Chapter 138: Who is Truly Deeply in Love
The sound of hooves grew closer, accompanied by the clear chime of jade pendants striking each other.
Almost instantly, Lu You’an’s tall figure, enveloped by a gust of fresh breeze, swept into the curtained carriage.
He dismounted, and before his footing was steady, he immediately bowed in greeting.
“The matter is urgent, and my arrival is abrupt. I apologize for disturbing Your Highness. I deserve death, and I beg the Princess and Consort Zhaoyi for forgiveness…”
He lowered his head slightly, presenting a medicine bottle with both hands respectfully.
Wen Jia gazed at his sweat-soaked temples.
So, the “medicine deliverer” Xue Sui had mentioned was Lu You’an.
Her mind was a jumble, and before she could sort through the myriad threads, Xue Sui had already reached out to take the antidote. With a grave expression, she carefully examined it before cautiously pouring it into Consort Wan’s mouth.
“Your Ladyship, the antidote is here. Please open your mouth.”
Consort Wan at this moment had already lost the ability to swallow.
Xue Sui quickly took out a golden needle and inserted it into her Tanzhong point. After considerable effort, she finally managed to administer the powdered medicine.
“Let Her Ladyship rest for a moment…”
Having said that, she turned to look at Lu You’an.
“Was everything smooth this time?”
Lu You’an lowered his gaze slightly. “Thanks to Madam’s blessing, it was relatively smooth.”
How could it have been smooth to retrieve medicine from Princess Ping Le’s mansion?
Of course, Xue Sui had asked Lu You’an to deliver the medicine not to assuage his guilt towards Wen Jia, but rather—to make Ping Le even more heartbroken.
So she didn’t ask further, merely nodding slightly.
“Young Master Lu, you must be tired from your journey.”
She then looked at Wen Jia and said softly, “You two chat. I’ll go rest over there for a bit. Call me when Consort Zhaoyi wakes up.”
Wen Jia was disoriented by this sudden turn of events.
She slowly walked up to Lu You’an.
“What exactly is going on?”
Lu You’an bowed to her. “Madam sent someone to inform me that Consort Zhaoyi had been poisoned. The antidote was in Princess Ping Le’s mansion.”
Wen Jia’s face was full of confusion. “Ping Le gave you the antidote?”
Ping Le was not a kind person; she might not have easily given medicine even before, let alone now that Lu You’an had divorced her.
“I…” Lu You’an’s brows furrowed slightly. After a moment of hesitation, he said in a low voice, “I stole it.”
Wen Jia’s face was filled with astonishment.
In her heart, Lu You’an possessed integrity and acted with uprightness. The word “stole” coming from his mouth was truly shocking.
“I am ashamed of the teachings of the sages,” Lu You’an said, his face full of shame. Seeing Wen Jia staring at him blankly without speaking, he gave a self-deprecating laugh.
“Does the Princess think… I’ve changed?”
Wen Jia looked at him, her thoughts drifting back to that year after the Qionglin Banquet, when the Top Scholar, surrounded by everyone, holding the imperial bestowed golden flowers, spoke of defending and expanding Daliang’s borders with youthful vigor.
Now, he stood by the carriage shaft, his head bowed, his face covered in sweat, like a piece of Xuan paper soaked by rain, imbued with helplessness and weariness.
Wen Jia’s heart ached sharply, and she said softly, “People change. It’s not from our own will. It’s this world that forces people to change.”
Lu You’an gave a bitter smile.
“All my ambitions have turned to dust.”
Wen Jia asked, “What are your plans, Young Master Lu?”
Lu You’an replied, “Originally, I was going to take my children to the West Fortress to guard the border soon. But my mother suddenly fell ill, making it impossible to travel far. In my helplessness, I had to take a teaching position at the Yuying Academy for now, to care for my mother while passing the time.”
Being a teacher was a far cry from his former lofty aspirations.
Fate played tricks on him; he must have had many regrets.
Wen Jia did not ask further, merely thanked him softly.
“Thank you for your trouble today, Young Master Lu.”
Lu You’an gave a desolate smile.
“It is my duty. I also bear responsibility for the wrongdoings of Ping Le.”
His expression was dejected, with lingering apology in his eyes.
Wen Jia watched him quietly and suddenly understood why Mu Ya had clutched that faded Wolf Bone Flute so tightly before she died—
Hands that could not hold on, love that could not be touched.
They were all pitiable souls chewed up by fate.
“You are too kind, Young Master Lu,” Wen Jia suppressed those complex and difficult emotions, maintaining some decorum. She bowed slightly to Lu You’an and instructed a maid.
“Dong Xu, quickly bring some tea for Young Master Lu to quench his thirst.”
“No need to trouble yourself,” Lu You’an cupped his hands in refusal. “I must return to the capital now. Princess, I hope you take care on your journey to the Imperial Palace…”
Before he could finish speaking, the carriage wheels jolted heavily, and the fine horses pulling it neighed.
Wen Jia hurriedly turned back and lifted the curtain, about to check on Consort Wan, when she saw twenty to thirty well-fed black horses suddenly emerge from the dense mountain forest by the roadside.
The men on horseback were all masked with black cloth, wielding sharp blades. They blew a sharp whistle and, without a word, charged towards them, hacking and slashing.
Poisoning failed, and now assassination?
Lu You’an’s expression changed, and he instinctively stepped in front of Wen Jia.
Wen Jia, however, did not hesitate to rush towards the carriage, using her own body to shield the unconscious Consort Wan.
For a moment, the sounds of clashing weapons echoed all around.
The Imperial Guards escorting them to the West Mountain Imperial Palace numbered only twelve. These assassins were clearly well-prepared. Taking advantage of the guards’ rest, they launched their attack without warning, heading straight for Consort Wan’s carriage.
Xue Sui, who had been resting on a rock nearby, rose swiftly as the leaves rustled—
And Xiao Zhao, a step ahead of her, grabbed a sash knife from a guard and charged towards the assassins.
The guard looked down and saw only an empty hilt where his saber should be. His face instantly turned pale with fright, and he exclaimed, “Miss…”
Xue Sui quickly reassured him, “Don’t worry. At worst, the knife will get a nick, and I’ll pay for it.”
Before she finished speaking, she moved like lightning, spun, and kicked an incoming sleeve dart precisely.
The sleeve dart was kicked back, flying with a “whoosh” and embedding itself into a nearby tree trunk.
“Xiao Zhao, lead the people into the forest!”
“Understood!” Xiao Zhao quickly returned to defend the carriage.
Xue Sui hadn’t personally engaged in combat for a long time. She sneered, picked up a sturdy wooden stick from the roadside, and began to parry with the assassins.
“Clang!”
A Bone-Penetrating Nail suddenly embedded itself into the carriage’s side panel.
Xue Sui turned her head, the scent of Aconite powder drifting in the wind.
She inwardly cursed her bad luck, quickly grabbed Xiao Zhao’s arm, her skirt sweeping across the carriage shaft as she rapidly rolled to the right to dodge.
Xiao Zhao cursed, “Despicable!”
Xue Sui instructed Xiao Zhao.
“Go get the antidote pills from the bundle. One for each of you, and cover your mouths and noses.”
Xiao Zhao responded with a “Yes,” and then saw Xue Sui quickly tear off a piece of her skirt, pick up a dropped knife, and with a foxy posture, agilely charge into the chaotic battle.
Wen Jia covered her mouth and nose and climbed onto the carriage, tightly shielding her mother.
Suddenly, a cold glint shot towards her like lightning. Without thinking, she instinctively threw herself forward to protect her mother—
The expected sharp pain did not come. When she turned around, she saw Lu You’an extending his arm, blocking the Bone-Penetrating Nail.
Blood splattered on his arm, splashing onto his face, which was as warm and jade-like as ever.
“Young Master Lu!” Wen Jia exclaimed.
“It’s nothing.” Although Lu You’an was just a frail scholar, he was not foolish. He quickly observed the battle situation and said, “These assassins are well-trained. I fear they had a plan…”
He looked at Xiao Zhao and said urgently, “Miss, you and Madam Ping’an escort the Princess and Consort Zhaoyi to leave first… We will stay behind to cover your retreat.”
Xiao Zhao stuffed a pill into his hand.
“You can’t even lift a chicken, what are you covering a retreat for? Get in the carriage—”
Saying this, Xiao Zhao suddenly reached out and forcefully pushed Lu You’an into the carriage.
Everyone was shocked.
How could such a small girl have so much strength?
Xiao Zhao had no time to say more. She handed the remaining pills to a guard, then cracked the whip to urge the horses on, shouting loudly to the coachman:
“Hurry!”
“Xiao Zhao, you go with the Princess!” Xue Sui deflected the attacks of two assassins, forcefully cutting an assassin’s throat with her blade, while simultaneously raising a handful of dirt with her left hand.
“I’ll cover the rear here.”
She was worried about Wen Jia, so how could Xiao Zhao not be worried about her?
“No!” Xiao Zhao said resolutely, “Where Miss goes, Xiao Zhao goes…”
“Obey!” Xue Sui pushed Xiao Zhao towards the gap in the carriage shaft, then swiftly tore off the coarse cloth tunic of an assassin, pulled out several Bone-Penetrating Nails, and flung them with force, embedding them directly into an assassin’s throat.
Her series of actions left Wen Jia and Lu You’an dumbfounded.
“Sixth Sister, Madam Ping’an… take care!”
The carriage sped away, and a few assassins pursued them…
The smell of blood grew stronger, permeating the air.
A thick night descended, and the setting sun, which had been emitting its afterglow, was now completely obscured by layers of dark clouds, as if to swallow everything.
The wind also grew fiercer, as if a storm was about to break.
Xue Sui’s appearance successfully drew the attention of several assassins.
She dodged the fierce attacks with a proud posture. Her clothes were torn in several places, her hair flying wildly, like a lone wolf fighting alone. Despite being in danger, she showed no fear; every dodge and maneuver carried the resolute aura of a war god.
Crack!
A bolt of lightning, like a sharp sword, tore through the clouds!
A muffled thunder rumbled from the distant horizon—
The earth trembled, as if about to tear the world apart.
Xue Sui glanced subconsciously. Suddenly, a cold glint flashed before her eyes. Several assassins, their faces covered with cloth, charged at Xue Sui like hounds released from a kennel, and several Bone-Penetrating Nails shot towards her like meteors—
One struck her jade hairpin, igniting sparks like shattered stars.
“Miss, be careful!” Xiao Zhao shouted from the carriage shaft, her eyes red.
At this critical moment, a dark cloak, like a black curtain descending from the heavens, swept in with a fierce wind, enveloping all the deadly Bone-Penetrating Nails…
Xue Sui felt a tightening around her waist, and with a spin, she fell into a strong, firm embrace. A cool voice, carrying the scent of dragon saliva, clearly entered her ears.
“I’m late!”
At this moment, the sound of clashing armor and horses echoed on the official road.
The Eastern Palace Guard Commander Yu Qianshan, leading a troop of Eastern Palace cavalry, roared in like thunder, their hooves kicking up dust, the Eastern Palace banners fluttering behind them.
Xue Sui: “What are you doing here?”
Li Zhao lowered his head. “Ping’an summoned me. How could I not come?”
She had asked him to send people, not to come himself.
He was the Crown Prince.
He was the heir apparent.
How could he easily appear in such a situation?
Xue Sui frowned. “Your Highness’s precious life should not be put in danger, lest it give cause for gossip.”
Li Zhao’s sword tassel was strung with bloody scraps of cloth. Hearing this, he glanced at Xue Sui, a faint cold light flickering at the corner of his lips.
“Ping’an’s plan is so exquisite. Wouldn’t it be a pity if I didn’t come to make a move myself?”
His deep, magnetic voice brushed past Xue Sui’s ear. Seeing her cold expression, he chuckled and loudly commanded:
“Eastern Palace Guards and all Imperial Guards, heed my order! I, by the Empress’s decree, am here to escort Imperial Sister Wen Jia and Consort Wan. Any scoundrels who dare to seek death under my watch—kill them without mercy!”
Xue Sui was startled and quickly reached out to grab his sleeve.
“Leave some alive!”
Li Zhao raised his eyebrows slightly, a faint smile appearing on his face.
“What are you panicking about? I know what I’m doing.”
He subtly turned his wrist, his sword cutting open the sharp blade that was slashing towards Xue Sui. At the same time, he gently embraced her with his arm, pulling her back.
“The escort team was attacked, and the Eastern Palace provided timely rescue. By tomorrow’s court session, there will be several commendation memorials…”
Xue Sui raised an eyebrow. “Your Highness means to say, you profited?”
The hand around her waist tightened slightly.
“I profited greatly.”
Xue Sui forcefully pushed him away, only to feel her palm sticky. Looking down, she saw her hands were covered in blood.
Her heart tightened. She looked up and realized that the dragon and cloud pattern on his shoulder had bloomed with blood—it turned out that Li Zhao had taken a Bone-Penetrating Nail to protect her just now.
Li Zhao: Today, I played the hero and saved the beauty. I profited.
Xue Sui: Hero, you’re just showing off!
