Chapter 155: Chapter 97: Targeting Her Alone

Xu Ci’s heart was also filled with grievances.

Clearly, she was his Imperial Concubine, but the Emperor’s gaze never lingered on her.

He came here merely because he thought this place was tranquil, and she neither fought nor vied, being generous and virtuous.

However, how many women can truly not fight or vie when faced with their own man?

She knew her cousin well enough; making her cousin compete for the same man felt worse than killing her.

Yet the Emperor was so obsessed with her cousin, leaving her trapped in a dilemma and contradiction.

Sometimes she would think, if her cousin were favored, the Shen Family and Xu Family might prosper for a lifetime, and they could look out for each other.

But she immediately dismissed the idea, knowing her cousin was not one to compete for favor. This Imperial Palace had already caused her much suffering, so how could she bear to let her cousin step into this pit of fire?

Therefore, she secretly resolved to prepare early, and when Shen Ruoxi returned to the capital, she would make sure to marry her cousin off, preventing the Emperor’s intentions from succeeding.

Meanwhile, Shen Ruoxi had a particularly sweet sleep, without even a single dream.

When she slowly opened her eyes, it was already late morning.

She stretched lazily, immediately catching sight of Qing Ning giving her a teasing smile.

Startled, she instinctively pressed her temple and asked in confusion, “Who brought me back last night?”

Qing Ning feigned an innocent look, stifling a laugh she said, “You came back on your own, I didn’t see anyone, especially not the Marshal wiping your face.”

Finally, Qing Ning couldn’t hold it anymore and burst out laughing.

“You’re asking for it!” Shen Ruoxi feigned anger, pretending to hit Qing Ning. Just then, a soldier outside the tent asked to see her.

Shen Ruoxi quickly instructed Qing Ning, “Let him in immediately.”

The soldier entered and respectfully saluted Shen Ruoxi, “I have met Military Doctor Shen, the Marshal is asking for you.”

Shen Ruoxi nodded slightly and casually asked, “Do you know what it is about?”

Unexpectedly, the soldier knew, “It should be about Xing Yuan’s escape last night.”

“What?” Shen Ruoxi was full of disbelief, her eyes wide with astonishment.

It was known that the prison in the military camp was heavily guarded and tightly secured. Not even a fly could get in, let alone a person. How could Xing Yuan escape from such a fortress-like place?

Filled with doubts and urgency, Shen Ruoxi quickly washed up and almost ran all the way to the main tent.

When she arrived at the tent, she found that many soldiers had already gathered inside.

After greeting Jun Moling, Shen Ruoxi eagerly asked, “Marshal, what on earth happened? Our military prison has always been impregnable, how could a prisoner escape?”

Jun Moling had a serious expression, his demeanor grave, “Military Doctor Shen, sit down first; this matter is not as simple as it seems.”

After Shen Ruoxi thanked him and sat down, Jun Moling slowly explained, “Last night, Liu Qian entered the cell. As the Vice Vanguard Officer, the guarding soldiers thought he was just going about routine interrogations and let him in.

No one anticipated that he would be swapped by Xing Yuan, now Liu Qian is dead, and Xing Yuan has vanished without a trace.

To get the specifics, we must capture Xing Yuan again.

But this matter is indeed strange; this is a well-guarded military camp. The soldiers at the gate insist that no one was let out, yet our thorough search yielded no traces of Xing Yuan.”

Shen Ruoxi was also puzzled, how could they not catch him?

Jun Moling continued, “If he had martial arts skills, escape might be plausible, but his pressure points were sealed by our people, he couldn’t even use basic Qinggong, so how did he flee?

I am convinced that he is still within the camp, just hidden in some unknown corner, or perhaps he has accomplices who hid him.”

Shen Ruoxi nodded in agreement with Jun Moling’s analysis.

Last night, when Xing Yuan was captured, no one was more shocked than Liu Qian.

Because the man apprehended wore clothes identical to those of his master, even the hairstyle was entirely the same.

An ominous feeling arose in Liu Qian’s heart; he believed something must have happened to his master, and this incident surely had something to do with the man captured.

Though Liu Qian was not the best person, he had always respected his master immensely.

Feeling that his master might be in danger, how could he just sit by and do nothing?

So, he decided to go to the cell in the middle of the night to ask the scoundrel whether his master was harmed by him.

When he saw Xing Yuan, the answer he got was, “I am your master.”

Of course, Liu Qian didn’t believe it, so Xing Yuan mimicked his master’s voice.

Liu Qian was instantly dumbfounded, but the suspicion in his heart still made him unable to be certain, after all, the person in front of him looked very different from his master.

Xing Yuan came up with a plan, luring him to reach out and touch his face.

At the moment Liu Qian came close, Xing Yuan opened his mouth, and a needle as thin as a hair shot out from his mouth, piercing straight into Liu Qian’s ear.

Liu Qian couldn’t even let out a sound before he met his end.

Xing Yuan used his mouth to pull out the short knife from Liu Qian’s body, and with great effort, cut the ropes.

Then, he changed into Liu Qian’s clothes.

Without any Disguise Potion, he cruelly peeled off Liu Qian’s face and wore it on his own, finally escaping the cell.

However, the camp was full of soldiers, and at this moment, he was without his martial arts, fleeing in all directions like a dog without a home.

The guards didn’t initially notice anything amiss, but eventually did. When they went inside to check, they saw the dead Liu Qian, realizing then that the real scoundrel had already escaped.

The entire camp’s soldiers sprang into action immediately, searching everywhere for Xing Yuan.

Suddenly, the camp was filled with noise, with voices everywhere shouting to capture Xing Yuan.

In panic, he accidentally rushed into a tent.

He saw someone lying on the bed, and subconsciously pulled out a dagger to threaten.

Ning Zhen’er could only feel speechless, inwardly lamenting that it was truly a narrow escape.

Even with the man’s face covered in blood, she recognized him at a glance as the man who had drugged her but was instead overpowered by her.

“You truly have some nerve! Do you think I’m the only one you can bully, coming specifically to bother me?”

Ning Zhen’er was full of anger and frustration.

The night before, she had gone to Shen Ruoxi’s room, only to be drugged and defiled, then kidnapped by this scoundrel.

She thought that after returning to the camp, she would be safe, but among these countless tents along the stretch, he just so happened to burst into hers and hold her hostage again.

“You?” Xing Yuan then realized who he had captured, instinctively looking at her, frozen on the spot.

Shen Ruoxi’s beauty was extremely striking, like seeing a fairy, breathtakingly beautiful at first glance.

However, she was of a handsome appearance, not stunning at first, but her eyes were like autumn water, irresistibly endearing.

But at this moment, half of her face was severely swollen, clearly from a hard slap.

“Who hit you?” Xing Yuan asked instinctively.

Ning Zhen’er grew more furious, “What does it matter to you? Don’t think that I’m afraid of death; your threats are useless on me. Considering our fate, I won’t alert anyone, but you better leave now! Or else I will call for help.”

Xing Yuan only felt that this woman was truly unique. Even though she had overpowered him, and women are generally at a disadvantage, she seemed to not care and didn’t intend to kill him.

Xing Yuan sneered, “Don’t you hate me? Do you know who I am? I’m a ruthless killer, and you’re thinking of letting me go?”

Ning Zhen’er was thoroughly infuriated, “I don’t care who you are! What you do has nothing to do with me. Are you leaving or not? If not, I’ll really call someone!”

“I just find it strange, why don’t you hate me? Why don’t you kill me? Isn’t honor important to you?” Xing Yuan nagged like a monk.

Ning Zhen’er, seething, replied coldly, “What’s more important than life! Besides, you made me happy last night; I have no need to kill you.”

Xing Yuan felt immensely insulted and his expression turned extremely unpleasant, “You mean to say that you’re sparing me just because I made you comfortable last night?”

How could there be such shameless women in the world? He, the Young Master of the Demon Sect, had been with countless women, yet never encountered one so shameless as her.

Ning Zhen’er was about to retort that she saw him as just a tool for pleasure when she suddenly heard a series of chaotic footsteps approaching her tent.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep