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The chief historian quietly wiped his tears.
Xu Biao counted the number of guards in the house and asked Yaoying to put up a struggle: “We, this group of people, were all originally reckless performers travelling and wandering aimlessly. The prince did not care about our backgrounds and gave us a future. Now that the prince is in trouble, we cannot just sit still.”
The chief historian hastily wiped away his tears: “No, the prince left you behind to protect the princess! If you leave, who will protect the princess?”
Xu Biao was quiet for a moment, unable to respond.
Yaoying finished reading the last reply letter, walked outside in front of the main courtyard’s steps, and looked up at the sky.
The Southern Chu people were experts at using poison. Li Zhongqian was first hit by a poisoned arrow then wounded by a cut, and now he was surrounded and in danger. The more they delayed, the slimmer his hopes of survival.
She could not afford to wait.
The chief historian stomped a foot and said, “What if we go and beg His Majesty? Will His Majesty send someone to save the prince?”
Yaoying shook her head.
Of course Li De would send troops, but would the people he sent save Li Zhongqian?
In the front, there was Zhao Tong, the third prince, the fourth prince, and the ruthless Southern Chu people. In the back were the military generals who did not dare to offend Li Xuanzhen. No matter who was sent to save Li Zhongqian, they would only need to delay one or two days and Li Zhongqian would definitely die.
And the front line was complicated. There must be Southern Chu people inside the Wei army, so even if the reinforcements really wanted to save Li Zhongqian, the third and fourth princes were bound to interfere and ruin the rescue.
The chief historian sobbed in despair, “Is there really no way out at all?”
Yaoying’s eyes raised up, and her jet-black eyes flashed with determination.
“There is another method.”
Everyone in front of the main courtyard looked up at her.
Yaoying stood in the cool twilight of the early autumn, her skin like the first snow, hair like ink, a faint halo of light surrounding her.
“Prepare the horses to go to the Eastern Palace.”
The chief historian, Xu Biao, and the other guards all stared in wide-eyed shock.
Only Xie Qing turned around silently without a second thought, and went to prepare a mount for Yaoying.
Before leaving, Yaoying went back to her room, found something, and put it in her sleeve.
The chief historian chased her to the wangfu’s main entrance: “Princess, don’t go to the Eastern Palace. We and the Eastern Palace are like water and fire; how can His Highness the Crown Prince extend a hand to save the prince? You will only be humiliated by that Wei Ming if you go.”
Yaoying swung onto her saddle and mounted her horse.
“Li Xuanzhen will promise to save him.” She held the reins tightly and kicked the horse’s belly lightly, “Because I know what he wants.”
The Wusun horse’s hooves spurred into action and ran into the golden twilight.
It was already late in the evening. The beating drums echoed from north to south, the sound resounding all over into the night sky. The evening sunset burned brightly, coloring the pavilions within the towering palace walls in a brilliant red.
Xie Qing escorted Yaoying to the Eastern Palace and handed over her sign.
The guard went in to announce her arrival, and came out shortly to answer, saying coldly, “His Highness is not free. Please go back, Princess.”
Yaoying dismounted from her horse and said, “I’ll trouble you to go in again and announce that I want to see the Crown Princess.”
When the guard heard her voice, his temper immediately softened. Not daring to look at her any longer, he went in again to announce, and came out with someone by his side. It was none other than Crown Princess Zheng Biyu’s maid.
The maid immediately guided Yaoying into the back hall and said with a smile, “Your Highness is a rare guest. Her Highness the Crown Princess heard that you were here and was overjoyed!”
Yaoying did not say a word, and had no expression on her face.
In the inner hall, Zheng Biyu knew that Yaoying had arrived and hurriedly changed her clothing to personally welcome her to the curved veranda.
These days, she had been worrying over what happened at the Buddha’s birthday puja. After Duke Pei protected Yaoying, she had written to Yaoying explaining that she did not know about it at the time, but Yaoying did not write back, so she was very uneasy.
Zheng Biyu knew that she and Yaoying were not on the same page, but she still did not want Yaoying to despise her.
When she saw Yaoying’s graceful figure appearing by the lotus pond from afar, Zheng Biyu took two steps forward to welcome her: “Why is qiniang here at this time?”
Yaoying got right to the point: “I want to see my eldest brother.”
Zheng Biyu’s face showed some difficulty: “Qiniang… I know why you are here. His Highness will not see you.”
At present, all the civil and military officials and noblemen in the capital did not want to see Li Yaoying because they all knew that she must have come to their door to beg them to save Li Zhongqian.
Whether Li Zhongqian was alive or dead, no one would help. They did not want to offend Li Xuanzhen.
The Eastern Palace officials were even more eager to see Li Zhongqian die in the south. Wei Ming had been trying to confirm Li Zhongqian’s death these days, delaying the court from sending troops to save him.
Li Yaoying came at this time to see Li Xuanzhen, but how could Li Xuanzhen see her?
Yaoying stood under the giant ginkgo tree in front of the main courtyard and said, “I have made it difficult for sister-in-law. Sister-in-law can just send a message for me. I will wait here.”
Zheng Biyu sighed and ordered her maid to deliver the message: “Tell His Highness that the seventh princess requests an audience.”
Not long after, the maid left and returned.
“Master, Chief Historian Wei said that His Highness is discussing important matters with Chief Commandment and the others, and was not free to see guests.”
Zheng Biyu looked at Yaoying apologetically, “Qiniang, you and I are both women of the rear court, and the matters of the battlefield are beyond our control. Don’t be too sad, and let me know if you have any difficulties.”
Yaoying bowed her head and took something out of her sleeve and handed it to the maid.
“I’ll trouble you to take this to the crown prince.”
….
The front courtyard of the Eastern Palace.
The inner hall was brightly lit. Li Xuanzhen, Chief Historian Wei Ming, and Chief Commandment Qin Fei were discussing matters.
As the day of Zhu Luyun’s marriage drew nearer and nearer, Li Xuanzhen’s face became more and more unsightly and his temper more and more irritable, but he restrained himself and did not kill off Tribal Chief Yelu with a single slash.
Qin Fei and the others were praying to Buddha in their hearts. Seeing that Li Xuanzhen was distracted, and knowing that he was distraught by Zhu Luyun’s situation every day, they did not dare to say anything that would remind him.
Suddenly, a maid’s voice came from outside the window, saying that the seventh princess was asking for an audience.
Qin Fei exchanged surprised looks with the others: They heard that the seventh princess had been running around for the second prince’s sake recently, imploring others without receiving help. Finally, she simply broke the pot and came to beg the crown prince?
Wei Ming’s eyes flickered twice then he walked to the door and scolded the maid.
The palace maid turned around and left, but returned a short while later, bringing something wrapped in an embroidered handkerchief: “Your Highness, the seventh princess said there was something you must see, and if you don’t, she would wait.”
Wei Ming’s eyes began to shine brightly.
Not waiting for him to look at what the palace maid was carrying, Li Xuanzhen raised his head with a gloomy expression and waved his hand, saying indifferently, “You all go out first.”
Wei Ming had to leave with Qin Fei and the others.
The palace maid brought the embroidered handkerchief before Li Xuanzhen.
The candle flame in the room was bright.
Li Xuanzhen’s eyebrows wrinkled lightly as he unwrapped the handkerchief.
In the flickering candlelight, a rough and old clay figure with indistinguishable facial features was lying quietly on the table.
Li Xuanzhen’s eyes were dark and gloomy, and his narrow phoenix eyes seemed to melt into the boundless quiet night.
“What did the seventh princess say?”
He asked, his voice hoarse.
The palace maid bowed and said, “The seventh princess said, Ah Yue has been waiting.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, there was a loud bang, and Li Xuanzhen suddenly flew into a rage. Pulling out the long sword suspended on the wall and swinging it down in one motion, he shattered the clay figure wrapped in the embroidered handkerchief to pieces.
The palace maid was scared out of her mind. Her legs went soft and she fell to the ground.
Li Xuanzhen’s face was sullen, staring at the fragments scattered around the table for a long time. He rushed to the front courtyard, still carrying the long sword that cut through iron like mud.
In the gradually dimming night, the tip of the sword flashed coldly.
The palace maids and personal attendants along the way saw Li Xuanzhen in a rage and trembled in fear, avoiding his path.
Li Xuanzhen walked into the inner courtyard without announcement. A person’s shadow danced in front of the veranda. Standing in front of the steps, Li Yaoying, hearing the sound of footsteps, raised her head and looked over.
Her eyes were calm.
It was this pair of eyes, bent crescent moons when smiling and peach blossom petals when not smiling, that made people unable to stay irritated with her.
Li Xuanzhen took a large stride over and raised the sword in his hand.
The maids and personal attendants in front of the main courtyard were shocked and stood dumbfounded, not daring to move a finger.
Zheng Biyu’s eyes widened and she almost cried out in shock. Standing in front of Yaoying, she scolded: “Dalang! You’ve gone crazy! Qiniang is your younger sister!”
Li Xuanzhen took a step forward, his handsome face shrouded in a haze, and a sinister anger surged in his eyes.
Zheng Biyu had never seen him like this before and froze for a moment.
In this silent confrontation, Yaoying also took a step forward.
She raised her head, looked at Li Xuanzhen, met his icy gaze, and said softly, “Older Brother Changsheng.”
Li Xuanzhen looked at her coldly, his expression sharp.
Yaoying did not seem to see the sword in Li Xuanzhen’s hand pointing at her, “Older Brother Changsheng, Ah Yue wants to make a deal with you.”
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