Huan Ci tightly wrapped himself in the quilt and sat on the bed, looking boredly at A Yao who was busy underground.
"Why does the girl keep looking at me?" After noticing her gaze, Ayao asked with a pout.
"I'm just bored. Where are the reinforcements now?"
"It's only been five days, and it happened to be snowing heavily. How could it be so fast?"
Huan Ci nodded and then thought of something else.
"How come our people haven't arrived yet?"
Time was in a hurry at that time, so she set off first, followed by more than 20 people. Now after waiting for several days, there is no news.
"Perhaps we were delayed on the road. Please wait two more days." Ayao added some charcoal to the stove, "Girl, didn't Third Master Fu say anything when he saw you?"
Huan Ci was stunned: "It's better to pretend not to know him, but it will save a lot of trouble."
"But the girl and him -" Ayao seemed to be hesitant, and sat down beside the bed, saying softly, "What if someone takes advantage of me?"
Huan Ci smiled self-deprecatingly: "As long as we don't tell anyone, no one else will know."
After that, she kicked the quilt casually and went to sleep.
Ayao glanced at Huan Ci who was already lying down, sighed helplessly, and went to sleep on the bed outside.
After nightfall, the freezing north wind howled in the capital, making lights everywhere jingle.
In this room, Huan Ci was sleeping drowsily when he suddenly heard several soft calls.
"Who?" She sat up from the bed and looked at the figure outside the door.
"Princess, someone from the concierge sent a message that a man covered in blood is looking for you." The maid in the inn said softly outside.
Huan Ci woke up instantly, jumped out of bed and opened the door.
"Where is the person now?"
"The concierge is right there. He is a man in his thirties."
She became more and more confused, put on a cloak and hurried over.
The gatehouse was now brightly lit, and several boys were coming in and out carrying water.
Huan Ci quickly walked in and immediately saw the man leaning on the kang.
The man was tall and dark-skinned, and he looked familiar. As soon as he saw Huan Ci, he almost threw himself over, squatted on the ground and started sobbing.
"Princess, my brothers are all gone, and I was the only one left to escape. I finally found you."
"What did you say?" Huan Ci frowned, "What happened?"
Ayao and Ah Lian rushed over at some point. As soon as they saw the man, they rushed towards him: "Cousin, what's wrong with you?"
The man vomited two mouthfuls of blood and said intermittently: "We were ambushed in Kihara outside the city, and everyone died. They didn't find that I was still alive. I waited for those people to leave and then hurried into the city to report the news."
"Damn it." Huan Ci almost gritted his teeth, "Ayao, go ask the doctor to look at it, I want to leave the city."
"Girl." Ayao grabbed Huan Ci, "No, have you forgotten?"
"He's dying. It's important to call the doctor first." Huan Ci pushed A Yao out of the door, turned around and walked in the direction of the stable.
"I'm with you." Ah Lian looked at her solemnly.
Huan Ci nodded and told the people at the post station to report to the official immediately.
It is really abominable that there are people at the feet of the Emperor who commit crimes without scruples.
It is really strange that those twenty people who were carefully selected by my father died like this.
If she went now, she might still be able to find some clues. By tomorrow morning, the howling wind might destroy all the useful evidence.
The last time she was attacked, Huan Ci thought it was Zong Zhengyuan who did it deliberately. But what about this time? For what purpose would others kill her people?
After galloping all the way, Huan Ci finally rushed out of the city before the city gate closed and quickly headed to nearby Muyuan.
The place is located in a remote area, with heavy snow still covering the ground, and there are no traces of anyone else's presence on the snow.
Huan Ci and Ah Lian walked cautiously until the pungent smell filled her breath.
She quickly turned over and dismounted, looking at the horrific scene not far away in shock.
There were corpses scattered everywhere, many of them unrecognizable.
The blood seeping into the snow and flowing everywhere showed the cruelty and viciousness of the perpetrators. They seemed to regard this place as a carnival place.
Tears flowed uncontrollably, and Huan Ci couldn't bear it any longer, holding on to the tree trunk next to him and retching.
Ah Lian was also in shock for a long time, and the hand holding Ma Jiang was trembling slightly.
"Catch her, don't let her escape."
A sudden shout startled her.
Huan Ci looked up, but was blinded by the dazzling firelight.
A group of light cavalry quickly surrounded her.
"Princess, I've been offended. I have been ordered to take you back." The leader took a step forward and said.
Huan Ci sneered in his heart and got on his horse with a gloomy expression: "Where are we going? You lead the way."
"Yes." The man didn't flinch at all.
After walking with great fanfare for a long time, the group finally stopped at the gate of the palace.
Huan Ci looked coldly at the guard at the door.
She guessed correctly, these people were sent by Zong Zhengyuan.
After a while, she was escorted to Lingwu Hall.
As soon as she reached the bottom of the steps, the eunuch named Wei Liao walked up to her.
He suddenly kicked Huan Ci hard on the knee. Huan Ci was defenseless and fell to his knees in embarrassment.
"The princess seems to have forgotten what she said." Zong Zhengyuan's gloomy voice suddenly came from the stairs.
Huan Ci looked up and saw the emperor standing outside the palace door with his hands behind his hands, and Fu Shen was standing not far from him, looking at her calmly.
"The man I brought with me died tragically outside the city. I was so frightened that I acted impulsively. Please forgive me."
Huan Ci tried his best to keep his tone calm, but he still couldn't hide the anger in his heart.
Zong Zhengyuan snorted coldly: "This is the capital, not Bingzhou, and there is no room for your lawlessness."
Huan Ci almost laughed and glared at Zong Zhengyuan fiercely.
The other party stared at her for a long time without evading, and those captivating eyes made Huan Ci feel ashamed.
"Huan Ci, you went out of the city secretly to deceive me, and rode your horse in the street to disturb the people. Do you know your crime?"
"My daughter is willing to be punished." Huan Ci responded softly, "It's just that one of my men was assassinated. Please let your majesty investigate clearly and give them justice."
"This matter is not difficult." Zong Zhengyuan looked at her condescendingly, "This case will be handed over to Dali Temple for trial. I believe they will give you an explanation soon."
Almost subconsciously, Huan Ci shifted his gaze to Fu Shen. The man was staring at her momentarily, with an indescribable depth in his eyes.
"I will punish you to kneel here for two hours, are you willing?"
Huan Ci glanced at the thin clothes on his body, thought to himself that it was bad luck, and replied softly: "Wei Chen has received the order."
Zong Zhengyuan shook his sleeves with satisfaction and returned to the palace with his hands behind his hands.
After sighing almost inaudibly, Huan Ci knelt straight, and the gaze that never averted her eyes made her scalp tingle.
She looked at the man with ferocious eyes, but saw the man staring at her sadly under the moonlight.