When I woke up again, there was a swaying of the carriage and horses, and I was out of the dream in a daze—and the thought of the dream made my face red: although I could not remember the details, the beauty of the story was not enough for outsiders.

Raising my eyes and sneaking around, the carriage was empty, except for me, who was lying alone on my side on the thick futon, and I also felt a small soup woman in my hand, wrapped in brocade, warm and not hot.

didn't see Jiang Zhuo at the first time he opened his eyes, and he was really a little disappointed in his heart; However, I didn't need to face her immediately, and I was relieved to avoid the embarrassment of last night.

Holding the soup woman in his hand rolled in the quilt for a while, the bedding under his body was much thicker and softer than yesterday, and this hand warmer was not available yesterday, I think it was Jiang Zhuo sent someone to prepare when he passed by the city this morning.

Even when I was still asleep, she must have carried me into the carriage lightly...... The quilt rolled over his head, although he knew that he was the only one in the carriage, he still didn't want people to see the smile on his face that couldn't be hidden.

――Jiang Zhuo is actually a very gentle person.

After laughing foolishly for a while, he heard the car wall being gently knocked, and a guard asked in a low voice, "Master, can you get up?" ”

Hearing that it wasn't Jiang Zhuo's voice, I cleared my throat and replied, "Uh-huh, it's up...... What time is it? Where did the carriage go? ”

The curtain was lifted, and the guard who had caught the rabbit yesterday jumped in, carrying the toiletry in her hand - I remember the guards called her Tangyuan.

Looking at her round face, it is appropriate for this name, but I don't know if it is her real name or a nickname.

"Back to the master, it's past the hour, and I'll be in Xining in half an hour." She wrung out the towel and handed it to me, a smile on her lips, presumably happy that she was about to finish her task.

"So fast? Didn't you say it would take half a month's drive? "I wiped my face and gave her back the towel, I touched my flat stomach, I felt too hungry, and my stomach cramped.

"Master, you don't know," she noticed my movements, and very cleverly poked her head out to say to her companion, and then came in with a hot bun, and poured some hot water, "If you ride day and night, you can reach Xining City from the imperial capital in less than three days, and it will take you longer to ride in a carriage, but it will not take more than seven days; As for the half-month drive you mentioned, half of it is the ceremonial guard of worship to the heavens, and in order to show the emperor's grace, every city must stop. ”

After listening to her reasoned analysis, I realized that she must have not said explicitly that the seven-day drive was deliberately slowed down to take care of my weak body, otherwise according to their skills, I am afraid that they would have already arrived in Xining.

Looking at her hearty and simple face again, I didn't mean to emphasize it, but being regarded as a burden inevitably taught me a little sad, and it was a little difficult to swallow when I looked at it too roughly.

Seeing that I was just drinking water silently and not eating the bun, Tang Yuan scratched the back of his head and asked timidly, "Master, why don't you eat it?" This bun was specially ordered by Steward Jiang to go to the city to buy it, and there is no good food in the wilderness......"

Hearing her say that it was Jiang Zhuo's order, my heart moved, I picked up the bun and took a bite, only to feel that the white noodles were strong, the meat juice was delicious, and it was definitely the most delicious bun I had ever tasted: "Speaking of which, where did Steward Jiang go?" Why can't you see her? ”

I ate half of the bun with hot water, and I pretended not to care, but my ears were erected early.

"Oh, that's right, Steward Jiang saw that you were sleeping soundly, so he went to Xining City to inquire first, and prepared to stay at the inn and contact the secret guard." Seeing that I was willing to eat steamed buns, Tang Yuan smiled innocently, happier than eating steamed buns himself, and taught me to smile knowingly, I really wanted to touch her round face...... But I can only think about it—she doesn't look more than twenty years old, but she must be older than my body; Besides, most of the women in Dawu are heroic and bold, and they are disgusted with twisting and twisting, and the identity between us is not suitable for me to make any intimate actions.

"Very good." Nodding, after she consciously left the carriage, I nestled back into the warm bedding - although the life of eating and sleeping, waking up and eating again was too decadent, but other than that, I couldn't do anything else.

Moreover, this is Jiang Zhuo's intention, how can I live up to it?

Buried my face in the faintly scented quilt, I closed my eyes again.

"Owner, the inn has arrived, please get off." I immediately opened my eyes, sat up from the carriage with my hands and feet, straightened my clothes and hair, which had slept a little messy, and touched my face again to make sure there were no saliva marks.

After looking around, he didn't find anything like a bronze mirror, so he had to get out of the carriage - hoping that his image was not too unbearable.

Jiang Zhuo, who was waiting outside the carriage, didn't give me a second look, but politely helped me when I jumped out of the carriage, then withdrew his hand, turned around and led the way in front, leading me into this magnificent-looking inn.

- Alas, it seems that I was worried in vain before, and she didn't even look at me.

I couldn't help but look up as she walked in as she walked in, smelling alcohol in my nose.

A flowing woman walked in front of me, who seemed to be drunk, her pace was a little unsteady, and her eyes were no longer clear, staring at me for a while, and then leaning over with a hippie smile, reaching out to touch my face: "This little boy is really Peugeot...... Ah! ”

――This man drank too much, even if he thought I was a man, and even wanted to get drunk and go crazy?

I was startled, but I didn't have time to dodge, so I heard her suddenly cry out in pain, suddenly withdrew her hand, rolled on the ground in pain, and most of the wine was gone, trembling and unable to speak, just glaring at Jiang Zhuo who was blocking me with hatred.

"This time it's just a warning, next time, it's not as simple as breaking a hand," I don't see how she made a move, but that awe-inspiring temperament taught people not to dare to be presumptuous in front of her, "Get out." ”

The woman was shaken by her indifferent eyes, endured the pain, and hurriedly got up and ran away.

When she left, the rest of the people who saw the scene just now also felt far away from us, and even the guys who ran the hall hid to the side and didn't dare to come.

Jiang Zhuo didn't take their appearance to heart, and looked back at me indifferently, as if to confirm that I was okay, and when he saw me shaking his head, he continued to walk forward, but deliberately slowed down, as if waiting for me to be parallel - the trace of loss just now, a little bit of fright disappeared.

The days of waiting in the inn were really boring, and it was easy to survive seven or eight days, and finally waited for the honor guard to worship the sky.

It's just that I sneaked into the post station secretly with the guards at night, and when I saw Yan Ke and the stand-in woman, I was taken aback.

Not to mention the injury on Yan Ke's arm, the stand-in woman fell asleep unconscious on the bed, her lips were bruised, obviously poisoned.

"W-What's wrong with her?" My voice trembled a little, and a dense layer of cold sweat broke out in my palms, half worried for this woman, half afraid.

――What kind of trouble did this Kwong Xihan get into?

And who is it that wants to put her to death?

If it weren't for this woman, I'm afraid that the person who is lying on the bed at this moment is uncertain about life and death, it would be me.

"Does Your Highness know about the river bursting its banks today?" Yan Ke waved away the attendant who had changed the dressing and bandaged her, and then said to me worriedly, "When the convoy arrived at Xiangwei City a few days ago, it was attacked by assassins again, and the number was even greater than the previous times; Not only did they block the way of the convoy, but they also incited the ignorant victims to make trouble with them......"

"How so?" Listening to her tell me what happened, my heart lifted, as if I had seen the tense scene with my own eyes, "And then? ”

The convoy broke several of its guards, and the Assassin leader rushed into the carriage and stabbed him in the shoulder with a sword; The sword was quenched with severe poison, and the accompanying doctors were helpless, if they didn't use thousand-year-old ginseng to hang a breath, they were afraid that they wouldn't be able to survive Xining. Yan Ke glanced at the woman on the bed with a little regret, and then smiled with relief, "Fortunately, His Royal Highness was not in the car and escaped this catastrophe, which is also the reason why His Royal Highness is blessed with great blessings and the emperor's protection." ”

It's just that even the other party has been involved in blocking this disaster for me, but I, the client, can't laugh anyway.

Seeing that she looked at me with comfort, I had to divert the topic: "This king sees that Aunt Ke is also injured, is there a big problem?" ”

She waved her bandaged hand absently: "I've forced the toxin out, it's just some flesh wounds, but it's fine." ”

"What about her?" couldn't help but ask the woman who got up in bed, but there was a vague expectation in her heart.

"I can't stay up tonight." Yan Ke sighed, but there was not much sadness in his eyes - in the final analysis, this woman was just a stand-in she trained to block Kuang Xihan's driving, just like an object, if it was gone, it would be gone, at most it would be a little regretful, if it was said to be sad for her, it was not likely.

I know that I can't blame her, but I can't get the guilt in my happiness, and even the attitude I have when I face her is unconsciously cold.

She only thought I was worried about the assassins, so she comforted: "Your Highness don't worry, these assassins think that they have succeeded, as long as we release the news that Your Highness is seriously injured, they will not come to commit crimes in the next few days; Moreover, when you arrive at the border of Xining, you can recruit local soldiers to escort you, and your safety should be guaranteed. ”

"I'm not here for this ......" I don't want to explain more to her, I can't communicate if I think about it, so I should save my energy and do what I should do, "Alas, forget it, Aunt Ke will go and rest first, this king will stay here tonight." ”

"Your Highness, why is this?" Yan Ke frowned and asked tentatively, "But you're worried that this stand-in is dead?" It's a good thing, there is one of the guards who is similar to His Highness......"

"Aunt Ke," I quickly interrupted her, holding back the anger in my heart, "you can rest, this king just wants to ...... Stay with her for a while. ”

“…… Be. She left the room in silence.

It wasn't until I was the only one in the room and the woman that I let go of the fist I had been clenching—my palm was already bloodied by my fingernails, and the pain didn't make up for the guilt in my heart.

I walked over, leaned against the edge of the bed, and stood silent; The candle flame flickered, but it could not add a little warmth to her face, and the decadent ash had been spreading over her skin, as if a pair of invisible hands were peeling away life from her body one by one.

I can't help anything other than wait and pray blindly.

The next morning, I gently probed her snort, and she was already out of breath.

And I finally couldn't hold it anymore and passed out.