Hong'an Xiangzhuang - 4

Hong'an Xiangzhuang - 4

The lanterns swayed in the wind, casting several shadows that twisted and distorted like ghosts on the alley walls.

Zhao Yunkang took a step forward, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning bluish-white. The golden python pattern on his round-necked robe looked menacing in the dim light, but it couldn't intimidate the frail woman three steps away.

Yun Yixia also stepped forward, shielding her companion behind her. Her dark blue casual clothes made her look as solitary and icy as ice.

Those gentle, calm eyes transformed into two pools of cold springs, clearly reflecting the man's furious face.

His chest heaved as he stared intently at her. Neither of them would give an inch, their gazes clashing in the air, creating a burning sensation that sent sparks flying.

"My wife, we're here!"

A man drove a mule cart into the alley. Three people got off the cart. Sensing the tense atmosphere, they didn't say much, but bowed and began to deal with the scene.

The corpses were still warm and not stiff. Two people at a time quickly stripped the Khitans of their clothes and boots. Three of them put the clothes on themselves, and the rustling of the fabric against each other was particularly clear in the quiet alley.

Another person pulled out several sections of thick bamboo tubes and a small earthenware jar from under the mule cart.

He pulled out the stopper and poured the viscous black liquid from the jar onto the corpse. The liquid made a corrosive "sizzling" sound as it flowed, mixed with a sweet, fishy, ​​and burnt stench.

The man picked up the bamboo tube and evenly poured the filth, mixed with street dust, animal excrement, and rotten vegetable leaves, onto the surface.

In a short while, the three corpses became a blurry and horrifying mass. He swept them into a wooden barrel, spread lime on them, and swept again to completely erase the traces.

The other three used the lantern's light to "stick" their skin to the bronze mirror, their movements skillful and fluid, the skin thin and adhered perfectly.

They poured wine on each other, padded their shoulders and shoes, and at first glance, there was no flaw.

"My wife, the three of us will go ahead first!"

The three men, reeking of alcohol, bowed to Yun Yixia. She walked up to them and whispered her instructions.

"Your safety comes first!" She unfastened the wrist-mounted dart and handed it over. "Contact me anytime if anything happens!"

"promise!"

Dong Ci took the warm, hand-held arrow with both hands. His fingertips felt as if they had been burned. He curled up and put the arrow into his sleeve, bowed again, and led his brothers out of the alley in Khitan attire.

The remaining man stood quietly by the mule cart and waited for about fifteen minutes. Then he bowed to Yun Yixia and drove the cart away.

"Your Highness, what a brilliant move!"

Zhao Yunkang clapped his hands in praise, saying that if no one had seen the process of "destroying the body and covering up the evidence," no one would have thought that the Khitan prince died in the back alley.

"Your Highness, what composure you have!"

Yun Yixia turned to look at Zhao Yunkang, her aura fully unleashed, showing no sign of backing down.

Her people were humiliated in the back alley, and the fact that the secret guards did not intervene showed his attitude towards the "princess".

If that's the case, why is she still being polite?

"General, Princess, the night air is chilly. Why don't we return to the manor and discuss this further?"

Ma De stepped forward with a smile to smooth things over, his gaze falling on the three maids behind the princess, each with her own strengths and talents.

"Okay!" Yun Yixia stepped inside. "Mu Jin, Shao Yao, you two take Bai Wei back!"

Anyone who gossips will be slapped fifty times and thrown out of the courtyard.

"promise!"

"promise!"

"Eh~" Bai Wei struggled, "Wife, I'm fine! Let me stay with you... mmm!"

Mu Jin was ruthless and taciturn. She covered Bai Wei's mouth and carried her away with one hand.

The men stared in disbelief, exchanging glances and wondering who the princess was.

The group arrived at the study, with Yun Yixia walking in front, her back straight and her expression calm, as if she were taking a stroll in her own garden.

The north wall of the study is lined with floor-to-ceiling ebony bookshelves, densely packed with books and slipcases made of blue or green cloth. Plain labels with neat, uniform characters are pasted on the spines of the books.

In front of the bookshelf is a large, flat-topped desk with a smooth, mirror-like surface and wood grain that flows naturally like ripples on water.

A bamboo couch made of Xiangfei bamboo, which can be reclined on, is placed under the window, and a layer of green bamboo mat is laid on the couch.

Beside the tatami mat, on a low table, were two or three half-open tuberoses arranged in a celadon vase.

The room was decorated in a cold and hard style, with only the tuberose adding a touch of elegant brightness.

Everyone took their seats according to their roles as host and guest, and no one spoke for a moment.

"Excuse me for asking!" Ma De bowed respectfully, "Who are you?"

"Before you ask me, strategist, why don't you ask your general how he plans to handle this matter?"

Yun Yixia remained calm, leaning against a small table as she looked at the room full of men.

The implication was that if Zhao Yunkang's handling of the situation didn't satisfy her, she wouldn't say anything.

Zhao Yunkang sat behind his desk, watching Yun Yixia's true colors revealed, his fists clenching and unclenching.

I thought I had married a timid house cat, but it turned out to be a fierce tiger.

“The two countries are negotiating peace…” He raised an eyebrow at her, “If this matter does not affect the peace negotiations, then nothing will happen.”

"I travel under the pseudonym 'Zhao Yun'... It's been a long time, everyone!"

Yun Yixia picked up her teacup, offered a polite toast to everyone present, and took a sip of tea to soothe her throat.

"Are you Zhao Yun?"

Xu Zhihao jumped up and rushed to Yun Yixia, reaching out his hand... then quickly pulled it back.

You mustn't touch that!

"Um!"

Yun Yixia chuckled and nodded, looking up at Xu Zhihao with admiration.

Before delivering the supplies, she learned about Zhao Yunkang and his men, and had a good impression of this simple-minded and fierce general.

"Uh!" Xu Zhihao scratched his head. "Well... thank you for the supplies!"

He looked at the general and strategist with some helplessness, never having imagined that "Zhao Yun" would be a woman.

I had hoped to share a drink with Zhao Yun before... but now I'm afraid that's not possible.

The candlelight flickered in the study. Zhao Yunkang ignored the boorish man and focused his gaze intently on Yun Yixia, scrutinizing her carefully from head to toe.

An ordinary person would have given in and begged for mercy, but this woman showed no sign of nervousness and instead seemed quite confident.

"I owe you a favor regarding the donated supplies." He tapped his fingers on the desk. "This time, I can help you cover it up a bit!"

"No need!" She put down her teacup. "Your Highness, you don't need to do anything!"

Yun Yixia stood up and walked out. Xue Ning jumped up to stop her. When he met her calm and unwavering almond eyes, his heart jumped into his throat, and a fine layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Seeing this, Ma De quickly waved his feather fan to make the simpleton move aside, and Xu Zhihao directly pulled the man away.

Thank you!

Yun Yixia nodded to Xu Zhihao and walked straight out of the study.

They can decide what to do next themselves; she just needs to wait for the result.

Throughout history, the common people have never fought against the officials!

If it really comes down to a fight... has the barefoot ever been afraid of the one wearing shoes?

"Crack!"

In the southeast corner of the desk, a bronze crane-shaped lamp with intertwined branches burst open, creating a bright red flame. Sparks flew everywhere, and a few scarlet lights broke free from the lamp's confinement, tracing short, scorching trails in the air.

Zhao Yunkang remained motionless, his gaze fixed on the empty doorway, his pupils flickering with firelight, and his lips pressed into a straight line.

He was prepared that Yun Yixia was not as timid as she appeared on the surface.

It's nothing new that grand mansions have their own "camouflage."

On the second day after their marriage, when he returned from thanking the emperor at the palace, he found that several of the prince's maids had been harmed at the same time, and he knew that she had some tricks up her sleeve.

The young master went to Yun Yixia's courtyard to provoke her. That night, Granny Chen died. Since the murderer could not be found, he knew that she was ruthless.

He witnessed her commit murder today and revealed herself as "Zhao Yun"... He was still too unprepared.

"General, the Princess...it might not be a bad thing after all!"

Ma De waved his fan rapidly. They had imagined a hundred different versions of "Zhao Yun," but they never imagined he would be a delicate and frail young woman.

On the surface, Zhao's shops are all over Daqing, but who knows how many businesses she actually owns?

Ordinary businessmen don't have the extensive and accurate information network that the princess possesses.

“General, I think those three Khitans are dead and that’s that.” Xu Zhihao slammed his fist on the table. “After they came to Xijing, they behaved dissolutely and harassed respectable women… The officials of the Sifangguan turned a blind eye, and it was only the common people who suffered.”

"I'll obey the general!"

Xue Ning rubbed his shoulders to ease the discomfort he felt from making eye contact with the princess earlier.

"General, if she can handle it, there's nothing wrong with us staying on the sidelines."

Liang Qiu looked down at the toe of the shoe, his heart filled with mixed feelings. The person he had once longed for was so powerful that he couldn't quite accept it for a while, and he felt a stinging, itchy discomfort in his heart.

"It's late!" Zhao Yunkang waved his hand. "You guys go back!"

He rested his hand on his forehead, pondering how to resolve the current chaos.

Once the Khitan delegation returns, Zhao Yunkang will definitely lead his men back to the northern frontier. At that time, the crown prince will provoke him, the empress dowager will be in a difficult position, and the emperor will be happy to see his household in turmoil...

Given Yun Yixia's ruthless nature, he feared that his mother and the crown prince would both suffer!

The full moon quietly climbed over the eaves and roof ornaments, hanging in the dark blue sky, a jade plate that was not yet full, its clear light piercingly cold.

"Hey, hey, hey~ Mu Jin, can you be a little gentler?" Bai Wei's voice was both angry and anxious. "You're going to rub my skin raw!"

"Didn't you want to wash yourself cleaner?"

Hibiscus's voice was icy cold, while Peony, standing to the side, suppressed a laugh, a handful of melon seeds in her hand, watching the two adversaries "argue."

"I want to get clean, not peel off a layer of skin."

"Then...my wife, you've arrived!"

The three maids immediately stopped arguing and watched as their mistress entered, looking somewhat tired.

"I'll have the old women bring over some hot water so we can all take a bath together!"

Four cypress bathtubs huddled together emitted wisps of warm steam. A change of clothes sat on a low table in front of the screen, and a few crape myrtle flowers were inserted in a large Yue kiln celadon urn in the corner.

The wooden tub was filled with a skin-nourishing dew and rice milk, and the woman's slender figure was faintly visible beneath the water's surface.

Yun Yixia's black hair was loosely tied on top of her head and secured with a jade hairpin. A few unruly strands clung to her slender neck, creating a striking contrast between black and white, making her breathtakingly beautiful.

"I told them!"

She leaned her head back slightly against the soft towel on the edge of the tub, her cheeks flushed red from the steam, and tiny water droplets clung to her long eyelashes.

"What did the prince say?"

Peony clung to the wooden tub, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at her wife, her look growing increasingly infatuated.

My wife is so beautiful!

"I left after I finished speaking." Yun Yixia said with a lazy smile. "They are probably still discussing countermeasures. They should talk to me when they have a plan."

"My lady, now that you've revealed your identity... will the prince be willing to let you leave?"

Bai Wei looked at her wife with worry and self-blame. She had originally planned to leave by "faking her death," but now that was no longer an option.

"The risks of keeping me are far greater than letting me go." Yun Yixia wasn't worried at all. "How could he not know how to make a choice?"

"My wife, it's my fault..."

"If that's the case, then I'm the one who's to blame for sending you out on this business." Yun Yixia turned to look at Bai Wei. "Are you blaming me?"

"My lady, if anyone is to blame, it's those Khitans. How can you be blamed?"

Bai Wei stood up excitedly, but when she came to her senses, she saw admiration and teasing in her wife's eyes, and playful glances from her friends...

She hurriedly sank into the water, feeling both embarrassed and ashamed, splashing water at the hibiscus and peony.

The bathroom quickly turned into a "water battle" scene. Yun Yixia did not participate in the battle, but dressed and left, leaving the battlefield for them to have their fun.

The night breeze was slightly cool outside. She wrapped her cloak tighter around herself and went back to her room, only to find someone who shouldn't be there when she opened the door...