mtl008 Chapter 323 She will definitely go back
Chapter 323 She will definitely go back
Lu Yangyang's body sank into the water with a splash.
At the same time, several assassins in black jumped into the water. Lu Yangyang moved her hands and feet, and just as she got used to being underwater, a hand grabbed her arm.
She looked at the person who had grabbed her and stared in shock.
Pei Ji?
Why is Pei Ji here? Did he wait for her here specifically?
Who was that dark figure that just flew up?
She hadn't seen Pei Ji since her wedding to Zong Que. She had always thought that Zong Que had made arrangements for Pei Ji's departure. Just now on the deck, the person who came to help was Cao Cheng, and she hadn't seen Pei Ji. She thought that Pei Ji hadn't come, or that it was a backup plan arranged by Zong Que.
But why did Pei Ji come to save her? What about His Highness?
Lu Yangyang felt a momentary panic, but the situation at this moment did not allow her to think wildly. Falling into the water did not guarantee absolute safety, and several assassins were still relentlessly pursuing her. She had no time to be distracted and could only grip the black iron whip in her hand tightly. Under Pei Ji's guidance, she swam away while dodging the attacks of the pursuing assassins.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but when she was already exhausted, Pei Ji pushed her onto a raft hidden in the reeds.
Lu Yangyang collapsed on the raft, vomiting a mouthful of water mixed with blood. She coughed violently twice, and when she looked up, the large ship was nowhere to be seen on the misty river.
Pei Ji held onto the bamboo raft with one hand, and with the other hand, he forcefully plunged his long sword into the forehead of one of the assassins. Blood splattered onto the lake. Pei Ji withdrew his sword, and the assassins who had been chasing them had all been dealt with.
Lu Yangyang leaned forward and grabbed Pei Ji's arm: "Your Highness, what should we do?"
Pei Ji placed his longsword on the bamboo raft, wiped the water from his face, and looked up at Lu Yangyang. "Go downstream from here. When you reach the shore, stop. Don't take the waterway. No one may chase after you, but just in case, be very careful. This is what His Highness asked me to tell you. Also, if you hear any news about His Highness in the future, don't believe it. If you want to know about His Highness, just do as he tells you. He won't go back on his word."
Pei Ji took his longsword and pushed the bamboo raft hard: "My mission is complete. Take care."
Lu Yangyang hurriedly reached out to grab Pei Ji again, but the river was swift, and the bamboo raft drifted downstream. In the blink of an eye, it had drifted far away with the force of Pei Ji's push, and Pei Ji turned and plunged into the river.
Lu Yangyang gripped the bamboo raft drifting downstream tightly with one hand, while with the other, she removed the water-soaked mask from her face; it was quite heavy. When she left the capital, His Highness had made her wear this ordinary pure silver mask. At the time, she hadn't thought much of it, but it turned out that His Highness was worried she wouldn't have any money on her escape journey alone. After the mask was removed, it would be enough for her to use for quite some time.
Lu Yangyang stubbornly gazed at the misty river in the distance, tears streaming down her face.
Then he vigorously wiped his eyes.
Isn't it just the capital city?
The first time she went there, she didn't think that she couldn't go to the capital.
This time, she will definitely go back.
……
On the deck, the moment Zong Que stood up, Commander He instinctively felt a chill.
Even Feng Su, the Vice Minister who was being held hostage, couldn't help but feel his heart race.
The underlying reason for the power struggle for the throne that has been brewing in Beijing in recent years is that Zong Que's legs are now crippled and there is no possibility of recovery.
According to the ancestral precepts of the Great Zhao Dynasty, emperors must not have physical disabilities.
Therefore, no matter how much the court officials valued Zong Que, his disability alone would make them hesitate. Just like the Crown Prince, because of his lameness, no one would even consider him in the struggle for the throne. The Crown Prince of a country represents the image of the entire Great Zhao, and he absolutely cannot have such a defect.
If Zong Que's legs could be cured, even if he could only stand up, the political climate in the court would immediately change. At least more than half of those who were hesitant about the position of crown prince would secretly choose Zong Que without hesitation.
Who wouldn't want to follow a wise ruler and create unparalleled achievements?
The Great Zhao Dynasty had been established for less than a century, and should have been at its peak. However, the sudden emergence of the Northern Yan Dynasty and the subsequent war more than twenty years ago directly depleted nearly half of the Great Zhao's strength. If it weren't for Crown Prince Chongwen's journey north as a hostage, temporarily quelling the war, the Great Zhao, even if it didn't perish, would have been forced to relocate south, and a change of dynasty wouldn't have been far off. The subsequent decade or so of recuperation and development only barely restored the post-war peace. It was Zong Que's series of policies that enabled the Great Zhao to recover its vitality and flourish again in just over a decade.
It can be said that without Zong Que's series of measures, the Da Zhao Kingdom would never have the stability it enjoys today.
Zong Que's talents extended far beyond this. As the Vice Minister of Justice, he had handled countless sensational cases. In the past ten years, Zong Que had overseen 60% of the dozens of shocking cases handled by the Ministry of Justice that had shaken the court. He not only had unique insights into governance but was also decisive and ruthless in his actions. His father had privately remarked that the biggest difference between the Crown Prince and the former Crown Prince Chongwen was that the former Crown Prince Chongwen was a truly benevolent ruler, while the current Crown Prince possessed the ruthless spirit of a founding emperor. If the Great Zhao Dynasty were in his hands, the Northern Yan Dynasty would be nothing to fear.
This very prince ultimately met his end due to his disability in both legs.
How can one not feel regret?
But now, he has actually stood up. Does that mean that there is a possibility that his legs can be cured?
Feng Su knew that he had no chance of survival after falling into this vortex, but he still couldn't stop his heart from burning slightly. It was a feeling that even though he had never sided with the Crown Prince, he sincerely hoped that such a person could live and return to the political stage of the Great Zhao.
The moment Zong Que pushed Lu Yangyang into the water, Commander He seemed to wake from a dream. His face was covered in blood, and he grabbed his longbow without hesitation, firing several arrows at once: "Kill him! We can't let him go! Kill!"
Countless arrows flew in from all directions. Zong Que could no longer hold on and knelt on one knee. One arrow after another pierced his body. He looked at the misty river and suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood. The long sword in his hand barely supported his body, preventing him from falling.
Commander He, fearing that things might get complicated, grabbed his long sword with his left hand, which was still a bit weak, and rushed over to stab Zong Que. Cao Cheng, who had already been hit by several arrows, rushed forward at the critical moment and blocked the sword aimed at Zong Que with his body.
Just then, a figure leaped up from below the deck. Zong Que's eyes met his for a brief moment, and the next instant, the figure moved like a phantom beside him, taking down several imperial guards who rushed at him. Then, with a flick of his sword, he moved as lightly as a butterfly, slicing his sword across Zong Que's neck.