"Just what?" Jiang Xiuyi stared intently at Feng Wusheng, afraid she would be left behind and he would leave alone.
"It's that you have to tell me why you are here? Were you instructed by someone?" Feng Wu said coldly.
Jiang Xiuyi's gaze faltered, and a hint of panic appeared in her expression. "Lord Feng Wu, what are you talking about? This commoner does not understand. If you don't want to save this commoner, you can leave now, there's no need to threaten me."
"Threaten? Do I need to? Jiang Xiuyi, I'm telling you, don't forget that Her Highness the Princess is about to enter the Duke Ningguo's mansion. If anything happens to Her Highness, do you think the Duke Ningguo's mansion will let you in!"
Jiang Xiuyi trembled all over and instinctively took a step back. "You... what are you talking about? I... I don't understand?"
"You don't need to understand. I'm just warning you not to play any tricks." After saying that, Feng Wu spurred his horse and left.
Jiang Xiuyi watched Feng Wu's receding back, a hint of ferocity flashing in her eyes.
Xue Xingyue noticed that the black-clothed figures were getting closer and closer to her and her imperial brother's horses. She fiercely whipped her horse, hoping it would run faster. Behind her, Xue Xingchen looked at Xue Xingyue's back, his eyes slightly moist.
This was Xingyue, his sister, who wouldn't abandon him even in a life-or-death situation.
However, he knew these people were well-prepared and their target was him. He absolutely could not let Xingyue lose her life here.
"Xingyue..."
"Imperial Brother, hold on a little longer, we are almost at the camp."
"Xingyue, the tiger tally is behind a painting of fine horses in my imperial study. Get it, and you will still command an army of a hundred thousand. Do you remember that?"
"Imperial Brother, don't tell me this now, we are almost..."
"Xingyue, I ask you, do you remember?" Xue Xingchen asked word by word.
Xue Xingyue hadn't noticed anything unusual before, but now she seemed to understand. She quickly asked, "Imperial Brother, why are you suddenly telling me these things?"
"Xingyue, if you don't like Meng Jiangming, then don't marry him. My Xingyue is free, noble..."
"Imperial Brother, what's wrong with you?" Xue Xingyue realized her imperial brother seemed a bit abnormal.
"Xingyue... live well..."
The horse suddenly became lighter. Xue Xingyue turned around and saw Xue Xingchen fall to the ground. "Imperial Brother..."
She leaped off the horse and rushed to Xue Xingchen's side, helping him up. She felt a warm touch on her hand and pulled it away to find it was blood. She was greatly alarmed and quickly checked Xue Xingchen's body, only to discover that Xue Xingchen had been stabbed in the back.
"Imperial Brother, why didn't you tell me you were wounded?" Thinking of how fast the horse had been running, she realized Xue Xingchen's injury would be even more serious.
Thinking of this, she felt deeply ashamed. She quickly took out the hemostatic powder from her waist. Fortunately, it was a habit she had developed in Zhen Wuguan to always carry hemostatic powder when traveling, and it had proven useful now.
"Imperial Brother, bear with it..." she said, pouring the hemostatic powder onto her imperial brother's wound.
Xue Xiao stopped her hand and looked at her, saying, "It's too late. You... hurry and go..."
"Imperial Brother, do you think I would abandon you and leave alone?" Xue Xingyue said, sprinkling the hemostatic powder on the wound.
Suddenly, a rustling sound was heard. Xue Xingyue looked up and saw dozens of black-clothed figures approaching them and Xue Xingchen in the distance.
She frowned, her hand resting on her sword. Suddenly, she couldn't move. She looked at Xue Xingchen in surprise as he slowly stood up. He looked at her with gentle eyes and smiled, saying, "Xingyue, you've always protected me, your imperial brother. Now, let me protect you."
After speaking, Xue Xingchen hugged her and flew up, hiding her in a tree. "Xingyue, live well..."
She shook her head, but she could do nothing. She could only watch helplessly as he drew her sword and leaped down from the tree.
Dozens of black-clothed figures below surrounded Xue Xingchen. "Xue Xingchen, you are already seriously injured. Surrender, and perhaps I can give you a quick end."
Xue Xingchen heard this, glanced at the black-clothed figures, and said coldly, "I never surrender without a fight."
Upon hearing this, the black-clothed figures said coldly, "In that case, don't blame us for being merciless."
Imperial Brother... Imperial Brother...
Xue Xingyue bit her lower lip tightly, watching Xue Xingchen gradually fall into a disadvantage under the attack of the black-clothed figures.
And she was powerless to do anything.
"Your Highness, are you enjoying the scenery here?" a deep voice sounded.
Xue Xingyue trembled all over. She turned her head to look at the person who had arrived. This person was none other than Ji Wuran, the young marquis of Marquis Ji'an's estate.
Xue Xingyue looked at him, her eyes flickering.
Ji Wuran saw this and asked, "Your Highness, are you asking me to release your acupoint?"
Xue Xingyue nodded.
"But I saved Your Highness. Are there any benefits?" Ji Wuran asked indifferently.
Xue Xingyue was so angry she almost spat out a mouthful of blood. At this moment, he was still talking about benefits with her?
Seeing Xue Xingyue glare at him fiercely, Ji Wuran crossed his hands behind his head and said indifferently, "If there are no benefits, shall we and Your Highness quietly watch His Majesty's valiant display?"
Xue Xingyue looked at him coldly. If looks could kill, she would have killed him countless times by now.
"What, Your Highness is very angry?" Ji Wuran asked.
Xue Xingyue shook her head. The priority now was to save her imperial brother. She blinked at Ji Wuran, her eyes filled with pleading.
Ji Wuran was slightly stunned. He pursed his lips tightly and said, "If I help Your Highness, will Your Highness remember that you owe me a favor?"
Xue Xingyue quickly nodded.
Ji Wuran looked at her and said word by word, "Your Highness, a king's word is his bond."
Xue Xingyue nodded.
Ji Wuran made his move and touched her. She immediately felt that she could move her whole body. She leaped down but found that the black-clothed figures had already been dealt with.
Feng Wu saw her and stepped forward, saying, "Your Highness, the assassins have been subdued."
"Where is Imperial Brother?" Xue Xingyue was most concerned about Xue Xingchen.
"Your Highness, please rest assured, your subordinate has already sent people to escort His Majesty back for treatment."
Xue Xingyue breathed a sigh of relief. She stepped forward and patted Feng Wu's shoulder, saying, "Feng Wu, it's thanks to your timely arrival this time."
Feng Wu shook his head and knelt on one knee. "Your Highness, it is my subordinate's dereliction of duty. If it weren't for young Marquis Ji's guidance, my subordinate would not have arrived in time. I beg Your Highness to punish me!"
Xue Xingyue was startled. She looked at Feng Wu and asked, "Was it Ji Wuran who showed the way?"
Feng Wu nodded. "Yes, thanks to young Marquis Ji."
Xue Xingyue's brow furrowed slightly. She looked up at the tree, but there was no one there anymore.
"Your Highness, what are you looking at?" Feng Wu asked.
"Nothing, let's hurry back!" Xue Xingyue said.
Upon returning to the camp, Xue Xingyue inquired about Xue Xingchen's condition from the imperial physician. Fortunately, the sword Xue Xingchen was stabbed with was not poisoned, and he would recover after a few days of rest.
With the assassination attempt, the hunt was out of the question, and they returned to the palace the next day.