Sheng Jiangli blinked his eyes, suppressing the mischief in his eyes. He reluctantly let go of the medicine bottle in his hand.
"Shu'er, Sister. Brother A'li has lost most of the people he brought. Only Suobude and two others are left, and they're all injured... I... You won't just stand by and watch them die, will you?"
Caiyu carefully tilted her head and met the man's bright eyes. The glint in his eyes carried a hint of frivolity.
Caiyu pursed her lips slightly.
Given his history of using laxatives, knockout drugs, and sleeping pills, she had to remind him carefully.
"Brother A'li must have picked some poisonous drugs. I can give you the medicine. You can use it for self - defense or to save your life in a crisis. But..."
Caiyu looked serious. "I must set three rules for you. You must not use this medicine on the Prince of Yan or his companions!"
Hearing this, Sheng Jiangli raised his eyebrows slightly. A hint of inquisitiveness flashed across his beautiful eyes, and then he smiled.
"I know. This medicine was given by the Prince of Yan. If I use it on him or his companions, he'll immediately find out that it was you who saved me. Since you've saved me, how could I harm you? Don't worry."
He took back the medicine bottle and stuffed it into his bosom.
Caiyu saw that he still had the energy to joke, which showed that he was used to being injured.
Although her heart ached, she didn't know how to ask about how he had spent these years.
Looking at the sky, if she didn't go back soon, Song Yinghuai and the Jinyiwei might come after her.
Caiyu stood up and looked down at Sheng Jiangli. "Brother A'li, I have to go back. Take care of yourself."
Sheng Jiangli quickly stood up from the grass and stared blankly at her.
After nine years of separation, it seemed that there were still many things he hadn't had the chance to say.
They had met twice, and each time, it was a hasty goodbye.
There was a wound in his heart, as long and winding as his eyebrows. With the passage of time, it became a scar that would never fade when the wind blew.
"Are... you leaving already?" He heard his voice hoarse and dry.
"Brother A'li knows better than I do how good the Jinyiwei are at tracking. We've been here for a long time. If they come, you're outnumbered and outmatched. You won't be a match for them."
"Instead, I'll go back and join them to buy you some time to escape."
Sheng Jiangli knew that Caiyu was right, but he couldn't help feeling reluctant.
But his life wasn't his alone. He couldn't be so reckless as to let himself be captured.
He let out a deep "hmm" and quickly averted his eyes, pretending to look at the distance casually.
"Okay, go."
He led the horse over and smiled. "Get on. It'll be faster on horseback."
Caiyu hesitated for a moment and shook her head. "There are four of you and only three horses. I'll just walk back."
Sheng Jiangli reached out and grabbed her waist, lifting her onto the horse's back. There was a smile in his eyes.
"My Miss Lan is so delicate. Making you walk back fifty - odd miles would break my heart..."
"Don't worry about us. I'll ride with Suobude. Go back!"
Caiyu bit her lip and didn't refuse anymore. She raised the whip.
But unexpectedly, her whip was grabbed by someone again.
"Brother A'li?" Caiyu looked back, surprised at Sheng Jiangli's hand.
The man's big hand held the whip tightly. The sunlight seemed dim in his eyes.
Suddenly, he grinned. The mist in his eyes seemed to be shaking too. His thin lips curled up as he asked with a smile,
"I have one more question...
He paused for a moment, showing a frivolous smile on his face. "Whose chest muscles are bigger, mine or the Prince of Yan's?"
Caiyu: ...
Caiyu puffed out her cheeks, her eyes wide open. She snatched the whip from his hand and whipped the horse.
"Shameless!"
The girl's angry scolding echoed in the wind for a long time.
Suobude and the others emerged from the side, with ambiguous smiles on their rough faces.
"General, the assassination of the Prince of Yan failed. What should we do? How can we explain this to the Crown Prince?"
Sheng Jiangli stared at the direction where Caiyu disappeared for a long time. It was not until Suobude asked again that he came back to his senses.
He put away the look of disappointment on his face and regained his calm and composed expression. He said nonchalantly,
"What else can I do? Send a message to the capital and say that the assassination failed!"
"Do you expect me to give the Crown Prince my head?"
Suobude asked seriously, "What if the Crown Prince gets angry and threatens you with the lives of General Lan's family?"
Sheng Jiangli: "Cough! We'll delay it for as long as we can. At least let me recover from my injuries before making any plans... Ouch! It really hurts!"
In Peixian County, a small satellite city seventy miles away from Pengcheng.
Due to the arrival of the Prince of Yan and the Jinyiwei, a dark cloud loomed over the city of Peixian.
"Bang!"
Song Yinghuai slapped the table in the magistrate's inner chamber. The table let out a faint cracking sound.
"A dozen guards were played around by two girls, Han Fen! You don't deserve to be the head of the guards anymore!"
A group of guards were kneeling in front of him. Han Fen and the others were all sweating profusely.
It was the first time they had seen their prince so angry. Han Fen even thought he wouldn't live to marry Xiangye.
Cao Qingqing was also kneeling on one side. This little girl seemed calmer than Han Fen and the others. She wasn't the least bit afraid of Song Yinghuai's anger.
Song Yinghuai gave her a cold look. Looking at the Buddhist beads in his hand and suppressing his killing intent, he asked,
"Was it Caiyu who suggested changing clothes with you to escape?"
Cao Qingqing lowered her head and replied softly, "No... The idea was mine."
"Your servant?" Song Yinghuai raised his eyebrows, his eyes sharp. "Whose servant are you?"
Cao Qingqing said, "I'm the young master's servant. Miss Caiyu promised me that as long as I let her escape smoothly to do something, she would persuade the young master to keep me as a third - class maid. So..."
She bit her lip and didn't say anymore.
But the meaning was clear. Caiyu wanted to escape on her own, but the idea... was Cao Qingqing's?
"You're quite smart. A little girl was able to play my fifteen stupid guards around. It took them half an hour to catch you." Song Yinghuai's eyes were inquisitive. His originally solemn tone gradually calmed down. "But... Did Caiyu say what she was going to do?"
Cao Qingqing shook her head. "Miss Caiyu didn't say, so I didn't dare to ask. But please rest assured, young master. Miss Caiyu said that she would definitely come back!"
As soon as these words were said, the temperature in the room dropped suddenly. His handsome face became gloomy again. There was a look of shock in his eyes.
Actually, when he saw Cao Qingqing wearing Caiyu's clothes, he had already guessed that Caiyu had left on purpose.
Now, hearing Cao Qingqing say so confidently that she would come back, how could he not understand?
In the valley, when Caiyu rode forward on horseback, it wasn't because she had guessed some ambush against him, but because she had guessed his plan to counter - kill the assassin.
What could make Caiyu risk everything to cross him to save an assassin?
Song Yinghuai's breathing gradually became heavy and rapid again. With each breath, he was trying his best to suppress his raging anger.
Sheng, Jiang, Li!
That assassin was indeed Sheng Jiangli!
Before Cao Qingqing spoke, he could still deceive himself into thinking that Caiyu had come to save him and that she had just accidentally flown to the side of the assassin.
But now, the last glimmer of hope in his heart was extinguished.
The emotions of disappointment and rage rushed into his eyes like a flood breaking through a dam, almost destroying him.
The hand on his wrist suddenly lost control!
The Buddhist beads made of bodhi seeds broke under his angry force!
The brownish - yellow beads rolled all over the floor.
"My lord!" Han Fen was shocked. He suddenly raised his head. "My lord, please calm down. Don't listen to this girl Cao Qingqing talk nonsense! Miss Caiyu must have been reluctant to let you go alone. She was also worried that you would stop her like you did when you set off for the capital, so she secretly came to find you... Miss Caiyu has done this before. You mustn't think too much!"
He anxiously looked at the scattered Buddhist beads on the ground and kowtowed hard. "It was my negligence that I failed to protect Miss Caiyu. I'm willing to pay with my life! I just hope that my lord won't lose his composure because of this!"
After saying that, he drew out the dagger from his waist and pointed it at his own chest!