At midnight, the inn, which had been busy all night to receive the distinguished guests, finally regained its tranquility. The lights were dim, and except for the royal guards who were on duty and patrolling around the inn, all the others gradually fell asleep due to the hard work of walking during the day.
In a main room in the east hall of the inn, the lights were still on at this hour. Lu Wenjun was neatly dressed, sitting on the couch, holding a pair of scissors with the sharp tips pointed at her throat, and staring warily at several of Yuan Zhi's confidants who were kneeling across from her and trying to persuade her to leave.
She looked a little pale, but her eyes were so calm that she didn't look like a girl of sixteen or seventeen.
Xuyu walked straight into the secret path leading to the backyard of the inn, which was originally used for Lu Wenjun to leave. When she arrived outside the door, this was the scene she saw.
From the beginning to the end, Lu Wenjun did not make any noise, and only said one sentence, "If you dare to take her away by force, she will kill herself first." She did not look like she was trying to scare people. This made Yuan Zhi feel quite difficult. Whether Lu Wenjun got into trouble or the plan was blocked, it was something he could not bear alone. He had no choice but to send the message.
Lu Wenjun didn't know that Xuyu had also come out. When she saw her, she opened her eyes wide in surprise. Then she noticed that her gaze fell on her hand holding the scissors. The blood drained from her pretty face, and her hand, which had been holding the scissors and confronting someone for a long time, became weak and slowly drooped.
However, when the tip of the scissors was just a little below his neck, he saw Xuyu walking towards him and immediately raised it up again.
"Don't come over here!" She let out a cry that sounded a bit painful.
"If you take one more step, I will really...really die!"
Xuyu stopped and signaled everyone in the room to leave. After the door was closed and only she and Lu Wenjun were left, she smiled and asked, "What's wrong with you? Didn't you agree before you set out that you would return after you got here? Why did you suddenly change your mind?"
"I said it. If the person who replaced me is discovered, the whole plan will fail. It's a mistake I made in the past, and I want to make up for it!"
She paused.
"When you came to tell me about this, I had already made up my mind to do this. I didn't tell you at the time because I knew you and my mother would not agree. You don't need to persuade me anymore, I won't change my mind! Anyway, tonight, either I die here, or you let me continue on my journey tomorrow. I will do whatever I have to do, and I will never ruin your business!"
"I understand. Wenjun, you are so young, yet you have such a sense of responsibility. It is rare..."
Xuyu persuaded her slowly, but she had already made up her mind. She was waiting for an opportunity to take the scissors from her hand and then take her away by force.
She walked to the couch, stared at the girl, slowly raised her hand and stretched it towards her.
"Give me the scissors first."
"Have you ever thought about how sad your aunt would be if you really hurt yourself like this? After you left the palace a few days ago, I saw your aunt crying alone behind the palace gate. She was worried about you. If something happened to you, she would be the first to fall. You don't care about yourself, so don't you care about her at all? I also promised her that I would personally take you back and return you to her. If you hurt yourself so easily, how can I explain to her?"
Lu Wenjun's eyes gradually turned red.
Taking advantage of her daze and distraction, Xuyu reached out and snatched the scissors, threw them far away, and then grabbed her wrist.