"Qi Rong, I seem to hear someone over in the woods," Yun Xi whispered as she walked out of the woods with a pale face. Seeing Qi Rong coming towards her, she quickly stepped to his side.
It was the middle of the night in the desolate wilderness, so she wasn't sure if she had heard correctly.
"Don't be afraid. Maybe they're just passing by."
As a martial artist with high alertness honed over the years, Qi Rong had heard someone approaching long before.
Seeing Yun Xi's fear, Qi Rong immediately picked her up in his arms and walked step - by - step towards the carriage.
"Wait here. I'll go and check it out."
They were on a hillside, separated from the path below by a grove. So although they could hear the noise from the woods, it didn't mean the people below could spot them.
Qi Rong intended to settle Yun Xi in the carriage and go to investigate by himself. However, Yun Xi looked around fearfully and grabbed his arm.
"No, I want to go with you."
She had no idea when Qi Rong would return, and she didn't dare to stay here alone.
Seeing her determination, Qi Rong didn't refuse. Instead, he liked her dependence on him and nodded.
"Okay, let's go together."
After saying that, he held Yun Xi in his arms, tapped his toes, and leaped onto the nearest branch. Finally, they hid in a big tree with a good view.
"Who's there?!"
A group of people preparing to set up camp below heard the startled cries of several birds and immediately looked warily in their direction.
Yun Xi, half - reclined in Qi Rong's arms at the moment, covered her mouth with both hands and didn't even dare to breathe.
"Take a deep breath."
It was not until Qi Rong reminded her with a smile in her ear that she realized she had been holding her breath and was about to faint.
"You're just hearing things. Stop being so paranoid," one of the men's companions scoffed when they heard no movement for a long time. He then sat directly on a rock by the road and started munching on the food in his hand.
"I've been hungry all day. You've been hiding food? Hurry up and hand it over!"
As they said this, the two men began to fight over the food. The leader, who was roasting the fire, cursed loudly.
"Damn it, shut up! If you keep making noise, I'll chop you down!"
The two men immediately fell silent. Then they heard the leader say,
"Go and check if that brat is dead. If he is, he's worthless!"
They had thought the target was a pampered weakling, but unexpectedly, he had not only killed two of their men but also made them chase him for a whole day before finally capturing him.
They were taking a break here and then planned to hurry to report, just to avoid any complications!
The two men nodded as they were told and immediately walked up to a horse. By the light of the campfire, Yun Xi then noticed that besides the seven or eight men, there was also a person lying on the horse's back. As the man roughly grabbed the person's hair and lifted his face.
After seeing that face clearly, Yun Xi's pupils suddenly constricted. She tightly grabbed Qi Rong's arm with both hands and almost cried out.
It was actually Crown Prince Qi Yu!
She had thought that without her as a burden, he should have been able to escape the enemy's pursuit more easily.
Unexpectedly, while she had been rescued by Qi Rong, Qi Yu had been captured by the black - clothed men!
Thinking of how these people had tried to kill them all before, Yun Xi looked at Qi Rong with hopeful eyes. Seeing that Qi Rong remained indifferent, she couldn't help but plead in a low voice,
"Qi Rong, please save him."
If they let these people take the crown prince away, it would be a disaster!
Yun Xi was extremely anxious, but Qi Rong's expression remained cold as usual, even with a hint of jealousy.
"Do you want me to save him? Aren't you afraid I'll get hurt?"
He was already annoyed that others were coveting Yun Xi. When he heard that Yun Xi and Qi Yu had traveled together to Longchang before, he had been filled with anger.
Now she wanted him to save that man? There was no way!
Seeing that Qi Rong remained unmoved and even started to question her, Yun Xi felt helpless. She deliberately flattered him,
"But you're more powerful than him! I believe you'll always find a way, no matter how difficult it is, right?"
Of course, she didn't want him to get hurt while saving someone, but the fact was that Qi Rong's martial arts were incredibly high - level. How could Qi Yu and others compare?
Moreover, since they had encountered this, they couldn't just stand by and watch!
If she knew martial arts, she wouldn't have to ask Qi Rong and would go into battle herself!
"Well, that's true," Qi Rong showed a proud look on his face after hearing Yun Xi's praise. Then he changed the subject,
"But why should I save him? I won't."
Yun Xi endured the urge to slap his hand away. She had thought he had changed his mind, but when she heard the second half of his sentence, she was instantly furious.
"He's your nephew, your family!"
Although she knew that he didn't like Qi Yu, didn't he have the slightest bit of compassion?
"Are you sure?"
Qi Rong narrowed his cold eyes slightly. He was extremely averse to the word "family".
Looking into Qi Rong's icy eyes, Yun Xi suddenly remembered the sufferings Qi Rong had endured before, and she felt inexplicably sad.
But looking at the dying Qi Yu on the horse's back, she couldn't help but say softly,
"It's not his fault..."
She had never experienced Qi Rong's pain, so she knew she had no right to persuade him to be magnanimous. She was just stating the facts.
However, to Qi Rong, it seemed that she was always protecting Qi Yu. He couldn't help but get angry.
"How can you be so sure? He may not do anything now, but it doesn't mean he won't in the future."
In the center of the imperial power struggle, few people remained clean in the end. It was even more of a pleasure for him to have one less enemy!
"You're just making unfounded accusations!"
Yun Xi knew that Qi Rong hated evil and was especially vengeful towards those who had once hurt him.
But even so, she knew that he was fair in rewards and punishments and not a person who couldn't distinguish between good and evil. After hearing what Qi Rong said, she couldn't help but feel disappointed.
"I didn't expect you to be so cold - blooded," Yun Xi murmured.
She was thinking in her mind how she could save Qi Yu if Qi Rong refused and still be able to get out safely...
It was really difficult, and it felt like hitting a stone with an egg. She felt extremely discouraged!
Hearing Yun Xi's words, Qi Rong was so angry that he laughed. He reached out and pinched her cheek, smiling sinisterly,
"I'm cold - blooded? If I were cold - blooded, I wouldn't have traveled day and night, risking my life to save you!"
"And you're good. You're actually getting angry with me because of a man who has nothing to do with you. Where's your conscience? Why don't you show me a little more concern?"
In short, he just felt that Yun Xi cared more about Qi Yu than him, which he couldn't bear!
Yun Xi blushed and was rendered speechless by Qi Rong. But it was precisely because he was Qi Rong that she could act so recklessly!
Although Yun Xi knew she was in the wrong, she still didn't want to admit defeat. She simply said unreasonably,
"Who asked you to save me? Put me down. I'll go and save him myself!"
As she said this, she forgot that she was still sitting on the tree. She struggled so hard that she almost fell off!
Not expecting Yun Xi to react so strongly, Qi Rong quickly hooked her waist. His heart skipped a beat, and he cursed under his breath,
"I'm afraid of you!"