Seeing Mu Jinghu’s helpless appearance, Qin Yining also understood his difficult position caught between Tianji Zi and Pang Xiao.

Mu Jinghu was an honest person. Having received orders from his true master—his current master’s teacher—to protect Tianji Zi, once he agreed, he would absolutely never go back on his word. In fact, this time he came to rescue her was already defying Tianji Zi’s instructions, extremely risky.

Looking at Tianji Zi’s demeanor, she must now be highly regarded by the Tatar royal family. If she knew Mu Jinghu had sabotaged her plans, who knew how she would deal with him. Though Mu Jinghu was skilled in martial arts and Tianji Zi couldn’t defeat him in combat, the problem was that Mu Jinghu was too honest—he would never fight back against his master uncle.

She could now see that given Tianji Zi’s nature, she wouldn’t show Mu Jinghu any mercy either.

Thinking of this, Qin Yining said: “You’d better return quickly. If your master uncle finds out, it won’t be good. Second Master Lu and I will make do. When the city gates open, we’ll find a way to slip out.”

Mu Jinghu shook his head: “Better not. I’m afraid when the Khan wakes up, she’ll immediately order a search. Let me go out first to scout around and find you some food, clothing, and wound medicine. If you fall ill now, it won’t be easy to handle later.”

“It’s fine. These are all external injuries. I have a good constitution—they won’t affect me much.”

Qin Yining’s body actually hurt terribly, but given the special circumstances, she could only endure. That Mu Jinghu could come to rescue her was already defying his sect—he had done his utmost duty to her as a friend’s wife. She didn’t want to cause him more trouble.

But Mu Jinghu shook his head and insisted: “You must still be careful. If you leave the capital, life outside will certainly be tumultuous. Whether you’ll have conditions for treating injuries then is uncertain. At least medicine and essential supplies must be prepared.”

After speaking, Mu Jinghu waved his hand to indicate Qin Yining needn’t persuade him further, turned around, and headed straight for the door.

Seeing Mu Jinghu walk away, Lu Heng sighed softly: “We owe much to this righteous man this time. Without him, I alone couldn’t have fought off those guards around the Khan. It seems birds of a feather flock together—Pang Zhixi’s good friend is naturally also a person of high martial skills like him.”

Qin Yining sat on the broken wooden bed and let out a long breath.

“He’s the Prince’s former good friend. His master uncle is Tianji Zi. I feel this incident was caused by Tianji Zi provoking the Khan, which made her so agitated that she tried to kill me.”

Lu Heng nodded. Regarding the entanglements between Tianji Zi and Pang Xiao, he wouldn’t ask in detail, but Tianji Zi’s provocation of A’na Ri this time was indeed very suspicious.

“Someone like Tianji Zi, a worldly expert, shouldn’t be one to casually stir up trouble with words. Whatever she does must have a reason.”

Qin Yining nodded, leaning wearily against the wall behind her: “She’s indeed not someone who causes trouble for no reason. But the more this is so, the more troublesome the situation becomes.”

“Yes. Precisely because of this, one feels there must be a conspiracy involved.” Lu Heng said somewhat helplessly: “No use thinking too much. What’s most urgent now is that we can leave here alive. Having survived the earthquake and crossed the desert, enduring so many hardships—if we capsize here, wouldn’t we both feel terribly wronged?”

Seeing Lu Heng able to joke even in such unfavorable circumstances, Qin Yining couldn’t help but admire him. Perhaps people who could reach Lu Heng’s current position rarely had psychological fragility. Not that they wouldn’t feel fear and panic—they just could control their emotions well, always keeping themselves calm and their minds in the clearest state, so their judgment on matters wouldn’t be mistaken.

Actually, Qin Yining had truly been frightened today. At the time, she could steel herself and think that at worst it would be like being bitten by dogs. But now, recalling the despair when surrounded by A’na Ri’s guards and seeing their lustful expressions, Qin Yining truly felt deeply distressed.

If that had really happened, she didn’t know what extreme actions she might have taken.

Though these thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant, Qin Yining smiled carefreely on the surface: “You’re right. Having weathered great storms, it would be truly unfair to capsize in the gutter.”

Lu Heng gazed at Qin Yining’s profile, his eyes full of gentle warmth and affection.

“You’re right. You’re injured—rest for a while.”

Qin Yining smiled: “Good idea. You should also rest briefly to conserve energy. We knocked out the Khan and escaped—who knows how she’ll rage when she wakes up. She might mobilize all the city’s troops to capture us.”

Lu Heng sat down about a foot away from Qin Yining.

This broken house only had this one dilapidated wooden bed. Qin Yining naturally didn’t mind sitting with Lu Heng—moreover, they were currently fleeing for their lives, so why worry about such proprieties? Lu Heng was also a gentleman, so Qin Yining truly had nothing to worry about.

Qin Yining closed her eyes and dozed lightly while staying alert.

Lu Heng didn’t sleep, looking through the roof where tiles were missing at the few stars twinkling dimly in the dark sky. His mind constantly calculated the routes they could take when leaving later. They definitely had to escape back to Great Zhou. If they bypassed the desert they’d crossed coming here, which direction should they take?

Just as Qin Yining was resting with closed eyes and Lu Heng was frowning in thought, Mu Jinghu suddenly flashed inside, lowering his voice anxiously: “Something’s happened outside!”

Qin Yining’s eyes snapped open with a start, frowning: “What’s wrong?”

Lu Heng also seriously knitted his brows.

Mu Jinghu said: “The Khan has been assassinated. They’re saying you two joined forces to kill her. The Prince Consort has already summoned all civil and military officials to court to discuss this matter. All guards in the city have been mobilized and are now searching the entire city for you two!”

Lu Heng stared in amazement: “But I didn’t kill her—I only knocked her unconscious!”

Mu Jinghu said: “But people outside all say they witnessed the Prince Consort carrying the blood-covered Khan. They say the Khan was stabbed three times and bled to death. The city’s people are now in panic and fury.”

Qin Yining pressed her lips together. Connecting Si Qin’s attitude toward her, A’na Ri’s jealousy, and Tianji Zi’s actions, linking everything together, an answer became obvious.

“I’m afraid Si Qin and Tianji Zi had planned this together—step by step leading A’na Ri to become insanely jealous of me, wishing to kill me quickly. Tianji Zi’s words to A’na Ri were the last straw that broke the camel’s back. Even if you two hadn’t come to rescue me today, Si Qin probably wouldn’t have let me die either. Because Si Qin’s target was always A’na Ri’s life!”

Lu Heng also understood, saying angrily in a low voice: “This is too conscienceless! A’na Ri and Si Qin were childhood sweethearts who fell in love when young. For the sake of power and desire, he could actually lay hands on his own wife!”