Chapter 50: Presumption

Chapter 50: Presumption

Consort Lu reacted swiftly, moving before the assassins' blades and shadows could touch them, effortlessly dodging the first wave of attacks from the Northern Wei assassins. He also spared no mercy in retorting:

"The honor of being entombed with the Emperor of Beiwei is indeed mine alone to claim, just not yet."

Xie Xuan Yuan, with Consort Lu half embracing his waist and spouting nonsense in front of all these assassins, couldn't help but blush and then turn pale, "Making decisions on your own! When did I ever say I'd reserve a place for you in the imperial mausoleum?"

After being scolded by his fiery consort, Consort Lu felt a loss of face in front of others. Angrily, he channeled his energy into the branch in his hand, unleashing a furious barrage of jabs at the approaching assassins' faces, before calmly defending himself:

"His Majesty never did say that. However, His Majesty did say that our future child would be the crown prince. According to ancestral customs, it's only natural for the crown prince's mother to be buried in the imperial mausoleum. Your Majesty, is my request mistaken?"

Xie Xuan Yuan was caught off guard by Consort Lu's knowledge of the royal ancestral laws, left speechless by the rebuttal, yet still disdainfully said:

"You're not wrong. But do you even qualify to be called the mother of the crown prince? At best, you're only half the crown prince's biological father! Moreover, consorts buried in the imperial mausoleum must die a natural death, not an untimely one. If you die here tonight, don't even dream of sharing my land after death!"

Although the tyrant spoke through clenched teeth, the concern and care for Consort Lu in his words were too evident to hide.

Hearing this, Lu Changping felt warmth in his heart, tightening his embrace around the tyrant. Now full of vigor, he seized the opportunity to block any future attempts by the tyrant to backtrack:

"These were Your Majesty's own words to me! An emperor's word is as heavy as nine tripods; no matter what happens in the future, you cannot go back on your word."

At this moment, all Xie Xuan Yuan could think about was whether he and Consort Lu could break through the encirclement and survive this assassination with their lives intact, hardly able to detect the trap in these words.

He replied without hesitation: "It was you who came to me voluntarily, what do I have to regret!"

While they were engaged in their verbal spar, Consort Lu was effectively guarding the tyrant with a branch, making it impossible for the assassins to penetrate their defense.

The assassins, carefully selected by the Empress Dowager of Beiwei, found themselves unable to gain any advantage over the unarmed Consort Lu. In fact, in move by move, Consort Lu, even burdened with a blind, pregnant husband, seemed to gain the upper hand.

Despite the situation looking favorable, Lu Changping dared not prolong the fight. He was acutely aware that significant time had passed since they were forced into combat. To dodge the relentless barrage of hidden weapons and blades from all directions, he had to constantly move and shift positions with Xie Xuan Yuan.

Pregnant individuals need rest, especially now that the dragon fetus inside the tyrant was considerably large. Such vigorous activity was a significant strain on both the tyrant and his child.

Xie Xuan Yuan, with a sharp tongue and harsh words, made no mention of these hardships, even silently hiding his discomfort, striving to coordinate with Consort Lu's movements.

But a mere glance at him revealed the sweat on his forehead and the dampness in his hair. In such a battle, every second they persisted, he endured more suffering.

Unable to bear watching any longer, Zhao Changping averted his gaze subtly, his strikes suddenly becoming several times more fierce than before. Even knowing it wasn't the time to underestimate their enemies, he had to accelerate their breakout.

The mindset of a martial artist often magnifies with their movements. Originally, Consort Lu was defensively seeking opportunities to break through, moving with strategy and discipline. Now, with his heart and eyes full of the tyrant's forced perseverance, how could he remain calm to continue his careful approach?

Here, Lu Changping, anxious to protect the tyrant and escape, noticed that the assassins, previously unable to find any flaws, were gradually identifying his priority to protect the tyrant as a weakness. They started to intentionally avoid direct confrontation with him, focusing all their attacks on the tyrant instead.

Realizing that he was a burden to Consort Lu, Xie Xuan Yuan couldn't help feeling anxious, becoming increasingly disheveled under the relentless assault.

While Consort Lu staunchly defended the tyrant, suffering losses both openly and covertly in this war of attrition. However, years of martial training stood him in good stead; if he gained no advantage, the assassins' situation was decidedly worse.

As the enemy's numbers dwindled by more than half, their once impregnable formation was forcibly breached.

Lu Changping, holding the slightly cold hand of the tyrant, softly asked, "Do you still have the strength to run, Your Majesty? If not, I can carry you."

At this moment, the tyrant's breath was unstable, yet he coldly snorted in defiance, "Look after yourself. You can't carry me now, and I don't need you to!"

Consort Lu had long since lost his temper with the tyrant's stubbornness. Since the little tyrant could still hold on for a bit longer, it was the perfect opportunity for him to cover their retreat.

He had already identified an escape route; now, he just needed to get Xie Xuan Yuan across...

However, as soon as the tyrant made a move, the remaining assassins also closed in tightly, proving to be even more clingy than the plaster sold in the markets. With the killers advancing step by step, Consort Lu felt an increasing headache.

Just then, Xie Xuan Yuan, perhaps because of the excessive movement earlier, accidentally strained his fragile abdomen, causing him to double over in pain unexpectedly.

Lu Changping, knowing the tyrant's temperament, realized that the severe stomach pain must have been the cause of his unusual distress at such a crucial moment. He immediately slowed his pace, holding the person in his arms, and retreated towards the riverbank, fighting as they went.

In a duel between masters, a moment's distraction could be the difference between life and death. The assassins from the North Guard sent by Empress Dowager He, although far from being able to challenge Emperor Lu in a duel of masters, had accurately pinpointed the vulnerability of this pair of desperate lovers caring for each other.

Consort Lu, slowing down midway, failed to break through with the tyrant and inadvertently exposed a vulnerability, sustaining several superficial injuries.

With no retreat possible, behind them lay the river where lanterns were released, not wide but several meters deep. For those not skilled in swimming, jumping in would mean certain death.

Xie Xuan Yuan, gritting his teeth against the pain and hearing the faint sound of water behind him, was in turmoil. Yet, the enemy's relentless advance left him little time for hesitation.

The tyrant, known for decisiveness, quickly made up his mind even at this critical juncture of life and death.

His eyes darkening, even his breathing became unsteady as he asked Consort Lu in a serious whisper, "Can you swim?"

Consort Lu quickly understood, thinking the tyrant wanted them to escape via the waterway, and immediately replied, "Yes. But the water is cold in winter. Unless absolutely necessary, I cannot allow Your Majesty to risk entering the water."

The tyrant's condition worsened, his voice becoming hoarsely impatient, "I'm asking if you can swim, not for all this unnecessary talk!"

Before Consort Lu could recover from this unexpected outburst, the tyrant, summoning all his strength, unexpectedly kicked him into the river.

Everything happened so swiftly that not only Consort Lu but even Xie Xuan Yuan himself felt a sense of unreality in that moment.

As if all his strength had been drained by that kick, he tried to stand but ultimately collapsed to his knees, numbly awaiting death.

Though he had faced life and death in the prisons of Beiwei in his youth, he cherished the opportunity to live more than anyone.

Even when he awoke one winter night to find his mother had hanged herself in the prison, his determination to live never truly faded.

Death solves nothing; only by living is there a chance to turn defeat into victory. Thus, he lived on, avenging his mother, seizing power, and even once contemplating starting a war to unify the world...

But now, knowing he couldn't escape this predicament, he could only hope to leave a chance of survival to his most beloved, just as his mother had done...

However, before the tyrant could sort through his chaotic thoughts, his ankle was grasped by a cold, wet hand. Before the barrage of blades and hidden weapons could pierce him, that hand forcefully dragged him into the river for a chillingly cold bath.

Caught off guard, Xie Xuan Yuan almost landed upside down in the river, even hitting his head on the pebbles of the shallow bank. He was in so much pain he almost cried, unable to curse, flailing in the water with a survival instinct.

Then, Consort Lu's deep, pleasant voice sounded in his ear: "I've been anxiously waiting in the water, yet Your Majesty delayed coming down. I feared something had happened, but it turns out the real non-swimmer is Your Majesty."

Had Consort Lu not spoken, this classic hero-saving moment might have touched the tyrant just returned from death's door. But his words instantly shattered the poignant atmosphere, leaving one to ruefully ponder why such a beauty had to speak.

Xie Xuan Yuan was so irked by the mockery that he splashed water fiercely onto Consort Lu's face with a strong flap.

However, jest aside, Consort Lu couldn't bear to watch the tyrant drown right before his eyes.

Taking advantage of the darkness and depth, and while the shore's assassins couldn't pinpoint their exact location, Consort Lu moved behind the tyrant to adjust his posture, then started swimming slowly forward, holding the tyrant with one hand.

This position was extremely exhausting, but Consort Lu, clutching his regained "treasure," swam with exceptional vigor. Soon, they were swimming back towards the bustling market area, occasionally patrolled by the imperial guards.

The tyrant and Consort Lu emerged like drenched rats, their hair disheveled, their heavy winter coats gone, and the few layers of clothing they had left were soaked and clinging tightly to their bodies.

Feeling the warmth from Consort Lu behind him, Xie Xuan Yuan felt not cold but as if he were near a furnace, heating up.

He felt so dazed by the warmth that he couldn't tell if it was the extreme cold making him feel hot or if it was the budding affection for Consort Lu igniting his warmth... He tried to embrace his beloved consort but couldn't muster the strength to move even a finger.

Sounds of water splashing continued behind them in the river. Consort Lu, inwardly cursing the audacity of these Beiwei assassins on his Nan Chu territory, carried the tyrant towards the shore.

It was only upon reaching the shore that he realized the tyrant had fallen unconscious, his forehead burning hot. At that point, Consort Lu lost any desire to continue fighting.

Having given the sachet to signal the secret guards to Zhao Ping, he searched and finally found a small token in his pocket.

Holding the tyrant, he approached a patrol of the night guards on the street, showed them the token without courtesy, and commanded:

"Assemble the troops and fish those black-clad swimmers out of the river. Be careful to prevent their suicide, then throw them all into the Ministry of Justice's prison. Within three days, I want a full confession."

Who among the capital's imperial guards didn't recognize that unique Xuan iron token as the royal credential to mobilize the guards? Moreover, the handsome young man holding the token declaring himself as "I" undoubtedly identified himself as the current emperor.

Logically, the imperial guards should bow upon seeing His Majesty. Yet, at this moment, the person in His Majesty's arms stirred, showing signs of awakening.

This immediately unsettled Emperor Lu, who had been calm in front of the guards. He anxiously checked on the frail beauty in his arms, finding that the person hadn't fully awakened, which slightly calmed his mind. He then dismissively told the guards:

"Given the special circumstances, you need not adhere to formalities. Capturing the fugitive is of essence; be wary!"

With those words, he vanished from sight with the person in his embrace.

The guards were left agape, having intended to fetch a carriage for their emperor, who had encountered misfortune outside the palace and was in a disheveled state.

Who could have expected that the emperor, carrying someone, would move even faster than the carriages on the street?

Xie Xuan Yuan, upon hearing Consort Lu speak, did briefly regain consciousness. However, he was not fully lucid, leading to auditory hallucinations where he heard Consort Lu commanding a crowd and daring to refer to himself as "We."

His Consort Lu was always so gentle and virtuous; how could she speak with such presumptuousness!

This left Xie Xuan Yuan utterly confused, unable to ponder anything further.

Author's note:

Apologies for making everyone wait; these past few days have been hectic in real life, and I've been experiencing writer's block. But as I wrote today, I finally found my groove again!

Thank you for your patience. The prologue of downfall has begun, but don't expect any misery; this is clearly a silly and melodramatic sweet story (serious face).