Ming Yu was held in Hua Yun Jin's arms, unable to move. Ming Yu could only worry.
"Miss Ming Yu, it's cold." As the sky grew darker, Hua Yun Jin began to babble, his body growing hotter and hotter, but Ming Yu had no way to help. Her eyes were red with anxiety. There was no stream nearby, how could she cool Hua Yun Jin down!
"Miss Ming Yu, don't leave me!" Suddenly, Hua Yun Jin's babbling voice reached her ears. It was so clear. Ming Yu couldn't describe what she felt. Even in a high fever and unconsciousness, he still remembered to tell her not to leave him.
Ming Yu's heart ached, and an inexplicable sadness swept over her. If only they weren't enemies! If only he wasn't the enemy who destroyed her country!
Ming Yu's eyes were blurred with tears, and suddenly she heard a faint movement.
Ming Yu was startled. Far away, it seemed to be the footsteps of several people. Ming Yu dared not even breathe. She covered Hua Yun Jin's mouth with her right hand, fearing he might speak and attract them.
She didn't know if these people were friends or foes, and she couldn't risk Hua Yun Jin's life.
"Damn it, we've all been tricked. There was no one in that carriage." One of them cursed.
"We must find him, otherwise it will be difficult to explain to the master when we return," another gruff voice came.
"The master said, as long as we bring the person back, alive or dead."
"When he dies, Hua City will fall into chaos, and then the master can profit..."
"The master should have made a move long ago."
Ming Yu held her breath, listening to their words, her heart growing more anxious. The footsteps were getting closer, and she didn't have much time. She couldn't take Hua Yun Jin and leave. Would Hua Yun Jin really perish here?
Who was the master they spoke of? Who wanted to kill Hua Yun Jin? Many people would benefit if Hua Yun Jin died.
The footsteps grew closer, and the firelight also approached. "Look, what did I find?" a gruff man laughed.
Under the torchlight, Ming Yu and Hua Yun Jin were completely exposed to them.
"The King of Hua and a woman." A middle-aged man laughed, "It really came effortlessly!"
"Now we can report to the master!"
"Beauty, if you behave, I won't kill you..." The gruff man looked at Ming Yu with a smile. Ming Yu was beautiful, and the gruff man's heart stirred with just one glance.
"Who wants you to kill the King of Hua?" Ming Yu forced herself to calm down, thinking of a countermeasure. Hua Yun Jin had already fainted. She could only rely on herself. Although she knew some martial arts, it was impossible to escape with Hua Yun Jin under the noses of these people.
Ming Yu felt a sense of desolation. Would she and Hua Yun Jin die here today?
"Beauty, it's best not to know what you shouldn't know." The gruff man's face turned cold. He reached out and forcibly pulled Ming Yu from Hua Yun Jin's arms.
Without Ming Yu's support, Hua Yun Jin fell to the ground with a thud. His face was flushed, and he babbled continuously, clearly suffering from a cold.
"I hope you have this day too..." The middle-aged man, holding his sword, walked up, the tip of the sword pointing directly at Hua Yun Jin. Ming Yu was held by the gruff man, who was fumbling over her, and she couldn't break free. Ming Yu's eyes welled up with tears of anxiety.
Seeing the sword about to pierce Hua Yun Jin's heart, Ming Yu was shocked and struggled desperately to break free from the gruff man's grasp. "No, don't kill him..."
The middle-aged man gave Ming Yu a sinister smile, and the tip of the sword descended directly. He muttered, "Don't worry, I'll give him a quick death."
When the sword was one centimeter away from Hua Yun Jin, the middle-aged man suddenly stopped.
Several people beside him impatiently urged, "Old Liu, what are you doing? Why aren't you acting?"
But the middle-aged man made no sound. He stood there stiffly, silent.
One of them became anxious and stepped forward, pushing the middle-aged man. The middle-aged man, like a wooden stake, tilted to the left and spurted a mouthful of blood as he fell.
The others immediately became vigilant. "Who's there? Come out..."
A cold wind swept through the forest, and the leaves rustled noisily. The gruff man watched as his companions fell to the ground one by one, spitting blood.
The gruff man panicked and, ignoring Ming Yu, turned to flee. Before he could run far, he fell to the ground with a bang. He breathed his last.
Ming Yu immediately came to her senses, rushed over, and carefully held Hua Yun Jin, whose body was burning hot, in her arms. Ming Yu's tears flowed uncontrollably. Just moments ago, Hua Yun Jin was almost killed.
Swish, swish, a few sounds of leaves rustling, and Ming Yu was astonished to see several people appear before her. Ming Yu held Hua Yun Jin tightly, watching the group warily.
As the people approached, Ming Yu finally saw clearly that one of them was someone she knew, Chang Yu.
"Chang Yu..." Ming Yu's tears of excitement were about to flow, as if she had survived a great disaster.
She had almost died just now, and now she knew she wouldn't die. This drastic change made her unable to accept it entirely.
At this moment, she saw someone following Chang Yu suddenly come to Hua Yun Jin's side, squat down, and check Hua Yun Jin's breathing. She quickly stepped forward and said, "Who are you? What are you doing?"
The person heard her questions, turned around, and said lightly, "Miss Ming Yu, are you well?"
"Your... Your Majesty..." Ming Yu was stunned. She never imagined that this person would be the Empress.
Xue Zi Ning nodded and said, "Hearing that you were missing, I sent people to search for you, and they found Chang Yu, who was also looking for you. The rest, you've seen."
Ming Yu looked at Chang Yu, who nodded, proving that the Empress was not lying.
Ming Yu said, "Your Majesty, this humble one did not mean to."
"I know," Xue Zi Ning nodded. There was a mysterious force manipulating things in the capital, and she hadn't yet identified the owner behind this force.
"Your Majesty, Hua Yun Dan..."
"Don't worry, I didn't kill him," Xue Zi Ning explained.
Ming Yu breathed a sigh of relief and bowed, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
It was truly wonderful that Hua Yun Dan was still alive.
Feng Wu, who was beside Xue Zi Ning, diagnosed Hua Yun Jin and gave him some medicinal soup. He was much better, and by evening, Hua Yun Jin had woken up.
"Your Highness, you are finally awake." Ming Yu finally felt completely relieved.
Hua Yun Jin looked around, and when he saw the woman in the water-and-sky colored long dress, his eyes lit up at that moment.
"Your Majesty..." Hua Yun Jin sat up completely.