The situation was different this time. Too many people had arrived, and even Mu Yunfei had come in person to seize him; there would likely be no clean escape.
As the Imperial Guards closed in with raised swords, Xiao Biehe used all his strength to push Lu Guanyan away. “Go, quickly.”
Lu Guanyan, of course, had no intention of leaving Xiao Biehe behind. On the night the peach forest was burned, he had listened to Xiao Biehe and left alone, only for Xiao Biehe to be taken back to the General’s Estate where he nearly died. Lu Guanyan had been consumed by guilt and self-reproach for a long time afterward.
This time, no matter what, he would not allow Xiao Biehe to be dragged alone to the Imperial Prison.
Even if it meant his death!
“Brother, I won’t leave by myself. I may not be able to defeat this many people, but have you forgotten? The Wuyi clan excels in poison. I’ll poison them all to death, and you’ll come with me!”
As Lu Guanyan spoke, he prepared to move, causing the surrounding guards to recoil in horror. Xiao Biehe pressed down on the youth’s hand.
“Did you hear that?” Xiao Biehe addressed the guards. “He carries lethal poison; none of you will survive. Let him go, and I will surrender voluntarily today. I will take all the blame.”
Lu Guanyan’s face paled instantly. “What are you saying?”
Xiao Biehe’s voice was cold and clear, laced with a resolute determination. Knowing the man as he did, Lu Guanyan knew that once Xiao Biehe made up his mind, no one could change it.
Lu Guanyan turned deathly white, his voice a desperate hiss. “No! Brother, don’t go to your death! Don’t die! If you go with them, you really will die. Don’t go!”
Xiao Biehe set aside his coldness and looked at the youth with a soft, gentle smile. “You cannot save me. Don’t waste your time on me anymore, and don’t let yourself get hurt because of me. Go.”
Lu Guanyan was just as stubborn. He gripped Xiao Biehe’s hand tightly, looking like a wolf baring its fangs for a hunt as if he would tear apart and devour anyone who dared step within an inch of his “beauty.”
Mu Yunfei’s icy, sharp voice rang out. “You two are acting quite intimate in front of Us. Do you take Us for a ghost?”
Mu Yunfei stepped through the ranks of guards toward Xiao Biehe, his gold-threaded silk boots thumping heavily on the ground, each step carrying the weight of supreme authority.
With a half-smile, his hawk-like gaze fixed on Xiao Biehe’s cold yet stunning face. The annoyance and the desire for absolute control were unmistakable; with every step, his expression grew more sinister.
“Is this your lover? Our Crown Princess.”
Mu Yunfei had been raised by the Emperor himself. In some ways, he was very much like his father: he could not tolerate anyone defying or betraying him.
For over a decade, his heart had belonged to Xiao Biehe. But by the same token, if this person insisted on leaving him, Mu Yunfei would not hesitate to use any means to possess him.
And if he still couldn’t have him, he would destroy him!
He was the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, possessing the hearts of the people, the respect of the officials, and the expectations of his father. As long as he committed no great error, he would one day be the recognized King of Liang. Everything under heaven belonged to him. If even he couldn’t have something, then it had no reason to exist!
Of course, if Xiao Biehe repented in time, Mu Yunfei would still try his best to plead with the Emperor for his life. At most if his father remained uneasy he would break Xiao Biehe’s limbs, cripple his martial arts, and build a sunless cage in the Eastern Palace to keep him locked away. Surely then, he would no longer be a threat.
After all, this was the only person he had longed for in twenty-three years, the one who disturbed his very soul!
Mu Yunfei had seen other cold beauties and many seductive ones, yet none were even a ten-thousandth as breathtaking as Xiao Biehe. He was irreplaceable. Even the foster son of the General’s Estate, who imitated Xiao Biehe’s speech and mannerisms, was a pale, boring imitation.
Mu Yunfei’s gaze, like a cold snake, lingered on Xiao Biehe’s face for a long time before he gave a frigid command: “Seize them both. Do not let either escape!”
Lu Guanyan was shielded behind Xiao Biehe, his eyes glowing with a sinister, predatory light as he glared at Mu Yunfei. He was ready to strike; even if he didn’t survive today, he would kill the bastards who dared harm his beauty.
Cold blades closed in. Xiao Biehe was still severely injured, but as a genius who had practiced martial arts for over a decade and topped both civil and military exams at eighteen, his techniques were etched into his bones. He could execute them with his eyes closed.
The scene turned into a clash of iron and blood. One was a martial genius; the other was a madman renowned for his skill and poisons. Even against many, a close-quarters fight relies on speed. Xiao Biehe struck out with focused strength. Before the guards’ blades could touch him, he snatched a sword from the chaos and pointed it directly at Mu Yunfei’s throat.
Mu Yunfei curled his lip in a cold smirk. He reached out, grabbing the freezing blade at his throat with his bare hand, attempting to brush it aside.
Simultaneously, countless swords were pointed at Xiao Biehe.
Xiao Biehe remained unbowed, his face cold as ever. He did not loosen his grip; instead, he pressed the blade a fraction deeper into Mu Yunfei’s throat, drawing a thin line of blood.
Mo Sang, standing behind Mu Yunfei, lost his arrogant look of revenge. Seeing the blade at the Prince’s throat, he turned pale and quietly retreated. Having spent time around Xiao Biehe, he knew the man’s temper was usually stable and gentle. Aside from killing enemies on the battlefield, Mo Sang had never seen him strike out to harm someone let alone speak such harsh words.
Xiao Biehe’s voice was colder than ever. Straining his internal energy while his wounds were unhealed made his face paler than paper, yet his hand was steady. “Let him go, and I will go back with you. Otherwise, even if we don’t make it out today, I will still take the Crown Prince’s head.”
“Take Our head? Heh.” Mu Yunfei looked as if he had heard something inconceivable. His deep eyes flickered between shock and rage. He gripped the blade at his throat tightly, letting blood flow down his palm as he stared at Xiao Biehe.
“Fine. Today, for the sake of the Crown Princess, we shall spare his life. But We ask the Crown Princess: from now on, do not commit any more acts of infidelity! Now, will the Crown Princess remove the sword from Our neck!”
Xiao Biehe tilted his head slightly, his eyes looking toward Lu Guanyan. “Go.”
The swords pressing against Lu Guanyan were withdrawn. The hundreds of guards looked at one another and stepped back.
Lu Guanyan never intended to leave. Instead of retreating, he stepped forward, looking ferocious. “I said I wouldn’t leave alone! Brother, don’t confess! I’ll kill them all and get you out!”
Xiao Biehe’s voice was like ice, cutting him off. “If you don’t leave, I will die right here before you.”
Lu Guanyan’s hand, still mid-combat, froze. He turned his blue eyes toward Xiao Biehe, filled with pain and shock. “Brother?”
Xiao Biehe did not explain further. His sword remained fixed on Mu Yunfei, blood dripping down the blade. He felt a metallic sweetness rise in his throat; he was at his limit.
He had long intended to die; it was the optimal solution to all his problems. The only surprise was the person who had barged into his plans someone who should have been his enemy, yet tried to save him time and again.
In this moment, Xiao Biehe began to understand why the youth had called him “enemy.” But the boy couldn’t save him. If he stayed entangled in this world, he would surely die too.
Xiao Biehe thought back to a boy years ago in the military camp a fierce, silent child by a bonfire in the snow. Back then, Xiao Biehe was also just a child. The camp rules were strict; failing to report an intruder was a grave crime. Yet, seeing that dirty, wounded boy, he felt a pang of pity. He only wanted to help to give him a place to rest and something to eat.
Xiao Biehe’s memory was excellent. Ten years had passed, and the boy had changed completely, but those crystal-blue eyes were unique. On that day in the Eastern Palace, he had recognized the youth at first sight.
He could give the youth nothing. At the very least, he hoped the boy wouldn’t lose his life or be hurt because of him. He knew his body wouldn’t last much longer. If the fight continued, even with the youth’s skills, they would eventually be overwhelmed.
Better for one to die than both. Furthermore, Xiao Biehe felt the guards were innocent. Having seen too much death on the battlefield, he could not disregard human life. He didn’t want anyone else to die because of him.
Because Xiao Biehe offered no explanation and his eyes grew colder, Lu Guanyan truly feared he might kill himself. After a long silence, he took two steps back.
“Brother… wait for me to find you.”
Xiao Biehe’s voice was frigid. “Don’t come to save me. Leave Liang, and act as if you never met me.”
“I can’t, Brother…” The little madman panicked, his unique blue eyes filled with sorrow and grievance.
Xiao Biehe urged him: “Go!”
With the mercy Xiao Biehe had bargained for, no one blocked Lu Guanyan. The little madman path was clear, but he looked back every three steps, lingering until he disappeared from view.
The moment he was gone, Xiao Biehe coughed up blood. The sword fell from his hand, and his body collapsed.
Mu Yunfei wiped the blood from his neck. He flicked his robe and knelt before Xiao Biehe, grabbing his chin to lift his face. “The Crown Princess truly has quite the methods. Holding the Heir hostage… We wonder if this evidence is enough to send the entire General’s Estate into three thousand miles of exile?”
Knowing Lu Guanyan was safe, Xiao Biehe let out a breath. His face was pale but cold. It was as if they weren’t childhood acquaintances and fiances, but strangers and enemies.
“I will take responsibility for my own actions,” he said firmly.
Mu Yunfei shoved his chin away and reached back. A trusted guard immediately understood and handed over a set of shackles.
With a clack, the chains were locked onto Xiao Biehe’s hands and feet. Mu Yunfei stood up, his black robes billowing. “Take him back to the Eastern Palace!”
A guard hesitated. “Your Highness, the Emperor said that once he was found, he should be sent to the Imperial Prison to await judgment…”
“We have Our own plans,” Mu Yunfei snapped. “Back to the Eastern Palace!”
Xiao Biehe had prepared for death. Seeing the youth escape, he had no more worries. His body, exhausted from using internal energy, let down its guard, and he fainted on the way back.
When he woke, he was not in a prison cell. He had been dressed in a bright red wedding robe. The hall before him was decorated like a bridal chamber, with red candles flickering behind gauze curtains. Mu Yunfei, also in wedding attire, stood before him.
Seeing him open his eyes, Mu Yunfei smiled. “You’re awake.”
Perhaps because he was finally getting what he wanted, Mu Yunfei’s aura was softer than it had been during the day. Xiao Biehe sat up, the chains beneath the red robe clattering loudly.
Mu Yunfei stared at him with naked desire. “This is the first time We have seen the Crown Princess in red. It has a unique charm. If we complete our marriage today and enter the bridal chamber, We, shall let your past actions slide. What do you say?”
“Does the Emperor know?” Xiao Biehe’s voice was cold and empty. He didn’t even look at him. Even with makeup applied to his face, it couldn’t hide his pallor; instead, the rouge only seemed to mask his natural, celestial grace.
“We are the Crown Prince. Father will forgive a moment of self-will. We promise to keep you alive.”
“Just sentence me, Your Highness,” Xiao Biehe replied.
Mu Yunfei’s face turned icy. He leaned forward and roughly grabbed Xiao Biehe’s chin. “You would rather die than give Us even a shred of affection? Are We so loathsome to you? Not even comparable to a wild boy?”
Xiao Biehe offered no response, only lifting his hands to push Mu Yunfei away with a clatter of chains.
Infuriated, Mu Yunfei sneered. He grabbed the chain on Xiao Biehe’s wrist and yanked him forward, pinning him down. He began to frantically tear at the red wedding dress. “Does the Crown Princess still not understand his situation? In your current state, we do not need your consent! We refuse to believe that if a wild boy could sleep with you, We cannot!”
Xiao Biehe swiftly pulled out a jade hairpin from his hair. His long hair cascaded down as he pressed the sharp point of the pin against Mu Yunfei’s throat. “I am resolved to die. If you push me too far, I might actually do something. Let go.”
Mu Yunfei stared at him with disbelief. Beyond anger, there was disappointment and self-mockery in his eyes.
“We grew up together. We thought we were at least best friends. It seems We were wrong. Fine! Since you do not value Our affection, then after tonight, the laws of Liang shall decide the fate of the Xiao clan for treason and the attempted assassination of the Heir. And your lover did you really think We would let him go? He has already been captured!”
The sharp hairpin drew more blood from Mu Yunfei’s neck. His blood dripped onto Xiao Biehe’s hand. The other wound on his neck was still unbandaged and grisly.
Mu Yunfei didn’t retreat; he pressed closer, his expression growing more manic. “Let us have our wedding night, My Love. Don’t worry, even after you die, the position of Crown Princess and Our future Queen shall always be yours! If you submit tonight, we might consider letting your lover live a few days longer. How about it?”
Just then, a messenger from the Eastern Palace arrived: “Your Highness! Lu Guanyan has escaped, and he has poisoned many of our men!”
Mu Yunfei roared in fury, “What!”
Xiao Biehe took the chance to kick Mu Yunfei away. Before the Prince could react, he struck out swiftly and heavily, knocking Mu Yunfei unconscious. Dragging the heavy iron chains and his failing body, he fled.
By the time the guards realized what had happened, he was gone. “Inform the Emperor immediately! Call the Imperial Physician for the Prince!”
While the Eastern Palace was in chaos, Xiao Biehe clad in red and shackled at the wrists and ankles arrived at the palace gates in the dead of night. He struck the ceremonial drum at the gate.
“Criminal official Xiao Biehe, begs for an audience with the Emperor!”