Небо над реками и озерами очень чистое - Глава 26
After exchanging only a few blows, his heart had turned as cold as ashes.
The Grand Preceptor's skill was far beyond what he, with his internal energy restricted, could match. If he hadn't followed the pre-arranged route quickly, he would probably have been severely beaten and captured alive.
Hidden in a secluded chamber, the red eagle, its arm wound wrapped in bitterness, was lost and bewildered.
That one mistake was enough to ruin everything.
Remembering Jia Ye's parting words, his heart was filled with regret, almost bursting with remorse.
The man surrounded by enemies is still waiting for him to return.
He had endured so much hardship to get to this point, but one mistake from him made things even worse.
The red eagle stood silently to the side for a long time.
"Boss...you should run away."
He raised his head in confusion, his mind blank.
Red Eagle's face was grave, and he clenched his fists tightly.
"If the mission fails, even if you convert to Christianity, it's a capital offense. No matter how lucky you are, you'll be crippled in martial arts, fed ink pellets, and reduced to slavery, never to be freed for the rest of your life."
"It would be better to escape. Although I have the Red Pill, I will be safe for at least a month. If I ride at full speed, I can reach Jiangnan in ten days or so. There are many famous doctors there, and perhaps we can find a solution."
escape?
Every word the Red Eagle spoke resonated with him, and he unconsciously looked south.
His parents and brothers, whom he hadn't seen for many years, reappeared before his eyes, and for a moment he wavered, almost wanting to ride away without a second thought. Even if he couldn't defeat the Red Maru, it would be good enough to see his homeland alive. What difference was there between a walking corpse, a slave dog, and death?
But…………
The northern wind was biting, and he stared blankly at the distant, unseen mountain shadows, as if drawn by some unknown force.
Abandoning everything and fleeing?
The blame for the failure fell entirely on Jia Ye, who was given a heavy push on the cliff edge.
What does the failed mission and the defection of the shadow guards mean for her?
Can those thin shoulders still bear the heavy onslaught of adversity?
The red eagle continued to persuade him, and he closed his eyes.
After a long while, Shaga's voice became almost inaudible.
Islam.
Jia Ye remained standing by the window.
I listened to him recount the details of his experience without ever turning around.
"Why didn't you stab me?" After listening to everything in silence, she asked indifferently.
He did not answer, nor did he know how to answer.
There was silence for a long time.
"Why did you come back? Do you know what the consequences will be?"
What will happen next?
It's nothing more than taking on all the blame and accepting all the punishment.
If you're lucky, you might escape with your life, but you'll remain a lowly servant for life; if you're unlucky, you'll be subjected to the strictest religious rules, enduring all sorts of tortures, and dying after being nailed to the torture platform for seven days and seven nights.
It is common knowledge that the severity of the penal laws in the church is as extraordinary as the extravagant pleasures enjoyed by those in high positions.
She finally turned her face, her dark eyes as deep as the night.
He lowered his eyes, his heart filled with a deathly gloom, and spoke woodenly.
"My life is yours."
I didn't see what Jia Ye's expression was, but I heard her cold command.
"Go to the punishment hall to receive thirty lashes, then enter the death row and await the King's judgment."
Thirty lashes.
The excruciating pain of his torn skin gradually subsided, and the heavy, rotten stench of the death row cell filled the air. He stretched his legs as much as possible and leaned quietly against the stone wall. Not far away, a huge rat was gnawing on a damp, rotten corner of wood, and under the moldy straw, several spiders were busily crawling across the old, dirty bloodstains.
The screams of torture and angry roars echoed from all around, along with a constant stream of resentful curses that seemed to linger in the air. The dark, cold cell was covered in moss, without windows or candles, and no sunlight could reach it. Countless people must have spent their final days here.
The jailer was also a little surprised, as he rarely saw such a silent death row inmate, who seemed to have completely resigned himself to his fate.
"Shuying." A familiar face appeared by the fence, and Jiuwei couldn't hide her anxiety. "How are you?"
He tried to force a smile, but could only manage a weak, forced curve at the corners of his mouth.
"It's alright, this injury is nothing."
With a soft thud, a box of fine wound medicine was tossed aside, still warm from his body.
"Don't overthink it, just bear with it for now. I'll try to see if I can help you get out of this."
Exonerating me? How could that be?
Under the deliberate suppression of the Pope, it was nothing short of a fantasy, and everyone knew how hopeless the situation was.
"What will happen to Jia Ye?"
"You're still asking her?" Jiuwei was instantly speechless with anger, wanting to shove him awake. "She left you here unattended, clearly determined to sacrifice you to save her own position."
“I deserve it,” he said sullenly. “She warned me long ago that I couldn’t fail.”
"I've never seen such a heartless woman," Jiuwei cursed under her breath. "Don't even mention pleading for her; she acts like nothing ever happened."
He listened silently to Jiuwei's complaints.
"Qianming is planning to shift all the blame onto you to avoid implicating Jiaye. The King of Pop probably has the same idea. Killing you is like cutting off one of Jiaye's arms, which weakens her power and diminishes her status. It's much better than directly attacking her."
"I only have myself to blame for giving them a handle against me."
"Why did you fail? I heard you were just one step away from success, all because of the princess of Shanshan?" Jiuwei asked, puzzled. "When did you become so soft-hearted?"
"That woman..."
He felt a tightness in his throat and closed his eyes.
"He looks... a bit like the person I was engaged to." The face, which had been blurry, suddenly resurfaced in my memory, and my thoughts froze for a moment.
"In Jiangnan?" Jiuwei was stunned for a long time.
"Hmm." I can hardly remember how long ago it was, but the sudden recollection feels like a past life.
Nine sighs of defeat.
"It's a real injustice."
"The King will bring you to the court for a formal judgment in ten days. I will do my best to kill the King of Shanshan to complete the mission and redeem you from your punishment. Zi Su will also help to release you. We are not yet in despair, so please stay calm."
"No. Doing this will arouse the King's suspicion and bring trouble upon yourself." He blurted out, becoming agitated. "Besides, the National Preceptor of Shanshan is extremely skilled, far beyond our ability to defeat. The defenses are currently very tight, and acting rashly will only cost us our lives. We absolutely cannot do this. I appreciate your good intentions. I don't have much time left. If I were to drag you into danger as well, I would rather die immediately."
Jiuwei gritted her teeth.
"I'll act according to the situation. You should say less and take care of yourself."
"Nine Micro!"
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." The black figure vanished in a flash. "I'll come back to see you when I have the chance."
As the words fell into his ears, he remained silent for a long time before gripping the jade box tightly.
Scheming
Ten days is not a long time, but it passed extremely slowly.
There was no sunlight, and even the sense of time disappeared.
All six wings secretly came to see him, bringing all sorts of medicines, food, and clothing, and saying comforting words, but their eyes could not hide their sadness. Everyone knew that this time, he was probably doomed again.
Jia Ye never appeared.
According to Liu Yi, she has been extremely busy lately, working through the night on case files and intelligence. Perhaps trying to compensate for her failures by staying up all night, her room light is often seen burning until dawn.
Jiuwei was extremely dissatisfied with Jiaye in private, but she couldn't openly curse him in front of him.
It seems that he had secretly approached Jia Ye, hoping she could persuade Qian Ming and the four envoys to come forward together to persuade him, even if it meant being punished as a slave, to try their best to save his life, but they were coldly rejected.
She completely distanced herself from the situation and remained indifferent.
Jiuwei was extremely disappointed, and he remained silent.
Out of deep concern, Jiuwei risked public condemnation and suspicion by running around tirelessly. However, this approach not only failed to sway the King's judgment but also risked backfiring. For the King, a shadow guard from the Central Plains who had instigated a united front of the four envoys was an extremely dangerous prospect, only intensifying his murderous intent.
Although Jia Ye's actions were ruthless, they were the best way to protect herself.
By sacrificing a pawn to appease the Pope's anger, she remains the revered and superior Snow Envoy. The Pope will still value her highly, and no one can surpass her in governing the Western Regions.
With a little caution, her position will remain secure.
That's why he came back.
When did she begin to become his focus?
Five years have passed, filled with continuous infighting and bloodshed, yet they fought side by side.
No matter how many ups and downs she experienced, she always stood straight, like a lotus flower emerging from the mud.
She once said he was unsuitable to live in the church. But in his eyes, wasn't she the same? Despite her cold-bloodedness, suspicion, scheming, and deep-seated cunning.
Jiuwei said he was moved, but he couldn't quite explain what kind of feelings he had.
Admiration mixed with vigilance, pity mixed with caution, regret mixed with caution, heartache mixed with reluctance to fight—it's hard to say which emotion is stronger.
If only there were resentment and hatred, how wonderful it would be if she were like Zi Suqianming from beginning to end.
Even in the dark, sunless dungeon, with little time left to survive, her thoughts were still completely occupied. So foolish, he couldn't help but despise himself.
The heavy footsteps of the jailer came from outside the door, and then the door opened.