Tuoba Xiangtai left with a dagger in hand, leaving a hall full of barbarian generals and soldiers standing bewildered in the wind.
Wait, the Third Prince went to find Xiao Mingzhao, but what about the barbarian army outside the city? What about them? Right now... should they go out to save them? Or should they not?
What on earth should they do?
In contrast to their confusion, Tuoba Xiangtai's mind was extremely clear at this moment; he was completely calm and rational.
He finally understood.
Xiao Mingzhao, from the very beginning, had wanted to leave him!
Dispatching the imperial guards and the border army to attack their barbarian forces outside the city was all for the sake of rescuing Xiao Mingzhao from the Yuchen Mansion later. And now, the existence of this Xiangxiang completely confirmed it.
Xiao Mingzhao was actually keeping...
A beloved person!
He, who was constantly told by Xiao Mingzhao that she loved him, was in reality just a substitute!
Just a substitute!
Xiangxiang's substitute!
So, when it all came down to it, Luan'er wanted to leave him!
But,
She couldn't!
Absolutely not!
He was going to be with Luan'er for all lifetimes. If they couldn't be together in life, they would die together, staying with Luan'er forever and ever!
...
While Tuoba Xiangtai was heading to the backyard, Pei Jingzhi had already taken a step ahead.
Pei Jingzhi truly had not expected that things would turn out to be so surprisingly easy.
Originally, the Yuchen Mansion was heavily guarded by barbarian soldiers, so strict that not even a fly could enter. But who knew whether his earnest heart to serve Her Majesty had moved the heavens or if the Great Yu's national power had exerted itself, the barbarian soldiers suddenly fell into chaos.
Those barbarian soldiers were running in and out, creating a complete uproar.
Even the guards at the entrance had retreated inside the Yuchen Mansion.
They left the main gate completely deserted.
How could Pei Jingzhi let such a great opportunity slip by?
He immediately sneaked inside.
Unexpectedly, entering was also quite smooth. The barbarian soldiers were in such a chaotic state that they seemed to have no time to notice him, allowing him a smooth journey all the way to the inner courtyard.
The closer he got to the inner courtyard, the safer Pei Jingzhi became.
This was because the closer he got to the inner courtyard, the more deserted it was.
With the map left by Sun Da and Sun Er in his hand, his understanding of the Yuchen Mansion was no worse than that of these barbarian soldiers. He immediately slipped in and quickly found the room where Xiao Mingzhao was detained.
He immediately pushed the doors open.
The moment he saw the scene inside, tears instantly surged down Pei Jingzhi's old face.
He had already heard from Sun Da and Sun Er that Her Majesty was bound by Tuoba Xiangtai with golden chains, preventing Her Majesty from leaving the room. But what he saw right now was that, in addition to the golden chains, heavy iron chains had also been added.
The Emperor of their Great Yu was actually tied up here like a dog!
This was the Emperor of their Great Yu!
The ruler of all the people!
How, how could she suffer such humiliation?
Pei Jingzhi fell to his knees with a thud, his eyes filled with hot tears as he wept bitterly. Your Majesty, this old minister is late to your rescue and has allowed Your Majesty to suffer. This old minister deserves to die ten thousand deaths!
Xiao Mingzhao's spirits lifted. My beloved minister Pei?
You, you have finally come!
Quick, quickly save me and get me out of here!
Pei Jingzhi dared not delay. Enduring the devastation and sorrow in his heart, he immediately tried to untie Xiao Mingzhao. However, whether it was the golden chains or the iron ones, it was as hard as ascending to the heavens for someone like Pei Jingzhi who knew no martial arts.
Moreover, even if he did know martial arts, he would not be able to sever these chains in one strike.
The keys are over there... Xiao Mingzhao pointed into the distance and said, The keys are kept right there. Take them and unlock these iron chains for me!
Pei Jingzhi felt another pang of sorrow in his heart.
The keys were placed exactly out of Xiao Mingzhao's reach. Tuoba Xiangtai, that barbarian beast and savage bastard, dared to treat Her Majesty so cruelly. Every citizen of Great Yu would surely be willing to spill their blood to slay this thief!
Fortunately, his resolute nature allowed him to quickly fetch the keys.
He unlocked the shackles on Xiao Mingzhao's body one by one.
Feeling the weight lifted off her body, Xiao Mingzhao instantly felt as if even the air had become free. Her heart was filled with excitement, and she could not help but ask Pei Jingzhi about the current situation.
Pei Jingzhi responded while he worked.
The border army and the imperial guards are currently slaughtering the barbarian army outside the city. It must be under Ren Tianye's orders. Right now, this Yuchen Mansion is in total chaos. This is a great opportunity. Your Majesty, it is heaven's will that Great Yu shall not perish. Now is the perfect time for you to escape!
The excitement on Xiao Mingzhao's face, however, paused.
She asked, My beloved minister Pei, are you saying that Ren Tianye has come to save me?
No, it is... Before Pei Jingzhi could explain, rapid footsteps echoed from outside the door, and his expression changed drastically. It is likely Tuoba Xiangtai approaching.
He looked at Xiao Mingzhao, who had just been freed from the iron chains, and without a single moment of hesitation, he said directly, Your Majesty, at this rate, we will not be able to escape. Right now, there is only one way!
Your Majesty, please take off your clothes!
Xiao Mingzhao, who had been lost in her own thoughts, was instantly stunned upon hearing this. What?
Your Majesty, take off your outer garments and let this old minister wear them. If I sit with my back facing Tuoba Xiangtai and blow out a few candles, Tuoba Xiangtai will surely be deceived. Then, this old minister can buy Your Majesty some time. Your Majesty...
You can use that opportunity to escape.
As long as Your Majesty can remember the lesson of this incident after escaping, treat the people of the world kindly in the future, revitalize the imperial court, execute the treacherous, and wipe out the barbarians, this old minister will have no regrets even in death!
Xiao Mingzhao understood Pei Jingzhi's intentions.
However, Xiao Mingzhao decisively shook her head.
Pei Jingzhi grew anxious. Your Majesty, this old minister's life is as insignificant as an ant's. If this old minister can trade this worthless life for Your Majesty's dragon body, it would be a tremendous blessing. Your Majesty, in such a critical moment, you absolutely must not hesitate!
Xiao Mingzhao still shook her head and said, My beloved minister Pei, that is not what I mean. I want to say...
Xiao Mingzhao looked out the window at the pitch-black darkness, much like the perilous situation she was currently in. Yet, the occasional burst of firelight was like a bright beacon illuminating her heart.
The road ahead had always been difficult, but as long as a breath remained, one should bravely pursue it.
Thus, she said, Ren Tianye has come to save me!
In the past, I treated Ren Tianye poorly and hurt his sincere devotion to me.
This time, I want to give him a chance!
I believe that he has made all the necessary deployments and will absolutely not allow Tuoba Xiangtai to cause me the slightest harm.
I misjudged people and did the wrong things in the past, bringing about a great disaster. This time, I will not make the same mistakes again!
Pausing, she turned to the utterly incredulous Pei Jingzhi and added, My beloved minister Pei, please rest assured. Even if it is solely for my sake, Ren Tianye will definitely plan everything thoroughly. With you and me here, there will not be the slightest bit of danger!
Just set your mind at ease!
...
ose... to cooperate with the protagonist! Shen Yuan: I have a system! Protagonist: What? System: Holy crap, you're just spilling it out like that? Shen Yuan: Let's team up, we'll split the system rewards! Protagonist: Fifty-fifty split? Shen Yuan: No way! Protagonist: What!? I'm the one getting beaten up, and I don't get half? Shen Yuan: Forty-sixty split, I get forty, you get sixty! Protagonist: Deal! Big brother, come on, hit me! As long as it doesn't kill me, beat me like you mean it! Shen Yuan: Don't worry... I will definitely protect all of you! No one but me can lay a finger on you! Guard our Heaven's Chosen Ones! I'm the only one allowed to bully them!
【Prologue: The Beginning of It All – Use holy water to heal the saintess tainted by demonic energy, then converse with her.】 Shen Nian stared at his older sister sipping yogurt, lost in thought. So you’re telling me my sister is the saintess, and yogurt is the holy water? 【Main Quest 1: Brave Youth, Become an Adventurer! Reward: Rookie Adventurer Title.】 【Side Quest 1: Find the Adorable Kitty! Reward: 1000 Gold Coins.】 Shen Nian: "Wait, I’m a high school senior here—did some guy who got isekai’d accidentally bind his system to me?" Hold on, completing quests gives gold rewards? Titles even boost stats? Is this for real? (A lighthearted, absurd campus comedy—not a revenge power fantasy.)
lity and could only live as an ordinary mortal. He only wished to live a peaceful life. Yet he didn't know— The dog he adopted, because it ate his food, became a legendary demon king. The kitchen knife he casually forged became a peerless divine weapon, causing numerous experts to fight desperately for it. The young disciple he took in became an immortal lord that led an era, due to cultivating the techniques Ye Feng taught him. Even the skeletons he looked down on the most were ominous demon kings that suppressed countless worlds. Many years later, looking at the void shattered with a punch, Ye Feng murmured to himself: It turns out the peerless kings were myself all along...
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
