Chapter 31 Taking the Arrow

Chapter 31: The Shield

The official road stretched like a pale spine across the land of Daqi, the steady drumming of hooves stirring dust that flushed birds from the gnarled trees lining the path.

The birds took flight, hovering in the air as they looked down upon the long procession below. Opulent carriages with splendid canopies, fluttering pennants, and horses stepping lightly yet powerfully—all were fine steeds.

The Crown Prince traveled with an entourage of over a thousand, including soldiers and attendants. However, these attendants were primarily there not for the Crown Prince but to care for Xu Wenzhi and several civil officials.

Xu Wenzhi was a crucial witness who could not afford any mishaps. His health was still frail; after lodging his accusation, he had wept himself out and then slept around the clock.

He certainly lacked the strength to ride a horse now and could only travel by carriage. Yet, a long carriage journey was anything but comfortable.

Out of consideration for Xu Wenzhi, the procession did not drive themselves at a breakneck pace.

During the years of his mourning leave, Wei Wuyou had indulged in drinking and often gone riding through the hills for pleasure, so he was a decent rider. He spent most of his time riding outside.

Liu Hexuan's riding skills were rather mediocre. He'd ride for a spell, then return to the carriage, alternating between the two, which got him by.

But some fared far worse.

The procession had set out in the morning. After one *shichen*, the Vice Minister of Justice could endure it no longer. He requested the carriage to stop, rushed out, and bent over by the roadside to vomit.

He had been made sick from the jolting of the carriage.

And this was on a well-kept and relatively smooth imperial highway—considered easy traveling.

Xiao Yunlang rode up leisurely from the head of the procession, reining in a good distance off with evident disdain. He pointed from afar with his riding crop. "If you knew you couldn't take it, Your Excellency, you should've spoken up sooner. There are plenty of horses in the procession; we could've gotten you a horse to ride."

Among the civil officials on this trip, the only one truly aligned with the aristocratic families was this Vice Minister. He wasn't from an aristocratic family himself but had thrown his lot in with them.

The Emperor hadn't sent the Vice Minister to be much help with the investigation, but because the aristocratic factions loved finding fault with the Crown Prince. It was a warning to Xiao Yunlang not to go too far.

The Vice Minister of Justice was a middle-aged man with a large belly, perhaps only a 'fat head' short of being the picture of 'fat-headed and well-fed.'

Unaccustomed to physical exertion, his ample flesh was also delicate. Riding a horse was out of the question; even a bumpy carriage ride was preferable to having his skin chafed raw by a saddle.

The Vice Minister retched, unable to speak, looking utterly miserable. Xiao Yunlang had someone check on Xu Wenzhi, who was asleep but not resting peacefully.

Xiao Yunlang then ordered the main force to rest briefly on the spot.

After his sarcastic jab at the wretched Vice Minister, Xiao Yunlang looked up toward the direction of the capital, but no mirth reached his eyes.

Soon, Jiang Yanzhou's carriage should also be setting off.

If the Vice Minister of Justice was vomiting like this, could Jiang Yanzhou's frail constitution withstand the journey?

*

Jiang Yanzhou's carriage departed in the afternoon.

When traveling far on official business, one naturally wouldn't bring along the little tit. Fortunately, there were plenty of people in the residence to play with it, and recently, it had been trading songs with the birds in the courtyard trees.

Birds sang, carefree and untroubled, but being human was different. One not only had moments of leisure but also paths that must be traveled.

Compared to the Crown Prince's entourage of over a thousand, Jiang Yanzhou's accompanying personnel were far fewer, as a 'kidnapping' should look the part.

But including attendants, there were still over a hundred people.

Among them, a hundred household guards were elite troops handpicked by Xiao Yunlang—men who had seen real battlefield combat on the frontiers. Additionally, there were close guards like Feng Lan, along with ten Imperial Guards.

The Imperial Guards were personally led by Sui Yedao.

Unless they encountered a large-scale force that could overwhelm them, there was no chance Jiang Yanzhou would go unprotected.

The accompanying imperial physician was the one who routinely attended to Jiang Yanzhou's health. Fearing Jiang Yanzhou wouldn't stomach the road food, Xiao Yunlang had also instructed them to bring along the chef from Yan Gui Xuan.

Jiang Yanzhou kept his eyes closed, resting in the carriage. After traveling for one *shichen*, he began to look rather pale.

Ancient carriages, no matter how luxurious or finely crafted, had rudimentary suspension at best. Long journeys were never particularly comfortable.

Even the best official roads couldn't compare to the stone-paved streets of the capital. Here, one couldn't even pour too much tea, or it would splash out.

An attendant accompanied Jiang Yanzhou in the carriage. Seeing Jiang Yanzhou open his eyes with a slight frown, he hurriedly poured tea and handed it over.

Jiang Yanzhou took a sip of tea, trying to quell the dizziness and discomfort.

After a while, Feng Lan's voice came from outside: "Your Highness, shall we rest for a while?"

Jiang Yanzhou pushed open the carriage window. Outside, the soldiers all looked full of energy, and the attendant sharing his carriage seemed perfectly fine. In the entire convoy, he was probably the one in the poorest health.

So he said, "No need. Let's continue for a while longer before resting."

He didn't want to be the one holding everyone back.

But Feng Lan said, "Your Highness, may I enter the carriage for a moment?"

Thinking Feng Lan had something to discuss, Jiang Yanzhou agreed. However, upon entering, Feng Lan didn't rush to speak. Instead, he first observed Jiang Yanzhou's complexion.

Feng Lan sighed. Even in the swaying carriage, he could steadily kneel on one knee. "Your Highness, please forgive my presumption. This subordinate wishes to take the liberty of having the convoy stop and rest. The Crown Prince gave explicit orders beforehand: the journey must prioritize Your Highness's physical condition above all else."

And indeed, Jiang Yanzhou's face had already grown somewhat pale.

"According to the plan, we were supposed to arrive later than the official investigation team anyway. Over there, they also have to rest periodically, considering Xu Wenzhi and the civil officials."

Having received guidance from Xiao Yunlang, Feng Lan now knew to persuade Jiang Yanzhou from multiple angles. "Your Highness truly need not be overly anxious."

Some time had passed since the cheating scandal. Those involved who could cover their tracks had likely already done so. One day more or less wouldn't allow them to stir up new trouble. And for Xu Wenzhi's health's sake, they wouldn't push him to travel at a breakneck pace either.

Thanks to Xiao Yunlang's pointers and the insights gained at Yan Gui Xuan, this persuasion was indeed effective. Jiang Yanzhou finally agreed to rest for a while and stopped forcing himself.

He stepped out of the carriage. As his feet touched solid ground, the fresh air and the steadiness of the earth alleviated the churning nausea from the jolting ride. Jiang Yanzhou slowly exhaled, feeling much better.

Sui Yedao walked over and saluted. "I dare say many young masters from the capital would start complaining of hardship within half a *shichen* of setting out. Your Highness possesses remarkable endurance."

Sui Yedao had a lively disposition and a pleasant way of speaking, making it hard to tell if he was being flattering or sincere. With this skill, he got along well wherever he went and seemed very amiable.

Of the twenty men he brought, ten followed the map drawn by Xu Wenzhi, retracing the route he had taken.

They hoped to find traces of the seven deceased students.

Although the perpetrators, after committing the murders, would surely have destroyed the evidence and disposed of the bodies, what if they could still uncover some clues, or even recover the remains?

It would provide an answer, both for the deceased and for those still living.

Jiang Yanzhou shook his head. "I've troubled the Assistant Prefect to accompany me on this journey."

Sui Yedao smiled. "Your Highness, the Crown Princess, speaks too gravely. This is a most desirable assignment."

The Imperial Guards would escort them to the borders of Cong Prefecture before departing to rendezvous with Xiao Yunlang's team.

The household guards accompanying Jiang Yanzhou had all changed out of their usual uniforms and were disguised to appear unrelated to the Crown Prince's residence, presenting as Jiang Yanzhou's own personal guards.

Upon reaching Zongzhou, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess had to travel separately to mislead others.

Jiang Yanzhou didn't dare rest long; once he felt somewhat better, he continued the journey.

As agreed, they each took a different route.

By nightfall, the convoy arrived at a post station beside the official road.

One advantage of taking the main road was that staying at stations along the way was far more comfortable than camping in the wilderness.

Fortunately, it was now spring, and as long as he bundled up warmly at night, Jiang Yanzhou no longer needed a charcoal brazier.

Jiang Yanzhou took the best room, while the rest of the group divided the other rooms and large communal beds. They had to squeeze together and use extra blankets, as there were too many of them to fit otherwise.

The Crown Prince's personal guards took turns keeping watch around Jiang Yanzhou's room throughout the night. This was a task they insisted on handling personally and would not entrust to the Imperial Guards.

Since arriving in the Qi Dynasty, this was the first time Jiang Yanzhou had traveled such a long distance by carriage. The phrase 'bones rattling loose' was no exaggeration—it was a real experience.

He was completely worn out and could hardly eat any supper. After taking his medicine, he went to bed early.

The medicine he usually took at night had a sedative effect, and combined with his fatigue, he slept very deeply.

So deeply that he didn't even notice when someone entered his room.

Of course, it might also be because the visitor moved with soundless footsteps.

Even the best room at a post station was only so comfortable. There was no distinction between inner and outer chambers here, so Feng Lan rigged up a partition with a screen, staying on the outer side to keep close watch.

Away from the residence, they couldn't afford to relax. Both inside and outside the room had to be guarded. Feng Lan kept watch inside during the first half of the night and would switch with someone for the second half.

When the guards outside reported that Xiao Yunlang had arrived, even Feng Lan was startled.

No one had mentioned this beforehand!

The Crown Prince, wearing a mask and having changed his clothes, had his trusted aides cover for him after nightfall, pretending he was still there, while he rode hard to get here.

He needed to see Jiang Yanzhou to set his mind at ease.

Entering the room, Xiao Yunlang removed his mask. Feng Lan stood up, and Xiao Yunlang quietly circled around the screen. By the moonlight, he studied Jiang Yanzhou's face as he slept.

Jiang Yanzhou was curled up under the blanket, seemingly uneasy, with a faint weariness etched between his brows even in sleep.

Xiao Yunlang retreated behind the screen and whispered, "He looks exhausted."

"We made sure he rested during the day," Feng Lan replied softly, "but traveling is still not the same as being at home. This is likely the first time the young master has been on such a long journey, yet he hasn't complained once."

Xiao Yunlang gazed at the screen and sighed inwardly. That was just his nature.

"His rest periods will still be as I arranged," Xiao Yunlang said. "He—"

Before Xiao Yunlang could finish, someone outside suddenly shouted, "Assassins!"

Feng Lan unsheathed his sword. As Xiao Yunlang secured his mask, he immediately turned to check on Jiang Yanzhou. A guard hurried in from the doorway: "Stay away from the window! There are archers!"

Xiao Yunlang abruptly pushed aside the screen, swept the sleeping Jiang Yanzhou up into his arms, and swiftly retreated. The blanket slipped off midway, and in the blink of an eye, two fire arrows smashed through the window and shot inside.

Feng Lan swung his blade to intercept the arrows, which clattered to the floor. He stomped out the sparks on the ground, but the paper window, ignited by the flames, quickly caught fire.

With not enough water in the room, another guard had to hack at the window. At the risk of being shot, he leaned out to look and shouted to his companions, "Someone below the south window, pursue them!"

Jiang Yanzhou was jolted awake. Before his mind fully cleared, his heart tightened violently, and he felt as if he were suspended in mid-air.

Being startled awake, accompanied by palpitations, was an unpleasant sensation. His breathing grew erratic, and he gasped in panic, his eyes not yet adjusted to the darkness.

What was happening?

Jiang Yanzhou sensed something was wrong and instinctively flinched. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. Before he could see clearly, he heard a familiar voice.

"Don't be afraid, it's me."

Xiao Yunlang?

Jiang Yanzhou instantly froze.

He looked up toward the voice and, illuminated by the moonlight and the firelight filtering in from outside, finally saw Xiao Yunlang's mask. Only then did he realize he was being held in Xiao Yunlang's arms.

With the window broken, the night wind rushed in. Jiang Yanzhou, dressed only in his inner garments, shivered from the cold. Only the shoulder and the bend of his knee, where Xiao Yunlang's fingers gripped him, felt searingly warm.

The heat was unmistakable.

Sensing his shivering, Xiao Yunlang carried Jiang Yanzhou to the table and set him down, then went to fetch Jiang Yanzhou's clothes and shoes.

Xiao Yunlang moved swiftly even in the darkness. He took Jiang Yanzhou's clothes, shook them out, and wrapped them around him. Then, crouching down, he quickly slipped on Jiang Yanzhou's shoes.

Jiang Yanzhou was too exhausted. Startled awake, his heart raced wildly, and his mind remained foggy.

Staring at Xiao Yunlang's mask, he was in a daze, not even registering that the Crown Prince himself was putting on his shoes.

Because Xiao Yunlang shouldn't have been by his side, right?

Dream and reality tangled chaotically, bizarre and surreal. But at that moment, a flaming arrow suddenly shot through the window and entered Jiang Yanzhou's field of vision.

Though not fully awake and suspecting he might be dreaming, Jiang Yanzhou didn't hesitate. Without a second thought, he threw himself in front of Xiao Yunlang: "Watch out!"

The arrow was intercepted by Feng Lan three steps away—not even the wind from the arrow could approach his master. As soon as Jiang Yanzhou lunged forward, Xiao Yunlang wrapped an arm around his waist, pulled him to his side, and shielded him in the corner.

Jiang Yanzhou stared at the arrow lying on the floor and finally snapped awake.

This wasn't a dream. Xiao Yunlang was really here, and they were under attack by assassins.

A sudden chill of sweat washed over him. He had just parted his lips when he felt another tight squeeze around his waist.

Jiang Yanzhou: "Mmph!"

He tilted his head back. Beneath the mask, only Xiao Yunlang's eyes were visible. The firelight from outside reflected clearly in them, flickering with a mix of shock and fury.

And within that shock, there seemed to be... fear?

Jiang Yanzhou didn't believe there was anything in the world that could make Xiao Yunlang afraid, but the Crown Prince's emotions at this moment were unmistakably directed at him.

He saw it, but he didn't understand it.

Because no one had ever truly cared for him or worried about him before.

No one had ever looked at him like this.

So he couldn't grasp the meaning behind that gaze, only feeling it was heavy and oppressive, unsettling his heart and mind.

Jiang Yanzhou curled his fingers, feeling his palpitations grow even stronger.

Only heaven knew what was going through Xiao Yunlang's mind when Jiang Yanzhou lunged forward to shield him from the arrow.

For eighteen years, the Crown Prince had struggled in the cold palace, confronted deadly blades on the battlefield, and navigated the treacherous waves of the court—

He had never been so afraid.

Even though the arrow never got close to them, Jiang Yanzhou's action just now still wrenched Xiao Yunlang's heart violently.

Even though he immediately swept Jiang Yanzhou into his arms and moved to safety, he was still shaken.

The two of them were pinned in a corner untouched by the firelight, their shadows silently lengthening in the agitated rhythm of their own heartbeats.

The sounds of fighting outside gradually subsided.

The frantic pounding in Jiang Yanzhou's chest slowly subsided. A moment later, Sui Yedao came upstairs. "Crown Princess, are you all right—"

Sui Yedao stopped in his tracks, his words cutting off abruptly.

Lamps had been relit in the room. A broken arrow lay on the floor, a scorch mark blackened the floorboards, and the window was the worst—completely gone. But none of that was the focal point.

The focal point, the Crown Princess, stood completely unharmed in the room. However, his waist... was now encircled by someone else's arm.

Clutched far too tightly.

The Crown Princess truly had a slender waist, easily encircled by a single arm.

In a critical moment, saving someone takes priority, and formalities are set aside—that's understandable. But now that the danger had passed, brother, keeping your hand there just wasn't right, was it?

Sui Yedao hadn't seen Xiao Yunlang's mask before. The post station hadn't required the Imperial Guards to stand watch tonight, so they had turned in early and didn't know the Crown Prince's household guards had allowed someone into the Crown Princess's room.

Sui Yedao thought, 'Who is this?' still wearing a mask. He hadn't seen this guy during the day either.

The Crown Princess was pliant in the embrace without resistance, and Feng Lan and the others showed no reaction.

Case solved. Either this was some old flame of the Crown Princess, or it was Xiao—

Xiao Yunlang's voice was cold enough to freeze ice. "The assassins?"

Ah, it was His Highness the Crown Prince himself.

Although the mask muffled his voice slightly, Sui Yedao had keen hearing. Combined with that tone and posture, it was unmistakably Xiao Yunlang.

They had agreed to split up, yet the Crown Prince appeared here late at night... Sui Yedao was discreet and didn't pry.

He bowed. "Three were kept alive for questioning. The rest have been executed. The three gave consistent statements—they were just a group hired for a killing job, not death warriors. They don't know who hired them or the identity of their target."

Xiao Yunlang's murderous aura hadn't dissipated. His voice was icy. "If they know nothing, then there's no need to keep them."

Sui Yedao caught his meaning and signaled to a subordinate behind him. The subordinate, with blade in hand, headed toward where the assassins were being held.

With the window in the room broken, Jiang Yanzhou had to move to the adjacent room. Having been exposed to a bit of wind earlier, and as a precaution, Feng Lan obtained charcoal from the post station and lit a fire.

Xiao Yunlang looked grim. This assassination attempt was unusual.

Logically, he and Xu Wenzhi should have been the more likely targets. Even if the thousand soldiers deterred any attacks on them, they shouldn't have come for Jiang Yanzhou.

Because an assassination needs a purpose. What would killing Jiang Yanzhou achieve?

In the capital, attacking Jiang Yanzhou could still be pinned on Xiao Yunlang. But out here, there were too many things that couldn't be clearly explained. So, it definitely wasn't the plan of the noble families.

And they didn't send death warriors...

Not death warriors, just a ragtag group easily handled—it seemed less about killing Jiang Yanzhou and more about frightening him.

When frightened, people become tense and suspicious. Jiang Yanzhou was just about to go to Congzhou to recuperate, and on the way, he encountered assassins...

Someone wanted Jiang Yanzhou to suspect the officials in Congzhou.

It seemed the various parties in Congzhou weren't a united front either.

Jiang Yanzhou had also thought of this.

However, compared to these matters, Xiao Yunlang had something else he wanted to say more urgently at the moment.

The emotions stirred earlier hadn't fully subsided. Just as the thoughts "let him rest, we can talk tomorrow" and "we need to talk right now" simultaneously surfaced in his mind, it was Jiang Yanzhou who spoke first.

"I'm sorry." Jiang Yanzhou apologized quickly.

Jiang Yanzhou actually would—

"When I moved to block you just now, the action was too conspicuous," Jiang Yanzhou said dejectedly, hanging his head. "If any assassin saw from the window and managed to escape alive, they would suspect your identity."

After all, anyone would judge that the person the Crown Princess tried to protect must be of significant status.

Xiao Yunlang was wearing a mask and had come on a whim; the assassins couldn't have known his identity.

Fortunately, none of them escaped.

Jiang Yanzhou thought with lingering fear.

Xiao Yunlang: "..."

Xiao Yunlang: "......"

Looking at Jiang Yanzhou's self-reflective demeanor, the shock and anger of the night were suddenly doused with a bucket of cold water. An indescribable chill shot up his spine.

People often say that the word 'love' is hard to decipher. Some are willing to give everything, even their lives, for it. If Jiang Yanzhou liked him and thus recklessly tried to block the arrow for him, that could explain his earlier action.

But Xiao Yunlang felt it wasn't quite like that, or rather, it definitely wasn't that simple.

Something was still missing from that explanation.

Every detail since they met flashed rapidly through Xiao Yunlang's mind. As his heart sank bit by bit, a terrifying yet traceable conjecture slowly rose in his thoughts.

Setting aside other people and matters, what if... Jiang Yanzhou simply never considered himself important?

Xiao Yunlang slowly clenched his fingers.

—He wanted to test if his guess was correct.