Chapter 122 Part 1

 

At midnight, the posthouse, which had been busy all night to receive the distinguished guests, finally returned to its peaceful state. The lights were dim, and except for the imperial guards who were on duty and patrolling around the posthouse, all the others gradually fell asleep from the exhaustion of the day’s journey.

In a main room in the east courtyard of the posthouse, the lights were still on at this hour. Lu Wenjun was neatly dressed, sitting on the couch, holding a pair of scissors with the sharp tips pointed at her throat, and staring warily at several of Yuan Zhi’s confidants who were kneeling across from her and trying to persuade her to leave.

She looked a little pale, but her eyes were so calm that she didn’t look like a girl of sixteen or seventeen.

Xuyu walked straight into the secret path leading to the backyard of the posthouse, which was originally used for Lu Wenjun to leave. When she arrived outside the door, this was the scene she saw.

From the beginning to the end, Lu Wenjun did not make any noise, and only said that if they dare to take her away by force, she would kill herself first. She did not look like she was trying to scare people. This made Yuan Zhi feel quite difficult. Whether Lu Wenjun got into trouble or the plan was hindered, it was something he could not bear alone. He had no choice but to send the message.

Lu Wenjun didn’t know that Xuyu had also come. Seeing Xuyu appear, her eyes widen in surprise. Then she noticed that her gaze fell on her hand holding the scissors. The blood drained from her pretty face, and her hand, which had been holding the scissors to confront people for a long time, became weak and slowly drooped.

However, when the tip of the scissors was just a little below her neck, she saw Xuyu walking towards her and immediately raised it up again.

“Don’t come over!” She let out a cry that sounded a bit painful.

“If you take one more step, I will… I will really die!”

Xuyu stopped and signaled everyone in the room to leave. After the door was closed, and only she and Lu Wenjun were left, she smiled and asked, “What happened? Didn’t you agree before you set out that you would return after you got here? Why did you suddenly change your mind?”

“I said it. If the person who replaced me is discovered, the whole plan will fail. It’s a mistake I made in the past, and I want to make up for it!”

She paused.

“When you came and tell me about this plan, I had already made up my mind to do this. I didn’t tell you at the time because I know you and Mother would not agree. You don’t need to persuade me anymore, I won’t change my mind! Anyway, tonight, either I die here, or you let me continue on my journey tomorrow. I will do whatever I have to do, and I will never ruin your matter!”

“I understand. Wenjun, you’re so young, yet you have such a sense of responsibility. That’s really rare…”

Xuyu persuaded her slowly, but she had already made up her mind. She was waiting for an opportunity to take the scissors from her hand and then take her away by force.

She walked to the couch, stared at the girl, slowly raised her hand and stretched it towards her.

“Give me the scissors first.

“Have you ever thought about how sad Aunt would be if you really hurt yourself like this? After you left the palace a few days ago, I saw Aunt crying alone behind the palace gate. She was worried about you. If something happened to you, she would be the first to fall. You may not care about yourself, but don’t you care about her at all? I also promised her that I would personally take you back and return you to her. If you rashly hurt yourself, how can I explain it to her?”

Lu Wenjun’s eyes gradually turned red.

While she was distracted, Xuyu reached out and snatched the scissors, threw them far away, and then grabbed her wrist.

“Wenjun, be obedient. We really don’t need you here. It’s enough that you have such intentions. There’s no need to blame yourself. No one blames you—”

Xuyu persuaded her while holding her down. At this time, Lu Wenjun came to her senses and struggled wildly. Xuyu couldn’t hold her by herself. She turned around and was about to call someone in, but her hand accidentally touched her waist. She was startled, stopped, looked at her, and reached out her hand.

“What else do you have hidden on you?”

“Nothing!” She shook her head hurriedly and crawled back.

“Take it out.”

Xuyu had already guessed what the thing she had hidden close to her body was. When she thought about her actions tonight, she suddenly understood something.

Her expression was no longer as gentle as it was a moment ago.

“Is it a knife? Give it to me!”

Lu Wenjun was frightened by the rare fierce look on Xuyu’s face. She was stunned, shrank back, and stopped struggling.

Xuyu reached her hand to her waist, opened her embroidered skirt, and pulled out a small knife from under her tight silk belt.

The small knife was less than a foot long, decorated with beads and jade, and tied firmly to the waist. When Xuyu took it out, she saw a deep, red knife-shaped mark on a section of Lu Wenjun’s snow-white flesh.

Obviously, this had not been hidden just now.

She held the knife in her hand, slowly raised her head, and looked at the girl on the couch with a look of disbelief.

“Wenjun, what do you want to do? Do you want to…” She stopped.

Lu Wenjun slowly lowered her neck without saying a word.

Xuyu understood everything in an instant.

No wonder she suddenly changed her mind and insisted on staying. No, it should be said that she agreed to this plan with this idea in mind from the very beginning.

After the initial surprise, Xuyu felt an infinite amount of pity in her heart.

Lu Wenjun’s shoulders were trembling slightly at this time. Xuyu hugged her gently.

“Wenjun, you’re so stupid! Why are you risking your life for something like this? He’s not worth it!”

Lu Wenjun could no longer hold back, and threw herself into Xuyu’s arms, crying and sobbing, “I can’t accept this… I really can’t accept this! I hate that I was so blind that I actually fell in love with such an evil jackal! Not only did he deceive me, he also used me to betray the Holy Dynasty! If I let him go like this, I will never be at peace for the rest of my life! I have to kill him with my own hands to quench my hatred! I’d rather die than let him go alive!”

“You’re right to seek revenge, but this is too dangerous. How can you be his opponent? Be obedient and come back with me first. We will wait for news together. Don’t worry. The court has treated him and his father well, yet he betrayed us and even colluded with ambitious people. Do you really think we would let him go so easily, allowing him to return and plot against the court?”

Once Li Yan appeared, troops would already be lying in wait beyond Yingchou Pass, positioned along Chengping’s northern route. When the time came, they would capture him. This, too, was part of the plan. Naturally, there was no need to explain all of this in detail to Lu Wenjun.

Lu Wenjun’s eyes widened and looked at her steadily. Suddenly, a string of crystal tears slowly rolled down her face again.

“Don’t be sad. Come back with me first.”

Xuyu wiped the tears from her face and helped her up.

Lu Wenjun stopped resisting. She stood and let Xuyu tie her belt and put on her cloak. Then, Xuyu held her hand and led her out like a puppet.

At this moment, accompanied by the chaotic sound of boots coming from far away, there was a faint sound of conversation in the courtyard, as if someone wanted to enter but was stopped by the guards.

Xuyu stopped.

A guard quickly reported that Ashina had suddenly broke into the east courtyard and wanted to see Princess Funing. Yuan Zhi, who was leading the wedding procession, had tried to stop him and was now trying to intercede.

“Why, I need your permission to see my own wife?”

Chengping looked drunk and his gait was a little unsteady. He forced his way in but was blocked by Yuan Zhi. He stopped at the bottom of the steps and spoke in a sarcastic tone.

Yuan Zhi bowed and said respectfully, “The Prince has misunderstood. How dare I be so presumptuous. It just that it’s really late now, and the Princess should have gone to bed. If you barge in like this, the Princess might be frightened. After all, you two hasn’t officially married yet, so it’s not appropriate to rush into her room so late at night. If you have something to say, why not let me pass it on.”

At this time, several ceremonial officials who were sleeping next door were also startled and rushed over. Of course, they didn’t know the inside story, so they just used the etiquette of the Holy Dynasty to persuade the prince to go back and talk about it again tomorrow.

Chengping showed an impatient look and nudged the ceremonial officials who were blocking his way with his shoulder. He was about to go up to the steps, but Yuan Zhi ordered the guards to stop him.

“Move! Otherwise, don’t blame me for being rude!” Chengping shouted sternly.

“Prince, calm down. This is a matter of etiquette. If there is something, why not tell me and let me pass it on first to see Princess Funing’s intentions. If she wants to see you, how dare I stop her?”

Yuan Zhi’s tone was still respectful, but he clearly had no intention of backing down.

Chengping seemed to have heard nothing and walked forward, but was stopped by the guards with their scabbards. He seemed to be enraged, a fierce light flashed in his drunken eyes, and his hand pressed on the scabbard of his own sword. The two sides confronted each other, and the atmosphere became tense.

His sudden and forceful intrusion was really unusual. Yuan Zhi was thinking about calming him down first and asking the princess what to do when he heard a clear voice behind him: “Step aside!”

Princess Funing’s voice came from behind the window of her bedroom.

Chengping’s tense face gradually relaxed and his fingers slowly moved away from the sword.

“I have something to say. Princess, please grant me an audience.” He turned to the window and said softly.

After a moment of silence, Lu Wenjun came out from behind the door amid the tinkling of her jade ornaments and said to Yuan Zhi, “All of you retreat.”

Yuan Zhi knew that this must be Princess Shouchang’s intention. After hesitating for a moment, he finally took his men and slowly retreated from the courtyard, guarding the gate himself.

“What do you want from me?” Lu Wenjun asked again.

The winter moon had risen above the eaves, and the dim light shone from under the tiles on the eaves onto the corridor.

Chengping stood at the steps, looking at the hazy figure in front of him.

“You can go back. You don’t have to marry me.”

Just as Lu Wenjun was gradually becoming tense, she suddenly heard him say this.

“Leave now and don’t let irrelevant people know.”

After finished talking, he turned around and left.

Lu Wenjun finally came to her senses, subconsciously chased a few steps, and then suddenly stopped on the corridor steps.

“What do you mean by this?”

What kind of evil plan is he planning? She thought angrily, feeling cold in her heart.

The man’s respond was to slowly stopped in the middle of the courtyard, turning his head. At this moment, he seemed to have returned to his usual indifferent look that had once moved her heart but now made her feel disgusted when she thought of him.

He just said calmly: “I told you early on that I’m not a good person. It’s rare for me to be kind. Just do as I say before I change my mind. I won’t harm you. Go back and be a good princess!

“Next time you choose a man, remember to be more discerning.”

Finally, he said this and walked away again.

Previous     TOC     Next