Whether it's Nan Chengyao or Lin, I believe they will both be able to hear the unusual tone in my words and know what to do. ∮ Yan Mo Xuan ∮ No Ads ∮

  I had no time to delay, so I rode straight up the horse led by the guard from the military camp and galloped all the way towards Qingmu Cliff.

  Qingyai Cliff is a high cliff about ten miles south of Handan City, due to the danger of the land, although it is famous, but few people have visited.

  From a distance, I saw two blurry figures standing in front of the cliff. As I rode closer, I realized that the one with a haggard face and tear stains was Shu Ying. Her hands were tied behind her back, and she was gagged, unable to make a sound. A long sword hung around her neck, and Yu Dou stood alone behind her, coercing her, his eyes coldly fixed on me.

  "Why is it only you, Master Ming? I clearly heard that he was captured and taken to the Ye City Prison. What's going on with him now?" She saw me coming alone and became anxious, her long sword moved horizontally in front of Su Ying's neck, although it didn't hurt her, but the threatening implication was already self-evident.

  "Zhen Zhu's sister and the other two brothers didn't come with her either, so you don't have to worry. Dong Ge is fine now, just like them."

  I saw a fleeting abnormality on her face, and I knew that my guess was not wrong. This time she came, most likely hiding from Zhenzhu, with the sole intention of preserving the life of the person in her heart.

  If it were just her alone, then perhaps I would have a chance to find a way that benefits both of us.

  My right hand, hidden in the wide and comfortable sleeve, has a golden needle shining brightly in the palm.

  This set of Tonghua needles was personally created by Su Xiu for me, with every move and gesture guided by her hand.

  Although I haven't practiced for too long, I still have the confidence to save Su Ying, but at this moment they are standing on the edge of a cliff, and any slight mistake may cause them to fall down together, so I must be careful.

  And in my heart, unless absolutely necessary, I would not be willing to hurt Zhen Yu, even if there was no affection between us, but she had risked her life for Dong Ming, and since I couldn't save Dong Ming, now I'm even more unwilling to let his maid suffer again.

  "Since he's fine, why didn't you bring him here?!" Zhen Yu's voice rang out again, pulling me back to my thoughts.

  I gazed intently at her every move, gripping the thorn needle in my hand, and calmly said: "Miss also knows that Brother Dong is now in the heavily guarded prison of Ye City, I have no way to get him out."

  The expression on Yu Mian's face was faintly frantic: "What? You're the current Third Princess, how can you possibly have no way out?!"

  I continued to gaze at her quietly: "The prison guards respect me, but they won't listen to my orders. Now, the only one who can release Dong Ming is the Third Prince alone. I've begged him, but he refused."

  "Since you can't save Ming's master, what are you doing here?!" Zhen Yu's voice had a hint of desperation, she grabbed Su Ying's hair and pushed her forward: "Don't you care about the life of this maid? She has been desperately protecting you, several times attempting to take her own life just so as not to burden you!"

  A pang in my heart, but I didn't dare show a hint of it on my face. I remained calm and looked at her as I said, "Of course I care, or else I wouldn't be here today."

  She let out a mournful laugh: "You can't even save Master Ming, and you still think I'll let her go?"

  I shook my head gently: "Of course I know it's impossible, but what if I had a way to get Brother Dong out of prison?"

  "You just said..."

  "What I just said was that I alone couldn't save him, but if you add yourself to the mix, the outcome would be different." I interrupted her, speaking in a tone that brooked no argument: "The reason the Third Prince refused my request is because he wouldn't care about the life of a mere maid, but he definitely can't ignore mine. So now, I've come personally, using myself as leverage to exchange for Piao Ying. With me in your hands, your coercion might just succeed."

  Zhen Yu's face showed hesitation and distrust, while Shu Ying, after hearing my words, struggled desperately and shook her head, making stifled sobbing sounds from her blocked mouth. I gave her a gentle, comforting smile and spoke softly: "Miss Zhen Yu, the Third Prince doesn't care about Shu Ying's life, but in my heart, she is like my own younger sister. How could I possibly ignore her safety? Since she was willing to sacrifice herself to protect me, why can't I do something for her?"

  She glanced at me, then at Shu Ying, her expression slightly relaxed. I forced myself to maintain eye contact with hers and continued speaking in a soft voice: "Zhen Yu, you know that Dong Ge has been kind to me, and Mu Rong Qing hasn't forgotten it for a single day. Now that he's in trouble, how can I just sit back and do nothing? Believe me, I'm the same as you - we both hope he'll be safe and sound."

  The doubt on her face gradually dissipated, but the hesitation remained. With a slightly uncertain tone, she asked: "Dong Ye said that Queen Wang is extremely intelligent, how do I know whether what you're saying now is true or false, and why should I believe you?"

  I looked at her quietly, and replied softly word by word: "Do you have any other choice?"

  She was stunned for a moment, speechless and unable to utter a word.

  And I sighed lightly: "Zhēn Yù young lady, I'm already willing to exchange myself for Shū Yǐng, what else are you worried about?"

  Zhen Yu gritted his teeth and said: "You get off your horse and walk over here slowly by yourself."

  I didn't say a word, got off the horse, and walked step by step towards the edge of the cliff, with my hand hidden in my sleeve firmly grasping the golden needle.

  Shu Ying doesn't understand martial arts at all, if we can get her to leave first, our chances of escaping will greatly increase.

  Zhen Yu grasped Piao Ying's clothes tightly with one hand, and held the long sword firmly with the other. I knew she was tense, for her fingers that gripped the sword had turned pale blue.

  "You turn your back and slowly walk away!" She suddenly shouted when I was about ten steps away from her.

  I acted on my words, slowly retreating step by step. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on the back of my head, and the long sword in Zhen Yu's hand was already placed at my neck. Meanwhile, Shu Ying was pushed out several steps and fell to the ground.

  Shu Ying stood up from the ground, still with her hands tied and unable to speak, but she gazed at me pitifully, refusing to leave.

  I thought to myself that the sooner I left this cliff edge the better, so on the one hand I spoke warmly to her, while on the other hand secretly signaling to her to go to Majia first.

  "Shu Ying, you immediately return to Ye City government office and tell the Third Highness about my situation. Tell him that if he wants me to stay alive, then release Dong Ming!"

  As I finished speaking, the tense body gradually relaxed, and just as he was about to take me away from the cliff, he suddenly saw a horseman rushing towards us in the distance.

  She gripped her sword tightly and said sternly, "You actually called someone over!"

  "I spoke decisively, but my hand tightened around the golden needle: 'No, miss, why don't you wait and see clearly before making a judgment.'"

  The figure gradually approached, and it was actually Zhen Zhu. She shouted from a distance: "Zhen Yu, come quickly, don't be fooled! Master Ming has already taken his own life in the prison cell last night, and the announcement is posted on the city gate of Ye City. Don't believe her nonsense!"

  Jade was shocked and hurt, and uncontrollably shouted out: "What?!"

  But I understood that at this moment, it was inevitable. With a flick of my sleeve, the golden needle in my hand flew straight into her right arm, which held the sword.

  She screamed in pain, the long sword "clanged" to the ground, and then rolled down the cliff. I immediately pulled up Shu Ying and ran quickly, our horses were not far away, as long as we got there, we would have a chance to escape. Zhen Zhu also had horses, but it was unlikely that she would risk her own life to accompany her sister's recklessness.

  "Third Princess, you're so cruel!" The icy voice behind me shouted, and before I knew it, she had pounced on me from behind and held me in a tight grip.

  When people are in despair and don't care about anything, they can always produce amazing power. The current Zhenyu is like this.

  My body and both arms were tightly bound by her, unable to move even a little bit, while the urgent and anxious calls of Jingzhu from afar went unheard.

  Shu Ying's hands were tied, unable to come forward to help me. In her anxiety, she bent down and bit down on Zhen Yu's finger with all her might. Zhen Yu felt a sharp pain and instinctively loosened his grip, but then immediately tightened it even more firmly around me. I heard Shu Ying's shrill and frantic voice ringing in my ears...

  "Now that Master Ming is gone, there's no point in me living in this world either. I might as well drag you along and bury you with him!"

  Before she finished speaking, her hands and feet were already entwined around me, and we tumbled to the ground together. Then, with a desperate roll, I only managed to push Pei Ying away heavily, before feeling my body suspended in mid-air, with nothing but the sound of wind by my ear, and her mournful, sinister laughter that seemed to go on forever, until the endless darkness enveloped me.

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