Chapter 228: Be good! Go back!

Gu Jiu Ling received Zuo Feichen's message and dared not delay; she put on her clothes and headed outside the warm pavilion.

She didn't expect a tall figure to block the courtyard gate; she froze there, meeting Xiao Yin's cold, gorgeous peach-blossom eyes, and felt a wave of guilt.

"How late it is, where are you going?" Xiao Yin raised his hand and straightened the cloak draped over Gu Jiu Ling.

Gu Jiu Ling rushed to save someone; her dressing was sloppy, the fur collar tucked into her neck, and Xiao Yin carefully adjusted it for her.

He was very tall, his presence towering over her by a head.

Perhaps because of the night, he came to find her against the wind; his fingers were slightly icy, touching her skin and chilling her sharply. She couldn't help shrinking her neck and whispering with a smile: "There's an emergency patient at the clinic; I'll go check!"

"Saving a life is a matter of great importance; as a doctor I cannot stand by and watch someone die. Moreover, I'm doing this to accumulate merit for the child in my womb…"

"Has Princess Yalan been found?" Xiao Yin stared at her intently.

Gu Jiu Ling froze; he had actually guessed it.

Xiao Yin felt a hint of anger: "You'll be due in two or three months; do you know how dangerous it is for you to go out now?"

"Go back!" Xiao Yin indulged her, but he could also be unsympathetic, as now.

"Right now the city is under curfew; never mind whether the Five City Military Command will stop you or harm you. Even if you managed to leave the city smoothly, you have no idea what the outskirts are like or whether there's danger. If something goes wrong…"

"But Princess Yalan was found by my people, and you and I dragged her into this situation—she shouldn't die; she's still a life!"

"And what about you!" Xiao Yin frowned, "Together with the child in your belly, you're three lives!"

Gu Jiu Ling was speechless, her heart in turmoil; Zuo Feichen's message made it clear that Princess Yalan was gravely injured and wouldn't survive tonight.

Although Zuo Feichen's medical skill is high, he's still a bit lacking in experience for this kind of advanced surgery.

Moreover, the medical instruments needed to save her are now in her space; if she doesn't act, Princess Yalan can only wait to die.

This time Princess Yalan was completely dragged into this situation by her and Xiao Yin; if she died, Gu Jiu Ling's hands would be indirectly stained with blood.

For a moment she felt a surge of resentment, and her complexion changed somewhat.

Xiao Yin furrowed his brows; to him, Princess Yalan was merely a pawn, and letting her personally slay Xiao Wei to fulfill her wish was already his grace.

But she was never cut out to be an assassin, and still ended up in such a mishap—she only gravely wounded Xiao Wei without killing him, and was counterattacked by him instead.

Any assassination attempt brings unexpected trouble; she should bear responsibility for her own mistake, not let his beloved woman risk danger.

"Be good! Go back!" Xiao Yin couldn't bear to see Gu Jiu Ling suffering, so his voice softened a bit, taking on a coaxing tone.

Gu Jiu Ling knew leaving the city was dangerous now, but she clearly knew Zuo Feichen had already rescued Princess Yalan—she could have lived, yet she had to watch her die. As a doctor, her professional ethics faced a severe challenge, and her expression darkened instantly.

But the man standing before her like a mountain forbade her from taking risks; clearly there was no room for negotiation.

She had no choice but to steel herself and walk back to the warm pavilion's gate; beside her, Jiu Yue secretly let out a sigh of relief—though their master usually seemed mild‑tempered, she was actually quite stubborn.

For now, only the Prince could persuade her to go back.

Just as Jiu Yue's thought flickered, Gu Jiu Ling turned and walked toward Xiao Yin, lifting her gaze to stare at him steadily.

"I'm going! I'll save this person!"

Xiao Yin froze for a moment, gritting his teeth: "Aren't you afraid of dying?"

Gu Jiu Ling looked at Xiao Yin's handsome brows and eyes, yet she tiptoed, her arms climbing onto his neck, smiling at the corner of her mouth: "With the Prince here, I won't die, right?"

Xiao Yin ground his back teeth, then scooped her up horizontally and walked out of the courtyard.

Jiu Yue and the others were dumbfounded, hurriedly following after them—what on earth is happening?

The Princess Consort was making a fuss over nothing, yet the Prince not only ignored her, he actually joined the master in the commotion.

It's so late; let's hope nothing happens.

Xiao Yin took Gu Jiu Ling out through the West Side Gate and got into the carriage outside.

Immediately he sent a pigeon message to Zhou Commander, asking him to think of a way to suppress the situation by the Imperial River, using any means to detain the Five City Military Command's river patrol.

This move is truly risky; he might even end up dragging himself into it.

He never did such foolish things, but this was the first time he followed Gu Jiu Ling, risking himself for a pawn in the scheme; by the time he had taken her to change carriages for the fifth time in the southern city, he was already regretting it to the extreme.

Indeed, Emperor Longqing now loathes him to the bone, wishing to find any scrap of evidence against him and put him to death.

After changing four carriages, he finally managed to shake off the Imperial Secret Guard behind him, barely escaping the pursuers that clung like bone‑eating maggots.

Gu Jiu Ling grabbed Xiao Yin's hand and whispered, "Prince, I'll go on my own from now on."

"Prince, ride the carriage around Jing Cheng to confuse them, while I lead the people on foot through this alley."

"I've already messaged Zuo Feichen to bring Princess Yalan onto a boat; with your people holding back the Five City Military Command, let him pole the boat to the Imperial Riverbank, and I'll treat her on board."

"It'll be quick—just give me an hour!"

Xiao Yin's jaw clenched tight, yet he still lowered her from the carriage and handed her over to Imperial Secret Guard Meng.

"If you come to any harm, I'll have everyone bury you with me!" Xiao Yin suddenly bit out these words in a low voice; they sounded childish, but no one doubted their sincerity.

Gu Jiu Ling realized this person was truly enraged—no wonder everyone called him the living King of Hell of Shang Jing; she hooked his finger to reassure him, tightened her black cloak, and stepped into the night.

Gu Jiu Ling quickly arrived at the woods by the Imperial River; this forest was dense, some trees' branches growing horizontally, already reaching the water surface, forming a perfect shade over the river.

Beneath the shade lay a black‑covered boat, unlit inside, shrouded in thin water vapor, gently swaying.

Imperial Secret Guard Meng scattered his men through the woods, and Gu Jiu Ling walked toward the black‑covered boat.

Zuo Feichen lifted the curtain of the black‑covered boat and came out to meet her.

Neither spoke; Gu Jiu Ling lifted her skirt, stepped onto the small boat with her foot, and Zuo Feichen stretched out his arm to let her steady herself.

Gu Jiu Ling entered the cabin, turned on the emergency flashlight she'd taken from her space, and shone it on the couch where Princess Yalan lay, her brows knitting.

"Princess Consort? How is she?" Zuo Feichen asked hurriedly.

"The situation isn't good, Master Zuo; please wait outside for me—I'll call you in if I need you."

Zuo Feichen froze there, feeling that the Princess Consort was hiding something from him—could she still be worried about leaking her medical skills even at this point?