Fengyue loved that look in his eyes, but having it directed at her from across the way was still somewhat terrifying. So she tugged at the leader’s clothes beside her, trembling as she said, “Can you handle him? He’s about to charge over!”
The leader was also panicked. He knew Yin Gezhi wouldn’t be easy to deal with, which was why he’d brought over thirty brothers, thinking that even if it was difficult, they could at least corner him.
Who would have thought that the man amid their encirclement seemed tireless, his power channeling through his blade as he cut several men in half? The scene instantly became as horrific as the eighteenth level of hell, making the leader turn aside and retch.
The girl beside him was frightened stupid – seeing such a bloody scene, she had almost no reaction, only clutching at him pitifully saying, “What should we do?”
Her watery eyes blinked innocently. Her little mouth pouted, her tone full of coquettish whining: “This servant doesn’t want to die, wuwuwu!”
The leader was slightly stunned. He wiped his mouth and protected her behind him, and with a man’s last bit of backbone, said firmly: “You go first! We’ll hold him here!”
Looking at him gratefully, Fengyue said: “Brother, be careful!”
Then she lifted her skirts and ran wildly backward!
Her clothes fluttered like butterfly wings as she ran. Fengyue didn’t dare look back, because people around seemed to be coming to their senses. Someone asked puzzledly: “Weren’t we supposed to be holding her hostage? Why are we protecting her and letting her escape?”
“Right!” Slapping his forehead, the leader also came to his senses, his face twisting as he turned and shouted in her direction: “Stop!”
Only a fool would listen! Fengyue snorted with laughter, running incredibly fast, stirring up fallen leaves throughout the forest. They scattered everywhere.
Yin Gezhi’s lips curved in a smile, his mood unusually good even while killing. He swept his blade across three men’s throats, then used the people behind as a springboard to leap into the air, chasing straight after Fengyue.
The group of bandits watched as the black-clad demon lord chased after the red-clothed young girl, his great sword as red as her dress. Behind her, that blade raised high, aimed at her head.
Remembering what this lord had said earlier, the leader was stunned. He hurriedly told his men not to chase, then watched the poor girl with a face full of regret.
She was going to die, wasn’t she? What a waste of such a beautiful face!
However, though the blade fell, it fell to the ground. Yin Gezhi reached out and scooped the wildly running Fengyue into his arms, then continued running with her.
He ran much faster than she could! Greatly relieved, Fengyue grinned: “This servant is truly too clever!”
Clever? Giving her a sideways glance, Yin Gezhi curved his lips and said: “I think you’re just outrageously bold.”
“That’s unfair, it was just experience.” Not looking up to see his expression, Fengyue clutched his clothes and hurriedly explained: “If I hadn’t said those things, they would have killed me already.”
“How did you know you would be killed?”
“What else?” Rolling her eyes secretly, Fengyue said: “Don’t tell me you would submit to their threats for my sake?”
“At least you know yourself.” Holding her tighter, Yin Gezhi looked back and said: “Next time bring some people when you go out. If you’re captured again, you might not be so lucky.”
Looking at the North Gate ahead, Fengyue relaxed and teased playfully: “Do you want this servant to bring Guanzhi along? If I brought Lingzhu, there might be one more innocent ghost added to the count.”
“You may.”
May?!
She had just been joking, but was he going to give her his guard? Fengyue was stunned. She looked up at his chin, suddenly feeling she couldn’t quite understand this man.
“Stop!” Just as they were about to enter the city gate, the gate guards stopped them, saying sternly: “You’re covered in blood. Come with us.”
Fengyue froze, instinctively saying: “He just went outside the city to butcher pigs, this blood isn’t strange at all.”
Looking at her like she was an idiot, Yin Gezhi said coldly: “Couldn’t you think of anything else to say?”
Butchering pigs wasn’t cool at all!
Fengyue glared at him! At a time like this, who cares about being cool?
“Suspicious characters, take them away!” The guard waved his hand, and over a dozen soldiers from the city gate surrounded them.
Fighting against bandits could be called self-defense, but resisting these men would mean opposing the government.
Sighing, Yin Gezhi set down the person in his arms and said softly: “Can’t escape this trouble.”
“It’s alright.” Leaning against his chest, Fengyue said quietly: “Nothing will happen.”
Where did she get the confidence that nothing would happen? Yin Gezhi pressed his lips together but didn’t panic. Seeing the surrounding guards didn’t dare approach, he said: “Where are we going? Show the way.”
The guards pressed their lips together. They felt it wasn’t proper to arrest someone without actually holding them, but… looking at this man’s eyes and the thick smell of blood on him, they felt that improper was fine – just getting them to come along would be good enough.
So this scene appeared at the North Gate – two people in black and red walking together, surrounded by guards pointing halberds at them, tremblingly leading them forward.
“This doesn’t seem to be the way to the Metropolitan Court,” Fengyue said with a smile. “Where are we going?”
Yin Gezhi stopped walking. Everyone around immediately tensed up. The garrison commander said: “Why ask so much? We’re taking you to be questioned, naturally, there’s a place for questioning.”
“If I remember correctly, Commander Zhao of the City Guard is still under house arrest.” Fengyue blinked. “Who above you has the authority to question the First Prince of Wei?”
“…” The garrison commander couldn’t answer, his eyes showing panic, sweat even appearing on his forehead, looking quite uncertain.
With such an expression, anyone would know something was wrong and they shouldn’t go with them. However, Yin Gezhi casually said: “Continue leading the way.”
Looking at him, Fengyue smiled. Her eyes said: If you want to find who’s behind this, go yourself, this servant doesn’t want to go.
Yin Gezhi calmly returned her gaze: We’re in the same boat.
Pah! Even if they were in the same boat, he shouldn’t drag her along to jump into the sea! He could swim, but she couldn’t! If something went wrong, wouldn’t she be the one suffering?
Looking at her cowardly appearance, Yin Gezhi lovingly held her waist and said softly: “Don’t be afraid, you have me.”
Having you is even more frightening! Fengyue pouted, feeling the hand on her waist was hard as steel, impossible to break free from, so she resigned herself to her fate.
The group surrounded them as they arrived at an escort agency. Without another word, they were made to enter, and the door was closed.
The courtyard of the escort agency was filled with weapons everywhere. It was also full of people wearing armor. On the steps, someone wearing an iron mask watched them walk forward step by step.
“Lord Zhou,” Yin Gezhi said, “You summoned us here for something?”
Zhou Zhenshan was startled, reaching up to touch the mask on his face. He said in shock: “How did you know it was me?”
“With Commander Zhao imprisoned, only you, the Commander of the City Guard, could mobilize the garrison,” Yin Gezhi said. “I just don’t know what instructions my lord has?”
Fengyue watched shaking her head, thinking he was too easy to trick – one probe and he revealed himself. Indeed, not every warrior was as crafty as Yin Gezhi.
“…Since things have come to this point, there’s no turning back.” Letting out a long sigh, Zhou Zhenshan said: “You have no grudge against Zhao Lin, why must you pursue him? He was once General Yi’s right-hand man. Since you respect General Yi so much, why not show mercy?”
This approach of force first then appeals to sentiment wouldn’t work on Yin Gezhi. He looked at him for a moment, then said directly: “The Crown Prince ordered either his death or my imprisonment. When it concerns my interests, I can’t consider other matters.”
He was lying – how could the Crown Prince bear to imprison him? But Fengyue knew that in the current situation, to avoid the other side continuing to pressure him with General Yi, he could only say this.
Sure enough, Zhou Zhenshan could no longer play the sentiment card. After all, sentiment was sentiment, but when one’s life was at stake, no one’s sentiment should be given.
So he said directly: “Then excuse my offense.”
Won’t let Zhao Lin go? No matter – if Yin Gezhi was killed, the Crown Prince would certainly have no time to attend to other matters for a while, and then there would be room to maneuver regarding Zhao Lin’s matter.
He had laid an inescapable net in this escort agency. If the First Prince Yin died here today, absolutely no one outside would know, much less be able to save him.
Killing intent suddenly arose all around. Yin Gezhi sighed, looking down at Fengyue, and said: “Why do these people always like to resort to violence?”
Giving a dry laugh, Fengyue pressed closer to his embrace: “This servant is just a weak woman. I’ll have to rely on your protection.”
She had good judgment, knowing his embrace was the safest place. Yin Gezhi suddenly felt that Fengyue truly caused no trouble, not creating any problems for him, unlike Yi Zhangzhu.
He remembered very clearly – once when Yi Zhangzhu was out with him and they encountered bandits, her first reaction was to turn and run, charging straight into the path of their blades. After being captured, she kept calling for him to save her. Even when he tried to pretend not to care about her, Young Miss Yi had made everything a complete mess.
In the end, he had to be wounded to save both their lives, and Yi Zhangzhu still blamed him, saying he had spoken cruel words and disregarded her life.
Both were women, why was there such a big difference?
Thinking about this made him smile. Yin Gezhi looked up, held the person in his arms tighter, and said cheerfully to those ahead: “Please give me your guidance.”
The soldiers holding great swords in front suddenly pounced forward. At the same time, crossbows throughout the courtyard all fired, the sound of arrows cutting through the air endless!
The scene was truly terrifying, but Fengyue closed her eyes and hid in his embrace, knowing nothing, completely at ease.
Soldiers in armor weren’t so easy to kill. Moving through the rain of arrows and weapons, Yin Gezhi’s expression was rarely grave. He glanced at Zhou Zhenshan, broke through the obstacles before him, and charged straight at him!
Zhou Zhenshan hadn’t reacted before suddenly finding himself grabbed, a long sword across his neck, despite having three layers of guards in front of him.
“I can die,” Yin Gezhi said. “How about Lord Zhou accompanies me?”
What a move – capture the leader to capture the bandits! Fengyue couldn’t help but clap her hands in approval.
Zhou Zhenshan’s face was very ugly, his eyes darting around, hesitating. Yin Gezhi was waiting very patiently, but unexpectedly, the escort agency’s main gate was suddenly thrown open with a “bang,” and more armored men charged in.