Chapter 216

Hu Xiaotian rode alongside him, speaking low: 'Sir Zhu, you don't know, that Qingyun Qiao wasn't broken by flood.'

Zhu Qifan heard this, his brows involuntarily furrowed, and he spoke low: 'What does Sir mean?'

Hu Xiaotian said: 'If not a natural disaster, then it's **!'

Zhu Qifan still not fully understanding: 'Sir Hu is saying someone deliberately damaged Qingyun Qiao, what person is so vile, actually doing such a thing?'

Hu Xiaotian secretly sighed, Zhu Qifan's brains seem not very sharp either, he insists on spelling everything out, he looked around, softly sighed: 'If Qingyun Qiao were still there, the Shajia envoy wouldn't have passed through here.'

Zhu Qifan laughed: 'Yeah, yeah, saying that, it's actually a fortunate thing, otherwise I wouldn't have had the chance to meet Prince Zhou.' Saying this, he finally realized something, and his smile froze on his face.

Hu Xiaotian gazed at him with deep reluctance to speak.

Zhu Qifan's hands instinctively gripped the reins, and he spoke low: 'Sir Hu, what have you heard?'

Hu Xiaotian said: 'The court attaches great importance to this visit of the Shajia envoy; otherwise they wouldn't have let Prince Zhou Thousand Years personally come to receive them. I hope this journey goes smoothly; if anything happens, I'm afraid...'

Zhu Qifan's cheek flesh twitched uncontrollably; with Hu Xiaotian's hint he understood: if Qingyun Qiao was man-made destruction, the result would be only the sole route inside Honggu County remains; could someone have decided to set an ambush in Honggu County? Thinking this, Zhu Qifan's back instantly soaked in cold sweat. He lifted his head to see clear skies, wind and sunshine; such weather, plus this formation, even if someone dared to come raid, they could guarantee the envoy's safety. Moreover, the distance inside Honggu County is only over thirty li. As long as we send Prince Zhou and the envoy out of Honggu County, even if something huge happens, it's nothing to do with us. Thinking this, Zhu Qifan's heart instantly calmed, his expression relaxed, and he comforted Hu Xiaotian: 'Sir Hu, don't worry, the two hundred men I brought are all carefully selected elite troops. Moreover, Honggu County's security has always been good.'

Hu Xiaotian laughed: 'I'm just reminding Sir Zhu, better safe than sorry.'

Zhu Qifan said: 'Thank you, Sir Hu.' Although he didn't take Hu Xiaotian's reminder to heart, he still agreed with those four words 'caution is paramount', and after chatting a few sentences with Hu Xiaotian, he went to remind his subordinates to be more vigilant.

Hu Xiaotian slowed his horse and returned to Qin Yutong's side, speaking low: 'Wesa said, the envoy still has an important figure, even Moshali treats him with utmost respect; I suspect that the Shajia king is among them, merely deliberately concealing his whereabouts.'

Qin Yutong rode her black horse at a leisurely pace alongside Hu Xiaotian; she heard every word he spoke clearly.

Qin Yutong said: 'Murong Feiyan is also quite renowned in the capital; many wicked folk hear her name and lose courage, yet I never expected she would willingly follow you here.'

'She has made too many enemies; she can't get by in the capital, coming here is also a helpless choice.'

Qin Yutong said: 'If not for special feelings toward you, then there must be some other reason.'

Hu Xiaotian heard the hidden meaning in her words, gave a faint smile, and didn't respond. Although he had concealed some things from Murong Feiyan, he had never doubted she would be harmful to him. Along the way, if not for Murong Feiyan protecting him, he probably couldn't have reached Qingyun; moreover, she had saved his life several times at life-and-death junctures. If she truly wanted to harm him, why go to all that trouble? Actually, when they parted, he had already caught the reluctance in Murong Feiyan's eyes; the unintentionally revealed care already proved she had developed feelings for him quietly. Thinking this, Hu Xiaotian felt a warm surge inside.

Qin Yutong saw he didn't respond, knew he didn't agree with her words. She spoke softly: 'You just said the Shajia king might be among the envoy?'

'I'm just guessing.'

At this moment, the vanguard suddenly stirred; Hu Xiaotian blinked, spurred his horse forward, Qin Yutong closely followed; they came to the front and saw a carriage stopped on the road, the two horses pulling it had collapsed on the ground, the driver kept whipping them, the horses on the ground were foaming at the mouth, clearly done for.

The leading guards angrily shouted: 'Who's blocking the way?'

Inside the carriage, a flawless jade-white hand lifted the curtain, a soft voice asked: 'Is this Prince Zhou's entourage?'

Hu Xiaotian's heart jolted; from the voice he recognized the female speaking from inside the carriage as Xi Yan; he had thought Xi Yan had left, but he didn't expect she would appear in such a grand manner; this Demoness is really too arrogant.

Hu Xiaotian came to Zhu Qifan's side, speaking low: 'The person inside the carriage is a Demoness of the Wuxian Sect; seize her first, then talk!'

Zhu Qifan didn't know who Xi Yan was; hearing Hu Xiaotian say that, he immediately complied, ordering the soldiers to surround the carriage layer by layer; the driver panicked, not yet clear what was happening, was seized by soldiers and thrown to the ground, tightly bound.

The leading commander angrily shouted: 'Come out!'

The carriage door slowly opened; Xi Yan appeared in a green robe, like an orchid in a secluded valley, her exquisite face showing panic and helplessness, she coquettishly said: 'I, a young lady, don't know where I have offended you all, sirs... why are you treating me like this?'

Hu Xiaotian hid in the crowd observing Xi Yan; her innocent look truly made one's heart ache; the soldiers surrounding the carriage, seeing such a charming beauty emerge, couldn't help but catch their breath; their originally fierce faces instantly softened considerably.

Xi Yan's pair of captivating eyes swept over the crowd; wherever her gaze fell, everyone's face flushed and heart raced, souls stirred; many even thought, if they could win the affection of such a beauty, they'd gladly die for her.

Xi Yan let out a faint sigh; the sigh went straight to people's hearts; some soldiers' hands lowered their swords; who could be heartless enough to raise a blade against such a beautiful woman?

Although Hu Xiaotian was in the crowd, he also felt reluctant; Qin Yutong silently watched everything, making no move.

Xi Yan softly said: 'I'm just a helpless lone girl; why make things difficult for me?' Her voice was tender and plaintive, like weeping and lamenting.

Zhu Qifan felt somewhat reluctant; he looked at Hu Xiaotian, thinking: 'Is this guy mistaken? How could such a peerless beauty be a rebel of the Wuxian Sect?'

Hu Xiaotian saw Zhu Qifan's hesitation in his gaze; originally he thought this matter would be easy to settle, but he didn't expect Xi Yan's beauty to be so lethal; although Hu Xiaotian also lacked definite proof that Xi Yan is of the Wuxian Sect, her appearance here is certainly no coincidence; he whispered to Zhu Qifan: 'Seize her first, then talk!'

Zhu Qifan pressed his lips, finally made up his mind, loudly said: 'Seize them all, take them back to the county office for later interrogation.'

Hu Xiaotian heard and frowned; I said, these words are a bit grating. Whether later or during interrogation, it's none of your business. At this moment, Xi Yan's gaze turned to him, the corner of her mouth curled into a cold smile; Xi Yan evidently believed all this was Hu Xiaotian's scheming behind the scenes; she cried out tragically: 'Injustice... common girl injustice...'

Those soldiers hearing her cry so sadly, each hesitated again.

Just then a Guard appeared in the crowd; he rushed to Xi Yan, striking like lightning, poked her several times, sealing her pressure points; Xi Yan let out a pitiful cry and her soft body collapsed to the ground. This person was Liang Qing, the guard left by Zhang Qian to assist Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian was certain Xi Yan was feigning; recalling how she once scaled the beams and walls of the Wan mansion with ease, now she pretends to be a weak woman ignorant of martial arts; when a woman plays tricks, her heart is more vicious than a man's; Hu Xiaotian merely wondered why she dared to come alone, which is tantamount to walking into a net; just now, when Murong Feiyan sealed her pressure points, she clearly possessed martial arts yet offered no resistance; what scheme is Xi Yan plotting?

Qin Yutong went over to assist Liang Qing in seizing Xi Yan; she gripped Xi Yan's pulse gate; Xi Yan suddenly felt a warm, gentle inner force flowing along her pulse into her; looking at the young, dark-skinned constable before her, Xi Yan's heart startled, and her inner energy naturally reacted.

Qin Yutong felt a chilling inner force swiftly rebound; she immediately concluded Xi Yan was merely feigning; Liang Qing had not actually sealed her pressure points; with his left hand pressing her lower back, a fine needle slipped between his fingers into her lumbar pressure point.

Xi Yan's lovely face instantly turned pallid; her beautiful eyes showed panic; she exclaimed in shock: 'You...'

Even Liang Qing beside them didn't realize that in that instant, the two had just gone through a perilous struggle; Qin Yutong pulled Xi Yan up from the ground, turned to Hu Xiaotian and said: 'Sir, how should we handle this woman?'

Hu Xiaotian said to Zhu Qifan: 'Sir Zhu, why not hand her over to you for interrogation first, then we'll talk.'

Xi Yan angrily said: 'Hu Xiaotian, you bastard, you're framing me, do you have any conscience?' At this moment she felt a bit panicked; she never imagined there were still experts lying in ambush beside Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian knew he had been exposed; he pushed through the crowd and walked over, giving a hehe laugh: 'Who did I think I was? It's Miss Xi Yan! After parting at Qingyun, I never expected to see you again so soon; I hope you've been well.'

Seven More Updates, pleading for Guaranteed Monthly Ticket! (To be continued...)