can't use a sword. Alright, go out and bring him his medicine."
As I spoke, I poured a glass of water, helped Yunzhi sit up, and fed him to drink it slowly. I was also in a hurry to get He Xiuqi away because I was afraid that I might burst into tears at any moment. Words alone could not express my feelings at this moment.
"Want more?"
He shook his head and just held my hand, saying, "Don't go..."
A pang of pain shot through my heart, yet I also found it somewhat amusing. "We're already home, why are we still walking? I'm not tired, but my son will be."
“It’s a daughter…” He leaned on my shoulder and chuckled softly.
"Take your medicine and then sleep for a while. Get some rest."
"Stay with me."
"Of course, I want to see you get better. You almost scared me to death this time, but I feel like even giving you my whole life as compensation isn't enough, what should I do?"
He was silent for a while, as if he was processing the fact that these words came from me.
"Then in the next life, and the life after that... as long as you want, I'm willing to make it up to you no matter how many lifetimes it takes."
Chapter 119
For some reason, Nangong Ling's reputation in the city has suddenly soared since his return. What exactly happened during my time in the Eastern Palace? Why was he standing alone in Tianchen's military camp facing Li Mu's two thousand soldiers? How did Xiao Lianjue learn about Tianchen's night raid and manage to leisurely take me to Lianshan a few days earlier, seemingly unintentionally, yet it was all planned? And Li Mu, when did he escape and how did he leave amidst so many eyes and ears?
I was filled with doubts but dared not ask. The city was nearly deserted, and not a single one of the Tianqi from the Seven Star Tower was there. My mind was still preoccupied with Yunzhi's injury, and I didn't know when Cangzhe had disappeared; he had come and gone in a flash. The other three protectors were even more nowhere to be seen. I was already naturally curious, but He Xiuqi knew nothing about it, and Yunzhi's injury had just healed, so I didn't want to bother him with questions. After much deliberation, I decided to go to the Yama Palace to find Yanmolu.
"How strange! Even Rong Lian, who is usually fearless, has a time when she looks worried?"
The only person who would barge in without knocking and make sarcastic remarks is Gemini An.
"You've come at the right time; I have something to ask you." This saves me a trip to the underworld.
"I know what you're going to ask. Do you remember when I offended Zhao Hequan and was hunted down after you left Wuyue Palace?"
I do remember, but what does that have to do with what I'm asking you?
“It was Nangong Ling who asked me to smooth things over with the Qianqiu Bureau. He’s been on guard against the Xiao family for a long time. Didn’t you visit the Qianqiu Bureau when you passed through Xiaohe City on your way back from Yulong Mountain last time? You mentioned a bodyguard operation, but it wasn’t to protect him, it was to protect you. He knew that the secret guards couldn’t control Xiao Lianjue, but he didn’t expect you to disappear on your own… I’m very curious, how did you manage to leave the city in front of everyone?”
I touched my nose and avoided his eyes a little guiltily. "I used to catch crickets at the foot of Phoenix Mountain when I came to the capital. That day, I stumbled upon a secret passage in the woods that led to Qingyu Residence in the inner city. However, there was a door inside that could only be unlocked from the inside to go out, but not from the outside to come in."
He was taken aback. "Nangong Ling doesn't know about this secret passage?"
"At the time, it was just a door away. I later tried to move the secret passage upstairs based on my memory and then walked the route again before I found Qingyu Residence. Moreover, the secret passage was very well hidden, and it took me a lot of effort to figure it out little by little."
Besides, Qingyu Residence is located in a remote area. Unless I know the reason, who would go there for no reason?
"I heard that you sulked and hid in Qingyu Residence because of Xiaoyuan's appearance that day. So it wasn't just because you were jealous, but also because you were trying to figure out the secret passage?"
I shrugged, neither confirming nor denying.
"Why did you suddenly decide to leave? Why were you with Xiao Lianjue in the East Palace? And why are you suddenly back now? Could it be that something went wrong with the Juyi Manor you're in charge of?"
I never imagined that Gemini Ann would see me this way, and I was speechless for a moment.
"I told you about my elder brother's treasure sandbag, right? There was a letter inside that was handwritten by my elder brother. At the time, I just wanted to take a look, and besides, I knew there were guards with me, so I didn't think much of it..."