As Xia Jingshi stood with a solemn expression, Feng Suige was deeply shaken. He understood that this was the greatest tolerance and concession Xia Jingshi could offer. Just as he thought Xiyang would readily agree, Feng Xiyang, leaning against him, shifted uneasily and raised her face, saying, “Then, can my husband first promise Xiyang one thing?”
“What is it?” Xia Jingshi asked. “Tell me, if it’s possible, I’ll do my best.”
“Please promise me first,” Feng Xiyang insisted stubbornly. “It’s a simple thing, my husband can certainly do it.”
Xia Jingshi frowned imperceptibly. He didn’t refuse outright but didn’t agree either. Seeing this, Feng Suige quickly interjected with a smile, “After not seeing you for so long, Xiyang, why have you become so fussy? Just say it first, let Royal Brother hear what kind of simple thing is so important to you.”
Xiyang pondered with a worried expression for a moment before lowering her head and saying softly, “Please, husband, don’t ever meet with Fu Yixiao again, nor have any contact with her…”
“Xiyang,” Feng Suige lightly rebuked, “you’re being too willful.”
“I’m not!” Feng Xiyang sat up straight suddenly, exclaiming, “Don’t you think all the hardships everyone has endured are because of her?”
Before Feng Suige could answer, Xia Jingshi spoke coldly from the side, enunciating each word, “You’re wrong. Everything is because of you.”
Feng Suige was stunned, and Xiyang stared with disbelief, her eyes wide. After a long while, she asked with a trembling voice, “Why is it me?”
Xia Jingshi looked at her for a moment, then smiled, “There’s no use saying more now. You can take what I said as words spoken in anger, but I cannot agree to your request.” He paused briefly, then continued, “Besides, don’t you think saying such things is very disrespectful?”
For a moment, the air in the room seemed to freeze.
“They’re here, they’re here!” With the sound of hurried footsteps approaching, the guards waiting outside the residence rushed in. “The Junior Consort has returned safely.” Xia Jingshi said nothing, turning to walk out directly. Feng Suige patted Xiyang’s shoulder comfortingly and stood up. “You’d better rest a bit more. We’ll be leaving soon.”
“Royal Brother,” Feng Xiyang called out, dazed, “I just…” Feng Suige paused in his steps and sighed, “Talk to him properly after we leave Jinxiu. In this matter, Royal Brother can’t help you.”
“Your Highness!” As Xia Jingshi arrived in the front courtyard, Ning Fei, who had just been released from the prisoner’s cart, joyfully ran towards him. Just as he was about to kneel, Xia Jingshi stepped forward to support him, smiling, “No need to bow, save your strength.” Ning Fei grinned widely, looking him up and down, and casually patted Xia Jingshi’s shoulder where his hand rested. “Your Highness looks very suitable in these clothes!”
Feng Suige, following closely behind, couldn’t stop him in time. Ning Fei’s large hand had already landed firmly on Xia Jingshi’s body. Perhaps it jarred his injury, causing Xia Jingshi to cough lightly, covering his chest with his hand and stepping back half a pace.
“Ning Fei!” Yixiao, pale-faced, ran up from behind. “How can you be so reckless…” Xia Jingshi quickly raised his hand to stop her unfinished words. “It’s nothing, just caught my breath,” he said, looking towards his subordinates gathering around. After being imprisoned for these days, apart from their disheveled clothes, their spirits seemed robust. He felt relieved and said, “Take some time to rest and prepare. We’ll be leaving soon.”
The night watch on the city wall had just changed shifts. The newly arrived soldiers were grumbling as they walked towards the windbreak corner of the city gate. “Damn bastards, thinking they can bully me because I’m new, huh? Ptui! Just wait till I get the chance to be promoted, I’ll make you eat your words—Hey, if you can slack off, so can I.” He angrily squeezed into the shadows, finding a comfortable position. Just as he was about to close his eyes, he was startled awake by sounds coming from the palace road. Confused, he opened his eyes.
Along with the noise, two palace lanterns appeared at the dark end of the street, leading a procession of carriages and horses drawing closer. The soldier squinted at the person holding the leading lantern for a long while, rubbing his eyes in disbelief, then rubbing them again. He couldn’t help but exclaim softly, “A eunuch?” A thought flashed through his mind, and he suddenly jumped up, running out from the shadows of the city gate to kneel by the side of the palace road.
A sturdy horse carrying a military officer leaped out from the crowd, clip-clopping to his side. The officer on horseback spoke arrogantly, “What’s going on? Didn’t we say earlier that His Majesty would be leaving the city, and you were to open the city gates and wait at this time?” Hearing the Emperor’s name, the soldier felt a chill, but he truly didn’t know the details. He could only reply with a bitter face, “This subordinate truly knows nothing about this. Perhaps the previous shift forgot to inform us. This subordinate…”
The officer snorted, “Stop babbling. Quickly open the city gate, and that’ll be the end of it. If you keep dawdling and displease His Majesty, when it’s investigated, you’ll be the first to be punished!” “Yes,” the soldier responded respectfully, kowtowing loudly before standing up and running a few steps. Suddenly, he stopped and turned back, examining the officer carefully. “Sir, you seem unfamiliar. Are you also newly promoted? Isn’t Commander Miu of the Imperial Guard supposed to be on duty in the inner city tonight? Why isn’t Commander Miu escorting His Majesty?”
“How dare you!” the officer reprimanded. “The inner city’s defenses are none of your concern!” The soldier felt increasingly uneasy, but still felt something was amiss. He bowed with a placating smile, “Please calm your anger, sir. Opening the city gates at night is a major event. I’m too low-ranking to make this decision. Uh, please wait a moment, sir. I’ll go up to the city wall to…”
“Why is there such a delay?” A displeased voice came from the carriage procession behind, interrupting the soldier’s words. As the soldier stood dumbfounded, the officer quickly jumped down from his horse, ran to the first large carriage, and knelt, replying, “Your Majesty, there was a problem with the outer city’s shift change, and the night watch soldier is reluctant to let us pass…”
“Oh?” The sound of rustling clothes came from inside the carriage. The agile attendant had already stepped forward to lift the carriage curtain. The warm yellow lamplight from inside immediately spilled out, illuminating the soft yellow silk robe of the person emerging from the carriage, making it shimmer and shine.
“Ah, Your Majesty!” All doubts in the soldier’s mind instantly vanished along with his wits. His knees weakened, and he fell to the ground. “I… I pay my respects to Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty, long live!”
“Quite bold, aren’t you?” Xia Jingshi said coldly in a low voice. “You dare to obstruct even the Imperial procession.” The soldier was so frightened that he lay motionless on the ground, repeatedly saying, “Your Majesty, have mercy. This subject knows his crime…” Xia Jingshi snorted lightly, “Enough, you were at least diligent in your duty.” After a pause, he ordered the officer below, “Go.” With just this simple word, Xia Jingshi retreated into the carriage.
The soldier lay there helplessly, cold sweat pouring down. It seemed like a century had passed before the entire procession began to move again. The sounds of carriage wheels, horse hooves, and hurried footsteps passed by him one by one, but he still didn’t dare to raise his head.
Suddenly, a sharp whistle came from the direction of the inner city. Several fire arrows exploded in the deep blue sky, turning the heavens and earth a fiery red.
This was the urgent signal to summon the Yulin Army into the city!
Inner city emergency!?