In the morning, Jin Ke was the first to wake up. It had snowed heavily last night and had just stopped at dawn. There was a row of neatly hung icicles under the eaves and the empty space in the inn's back courtyard was covered in a layer of white. When he stepped in, it went over his shoe. He couldn't help but be glad that his foster father had foresight. They couldn't travel in this kind of weather. They would have to stay in this small town for a few days and wait for the snow to melt before leaving.
He glanced at the closed door across from him and stepped into the kitchen. He boiled water and washed the rice, preparing to cook a pot of porridge for breakfast.
Zhao Xiaozhu walked in with a yawn and put down the teapot and basin. He wrapped his clothes tightly around himself and complained to Jin Ke, "It was so cold last night that I almost peed on the bed."
"Did Godfather also wake up?" "He woke up earlier than me."
Jin Ke pretended to casually ask, "Did you hear anything last night?"
"Ah?" Zhao Xiaozhu rubbed the corners of his eyes and said in a daze, "I didn't hear anything. What's wrong?"
Jin Ke waved his hand, "It was the wind. I was afraid that I would disturb Godfather's rest. It's fine if you didn't hear anything."
"Oh." Zhao Xiaozhu took two steps towards the door and stuck her head out to look around for a while. Then she retreated to Jin Ke's side and muttered, "Eldest Brother, Foster Father told me last night that Miss Yu might not be coming with us. Second Brother must be very sad ah. I'm sure he hates us to death. If it wasn't for Godfather using Miss Yu to force that Zhu fellow to change his sword, he wouldn't have ended up in a situation where he had to run for his life with us. "
Hearing this, Jin Ke slapped the back of his head, "You're talking nonsense again. Hurry and bring some hot water to help Godfather wash up."
Zhao Xiaozhu cried out but didn't dare to talk back. He quickly poured half a basin of hot water. Jin Ke warned him worriedly, "Don't talk nonsense in front of Godfather."
"I know, I know."
"Also, don't disturb your Second Brother and Miss Yu's rest. Let them sleep a bit longer."
"Okay, okay." Zhao Xiaozhu didn't hear anything wrong with his words and left with the basin of water.
.....
In the guest room on the east side, the white snow reflected off the window. A faded mosquito net hung on the head of the simple wooden bed, and two pairs of boots were stacked under the bed.
Yu Shu curled up in Xue Rui's arms. The quilt behind her was tightly tucked by him. It was so warm that she didn't want to open her eyes. Xue Rui used one of his arms as a cushion behind her head, and his fingers formed into a comb as he combed through her messy hair from time to time. He hadn't slept the entire night, but it wasn't that he didn't feel tired, it was just that he wanted to cherish this short period of time too much. With her by his side, how could he bear to fall asleep?
"Is it dawn yet?" Yu Shu asked softly.
"It's still early, let's sleep a little longer."
Yu Shu opened her eyes and slightly raised her head. She could see the stubble on his chin and rubbed her forehead against it. It was prickly and itchy, and she couldn't help but think back to last night's affair. Her cheeks were slightly hot, and she leaned back against his chest. She lazily narrowed her eyes and said, "I'm not going to sleep. Why don't you talk to me?"
"Alright." At this moment, not to mention that she wanted to talk, even if she wanted the moon and stars, he would do his best to get them for her.
"You said that the case of Ning Wang has been investigated to the end. Does Liu Hao have a chance to turn things around?" It was Yu Shu's first time. She wanted to be pretentious for a while and act spoiled to him, but with the impending separation, she didn't have time to talk about love. While Xue Rui was still here, she needed him to sort out the situation in Jing for her. It would be best if he could give her a few moves in preparation for the future.
"Whether or not Ning Wang can turn things around depends on whether or not my grandfather is willing to go all out." Xue Rui didn't beat around the bush with her, and he went straight to the point. "Since the Grand Mention exposed my origins, it shows that he was prepared to deal with my grandfather, Xue Lingnan, since long ago. Once he makes a move, he'll surely uproot the Xue Clan. And my grandfather probably already knows that my foster father was harmed by him and holds a grudge. If he is willing to go all out, he will definitely take the initiative and use the Emperor's illness to help the new Emperor ascend the throne. "
If the new Emperor ascended the throne, there naturally wouldn't be anything to do with Ning Wang.
Xue Rui was silent for a moment before carefully instructing, "After you go back, you have to be careful. It depends on who can monopolize power in the court. That person is the one with ulterior motives who is trying to usurp the throne. That person is also the mastermind behind Jing Chen's danger and the murder in Taishi Library. Maybe it is my grandfather, or maybe it is someone else. No matter who it is, you have to stay far away from them. Protect your little life and wait for me to return. "
After a pause, he continued, "Now, only the Great Tiandi can protect you, and only he won't harm you. You can feign civility with him, but don't get into conflict with him. Do you understand?"
Hearing this, Yu Shu's chest was extremely stuffy. She said unhappily, "The Grand Tutor caused the death of your foster father. I hate that I can't take revenge for you. He actually wants me to go back and curry favor with him. I'm afraid that I won't be able to resist stabbing him in the back."
After last night, she and Xue Rui had consummated their marriage. They should be husband and wife and be united against a common enemy. She originally didn't have any resentment towards the Grand Tutor, but after he personally revealed the truth of Xue Fu's self-mutilation, the more she respected Xue Fu's chivalry, the more she hated the Grand Tutor's ruthlessness.
Xue Rui rubbed her furry head, "No matter how great the hatred, it isn't as important as your life. Listen to me and don't make me worry."
Not wanting him to worry, Yu Shu held her breath and agreed.
After Yu Shu asked what she needed to ask, it was Xue Rui's turn, "After you go back, the Grand Tutor will force you and Jing Chen to get married and have children. Do you know what to do?"
As soon as he said this, the delicate body in his arms suddenly stiffened. He sighed softly and hugged her tightly. He put his chin on top of her head and whispered, "If he forces you again, just say yes to him."
"I —" Yu Shu was anxious and wanted to raise her head to speak, but he held her firmly in his arms and didn't let her raise her head.
"Don't panic. Listen to me first." Xue Rui said calmly, "I asked you to say yes to him only as an expedient measure. The Grand Tutor is unscrupulous. I'm afraid that he will use your family to threaten you and force you to give in. Why don't you pretend to please him and let them prepare for the wedding first? You can think of a way to delay the wedding for three months. At most three months, I promise that the Grand Tutor will give up on letting you and Jing Chen conceive the Destiny Grand Bone. "
Yu Shu was pleasantly surprised, "What do you think of?"
"Yes." Xue Rui stroked her hair, "Shu, do you trust me?"
"I don't trust you. Who else can I trust?" Yu Shu said in a muffled voice.
"Then don't ask. Wait for my good news."
Yu Shu only thought that he was afraid that she knew too much and couldn't hide it from the Grand Tutor when they went back, so she smartly didn't ask anymore. But because of this glimmer of hope, her heart lit up again.
She and Xue Rui had skin contact, so naturally, she couldn't marry Jing Chen again. But if the Grand Tutor threatened her with the lives of her family, she could only surrender. If she really married Jing Chen, not only would she feel sorry for Xue Rui, but she would also feel sorry for Jing Chen.
With Xue Rui's promise, Yu Shu felt as if she had been pardoned, because he had never let her down.
There was a period of silence between the two of them. When Xue Rui heard the commotion coming and going in the courtyard, he knew that he couldn't continue lying down like this. Otherwise, when someone came to knock on the door, it would make Yu Shu feel awkward. What's more, she came to find him wrapped in a quilt last night, and her coat was in the next room.
"I'll go to your room to get your clothes first. Lie down and don't get up."
After Xue Rui said this, he carefully lifted a corner of the quilt and got up, not letting the cold air blow on her. Yu Shu saw that he wasn't afraid of the cold as he sat on the edge of the bed and put on his clothes. There were suspicious red marks on his thin waist, which were clearly the marks she made last night. She couldn't help but blush. She wanted to bury her head in the quilt, but she couldn't bear to look at him.
Xue Rui quickly dressed himself neatly, and when he turned around and saw Yu Shu's eyes were tightly closed, the corners of his mouth curled up as he bent over to kiss her rosy cheeks, and he didn't say anything as he covered the bed curtain properly before leaving.
.....
Xue Rui quietly went to Yu Shu's room and took out her clothes. He wrapped her up tightly and sent her back through the back window. Then, he returned to his room through the back window and uncovered the quilt on his bed. He found a blob of blood that was in the shape of a plum blossom on the mattress and used the dagger he always carried with him to cut it off. He carefully folded it and kept it in his pocket.
Breakfast was a pot of salty porridge made by Jin Ke. The white rice soup and boiled dried meat were salty and smooth. Zhao Xiaozhu ran all over town and found a steamed bun shop. He bought two baskets of vegetarian steamed buns, which actually tasted pretty good.
In the kitchen, Xue Rui ladled a bowl of hot lean meat porridge for Yu Shu and put two large steamed buns on a plate. He brought them into her room without a change in expression. Zhao Xiaozhu curled her lips and rolled her eyes behind him. She was hit by Jin Ke's iron palm again.
"What's with that look? Didn't you hear your second brother say that Miss Yu caught a cold?"
Zhao Xiaozhu muttered unhappily, "Godfather also caught a cold. Why don't I see him being filial and only caring about women?"
"You don't know shit." Jin Ke scolded him verbally, but he sighed inwardly. He didn't think highly of Xue Rui and Yu Shu as a couple. At this time, they were inseparable. Once they went their separate ways, it would fade away after a long time. In the end, it was just a one-night marriage.
After Yu Shu finished her breakfast, she leaned against the headboard and chatted with Xue Rui for a while. Then, she began to feel sleepy. Xue Rui watched over her until she fell asleep. He quietly left the room, closed the door, and went to find Yun Hua.
Yun Hua was sitting on the bed with her clothes on. She was holding a map drawn on sheepskin in her hand and frowning. When she saw Xue Rui walk in, the worry on her face disappeared. She raised her head and smiled at him. She asked amiably, "Have you eaten breakfast?"
Xue Rui nodded and walked over.
"You came at the right time. Look at this map. We are going to Rong City next, but the river is frozen. It's risky to take a shortcut. If we take a detour, we won't be able to rest for half a month. How do you think we should go?"
Xue Rui pushed away the map he handed over and said, "We won't go to Rong City. We will continue to the north. We will go to the northeast to seek refuge with the King of Dongjing."
Yun Hua's eyes flashed with a hint of understanding. She raised her eyebrows and waited for his explanation.
Xue Rui said slowly, "The King of Dongjing, Jiang Huaiying, and I are sworn brothers. Three years ago, when I was traveling, I coincidentally saved his life. Later, His Majesty summoned the mother and daughter of the Jiang family to the capital and detained them. He used this to force Jiang Huaiying to send troops to Dongying and make him cut off his own wings. I was also the one who arranged for the mother and daughter of the Jiang family to escape. Jiang Huaiying is righteous and dissatisfied with the imperial court. He will rebel sooner or later. This time, I will take you to seek refuge with him. He will definitely welcome us with open arms. "
Yun Hua looked at him with a complicated expression. He asked tentatively, "Are you going to help the King of Dongjing rebel by taking this path?"
Xue Rui sneered and replied, "Do you think I have another path to take? You used a fake Book of Mystery Fairy's Six Rens to deceive all of us and deceive the Great Tipping Point in exchange for my life. How can I let down your painstaking efforts? "
Yun Hua was speechless. He probably did not expect that his meticulous arrangements would be mercilessly exposed by Xue Rui. That's right. From the beginning, he did not tell the truth to Yu Shu and Xue Rui. He let them think that he carried the real Book of Mystery Fairy's Six Rens with him. He first tricked Yu Shu out of the city and then lured Zhu Muzhao here. It was not to exchange for the Chunjun Sword, but for Xue Rui.
He had long guessed that Zhu Muzhao might have known about Xue Rui's background. Because he was afraid of the Great Insight Technique, he did not dare to rashly recognize Xue Rui. After lying dormant for many years, he finally waited for Jing Chen to come to the capital and the person who broke his life to show up. Only then did he have the opportunity to meet Xue Rui.
Coincidentally, the Xue family committed a crime. Xue Rui left the capital to handle a case. He asked Jin Ke to kidnap Xue Rui, but he could not persuade Xue Rui to leave with him. In the end, he let them return to the capital. Because Xue Rui could not let go of the Xue family who had raised him, and he could not let go of his sweetheart, Yu Shu.
Therefore, Yun Hua set up a series of plans. He used a Mysterious Crystal Book that he spent ten years to forge to deceive them. With Zhu Muzhao's help, he forced Xue Rui to let go of everything and leave with him.
"How did you find out?" Yun Hua asked. He could not figure out where he had exposed himself. After all, even Zhu Muzhao was fooled and thought that he had obtained the real Book of Mystery Fairy.
Xue Rui laughed at himself. "From the moment you were willing to exchange the Book of Mystery Fairy for my life, I guessed that the book was most likely fake. Da Tidian was fooled because he mistakenly thought that in your heart, the life of my son would be more important than the Book of Mystery Fairy, but I did not think so. Later on, when we were fleeing for our lives, I looked on coldly. I didn't see you gloomy. It didn't seem like you were worried about the consequences of the Book of Xuan Nyu falling into the hands of Da Tidian. Jin Ke and Zhao Xiaozhu also looked indifferent. This made me even more suspicious. After thinking about it, the real Book of Xuan Nyu should still be in your hands, so you were fearless. "
Yun Hua smiled bitterly. He was more ashamed than proud to have such a smart son.
Xue Rui did not care about his expression and continued to speak, "What I can't figure out is why you took such a risk and did not do it for the Chunjun Sword, but to force me to leave the capital city. What exactly is your scheme? Could it be that you knew about my relationship with Jiang Huaiying, so you planned to bring you to him and help him rebel? "
Yun Hua opened his mouth and wanted to speak, but because his throat was dry, it was difficult for him to speak. Seeing this, Xue Rui turned the map around and placed it beside his hand, indicating for him to use his finger to write on the blank space.
Yun Hua wrote, stroke by stroke, "You guessed half of it correctly."
Xue Rui asked, "What about the other half?"
"I did not know that you and Prince of Dongjing were old friends, but I predicted the general situation of the world. Looking at the stars at night, there will be war in the north, and the winner will be the king, and the loser will be the villain. With the appearance of the Star of the Left, it can help the trapped flood dragon to ascend to the dragon."
Xue Rui stared at the tip of his finger, and his eyebrows twitched. He thought, 'The trapped flood dragon is undoubtedly referring to Prince of Dongjing, then who is this Star of the Left?'
"You mean, I am the Star of the Left who can help Jiang Huaiying seize the world?"
Yun Hua nodded. Just like Zhu Muzhao's Art of Great Insight, he also had a unique skill in physiognomy, which was also cultivated to perfection. He once saw Jiang Huaiying from afar, and he indeed had the features of the Nine Five. Looking at Xue Rui's physiognomy again, it was not difficult to conclude that he was the person appointed by the King of the Northeast.
Xue Rui was shocked, but he became suspicious again, "Your goal is not to destroy the Book of Mystery Fairy, but to overthrow the imperial court?"
Yun Hua only wrote four words, "Different paths lead to the same destination."
The reason why the Da An Dynasty could continue for three hundred years was because of the Book of Mystery Fairy. It was a set of destiny, and everything was in the palm of its hand. On the surface, it was to promote the study of Yi, but in the dark, it was to manipulate the hearts of the people. The people of the world blindly believed in the theory of destiny, and they were foolish and did not think about making progress. The Emperor of the Da An Dynasty was mediocre and incompetent, and he was stuck in his ways. The officials in the imperial court were apathetic, and there were few who worked for the country and the people, but there were many who sought personal benefits. The Taoists ran amok, and under the cover of peace and prosperity, there was a country that was riddled with holes.
As the saying goes, one lives in suffering, and dies in peace and happiness. If the Book of Mystery Fairy was lost, how could the country not perish?
Xue Rui stared at the blank space of Yun Hua's finger. From his every stroke, it was as if he could see the ambitious Yun Hua rushing to the capital city twenty years ago. He suddenly understood that the reason he stole the Book of Mystery Fairy was not only to carry out his master's orders, but also to look down on the world from a height that was beyond the reach of mortals, and to feel pity for the common people in the world.
Xue Rui's heart trembled, and his blood surged. He knew that it was resonance.
"There can be no construction without destruction."
Hearing this, Yun Hua's eyes suddenly showed joy. He grabbed Xue Rui's palm and shook it excitedly. It was rare to have a confidant, not to mention that this was his biological son.
Looking at Yun Hua like this, Xue Rui's great resentment disappeared. Perhaps it was the nature of a father and son. The more he understood Yun Hua, the less he could hate him.
The barrier between the two of them disappeared unconsciously. Yun Hua's expression became much brighter, and he wrote again — — "Does Miss Yu know that the Book of Mystery Fairy is fake?"
Xue Rui shook his head and said, "I didn't tell her."
Yun Hua carefully looked at his expression and asked — — "Why didn't you tell her?"
Xue Rui said with a cold face, "The Great Teacher is very sensitive. Didn't you also go through a lot of trouble to deceive him? Ah Shu's cultivation is still shallow. If she knows that the Book of Mystery Fairy is fake, it will inevitably be discovered by the Great Teacher. I'm afraid that he will vent his anger on her. It's better to let him have a few more days of sweet dreams so that the marriage between Jing Chen and Ah Shu can be eased. "
Yun Hua sighed at his good intentions, but at the same time, he cared about his other son — — "Jing Chen is your younger brother after all. You two brothers must not turn against each other because of a woman."
Xue Rui's eyes flickered, but he didn't express his opinion.
Yun Hua knew that he and Jing Chen didn't have much brotherly affection, so he couldn't force things. He sighed secretly and no longer tried to persuade him, lest he overreached himself and aroused his rebellious heart.
After a deep conversation between the father and son, they determined their destination. Then, it was time to go their separate ways.
.....
When Yu Shu woke up, she saw Xue Rui sitting by her bed and looking at her quietly for a long time. She smiled at him, but her chest ached faintly.
"Ah Shu, we are going to Ningdong City to seek refuge with King Dongjing. We will set off tomorrow morning. Let's separate here."
As for why it wasn't the border town, but the northeast, how could she not understand him because their minds were connected?
"Okay."
"I have two properties in the capital that don't belong to the Xue family. One is the Wangji Tower, and the other is the Nanlin Lumber Store in the west of the city. I'll leave them to you, along with a group of loyal servants." Xue Rui took off the purple jade bat that never left his side and carefully warned her.
"This is a token. After you return to the capital, go to the Nanlin Lumber Store to find Gui Da and explain the situation to him. He will do his best to help you. In addition, I've buried fifty thousand taels of gold under the cellar of the Wangji Tower. It's my private property. Except for Lin Fu, no one else knows about it. You can take it as you wish. "
Yu Shu exclaimed, "Where did you get so much gold!" Fifty thousand taels of gold was equivalent to more than five hundred thousand taels of silver. Such a large sum of cash made people dizzy just by listening to it.
"When I was traveling outside, I happened to find a local corrupt official digging a gold mine in the Liaodong area. It was at that time that I met Jiang Huaiying and saved him. After he escaped from danger, he led his troops to seize the mine. In order to thank me, he gave me the gold he obtained from the corrupt official's property."
The Jiang family was a vassal king. The gold found in his fief naturally belonged to him. As long as it was reported to the imperial court and the annual tax and harvest were paid, it would be considered a clear path.
Xue Rui put the purple jade bat in her palm and said seriously, "This is my betrothal gift. Since you've accepted it, you can't go back on your word."
The jade was cold, but Yu Shu felt that her palm was hot. She sat up from the bed and stretched out her arms to hug his neck. Her eyes were red as she said, "You've given me everything, but I have nothing to give you."
Xue Rui chuckled and pulled the quilt over her shoulders. He lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "You've given me the best."
He was not only referring to the fallen red, but the fact that she had wholeheartedly given him her body, which was the most precious thing.
.....
Before dawn, Jin Ke had already set up the carriage. He checked the water pouch and dry food before letting Zhao Xiaozhu help Yun Hua out.
Xue Rui stood outside Yu Shu's room for a long time. Jin Ke couldn't stand it anymore. He walked behind him and patted his shoulder. He whispered, "Why don't we leave later? You should at least say goodbye to Miss Yu."
Xue Rui took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He cleared his heart of reluctance and turned around, "No need. Let's go."
***
After Yun Hua and the others left, Yu Shu stayed in the inn alone for two days. She waited until the snow melted and the sky cleared up. She hired a mule cart in town to send her to a nearby county town. She found an escort agency and rode on the carriage that carried the escort back to the capital.
It had just passed the fifteenth Lantern Festival. Anling City was decorated with festive lanterns and streamers. The spirit of the New Year had yet to fade. After entering the city, Yu Shu quietly left the escort team.
She didn't return to the estate dejectedly. Instead, she first went to the Nanlin timber shop and met Xue Rui's confidant, Gui Da. When Gui Da saw the purple jade bat in her hand, he didn't say anything and invited her upstairs. He served her hot tea and hot water and called a young maidservant to help her freshen up and change into a clean set of clothes.
After Yu Shu finished tidying up and rested for a while, she told Gui Da about Xue Rui's whereabouts.
"Brother Xue and his biological father left the capital. In order to avoid the imperial court's assassination order, they went to another place to take refuge. Before he left, he entrusted his business in the capital to me and asked me to find you to take care of it."
Because Yu Shu had the purple jade bat in her hand, Gui Da didn't doubt her words. He only asked worriedly, "Then isn't my young master in danger now?"
Hearing this, Yu Shu felt that this old servant was indeed loyal. She comforted him, "Don't worry. He went to a very safe place, but he won't be back for a while."
She paused and asked Gui Da, "In the days that we left the capital, were there any unusual movements in the capital?"
She and Xue Rui had both disappeared for seven or eight days. Da Tidian would definitely think of a way to cover up for them. Her family was easy to fool, but it couldn't be hidden from the Xue family. She was afraid that Da Tidian and Prime Minister Xue had already shed all pretense of cordiality.
Gui Da's expression wasn't good. He told the truth, "Young master disappeared on the tenth night of the New Year. The next day, the Prime Minister of the fu sent someone to Ning Wang fu to ask for young master. He said that someone saw Ning Wang's bodyguards take young master away."
Yu Shu frowned. Xue Lingnan was astute. How could he not know why Xue Rui disappeared? Just as Xue Rui expected, Xue Lingnan sensed that Xue Rui's identity was exposed. He didn't wait for Da Tidian to make things difficult for him and made a preemptive move.
"Then what happened?"
Gui Da inquired clearly, "Ning Wang was still imprisoned by the Minister of Justice. The Wang fu was in a mess and couldn't hand over the person. The Prime Minister went to the Celestial Commissioner to ask for him."
Of course, Ning Wang couldn't hand over the person. This gave Xue Lingnan an excuse to act up. He grabbed Ning Wang and wanted to go with him to Huazhen Garden to see the Emperor. At this time, Da Tidian could only come forward to stop them. He announced that the Emperor was recuperating and wouldn't see foreign officials.
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