The days of losing light and freedom were indeed hard to endure. In this bumpy ride without knowing the time of day or night, even a calm person like Xie Nanjia could not help but lose his patience.
That day, she finally lost her temper and said she would not eat anything the maid fed her, and declared that if she was not untied, she would starve herself to death.
The maid conveyed her words to Mu Yuan. Mu Yuan knew that she would not really go on a hunger strike, so he went to see her in the carriage in person.
Although Xie Nanjia couldn't see, she knew from the vibration of the carriage that Mu Yuan had arrived, and she sat there quietly waiting for him to speak first.
After the conversation that day, she had already planned to shake his mind step by step, and try to successfully alienate the relationship between him and King Yu Ze before entering Yudu.
But she didn't expect that although Mu Yuan looked rude and violent, like a brainless person, he was actually not so easily deceived.
He saw through her tricks and not only did not fall for them, he even stopped meeting her, thus fundamentally eliminating the possibility of being bewitched by her.
Xie Nanjia realized that she had underestimated him before, and now she had to cheer up and deal with him properly.
Mu Yuan got in the car, sat opposite silently, and stared at Xie Nanjia quietly for a long time. A beauty is a beauty, even if she is tied up with ropes, blindfolded, and dressed in men's clothes, she is still so beautiful that people can't take their eyes off her.
No wonder Zhao Jingyu, despite his status as the crown prince, traveled thousands of miles to find her. If such a beautiful sweetheart of his was abducted, he would go to heaven and earth to find her, let alone thousands of miles.
Now, this "beautiful sweetheart" was sitting opposite him, and what he was thinking about was how he could make her his.
Yes, he has been thinking about this problem these days, and his hair is almost turning white.
He had many women, some he married, some he won, and some he robbed, but he never worried about how to conquer them, because the women of the grassland were simple-minded, and no matter how strong-willed and stubborn a woman was, she would eventually succumb to his bravery and strength.
But the woman in front of him was obviously not like that. He had no doubt that if he dared to force himself on her, she would die with him.
He didn't want to get a dead beauty, especially since this beauty was of great use to him.
He is not so lustful as to lose his mind.
He had to come up with a foolproof plan.
"Why don't you eat?" He took a deep breath and asked in a calm tone.
"I'm in a bad mood and can't eat." Xie Nanjia said.
"Why are you in a bad mood?" Mu Yuan asked again.
"If you are blindfolded, your hands and feet are tied, and you are kept in a carriage for more than ten days, you will not feel good." Xie Nanjia said, sounding like she was angry.
Mu Yuan grinned silently. Somehow, he could hear some of the arrogance of a little woman in it.
Women on the grassland can also act coquettishly and tease, but they don't have this kind of coquettishness that makes people feel itchy.
"Say something nice and I'll untie you." He suddenly became interested and wanted to tease her.
Xie Nanjia was silent for a moment and said, "Then I'll go on a hunger strike!"
“…” Mu Yuan suspected that the little woman just now was his illusion. He sighed and reached out to tear off her blindfold.
Xie Nanjia was startled and slowly opened her eyes, but the strong light forced her to close them again.
After a while, she gradually adapted to the light and opened her eyes completely.
Mu Yuan's sturdy figure came into view. She blinked and asked him, "Why?"
Mu Yuan didn't answer, but lifted the curtain to let her look outside.
Xie Nanjia turned his head hesitantly, and saw a tall and majestic city wall and towering and steep mountains in the distance.
"What is this place?" she asked.
"Youyun Pass." Mu Yuan said, "After passing Youyun Pass, it is Yuze's territory. There is no need for me to blindfold you anymore."
Xie Nanjia was truly shocked, but the shock was not so much because she was about to leave the territory of Great Zhou, but rather because she finally saw the legendary Youyun Pass.
She had heard her father and Marquis Dingyuan talk about Youyun Pass more than once. In this military fortress known as the best pass in the world, countless heart-wrenching battles had taken place from ancient times to the present.
In the past, my father and Marquis Dingyuan followed the current emperor to this place, and they led the Great Zhou cavalry to break through Youyun Pass and capture the capitals of several small countries including Yuze in one fell swoop, turning them into vassal states of the Great Zhou.
At that time, the emperor was just one of the many sons of the late emperor. Perhaps he met Zhao Jingyu's mother at that time!
Twenty years passed in a hurry, leaving only lonely memories. Xie Nanjia looked at the ancient and majestic city wall again, and felt a sense of sadness in his heart for no reason. He seemed to hear the sound of time whistling like an arrow.
"You're about to come out of seclusion. Don't you have any ideas?" Seeing that she had been silent, Mu Yuan spoke up to interrupt her thoughts.
Xie Nanjia came back to her senses, looked at him and smiled calmly: "If I have it, can you help me realize it?"
"No." Mu Yuan shook his head without hesitation. He could guess what she would say without asking.
"Your straightforward answer actually shows that you are not confident." Xie Nanjia said, "Zhao Jingyu is not like that. No matter what I want, he can satisfy me."
Mu Yuan was startled, his thick eyebrows frowned, and the space between his eyebrows twisted into a knot.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you like me?" Xie Nanjia asked, "You don't even dare to listen to my thoughts, so what qualifications do you have to like me?"
"…" Mu Yuan knew that she was provoking him, but he couldn't control his mouth, "Tell me, what do you want to do?"
Xie Nanjia smiled and said, "I want to touch the wall of Youyun Pass with my own hands."
Mu Yuan was nervous, fearing that she would say that she wanted to return to Da Zhou or ask him to let her go. He didn't expect that her request was so simple.
However, even with such a simple request, he still couldn't satisfy her.
The guards of Youyun Pass were soldiers from the Great Zhou. He couldn't guarantee whether those soldiers had received the notification from the court. If Xie Nanjia got off the car and attracted the attention of the soldiers, all his efforts would be wasted.
"If it doesn't work this time, there will be opportunities in the future," he said.
Xie Nanjia seemed to have anticipated that he would not dare to take the risk and gave a sarcastic smile.
"You see, this is where you and Zhao Jingyu cannot be compared."
Mu Yuan's face felt hot.
Xie Nanjia added: "Do you know why there is such a big difference between the two of you?"
"Why?" Mu Yuan asked.
"Because Zhao Jingyu is an only child, he has the final say." Xie Nanjia said, "But you have too many brothers. Although you are the eldest son, you cannot have absolute inheritance rights. You have to listen to your father in everything. So, even if you like me, as long as your father asks, you still have to give me to him obediently, right?"
Mu Yuan fell silent, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
Seeing that he didn't say anything, Xie Nanjia also became quiet.
Mu Yuan knew that she wanted to sow discord again, and thought she would continue talking, but she actually shut up. He couldn't help but wonder, "Why didn't you say anything?"
Xie Nanjia said: "If I say too much, you will accuse me of sowing discord."
Mu Yuan: "...Aren't you?"
"I'm not really like that." Xie Nanjia said seriously, "Everything I said to you is actually a truth you already understood, but you didn't realize it or you were deceiving yourself. Isn't your Yuze country a wolf-like regime? Fratricide is allowed. If that's the case, why don't you take the initiative? Why do you have to hand me over to your father, and then wait until he is old and frail before giving the throne to you, or you kill all your brothers to seize the throne? By then, I'm afraid I will be an old woman. Won't you regret it? Won't you feel sorry?"
Mu Yuan was confused by her long speech and couldn't understand it for a long time. Her words seemed to have a kind of magic that made his blood boil. His heart was pounding in his chest as if it would burst out at the next moment.
"If I did that, would you really follow me?" he asked urgently. "You're lying to me again, aren't you?"
Xie Nanjia smiled noncommittally: "If I am destined to be unable to escape, I will naturally choose a young and strong man for myself. Who would want to be with an old man?"
Mu Yuan's copper-bell-like eyes widened and his pupils were shining.
"Don't worry, whether I seize the throne or not, I will never give you to anyone else." He promised solemnly.
Xie Nanjia smiled happily, her eyebrows and eyes curved: "Then, can you let me touch the city wall?"
"No." Mu Yuan answered firmly, "I haven't lost my mind yet."
Xie Nanjia: “…”
This person is really difficult to deal with. He seems to be easily bewitched, but in fact he has his own bottom line in his heart, and he can always control himself not to cross that bottom line.
"Why do you have to touch the city wall?" Mu Yuan asked.
"because… "
As soon as Xie Nanjia finished her words, a horse neigh suddenly sounded outside, and then the carriage suddenly tilted forward. She lost her balance and her head hit the wall of the carriage heavily.
At the critical moment, Mu Yuan reached out and pulled her into his arms, covered her head, jumped up, and flew out directly through the roof of the car.
Everything in front of Xie Nanjia's eyes was pitch black. He only heard a few screams, followed by the sound of weapons being unsheathed and the cries of people running for their lives.
Mu Yuan lifted her up into his arms and shouted, "The person you are looking for is in my hands. If you don't want her to die, get out of here!"
Xie Nanjia pressed against Mu Yuan's chest, feeling that his chest was like a cowhide drum, making her ears buzz.
There was a brief silence around him. Mu Yuan stood firmly on the roof of the car, turned Xie Nanjia around, let her back rest against his arms, and put a dagger against her neck.
Xie Nanjia finally saw the scene clearly. It turned out that Cheng Zhiye and a group of people were blocking Youyun Pass.
There were about 200 people in that team. They looked a little older, strong and fierce-looking. Each of them carried a bow and arrow and held a scimitar in his hand. They were obviously veterans who had killed countless enemies.
Xie Nanjia quickly thought of the retired soldiers that Zhao Jingyu was rumored to have privately kept. Judging from the situation, it should be them.
However, she did not expect that Zhao Jingyu would let Cheng Zhiye be their team leader, and she did not expect that it was Cheng Zhiye who found her first.
"Young Master Cheng!" She waved happily at Cheng Zhiye, seemingly forgetting that she was standing on the roof of a wobbly carriage with a sharp blade on her neck.
"Miss Xiu'er!" Cheng Zhiye responded to her loudly, "Don't be afraid, I will rescue you."
Mu Yuan was ignored and snorted coldly.
"Where is the second young master?" Xie Nanjia asked.
"The second young master will be here soon. He sent a message asking me to intercept you here." Cheng Zhiye said.
Xie Nanjia couldn't help but feel excited.
"Where is Master Nanfeng?" she asked again.
"Master Nanfeng and General Wuan went back to mobilize the troops." Cheng Zhiye said.
"Who else is coming?"
"There are also Huangfu and Zhou Yuncheng. Huangfu will be here soon. Zhou Yuncheng left late and will arrive later." Cheng Zhiye answered in detail.
The two of them interacted with each other, as if men and women working in the fields were singing folk songs to each other, and they seemed to not take Mu Yuan and his guards seriously.
Mu Yuan was furious and shouted, "Have you said enough? Do you really think I don't dare to kill anyone?"
"Try to kill one!" Cheng Zhiye sneered, "Miss Xiu'er is the only bargaining chip for you and your Yuze Kingdom. If you kill her, you will just have to wait for the destruction of your country!"
“…” Mu Yuan was so angry that he couldn’t speak.
Xie Nanjia couldn't help but feel a little sympathetic towards him, and advised: "What he said is indeed the truth. Now you are really in a dilemma, but you can't blame it all. If you want to blame someone, blame your father. It was his ambition that ruined you. If you stop now and repent, when General Wu'an sends troops over, I can persuade him to help you drive your father away and take the throne for you. How about that?"
Mu Yuan: “…”
At this time, the sound of horse hooves came from behind, and another group of people appeared in people's sight with billowing smoke and dust.
When they got closer, Xie Nanjia saw clearly that the person leading the team was Huangfu.
“Huangfu, Huangfu…” she greeted happily.
Huangfu was shocked to see her being held hostage by Mu Yuan with a knife on her neck, and asked loudly, "Miss Xiu'er, are you okay?"
"It's okay, I'm fine. Where is the second young master?" Xie Nanjia asked.
"The second young master is behind and will be here soon." Huangfu replied.
Mu Yuan couldn't help but get angry again.
Xie Nanjia spoke before him: "Look, there are interceptors in front, pursuers behind, and a row of archers on the city wall. What else can you do except surrender?"
"Who said I can only surrender?" Mu Yuan said angrily, shouting at his men, "Bring the people up here!"
Everyone was stunned, and then they saw Mu Yuan's guards escorting a petite boy dressed as a follower out from the team.
The young man seemed to be out of mind, with his hands handcuffed behind his back and a cloth ball stuffed in his mouth. When the guards came closer, they tore off the cloth ball and slapped him in the face.
The young man was awakened, opened his eyes and looked around, and suddenly saw Cheng Zhiye riding on a horse, and immediately shouted: "Young Master Cheng, save me!"
Cheng Zhiye's heart skipped a beat, and then his expression changed: "Are you Yunshu?"
"It's me, it's me, save me, save me!" Yun Shu shouted excitedly.
Cheng Zhiye clenched his sword and subconsciously looked at Xie Nanjia.
Xie Nanjia was also shocked.
She could never have imagined that Mu Yuan had actually kidnapped Yun Shu as well, and had been hiding in the team and traveling with her all these days.
No wonder Mu Yuan wasn’t afraid at all, it turned out he had a backup plan.
"I don't dare to kill Miss Xiu'er." Mu Yuan sneered at Cheng Zhiye, "But I dare to kill her, do you believe it?"
Cheng Zhiye swallowed and said nothing.
"You are so despicable." Xie Nanjia couldn't help but scold Mu Yuan.
"When two armies are facing each other, do we still have to treat each other with respect?" Mu Yuan disagreed and laughed, "How about your fiancée's fiancée, do you want her to die or live?"
(End of this chapter)