"Since that is the case, there is no need for us to pursue certain matters!"
These words were spoken by Meng Qinghua.
The Empress and Grand Tutor Su had a young daughter, still in swaddling clothes. Although the Empress and Grand Tutor Su deserved death and were unforgivable, as a newborn, the infant was blameless. They would not harm a small baby.
"I agree with you!"
The speaker was Ouyang Qinglin.
Meng Qinghua nodded and glanced at Xuan Ling Nu beside him, instructing, "Go find that little girl. After today, the palace is bound to be thrown into great turmoil. Hurry and save that little girl!"
Xuan Ling Nu was among those who had expended the least energy, and she handled matters meticulously. Meng Qinghua was very confident in sending her.
"Alright!"
Xuan Ling Nu agreed and turned to leave. However, after only a few steps, she discovered that one person was missing from the entire dungeon. That person was the second daughter of the Su family!
That woman was truly cunning, having managed to escape from under his nose.
Xuan Ling Nu turned and said, "This is bad, Su Zirong is gone!"
Su Zirong was indeed the second daughter of the Su family. While they were honored guests in the Nan Yi Kingdom, this woman had frequently harmed Gu Qianying and the others. Now, this woman had secretly slipped away while everyone was distracted, proving she wasn't as pure and guileless as she seemed.
Truly a member of the Su family!
Meng Qinghua pondered for a moment, then turned to look at Duan Xifeng, who was silently tending to his wounds beside him.
Duan Xifeng noticed the unusual gazes from everyone and said nothing further. He simply picked up his weapon and walked out silently.
Watching his retreating figure, everyone shook their heads in resignation and sighed.
What a sin!
Su Zirong was infatuated with Duan Xifeng, but Duan Xifeng did not reciprocate her feelings.
In Duan Xifeng's eyes, he only wished to protect his sister and nephew well in this life.
In this life, he owed too much to his sister. The only chance to make amends was to stay by his sister's side and care for them.
Before this emotional entanglement could reach a conclusion, the two were forcibly separated, and Duan Xifeng was secretly imprisoned in the dungeon by the Empress.
Su Zirong, as the daughter of the Su family and an accomplice of Grand Tutor Su, could not possibly not know that Duan Xifeng was imprisoned in the dungeon. Yet, she never even visited him. Instead, she had betrayed him.
If it were Meng Qinghua, he would have likely attacked her twice upon seeing that woman again.
But Duan Xifeng was not that kind of person. Even now, chasing after her was likely out of concern that she might be in danger!
He was old and could no longer understand these young people.
Meanwhile, Xuan Ling Nu stood at the doorway, looking at Meng Qinghua with a puzzled expression and asking, "Do I still need to go?"
Meng Qinghua shook his head and glanced at Xuan Ling Nu. This young girl was not bad, but she was stubborn and couldn't see clearly.
After resolving this matter, everyone turned their attention back to Gu Qianying. Gu Qianying was being held by Su Cheng. Seeing the unconscious Gu Qianying, everyone's eyes turned red.
Everyone sat down cross-legged and began circulating their energy to heal Gu Qianying and expel the poison.
However, no matter what they did, Gu Qianying remained unconscious.
Meanwhile, on the other side, at the cliff edge behind the imperial palace,
Su Zirong, holding the child, looked down at the ten-thousand-foot abyss and then at Duan Xifeng behind her, falling into desperation.
"Give me the child!"
Duan Xifeng extended his hand to her, making a gesture of request.
He only cared about the child. Her life or death was of no concern to him!
"Impossible!"
Su Zirong had completely lost her mind. Standing at the edge of the cliff, holding the child, the cold wind had already disheveled her long hair. Her body was covered in dirt, and there were red marks on her neck, making her look like a terrifying rakshasa.
"Duan Xifeng! This child is my life-saving talisman! Do you know that?"
She cried hysterically. Overnight, she had gone from being the high and mighty second daughter of the Su family to a fugitive. She could not accept this drastic change!
She was the noble second daughter of the Su family and absolutely could not be surpassed by anyone!
She could become someone second only to the Grand Tutor, a person of immense power. How could she be inferior?
She wanted to ascend to the most honored position, she wanted to become the Empress Dowager! Nan Yi Kingdom would still be their Su family's domain!
She clutched the child tightly and looked at Duan Xifeng, who was only two steps away. She shouted, "Why do you have to like Gu Qianying? I love you so much, why can't you see it?"
Duan Xifeng was an insignificant figure. The Empress had long wanted to kill him. It was she who had pleaded bitterly every night to spare his life, allowing him to live until now.
"Duan Xifeng, let's be together, shall we? We can raise this child together, and we'll put her on the throne. That way, you'll be the Supreme Emperor, and I'll be the Empress Dowager. We will be the rightful rulers of this country!"
Su Zirong was now completely deranged, her mind filled with dreams of becoming Empress Dowager and ruling from behind the curtain.
"Impossible! Give me the child, and I'll take you back to the Su family and guarantee your safety!"
Ultimately, Duan Xifeng's heart softened. He made this promise, hoping the woman before him would change her mind. The first time he saw her, she was a relatively innocent and naive young girl. He had watched her slowly transform into the person she was now. To say he felt no pain would be a lie.
"Alright! Come here, and I'll give you the child. I have no strength left, and I might drop the child!"
Duan Xifeng thought about it again, sighed, and walked up to Su Zirong.
To his surprise, as soon as he approached her, Su Zirong's eyes changed. She pulled out a hairpin and attempted to stab Duan Xifeng.
But Duan Xifeng was a martial artist. Even in his current exhausted state, he was not someone like Su Zirong, a woman who did not practice martial arts, could successfully ambush.
Duan Xifeng dodged her attack with a swift movement.
However, he did not expect that his sidestep to avoid her would cause Su Zirong to slip.
In a critical moment, Su Zirong stepped on a moss-covered stone, losing her balance. The child was thrown out, but Duan Xifeng caught her steadily.
Just as Duan Xifeng caught the little princess and turned around, he saw Su Zirong sliding down the cliff.
He quickly rushed over, wanting to grab her, but only managed to catch a corner of her clothing.
Watching her fall into the abyss, Duan Xifeng's feelings were complex, unsure whether to be happy or sad.
He held the little princess and stood on the cliff for a while. Only when the child began to cry did he snap back to reality and prepare to turn back. He stepped on something hard and looked down to see the hairpin Su Zirong had used to try and kill him.
He picked up the hairpin left on the ground. It was a weapon just moments ago, but now it could only serve as a relic!
Although Su Zirong was wicked, she was very careful and meticulous with the child. The little princess was also easy to pacify, easily soothing even someone like Duan Xifeng.
However, the disappearance of a living person before his eyes was still something he found difficult to accept.