novelhk Chapter 202 Threat
Chapter 202 Threat
There was a hint of helplessness in his complaints, but even so, he understood his responsibilities and could only accept it silently.
Fang Weiyi followed closely behind Fan Yanmu, his eyes almost never leaving the pair of tightly clasped hands in front of him.
How could Xiao Zhixue, the woman he loved so much, tolerate such intimacy with Fan Yanmu? However, he did not dare to show his jealousy, fearing that it would anger Xiao Zhixue and ruin his chance of staying in her heart.
He was conflicted and struggling inside, and every step he took was extremely heavy.
Fang Jiawen also felt frustrated by the intimacy between Fan Yanmu and Xiao Zhixue. Looking at the two people walking away, he quickly quickened his pace, trying to keep up.
He didn't want to be left behind, and he didn't want to miss any chance to spend time with Xiao Zhixue, even if he could only watch from afar.
Fan Yanmu turned around and winked at Pei Ming, and Ying Yi and Ying Er immediately understood what he meant. They supported Du Xuwei and carefully walked down the stone steps of the city wall.
Fan Yanmu then turned to Pei Ming and asked, "Sir Pei, can I borrow your carriage?"
Pei Ming saw that the situation was settled, and his tense mood relaxed. He smiled cheerfully, "Of course, I'll have someone prepare the carriage right away."
Soon, the city gates opened with a bang, and the reinforcements and officials began to return to Zhangzhou City in an orderly manner.
Pei Ming quickly arranged for someone to bring a simply decorated but practical carriage. Fan Yanmu stepped onto the carriage with a nimble figure.
Ying Er pulled Du Xuwei and clumsily got on the carriage, while Ying Yi rode a tall horse and led the way in front.
Seeing this, Guo Mo suddenly became worried about his master. He quickly chased after him, shouting as he ran, "I'll go back with you."
Before he finished speaking, he had already jumped onto the carriage nimbly, with quick movements that showed he was clearly well-trained.
The reinforcements he brought were properly arranged by Pei Ming. They were given temporary accommodation in the city and waited for the situation to calm down before returning to their respective bases.
At this time, Du Xuwei was suffering from severe torture of toxins in his body. He was in great pain and felt weak all over. He was unable to put up any resistance at all.
Fan Yanmu closed his eyes and rested, as if he was gathering strength for the next challenge, while Guo Mo stood vigilantly beside Du Xuwei, just in case.
Ying Er drove the carriage and galloped along the winding mountain road towards the old house.
The group returned to the old house as quickly as possible. When Xiao Zhixue heard the noise, she hurried out to greet them.
Seeing Fan Yanmu and the others return safely, she finally let go of the worry she had been holding. She quickly stepped forward and asked with concern, "Has Zhangzhou City been defended?"
There was a slight tremor in her voice, which was the relief after the tension.
Fan Yanmu nodded gently, his expression serious: "We'll keep him, but we can't let him go yet."
His words revealed his careful consideration of the situation. His gaze turned to Du Xuwei who had just got off the carriage. There was both scrutiny and vigilance in his eyes.
Xiao Zhixue knew it all. She was well aware of Du Xuwei's special identity. The secrets and value hidden behind this man were crucial to containing the border troops of East Chu State and he must not be let go easily.
When Du Xuwei saw Xiao Zhixue, a complex emotion flashed in his eyes, which included both cunning and a request for help.
He knew very well that only Xiao Zhixue could remove the poison in his body. In order to survive, he had to find a way to get her help.
Fan Yanmu seemed to see through his thoughts. He ordered Ying Yi and Ying Er: "Take him to the woodshed and keep a close watch on him. Don't give him any chance to escape."
His orders were brief and firm.
"Yes, Master."
Ying Yi and Ying Er responded respectfully and were about to take Du Xuwei to the woodshed.
The moment Du Xuwei turned around, he happened to catch Xiao Zhixue concentrating on Fan Yanmu's back and not paying any attention to him. A strong feeling of jealousy suddenly surged in his heart, and the torture of toxins in his body made his emotions even more out of control.
He suddenly shouted loudly: "Miss, can you detoxify my body first? I really can't hold on any longer!"
There was a hint of pleading in his voice, trying to arouse Xiao Zhixue's sympathy.
Xiao Zhixue simply glanced at him indifferently, without any intention of rescuing him in her eyes.
She had long seen through Du Xuwei's thoughts and did not buy into this attempt to manipulate his emotions.
Seeing that his plea was in vain, Du Xuwei raised the stakes again: "Miss, if you don't help me detoxify, if I die here, you will lose the possibility of using me to fight against our soldiers."
There was a threat in his tone, trying to use it as a bargaining chip.
Hearing this, Xiao Zhixue raised her eyebrows and a playful smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. She strode towards Du Xuwei with unquestionable strength in her tone: "Oh? You want to threaten me? Then I want to see, without you, what can the soldiers of Dongchu do to Xiliang? Do you think that our victory in Xiliang is based on you alone?"
Her words revealed her absolute confidence in her own strength and her disdain for Du Xuwei's threats.
These words were not only a warning to Du Xuwei, but also a demonstration of their own strength, and even more so a pride in Xiliang's overall strength.
Every word Xiao Zhixue spoke was powerful, allowing everyone present to feel her indomitable tenacity and confidence.
Du Xuwei originally thought that his title as the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Chu army was enough to be like a sharp sword, pointing directly at Xiao Zhixue's heart, forcing her to surrender obediently in fear and hand over the extremely precious antidote.
However, the reality was like a bucket of cold water poured over his head. Xiao Zhixue's indifferent look seemed to tell him that she was not one of those ordinary soldiers who were frightened by the news. The threat was nothing more than that.
He keenly noticed this and thought to himself: This woman obviously doesn't fall for tough tactics, so maybe changing her attitude could help turn things around.
In order to survive, Du Xuwei had to suppress his pride, and forced a stiff smile, trying to soften the other party's defense with words, "Miss, you may have misunderstood. My original intention was not to threaten you... but to propose a best of both worlds plan. If I am the hostage, you can let our people evacuate without any hindrance. There will be no conflict, and everything will be settled."
Ying Er, who was standing by, was straightforward. Hearing this, he immediately responded with a hint of pride in his voice, "He is telling the truth. We used him to threaten the Dong Chu soldiers before, and they were really scared like frightened birds and fled in all directions."
As soon as these words were spoken, Fan Yanmu's gaze was as sharp as a blade. He glanced sideways, and Ying Er immediately felt an invisible pressure. He quickly lowered his head, not daring to say another word, for fear of angering his master.
Xiao Zhixue turned her head away to avoid Fan Yanmu's displeased gaze, but her mind was clear as a mirror, and she thought to herself: They were able to escape unscathed, and the role played by Du Xuwei in this should not be underestimated.