He Yao burst into tears. Grasping Yu Zixi's hands, she shook her head repeatedly and said, "You've suffered such a serious abdominal injury. How can I not be worried? If anything happens to you, how am I supposed to live alone?"
Yu Zixi frowned and whispered, "Silly girl, what are you talking about? I'm perfectly fine, aren't I?"
The two of them held hands and poured out their feelings to each other, completely oblivious to the world around them. Wei Dongling watched them and felt like kicking them.
Bah! Heartless man!
Wei Dongling picked up the iron hairpin on the ground and put it back into her hair bun. Then she slipped out on her own.
"Dongling!" Yu Zixi, wearing only a light-colored pearly inner robe, turned his head and saw Wei Dongling leaving. He got up in a hurry to chase after her, but a sudden dizziness almost made him fall.
He Yao quickly hugged him and sighed, "Why did Sister Dongling leave? I hope she won't tip off the enemy."
Wei Dongling was in a complete mess. She walked quickly along the wall, not even feeling the pain in her injured foot.
She kept telling herself that Yu Zixi had lived under someone else's roof since childhood, experiencing all the warmth and coldness of human relationships. He had no choice but to be obsequious. She should be on the same side as him and believe that he had his own hardships.
But then she remembered her past self, who had once witnessed with her own eyes her boyfriend and best friend's naked and entangled bodies, which made her feel nauseous on the spot.
Wei Dongling suddenly remembered that Yu Zixi never seemed to have talked to her about how he would deal with the women around him in the end. He only mentioned to her that he wanted to take her far away to the south of the Yangtze River. She thought that Zixi only had her in his heart and wanted to elope with her.
But she forgot to ask. If all the women around Yu Zixi were determined to follow him in the future, would he still just give in and not know how to refuse like he did now?
Then what should she, Wei Dongling, do? Just because she had feelings for him, should she just let it go and allow him to take them all as concubines?
Humph! She would rather spend the rest of her life alone. What good was this man?
The more Wei Dongling thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. She even wanted to go back and beat up that couple to vent her anger.
Suddenly, a voice came from behind, "Stop! Who are you?"
She turned around and saw the personal guards of the Crown Prince pointing their silver spears at her.
Wei Dongling immediately put on an ingratiating smile and said softly, "Big brother, I have a stomachache. I just wanted to go out and find a toilet. I'm afraid of dirtying the room. I'm just about to ask someone for directions."
The thin guard in front of her looked very unfamiliar. He probably wasn't from the team that escorted them in the morning. He was wearing soft armor and looked at Wei Dongling up and down doubtfully. Then he pointed to the toilet not far away and said, "I'll take you there. Don't play any tricks!"
Wei Dongling smiled flatteringly and her mouth became even sweeter. "How could I? Just by looking at you, big brother, I can tell that you're heroic and valiant. I admire you so much. How dare I make trouble?"
This young soldier rarely had contact with women. Moreover, the pretty woman in front of him was looking at him with admiration, which made him feel a bit flattered. He waved his hand and said loudly, "Go."
Wei Dongling curtsied to thank him and went happily.
However, she didn't come out for a long time.
The guard was very curious. He walked to the toilet door and called out, "Miss, are you still there?"
There was no response.
He called out a few more times, but still no one answered. The guard was surprised. He couldn't help but step forward to check. As soon as he stepped into the door, he felt a chill on his neck.
Not long after, Wei Dongling swaggered out wearing the guard's clothes and soft armor.
After leaving the toilet, she looked around and found that this place seemed to be a post station in Xingshan County. Looking up, she saw a large group of guards and black-clothed men rushing towards the main gate.
What's going on? Could it be that the Ninth Prince really took the bait?
Wei Dongling felt something was wrong in her heart. She didn't dare to follow them. Instead, she limped around and checked all the nearby rooms.
From a distance, she saw a scholar in a room fiddling with an abacus in his hand and occasionally writing something in an account book.
An account book?
Wei Dongling had an idea. She walked over and knocked on the door. "Sir! His Highness the Crown Prince wants you to go there."
The scholar looked up at her and asked in surprise, "Does His Highness the Crown Prince want to check yesterday's details? I'm still calculating."
Wei Dongling waved her hand. "It should not be about the accounts. Go and ask yourself."
The scholar nodded repeatedly, got up, locked the door and left.
Wei Dongling glanced at him. After making sure that the man had gone far away, she quietly climbed in through the window into the accounting room. She opened a thick account book with her left hand and held a page with each finger of her right hand. She scanned through it quickly and couldn't help but feel overjoyed.
This was the evidence of the Crown Prince's embezzlement!
Wei Dongling carefully untied her soft armor, lifted her inner clothes and stuffed the thick account book into them with all her strength.
Suddenly, someone looked in through the window and shouted, "Who are you! This is an important accounting room. How can you barge in?"
Wei Dongling quickly ran away and climbed out through the wooden window on the opposite side.
"Stop!" The officer chasing after her climbed in through the window. He only saw a shadow running out. He quickly got up and chased after it.
Looking out through the window, the shadow was gone?
Cold sweat broke out on the officer's forehead. Who had such amazing lightness skills?
Wei Dongling walked quickly along the wall. She had to take the account book out quickly and hand it over to Lord Shen.
However, the post station was heavily guarded all around.
Wei Dongling hesitated for a moment and then quickened her pace to follow the group of guards at the gate. She limped and mingled with the crowd.
The Crown Prince, surrounded by his servants, stood at the post station gate. With his hands behind his back, he looked at the Ninth Prince, Murong Yuchen, who was tied up below the steps triumphantly and laughed loudly, "Nine Brother is really loyal and affectionate. As soon as he heard that someone was here with me, he came here eagerly! You're protecting an outsider like this. It really makes me feel uncomfortable, Brother."
Wei Dongling looked at the back of the Crown Prince and sneered in her heart. This Crown Prince was really hypocritical! On the one hand, he lured the Ninth Prince into the trap. On the other hand, he was pretending to be sad here.
This man was really shameless!
Murong Yuchen's eyes were full of anger. He shouted at the Crown Prince, "Fourth Brother! Our Murong family already owes Brother Zixi! You clearly said that as long as I came here on my own, you would let him go! Where is Brother Zixi?"
The Crown Prince sneered, "Your brotherly love is really touching!" Then he ordered everyone, "Bring them in!"
The guards around Murong Yuchen immediately stepped forward and escorted him into the post station.
Seeing the main gate of the post station being closed again, Wei Dongling in the crowd felt anxious secretly.
A team of guards escorted Yu Zixi and He Yao over.
From a distance, Wei Dongling saw that Yu Zixi's face was as white as a sheet. He stumbled all the way and was dragged over by the guards.
Wei Dongling's eyes felt sour and she felt a bit heartache. But when she saw He Yao crying beside Yu Zixi, all her heartache disappeared. She thought he deserved it.
"Brother Zixi!" Murong Yuchen saw Yu Zixi in such a sorry state. His expression was sad and indignant. His eyes staring at the Crown Prince were almost spitting fire.