Chapter 4: Escaping (Part 2)

  After leaving Xifengkou and heading northeast for about ten miles, everyone saw the outline of a city wall, which was probably the Xu Taifu City mentioned by Lu Haotian.

  Zhu Yinglong shouted loudly behind his back: "Brothers, add some strength, we will camp in that city in front of us tonight!"

  The people behind him responded one after another, and finally they could rest comfortably for a night. After leaving Longjing Pass, they had been walking for a day and a night without a good rest.

  Lu Haotian and his group finally saw the city of Xudaizhu, the war god in their minds. More than 200 years had passed, and the city of Xudafu was no longer its former self. It was like an old man, swaying precariously in the wind, and it was hard to say whether these city walls could still be preserved after hundreds of years. Even Zhu Yinglong, a person with a forward-thinking mind, couldn't help but feel bitter when he saw this scene. Time is ruthless, and nothing can last forever!

  Lu Haitian led his men to find a sheltered place, set up camp, put up the iron pot and started boiling water.

  "Your Highness, Liniang has something she wants to tell you." Xiong Hu said softly as he walked up to Zhu Yinglong's side.

  "Speak up if you have something to say, Liniang doesn't need to be so polite to me." Zhuminglong replied casually while still taking in the historical vicissitudes of this old city that was only over 200 years old.

  "Your Highness, this place is not convenient. Lieniang wants to find a place where only Your Highness and Lieniang are present to talk." Xiong Hu's face showed a faint blush.

  Zhu Yinglong turned around and saw that the eyes of the people behind Xiong Hu were intentionally or unintentionally glancing in his direction, and some people would occasionally pass by and speak in a somewhat inconvenient tone. He pointed to a nearby collapsed city wall and said, "Alright, let's go up on the city wall to talk."

  Two people stood on the city wall, facing the night wind. Zhu Yinglong said to Xiong Hu beside him: "Liniang, what's wrong with you? There are only two of us here, you can say it."

  Xiong Hu lowered her head, seemingly still thinking about how to start, Zhu Yinglong didn't rush her either, he was happy to take a blow of the cold wind from Sai Bei, maybe he wouldn't have the chance again in the future.

  "Prince Wang, were your words last night true?" Xiong Hu finally gathered the courage to ask.

  "What's going on? What's real?" Zhu Yinglong was just feeling the hint of spring in the cold wind from the northwest, and his mind hadn't turned around yet, so he asked casually.

  Xiong Hu fell silent, her lower lip tightly pursed. She seemed to have anticipated this outcome long ago. Not only were their social statuses vastly different, but they also had a significant age gap, making it impossible for any romantic feelings to develop between them. Their relationship was forever that of master and servant; she was just a tool in his hands, destined from the day she agreed to become his person. Yet, she couldn't help but have a glimmer of fantasy, fantasizing about what might happen between them one day - a feeling she didn't dare hope for. Until he said in front of Sun Shenxing that he was her fiancé, at which point she felt like she'd been electrocuted. Even though she knew it was just a ruse to conceal his identity, she couldn't help but think about it.

  To achieve the ideals in one's heart, one must have the resilience of the wind and a broad mind like the ocean. Suddenly, Zhu Yinglong felt he was the wind, he was the ocean, and the little fright from last night had vanished without a trace.

  He stuck out his tongue and licked his dry, cracked lips, making contact with the air. Hmm, why was there a faint salty taste in the air? Zhu Yinglong looked suspiciously at Xiong Hu's face beside him, only to discover that Xiong Hu's eyes were already red and wet, with faint tear stains at the corners. He was slightly startled and asked: "Liangniang, what's wrong with you? Why did you suddenly start crying?"

  "It's nothing, Your Highness. Sorry, Liniang accidentally got a grain of sand blown into her eyes just now." Xiong Hu hastily rubbed his eyes to cover up.

  Zhu Yinglong is a person who, although he was single in the past and had never been in love, has read so many romance novels that they could fill several bookshelves. He also has experience as a matchmaker. When he thinks about what Xiong Hu asked him earlier, he can't help but understand the key point. He is annoyed with himself for being distracted at this moment. Women are emotional creatures, and the impression he gave her of not caring will likely linger in Xiong Hu's heart. The fact that she had the courage to ask him that question shows that she has feelings for him, but he can't immediately respond because it would make things worse. Xiong Hu is a strong-willed woman with a good personality; she spent three years taking care of her father, which shows her determination and unwillingness to give up on her emotions. Zhu Yinglong likes this kind of girl, but since the opportunity has passed and now is not the time to accept her feelings, he can't be cruel to her. He tells himself that it's because the path he is currently on is a "road of no return," and in less than two years, when he will have control over his own destiny, he will pursue her even if she doesn't have feelings for him. So, he pretends not to know anything and asks in a friendly tone, "Are you okay? Let me take a look!"

  "No need, Your Highness, let's just go back." Xiong Hu looked at Zhu Yinglong with unparalleled disappointment.

  "Aren't you going to ask me something?" Zhu Yinglong really wanted to slap himself in the mouth, words couldn't be controlled and just came out.

  "Oh, no more, Liniang just got sand in her eyes and suddenly couldn't remember, Your Highness please forgive me!" Xiong Hu bowed calmly to Zhu Yinglong.

  Zhu Yinglong's heart suddenly tightened, and he waved his hand: "Forget it, remember to ask again, no matter what question, I will definitely answer without reservation."

  The two walked down the city wall, this time one in front of the other, and they pulled a considerable distance apart. Everyone could see that something seemed to have happened between them, and they all kept silent. For a while, the entire camp was eerily quiet.

  Xiong Tingbi saw the tear stains on his daughter's face at a glance, sighed, and walked forward to pull Xiong Hu to one side. The father and daughter went off to talk.

  "Your Highness, the old man you brought back is too stubborn. No matter how we persuade him, he won't eat or drink. You'd better go take a look." Just less than three minutes after Zhu Yinglong sat down, Lu Haotian came running over with a worried expression and whispered in Zhu Yinglong's ear.

  "Starvation?" Zhu Yinglong was still reeling from the trouble caused by Xiong Hu, and now another "starvation" had come along. Nothing had happened before he left the pass, but as soon as he did, troubles kept piling up, from Jinlongjing Pass to now, without a break. Zhu Yinglong really wanted to kill this stubborn old man with one sword strike, no matter what, and just build him a monument later. After experiencing death, Zhu Yinglong felt that death was not so scary, nor was it so painful. That swift horse had been pierced through the throat by an arrow, falling down instantly, turning into a corpse in just a few seconds. The real pain was only those few seconds, and with some endurance, it would pass. Based on this idea, Zhu Yinglong found that his blood was colder than before.

  "No matter what method you use, as long as he's alive, that's all I care about!" Zhu Yinglong gave Lu Haitian a very helpless command. At least his blood was still hot now, and if someone like Sun Shenxing were to be killed by himself, it would likely bring him no small trouble in the future.

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