Chapter 187

By this time the sky had grown completely dim; it was the hour to light lamps. Looking far toward the city gate, the lights of the whole city began to glow one after another.

With his back to the light at the city gate, a tall, slender man on horseback, leading a group, slowly approached Gu Jiu Ling from that direction.

They all wore hawk‑shaped masks that hid their brows and eyes, with curved sabres at their waists; the blades gleamed in the moonlight, shedding a blue‑green lustre.

Each wore dark‑black tight clothing that blended with the night's murky hue, like phantoms lurking in the darkness.

The leading man also wore a hawk‑shaped mask, but his differed, shining with a silvery sheen.

He rode up to Gu Jiu Ling, dismounted, raised his hand, and lifted the mask from his face.

In that instant, it was as if bright jade brushed away dust, and myriad charms burst forth.

Especially those clear violet eyes, their gaze flowing, carried a hint of allure that made it impossible to look away.

"Your Highness?" Gu Jiu Ling frowned, ever since she once helped Xiao Yin and the Bei Di royal clan in a polo match, she had felt a certain wariness toward this person.

She had thought him merely a discarded wretch of the Bei Di clan, never expecting his martial skill to be so superb.

Such a fickle, insincere fellow, Gu Jiu Ling thought it best to keep her distance.

Moreover, she could never forget the scar on his body.

Back on the polo field, when Tuo Ba Yu and Xiao Yin vied for the ball, Xiao Yin tore Tuo Ba Yu's clothes, revealing the ferocious scar that ran across his chest.

Gu Jiu Ling's heart gave a faint twitch; when she had been defiled in the palace, her face covered by the assailant's cloth, in her struggle she could only feel the ferocious scar on his front.

She asked Xiao Yin to investigate, but he never replied; once the seed of doubt is planted, it sporadically sprouts, leaving her uneasy.

Now, looking at Tuo Ba Yu standing before her, she felt that same unease.

"Princess Consort, you've been put to trouble; perhaps I can lend you a hand."

Gu Jiu Ling stared blankly for a moment, then bowed slightly to Tuo Ba Yu and said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your help."

Although Gu Jiu Ling thanked him, a sense of vigilance rose in her heart.

Tuo Ba Yu and Cheng Ming, the Young Marquis, are different; this man's identity is the Second Prince of Bei Di, and everyone knows the Bei Di people hate Xiao Yin most, for he once nearly annihilated their royal clan.

Now, with Xiao Yin's life at stake, Tuo Ba Yu steps forward offering to help rescue him—how could Gu Jiu Ling find him especially unreliable?

But what she lacks most now is manpower; if he truly repays her for saving his life and is willing to help, that would be ideal.

Tuo Ba Yu smiled gently at Gu Jiu Ling and said, "Princess Consort, may we speak privately for a moment?"

The others stared for a moment, then Cheng Ming stepped forward, sneering, "Tuo Ba Yu, it's already a crisis; the Prince may already be lying dead over there, and you still want to wrangle—what's the point?"

Besides, our Southern Qi Prince—we Southern Qi will rescue him; we don't need your offerings! Princess Consort, let's set out at once!

The Young Marquis Cheng spoke bluntly as usual; Tuo Ba Yu was not angered, merely lifted his gaze to Gu Jiu Ling and said, "Prince, this time you've fallen into a trap—I think you, Princess Consort, understand the inner reasons better than I."

"Are you sure relying on the men the Young Marquis Cheng brought can withstand this? What sort of man is Xiao Yin, whose life or death is still unknown? If I'm not mistaken, the Emperor has likely committed all his finest troops."

Which of the Imperial Secret Guard could be weaker than the Princess Residence's guards?

Gu Jiu Ling's brows knotted tightly; she grew to despise this man before her, his words striking her where it hurt.

She had pleaded with many aristocratic clans, but aside from those present, no one lent aid; she guessed that the Emperor's scheme in Wuzhou City was a second Qi Sha Gu.

Since he could restrain both Zhao Lang and Xiao Yin in Wuzhou at once, the deployment must be anything but simple.

Relying only on the men Cheng Ming and Miss Lin brought, even adding Zuo Feichen's poison masters, victory is not guaranteed; if they fail, these people will die because of her.

Gu Jiu Ling's face grew ever grimmer, yet she suppressed her panic, lifted her gaze to Tuo Ba Yu, and asked, "Your Highness, what lofty plan do you have?"

Tuo Ba Yu looked at Gu Jiu Ling, his eyes now gleaming with a determined ambition; this stare made her gaze turn cold.

He smiled faintly and said, "Please, Princess Consort, step aside; we'll talk privately—it won't take much of your time."

On the side, Cheng Ming was eager to go to Wuzhou and pick a fight, but this pretended sickly Bei Di fellow seemed endless.

He couldn't help shouting, "Tuo Ba Yu! What do you mean? Bullying a pregnant woman—what sort of thing is that? If you've got the guts, fight me!"

Before the word "fight" had fully left Cheng Ming's mouth, Tuo Ba Yu raised his arm and swept it toward him, causing Cheng Ming's body to stiffen instantly.

Although they were only a few steps apart, Tuo Ba Yu struck him with the jade ring he had taken off, hitting his mute point, and he froze on the spot.

The men behind Young Marquis Cheng were unwilling; just as they rushed forward, Lin Ru Jun from the side shouted them to stop.

"What are you doing? We haven't even rescued the Prince, and you're already turning on each other? Soon we must cooperate to save him—conserve your strength! Let the Hostage Prince and the Princess Consort finish their talk."

Young Marquis Cheng glared at Tuo Ba Yu, his eyes filled not only with anger but, more so, with fear.

Earlier, during the polo match, Tuo Ba Yu had already shown his inhuman prowess; now a mere flick of his ring swept away his dignity—his power is terrifying.

Gu Jiu Ling's eyes flickered slightly: "Follow me!"

She brought Tuo Ba Yu, turned and got onto the carriage she had previously ridden in; the carriage was not one from Rui Wang Fu, and in order to avoid detection in Shang Jing they had all been switched to ordinary blue-curtained carriages.

She knew the old emperor had no idea how many people he had secretly sent to watch her, so naturally she also needed to think of other ways to avoid detection.

She got into the carriage, and Tuo Ba Yu followed her up.

Gu Jiu Ling stared fixedly at him and said, "Now you can speak."

Tuo Ba Yu glanced at Jiu Yue, but Gu Jiu Ling didn't want to waste any more time and had Jiu Yue get off first.

If Tuo Ba Yu really wanted to kill her, with his martial arts comparable to Xiao Yin's, a single finger could send her to the Western Paradise.

Jiu Yue got out of the carriage, but dared not go far, standing outside the carriage.

Gu Jiu Ling looked at Tuo Ba Yu and said, "Since you say the Young Marquis, Miss Lin, and our clinic's people cannot withstand the trap set by the imperial clan, I'd like to hear what the Hostage Prince has to say—could it be that the troops you brought are divine troops capable of fighting a thousand to one?"

Tuo Ba Yu gave a light chuckle: "Saying one against a thousand is an exaggeration, but the divine troops really are divine troops."

"Does bragging not incur a tax?" Gu Jiu Ling gave a light chuckle.

Tuo Ba Yu smiled, slowly raised his hand, and began to undo the front of his robe.

Gu Jiu Ling's expression shifted slightly.