The convoy of Zuo Wushang, comprising ten carriages, sped out of the city's south gate with utmost haste, disregarding the roars of the gate guards behind them.
Upon reaching the desolate wilderness outside the city, Zuo Wushang finally felt a wave of relief. He removed his mask and let out a wild laugh to the heavens!
"Thanks to those fools from the Returning Spring Sect sacrificing themselves, we succeeded!"
Yue Lian and Zhuo Xun were brought forward by two female Yun Tian Guards, designated Earth and Azure respectively, their blindfolds removed.
Zuo Wushang then knelt before Yue Lian, his voice trembling with emotion, "Your subject, Zuo Wushang, has arrived late to rescue you, Your Highness. Please forgive my offense!"
Yue Lian's voice wavered, "Mr. Zuo, why must you do this to us..."
Zuo Wushang urged, "You are the princess of Great Heng, how can you be Princess Xiyue of Great Qian! I have already rescued you from a tiger's den, and the restoration of our kingdom is imminent! Perhaps Liang Xiao will also yield, for you are the one closest to him..."
Yue Lian shook her head continuously. Though her life had been one of fragility, she shed no tears now, responding calmly, "Kill me, and then establish yourself. I will not help you restore the kingdom, nor will I betray my young master."
"You are the last of the royal bloodline of Great Qian. Have you considered if you are worthy of your ancestors!" Zuo Wushang's forehead bulged with veins in his urgency.
Yue Lian suppressed the fear in her heart and shook her head, "I am indeed ashamed before my ancestors, but I cannot be ashamed before the common people. Great Heng was an era abandoned by its people. Let us not inflict further suffering upon them, please..."
"What kind of enchanting spell has Liang Xiao cast on you to make you so infatuated!" Zuo Wushang roared.
Yue Lian's tone was incredibly calm, "He gave me a home, treated me as family. When you nearly killed me in the Heavenly Mountains, he did not abandon me. His loyalty is not to the Emperor of Great Qian, but to the common people. He cannot bear to see the people suffer further, so how can I?"
Suddenly, a spark of inspiration struck Yue Lian. She managed to force a faint smile, "You consider me your master, then I command you to lay down your swords. From this day forward, either abandon the cause of restoring the kingdom and become common folk, or pledge allegiance to my young master. Do you agree..."
"She is the Princess?!"
The twenty masked subordinates who had followed Zuo Wushang finally came to their senses, their voices trembling.
No wonder their marshal had recently claimed to have found the princess but refused to let anyone see her; the princess had been by Liang Xiao's side all along?
"Impossible!" Zuo Wushang almost shrieked.
Yue Lian immediately offered her neck, "Then kill me and establish yourself. Do not expect to use me to coerce my young master. Also, let Xiao Xun go. She is, in fact, your flesh and blood..."
Zhuo Xun looked bewildered, "Sister Yue Lian, what are you saying??"
Zuo Wushang then looked at Zhuo Xun, suppressing his tears, his eyes filled with tenderness, gazing at Zhuo Xun, "Xun'er, I am your father! You too are a remnant of Great Heng!"
Zhuo Xun, who had been pale with fright, mustered her courage and spat a mouthful of saliva onto Zuo Wushang's face.
"My father is Zhuo Wulüe, Minister of War, and my grandfather is Zhuo Lingjun. They were both heroes!!"
"I truly am your father, Xun'er. Her Highness the Princess says so, she must know the truth..." Zuo Wushang pleaded urgently.
"I won't listen!! Let Sister Yue Lian go quickly, I'll be your hostage! Otherwise, the Great Demon... my man, my grandfather, and my father will not let you off!!" Zhuo Xun suppressed her fear and attempted to threaten him.
"Marshal, what should we do?" the Earth-ranked guard asked with a wry smile.
All the remnants of Great Heng present could see that these two girls absolutely refused to accept their identity as remnants of Great Heng!
"Take them first, I will persuade them slowly..."
With Zuo Wushang's command, their mouths were gagged again with cloth strips to prevent them from biting their tongues.
The two girls closed their eyes in despair. To avoid showing weakness to Zuo Wushang, they tried their best not to cry.
However, their trembling bodies still betrayed them.
As the group was about to mount their horses, holding Yue Lian and Zhuo Xun hostage, a thousand-strong cavalry force approached from the distance, blocking their escape route westward and rapidly encircling them.
Upon seeing the two leading figures, one wielding a saber and the other a spear, one with white hair, Zuo Wushang's pupils contracted, "Jiangnan Iron Cavalry, you are..."
"Shi Liuyun!" "Nie Yuan!"
Shi Liuyun's face was ashen, his hand gripping his saber, his teeth almost grinding to dust, "Are you members of the Returning Spring Sect or remnants of Great Heng? Release the two young ladies immediately, and your lives may be spared!"
Nie Yuan's face was also filled with anger, but he maintained his composure, advising, "You have no escape now. Leave the two young ladies, and surrender immediately. Live a peaceful life thereafter, and the Marshal and Marquis of Anguo will show leniency and guarantee your impunity!"
A glint of inspiration flashed in Zuo Wushang's eyes. He drew the saber from his waist and said, "Do you take us for three-year-old children? Liang Xiao's two women are in my hands now. If you are not afraid of them losing their lives, then by all means, make your move!"
Nie Yuan's brow furrowed; he was also at a loss.
No matter how many military treatises he had read, he was equally hesitant in a hostage situation.
"Damn it!" Shi Liuyun, however, had no such patience and erupted into a torrent of curses.
He too was hesitant to act rashly...
Zuo Wushang secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, Yue Lian and Zhuo Xun were under his control. Otherwise, if they had spoken, the other side might have known he wouldn't dare harm them...
The two sides negotiated for a full fifteen minutes, but Zuo Wushang refused to yield!
"Zuo Wushang!!"
Just then, an enraged roar echoed from afar.
Everyone turned their gazes, only to see Liang Xiao galloping towards them on a swift horse, followed by a large contingent of Heavenly Mountain knights, Liang Mansion guards, and Zhuo Mansion guards.
Hong Jie and his three companions were already bound, each escorted by one person. Zuo Jing's mouth was gagged, and she was held by a Heavenly Mountain swordswoman, tears welling up in her eyes from distress.
"Liang Xiao..."
Zuo Wushang was a mix of shock and fury. He sneered, "I underestimated you after all, Zuo Wushang. To have so easily seen through Hong Jie..."
His three most trusted subordinates, plus his niece, had all been captured by Liang Xiao?
Liang Xiao roared, "Release them immediately! Exchange hostages, and I, Liang Xiao, will let bygones be bygones and will not trouble you!"
Zuo Wushang glanced at Yue Lian and Zhuo Xun, then at Liang Xiao, a look of disdain on his face, "Are they worth only four people in your eyes?"
Liang Xiao's face turned grim, and he almost roared, "One is your sovereign, the other is your daughter. Can you bear to harm them? State your terms!"
Zuo Wushang raged, "First, cut off one of your arms!"
"Presumptuous!"
The people and soldiers around them were all enraged.
How could they allow the Marquis of Anguo of Great Qian to cut off his own arm?
Liang Xiao, without hesitation, drew the Mayfly Sword from his waist.
Yue Lian and Zhuo Xun were greatly alarmed. They broke free from the control of the Yun Tian Guards and knelt on the ground, shaking their heads at Liang Xiao, tears streaming down like a broken dam.
"Enough!" Zuo Wushang was also startled by Liang Xiao and quickly called out, "Release them first, then we can talk properly!"
Liang Xiao then sheathed his sword.
He actually wanted to see Zuo Wushang's reaction.
Under the tense gaze of everyone present, Liang Xiao first untied Hong Jie and then pushed him forward, "Release one first!"
"Marshal Zuo!" the Yun Tian Guards cried out in alarm.
"Release the girl too!"
Zuo Wushang looked at Zuo Jing, who was tearfully crying, his heart filled with shame. He then stated another condition.
Liang Xiao ignored him, successively releasing Hong Qu and Shangguan Jiusi, but deliberately withheld Zuo Jing.
Hong Jie and the other two finally reached Zuo Wushang, their faces filled with shame, "We are sorry, Marshal, we failed..."
Zuo Wushang merely gazed at Liang Xiao and casually waved his hand, "It's not your fault. The opponent was too strong."
At that very moment, Hong Jie struck Zuo Wushang's face with a palm, leaving a patch of white powder on his features.
"You?!"
In just two breaths, Zuo Wushang felt the world spinning. He looked at Hong Jie, who wore a conflicted expression, "That Xuanming Powder I gave you..."