NOVEL NEXT chapter 29
Chapter 29: Danger (1)
They both remembered the way back clearly. Worried that their conversation might be overheard, Xia Yuxiao had already stationed other guards in the imperial garden along the path to the pavilion, rather than having them directly by her side.
The two of them walked in silence. Or rather, from Xia Yuxiao’s perspective, there was nothing left to say to Qin Ji. From her point of view, regardless of Qin Ji’s motives, the fact that he now threatened her position was undeniable. And in Qin Ji’s eyes, there was already a sad barrier between him and Xia Yuxiao.
This barrier was called power.
As long as he held power, Xia Yuxiao would oppose him. But would Qin Ji give up his current power?
Laughable, he wouldn’t dare.
Unless Qin Ji was crazy, he wouldn’t give up his power and the faction his father had built. These were the very things that caused the emperor to distrust him, but they were also what kept him and his sister safe.
Having read countless historical classics and watched numerous historical films and TV dramas, Qin Ji knew that emperors were almost always extremely calm and suspicious. They could even force their own flesh and blood to death over a suspicion, let alone an outsider like Qin Ji. Who knew if the emperor would go back on her word? If he gave up his military power and faction, the emperor might kill him immediately.
This wasn’t a game where you could reload a save if you died. This was reality, a one-life game, and he couldn’t afford to mess around.
Thinking of this, Qin Ji looked at the emperor walking ahead of him and shook his head.
Suddenly, he wrinkled his nose. Amidst the fresh scent of the forest, he seemed to sense something unusual.
“Your Majesty,” he suddenly grabbed the emperor’s sleeve. If this action had taken place in the court, it would have drawn the angry glares of countless old ministers. “May I ask, do they kill animals in the imperial garden?”
“???” Xia Yuxiao looked at Qin Ji with eyes as if she was looking at a lunatic. “What do you think? Grand Marshal Qin, your familiarity with the palace is not much less than mine. You should know that if it’s about killing animals, the imperial kitchen has a designated place. If it’s for sacrificial animals, the Ministry of Rites is responsible for the slaughter. Of course, if it’s about killing people… they are directly taken out of the palace. The Imperial Garden is my place to relax and unwind; nothing bad will ever happen here.”
“I understand.”
Qin Ji smiled and nodded, then took a deep breath, grabbed Xia Yuxiao’s sleeve, and with his other hand, drew his sword from his waist!
“!?”
A flash of panic and anger crossed Xia Yuxiao’s eyes. She hurriedly raised her sleeve, trying to break free, but Qin Ji’s hand was like an eagle’s claw, gripping her tightly without a single movement. In this scenario, Xia Yuxiao’s mind raced, and in an instant, she remembered how one of her ancestors had died—suddenly grabbed by an assassin, who drew a sword and stabbed him to death.
Damn it! The little brat from the Qin family! I still had a sliver of hope for you!
Her strength suddenly increased significantly, and the long sleeve, along with half of her clothes, made a tearing sound. Half of her outer garment was torn off, and she hurriedly broke free from Qin Ji’s grasp, trying to escape.
However, Qin Ji was faster. Just as she took less than two steps, Qin Ji had already pounced on her, pinning her to the ground covered with leaves.
It wasn’t until she was pinned down by this man that Xia Yuxiao finally understood what kind of solid body lay beneath the grand and imposing official robe of the empire’s Grand Marshal. She felt as if she had been knocked down by a giant bear. This man exuded a heat that was almost scorching, and his strength was immense. No matter how much she struggled with all her might, she couldn’t move him an inch.
A pair of large hands covered her mouth, and she could no longer make any sound.
It’s over. I never expected he would really tear off the mask… I shouldn’t have sent the guards away.
Father’s last wish… the teachings of the Xia family’s ancestors, now cannot be fulfilled.
“Please don’t make a sound, Your Majesty.”
Suddenly, Qin Ji’s voice came from behind. It was very soft but very clear. This voice made Xia Yuxiao calm down a bit. She then realized that Qin Ji’s sword had not yet touched her neck. If he wanted to kill her, using the sword would naturally be the simplest and quickest way.
Instinctively, she nodded slightly. Seemingly noticing Xia Yuxiao’s movement, Qin Ji slowly released his hand.
A brief silence followed, and then Xia Yuxiao also realized the problem.
Footsteps.
There were many fallen leaves in the Imperial Garden. These leaves should have been cleaned up daily, but Xia Yuxiao liked the natural feeling of the ground being covered with leaves, so they were rarely cleaned.
At this moment, the rustling sound of someone stepping on the leaves reached Xia Yuxiao’s ears.
In terms of combat, she was indeed no match for Qin Ji, but she had received some guidance from masters since childhood, so she was somewhat stronger than ordinary practitioners. Such subtle sounds could not escape her ears.
“There is a smell of blood, Your Majesty,” Qin Ji whispered in her ear. “You may not have smelled it. Forgive me for being blunt, Your Majesty, but the guards you brought may already be dead—next time, if you want to be safer, I advise you to bring a couple of the palace’s experts with you.”
“Which direction?”
She could hear the sound, but such subtle sounds made it difficult to determine the direction.
“All directions.”
Qin Ji said, casting his gaze not far away.
That was where they had come from, and at this moment, the soldiers guarding there were nowhere to be seen, undoubtedly having met with misfortune.
“Your Majesty, you know where the gate of the Imperial Garden is, right?”
“I know.”
The Imperial Garden was where she had played since childhood; she knew exactly where the gate was.
“If something happens in a moment, I will tell you to run, and you just need to head towards the gate…”
Qin Ji hadn’t finished speaking when his expression suddenly changed:
“Run!”
Although he hadn’t finished his instructions, even a fool would understand his meaning at this moment. Xia Yuxiao quickly jumped out of his arms and dashed towards the door.
At this moment, a small figure descended from above Qin Ji, and an iron spike in his hand fell with the momentum!
Qin Ji reflexively raised his arm, and the iron spike pierced through his spiritual energy defense, directly through his forearm.
Damn, it really hurts.