Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three
From a distance, the Piao Cavalry of the Imperial City resembled a black iron barrier, cleaving the Imperial Guard Battalion and the reinforcements from Lucheng into two, while simultaneously encircling them. This forced the Imperial Guard Battalion to repeatedly retreat inward. Even a distant detachment of Imperial Guards, who had been trailing Xia Jingshi’s group, sensed the urgency of the situation and abandoned their pursuit, turning instead to rush toward the conflict.
Despite Xiao Weiran’s shrewdness, even he couldn’t comprehend what was happening. After staring intently for a moment, he suddenly ordered, “First, retrieve our wounded brothers for treatment—be cautious. If there’s any unusual movement, retreat as quickly as possible!”
Meanwhile, Xia Jingshi pondered briefly before turning to Feng Suige. “You should stay here. If the situation changes, find a way to break through immediately—”
“No,” Feng Suige cut him off decisively. “Until the situation is clear, we shouldn’t act rashly!”
Yixiao hesitantly pointed out, “They’re flying the banner of the Guardian General, but not all of them are his troops. Look, those are the Piao Cavalry from the Holy City.”
Feng Suige arched an eyebrow. “So what?”
Xia Jingshi nodded. “Setting aside their confrontation, if this were merely about aiding the king, nearby counties should have sufficient troops for the Imperial Guard Battalion to mobilize. Under no circumstances would they deploy the Piao Cavalry stationed in the capital’s vicinity—which is why I wanted to get closer and see what’s really happening…”
“Huh?” Yixiao suddenly exclaimed in a hushed voice. “They’re coming this way!”
The General of Agile Cavalry approached alone, the clanking of his armor echoing ominously in the silence, each step scattering a trail of unanswered questions.
Xia Jingshi motioned for the nearby military generals to sheathe their drawn blades, calmly watching as the man drew nearer. Feng Suige stood lazily with a faint smirk, though he subtly pulled Yixiao closer to his side, maintaining an air of casual vigilance.
The General of Agile Cavalry halted a few paces away and, to everyone’s astonishment, knelt respectfully. “Your Highness…”
“Rise,” Xia Jingshi said with a light smile. “I am no longer the King Who Pacifies the South.”
The general hesitated but remained stubbornly kneeling, his voice clear and firm. “This humble servant is Shang Yun, commander of the Imperial City’s Piao Cavalry Camp, dispatched by the Prime Minister to quell the rebellion…”
Xia Jingshi’s gaze flickered between him and the distant army. “What has happened in the Imperial City?”
Seeing the general hesitate, Feng Suige scoffed, pulling Yixiao along as he turned toward the horses. “Let’s go.”
Yixiao struggled as he dragged her away, whispering protests. “Where to!?”
“Wait—” Xia Jingshi called urgently.
Only after lifting Yixiao onto the horse did Feng Suige turn back, flashing Xia Jingshi a lazy grin. “I have no interest in meddling in Brocade’s affairs. I need to fetch Xiyang—aren’t you coming?” Without waiting for a response, he mounted his steed, urged it forward with a sharp command, and led the way back the way they had come. The soldiers of Su Sha swiftly followed, leaving only Xia Jingshi and a few accompanying generals behind.
Xia Jingshi watched them depart before returning his attention to the kneeling general. “What exactly is going on?”"Is that all?" Yixiao clung tightly to Feng Suige's belt, craning her neck to look behind them. "Just like that, so inexplicably..." Feng Suige muttered a low complaint, freeing one hand from the reins to steady her. "I suspect Xia Jingshi's supporters took advantage of the Imperial Guard Battalion's absence to seize control of the court—but perhaps it's for the best. At least there's no immediate danger now. By the way, do you know where the nearest town is?"
Seeing Yixiao nod, he relaxed slightly, though his brow furrowed again. "I just hope we can find a decent physician." Yixiao hesitated before speaking. "Xiyang's injury... was caused by me..." Feng Suige stiffened, involuntarily tugging the reins. The horse let out a short whinny, slowing its pace considerably. "What did you say?"
Yixiao took a deep breath and spoke slowly. "Her injury was my doing. When I pursued them, she was with the Holy Emperor. Just as I was about to capture him, she—" "See?" Feng Suige suddenly interrupted, smiling. "I always said Xiyang wasn’t inherently bad. Once she understood the Holy Emperor’s true intentions, she’d come around. But I never expected her to be so brave..."
"Brave?" Yixiao was momentarily stunned. Noticing her confusion, Feng Suige grew puzzled. "I assumed she was injured trying to help you—wasn’t that the case?"
"No," Yixiao clenched her teeth and blurted out. "The Holy Emperor pushed her toward me, and I couldn’t retract my blade in time... I wounded her." At this, Feng Suige shuddered violently. Though his expression darkened, Yixiao pressed on. "It wasn’t intentional, but I still bear some responsibility..."
At some point, the horse had stopped running. Standing still for a while without any command from its rider, it lowered its head to pluck a tuft of grass from between the rocks, chewing quietly. The guards and soldiers around them gradually halted as well, staring at the pair in astonishment.
Yixiao felt the arm around her waist tighten like a vice, as if threatening to crush her. She swallowed back a gasp, stubbornly meeting Feng Suige’s stormy gaze.
After a long silence, Feng Suige suddenly exhaled sharply, tilting his head back. When he looked down again, the sharpness in his eyes had dulled. He offered a faint smile. "We’ll talk more after we save Xiyang."
Though his tone was calm, Yixiao’s heart ached. She couldn’t help asking, "And if we can’t save her?" "If she dies, you’ll have to stay in Brocade—or is that what you wanted all along?" Feng Suige’s jaw twitched as he shot her a cold glance, all traces of warmth gone.
Yixiao stared at him for a moment before suddenly laughing.
Feng Suige, you haven’t changed at all. Not even a little.
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