Chapter 347: Chapter 337: Adventure
Among everyone in Jiaozhou City, Xie Xun was the most idle and seemingly the most purposeless. After Lin Heli accompanied him around the city, Xie Xun also strolled the streets on his own several times. The State Mansion had people keeping an eye on him the entire time but never saw him contact anyone. In reality, even if he had, they weren’t particularly worried. Xie Xun didn’t leave the city, after all. When Lin Heli received this information, he first drafted a letter and had someone deliver it back to the Capital City. Sannan had inexplicably sent delegates to discuss a mutual trade agreement. Lin Heli suspected that Ting Feng might have sent someone to Sannan to press them to the table.
After sunset, Xie Xun came to find Lin Heli. Just as Lin Heli finished sealing his letter to be sent off, he looked up to see Xie Xun standing there with his longsword already placed across his neck. "Cousin, forgive me, but you must take a trip with me."
"Zhixu?" Lin Heli was genuinely shocked. His gaze dropped to the icy tip of the blade pressed against his neck, his eyes flashing with rare confusion. When he looked back at Xie Xun, it was as though he was staring at a madman. "What are you doing?"
Fengyu had passed the Soul Suppressing Pearl to Xie Xun before midnight and delivered him key intelligence. Upon learning that Xie Jue was trapped in Zhongzhou, Xie Xun became anxious and agitated. He had no idea why his Second Brother had gone to Zhongzhou in the first place. Desperation drove him into a reckless attempt to rescue him.
The only one who could save his Second Brother was his cousin!
When Xie Xun dragged Lin Heli outside, both Xue Yu and Lin Heli’s Shadow Guards froze in utter shock. Their scalps tingled as six Shadow Guards descended from the half-darkened skies like dumplings dropped into a pot, blocking their path in the front courtyard.
Xue Yu yelled, "My lord, you must not!"
"Your Highness, calm down, take a deep breath. Let’s settle this peacefully. You are cousins, after all."
"If you kill Lord Lin, you won’t even make it out of Jiaozhou alive. Put down the sword, and we can talk this out."
...
The staff shouted in discord. If Lin Heli were to die in Jiaozhou, the city would become the target of universal condemnation. The court would certainly not spare Jiaozhou—let alone the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry, which had been eyeing the city hungrily.
Oddly enough, the calmest person was Lin Heli himself. None of them had foreseen Xie Xun turning on him. Xie Xun’s main purpose in coming to Jiaozhou had originally been to negotiate peace. He had always treated Lin Heli with the utmost respect and decorum, never stepping out of line. Even the Shadow Guards felt at ease leaving the two cousins alone together, and the State Mansion had deemed surveillance unnecessary.
"Stand aside. Open the North City Gate. I’m taking my cousin out of the city."
"No one is allowed to comply!" Lin Heli’s voice was sharp and commanding. He seemed to guess Xie Xun’s intentions and turned to his Shadow Guards. "Do it. That’s an order!"
The six Shadow Guards raised their blades and stepped forward. But before they could act, Xie Xun’s longsword tilted, slicing into Lin Heli’s neck, drawing blood that spilled in torrents. "If you really want to fight, I can still escape unscathed. But it’ll be a different story for my cousin. Do you intend to take his corpse back and report to the Capital?"
The Shadow Guards exchanged uneasy glances. Meanwhile, the State Mansion staff flitted about in a panic, like ants on a hot pan. No one wanted to see the two cousins fall out irreparably.
"Attack!" Lin Heli shouted firmly. "He doesn’t dare to kill me."
"Oh, don’t be so sure about that... cousin!"
Under the moonlight, Xie Xun’s face was cold and unyielding. "My Second Brother and I have already rebelled against Yanyang. We are enemies now. I couldn’t care less about so-called ’blood ties.’ You are nothing more than a stumbling block on my path to seizing the world. Killing you would be as trivial as squashing an ant. Go on, try me!"
Beads of blood slid down the icy blade. Xie Xun’s icy gaze fixed on Lin Heli’s Shadow Guards. Suddenly, Lin Heli leaned his neck further against the blade. "Is that so? Then do it and see!"
Xie Xun had not expected him to be so fearless, so resolute in the face of death. His heartbeat pounded madly as his hand holding the sword wavered slightly. In the next moment, his palm struck Lin Heli on the neck, knocking him unconscious on the spot. He scolded himself inwardly—concern had indeed clouded his judgment. He should have knocked his cousin out long ago.
How could he have allowed a civil official to get a word in edgewise?!
After rendering Lin Heli unconscious, Xie Xun turned to the Shadow Guards and said in a low voice, "I will take my cousin out of the city. If you stand aside, he might make it home safely. If you insist on stopping me... all I can do is make sure the corpse you carry back is his."
"Young Marquis, please reconsider." One of the Shadow Guards spoke up. "Our master never intended to threaten your life. He’s simply fulfilling his duty."
"Spare me the words," Xie Xun replied coldly. "I have no desire to harm your master either. I’ve already lost one brother; I don’t want to become the one to send another to his grave. Step aside, and nothing will happen. But if you stop me, all bets are off."
His tone was indifferent, heavy with menace, and not a trace of jest. The Shadow Guards glanced at one another, reluctant but ultimately yielding. They stood aside as Xie Xun ordered someone to bring Zhuifeng. The North City Gate was unlocked.
Lin Heli, unconscious in Xie Xun’s arms, left Xue Yu with no choice but to comply. Mounted on Zhuifeng, Xie Xun carried Lin Heli through the North City Gate. Xue Yu and the Shadow Guards followed in a tense procession all the way to the gate.
Turning to glance back at Lin Heli’s Shadow Guards, Xie Xun said blandly, "Wait for me in Zhongzhou."
With that, he and Lin Heli left the city.
Everything had unfolded so quickly. Lin Heli, unsuspecting and unguarded against Xie Xun, was thus delivered into the hands of the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry. Fengyu, upon receiving the news, had been waiting in the barracks, anticipating their arrival.
Nuanyang delivered word that the city gate had been opened. Fengyu hurried out, and by the time she arrived, Xie Xun had already brought Lin Heli to the camp.
"Zhixu... what is this..." Fengyu was stunned. Why had Xie Xun taken Lin Heli hostage and fled the city?
"Call for a military physician to tend to my cousin’s injuries. Assemble the troops—we’re heading to Zhongzhou!"
"Yes!"
Fengyu’s heart raced as if she were teetering on the edge of a cliff. What was Zhixu planning to do? They had come to Jiaozhou for peaceful negotiations. How had things escalated to this? How could they still pursue diplomacy after this?
"Don’t worry!" Xie Xun pulled Fengyu into his arms, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I must save my Second Brother."
Fengyu hesitated, unable to voice her concerns. She could sense clearly that Xie Xun had lost his composure. Second Young Master’s entrapment in Zhongzhou had indeed caused him to act recklessly.
"Alright!"
No matter what he decided, Fengyu was ready to stand by him unconditionally.
"Let’s go to Zhongzhou and rescue Second Brother."
The Ningzhou Iron Cavalry set out, maneuvering around Bei River and taking the land route to Zhongzhou. Before departure, Xie Xun sent a concise letter to General Chen Ming in Zhongzhou: "Lin Heli is in my hands. If any harm befalls my Second Brother, I will bury Lin Heli alongside him. You’d better act wisely." The letter was signed, "Prince Qin, Xie Xun."
The Ningzhou Iron Cavalry pressed into a forced march with only one carriage in tow. Xie Xun, unwilling to leave Fengyu and Lin Heli alone in the compartment, chose to accompany them. Lin Heli’s neck wound had been treated—it wasn’t severe, merely superficial. His neck was now wrapped in white gauze, faint traces of blood visible.
Fengyu curiously observed this legendary scholar said to be unparalleled in talent.
The Lin Family truly had exceptional looks. Even Elder Lin, despite approaching seventy, was considered one of the most handsome elders of his age—refined and imposing, with an air steeped in scholarly charm. Perhaps Fengyu’s gaze was too direct, for Xie Xun raised his hand to cover her eyes. "No staring."
Fengyu: "..."
She caught his wrist, lifted his hand to her lips, and kissed it lightly. Sneaking another glance at Lin Heli, who remained unconscious, she teased, "You’re the most handsome."
"I heard you once said Second Brother was the most handsome?"
"Who said that?" Fengyu blinked innocently. "Qiuxiang did."
Xie Xun chuckled despite himself. Fengyu placed another kiss on the back of his hand and said softly, "Don’t worry. Second Brother will be fine."
"Ting Feng will definitely be fine!" Lin Heli’s weak voice suddenly interjected. Perhaps because of his neck injury, his voice was soft. Fengyu hadn’t expected him to wake so quickly and loosened her hold on Xie Xun’s hand slightly.
Lin Heli gingerly touched his neck, astonished by how things had unfolded. He hadn’t expected Xie Xun to bring the Third Miss along on this venture, but he didn’t mind. Fengyu’s reputation had already spread throughout the Capital City. Court officials, both civil and military, didn’t take her seriously. They assumed she was a placeholder because Xie Jue couldn’t leave Ningzhou and had sent Fengyu to the West Continent instead. Everyone credited her achievements—quashing the West Continent Salt Iron Department and overseeing agricultural reforms—to Xie Jue, doubting a young girl of her age could accomplish such feats.
Lin Heli had never met Fengyu before and couldn’t understand her beyond the intelligence reports, which painted her merely as a skilled merchant. Still, he had no plans for retaliation despite suffering a humiliating setback. He was simply frustrated, his chest heavy with exasperation, never expecting to fall so comprehensively.
Even less so did he expect this bold, impulsive move from Xie Xun.
He suspected something. Ting Feng... might have orchestrated this.
Ting Feng deliberately released news of his own entrapment in Zhongzhou, likely knowing Xie Xun would rashly use him as leverage in a hostage exchange. A brilliant strategy. Zhixu had unknowingly played every step into Ting Feng’s plan, leaving no room for surprises, successfully spiriting him out of Jiaozhou. Without that, Zhixu wouldn’t have dared take such a risk.
"Cousin, forgive me," Xie Xun said without the faintest trace of sincerity.
Lin Heli asked, "Jiaozhou City is an iron fortress, quite impregnable. Zhixu, I’m genuinely curious. How did you find out Ting Feng was trapped in Zhongzhou?"