"Return to Xiliang..."
Murong Jinyun repeated, her face filled with shock. She immediately sensed something was wrong. "Baili Xi, what exactly do you want to do? Returning to Xiliang now, are you crazy? With our wedding day so close, if I return to Xiliang with you, won't Xiliang be openly breaking the treaty? The diplomatic relations between the two countries will be strained, and if war breaks out, do you know how many common people will lose their lives!"
The current Baili Xi was too unfamiliar, so unfamiliar it was frightening. She no longer recognized him at all.
For his own selfish desires, he could disregard the lives and deaths of thousands upon thousands of Xiliang's people.
"Princess can rest assured. After returning to Xiliang, as long as the Princess does not show herself, we can blame Dongchu and accuse them of losing the Princess. At that time, Xiliang will still be in the advantageous position, and Dongchu will be in the wrong!"
Baili Xi said hysterically. He had already planned everything. This war was on the verge of breaking out. The humiliation his Baili family had suffered for years could finally be repaid with interest. This time, he was determined to kill Ling Mohan and annihilate Dongchu.
Murong Jinyun was terrified by his terrifying plan. Her legs weakened, and she took a step back, finally collapsing powerlessly onto the chair.
"You are truly insane... you're insane..."
"Princess, everything I do is for you, for the entirety of Xiliang. Princess, you only need to stay here peacefully and return to Xiliang with me."
As Baili Xi finished speaking, he got up and went out, ordering the guards waiting outside to keep a strict watch and not allow Murong Jinyun to escape.
"General, are you sure about taking the Princess back with us? Your subordinate is worried that His Majesty will blame you for making such a decision without authorization."
"No... our Majesty absolutely will not. As long as the Princess returns to the court, His Majesty will be placed in a precarious position and can only act according to my method."
He understood His Majesty too well. As long as the Princess was back in the capital, His Majesty would surely be in a state of panic, worrying about an invasion from Dongchu. Moreover, Xiliang had relied on the Baili family for many years, so naturally, he would act according to his will.
"Prepare the carriage. Tonight, send a troop to feign an attack and lure them away. I will then take the Princess and leave."
"Yes, General."
Baili Xi stood with his hands behind his back, a triumphant smile on his lips. As long as they returned to Xiliang, everything would be under his control.
...
"Young General, Baili Xi has sent people to prepare two carriages."
Ling Mohan played with the dagger in his hand, rotating his wrist. With a slight exertion, the dagger flew out, skimming past Gu Beichen's eyes and embedding itself firmly in the doorframe.
"Are you crazy!"
Watching the dagger fly past his eyes, missing him by a mere inch, his life would have been gone. Gu Beichen strongly suspected that Ling Mohan had done it on purpose.
"I was momentarily unobservant and didn't see Lord Gu was still here."
"You..."
Gu Beichen almost spat out a mouthful of blood. He didn't believe that with him, a living person, standing there, Ling Mohan could not have seen him.
"Go and lead your men to monitor Baili Xi. I suspect he will transfer Murong Jinyun tonight."
"Transfer..."
Gu Beichen was slightly stunned, then quickly said, "Listening to you, you knew all along that Murong Jinyun was taken by Baili Xi. Since you knew, why didn't you say so earlier? Why did you have to watch me worry like this!"
This was clearly toying with him. Seeing him worry so much, Ling Mohan must have been laughing gleefully inside.
"I only just found out."
He had indeed just found out, but Gu Beichen did not believe Ling Mohan's words.
"Nonsense, you did it on purpose!"
"Believe it or not. If you don't go now, Baili Xi will really leave, and then you won't be able to catch up."
Delaying for even a minute meant letting Baili Xi escape. Once he crossed the border of Dongchu and entered Xiliang territory, he would truly be impossible to retrieve.
Following that, a figure flashed before their eyes, and Gu Beichen was nowhere to be seen.
He really ran fast. It was rare to see Gu Beichen in such a flustered state.
"Let him go. Can Gu Beichen be Baili Xi's opponent? What if he gets beaten so badly that he loses his life?"
Feng Jin said with a hint of worry. Although he had never met Baili Xi, being able to fight Ling Mohan meant his strength was not to be underestimated.
With Gu Beichen's flashy but ineffective moves, all show and no substance, how could he possibly be Baili Xi's match?
If he let him chase Baili Xi, it might be a case of 'no return,' which would be a huge embarrassment.
"Don't worry, I've sent Lu Shi to follow along."
If he had truly let Gu Beichen go alone, he would not have been at ease. He had already arranged for Lu Shi to accompany him.
"Aren't you going?"
Feng Jin's gaze fell on Ling Mohan, always feeling that Ling Mohan's reaction was too calm, showing no signs of urgency.
"No need."
The development of events was all within his grasp. Baili Xi could not possibly leave Dongchu. The reason he had spoken so gravely was simply to see how much Gu Beichen valued Murong Jinyun.
"Why do I feel like your smile is up to no good?"
The more she looked, the more she felt Ling Mohan's smile was too sinister, as if he was plotting something.
The man remained silent, picked up his teacup, and took a gentle sip, exuding an air of strategizing.
...
By the time Gu Beichen arrived, it was already deserted. In the empty courtyard, there was not a single soul.
"Where are they?"
"They've all left."
Lu Shi replied indifferently. It had been quite some time since everyone had left, and this Lord Gu had only just leisurely returned.
"Where did they go? Hurry up and chase them!"
Gu Beichen was clearly anxious, even his tone of voice had involuntarily become louder.
"Let's go, Lord Gu. If you delay any longer, we really won't be able to catch up."
Lu Shi said helplessly. Why did all these unlucky things fall upon him? The Young General was really using him like a mule; he would eventually be worked to death.
Inside the carriage, Murong Jinyun was bound tightly. After struggling a few times, the ropes on her body showed no sign of loosening.
"Baili Xi... Baili Xi, let me go... let go!"
Knowing that Baili Xi was just outside, Murong Jinyun shouted loudly.
Indeed, after a moment, Baili Xi's figure appeared before her. "Princess, any words can be spoken after we return to Xiliang."
Xiliang... It seemed Baili Xi was truly going to take her back to Xiliang. Had Gu Beichen and the others not received the news yet? Why hadn't they caught up after such a long time? If it were any later, she would truly be returning to Xiliang.
"Where are we now?"