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Hai: Please give Hai a round of applause to celebrate his incredible luck today!

Narrator: ...Everyone, please don't throw things, calm down, calm down...

Hai: There are two reasons why I updated so much today. First, I promised everyone yesterday that if Jifeng didn't appear again, I would smash my laptop to apologize, so... (I didn't expect it would take so many words to write about the handsome guy, sob sob, I'm biting the mouse).

Mouse: What did I do to you...?

Hai: The second reason is that I will be away from Shanghai for a long time in the coming month. I will be traveling around throughout July, and Ping An will be in a state of not having any drafts to write, so I cannot guarantee daily updates...

Narrator: You can start throwing things away now.

Hai: (Climbing out from under the bricks) ...I'll still write whenever I can find a spare moment during my trip. As for the update speed...it depends on how much I can find a spare moment. Sigh, still losing it?

P.S.: Due to the unreliability of Ping An's updates, I've decided to start serializing my latest modern story, "Me and My Economical Husband," tomorrow. The link is in the collection. Since the story is already in the submission stage and I have a large backlog of chapters, updates will be more reliable. I hope you all enjoy it! Hehe, off I go...

Chapter 30

Outside the corner tower, the sounds of battle shook the heavens, the clash of swords and screams surged like waves, and only a lonely, pale full moon in the sky reflected the blood and fire of half the city, making it appear even more eerie and sinister.

Countless people were fighting on the city wall, some of them bloodthirsty. They rushed at us as soon as they saw us. Cheng Ping, of course, didn't take these soldiers seriously. Without even using his sword, he grabbed Cheng Wei and leaped off the city wall as if walking on flat ground. When they landed, he looked back at us and moved as if he was about to get up.

Across the vast distance, Ji Feng shook his head at him from the city wall. I lay on top of him, unable to stop myself from looking back at the imperial city, the place I knew best in the world. I was born and raised there, and all my family was there. But now, everything in front of me seemed so unfamiliar. Firelight flickered on the inner city walls, countless arrows flew downwards, their arrowheads reflecting the firelight. Armored chariots pounded against the tightly closed city gates incessantly, producing dull thuds. People fell from the city walls, their screams echoing endlessly.

I stared blankly, a ridiculous thought suddenly popping into my head: it would be better if all of this were gone, if everything were destroyed. But I knew that was impossible. My father and my brother, one of them would have to step over the other's corpse, over countless other corpses.

A warm sensation came from the back of my head; it was Ji Feng's hand pressing my face down, preventing me from looking. Darkness enveloped me, and he whispered softly in my ear. Despite the carnage, his voice was gentle as he spoke only a few words.

"Ping An, let's go."

But suddenly someone behind him shouted in a deep voice.

"How dare you! Put down the princess!"

The sound wasn't very loud, but it reached my ears clearly amidst the deafening shouts of battle. I felt a chill run down my spine, and when I looked up, I saw a familiar face.

It was Lu Jian, the imperial guard who had been by the emperor's side for many years. He was dressed in a dark, close-fitting outfit and led a dozen or so men dressed in the same way. Their arms were wrapped in iron chains, the ends of which were connected to sharp iron weapons, which gleamed coldly in the dark night.

I know what it is. My elder brother once proudly showed me a picture of this iron weapon. It was covered with barbs, and when swung, it would tear off large chunks of flesh as soon as it touched a person's body. If poisoned, it would be fatal in an instant.

These people are all my brother's loyal followers, yet they're not staying by his side to protect him. Instead, they've all come to find me, a princess who's no longer worth mentioning. It's utterly baffling.

I was puzzled and wanted to ask them why, but Ji Feng had already put me down and pushed me behind him. He pulled out a gun from behind his back, slammed the butt of the gun on the ground, and looked at them coldly.

Ji Feng moved swiftly and decisively, his fingers strong. I was passively pressed against his back, the smell of blood filling my nostrils, my cheeks wet. I suddenly remembered when I was in that alley, his blood dripping onto my face, burning hot, and Cheng Ping's words in that house, saying that he was the one who shot that arrow, which pierced my left rib an inch and three fen deep...

My body, which had just warmed up a little, instantly turned cold again. Lu Jian finished speaking and said no more. With a flick of his arm, the iron weapons flew through the air. Ji Feng's spear, instead of rising, fell and was thrust forward close to the ground. The spear tip swept across the ground, creating a whooshing sound and a continuous vibration. The guards who were in a circle immediately lost their strength. Some of the slower ones were instantly hit by the spear wind, fell to the ground, and clutched their ankles, bleeding profusely.

Lu Jian reacted incredibly quickly, leaping back and barely managing to stand on the edge of the city wall. After Ji Feng's attack, he stopped chasing and remained standing in front of me, speaking in a cold and hard voice, saying only one short sentence.

"She is not returning to the palace now."

"Where are you taking the princess? You're just a lowly servant; do you know that taking the princess out of the palace without permission is a capital offense?"

Lu Jian's words were not wrong, but it was quite ridiculous to say them in front of the burning imperial city.

Ji Feng remained silent, and I was still behind him. After that action, I felt the smell of blood in my nose become even stronger. I knew why, and my heart was filled with extreme sorrow. Unable to speak, I could only place my hand on his body, my fingertips trembling uncontrollably. They trembled so violently that, at that moment, Ji Feng reached out and gently pressed my fingers down.

I took a breath, lowered my face, and buried it in his warm back, trying my best to bury it there. Then I straightened up, slowly withdrew my hand, and walked out from behind him.

I was still wearing the ordinary clothes that Ji Feng had given me. The city walls were towering, the wind was strong and smelled of blood, billowing my clothes. I slightly raised my chin and looked at Lu Jian standing in front of me, speaking in a contemptuous voice.

"With me here, who dares to be disrespectful?"

Lu Jian raised his hand to signal the others to step back, and opened his mouth to speak, but I stopped looking at him and turned to look at Ji Feng. He was looking at me with anxious eyes and his body moved slightly. I took another breath and spoke before he could make any move.

"Ji Feng, I'm going home. You can go now."

...

Hai: Those who seize every opportunity deserve praise!

Narrator: It's quite considerate that they didn't throw anything away...

Chapter 31

We stood on the outside of the city wall, while the inside was filled with the heavy troops brought by my imperial brother from the capital region. The archers were lined up in a dense row, like a thick human wall. The city wall was high and the position was excellent. The archers moved in unison. Every time they gave a command, a rain of arrows flew towards the slightly lower inner city. Occasionally, someone would be hit by a crossbow bolt from the inner city, and someone would immediately take their place. Everything was in good order. No one came to interfere with this chaos. They were very well-trained.

Compared to the battlefield around me, the silence that permeated my surroundings felt even more oppressive.

Ji Feng didn't speak; he was always silent, but I understood what this meant.

He's angry with me.

In the past, in the palace, although everyone would respectfully kneel down and call me "Your Highness, Princess," I knew in my heart that they actually loathed me. It didn't matter; they had never truly known Princess Ping'an. Besides, I have always been magnanimous and never take such trivial matters to heart.

But Jifeng understood what I was thinking and was still angry with me, which was really heartbreaking.

Lu Jian seemed relieved when he heard me say that, and slowly walked towards me with the others. I was still a little worried and wanted to ask Ji Feng to leave again, but I couldn't bear to. The shouts of killing in the inner city were deafening. I forced myself not to look or listen. At this point, I just wanted to see him one more time.

Thinking about it carefully, what do those shouts of killing have to do with me? My father seized this empire from others. Our dynasty has only existed for a little over twenty years since its founding. Now my brother wants to take the throne from him. Like begets like. A bandit's son knows how to dig a hole. My brother is taking him as his role model. My father should be happy. Unfortunately, I am just a girl. I can't learn from him no matter what. I have wasted this bloodline.

Lu Jian didn't take big steps, but there wasn't much space on the city wall. Even if he climbed, he would be there in no time. I sighed inwardly, took one last look at Ji Feng, feeling extremely reluctant, but still turned around and spoke to Lu Jian.

"Lu Jian, I want to know, where did these soldiers come from?"

Lu Jian seemed slightly taken aback when I asked him this question, but still answered, "Your Highness, these are all troops stationed in the capital region. There are elite cavalry battalions below the city, crossbow battalions on the city walls, and rifle battalions maintaining order in the city. They are all well-trained soldiers, so Your Highness need not worry."

He meant that the entire capital was now under the control of my elder brother. I pressed my chest, feeling a pang of sorrow for my father, while my ears strained to catch any sounds behind me, wondering if Ji Feng had already left.

Lu Jian then spoke again, “The fire has spread throughout the city, and some unruly and wicked people have taken advantage of the chaos to cause trouble. However, according to the latest report from the Rifle Battalion, the fire has been brought under control, and those who deliberately set fires and caused trouble have all been arrested. In addition, a group of江湖人士 (jianghu figures) have appeared in the East District and caused some trouble.”

I tensed up slightly when I heard the words "江湖人士" (jianghu figures), and asked only, "What trouble have you caused?"

Lu Jian had already walked up to me. When he answered, his eyes were only on me. He was very calm, unlike the others who couldn't help but look at Ji Feng, afraid that he would suddenly shoot them again if they weren't careful. Every step he took was cautious.

He said, "Princess, rest assured, those martial arts practitioners only took some people from the prison and did not disturb the people."

A sudden surge of excitement welled up inside me, and I couldn't help but feel a thrill of joy. I figured Ji Feng had heard those words too, and the thought that no matter how stubborn he was, he was determined to see his family right now made my heart, which had been hanging in suspense for so long, finally settle down.

Lu Jian had always been by my brother's side, but I had always regarded him as a vague and indistinct guard. Today, he was preventing me from leaving, which made me even more annoyed. But when I saw him finish speaking and look straight ahead, as if Ji Feng didn't exist, I suddenly found this man quite adorable. It was wonderful.

Lu Jian stopped just a few steps away from me, knelt on one knee, and gestured for me to enter, displaying impeccable manners.

I tried my best to restrain myself, but I still couldn't help it. My neck seemed to have a mind of its own and automatically turned backward.

All I could see was firelight, then shadows enveloped me.

It was the monsoon. A soft "clang" rang in my ears, and a blood-stained spear fell before my eyes. He had already walked to my side, just like every ordinary day in the palace when I was about to board the imperial carriage, and he stood silently beside me. In the past, I never looked back, because I knew he would always be there.

When Ji Feng spoke, he didn't look at me. His eyes were calm, and he didn't call me by my name or use any honorifics. He only said one sentence.

He said, "I'll go with you."

~~ ...

Hai: I'm back, everyone! I'll rest for a week before going out again, and I'll try my best to stay safe during that time, so don't worry.

Ping An: ...Do you think I'm looking forward to your return?

Chapter 32

He said, "I'll go with you."

My heart trembled, and I almost burst into tears again. At this critical moment, the world was turned upside down, the royal family was in chaos, I was in a sorry state, and I didn't even know why my brother, the emperor, would keep me, a useless princess. Meanwhile, his family was released, and with just a turn of his head, he could leave all the troubles behind and be free from all the chaos.

I've met some江湖人士 (jianghu figures) these past few days. Although some of them are strange and rough, just looking at the Cheng brothers, you can tell they live much more happily than those in the palace. I can't live like that anymore, but Ji Feng can.

But he didn't leave.

It turns out he was so good to me.

My heart was pounding, my chest was pounding, I wanted to speak but my vision was blurry, and my breath was filled with a sweet, metallic taste. The night wind grew stronger, and I shivered with cold. I just wanted him to hold me, but I felt that this was not the time, especially since Ji Feng was still injured. I couldn't make things worse for him.

But suddenly my body felt light, as Ji Feng picked me up again. I was very tired and wanted to talk to him, but he only looked at Lu Jian.

Lu Jian was a sensible man. Before he could leave, he said, "The princess is tired. I'll find a place for her to rest first. You can come with me."

Lu Jian led us down the city wall. The stone steps were littered with corpses, some still alive, moaning in their death throes. I felt a chill run through my body, and I even started hallucinating. In my hallucination, Ji Feng's hand, which was supporting me, was trembling slightly.

How funny, I must be so cold that I'm delirious. Cheng Wei's words echoed in my ears again. He said I was cold-blooded, but it's nothing serious, I can just cut my chest and it'll be fine.

I wanted to use these words to comfort Ji Feng, to tell him it's nothing, just a little cold, don't be afraid. Cheng Wei said a cut in the chest would be fine, but I was too tired, and I felt like my tongue wasn't even mine. I just couldn't say such simple words.

Lu Jian escorted us to the carriage, which was of course not the imperial carriage I was used to, but just an ordinary horse-drawn carriage, but there were many armed soldiers waiting on the side.

It was dark inside the carriage. Ji Feng bent down and gently put me down. I couldn't speak, but I just clung to the hem of his clothes with my fingers.

How ridiculous! Just a moment ago I was determined to have him leave, but now I'm so weak that I don't want him to disappear from my sight for even a second.

He must have understood what I meant, but Lu Jian walked over and spoke through the curtain, "Princess, you are not feeling well. Let's not waste any more time and go to a quiet place to rest as soon as possible."

Ji Feng didn't answer him. He just glanced at me in the darkness, reached out again, touched the top of my head, and then turned and left.

This wasn't the first time he'd done this. A few days ago, when I left the banquet hall in such a disheveled state, he saw me off to my carriage, and his final gesture was the same. What was I thinking then? It's terrifying how these few days have felt like a thousand years. I can't remember many things anymore.

The carriage started moving. The imperial city was paved with smooth stone slabs. The wheels rolled endlessly in my ears. I slowly closed my eyes and let myself fall asleep. Or maybe it was all just a dream. When I woke up, I was still in that stone chamber waiting to see Cheng Ping's ugly face. Or maybe there was an even better outcome. When I woke up, I was still in my most familiar courtyard, and I could see Ji Feng as soon as I turned my head.

However, when I finally woke up, the first thing I saw was my imperial brother.

He stood by my bed, looking very happy. The room was luxurious, with lush greenery and blooming flowers outside the carved windows. My little nephew, Tianheng, was also there, writing on the table by the window, muttering to himself.

I recognize this place; this is the Crown Prince's residence. My elder brother is all smiles. Tianheng is writing diligently, oblivious to the ink stains on his chubby little face. Everything around us is peaceful and quiet; the nightmarish scene from before seems like it really was just a dream.

I breathed a sigh of relief, and was just about to ask if it was really a dream when my brother's words made me realize the reality.

The emperor said, "Tianheng, your aunt has woken up. We should return to the palace to prepare for the coronation ceremony."

...

Hai: Brother, you have fans too! Some people say they really like you and are looking forward to your crazy performances.

The elder brother smiled, looked at the sea, turned his head and continued smiling, then said four words to Lu Jian: "Naizut".

Chapter 33