Путешествие безумки по династии Сун

Глава 103

"Yes, are you relieved now?" Xuanyuan asked with a smile.

“The plan is good, but there’s a saying, ‘Plans can’t keep up with changes.’ And in all your plans, the protection of the Prime Minister is only limited to the fact that he is still of use to the other side. But what if the other side is a monster? What if he doesn’t care about the instability of the court at all? So we can’t let our guard down. Eat quickly, and we’ll go back as soon as we finish eating,” Leng Jie said without room for argument.

It wasn't that she was overreacting; her sixth sense had already told her that Prime Minister Leng was in danger. She clearly remembered learning about the Crown Prince's personality from Prime Minister Leng three years ago. He was the kind of man whose heart was smaller than a pinhead. Coupled with the hardships he had endured outside these past few years, now, besides seizing the throne, his other purpose was undoubtedly revenge. Prime Minister Leng had not only helped her brother six years ago, but had also rejected her three years ago, and now she was helping her brother again. Therefore, Prime Minister Leng should have already been on his must-eliminate blacklist.

Leng Jie didn't want to take that risk; she only had these two loving parents. Knowing her mother's personality, if anything happened to her, she definitely wouldn't survive alone. If she couldn't even protect her father, then all her years as the Dark Lord had been for nothing.

The three men looked up at her, their expressions increasingly strange. Xuanyuan paused for a moment before speaking:

"If you're still worried, I'll go back first, and you can come back after things are resolved."

"There's no room for discussion on this. Anyone else can go back slowly. But not the two of us," Leng Jie said firmly once again.

“But your health…” Xuan Yuan’s worried words were cut off by Leng Jie.

"If I absolutely have to choose between the child and the parents, then I can only apologize for this child who hasn't even taken shape yet. From now on, it's up to fate," Leng Jie replied softly, touching her lower abdomen.

What could Xuanyuan say? Wasn't Xiaojie, the woman he loved, just like that? Upon hearing that her senior brother was in trouble, she disregarded her sword wound and single-handedly rushed to a treacherous palace she had never been to before to rescue him. Now, upon hearing that her adoptive father was in danger, she even abandoned the child she cherished so much, who was willing to suffer for him. He truly wanted to enter her heart and see what it held, why it was so unique. Compared to her, he felt so insignificant and selfish. Xuanyuan solemnly promised:

"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to the child."

He didn't know how much emotional support his promise gave Leng Jie. Her concern for the child was far stronger than she expressed. When she heard Xuanyuan's promise, her tense heart involuntarily calmed down.

Everyone then ate voraciously until the entire table of food was devoured. Only then did Xuanyuan give the order:

"Yangpu, you take our bundle and the other two mounts with you on horseback. Muping, you don't need to come along. Stay here and handle the usual matters."

"And what about you and the Third Master?" Yang Pu asked in surprise.

Leng Jie looked at Xuan Yuan in equal astonishment. Was he not planning to leave?

"It'll be faster for me to take Xiaojie back using my light-footed skills," Xuanyuan explained.

"It's such a long journey. It will already take a lot of your energy to go back by yourself using your lightness skill. How can you carry me with you? I can ride a horse."

Leng Jie immediately retorted.

“You cannot ride a horse yet, just as you cannot let Leng Xiang take risks. I will not let you and the child take risks either,” Xuanyuan replied without question.

A warm feeling welled up inside her. Leng Jie's hand unconsciously went to her lower abdomen again, and she silently prayed, "Child, Mommy and Daddy are going to rescue your grandparents. You'd better be good! Be good and don't be naughty. Otherwise, when you come out, I'll spank your little bottom!"

The baby seemed to have heard his mother's warning. In the days that followed, he stayed obediently in his mother's womb, no longer causing her any trouble. If Xuanyuan hadn't checked Leng Jie's pulse daily and said the baby was perfectly normal, Leng Jie would have been worried that something had happened to him. He had become so well-behaved. Since entering Jinghe, Leng Jie hadn't vomited even once.

Despite using his light-footed skills, Xuanyuan and Leng Jie were still faster than Yangpu on horseback. Although they were trying their best to travel, they were also keeping an eye on the court's movements. However, their journey was unusually peaceful.

They arrived in Yunxi Town around 8 or 9 pm seven days later. Having used his light-footed skills for seven consecutive days, Xuanyuan was clearly showing signs of exhaustion. Leng Jie and the others decided to stay in Yunxi Town for the night, allowing Xuanyuan to recover while they also gathered information about the current situation in the capital.

This time, they stayed directly at the Longmen branch in Yunxi Town. Although the branch leader had received a letter from Yangpu instructing them to closely observe the situation in the capital and await the arrival of the two leaders, he was still startled to see them appear before him looking so weary. He stood there stunned for a moment before remembering to bow and greet them.

"Your subordinate, Yunxi Zhang Guang, greets the two sect leaders!"

Leng Jie pulled Xuan Yuan directly to the head seat, pressed him into the chair, and then turned around to ask:

"How is the situation in the capital?"

"The capital has been under martial law for ten days now. People outside can't get any news from inside at all," the branch leader replied with shame.

“No wonder we haven’t heard a single word of the emperor’s misfortune along the way. It seems the Crown Prince doesn’t want the people’s hearts to waver,” Leng Jie analyzed calmly. At the same time, she unceremoniously picked up the teapot on the table, poured herself a cup of tea, and naturally handed it to Xuan Yuan. Xuan Yuan smiled, took the cup, drank half of it, and handed it back to her. Leng Jie took it and drank the tea in one gulp. Then, she turned to the hall master, who was staring blankly at the empty cup in her hand, and said:

"Master Zhang, could you please prepare some food and two rooms for us? We need to stay here for the night."

"Oh! I'll take care of it right away. Please wait a moment, Sect Leaders!" The hall master, regaining his senses, quickly agreed and hurriedly withdrew. He had originally thought that failing to accomplish the task would surely result in reprimands from the two Sect Leaders. This outcome was completely unexpected.

"Xiao Jie, you scared Master Zhang." Xuan Yuan, who had been silent until now, said with a smile.

"He's just scaring himself," Leng Jie replied calmly. At the same time, she naturally asked with concern, "Are you alright? Should you take a breath and adjust your breathing?"

"Don't worry, I'm fine. I'll be back to normal after a good night's sleep," Xuanyuan replied easily.

"No way! Your face is pale." Leng Jie retorted in disagreement.

Xuanyuan didn't speak again, only smiling and gazing affectionately at Leng Jie. The weariness in his phoenix eyes had been replaced by contentment and happiness. Leng Jie's eyes involuntarily sank into Xuanyuan's deep gaze, unable to look away. Her heart involuntarily trembled. She seemed to understand that this was his way of expressing love. Without thinking, Leng Jie blurted out:

"Xuanyuan, thank you for everything you've done for me and the child!"

"I don't need your thanks! This is all what I should do." Xuanyuan shook his head and sighed softly.

"I apologize for keeping you two sect leaders waiting; it's past mealtime. These are all the dishes the kitchen has left. Please enjoy your meal." Master Zhang, leading several others carrying wine and dishes, entered...

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After dinner, Leng Jie and Xuan Yuan each checked into their respective guest rooms at the Longmen branch. Xuan Yuan was so exhausted that he fell asleep as soon as he lay down on the bed. When Leng Jie finished washing up and went to check on him, she found that he was so tired that he hadn't even taken off his clothes and shoes, and he was too lazy to even pull the blanket up. He was just sleeping like that, leaning against the blanket. A pang of sadness and pain welled up in her heart. She gently took off his boots and helped his legs onto the bed. She used a pillow to remove the blanket from under his head. Then she covered him with the blanket.

Gently sitting beside his bed, Leng Jie quietly watched Xuan Yuan, his breathing heavy. Every detail of their journey flashed through her mind like a slideshow. For seven days and seven nights, he had spent almost half the time holding her. When traveling, he carried her as they flew. At night, when she slept, he held her tightly, afraid she would get cold, and warmed her up. That's why he was so exhausted!

After a while, Leng Jie got up and carefully tucked the blanket around Xuan Yuan. She quietly made a decision in her heart: she would take this man. No matter what the future held, she wouldn't regret her decision. She would never allow anyone to take her man away from her again. Finally, she placed a mark on Xuan Yuan's fragrant lips, a mark that belonged only to her. Then she turned and left Xuan Yuan's room.

Throughout their journey, with Xuanyuan following her every step of the way, she hadn't been able to contact the Dark Guard. Now, even Longmen couldn't get any news from the capital, so she could only place her hopes on the Dark Guard. Although she couldn't use her internal energy now, thankfully her old skills were still usable. It just meant they needed to carry more equipment. After everything was prepared, she hurriedly disappeared into the night…

The 131st Silver Fox Appears

Xuanyuan woke up to find his arms empty and sat up abruptly. He realized that after more than twenty days of travel, he had grown accustomed to waking up to see Xiaojie in his arms. Sometimes he truly wished the journey back to the capital could stretch on forever, without end. He would gladly exhaust all his power, just to be able to fly with Xiaojie in his arms. But that was clearly impossible. They had arrived. This meant his sweet days were over. He couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.

After sighing, he needed to brace himself to better protect Xiao Jie and her child. He sat cross-legged and began circulating his internal energy, slowly gathering the scattered true energy within his body and guiding it throughout his meridians. After circulating this energy for thirty-six cycles, Xuan Yuan felt his spirits greatly enhanced. His strength had recovered by more than half. He finished his practice and got out of bed, about to use his internal energy to heat up a bucket of water in the room for washing. Suddenly, a lithe figure swept past his window. Without thinking, he jumped out of the window and followed. He saw a person wearing a silver-gray fox fur robe and a silver-gray fox mask climbing towards Xiao Jie's window. Xuan Yuan's mind immediately flashed to a mysterious yet powerful figure in Jinghe over the past few years. He involuntarily blurted out:

"silver fox?"

The fox hanging in the window paused for a moment, then turned to look at Xuanyuan. Beneath the exquisite fox mask, only a pair of cunning and alluring eyes, identical to those of a fox, were visible. She blinked at Xuanyuan, sending him a million-volt electric glance, and greeted him in a voice so seductive it could make one swoon:

Hi! Nobody here! Do you know me?

Is this what the infamous Yinhu looks like? I wonder if his idols will faint on the spot if they find out? Xuanyuan stared disdainfully at the genderless fox, suppressing a feeling of nausea, and shouted sternly:

What are you planning to do in the middle of the night?

"What else can you do if you climb over the wall in the middle of the night besides picking flowers?" Silver Fox withdrew her seductive gaze and adopted a roguish male voice.

"Flower thief! Is he the one who bullied Xiaojie?" Xuanyuan, who hadn't initially planned to act because of Silver Fox's good reputation, suddenly darkened his expression. A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, and with a "whoosh!" his soft sword was already in his hand. He roared, "Shameless scoundrel!" The sword tip was already pointed at his prey. As the sword arrived, Silver Fox suddenly performed a 360-degree backflip and darted into Xiaojie's room. Xuanyuan's anger intensified, and he leaped in after him. His right hand withdrew the sword, while his left hand struck out, attacking the retreating Silver Fox in turn. He said disdainfully:

"Hmph! The mysterious silver fox is nothing special after all? It seems the rumors aren't necessarily true!"

"Hehe, it's true that the legend of Emperor Jinghe being more beautiful than any woman!" Silver Fox replied jokingly while dodging.

"You're courting death!" Knowing his identity, how dare you harass him? This person must not be allowed to live. Xuanyuan unleashed tenfold of his power, striking towards the Silver Fox's chest.

"Stop!" Seeing that there was no way to avoid it and that the game couldn't continue, Leng Jie quickly tore off her mask and shouted loudly.

Xuanyuan didn't have time to stop his attack, narrowly avoiding the silver-gray fox fur. His palm struck the hard wall, instantly creating a hand-shaped hole. His back was already drenched in cold sweat! He barely managed to suppress his fear. But she still wore an innocent smile, looking at him mockingly. A surge of anger followed. He questioned her in a deep voice:

"Do you think it's fun? Dressing up as a silver fox in the middle of the night and climbing through the window. Do you know how dangerous that was?"

Leng Jie made a face at Xuan Yuan and put the mask back on. Only then did she speak:

"If I told you that I am that elusive silver fox, would you believe me?"

"You're Silver Fox?" Xuan Yuan was clearly taken aback. His mind flashed through the places she'd traveled over the past three years; she certainly had the ability to appear and disappear without a trace. But he'd always thought Silver Fox was some kind of organization. Because sometimes Silver Fox would appear in the east one day, and then the next day, she'd be doing something earth-shattering in the west. Unless she had the ability to be in two places at once, it was impossible for her to do that.

Leng Jie removed her mask again and strolled leisurely to Xuan Yuan. After a moment of eye contact with his stunned expression, she could see the confusion in his eyes. Since she had already decided to take him into her fold, she wanted him to gradually learn about her. Otherwise, she feared that if he suddenly learned too much, he might not be able to handle the shock. Now that he had witnessed one of her identities, she would explain it to him first.

"You guessed right, there's more than just me, Silver Fox. There are three of us. That's why we can appear in different places at the same time. That's also the secret to Silver Fox's mystery."

Leng Jie finished speaking earnestly, staring into Xuan Yuan's phoenix eyes, waiting for his reaction. A hint of surprise flashed across his phoenix eyes, followed by sadness. Finally, there was pain. Leng Jie could understand the surprise, but where did the sadness and pain come from? Leng Jie reached out and pulled Xuan Yuan to sit on the edge of the bed, feigning ignorance as she asked:

"What? Don't you believe me?"

Xuanyuan shook his head without saying a word, then nodded.

"Are you saying you believe me or not?" Leng Jie was once again confused by his expression.

Xuanyuan remained silent, but the pain in his eyes deepened. Seeing this, Leng Jie felt a pang of sorrow in her heart. Involuntarily, she placed her cold little hand into Xuanyuan's warm, large hand. She grasped it tightly, shook it vigorously, and then asked:

"You can't accept it, can you? You think Silver Fox is bad?"

Seeing that Xuanyuan remained silent, Leng Jie explained again:

"I was just joking with you. I'm not usually like that."

Xuanyuan finally nodded.

You know?

He nodded again.

"Then why do you look like you're injured?" Leng Jie was getting impatient.

Xuanyuan shook his head again.

"Hey, stop shaking your head and nodding. Let me tell you, you're the fifth person in the world to have seen the Silver Fox's true face. If you keep making that smug look on your face, I'll kill you. You believe me?" The volcano finally erupted.

“I believe you! You have destroyed my heart.” Xuanyuan suddenly stood up and said coldly.

Xuanyuan's words startled Xiaojie, who then involuntarily crossed her arms and shivered. By the time she came to her senses, Xuanyuan had already walked to the door. Leng Jie quickly called out, "Hey! Wait a minute! What did you mean by that?"

Xuanyuan stopped and slowly turned around, his phoenix eyes filled with not only pain but also a faint, almost imperceptible, coldness. Leng Jie quickly followed, sharply asking:

"Say something! Was I wrong to kindly tell you my secret? Why did you suddenly change your attitude?"

Why did he suddenly change his expression? She actually asked him why he suddenly changed his expression? Wasn't she shattering his heart and then subjecting it to a slow, agonizing torture? He had always been confident that he completely understood her. Even after she had been away for three years, he had always assumed she had never left his sight. Because she had always been alone. Therefore, he naturally assumed that no man had entered her heart. Even when he learned she was pregnant, he never considered that man might be in her heart. He believed the child was just an accident. But now he knew he was terribly wrong.

"Thank you for telling me a secret that you would only share with your closest people." Xuanyuan emphasized the word "closest people" in particular.

Leng Jie blinked, "You know it!"

"Don't worry, I will definitely rescue Leng Xiang. Also, if you need anything, just come to me. No matter what, I will help you." Xuan Yuan's voice grew softer and softer, and his words became increasingly strange.

"Xuanyuan, what exactly are you trying to say? You've confused me! What do you mean by 'I need to come to you'? Are you planning to leave me here alone while you go back to save my father?" Leng Jie asked playfully, tilting her head.

“Weren’t you leaving? Of course I won’t force you to come with me on this dangerous journey,” Xuanyuan blurted out.

Leng Jie was taken aback, then reached out and touched Xuan Yuan's forehead. She said strangely, "Did you catch a cold and get a fever? Who told you I was leaving? If I were leaving now, why would I be in such a hurry for you to come back?"

"Didn't you just go see Leng Yige Yinhu? He knows you're pregnant with his child, do you think he'd let you take such a risk?" Xuanyuan replied sullenly.

"Pfft!" Leng Jie couldn't help but laugh. So he could be jealous! She thought he could even accept other people's children, so he shouldn't be jealous. She secretly glanced at Xuan Yuan and noticed his expression had worsened. Leng Jie quickly stopped laughing, raising her eyes to meet his wounded phoenix gaze. She teased, "..."

"You have quite the imagination! How could you be so sure the other silver fox was a man?"

"Not a man?" Xuanyuan murmured in disbelief. Could there be two other extraordinary women in this world like her?

"What? Interested in her?" Leng Jie glared at him, asking sourly.

Ah! Her broken heart suddenly began to heal. Her pale face instantly regained its light. The indifferent look in her phoenix eyes was immediately replaced by surprise. Her long arms naturally pulled the person before her into a tight embrace. She still murmured, "..."

"Xiaojie, you didn't run off with someone else, did you?"