Suddenly, Shi Muyuan felt that the world around her had come to a standstill, as if waiting for the big knife to fall on her.
The knife never came down. She only heard Yin Muran curse under his breath. Along with the clanging sound of swords colliding, Shi Muyuan opened her eyes and saw Huo Qizhou and Yan Mo.
Huo Qizhou picked up the long sword that Yao Kun had dropped and engaged Yin Muran. Yan Mo picked up Yao Kun and carried her back.
When Yan Mo caught up, he locked eyes with Huo Qizhou who had just returned. In that fleeting moment, they had a silent understanding, and that was how the scene just now happened.
Seeing that the situation was not right, Yin Muran knew something was amiss. He turned around and fled, throwing out a smoke bomb. When the black smoke cleared, Huo Qizhou could no longer see his figure, but the footprints on the snow still revealed his direction.
Huo Qizhou stood still and waved his hand. Immediately, countless figures chased after Yin Muran.
He turned around and looked at the three people over there. Yao Kun's face was deathly pale, and blood flowed from her indigo - blue dress, soaking the snow.
"Yan Mo, quickly take a look at Yao Kun. She's bleeding so much!" Yan Mo untied the hemp rope on her hands. Shi Muyuan bit her lips, her eyes full of fear.
Yan Mo frowned tightly and tore off a piece of cloth to press on Yao Kun's wound. "Miss Shi, you..." He originally wanted to comfort her not to be afraid, but Yao Kun's condition was really not good, so the words got stuck in his throat.
"Miss Shi, you stay here. I'll take her to a nearby medical clinic. It's not convenient for you to come with me." Afraid that she would refuse, Yan Mo picked up Yao Kun and left without waiting for her response.
Shi Muyuan stood there in a daze, tears streaming down one by one. She seemed to have lost her wits.
Sun Ru led his men and rushed over. After saluting Huo Qizhou, he began to report the current situation. "My lord, all those who tried to escape have been captured. Some of the girls have woken up after taking the antidote."
After talking for a long time and seeing no reaction from his lord, Sun Ru bravely looked up and found that Huo Qizhou's gaze was fixed on the distance. Following his line of sight, he saw Shi Muyuan crying with her knees hugged.
"What about Yin Muran?" Huo Qizhou suddenly asked him. It took Sun Ru a while to react and reply, "We lost him. That guy should have escaped through the trees. Hard to believe a lame man could jump so high!" Sun Ru was quite angry.
They had been trying to catch this old lame man for a long time. They finally had a chance but still failed to catch him.
"Get a cloak. Help the Empress Dowager onto the carriage and prepare to enter the palace."
When the cloak blocked the cold of the night, Shi Muyuan suddenly came to her senses. She looked at the still cold and aloof Huo Qizhou, wiped away her tears and walked over. "What's really going on with this opera troupe?"
"I remember I've already told you just now. Some women went missing, and the investigation led here. I asked you to be the bait to draw them out."
"Is this matter also related to Qingshui County?"
Huo Qizhou didn't expect her to connect the two things. "How did you guess that?"
"That guy surnamed Jia suddenly got rich, and there are so many victimized girls in the town. It's not hard to guess."
"The Empress Dowager is really well - informed."
"It's just the idle talk of the palace servants after meals. If you really want to say I'm well - informed, maybe it's the negligence of the officials when handling affairs." Shi Muyuan was rarely calm and serious.
Originally, she just wanted to come and enjoy herself. Although her actions were not out of line, she was still a bit willful. But she clearly didn't do anything, yet always encountered some troubles.
It felt like someone was specifically targeting her.
Remembering Shi An's worry before, she thought that someone must be using her as a breakthrough. After all, she was a city - management officer who graduated from a police academy. Although her grades were not so good, she wasn't stupid.
"What's the use of your guess? What can you do? The Empress Dowager should go back first. It's getting late, and the people in the palace will be worried." Huo Qizhou issued the order to leave without hesitation.
Although Shi Muyuan was reluctant, she really should go back. Xiaoxiao and the others would be worried.
"Please, Master National Teacher, if there's any news about Yao Kun, please tell me immediately."
"Of course." Huo Qizhou was a cold - natured person. Although he always seemed a bit aloof when getting along with others, he wasn't completely heartless.
In the Supreme Court of Judicature, when Yan Mo returned with his subordinates, someone reported that the National Teacher had been waiting for a long time.
Yan Mo walked in with a dark face, his words full of gunpowder. "Are you satisfied now?"
Huo Qizhou ignored his question and said on his own, "Those people are already in the cells of your Supreme Court of Judicature. I hope to get useful information as soon as possible."
"Huo Qizhou!" Yan Mo shouted his name angrily. "How could you be like this!"
"Oh? What did I do? Miss Yao has been practicing martial arts since childhood. She should have endured such injuries before. You've interrogated countless prisoners. Why are you so excited?" Huo Qizhou looked at him calmly, as if he could see through him completely.
"This is different." Yan Mo didn't know how to refute.
"What's different? There have been women in the cells of the Supreme Court of Judicature before."
Yan Mo was so embarrassed by his words that he simply flicked his sleeves and left.
As soon as Shi Muyuan returned to the palace, Xiaoxiao questioned her. Looking at her worried eyes, Shi Muyuan suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness.
Her reliance had always been the Shi family. If the Shi family suffered a blow and disappeared because of her, would she be finished too?
"Oh my god, Empress Dowager, what happened to you?"
The beautiful lake - green dress that Shi Muyuan wore when she went out was now in a terrible state, and her hair ornaments were also in a mess. Xiaoxiao lovingly brought her hot tea and helped her sit on the small couch.
"Nothing."
"How can this be nothing? You're in such a state. Where's Miss Yao?"
Shi Muyuan was in a daze for a moment and took a sip of hot tea. A warm current flowed into her chest.
After a long time, she told Xiaoxiao what had happened. Xiaoxiao was so scared that she insisted on checking if Shi Muyuan was injured.
Shi Muyuan stopped her, her voice full of worry. "I'm fine. But Yao Kun was stabbed. She bled a lot. I don't know how she is now."
"Don't worry, Empress Dowager. Miss Yao will surely be fine. And there's Lord Yan there."
Ze Ze had been watching for a long time. Wiping his tears and sniffling, he wanted to ask more questions, but Xiaoxiao glared at him. "What more do you have to say? Hurry up and serve the Empress Dowager to rest."
"Okay, I won't ask anymore. I'll go and get some hot water for the Empress Dowager to wash up so she can rest." Ze Ze rarely didn't argue with her.
When Xiaoxiao helped Shi Muyuan undress, she saw many bruises on her body. Her small face puckered up, and tears welled up in her eyes again. Shi Muyuan couldn't stand it and told her to go and get some medicine, complaining of pain.
After serving Shi Muyuan, Xiaoxiao blew out the candle and walked out of the bedroom with the medicine bottle. The woman on the bed had already fallen into a deep sleep.
No one knew what new storms would arise tomorrow.