Chapter 37: The Chaotic World Melody (5)

  The Dark Villa is located in a natural stone cave behind the Purple Residence Mountain, in a half-mountain valley. It is said to have been secretly developed by the first ancestor of the Yuan family to prevent the Taizu Emperor from killing the Yuan family after he solidified his position. The cave is hidden deep within the mountains and forests, with the entrance covered year-round by evergreen plants, making it an ideal place for hiding. What's even more remarkable is that this natural stone cave is spacious enough to accommodate 8,000 soldiers of the Yuan family, with provisions stored inside sufficient for three months. It is clear that the ancestors of the Yuan family had great foresight and prepared a safe haven in case of emergency.

  We stayed in the cave for several days, and the important figures in Ziyuan were only Wen Fei, Jinxiu, Song Mingkui, and the sinister Liu Yansheng. The maids I knew, such as Chuhua, Zhēnzhū, and even the favored Qing, had all dispersed during the war. One-third of the 8,000 troops were new recruits who had joined after the incident at Sima Gate last year, and their young faces looked somewhat panicked and empty. Many of the troops had been seriously injured during the surprise attack by Nanzhao, which was heart-wrenching. The only decent doctor in the cave was Song Mingkui, who worriedly told me that although they didn't lack food, they were severely short on medicine. In recent days, many troops had died due to lack of timely treatment. They couldn't be taken out and buried, nor could they be thrown into the mountain valley, fearing it would attract the attention of Nanzhao soldiers. They could only cremate their bodies in a fire pit during the day, so every day, the stench of burning corpses wafted out, making people feel terrified and nauseous.

  Fortunately, Wei Huo miraculously woke up from his deep coma. At first, Su Hui and I were worried that he would be in pain, but Wei Huo didn't even frown and started practicing with his right arm holding a knife, vowing to protect me on my way to Luoyang to see Yuan Fei.

  The scouts returned, and the Nanzhao army was burning, killing, looting, and plundering in Xianyang City. They committed all sorts of evil deeds. The Purple Residence Manor, which had a glorious history of over 300 years, was reduced to ashes. All the wealth and slaves within the manor were looted by the Nanzhao army. After their grief and indignation, the people hated the Nanzhao soldiers so much that they wished they could devour their flesh to vent their anger.

  On the first day of February, Yuan Feiyan gathered everyone in the Zi Garden to discuss countermeasures. Wei Hu and Su Hui insisted on accompanying me there. Before we even reached the meeting "cave", we could already hear the arguing coming from inside.

  Liu Yansheng's voice came coldly: "Since Master Hou has given the order, we will meet at Huayin at five watches tonight. I think now there is only one person who can pretend to be two, lead a thousand brothers and soldiers, rush down the mountain, and if Duan Yuefang is willing to make it happen, he will definitely use all his strength to pursue the fake second, then we can take advantage of the opportunity to break through the siege, turn over the steep forest, and meet with Master Hou in Luoyang."

  He walked in, gave me a cold glance, but his gaze fell on Jinxiu: "Now among us, only Mrs. Jin's martial arts are the highest, and her figure is similar to yours, can be fake and true, as long as Mrs. Jin sacrifices herself for righteousness, then we all have a way out."

  Brocade embroidery was furious and laughed: "Mr. Liu is indeed a good strategist." Yuan Fei's eyes, which were originally as gentle as smoke, drifted towards Brocade Embroidery, deep and unfathomable. Qiao Wan angrily said: "Liu Yan Sheng, do you dare to disobey orders? The young master has given orders that no one can harm Mrs. Jin."

  Liu Yansheng sighed: "Qiao Wan, do you think I'm willing to sacrifice Madame Jin? But all the brave guards who followed us have died in battle. Asking Madame Jin to come out is also an unavoidable measure."

  I strode forward: "Absolutely not, Jin Xiu's martial arts are strong, but her purple pupils will make others suspicious at a glance, and it will only make them suspect that we are in this mountain."

  Unexpectedly, Liu Yansheng nodded in agreement, a cunning glint flashing across his face: "What Wood Maiden said is extremely right. As for now, among us, only Jin Furen and you are of the right age. Why not ask Wood Maiden to substitute?"

  Damn it, this son of a bitch. I secretly sneered at him. At that moment, Wei Hu came in with his sword, exuding a fierce aura: "If you dare to touch the girl's hair, first step over my corpse."

  Liu Yansheng shook his head and walked towards Wei Hu, saying sorrowfully: "Wei Zhuangshi, I also know that this is a last resort, but what choice do we have? Do you want us all to die in this Dabie Mountain?"

  Always silent Song Mingkui suddenly took a step forward and shouted at Wei Hu: "Be careful." Amidst everyone's exclamation, Liu Yansheng slightly raised his right hand, and Wei Hu had already fallen straight down. Liu Yansheng's left hand met Song Mingkui's in a slap, and the latter flew backwards like a kite with its string cut off, crashing into the stone wall opposite him.

  Yu Fei Yan said coldly: "Director Liu, are you trying to frame Bo Cheng?"

  Liu Yan's voice was filled with reverence as he knelt down on one knee: "This humble servant has overstepped his bounds, startling the two of you, and cannot escape death. However..." He raised his head, gazing coldly at Yuan Feiyan and Jin Xiu: "This is the only way to break through the encirclement. As a member of the household, I should be willing to die for the Yuan family. Lady Jin and Song Wei are on their way here, but you should know that all 360 Purple Star Guards died protecting Master Hou's retreat back to Luoyang."

  Jin Yu's face turned pale, and Liu Yan Sheng's gaze fell on me again: "I have long heard that Xiao Wu has a deep sense of justice and righteousness. I wonder if Miss Mu is willing to sacrifice herself for her lord?"

  Su Hui gritted her teeth: "You little scoundrel, secretly plotting against my brother Wei Da, forcing Weak Child, why don't you go down the mountain?" Jin Xiu burst out laughing wildly: "You're doing this just to force us Little Five to our deaths, I'll grant your wish, I..."

  "Shut up, I'm going." I stood out and shouted loudly, everyone's eyes turned to me. I suppressed the anger in my heart and came up with a plan. I said loudly: "I'll go down the mountain for Er Xia, please let Mr. Liu give us a way out, Xiaoyi."

  Liu Yansheng swung his large sleeve, looking at me as if I were an ant on dust, and his eyes couldn't help but say: "Since Mugu Niang is so righteous, please take off this white silk gauze, Tian Can Jin gauze skirt, and exchange it with Mugu Niang."

  Yuanni looked at me, then looked at Song Mingkui, hesitated for a moment, and after a while, silently took off the white silk scarf with golden threads, handed it to me and said softly: "Muguniang, I know you don't want anything to happen to your sworn brother and son either! If I can escape with them, I will definitely report back to Father and erect a monument for you."

  "Hey! I didn't expect, really didn't expect it, that I could still go to the People's Heroes Memorial Monument! I smiled faintly: "Thanks for your kindness, as long as Mr. Liu can guarantee an antidote for Wei Hu, that's all."

  Yuanni looked at Song Mingkui's gloomy face, sighed and nodded: "Don't worry, after you go down the mountain, Mr. Liu will naturally give Wei Zhuang an antidote."

  I looked at Song Mingwei, my right hand casually brushed against my earlobe, and Song Mingwei propped himself up with his hands on the ground, flashing a V-shape with two fingers before quickly withdrawing them. I understood that the Snow Pearl Dan in the earrings could counteract Liu Yansheng's Ten Mile Drift.

  My heart was firm, but my face still looked very nervous as I walked towards Liu Yansheng and suddenly knelt down: "Please, Mr. Liu, spare our Xiaowu Yi." Jinxiu rushed over to pull me up, saying angrily: "You're not allowed to kneel to this scoundrel..."

  Song Mingkui also said in a low voice: "Muke, our Xiaowu Gang will never kneel to unrighteous people." Liu Yansheng sneered: "You think that just because you have Qing Da Ye now, you don't need to kneel anymore? Have you forgotten how you knelt down and begged me for him in the first place?"

  My heart skipped a beat as I looked up to see Song Mingpei's face turn pale with rage, his tightly clenched fists trembling nonstop, and his originally gentle eyebrows furrowed.

  My teeth clenched, my determination grew stronger. I continued to speak with tears in my eyes: "We, the five of us, really didn't know how formidable you were, sir." Suddenly, Liu Xingsheng kicked me with one foot. I pretended to be afraid, but instead grabbed his foot and continued to beg him desperately. My wrist moved slightly, and the silk ribbon shot towards his face. He turned his head just in time to avoid it, but his ear still brushed against it, leaving a trail of blood on his earlobe. He let out a loud cry and kicked me away. I was caught by Jinxiu and thrown to the ground. Immediately getting up, I glared at him fiercely: "Now it's your turn to beg others for mercy! My silk ribbon has been coated with a potent poison that causes instant death upon contact with blood. Go die!"

  Yu Feiyan swung his palm at me, Su Hui exchanged a few moves and was already sealed with acupoints, stunned in place. Yu Feiyan lightly dodged the brocade rope and kicked Qiao Wan's waist, Qiao Wan groaned and fell to the ground.

  She was originally a non-smoker, her body as slender as a willow, her fingers slightly curled, and the silver light flashing on her fingernails. It turned out to be a French nail set with silver pearls, elegantly flashing with silver light, making it hard to believe that it was her most lethal weapon. In an instant, her five fingers were icy cold, tightly pinching my throat. Looking at Song Mingyuan's mouth bleeding, she said in a cold voice: "You all don't move, or I'll kill her." She turned her head and looked at me, saying disdainfully: "What a sinister and cunning Mu Si, I understand your feelings, but now we need Liu Zongguan, so neither my father nor I will let you kill Liu Zongguan. Quickly bring the antidote!"

  I watched her snort, saying fearlessly: "Since he dared to mention the matter of Song Er Ge in front of everyone, he must be trying to provoke us into taking action against him, so that he would have an excuse to kill us. If Xiao Wu dies while escaping in a chaotic world, it's nothing out of the ordinary. Even if Hou Ye were to ask for punishment, as long as we can rescue Er, his crime wouldn't be punishable by death, and who knows, he might even gain more trust from Hou Ye."

  Jin Xiu and Song Mingkui's faces changed greatly, while Yuan Feiyun's clever eyes looked at me, neither foolish nor responding to my words, but only sighed and said: "Mu Niang, you should know that if Mr. Liu dies now, there will be no one to take us out."

  I smiled at her: "These words are wrong, two, Mu Jin knows that in fact, even you understand in your heart, without Liu Yansheng, relying on your wisdom and Song Erge's talent, you can also escape from Xi'an," The originally beautiful eyebrows were still tightly furrowed, I took a deep breath, smiling: "I am willing to go and lure away the pursuing soldiers, so before leaving, I must help our Xiao Wu avenge this great enemy, please fulfill my only wish before I die!"

  Her eyes, which had been filled with a deep and complex gaze, turned to Song Ming Lei, and Song Ming Lei also looked back at her deeply. The two of them locked gazes for a long time, as if they couldn't bear to let anyone else in. Finally, her expression gradually softened, and her hand relaxed. She said coldly to me: "I finally understand why Third Brother and Fourth Brother both like you."

  Yuanni chose a stance and no longer looked at Liu Yansheng, but instead took big strides back, revealing Liu Yansheng's hunched figure lying on the ground. His face grew increasingly pale and gaunt as he glared at me and Yuanni with hatred, before suddenly pouncing towards Jinyu. Amidst Jinyu's cold laughter, seven swords flashed out in an instant. After catching his breath, Song Mingpei also joined the fray. I dodged around the fighting circle and ran to Su Hui, unblocking her acupoints, removing her earrings, and pouring out the Xuezhudan pellets. Together with Su Hui, we hastily fed them to Wei Hu, and soon his face began to recover.

  Qiao Wan, who had woken up, also joined Jin Xiu and Song Mingkui in the fight, which became even more intense. At this time, the disciples standing outside the cave were all confidants of Yuan Feiyan. They found that things were not peaceful inside the cave, and some people came in one after another to see what was going on. Yuan Feiyan waved his hand, only allowing a burly man at the forefront to come over, whispered something in his ear, and that person immediately settled the disciples outside the cave without making any noise. Meanwhile, he quietly sent someone to capture Liu Yansheng's dozens of followers and took them all out to be killed.

  Liu Yansheng's movements became slower and slower, with a panic and distrust in his eyes that I had never seen before. His usually neatly combed hair was disheveled and stuck to his forehead, which was covered in black sweat. Finally, he fell to the ground, his eyes filled with fear of death. He gasped for air, and after a while, he calmed down a bit, glaring at Yuan Feiyun and Song Mingrui: "I never thought that I would end up like this after devoting my life to your father's service. Yuan Feiyun, you will regret this one day."

  Then, he turned his head to Jinou and revealed a strange smile: "I, Liu Yansheng, finally died at the hands of your Xiao Wuyi. You... are you satisfied now?" He spat out a few mouthfuls of black blood, his eyes gradually becoming dim and sorrowful.

  He stretched out a blood-stained hand to Jinzhu, trembling as he tried to grasp her, but Song Minglei kicked him away fiercely. One of his hands was like a chicken claw, while the other hand tightly grasped a corner of Jinzhu's embroidered robe. He gazed at her dazedly: "Are you still the same person? ... Why are you so beautiful even in hatred?"

  Jin Xiu spat on his corpse with disgust, I walked over, wanting to say something, but looking at Jin Xiu's tearful face, I couldn't say anything, and could only hug her in heartache. Jin Xiu was stunned for a moment, then turned around and hugged me tightly, her whole body trembling violently. My heart was even more painful, sad, and regretful, and I just held her silently, tears streaming down my face.

  "Don't go, Mu Gen." Jin Xiu suddenly whispered in my ear: "Let's kill Yuan Feiyan, and when we get to Luoyang, let's say she and Liu Yansheng were both killed by the rebels."