Beauty, Power and Intrigue Chapter 102

“If you want to keep me here, it’ll only be over my corpse.” After Zhao Yilou said this, he showed not the slightest fear of the blade and walked straight outward.

Seeing that his body was about to touch the sword blades, the two guards immediately withdrew their swords. They exchanged a glance, and one hurried off to report to Gongzi Fan. The other ten or so followed him running out of the camp.

When Zhao Yilou said those words, no one would think he intended to commit suicide. They had all witnessed Zhao Yilou’s ruthlessness. When Wei laid its siege, Zhao Yilou resisted with total disregard for life or death, like a cornered beast with immense strength. He had killed five people and gravely wounded more than ten before finally being subdued.

If a conflict really broke out, they could not kill Zhao Yilou, and there was no telling whether the next casualties would be themselves.

Zhao Yilou followed Song Chuyi and ran to the main gate, where they saw a man massive as a mountain standing thirty meters away, leaning on his sword. His beard was like weeds, his face covered in blood and dust, and his armor somewhat battered – it was none other than Ji Huan.

The archers around them already had arrows nocked. Song Chuyi hurried to Ji Huan’s side.

Before Song Chuyi could ask, Ji Huan said urgently, “Sir, the lord has sent men to arrest you. Flee quickly!”

Song Chuyi was filled with astonishment. She had thought Ji Huan had ended up in such a sorry state from resisting the Zhao army, but never expected to receive this news. Zhao Yilou said, “He’s injured. Let’s go inside first.”

“Let’s go.” Song Chuyi reached out to support Ji Huan and went straight into Zhao Yilou’s tent.

Chuan Ping led the physician over in haste to bandage Ji Huan.

Ji Huan’s thigh had been stabbed by a sword. The wound was not large, but it was deep, and the blood that flowed out stained a large area.

It took the physician about half a two-hour period to finish bandaging all of Ji Huan’s wounds.

“I’ll go out first. If anything happens to Huaijin, just send someone to call me.” Chuan Ping and Song Chuyi had talked for several days, and they had both begun addressing each other only by their courtesy names.

After Song Chuyi saw him out of the tent, she immediately returned to the inner chamber and said, “Ji Huan, what happened?”

“Sir.” Ji Huan wanted to sit up, but Song Chuyi stopped him, so he had no choice but to keep lying there. “I am not very clear about what exactly happened either. I heard Commander Ji say that it seems a Zhao merchant came to Puyang and said that you, sir, were persuading the Marquis of Zhao to attack Wei…”

Song Chuyi knitted her brows. “So that means this matter has been leaked.”

The Marquis of Wey must think that Song Chuyi had betrayed his lord for glory in Zhao, and therefore taken advantage of Zhao’s internal turmoil to send men to seize her and bring her back for punishment?

Only the Marquis of Wey, Longgu Qing and his retainers, Min Chi, Ji Yu, and Song Chuyi knew about this matter. Ji Yu was loyal to Wey and was not an impulsive man, so it was impossible for him to have leaked it. And Longgu Buwang’s entire clan was in Wey. Even if he knew the truth, he had no reason to spread it.

Likewise, Longgu Qing would not push himself into the fire pit either. And since he had kept those retainers in the room at the time, that showed he trusted them enough, so they could basically be ruled out as well.

The most suspicious remaining were the Marquis of Wey and Min Chi.

Of course the Marquis of Wey would not deliberately ruin the matter, but had he told any other ministers?

“Min Chi…” Song Chuyi murmured. “Could it be him?”

If this matter had not leaked from the Marquis of Zhao, but had been Min Chi’s doing, then his methods were truly not to be underestimated – while still in Qi and Chu, he had already extended his reach so far?

“What about the others?” Song Chuyi asked.

Ji Huan said, “They were all taken away by the men sent by the lord. Commander Ji told me to fight my way out of the encirclement and tell you this, sir.”

“Is he trying to make me flee, or to have me go to Wey?” Song Chuyi gave a bitter laugh.

Zhao Yilou also vaguely understood that Song Chuyi would probably have to leave this place immediately. Half a year after their parting, he had been busy fleeing for his life every day, yet there were already many people at her side.

After leaving the inner chamber, Zhao Yilou asked, “You’re leaving?”

“Yes.” Song Chuyi nodded and explained, “I cannot let the people who follow me lose their lives, but leaving will probably not be easy either.”

Zhao Yilou knelt down beside the chessboard and reached out to toy with the pieces on it.

After sitting for a while, Zhao Yilou suddenly raised his voice and said, “Someone come.”

A soldier immediately entered from the doorway, clasped his hands, and said, “Young Master.”

“Go call Chuan Ping,” Zhao Yilou said. This was the first time he had given an order to the people here, yet he was not unfamiliar with it. Six years ago he had still been a noble young master, and the dignity cultivated since childhood was still carved into his blood.

“Yes!” The soldier acknowledged the order and went out.

A moment later, Chuan Ping came hurrying over.

“I want to see Fan,” Zhao Yilou said directly to Chuan Ping, whose breath had not yet steadied, stating his purpose outright.

Chuan Ping was surprised. Song Chuyi’s arrival seemed to have brought Zhao Yilou the courage to face everything. Although his eyes were still full of vigilance, he was willing to take this first step – that was a good thing.

“Good, I will go tell Gongzi Fan right away.” Chuan Ping was very pleased in his heart. Zhao Yilou was clearly relying on him more and more. In the future, even if he were only the close minister of a puppet ruler, it would still be incomparably glorious. He had never had any grand ambitions – to settle down and make a living, and enjoy wealth and honor, that was all.

“What are you seeing Gongzi Fan for?” Song Chuyi asked.

Zhao Yilou ignored her and continued to bury his head in looking at the chess position.

Song Chuyi leaned over, reached out, and poked him. “Are you trying to ask Gongzi Fan to let you leave with me?”

“Who wants to leave with you?” Zhao Yilou said coldly.

“Then you want to ask him to let me go?” Song Chuyi said with a smiling face as she reached out and turned him toward her. “What a contrary young boy.”

Zhao Yilou fiercely slapped her hand away and said through gritted teeth, “Who said it was begging? On what basis would I beg him? Also, don’t call me a young boy.”

“Then you want to order him around?” Song Chuyi said.

Zhao Yilou turned his head away and began teasing White Blade.

Although Zhao Yilou and Longgu Buwang were both hot-tempered, by comparison Zhao Yilou was clearly the type who would not budge no matter what was said. No matter what Song Chuyi said, he might get angry, but he would not immediately strike back.

Zhao Yilou’s resistance showed more clearly in his actions; as for teasing him with words, it had no effect on him at all.

After a moment, Chuan Ping returned. “Young Master, Gongzi Fan asks you to go over.”

Zhao Yilou stood up and walked outward. Song Chuyi grabbed a heavy cloak and tossed it to him. “Wearing one more layer won’t kill you from heat.”

“I’m cool, is that any of your business?” Zhao Yilou said stubbornly, but in his hands he shook out the cloak and draped it over himself.

Song Chuyi could guess that Zhao Yilou was actually going to discuss with Young Master Fan about letting her leave. Even if Zhao Yilou did not go, she had ways to leave; it was just that if he wanted to stay, there were some things he had to face. It would be better to take advantage of her presence to see how far he could go.

She looked at the unfinished chess position on the board and felt in her heart that Zhao Yilou might perhaps be suited to be a ruler.

In a time of chaos, life and death were decided by fate, not by people. Song Chuyi thought somewhat selfishly that if he stood in such a place where all eyes were upon him, she too could always get news of him.

Outside, the sky was gradually darkening.

After waiting for a long time without seeing Zhao Yilou return, Song Chuyi felt slightly uneasy. Could Gongzi Fan be deliberately making things difficult for him?

Just as she was thinking this, the curtain was suddenly flung open with force. Zhao Yilou walked in carrying two large bundles and stuffed them into Song Chuyi’s arms. “Leave. Leave now.”

Song Chuyi put down the bundles and stared at the bruises under his eyes and at the corner of his mouth, feeling her temper rise. “Did Gongzi Fan hit you?”

Chuan Ping followed in looking thoroughly bedraggled. Hearing this, he could not help but sneak a glance at Zhao Yilou and said quietly to Song Chuyi, “It was the young master and Gongzi Fan who got into a fight.”

“Oh ho, Zhao Xiaochong shows his might?” Song Chuyi teased.

She pulled Zhao Yilou to sit down and told Chuan Ping to go fetch some medicine for bruises, then turned and scolded him angrily, “You reckless ox, do you know how serious the consequences are of hitting Gongzi Fan? And that Gongzi Fan is also a bit wrong in the head – he actually fought back against you?”