If the grain and forage had been delivered in time back then, perhaps Yizhou could have held out until the reinforcements arrived.
General Huo and the 100,000 troops would not have lost their lives because of this!
The entire Huo family would not have been massacred!
Xie Jingchu clenched his fists tightly, the veins on his forehead bulging.
He would never let either Gu Kexing or Liang Jingzhuo go.
"Uncle Murong, I will definitely avenge the Huo family and the 100,000 troops!"
"Good boy!" Murong Cheng looked at Xie Jingchu with teary eyes.
Without time for more emotion, he immediately said, "Take off your inner garment!"
After hearing this, Xie Jingchu immediately took off his inner garment and handed it to Murong Cheng.
Murong Cheng took it, then bit his finger and wrote a few lines on it.
Then he gave it back to Xie Jingchu. "This is the unique secret code of the Huo family army. Put it under the old locust tree at the Ten - Mile Pavilion outside the city, and then go to Yizhou immediately. After Murong Li sees the secret letter, he will come to find you."
Murong Cheng was still a bit worried and admonished, "There is a mole behind Murong Li's ear. Don't mistake the person."
"Uncle Murong, come with us!" Xie Jingchu said urgently.
Murong Cheng had been imprisoned here for twenty years for the sake of the Huo family.
He must not be left here any longer.
Murong Cheng shook his head with a smile. "Young master, I can't get out."
Xie Jingchu looked at the iron cage made of black iron, his brows furrowed tightly. "Uncle Murong, don't worry. I will definitely find a way to rescue you!"
"Young master, if I leave, Liang Jingzhuo and Gu Kexing will surely become suspicious! You are the only bloodline of the Huo family. Clearing the name of the Huo family is the heavy responsibility on your shoulders!"
"But..."
Before Xie Jingchu could finish his words.
Suddenly, there came a sound of footsteps at the door.
No good!
Someone was coming!
Xie Jingchu immediately put the secret letter into his bosom, and then placed the dagger in his hand into Ruan Jiu's palm.
"A Jiu, wear the mask well. Later, I'll hold the people back. You run out."
Fortunately, tonight he had asked Ruan Jiu to dress up as a man and wear a mask.
Even if they were seen by the officers and soldiers, they wouldn't suspect Ruan Jiu.
Although there was reluctance in Ruan Jiu's eyes, she could only bite her lips and nod in agreement.
She knew that only if she escaped first could Xie Jingchu not be distracted protecting her.
"Bold thieves! How dare you break into the dungeon!"
In an instant, a dozen officers and soldiers rushed into the dungeon and surrounded the two of them.
Xie Jingchu frowned. The situation was worse than he had imagined.
He spread his arms and protected Ruan Jiu behind him.
Suddenly, the leading officer and soldier raised his knife and slashed at them.
Xie Jingchu pulled Ruan Jiu and dodged to the side.
Seeing that he had missed, the officer and soldier was furious. "What are you still standing there for? Hurry up!"
After saying that, more than a dozen officers and soldiers rushed forward together.
Xie Jingchu kicked one of them hard, but there were too many of them.
After dodging for several rounds, Xie Jingchu was obviously getting exhausted.
What should he do?
If they continued to stalemate, it would only cause more commotion.
Just then, a voice suddenly rang out in the dungeon.
"Hold your breath quickly!"
Hearing this, Xie Jingchu and Ruan Jiu didn't have time to think and immediately covered their mouths and noses.
They saw a puff of white smoke suddenly pour into the dungeon.
Immediately afterwards, the officers and soldiers who had been so aggressive just now fell to the ground one by one.
However, a few of them who reacted quickly covered their mouths and noses like Xie Jingchu and Ruan Jiu.
So they didn't inhale the white smoke and fall into a coma.
But they didn't have time to be happy for long.
Several black - clothed men quietly sneaked up behind them and knocked them out.
When the white smoke cleared, Xie Jingchu frowned and looked at the black - clothed men in the dungeon.
"Who are you?"
Although these people covered their faces, he knew they were not his own secret guards.
"This is not the place to talk." The leading black - clothed man said.
Hearing this, Xie Jingchu nodded to Ruan Jiu.
Since these black - clothed men had saved them, they must not be Liang Jingzhuo's people.
So they immediately left with the black - clothed men.
After escaping from the dungeon, they came to an open space.
The other black - clothed men left one after another, leaving only the leading black - clothed man with his back turned.
Xie Jingchu said, "Thank you, young master, for saving our lives."
Although he didn't know who this person was, he couldn't forget the proper etiquette.
If it weren't for him, they might still be struggling with those officers and soldiers in the dungeon.
The black - clothed man turned around.
He didn't say a word, but slowly removed the mask on his face.
When she saw the face of the black - clothed man clearly, Ruan Jiu exclaimed, "Your Highness the Crown Prince?"
Xiao Wang said coldly, "Since I've let you see me, Miss Shen and Mr. Xie, do you still plan to cover your faces?"
Hearing this, Ruan Jiu and Xie Jingchu immediately took off the masks on their faces.
"I wonder why Your Highness the Crown Prince would appear in the dungeon?" Ruan Jiu asked.
"And why are Miss Shen and Mr. Xie in the dungeon?" Xiao Wang's voice was still cold, showing no emotion.
However, this sentence made Ruan Jiu's heart skip a beat.
Could it be that Xiao Wang had heard their conversation with Murong Cheng just now?
Then wouldn't Xie Jingchu's real identity be...?
Immediately, Ruan Jiu's eyes drooped. She pretended to be angry and said, "It's all because Your Highness the Crown Prince released Liang Jingzhuo. He locked me in the dungeon. I thought I'd go there to see if I could find any evidence of his crimes."
"Oh?" Xiao Wang's eyes narrowed. "Is that so?"
Ruan Jiu nodded and replied, "Otherwise, why would I go to that gloomy dungeon for no reason?"
After hearing this, Xiao Wang was silent for a moment. "I wonder if Miss Shen has found any evidence of Liang Jingzhuo's crimes?"
Seeing that there was no abnormal expression on Xiao Wang's face, it seemed that he hadn't heard their conversation with Murong Cheng.
Ruan Jiu secretly let out a sigh of relief and replied indifferently, "I've got some clues."
"In that case, if Miss Shen needs anything in the future, you can come to me."
Ruan Jiu didn't expect Xiao Wang to say this.
However, as the crown prince, Xiao Wang must be well - informed about the situation in the court.
He must know that Liang Jingzhuo was Gu Kexing's man. If she could get hold of Liang Jingzhuo's handle, it would also be a great help to Xiao Wang.
So Ruan Jiu said with a smile, "Then this commoner girl thanks Your Highness the Crown Prince."
After saying that, she quickly pulled Xie Jingchu away.
After all, Xiao Wang was a man of deep scheming and unpredictable mood.
She really couldn't stay with him for too long.
Ruan Jiu and Xie Jingchu put the secret letter in the designated place as Murong Cheng had said.
On the way back, Ruan Jiu noticed that Xie Jingchu's brows were always knitted together.
"A Jing, are you worried about Uncle Murong?"
Xie Jingchu suddenly stopped walking and tightly held Ruan Jiu's shoulders.
He said seriously, "A Jiu, I'm leaving for Yizhou tomorrow."
"You?" Ruan Jiu asked suspiciously.
Was he going alone?
Xie Jingchu frowned and nodded. He explained, "After tonight's incident in the dungeon, if you suddenly leave, it will surely arouse Liang Jingzhuo's suspicion."
But what he was more afraid of was that Ruan Jiu would be in danger if she went to Yizhou.
It would be better for her to stay in Shuozhou. At least the crown prince was still here, and Liang Jingzhuo didn't dare to act rashly.
Ruan Jiu bit her lips.
If Liang Jingzhuo knew that they already knew about the blood - written petition of ten thousand people, Murong Cheng's life would be in danger.
"Okay, I'll stay in Shuozhou and won't let Liang Jingzhuo notice."
Moreover, she could continue to collect evidence of Liang Jingzhuo's crimes in Shuozhou.
While Xiao Wang was still in Shuozhou, she would try to make Liang Jingzhuo pay for his crimes as soon as possible and rescue Murong Cheng.
After hearing this, Xie Jingchu gently pulled Ruan Jiu into his arms.
"A Jiu, wait for my return."
At this moment, the two of them had their own thoughts, but they hugged each other tightly.
Little did they know that this separation almost changed everything.