However, they only shared some of their true feelings, and although it's unclear how much the other side believed, a temporary alliance has been formed.
Tang Zhuyun pretended to have a stomachache to lure the two people in. The woman came out from behind the door and instantly knocked them to the ground.
The two of them Ruanruan to the ground without uttering a sound.
Tang Zhuyun's horizons were broadened once again.
"Follow me," the woman said in a cool, clear voice.
"Good."
The two went out in the dark.
The moonlight wasn't very bright, and Tang Zhuyun felt herself stumbling along, her heart pounding, barely daring to breathe, carefully following behind the woman.
After a while, she realized that the woman was leading her toward the lobby.
"Um, did we go to the wrong place?" She tugged at the woman's sleeve.
Isn't this just walking into a trap?
"The most dangerous place is the safest," the woman said. "Today we'll hide there and wait until the middle of the night when everyone is most relaxed, then we'll look for an opportunity."
News of their escape will soon be discovered, and the bandits will be searching for them everywhere.
By eavesdropping in the lobby, we can at least find out the direction they're chasing, and the exit must be among them.
Well, maybe that's what happens when someone is highly skilled and daring.
Tang Zhuyun had little experience, but she tried her best not to hold anyone back.
There was an offering table in the main hall. The woman led Tang Zhuyun past the guards and into the room. The two sat down below, hidden by a long tablecloth.
Tang Zhuyun sensed that the woman beside her was breathing heavily, so she said softly, "If you're tired, lean on me and rest."
If we want to get out, we still have to rely on this great deity.
"No need."
Tang Zhuyun sighed, took off her half-arm and draped it over her, while she herself, dressed in a ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), crossed her arms and leaned against her bent knees.
She had already realized that the woman had a fever; her breath was scalding hot.
--It would be strange if he didn't have a fever after suffering such severe injuries.
The woman did not refuse and closed her eyes to rest.
About half an hour later, a commotion suddenly broke out outside.
Both of them held their breath, not daring to make a sound.
A short while later, the sound of hurried footsteps rang out, followed by the booming voice of Second Chief Liu, the second-in-command, "What's the panic! His woman is still in our hands. What if we attack? Men, bring that woman to me!"
Who's here?
Has the Prince of Jin arrived?
After all that commotion, it turns out the bandits' current agitation wasn't because they discovered the women had escaped, but because the Prince of Jin had come looking for them.
Prince of Jin, my dear family! Tang Zhuyun was moved to tears.
The woman behind him didn't react.
Tang Zhuyun didn't dare to speak, her hands clenched tightly into fists, she could almost feel the damp heat in her palms.
Her life would be decided in the next few hours.
"Second Master, that woman ran away, and that androgynous one too!"
The Second Chief Liu, roared in fury, "Useless! You can't even keep an eye on two women!"
"Second Master, should we kill the guards?"
"Cut your mother off!" Second Chief Liu, cursed. "Why aren't you running? Are you waiting to be stewed in one pot by the Prince of Jin?"
Oops, the plot has gone off track!
The second-in-command reacted quickly, prioritizing his own survival.
There was more noise outside, and after a long while, it finally quieted down. Tang Zhuyun nudged the woman next to her with her elbow.
The woman said, "Don't move, stay put."
Tang Zhuyun obediently stopped moving.
After a long time, long enough that Tang Zhuyun's whole body ached from sitting, footsteps came from outside again. This time they seemed well-trained and not so chaotic.
"Search them all! Don't let a single one escape!"
Hearing that voice she once hated almost brought Tang Zhuyun to tears.
My dear Prince, I've missed you so much!
She threw off the tablecloth and scrambled out.
"Your Highness, quickly tell my father and brothers that I'm alright!"
Prince of Jin: "..."
He breathed a long sigh of relief.
Thankfully, Tang Zhuyun is alright.
When the news that the Golden Scale Guard had discovered she had been taken away by bandits reached the ears of Prince of Jin, he was still unable to describe his feelings at that moment.
Shock, worry, even... fear?
Will we never see Tang Zhuyun again, whose skin was thicker than a city wall, whose insults were sharper than knives, who was always smiling but also skillful and clever?
Why was she arrested?
Was it because Tang Mingfan offended someone, or because of him?
The Prince of Jin, working tirelessly day and night, finally found him.
On the way up the mountain, he imagined countless possible tragic fates for her, but he never dared to think that she could reappear in front of him unharmed, smiling and carefree.
"Your Highness, you've finally arrived." Tang Zhuyun clung to Prince of Jin's arm like a lackey, refusing to let go.
The Prince of Jin looked at her fair arm and belatedly realized that half of her arm was missing. He then took off his black cloak and wrapped it around her.
"There's someone else!" Tang Zhuyun pointed under the table.
Looking at her dazzlingly white arms, the Prince of Jin couldn't help but scold, "Behave yourself."
There was no movement under the table.
"Huh?" Tang Zhuyun asked, "Where is she? Did she faint?"
Prince of Jin said, "Song Jingyang, go and take a look."
As soon as she finished speaking, the tablecloth shifted slightly, and the woman crawled out from under the table, then knelt humbly on the ground with her head on the floor.
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
What's going on? Did the Prince of Jin recognize the face?
In fact, it seems that the Prince of Jin really did know.
His voice instantly turned icy as he looked at the woman still wearing Tang Zhuyun's half-sleeve. "Why are you here?"
"I only wish to die."
ah?
Tang Zhuyun couldn't help but imagine: Could this be one of the Prince of Jin's former women, the kind who successfully escaped?
That's terrible, now he's been caught by the Prince of Jin.
Tang Zhuyun didn't expect to glean anything from the Prince of Prince of Jin's face, so she looked at the lackey.
Song Jingyang seemed stunned, but he didn't disappoint Tang Zhuyun. Suddenly, as if stimulated by something, he pointed at the woman and said, "Zhu, Zhu... is that you?"
pig?
Pig, do you have two nostrils?
Tang Zhuyun was almost humming it out loud.
Woman: "It wasn't me, that person is already dead."
Prince of Jin said, "Enough! Song Jingyang, take your men and capture all the bandits. Don't let a single one escape!"
"I, Old Chang, am here too! Did you find them? Hey girl, are you alright!"
What, you're actually disappointed that I'm okay?
However, seeing Chang Zhi running until his face was red and his neck was bulging, Tang Zhuyun knew he was genuinely anxious, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry to have worried Elder Brother Chang."
"I'm so glad you're alright, you scared me to death," Chang Zhi said. "Thanks to Your Highness, otherwise who knows what those bastards might have done if we had been any later."
Tang Zhuyun bowed to Prince of Jin: "Thank you, Your Highness."
She was genuinely grateful, but she was so busy eating melon seeds that she forgot.
Chang Zhi, brandishing a knife, shouted, "Hey, who's this? What's going on? Why is he wearing your clothes? Girl, did he bully you? I'll chop him up!"
Tang Zhuyun: "No, Elder Brother Chang, don't do anything rash. This is... an old friend of the Prince. Let's talk about it when we get back."
The woman remained kneeling on the ground, motionless.
Tang Zhuyun was a little worried about her health, but not knowing what kind of grudge the two had, she didn't speak rashly.