Chapter 45: Spending a Night Together ——! (Seeking First Subscription) Text/Ji Jin

  Search!

  Having received Zhao's command, the Golden Guards, one by one, wearing armor and holding knives with bloodthirsty eyes, charged over. It seemed as if they had been waiting impatiently for a long time, their momentum was like thunder and lightning, accompanied by the sound of horseshoes, making people feel a few points of fear. The plain-clothed Jin Yiwei, who were tightly guarding the carriage of Dongfang Qingyun, also reached for the knives at their waists and took up a battle-ready stance.

  The situation is on the verge of eruption.

  "You mustn't be rude to His Highness!"

  The man in brocade clothes had not yet drawn his sword from its scabbard when Dongfang Qingyun, who was on the carriage, spoke out to stop him.

  He gently scolded his subordinate at home, and with a turn of his narrow and long, evil-eyed gaze, he smiled again at Zhao Zhu's cold face.

  "Your Highness, although Qingxuan is not talented, he is also the commander of the Left Army and a first-class official in the imperial court. He has been entrusted by His Majesty to be the guardian of the Crown Prince and is in charge of the affairs of the Imperial Guard. He is specifically responsible for handling cases designated by His Majesty. Moreover, as Qingxuan often travels outside, His Majesty was worried that it would not be convenient for him to handle cases, so he specially bestowed upon Qingxuan a embroidered spring knife, with specific instructions that all criminal matters should only be presented directly to His Majesty. Today, Qingxuan really does not understand, Your Highness is relying on which ancestral rule to search Qingxuan's carriage?"

  He spoke in a low, slow and gentle tone, yet his words were like thunder.

  He said that if Zhao Zun wanted to rely on his royal dignity and insisted on searching him in public, he would not only offend Dongfang Qingxuan, but also deliberately find fault with the old emperor of the capital.

  One move "General" is very powerful and also very suffocating.

  Who dares to take such responsibility?

  Those who could understand Zhao Zun... couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spine for him.

  Zhao Zong stood upright on horseback, without seeing any arrogant movements, but every move was full of the noble air that only came from the imperial family. He calmly handed the whip in his hand to Zheng Erbao, one hand holding the reins and the other lightly pressing on the sword at his waist, taking two slow steps forward. In the ear-piercing sound of drawing a sword, that one sword with a faint cold light was drawn out.

  The sword flashed once and pointed directly at Qingxuan in the east.

  "I have a strict order, all officials are not allowed to dress beyond their rank. Lord Dongfang is in casual attire, not wearing the brocade uniform of the Imperial Guard, and although I recognize you as Dongfang Qingxuan, my sword does not recognize you as the Commander of the Brocade Guards."

  Isn't this being unreasonable?

  Dongfang Qingxuan's smile stiffened for a moment, as if he had been choked into a fit of coughing.

  "Your Highness, the Imperial Guards have their own way of doing things, and Qingxuan makes his own decisions. If there are any mistakes or omissions in handling matters, he should return to the capital to apologize to the Emperor. But you, Your Highness, are busy with military affairs outside, managing complex tasks is most important, why bother with trivial matters here?"

  "Oh?"

  Zhao Zhuo wore a dragon-embroidered robe with a black cloak draped over it, sitting slowly and leisurely on his horse.

  "It's been two years since we last met, and you've really made progress."

  He finished speaking, suddenly turned his head back, his tone and expression both severe, like a cold wind blowing in his face.

  "What are you waiting for? Search!"

  "Yes, Your Highness—"

  In the midst of the cheers, the Jinwei army soldiers were no longer worried and rushed straight towards the direction of the horse carriage.

  It is known that after the Jin Yiwei was re-established from the Gong Wei Si, its power in the imperial court developed rapidly. With the support of the old emperor, Dongfang Qingxuan has been arrogant and domineering for years, framing charges everywhere, repeatedly provoking great disasters, and had long since generated resentment among officials at all levels in the imperial court as well as the three major camps of the capital's garrison. Although these generals were often away fighting wars, they had also heard about the exploits of these henchmen and had long since hated them to the bone. Now that they finally had this opportunity, they naturally went all out.

  Ping-pong diplomacy

  Neither of them is an ordinary person.

  Swords and knives clashed, fighting with righteous indignation, shouts of killing accompanied by curses ringing in the ears.

  At the same time, on the other side, apart from being crowded with more and more onlookers, the original order of Chongning County was not broken. The checkpoints set up had also resumed normal checks for passing vehicles.

  At this time, a funeral procession of about twenty people, four men carrying the coffin, eight men blowing and beating, relatives wearing mourning clothes, in the sound of sobbing high and low, scattered the yellow paper all over the sky, flying everywhere at the city gate.

  "It's getting dark everywhere, what are you sending for burial? Bad luck." A loud and rough voice of a city guard shouted.

  "Sir, my mother died an untimely death, Mr. Yin-yang said it's because of bad luck, the evil spirit won't disperse, we need to bury her at midnight, but the funeral procession is late, and the good Feng Shui spot is still far away... You see..." The middle-aged man leading the funeral procession, wearing a mourning attire with mud spots, kept nodding and bowing while explaining tearfully.

  "Late for the funeral?"

  The big soldier who shouted at them was also a local of Chongning County, so he knew that there were such folk customs and sayings in the local area. Everyone respects the dead as their superior, and they are all fellow villagers born and raised on this land, so he had no reason to make things difficult for the bereaved family.

  "Come on, come on, come on - faster!"

  After a routine check, the city gate was opened and they were allowed to pass. The eyes of the soldiers guarding the city also kept glancing at the Jinwei Army and the Imperial Guards who were fighting not far away, completely attracted by this rare spectacle in a hundred years.

  "How dare you! Are you trying to provoke the Imperial Guards?" someone shouted while beating him.

  "What the hell are you doing, old man? You're calling me arrogant, today I must kill you all." Someone seemed even more annoyed than him.

  The number of Jin Yiwei is relatively small, and the number of Golden Guards is also limited.

  After a fierce battle of about a quarter of an hour, the Golden Guard Army, which was good at attacking and killing enemies on the ground, gained the upper hand. Seeing that more than ten Golden Guards were getting closer and closer to the black lacquered carriage of Dongfang Qingxuan, the outcome was decided.

  "Stop!"

  The Eastern Blue Mystic suddenly raised his voice.

  He smiled and glanced at Zhao Zilong, who had been silent all along.

  "Your Highness, we are all on the same side here. All this shouting and fighting is really unbecoming, and it will only make the common people laugh at us, saying that the imperial court is harboring a group of self-destructive losers. As for what happened earlier, I apologize for Qing's rash behavior. Your Highness just wanted to search the carriage, it's not a big deal..."

  He raised an eyebrow slightly at this point, "Rufeng, open the carriage and let the people in the palace inspect it."

  "Yes! Great General."

  Just now he was still stubbornly refusing, but now he suddenly changed his tone. The onlookers all thought that he couldn't defeat the Golden Guard and had to yield. Their admiration for Prince Jin increased a bit more. Next, the crowd immediately fell silent, and the fierce battle with flashing knives and swords also stopped abruptly.

  Everyone's eyes turned towards the black lacquer carriage.

  With a creak, the carriage door was pulled open and the black velvet curtain was also lifted.

  Except for Dongfang Qingyun himself, there was no one else in the room.

  Where else would there be the shadow of Xia Zhiqi?

  "Your Highness, can you see clearly now?" Dongfang Qingxuan leaned weakly against the carriage wall.

  The black lacquer carriage is not large, and the bottom plate is not thick. Is there anyone hiding? One glance and all will be revealed.

  So it was holding something without fear?

  Many people's faces changed, but Zhao You remained aloof as usual, without even a hint of surprise, staring at Dongfang Qingxuan's slightly tired face and saying lightly, "Lord Dongfang looks unwell, it seems he is indeed seriously ill, has he invited a doctor to diagnose and treat him?"

  "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness."

  Dongfang Qingxuan was somewhat surprised that he still had the mind to chat with him at this time, but his face still wore a smile, with a flirtatious and charming expression, as if he wouldn't rest until he had captivated someone. Especially when he looked at Zhao Zhen, the charm in his eyebrows and eyes made it seem like he was the most gentle and elegant lover in the world, pouring out his heart to his beloved.

  "Your Highness, although Qing Xuan's behavior was cautious in the past, he still offended some colleagues, leading to a series of misunderstandings. Others may not understand me, but you should, shouldn't you? Since I joined the Embroidered Uniform Guard, if I didn't use some tricks, how could I have solved cases?"

  He smiled brightly, but Zhao Zhu's expression remained unchanged.

  "What the Eastern Master said is indeed correct. However, I think that tolerance and self-control will ultimately bring benefits, while acting arbitrarily can easily lead to disaster. What kind of seeds you sow determines what kind of fruit you reap; being cautious in words and actions is still the best way to avoid evil consequences."

  "Thank you for your guidance." With a slight bow, Dongfang Qing asked in a soft voice, "Qing Xuan is not feeling well and it's inconvenient for him to accompany Your Highness for a long conversation. Now that the carriage has been checked, can we leave?"

  Zhao Zun stared at him coldly and waved his hand lightly.

  "Let him go."

  The tense and solemn atmosphere was suddenly swept away.

  The swords returned to their scabbards, and the tense atmosphere completely dissipated. The horse hooves "tapped" by, and the carriage wheels "creaked" as they turned, causing everyone in the scene to secretly let out a sigh of relief. As the carriage passed by Zhao Zhuo, Dongfang Qingxuan lifted the curtain and hooked his lip with a lazy smile.

  "Your Highness, I also enjoy playing hide-and-seek. If you need the Brocade Guards to lend a hand, don't stand on ceremony with me."

  Zhao Zun gazed at her, faintly revealing a hint of playfulness, "Master Dongfang, slow down, be careful not to slip."

  The black lacquer carriage went far away, and the conversation between the two people was heard by many, but those who understood the meaning were very few. Until Dongfang Qingxuan's group disappeared from view, Chen Jing, who had been guarding Zhao Zhu all along, finally spoke up.

  Grandpa.

  Zhao You looked towards the direction of the city gate, "How is it?"

  Chen Jing said with a loud voice, "The two ghosts have already led the brothers up."

  Er Gui was one of the twelve guards beside Zhao Zhuo, compared to Chen Jing's introverted and steady personality, he was more cunning and smooth. Generally, doing that kind of sneaky and thieving thing, not that kind of gentlemanly behavior, were all done by him.

  Just now, Dongfang Qingxuan's move "Overturning Heaven and Earth" at the city gate was meant to divert attention with a fake fight, but how could it deceive the cunning and experienced Zhao Zhu?

  As a prince who led the army, in front of the custom of "the dead are more important than the sky", he could not let the people open the coffin to check the body on the spot. If there was no one inside, he would be scolded for being disrespectful to the dead.

  With just one glance, the two ghosts followed him.

  If nothing unexpected happens, Zhao Zhu will hold down Dongfang Qingxuan with his plan, and during the time he is concerned about her "jade body's safety", the funeral procession that has already left the city will fall into Er Gui's hands.

  "Don't be careless, Dongfang Qingxuan is a cunning person, searching and setting up traps still need to continue."

  "Yes!"

  With one word, Chen Jing continued to serve as a background cloth.

  At this moment, a thin and small man with a big beard and wearing a worn-out straight robe rode his horse from the city gate at an extremely fast speed. As soon as he got off the horse, he clenched his fists tightly with a tense expression and knelt down on one knee with a pale face.

  "Grandpa, no one was found."

  "Nothing?" Zhao's eyebrows slightly furrowed.

  "Yes." Under the calm face of the young master, the frost that had already cooled down a layer, Ergui's fists, which were tightly clenched, slightly trembled, and his tone was still relatively calm. "Ergui followed your orders, brought over a dozen brothers, disguised as bandits, and intercepted the funeral procession, but didn't find Chu Qi."

  "Is there nothing in the coffin either?"

  Zhao's increasingly cold and hard voice made Er Gui swallow his saliva.

  "Grandfather, those people are all local villagers from Chongning. They said they want to send the person to the ancestral tomb in Jinsha Village, Wangcong County, to rest in peace. I also forced them to pry open the coffin, but inside... there was only one old woman's corpse. I checked carefully and it definitely wasn't Chu Qi. Second Ghost thinks that Dongfang Qingxuan doesn't do things according to common sense, and the Jin Yiwei's intelligence network is all-pervasive. Maybe, maybe he still has other tricks up his sleeve..."

  Zhao Zun waved his hand to stop him from continuing, "Chen Jing."

  "Belonging to the lower class."

  "Go and get Dongfang Qingyun for me."

  "I understand."

  Chen Jing is the world's top martial artist, not enthusiastic about official career advancement, but coincidentally, he is used by Zhao Zun. This person's strengths are absolute loyalty, and weaknesses are occasionally giving people a dull feeling.

  He turned his head back after taking two steps forward on horseback.

  "Grandfather, today's events are all due to my own incompetence, allowing Dongfang Qingxuan to take advantage of the situation."

  "It's none of your business." Zhao Zun's lips curled up into a faint arc, his expression calm and unruffled, but the hand stroking the horse whip seemed to have added a bit more weight. "I'm not afraid of thieves stealing, I'm afraid of them remembering, it's just a matter of time."

  Chen Jing was somewhat puzzled, but he didn't ask again and left with big strides.

  Another self-proclaimed "unlucky" second ghost slightly raised his head, and forcefully scratched the uncomfortable big beard stuck to his face.

  "What's next, Dad?"

  "Continue to strictly inspect each official road checkpoint, especially within a radius of ten miles, and thoroughly search for the king."

  "Is it within a radius of ten miles?" The two ghosts asked hastily.

  Zhao Zun spoke very slowly, his voice somewhat cold, "She must have left 'that' mark, search according to the mark——"

  "Yes! I'll go and take care of it right away."

  The two ghosts didn't understand why their master was so certain, but they just nodded and turned around to pass on the order.

  Zhao Zun's face remained calm and composed, but his eyebrows furrowed slightly with a hint of doubt.

  His men had set up checkpoints and ambushes on the official roads along the way, and not a single vehicle or person related to the Imperial Guards was let through. It can be said that not even a fly would have been able to slip away undetected. How could a living soul possibly sneak past under their noses?

  His eyebrows furrowed deeper as he reached into his pocket.

  The thing in her arms was found in a abandoned room of a courtyard house - it was the "blindfold" specially made by Chu Qi before, which was hidden behind a toilet, and there were also signs that someone had lived in the house. Along the way, at every fork in the road, she would search for this kind of icon similar to a "blindfold", which pointed her in the direction to go. She drew it not very clearly, but it was consistent with the drawings he had seen before.

  So, the route is correct.

  The person must still be in Chongning...

  Unless...

  He narrowed his eyes and suddenly turned around and shouted.

  "Two demons, come back!"

  The thin and small figure of the second ghost, who looked like a monkey, had just entered the city gate when he heard the sound, his back suddenly shuddered, and then "hissed" as he whipped his horse and rushed back.

  "Is there anything else you'd like to instruct me, sir?"

  Zhao Zhuang stared at him coldly and asked, "When you opened the coffin, did you find anything unusual?"

  He scratched his head, and Er Gui hesitated, "Abnormal? Sir, I didn't find anything."

  Zhao Zhu's tone was slightly heavy, "Think carefully."

  After some thought, the two ghosts' eyeballs rolled around and suddenly slapped their forehead.

  "Here. At that time, I thought the coffin looked old and damp, but it was made of hardwood wrapped in iron sheets. From the clothes and decorations of the family who came out to mourn, they didn't seem like people who could afford such a good coffin. But filial piety is a common virtue, and some people would even spend all their money on their mother's funeral, so I..."

  "Foolish!"

  Zhao Kuang gave him a sideways glance, patted the horse's head, and shouted, "Lead the way ahead, chase!"

  "Are you going too, grandfather?"

  The two ghosts had not yet figured it out, but Zhao Zhuo was already galloping far away on his horse.

  "I'll go and take a look myself."

  "Oh..."

  The two ghosts responded with a long, drawn-out voice and followed on horseback. However, he couldn't help but turn his head, casting an inquiring gaze at Zheng Erbao, who had been closely following and attending to him, attempting to discern from his face the reason why his master was so concerned about this person.

  Zheng Wubo is also a horizontal eye.

  She just gave him a disdainful look, saying "You ask me, who should I ask".

  ……

  ……

  The weather on winter days is short days and long nights.

  Before long, the dark clouds had not dispersed, and the cloud layer was low and heavy, the sky grew darker.

  In the official road to Jincheng Prefecture in Chongning County, a black lacquered carriage with soft cushions had an eastern blue mysterious and self-satisfied leaning inside. One hand held the book "Fengyue Heart Scripture" given by Zhao Zun, with a slight curve at the corner of his mouth, carefully observing it, looking very absorbed.

  Suddenly, he paused and shouted softly at some wonderful sight.

  "Where did it go?"

  Outside, the wind slightly lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, without poking his head in, he slowly said, "Report to Commander-in-Chief, ahead there are still ten miles before we reach the border of Wangcun County. We will soon be able to join forces with Marshal Ma and others, as long as we pass through Wangcun, it can be considered that we have left the net of heaven and earth of Prince Jin."

  "Heavenly net and earthly trap?"

  Dongfang Qingxuan asked again, with a slight sneer and a glance, his eyes suddenly became sharp, "You said we set out from Qinggang, all the way so hidden, why did Jin Wang still come so quickly?"

  Like the wind, he was stunned and said, "I don't know what's going on under me."

  He curved down the corners of his lips, Dongfang Qingxuan put down the "Wind and Moon Heart Scripture" in his hand, and smiled charmingly.

  "I was actually played by a little girl."

  Like the wind, he showed an "I don't understand" expression.

  "It's very simple, the secret is in the label."

  Ru Feng's face changed, and he hesitated for a moment before saying: "Report to the Grand Commander, Seventh Miss has indeed left marks every time she borrowed an excuse to pay her respects. Each mark was also a turtle head pointing in a direction. But the marks have all been erased by our people, so how can the King of Jin investigate?"

  "Turtle?" Dongfang Qingxuan looked straight past him, a smile playing on the corners of his lips. "She's scolding me."

  Like a gust of wind, he lowered his head and said, "Great Commander, forgive me for being foolish, I really don't know..."

  "If I'm not mistaken, the mark on the turtle is a clear hint from her, and it's natural that she wants us to see it. Apart from this, she must have left some hidden clues... something that only the King of Jin can understand."

  "It's unlikely." Feng muttered in a low voice.

  Dongfang Qingxuan suddenly smiled and gently asked him.

  "If not, then it's by my side... Is there any subtle movement of the King of Jin?"

  Like a sudden contraction of the pupils, he hastily knelt down and knocked his head on the ground. "Great Commander, I guarantee that I will thoroughly investigate and bring out the traitor who is eating inside and peeling outside."

  "I was just joking, you actually believed it?" Dongfang Qingxuan's emotions were unclear, "Get up!"

  Just as Feng had thanked him, a brocade-clad military officer rushed over from afar, panting and shouting "Report!", dismounted his horse, and knelt down without regard for the puddles on the ground.

  "Marshal, something's gone wrong."

  "What's wrong?" He slammed the book onto the car seat, and Dongfang Qingxuan raised an eyebrow, "Speak."

  That man wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, "Just received a report, King Jin personally led the troops and chased after them. He seems to have discovered the mystery within. Commander-in-Chief, our men dare not confront His Highness head-on, what should we do?"

  "So soon?" Dongfang Qingyun narrowed his eyes.

  He bit his lip, looked at Feng's face as if he were a gust of wind, and suddenly knelt down with his fists clenched, "Great General, I have a plan."

  "Let's hear it."

  "Last time at the relay station, you took the opportunity to present the Prince's River Qinghai Map to the King of Jin, showing your intention to cooperate hand in hand. However, not only did he not show any attitude, but after learning that the King of Ning was injured, he hurriedly rushed to the Jin City Mansion... So, his attitude towards the matter of establishing a successor is very clear. Since it can't be used for oneself, why not..."

  As he spoke, he raised his head, and a flash of fierce light swept across his eyes.

  "How about this?" Dongfang Qingxuan smiled and asked.

  "Take advantage of the opportunity to get rid of it."

  "Huh?" Dongfang Qingxuan's scrutinizing gaze narrowed slightly, and after a moment, he continued in his slow and deliberate tone, "Ru Feng, you have quite the nerve. Do you know what crime it is to plot against the imperial heir?"

  His body trembled like a leaf, but he said firmly, "Commander-in-Chief, what if it's just a natural disaster?"

  Dongfang Qingxuan smiled again, "Heavenly calamity? What heavenly calamity?"

  "Just a few miles above Jinsha Village is the famous Qianjiangyan Water Conservancy Project... If there's a breach and flood discharge... then the King of Jin will disappear without a trace. And the King of Ning is arrogant, although he has some strategy, but he is not our opponent at all. As long as we get rid of the King of Jin who holds the heavy troops, the Emperor's grandson will have no more worries. Commander-in-Chief, if Feng is willing to take charge of this matter, regardless of success or failure, I will bear the consequences alone and will not let the Commander-in-Chief be in trouble."

  The Eastern Blue Mystic's tense and handsome face slowly relaxed, his voice becoming warm and gentle like a spring breeze.

  "Like the wind, you have grasped the heart of this one... Quickly, rise and speak."

  "I hope General Wang will fulfill his promise with a single piece of loyal heart. After the matter is settled, I am willing to die to show my determination."

  "What's with the talk of dying?" Dongfang Qingxuan smiled and leaned over to pull him onto the carriage, personally taking a white handkerchief to wipe his face. In the midst of the intoxicating floral scent, his voice was as gentle as a feather brushing against the heart.

  "Your loyalty, I naturally understand. It's just that now... he can't die yet, and that little girl even more so."

  As the wind blinked extremely fast, he hung his head and his voice was muffled.

  "Great Commander, forgive me for speaking bluntly, but there are many things I don't understand..."

  "How's that?"

  "For example, why did the Grand Commander know that the Emperor's eldest grandson was looking for Seventh Miss but didn't tell him the truth about this matter. And what about the Emperor... and also Xia Gong in the imperial prison, what does it mean?"

  The Eastern Blue Mystic smiled lightly.

  "This is a matter of our own arrangement, let's go and meet Marquis Ma at Jinsha Village."

  ……

  ……

  At the same time, on the road to Jinsha Village in Wangduo County, the funeral procession that set out late was wailing and crying all the way, scattering paper strips, playing mournful music, with a large flagpole tied to the coffin, trudging through the muddy road, how desolate.

  "Life and death are in heaven, wild grass covers the cemetery, human life is originally bitter, leaving no sorrow..."

  Those who sing dirges fulfill their duties.

  The cold wind seemed to howl even more fiercely with a single song.

  At the very bottom of the swaying coffin, Xia Qiuzi had already woken up from her coma. However, her hands and feet were still tightly bound, and her mouth was also sealed shut, like a dumpling, unable to move even an inch.

  The only thing that can move is the head.

  She tilted her head, and the cloth stuffed in her mouth rubbed against the coffin board non-stop. She ground it slowly, and after a long time, the cloth strip that blocked her mouth finally loosened. She slowly spat it out, took a few deep breaths, and stared fixedly at the dark, narrow space in front of her with almost no light.

  Although it's hard to see anything now, she can imagine a woman lying in the coffin with an empty space below her body, tied up like this, what a pathetic picture.

  Her mouth was free, but she didn't shout.

  She didn't move at all, she just listened attentively to the movements outside.

  At this time, the sky was getting darker and darker, and the people carrying the coffin did not notice anything unusual about the person inside.

  In fact, not all the people who came to mourn were fake. It was true that someone's mother had died at home and they were caught by the Embroidered Uniform Guard while rushing to attend the funeral. These people were all honest villagers, and under the threat and temptation of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, how could they dare not obey?

  Xia Zhong Qi closed his eyes.

  Dongfang Qingxuan, your sister's.

  This is the most tragic thing that has happened to her since she left the village of Langya. Usually, no matter how cruel Zhao was to her, at least she didn't have to worry about her own life. But Dongfang's freak, who knows when he will suddenly become unhappy and cut off her face or chop off her hands and feet?

  When two rights conflict, choose the lesser of two evils.

  Compared to Dongfang Yaoyu, Zhao Zilong is not as deadly.

  If he can come and rescue her, then they can take things slowly from there...

  "Look quickly!"

  She was thinking inside, outside the coffin, where the mournful sound of blowing and beating had been, a loud shout of extreme terror suddenly came, along with another sound.

  Hoo... Hoo...

  Wa——wa——

  Boom——Slap——

  A roar of rushing water like in a disaster movie started to be heard.

  She was shocked for a moment, could it be that after two days of torrential rain, she had encountered a mudslide?

  She listened carefully, but didn't know what was going on. But in the next instant, the coffin that had been moving suddenly came to a heavy stop on the ground, and the screams of those outside were terrified to the point of being eerie.

  The mournful music stopped, the dirge ceased. Then a cry more terrible than any that had preceded it resounded through the hall.

  "It's a mountain flood... The mountain flood is coming..."

  "No, it's not a mountain flood... It seems like the Xiangjiang Dam has released water..."

  "It's flooding... Run quickly..."

  "Brother... sister, she's still in the coffin..."

  "Run quickly...... it's too late......"

  The life of a living person is naturally more important than that of a dead one.

  On the seventh day of summer, I heard a commotion outside, with all sorts of noisy sounds coming from far and near. Then, those relatives who had just been crying their hearts out over my mother's death, almost without hesitation, all rushed to save themselves, leaving behind the dead person in the coffin.

  Nowadays, those people can't even take care of their own mothers, how can they take care of her?

  "Hurry up and get her out... We can't go far carrying a coffin."

  A Jin Yiwei guard who had been following him all along suddenly shouted loudly in the midst of the roaring sound of the flood.

  "Ma Qianhu...... it's no good, we can't make it! We're done for...... let's get out of here quickly......"

  "No way, Yang Lao Er, come back!"

  "Ma Qianhu, hurry up and run..."

  "Damn it, you dare to... Wang San, hurry up!"

  "Ma Qianhu, pry it open..."

  Their curses and conversations were soon drowned out by the roar of the floodwaters. But Xia Chuyi could still feel it, the coffin being pried open with a "thud thud" sound.

  But in an instant, under the dark sky, a larger flood peak surged over like a demon, sweeping away everything in its path. The houses and trees in the distance were submerged, and the sense of terror finally triumphed over their sense of duty. When a person is about to die, all tasks are empty talk. The two remaining brocade guards looked at each other, almost simultaneously pulling up their legs and running.

  "Get back here, you bastards!"

  Boom——Whoosh——Oooo——Boom——

  The sound of wind, the sound of water, the sound of impact... The flood is like a beast, its momentum is overwhelming.

  Xia's eyes widened on the seventh day of summer.

  But she was tied up at this time, where could she escape?

  She carefully distinguished in her ears and also heard the sound of the mountain flood getting closer, but she could no longer hear Ma Qianhu's shouting.

  Her head bumped against the coffin as she raised her voice and shouted loudly.

  "Hey! Thousand Blade Brocade Guards! You bastards get this coffin open for me and then run!"

  No one answered her again.

  As she gazed at the dark coffin lid, she suddenly smiled faintly.

  Damn it, even in death, I'm still dragged down by a dead body, what kind of crappy fate is this?

  What a bizarre way of dying... it's also too tragic!

  Slowly, she closed her eyes.

  Perhaps when she woke up, she was still in the villa of the colour family, holding a small mirror and admiring herself.

  Maybe when she opens her eyes again, haha, she'll find that it was all just a dream.

  "Master, we can't go on... The mountain flood is coming..."

  A shriek even more piercing and shrill than a duck's, because of tension and fear had almost completely distorted it, yet still allowed her to catch that familiar feeling, and with a snap she opened her eyes.

  Zheng Er Bao? He's calling Master Zheng?

  Zhao Zun has arrived?

  "Grandpa..."

  "Your Highness... Your Highness... hurry... hold onto His Highness..."

  "Run quickly! Don't come over!"

  One cry after another came more urgent and louder, accompanied by the roar of the floodwaters like a beast, making Xia Chuqi's heart hang in suspense, almost jumping out of her throat.

  Zhaonianren he...such situation, still dare to come and save her?

  "Hmm——"

  Before she could think much, a violent crash, like death approaching, struck out, and she felt the whole coffin was pushed far away by a huge wave, and then it shook violently. And her head also hit the coffin board, hitting her eyes with stars.

  She knew...the coffin had been washed away by the mountain flood...

  The next moment, the coffin was subjected to a tremendous shock in the midst of the sudden and heavy "thud" sound, sinking down a bit, as if it had been swept into a stormy sea.

  It was obvious that someone had leaned over the coffin lid.

  As expected, Zhao Zilu's slightly hoarse voice came through next.

  "Chu Qi!"

  Xia Zhi's tongue slipped, and Xia Qi's eyes suddenly felt hot.

  "I'm in... uh, I'm inside..."

  She didn't know if he had heard her voice or not, and she didn't hear any response. She used force to knock her head against the coffin lid again. But in the next instant, another wave of torrential water rushed over, flipping her and the coffin several times, and then carried them far away before being swallowed up by a huge tidal wave.

  The next impact left her dizzy and disoriented.

  Fortunately, she didn't forget either, there were still people on top of the coffin.

  Her head knocked heavily against the coffin lid again, she shouted loudly.

  "Hey, you figure out a way to get me out of here first, water is starting to seep in... soon I'll drown."

  There is no sound outside.

  No, it should be said that there was no sound of Zhao Zhu. She could only hear the roaring floodwaters crashing against the coffin boards on the trees and rocks, making a loud rumbling noise. Each crash seemed to strike her heart.

  No matter what she imagined outside, she panicked suddenly.

  "Hey, Zhao Zhu... how are you?"

  She bumped her head, but he still didn't answer her.

  Was shocked for a moment.

  She thought to herself, could it be that the wicked woman was swept away by the flood?

  Is it necessary to be so cruel? Let her owe another life before she dies? How can she have the face to reincarnate in the next life?

  In principle, Xia Qi is a good person.

  Such a guess made her throat feel like it was stuffed with straw, and her heart felt a bit uncomfortable too. The voice that came out of her mouth was even more mournful.

  "Zhao Zhu? Hey, Zhao Zhu - speak up! Say something!"

  "What's with the ghost? Shut up!"

  His cold rebuke suddenly came from outside, and she let out a sigh of relief.

  "My old man is afraid that you'll die and no one will return my mirror. Then I'll have to go to the King of Hell and file a complaint against you, saying that I owe you a life. Not only will I end up in hell, but I'll also have to pay you compensation."

  Zhao didn't respond to her provocative words for a long time, and finally said in a low voice.

  "Just bear with it for a little while longer."

  This coffin is indeed wooden, but it's wrapped in a layer of iron sheeting, which can't be chopped open for the time being. Moreover, due to customs, the nails on the coffin are nailed extremely tightly. At this moment, it's not a normal situation, and just the impact of the floodwater already poses a risk to life, let alone trying to pry open the coffin.

  It can be imagined on the seventh day of summer.

  Among the "thud" of the coffin and the howling of the flood, she pulled down the corner of her mouth, ready to comfort the guy's emotions with a smile, but before that, in order to grind off the rag stuffed in her mouth, it seemed that her skin was ground off, and she let out a "hiss" of pain.

  "Are you choking?" he asked.

  I didn't expect this guy's hearing to be so good?

  It seemed that the top had already been hacked open with some gaps, and under the impact of the flood, water was constantly pouring in from time to time, which had indeed begun to overflow her ears. And she was tied up and lying flat inside, unable to sit up. If this continued, she guessed it wouldn't be long before the water would overflow her head.

  What's the use of telling him again?

  She stretched her neck as far as she could and smiled in response.

  "Don't hurry, take your time chopping, I'm comfortable in here, and there's a female ghost accompanying me."

  "Bang——bang——bang——" This was the sound of the sharp sword colliding with the coffin board.

  "Boom——boom——boom——roar——" This is the roar of the floodwaters as they crash against coffins and obstacles along the way, amidst their relentless surging and churning.

  The water flowed at an extremely fast speed, and the coffin drifted further and further away, with more and more floodwaters rushing in.

  It's almost gone.

  Xia Chuiqi took a deep breath, pursed her lips and nose, and stretched her neck like a giraffe.

  She didn't want to swallow a few mouthfuls of corpse water, or she would be disgusted for life.

  As soon as she thought of the corpse on top, her stomach churned a bit and she really wanted to urge Zhao Zhuo loudly to hurry up. But after all, he was rushing over just to save her life, so his safety was more important, who made her a kind girl?

  She waited quietly.

  "Still feeling comfortable?"

  Suddenly, Zhao Zhu's lukewarm voice came from above again.

  It felt like her hair was all wet, Xia QiQi held her breath.

  "It's alright, feels pretty good!"

  She originally just wanted to boost that guy's morale. How would she know, after hearing this, that guy actually stopped and slowly said, "I'll go first, you stay inside and take your time."

  "Hey! Hey! Hey!"

  Her heart tightened, she made an effort to knock her head against the coffin and let out a fierce roar.

  "You dare to leave, I'll haunt you in the next life. Who do you think is to blame for me ending up like this? Isn't it all because of you? Without you, would I have met that Eastern demon? Aren't you the one who's ruined me... You... Cough cough... Bastard... I'm going to drown..."

  Bang!

  After a heavy object fell into the water, the clip on her head responded with a "click".

  Soon, a vague figure appeared before his eyes.

  In the dazzling white light reflected from the torrential flood, he descended like a god, his entire body drenched yet elegant in demeanor. His robes were still being battered by the floodwaters, but his splendor was undiminished. This man who should have only appeared in the imperial court's high gates, enjoying the reverence of all who knelt before him, and making women throughout the land admire his elegance, was now lying on top of a coffin lid, gazing down at her with an expression as calm and composed as if he were discussing the romantic affairs of past and present on a pleasure boat in Qinhuai.

  He is a prince, why does he have to do this?

  At this moment, Xia Qi was shocked.

  "My eyeball has fallen out."

  He snorted in disdain and pulled her up, who was still infatuated with him even when death was imminent.

  The female corpse has been pushed into the floodwaters.

  Looking at the situation on the coffin, Xia Qi suddenly realized it.

  But then I thought about it and all those feelings of reverence were gone.

  It turned out that this guy had already opened the coffin earlier, and seeing that she was not willing to forgive him, he deliberately made her uncomfortable, letting her drink a few mouthfuls of water before rescuing her. The guy was too despicable. She hummed, shaking off the water on her head, and looked at the packages submerged in water inside the coffin.

  "Hey, help me get this, my stuff..."

  That was what she had managed to get from Dongfang Yaoyu with great difficulty, the underwear made in the tailor's shop, hadn't even been worn yet, and if it were lost, how regrettable would that be? Zhao Zhu's mouth twitched slightly as he picked up the package and hung it on his arm before starting to cut the ropes binding her.

  Xia Zhi Qi was lying on the thick coffin board that had been turned over by him, looking like a small shrimp, taking big breaths of air, and gazing around at the surroundings that had already changed beyond recognition. He felt that this coffin was truly amazing, with an excellent floating effect.

  "You're lucky I'm letting you off easy." He coiled up the rope and smoothed out her clothes.

  She swallowed hard and looked at him with furrowed brows.

  "This sentence seems a bit familiar?" Didn't she say it before?

  "After this, I won't owe you anything." His voice still didn't have a hint of warmth.

  It was only on the seventh day of summer that she knew what he meant, wasn't it the "life-saving kindness" from their first meeting? So he remembered everything. But how could she be so kind as to let him easily repay his debt?

  She puckered up and let out a snort of laughter.

  "It sounds like you're saying you saved me just to return a favor?"

  He gave him a cold glance, and Zhao Zun gave a "that's right" look, but didn't say anything.

  The corner of her mouth twitched violently on the seventh day of summer.

  For the sake of her own safety, she grasped the coffin board with one hand and tightly clutched Zhao Zhu's arm with the other, smiling as she spoke amidst the crashing waves.

  "Alright, I'm not as inhumane as you are. Anyway, it's still a question whether we can survive or not. Let's just end this cleanly and clearly, no one owes anyone anything, that's perfect."

  He ignored her.

  Or he didn't have time to bother with her.

  A pair of dark eyes narrowed slightly as he calmly observed his surroundings.

  The flood that came just now was very urgent and could not have been caused by a sudden mountain flood due to heavy rain. It should be the flood water released from the Jinsha Village upstream of the Baishui River dam. It is highly likely that this disaster will not only affect them, but also the entire downstream village and town may be flooded...

  He is thinking.

  Xia Chuqi was also thinking.

  A coffin board, carrying two people, was tumbling in the water, the current was rushing and turbulent, and the sky was getting darker. The surroundings were completely invisible to her. For the first time, she experienced the power of the flood, and she finally knew how terrible it was. This thunderous momentum was even more terrifying than the doomsday scenes in the disaster movies she had seen before.

  The most frustrating thing is that under the current circumstances, they can't even find a place to dock.

  She had been holding it in for a long time and knew exactly how long she'd been holding it in. She spat out the water and couldn't help but mutter under her breath.

  "Hey, I need to use the restroom."

  "Hold on." Zhao Zun didn't even lift an eyebrow.

  "I'm so angry I could burst! What can I do?" She glared.

  "Into the water." He raised an eyebrow carelessly.

  On the seventh day of summer, his throat was blocked, he opened his mouth and deliberately disgusted him, "I have a bowel movement."

  His face stiffened for a moment, and his gaze finally shifted from the dark sky to her face. Slowly, he threw out another sentence, "Then pull it into your pants..."

  “……”

  No longer paying attention to him, Xia Qi's small face turned pale and blue in the icy water, her body chilled to the bone, yet somehow feeling a bit ridiculous.

  This person's life is also too mysterious.

  Thought she was going to die. The person who saved her turned out to be him...

  Now, in this drifting journey that is even more distant and long than "Robinson Crusoe", lying on a coffin board with an ancient handsome man who doesn't look like a mortal being, she feels that it still lacks a bit of poetic charm.

  In the silence, she didn't know how long had passed, nor did she know how far they were from the place where they were washed away by the floodwaters. When the water flow finally slowed down, she looked around again and found that under the massive impact of the floodwaters, their surroundings had almost become a vast ocean.

  That feeling, as if the whole world had been submerged... all around, unable to see a direction.

  It's all over.

  Is she going to lose her life again? And this time, even a coffin is prepared?

  She floated for another moment, just as she was about to shout at the heavens and vent her anger, her eyes suddenly narrowed, and her weak hand grasped Zhao Zhu's arm tightly, gazing out at a distant mountain that seemed to be floating in the "vast ocean".

  "Hey, look over there!"

  There should be a big mountain there, because the terrain is higher, although it's all submerged around, but it still exists majestically, like a solitary island, becoming the place she yearns for most at this moment.

  "Hold on to the coffin board..." Zhao Zhu naturally also saw it, but his voice was much calmer than hers.

  "I say, can we change the way we address each other?" Xia Chuqi glanced at him.

  "Huh?" He seemed not to understand.

  "Why don't we just call it 'life-saving driftwood'? What's with the coffin board? Just hearing it makes me feel like I'm going to die, and I definitely don't want to die in the same place as you, let alone be put in a coffin together... just thinking about it is terrifying."

  Zhao Zhu looked at her with a straight face and said calmly, "Then let go! Quickly roll down from Grandpa's coffin board."

  "Your coffin board?" Xia Chuyi stumbled, gave him a sideways glance and said, "Obviously it's my old man's coffin board, okay? When did it become yours?"

  The corners of her mouth twitched slightly, and Zhao Zhuo lazily sized her up, "Alright, it's yours anyway. Go die in your coffin."

  Suddenly she was speechless, and Xia Chuqi didn't realize until later that he had tricked her again.

  Damn it!

  She was muttering to herself, but the man she had just cursed suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist and switched to a cold, commanding tone, "If you don't want to die, hold on tight and paddle over quickly."

  "Rowing past?" Xia Chuyi glanced at him sideways, her hands still moving in sync with his to row the water, but she couldn't help but tease, "Aren't you skilled in martial arts?"

  He didn't even give her a glance, and just grunted, "What?"

  "You can hold me and soar into the air... whoosh, and we'll fly to the other side? Ah yes, what's that lightness skill called again? Floating on water or tracing a flying shadow... come on, great hero, let me experience it... the feeling of flying."

  Zhao Zhu's eyes were quite cold and detached, as if looking at a mental patient, he swept her with a glance.

  "Shut up! One more word and I'll kick you down."

  She let out a sigh, rolled her eyes in disdain and looked at him with contempt, "I thought you were more capable? It turns out you're just good at brandishing a sword and putting on airs?"

  Zhao Zun was unmoved, his expression unchanged as he let out a cold hum.

  "What you said is human? That's a bird."

  "Oh." She suddenly realized, "That big bird at your house, I wonder if it's okay?"

  ...Suddenly loosening his grip, Zhao Zhuo made a motion as if he was about to fling her down.

  Hehe, Xia Qi smiled and quickly hugged his arm, pouted, and let out a painful hiss. He then explained with a forced smile, "Just kidding, don't be mad. Look at our current situation. No village in front of us, no shops behind us, it's like we're in the middle of nowhere, from plains to sea. If we can't crack some jokes, how are we going to survive? Actually, those martial arts I mentioned were just things I saw in wuxia novels. You really don't know them?"

  "Martial arts?" He raised an eyebrow, and a familiar hint of confusion flashed across his eyes.

  Smiling with eyes narrowed in delight, Xia Qiuzi looked utterly adorable.

  "Is it a play? Do you know what a play is?"

  Zhao Zun murmured a soft "en", seemingly interested in continuing to listen.

  Finally having an audience, Xia Chuyi's emotions that had been suppressed for a long time in the coffin burst out.

  "Ah, martial arts novels are pretty much the same as those erotic books. They mainly talk about stories of fighting and killing in the jianghu world. When I have a chance, I'll tell you some, I've read plenty, guaranteed to be more interesting than those erotic books you've read. Even if it's that kind of pornographic novel you like, I can tell you or even write one for you? As long as you're willing to pay me silver, whatever flavor you want, I'll make sure to deliver."

  He gave her a glance, his eyebrows furrowed tightly.

  He chuckled and nudged his elbow, Xia Chuqi licked his lips, "Hey, what's with that look? We're such good buddies, why so formal? If there's a benefit, we share it together, right? If we make it back alive, you just treat me a bit better, don't cheat me out of my silver again. I'm a man of integrity, I'll wholeheartedly support you, help you rule the world, how about that? Or maybe you're not into power, but into beauties? That Eastern beauty's sister, the princess, is she your dream girl? If you want to sleep with her, I can help, just name a price, after all, even brothers need to settle accounts..."

  "Shut up!"

  Her slightly opened mouth froze, "Huh?"

  "Noisy person."

  Xia Qi gave a slight cough and pursed her lips.

  "When I get nervous...I talk a lot. Mainly because...if I don't speak up and divert my attention, I'll keep wanting to take a poop..."

  “……”

  Hahaha...

  He glared at her, and Zhao seemed to be too lazy to bother with her. He tied the rope he had cut from her body into a dead knot, and then calmly tied it to the coffin board. Holding one end of the rope, he wrapped his other arm around her waist, and with a powerful kick from his black leather boots on the board, he leaped onto the shore. Then, using the rope, he pulled the coffin board over and dragged it onto the shore.

  Looking at what he did, Xia Chuyi couldn't help but feel a little admiration for him.

  This person's mind is really meticulous, it seems that the feudal kings of ancient times are indeed not to be underestimated.

  She shivered and let out a sneeze as she walked closer, teasing him.

  "Your move just now can be considered a light skill, right? It's just that the distance was a bit closer?"

  The King of Jin pulled the coffin board, expressionless, walking up the mountain slope, ignoring her.

  Xia Zhiqiu closely followed behind, her hands gesturing rapidly, "Aye, it's okay, don't be discouraged, just practice more. Later on, you'll definitely be able to fly like a bird."

  "Shut your mouth and I'll give you ten taels." He stopped in his tracks and suddenly turned around.

  She cast him a glance, and Xia Chuqi's heart was filled with a burst of silent laughter.

  "Was this guy annoying and noisy? This trick is useful, can also make money? With this thought, the countless grievances that usually existed disappeared. She whistled a tune, closely following him to the high point of this mountain, thinking about how to get more money."

  She tilted her mouth and came up with a plan, then nudged him with her elbow.

  "What else?" He was getting impatient.

  Xia Zhong Qi pointed at his tightly closed mouth and shook his head, indicating that he wouldn't speak. Once he opened his mouth, the ten taels would be gone.

  He hummed softly and said, "Speak up if you have something to say."

  It's clear that he has had enough of her.

  It's a joke, after all, it's not easy to have this opportunity, how can earning only ten taels of silver be enough?

  The girl's lips opened slightly on the seventh day of summer, silently drawing a few characters.

  "One hundred taels of silver..."

  Ignoring her bared teeth and claws, Zhao Zhuo observed the surrounding environment, dropped the coffin board, and quickened his pace, continuing to walk towards the higher part of the mountain.

  Xia Chuiqī shrugged his shoulders.

  She knew that the floodwaters below were getting bigger and bigger, and she didn't know how much more water would be released. The two of them had to find a higher place to rest tonight.

  Wait until the floodwaters recede, or wait till dawn, and then think of another way.

  She trotted along behind him, gazing at his back. His black hair was wet and tied up with a black jade crown, and his dark cloak was also soaked through, but his footsteps were steady and powerful, neither hurried nor slow. The majesty, the elegance, in such an unlucky place, not reduced by half a point of dignity and nobility. Moreover, although his robes were wide and loose, with flowing sleeves, even when wet, they didn't have that tight, sensual feel. But somehow, every time she saw him like this, her mouth would go dry, and she felt her pure thoughts starting to develop in an unscrupulous direction.

  Cough!

  She coughed.

  He didn't even glance at her anymore.

  She let out a sigh, coughed heavily again, and pointed to her mouth. It was clear in her mind that when one person had nothing to do but cough, it would be even more deadly than when she was being noisy.

  It wasn't until her fifth dry cough that he spoke up.

  "Speak up, not less than ten taels."

  The girl indeed understood. Xia Qiqi burst out laughing on July 7th, "I've been waiting for you to say that."

  He looked at her with suspicion on his face.

  With her hands on her hips and a smirk on her face, she said "I want to have a bowel movement."

  Zhao Zun didn't even give her a second glance, "Do you still want me to help you?"

  She laughed even more coquettishly as she spread out her hands, "No toilet paper, may I borrow your handkerchief?"

  Zhao Jianren was a meticulous person who always carried handkerchiefs prepared by Yuè Rù, which smelled as good as he did. Although he was reluctant, he couldn't resist her persistent persuasion and handed one over. Xia Chuyi comfortably solved his personal problem in a sheltered spot, then jogged to catch up with him.

  She thinks she can make money with her mouth, but it just won't stop running.

  "That Eastern Blue Turtle King with a human face and a beastly heart, when I see him again, I will definitely skin him, pull out his tendons, crush his heart, scoop out his stomach and make pancakes to feed the big bird in your house..."

  She had to admit that Zhao Zun's ability to withstand noise was still very strong. From then on, no matter what she said, he didn't take out any more silver to shut her up. Could it be that the ten taels of silver earlier were because she mentioned the crown prince's consort and touched a sore spot?

  Difficult to solve!

  She scolded Dongfang Qingxuan all the way, but he remained silent. It wasn't until they found a place to rest temporarily on the mountain waist that he stopped and looked at her with cold words.

  "Be smart and don't mess with him."

  "Was I supposed to provoke him? How strange! Apparently he deliberately targeted me!"

  He didn't answer, and walked into the concave, small mountain valley that could hardly be called a cave. He swept his gaze around the surroundings, then found a handful of dry grass in the corner, took out a flint and steel to ignite it, and only then did he seem very casual and lazy, asking in his low voice.

  "Why is he targeting you?"

  My heart skipped a beat, Xia Chuqi avoided eye contact and didn't dare respond directly.

  "How would I know? Probably because I look pretty... Ah, beauty is often short-lived. Right? Just like you today, risking everything for a beauty..."

  Zhao's back stiffened, holding the torch made of dry grass in his hand, slightly lowering his head, motionless, staring at her, furrowing his brow, "Chu Qi, your face..."

  It was almost subconscious, Xia Qi covered her face, including her forehead, and her heart skipped a beat.

  "What's wrong with my face?"

  Zhao Mou narrowed his eyes and coldly snorted, "Your face is too thick, it's already fallen to the ground."

  My goodness! Scared her to death.

  She made an effort to brush aside her damp bangs and let out a sigh of relief.

  It seems that the wax on her forehead hasn't melted yet.

  Cheap person, always so serious about harming others.

  In this small cave, it looks like a hunter lived here when hunting in the mountains. Inside, there are some firewood and a large pile of dry grass on a higher stone platform. However, except for that piece of weathered stone slab, the entire floor of the cave is soaked by rainwater flowing in from outside, making it impossible to stand.

  Two people sleeping on one stone bed?

  On the seventh day of summer vacation, Xia was secretly glancing at him, thinking about who was more disadvantaged.

  Zhao Zun remained silent.

  It's clear that he is a master of wilderness survival, without her having to do anything, he quickly set up the firewood by himself and lit a large bonfire with dry grass. Once the fire was burning strongly enough, he didn't care about how she would react, and calmly opened his cloak, took off his outer robe, and solemnly roasted his clothes.

  Xia Qi sat beside him with her arms around her knees, roasting by the fire.

  "This place is still quite good, like a small cave, it's ventilated and well-ventilated. It's really a great place for a secret affair."

  She just said it casually, but after the words came out of her mouth, she savored the taste and realized that two people, a lonely man and a woman, were alone together. A girl's family would say something like this, with a strong implication that could easily lead to misunderstandings.

  Fortunately, Zhao Zun didn't even raise an eyebrow. It seemed like he didn't understand what "stealing a kiss" meant at all?

  So good! So good!

  On the seventh day of summer, the corners of her mouth curled up with a self-satisfied smile, and she leaned in closer with a sly grin.

  "Hey, I'm hungry."

  "Haven't eaten?" He glanced over coldly.

  She let out a bitter sigh, her eyes almost on fire. "Dongfang Qingxuan is really a pervert, not giving me food or drink, saying I've eaten and drunk, always making me kowtow... Ah, right, didn't you notice the mark I left behind?"

  "Uh-huh."

  Zhao Zun pursed his lips, thought for a moment, then turned over his outer garment and pulled out the first token she had left behind, tossing it to her.

  "Your blindfold."

  *Cough!*

  Summer begins on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, almost choked by saliva.

  This time, without him saying anything else, she shut her mouth.

  That day before leaving, she didn't know where Dongfang Qingxuan would take her. Thinking that if Chen Jing came looking for her, she could at least determine a general location. So, apart from leaving a relatively easy-to-find small undergarment under the bed quilt on purpose to let Dongfang Qingxuan discover it, she also threw an "eye mask" behind the toilet.

  I didn't hold out much hope either, who would have thought that Zhao Zhuo could actually find me?

  What powerful detective skills!

  She felt a pang, put the underwear into her own bag, glanced at his increasingly cold and handsome face in the firelight, and coughed lightly again, seemingly smiling, "Actually, it's not called an eye mask, nor is it any kind of weapon. I was just teasing you that time..."

  "Oh? What is it?"

  Zhao Zun looked over slowly and asked very seriously, to the point where Xia Chuyi wanted to tease him a little but felt it was too cruel.

  "Hehehe, sir, this atmosphere is not suitable for discussing such things."

  He lazily flipped his cloak and said in a languid, hoarse voice, "I was just teasing you."

  "...it turns out this guy knew all along?"

  Xia's eyes widened on the seventh day of summer.

  He quietly glanced at her and fell silent, without another word or expression.

  She stared at him, staring at him all along.

  He furrowed his brow and deliberately turned away, not letting her see his face again.

  She blinked a few times, and Xia Chuqi turned around, staring at him several times, but he didn't respond. She felt a bit bored by herself. Collecting her thoughts, she sat with her cheek propped up and thought for a while before suddenly saying, "Hey, don't you think that the flood today is suspicious?"

  Zhao Zun looked at her, his eyes slightly surprised, before calmly saying, "Upstream of Jinsha Village is the largest water conservancy project in Shu, called the Jiangyan Dam."

  Talking to him is more tiring than talking to a normal person.

  It's good that Xiaoyi is clever and understood the meaning as soon as she heard it. If she didn't guess wrong, this flood was caused by the breach of the dam at Jiangyan or the intentional release of water. But was it man-made or an accident?

  "Could it be Dongfang Qingyun's doing?" she said with a sudden realization.

  "I don't know." Zhao Zun replied calmly.

  "It's definitely him, that son of a bitch is capable of doing anything evil." Thinking of the hardships he suffered at Dongfang Qingxuan's place, Xia Chuyi hated him so much that he wanted to kill him, and of course, he was thinking of pushing all the responsibility onto his head.

  She blinked again and looked at him with her head tilted, "According to your 'Da Yan Law', arson, murder, flooding... how many years should be sentenced for such crimes?"

  Zhao Zhu's action of roasting clothes finally stopped.

  He was taken aback for a moment, then seized on her words, "What nationality are you?"

  "I... " discovered a linguistic illness at home. On July 7th, Xia covered her mouth with her small hand and mumbled, "I am Chinese."

  "China? Where is this country?"

  To avoid being treated as a human monster and tortured, Xia Chuyi rolled her eyes and laughed, "Really believed? Go! I am from Qinggang County, Jin City Prefecture, Li Nian Village, didn't I say so?"

  He fell silent for a moment, then turned his eyes away and stopped asking questions.

  With a sigh, Xia Qiuzi weakly asked, "Hey, is there anything edible on you?"

  "He faintly said: 'Nothing.'"

  He rubbed his hands together, and Xia Qi's small body trembled with fear. "Big brother, big master, great hero, great lord... I'm so cold and hungry, who will take care of things for you if I starve to death? You have to think about the long-term!"

  "Wait." The dim eyes glanced at her, and Zhao Zhu finally furrowed his brow, standing up, "Watch the fire."

  After finishing speaking, he put on his big cloak and strode out of the cave.

  She stuck out her tongue at his tall and handsome back, and Xia Chuyi called out with a smile that was not quite a smile, "Hey, when you come in later, remember to call out first, I'm going to take off my clothes to dry them..."

  Zhao Zhu did not turn his head back nor respond, he just took bigger strides.

  Alas...

  He walked to the entrance of the cave and took a glance, seeing that he had gone far away, Xia Chuqi didn't return to the bonfire until then.

  In fact, she herself is also a person with extremely strong outdoor survival skills. The fact that she was able to escape from the pig cage at the beginning can be seen as a glimpse of this. If these small things could stump her, it would really lose face for her past life's Red Thorn Special Forces.

  But she's a woman, with men around, why bother doing it herself?

  Besides, being able to get an ancient feudal lord to serve oneself is so cool! Not to mention that Zhao scoundrel has repeatedly teased her several times, this can also be considered as letting him suffer a small loss in secret.

  She quickly took off her outerwear, used a piece of firewood to prop it up, and roasted it over the fire. When it was almost half dry, she took off all her underclothes again, put on her outerwear, and started roasting her underclothes. At the same time, she rummaged through her luggage to find a set of underwear to roast as well. Thinking that she could wear them comfortably later, eat some roasted mountain delicacies here, sleep with a big handsome man, suddenly felt that nothing was a problem anymore.

  "You're my little apple, no matter how I love you, it's not too much..."

  An optimistic person is indeed so down-to-earth, even in the most terrible environment can live comfortably.

  Humming a tune, she tidied up her clothes and took off the boots that had been soaked to a pulp on her feet to dry. The boots emitted a puff of smoke and gave off a strange smell, she rubbed her nose in distaste at herself, when she heard a familiar voice outside.

  "Is it okay?"

  "Alright, alright, come on in."

  At the beginning of summer, Xia Qīzǐ smiled casually and didn't care about her bare feet and a short leg, swaying back and forth without any restraint, using a roasting shoe as if it were a roasted chicken. As soon as Zhao Zun entered the cave, he saw a pair of small white feet swaying by the fire.

  His eyes dodged away, his voice cooled down a few degrees, "Put on your shoes."

  "Your shoes are still wet, why put them on?"

  "Come on, come on! Let me see what delicious food our master has prepared for us!"

  Hand over those two fish caught in the rock crevices on the shore to her. Zhao Zhu's lips moved, wanting to endure, but seemingly unable to endure, "A young girl not wearing shoes in front of a man, what kind of propriety is this?"

  "Really? You?"

  Xia Qi's face turned red as she suddenly burst out laughing with a "heh" sound.

  She almost forgot that this was the Da Yan dynasty, where a married woman would be considered to have lost her chastity and would have to kill herself as atonement if she showed even a glimpse of her foot in front of another man. And the one in front of her wasn't some modern trendy guy, but an old-fashioned feudal king. Go, he wouldn't know that in her time, not only showing feet, but also showing arms and legs or half of her chest would be nothing to talk about.

  "Old-fashioned."

  She muttered a curse under her breath, not wanting to let his gaze wander off and also to prevent the smell of Hong Kong feet from seeping into the roasted fish. Although she said that her boots were completely dry, she still reluctantly put them on before picking up the two fish strung together with grass stems and taking a look at them.

  "What...how do I deal with this?"

  Zhao Zhu looked at him with a strange gaze, "You're not going to serve 128 kinds of nutritious delicacies that I've never seen or eaten before?"

  "On the seventh day of summer, she was stunned for a moment, then smiled, 'Grandfather, your memory is really good.' After digging her ears, she continued to smile and say, 'But I don't like to cut fish... Besides, a clever woman can't cook without rice, what ingredients are there in this desolate mountain? Where does the delicious food come from? Why don't you cut it first, and then I'll roast it?'"

  Zhao Zhu's mood was unstable as he stared at her for a moment, then picked up the fish and left the cave again.

  Wow, this guy is really easy to order around today!

  How wonderful it would be if she were the master and he the servant! Letting him do whatever she wants, just thinking about it is delightful.

  This time, Zhao didn't take long to wrap two fish that had been cut and washed in leaves and brought them over, throwing them at her again. Amidst her joyful praise, he calmly opened his mouth.

  "Two fish, worth ten taels. Cutting the fish, ten taels. Washing the fish, ten taels. Calculating like this, you still owe me twenty taels. Eat first, and after you're full, come back to massage my back."

  "Huh?"

  What's wrong with you!

  We're already in the middle of nowhere, and you still want us to pay?

  She reluctantly took the fish, and Xia Zhi didn't expect that a dignified prince like him would grill fish for her again this time. Moreover, she couldn't afford to pay for it. Imagining that in front of her was a barbecue stall, she was eating Sichuan-style grilled fish, topped with scallions and ginger slices, sprinkled with some Sichuan pepper powder and chili powder...

  Gulu...

  She swallowed hard, feeling rather dispirited.

  "What does Dongfang Qingxuan want to know from you?" Zhao Zun suddenly asked.

  Xia Chu Qi also wants to know this question.

  But she knew that Dongfang Qingxuan must have seen through her original identity as Xia Cao, and it was likely a not-so-glorious one at that, which was why he had taken her away, and how could she dare to reveal even half a word in front of Zhao Zun?

  She sniffed the smell of fish, swallowing her saliva, "Who knows about him? But look at that kind of person, although he has a good face, but one glance and you can tell it's that kind of despicable psychopath. Shameless and sinister, I reckon he thinks I'm not obedient to him, looks down on me, so he's thinking of getting rid of me."

  Zhao Zun glanced at her, his eyes deepening, but he didn't refute.

  At the beginning of summer, Qi Zhi knew he wouldn't believe such words.

  But since he didn't ask again, she wouldn't bring it up herself either.

  Slowly grilling the fish, thinking about the long night ahead, looking at the flickering flames, Zhao's angular face looked even more handsome, she felt that this night... hmm, wasn't so bad after all.

  At first she thought it was a good idea, after roasting the fish and eating, she would go out for a while to let him take off his wet clothes and dry them before putting them back on.

  Before she could even roast the fish, it started raining "pitter-patter" outside. In less than a moment, the rain turned into a downpour, and the heavy rain poured down like a flood. Except for this cave, there was nowhere else to take shelter.

  She handed him a roasted fish after hesitating for a moment.

  "Well, eat?"

  "It doesn't matter."

  "Be careful, I'm not charging you."

  Leaning against the stone wall at an angle, Zhao Zun glanced at her and said, "Not hungry."

  "Go, you're not hungry, that's best." Laughing out a few small white teeth, Xia Chuqi took a big bite of the actually quite bland fish meat. Probably because she was really starving, she found it to be surprisingly delicious, fresher than any fish meat she had ever eaten before.

  "The only drawback is that it lacks salt."

  She talked to herself, and he ignored her as usual.

  After she finished eating the two fish, she felt that it was only half full. She couldn't help but let out a sigh, cleaned up the bones, and then went over to gently press his shoulders, offering kind advice.

  "Otherwise, take off your clothes and dry them? You'll get sick like this."

  "Master doesn't trust you."

  She's still a decent person even if she is a bit promiscuous, right?

  Who cares whether he lives or dies!

  Xia Zhi Qi silently cursed him in her heart, then rolled her eyes and shifted her gaze to the opposite mountain rock that was constantly dripping water.

  "Are we going to spend the night here tonight?"

  He hummed in agreement, looking quite relaxed.

  "Ugh, such a long night, so boring..."

  “……”

  She suddenly turned sideways, her eyes shining brightly as she stared at him.

  "Why don't we play a fun game or I'll tell you a story?"

  He glanced at her and then closed his eyes.

  It was clear he didn't want to hear her chatter anymore.

  He curled up the corner of his mouth, and Xia Chuqi's hand strength increased a bit more, feeling that in such a desolate mountain cave without internet or TV, spending an evening facing a top-grade handsome man but not being able to eat him, and having to massage his back and shoulders for him, was really a pitiful thing.

  Her mind was racing back and forth, and she had another great idea.

  "Why don't I tell you about my love story instead."

  "Love story?"

  The little face lit up by the bonfire showed a few clever expressions, Xia Qi thought for a moment and said, "To be precise, it's not even a romantic history, because I didn't have any feelings with others either... It was just blind dates... Do you know what blind dates are?"

  He didn't even lift an eyebrow.

  "It's just, it's...". She struggled to find an alternative way of putting it. "It's like, for example, the parents of both families found a matchmaker to arrange a meeting between them, and then the man and woman meet each other, and that's how they hit it off, seeing if they're compatible..."

  "As soon as they bumped into each other, they went straight to the bridal chamber." He didn't open his eyes, but calmly reminded her of a fact.

  "Are you speaking metaphorically?"

  He didn't make a sound anymore. Xia Qiqi knew he couldn't see, so she first made a beheading motion on his head, then continued to massage his shoulders and said slowly, "Anyway, it's me, I've been on blind dates 99+1 times... none of them were successful."

  The number was so astonishing that it caught his attention.

  He suddenly opened his eyes and glanced back, his gaze somewhat cold.

  "Don't squeeze it anymore?"

  Hehe, on the seventh day of summer, regardless of whether he responded or not, a very feminine man sat down next to him, suddenly lying beside him, gazing at the dark cave entrance, recalling the city of neon lights and wine in her memory. Her voice also unknowingly became somewhat melancholic.

  "Ah!"

  She originally thought he wouldn't ask.

  Unexpectedly, he suddenly said, "Why didn't it succeed?"

  A cold wind blew gently from the entrance of the cave, making her cheeks feel a bit chilly.

  Actually, she can't remember what those blind dates looked like at all. What she remembers most is singing loudly with her comrades in KTV, laughing wildly while sweating profusely on the training ground, and carefully participating in the first military exercise... As she slowly savored these memories, she felt that they seemed to have been isolated for thousands of years.

  "The first person I met thought I was too beautiful to look at, and he slunk away with his tail between his legs..." She finally spoke up after a long while.

  "The second person, as soon as he saw me, was so ashamed that he rubbed his eyes until they were blind and refused to see anyone again..."

  "The third person, he is a homosexual... um, just like Dongfang Qingyun." She nodded her head very affirmatively at this point.

  "The fourth person, because I looked down on him during the blind date, caused him to be disheartened and went to Shaolin Temple to become a monk. He said he was willing to accompany the green lamp and ancient Buddha from now on, recite Amitabha for me, and fulfill his lifelong foolish love, abandoning the red dust of the three realms..."

  "The fifth person, after seeing my appearance, could no longer stand his own looks. He sold his house and went to Korea... um, that's right, Goguryeo, he got plastic surgery. Time and time again, once more and another time, until he was finally satisfied and returned home, but unfortunately, because neither his parents recognized him, the poor guy was mistaken for a thief and beaten to death."

  She spoke very slowly and shamelessly, but Zhao Zhu remained unmoved.

  Until she was so parched that she could hardly speak, he couldn't help but ask a question.

  "What's the only difference? Is it the hundredth one?"

  Huh, so he was listening? The way of speaking 99+1 is easy for him to understand the difference. Xia Chuqi smiled and threw a strange flirtatious glance at him, still being mysterious.

  "Cough, the last one, is indeed a top-grade pretty boy. His lethal power towards the opposite sex is basically on par with mine. Of course, I still have a slight edge. But somehow, when we were on a blind date, got drunk, and chatted, we ended up rolling around together..."

  He saw her eyes narrow and clearly misunderstood, she burst out laughing and patted the ground with her hand.

  "We rolled into a ball and chatted all night, the next day after sobering up, we became sworn brothers, just like us now."

  Zhao Zhuo obviously had no interest in what she thought was her "iron brother".

  However, Xia Zhi discovered that he indeed had the noble demeanor of a royal prince. Even if he was unhappy in his heart, his face remained very serious and solemn. He didn't care about her emotions or playful smile, all he needed to do was quietly exude his captivating masculine aura, which made it difficult for her to suppress the flutter in her chest.

  She felt embarrassed for being rude to her lifesaver and continued telling the story.

  "It's actually also because I wasn't paying attention. Otherwise, that beauty could have been made do with."

  "Is it because they didn't take it to heart?" Zhao Zun's tone was bland and biting to the extreme.

  On the seventh day of summer, he suddenly opened his eyes wide.

  "I'm going to sleep! I won't talk to you anymore. You're so boring and have no sense of humor."

  "That's best."

  Zhao Zhen replied indifferently and closed his eyes, leaning against the stone wall, not moving again. After Xia Chuqi had a hard time falling asleep for several times, when she opened her eyes to sneak a peek at him, she found that he was already in a deep sleep with only gentle breathing left.

  Despicable, shameful, and unscrupulous!

  She stared at the bonfire with wide eyes, her face twisted in a scowl as she struggled to fall asleep.

  She thought for a moment, and saw that Zhao Zhu had already fallen asleep. She simply took out the things in her bag that she didn't want him to see, sat quietly by the fire, slowly warming herself up while also taking a casual look around the dripping water cave.

  She seemed to have seen something? In the crevices of the rocks across from her, it looked like something was crawling...

  One by one, in circles, densely packed, covering the entire layer of rock crevices, shining with a daunting cold light.

  Her eyes suddenly widened, and a chill ran up her spine in an instant.

  "Oh no, a snake!"

  She let out a scream and turned around, pouncing on Zhao Zhu's body, her hands and feet tangled together like an octopus, tightly wrapping around him.

  Digression

  Thanks for subscribing, girls! Yesterday I talked too much nonsense, so today I'll just say one sentence.

  Monthly ticket, come on! Hoo-hoo...!

  Seeing everyone enthusiastically throwing their monthly tickets into the bowl, Er Jin's heart was deeply moved...