Everything went unexpectedly smoothly.
She stepped on the iron cage and successfully climbed over the enclosure wall, landing like a flying man, but fell very badly, seeming to have hit her head on a rock. She reached back and found that it was bleeding.
Without caring about anything else, she desperately fled for her life, with the vicious dogs chasing after her, but they were not chasing her - rather trying to block the guards who were chasing her.
With the protection of the vicious dogs, Yuan Qingling successfully escaped through the back door.
After getting out of the back door, she still fled desperately for her life. She didn't even believe that she had escaped from danger.
She ran far, far away and hid in a small alley, sitting down on the ground and breathing heavily. She realized her heart had been stuck in her throat the whole time, almost jumping out.
Her head hurt terribly, and so did her face. The pain was unbearable.
She hurriedly took out the medicine box, wiped some disinfectant on the gauze and bandaged her head. She had to return to the Wang manor first - she couldn't stay here. If she was found by the Marquis's men, she would be doomed.
When she stood up, she felt her legs trembling badly.
She really had lived two lifetimes but never experienced anything so thrilling.
In her previous life, she was an obedient goody-two-shoes who had never even tried to skip class, let alone escape from danger.
She thought about the vicious dogs that had helped her today... No, puppies. She wondered what would become of them?
Attacking their master, their fate would surely be miserable!
But what power did she have to save them?
Yuan Qingling felt sad. Just now, the big black dog with the short tail and upright ears had thoughtfully told her to escape.
The Marquis of Huiding was a cruel man. With his descendants' ancestral temple harmed, the black dogs had helped her escape, so how could he let them off easily? Forget it, she should return to the manor first and then think of a way, she comforted herself, to ease her conscience a little.
She slowly walked out of the alley and peeked out to make sure there were no pursuers. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly heard the sound of galloping horses from the east main street, and a troop came into view.
The dozen or so people leading the troop were all riding tall horses, looking very majestic.
She immediately shrank back, thinking they were the pursuers.
But after shrinking back, she froze for a moment. The person leading the horse seemed to be Yuwen Hao?
She leaned against the wall and poked her head out to look - it was indeed Yuwen Hao.
He was dressed in an official robe with a purple base and embroidered with sun and moon patterns, wearing an official hat. His expression was stern and solemn, cold and murderous.
Xu Yi and Tang Yang were also on horseback following him, and she recognized some of the others as the manor guards whom she saw come and go routinely.
As for those in the back... Yuan Qingling looked and didn't recognize them, but their clothing was uniform and their steps orderly, like soldiers.
Where was he taking all these manor guards and Jingzhao Prefecture soldiers?
Judging by the direction he was headed, it seemed to be towards the Marquis of Huiding's manor.
Yuan Qingling froze for a moment, could he be leading people to rescue her?
But how would he know that the Marquis of Huiding had captured her?
It was probably not the case. He was not that kind.
He would rather see her dead.
After the troop passed by, she tiptoed out, with her head wrapped up. Dressed as a man with a bruised face and visible finger marks, she should have attracted a lot of attention.
But no one noticed. The passersby on both sides were all watching the troop marching away.
"Is that Prince Chu? Where is he taking the Jingzhao Prefecture troops?"
"It's definitely Prince Chu. The new official taking office must be looking to make trouble for someone."
"Taking office and immediately mobilizing so many troops and horses, I wonder what big case he is working on?"
Yuan Qingling listened and felt something was wrong.
What if he really was going to the Marquis's manor to rescue her?
Taking so many people, it looked like he wanted to search the manor. Not sure if he had an imperial decree. Searching a marquis's manor without cause, if nothing was found, the Emperor would definitely hold him accountable. Surely Yuwen Hao wouldn't be so reckless?
She didn't dare follow along either, only squatted on the ground to continue calming down.
Not long after Yuan Qingling escaped, the Marquis of Huiding had already woken up. The doctor in the manor looked at his injuries and shook his head, saying "I'm afraid the young marquis will no longer be able to live like a human."
The Marquis of Huiding slowly closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and when he opened them again, they had turned blood red.
Cruel, bloodthirsty, sinister - like a cornered jackal.
Fury made his pallid face flush with a hint of red, and his expression was almost twisted.
His confidant stepped forward. Although disheveled today after being bitten by dogs in several places, he was fortunately unharmed.
"Young Marquis, there is another strange thing - when the Princess Consort fled, she actually made all the wolves in the yard clear her path, even tearing at and biting the manor guards."
The Marquis of Huiding simply could not believe it. There were over twenty wolves in the manor, all brought back from Ba Li by him and specially trained by experts to be extremely vicious and obedient. A single wolf could match a top master.
"Betraying in battle, kill them!" the Marquis of Huiding gritted out.
"Yes!" His confidant responded, "Also, the monitors reported that Prince Chu is about to arrive at the marquis manor."
Murderous intent flashed in the Marquis of Huiding's eyes as he stared at the doctor, "Bandage me up well. I want to meet this good-for-nothing Yuwen Hao."
"Marquis, your injuries are not suitable for..." The doctor began.
The Marquis of Huiding coldly cut him off, "If I don't exert myself, can I be cured?"
The doctor lowered his head, "I'm afraid... not."
"Then stop wasting words." The Marquis said angrily.
Whether it was Yuwen Hao or Yuan Qingling, he would let neither off easily. He wouldn't let them live well or die peacefully.
When Yuwen Hao arrived at the manor gate, everyone dismounted without waiting for the gatekeeper to come out and ask questions. They strode right in.
The Marquis of Huiding came out with his manor guards and escorts. The moment he saw Yuwen Hao, he was determined to grind this man's bones to dust and settle all grievances, new and old, at once.
"Why has the Prince brought so many people to my manor? What guidance do you have?" The Marquis of Huiding asked coldly.
Yuwen Hao also looked at him coldly. He hated the Marquis to the bone.
His first military expedition was under the Marquis's command. From the day he entered the barracks, the Marquis had never looked up to him, and his words were often sarcastic and insulting. He deliberately concealed and suppressed Yuwen Hao's achievements, and repeatedly petitioned claiming him to be greedy for merits and reckless in using troops. If it weren't for the military supervisor finally speaking up for him, perhaps he still wouldn't have gotten ahead by now.
Later, they even fought because the Marquis abused women.
Cao Staff stepped forward with cupped fists, "There are eyewitnesses who saw the Marquis kidnap the Princess Consort of Chu. To avoid damaging the Marquis's reputation, the Prince specially brought people to investigate and restore the Marquis's innocence."
The Marquis of Huiding angrily said, "Preposterous. I haven't even seen what the Princess Consort of Chu looks like, how could I have kidnapped her?"
Cao Staff asked, "Then may I ask the Marquis, did you bring someone away on the street today?"
The Marquis of Huiding coldly said, "I did not. This is pure slander."
Yuwen Hao looked at him with icy eyes, "Whether it is slander or not will be clear after a search."
Far from getting angry, the Marquis of Huiding smiled, baring his blackened teeth. But it was as if a jackal had opened its mouth. "Prince, my manor is not to be searched just because you say so."
"Is the Marquis afraid we'll find something if we search?" Yuwen Hao stared at him and said.
The Marquis of Huiding also stared at him. He slowly walked forward, each step causing piercing pain. The two confronted each other, their gaze like crossed swords, and though no hands were laid, a battlefield of flashing blades had already been created.
