Don't be tempted, sir

Chapter 135: Long Decision

The winter snow melted, spring was coming, and the Qiang Kingdom had the most apricot trees. The roads were full of snow-like apricot blossoms, and the petals were scattered all over the sky with the wind. Song Xiaoyuan, as usual, was wearing a moon-white brocade robe and riding a black horse, stepping on the flowers.

At the gate of the Qiang Palace, Ah Wu handed over the invitation. The Qiang imperial guards looked up after seeing the invitation. Because they had been on duty at Feiyu Pavilion before and had seen the young man in white in the cage, they couldn't help but question, "You... are you... an envoy from the Liao Kingdom?"

Song Xiaoyuan didn't reply, so Ah Wu asked, "Why, you're not letting me in?"

"He is clearly the Holy Lord's escaped prisoner! How could he be your Liao envoy?" The Qiang guards approached Song Xiaoyuan with spears in their hands.

Shen Changjun raised his whip to stop them: "Does your Qiang country want to be so unreasonable?"

The bearded Pombal pulled aside the imperial guards, looking as if he had been waiting for a long time. He sneered at Shen Changjun and looked at Song Xiaoyuan. He took the invitation from the imperial guards and opened it to check: "Come in, Envoy Song!"

Song Xiaoyuan's eyes were deep and cold, his face expressionless and he did not respond. A group of people entered the palace. Awu and Pombal exchanged glances behind them. Zhao Jinmo looked at them, walked away and asked Awu who this was.

Ah Wu was about to speak when Song Xiaoyuan replied calmly, "Catch my people tonight."

Zhao Jinmo looked back when he heard it. Pombal was looking at Song Xiaoyuan's back with a conspiratorial look on his face. Along the way, many imperial guards stared at Song Xiaoyuan. Tonight, he was the bird that the saint must catch, and the prey of the cat and mouse!

Shen Yining was in the palace letting the ladies dress up. She was wearing a gorgeous bright red wedding dress with silk patterns that looked like colorful clouds. She had thin gold bracelets on her wrists and golden bells on her feet that tinkled with her every move. Her makeup was exquisite and stunning, and her outstanding charm could not be concealed even in her indifferent glances.

When the time came, Shen Yining was helped out of the hall by the ladies. It was already dusk after all the Qiang wedding ceremonies were over. Alian Yi looked at her with satisfaction and took her hand. Today, she will always be his pearl!

As the music started, the two of them walked into the hall hand in hand, accepting the blessings of the ministers of the Qiang State and the envoys of the invited countries. Shen Yining did not expect him to come, and when he entered the hall, he saw a figure in white at one side of the table. His pupils dilated, and his heart was surging with emotions as he met someone after a long separation, so he paused for a moment. Of course, Alianyi also saw the cold figure at the table, and clenched her jade hands to remind and warn him.

Shen Yining came back to his senses and calmed down his mind. He turned away from Tan Mou's gaze and walked forward, and sat down on the stage. The toasts were clinking and the congratulations were continuous. Shen Yining couldn't help looking down several times in the mist of alcohol. Song Xiaoyuan was sitting in the audience in a white dress. He looked much better after not seeing him for a long time. Suddenly, he raised his glass to drink and met Tan Mou's eyes. Shen Yining quickly turned his head away and didn't dare to look at him. He raised his glass to drink and lowered his head to hold back his sadness.

A report came from outside the palace, and Alianyi put down the wine cup heavily, and the wine in the cup was all spilled out like blood. Alianyi turned his eyes and ordered the maid: "Take the queen back to the wedding palace first."

Seeing that he was so angry, Shen Yining didn't know what had happened. He wanted to stay but was helped up by the maids and had to be sent back to the wedding hall.

During the banquet, A Lianyi stared at Song Xiaoyuan, curled his lips and said playfully: "Not long ago, a bird in the palace escaped from the cage and flew away alone. A reward was offered for many days, and now it has flown back on its own."

One of the ministers echoed: "What kind of bird is it that knows how to come back after flying away? I wonder if the lord would let us see one or two of them."

"Come here, catch him!" Alianyi raised his hand and pointed at Song Xiaoyuan, then stood up and left the banquet. Just now, Xiaoshi reported that Loulan attacked several places at night, and the army was ambushed on the way, and the desert garrison was also attacked by fire. This must have been done by Song Xiaoyuan. The desert was in chaos at the moment, and Alianyi had to rush to dispatch troops to the desert for support.

The imperial guards had been waiting in the dark for a long time, and now they came out to capture Song Xiaoyuan. The envoys from other countries were escorted out of the palace. Shen Changjun raised his whip and stood back to back with Song Xiaoyuan, and the blood of the Red Moon and Thunder dyed the entire hall red.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Awu, Zhao Jinmo and other envoys came out of the banquet hall. At this moment, the two of them split into two groups, one set fire everywhere, and the other met with the shadow guards to break open the palace gate and left with the outer shadow guards escort.

There were fewer and fewer imperial guards in the palace, but there were still a large number of people outside the door who fought their way out of the palace. Song Xiaoyuan escaped and Shen Changjun resisted alone.

Several palaces and pavilions in the distance were on fire because of Awu and the shadow guards. Some of the imperial guards and officials went to put out the fire. Song Xiaoyuan soon arrived at the wedding hall. Alianyi sent imperial guards to guard the hall, but they were no match for Song Xiaoyuan at the moment. They were all killed by Chiyue and the maid was chopped unconscious. The man in white with blood on his face tried to push the door open.

Shen Yining heard the door open, turned around and was stunned when he saw the person coming in. At this moment, the candlelight was burning and crackling. Seeing Song Xiaoyuan approaching with Chiyue on his back, Shen Yining stepped back and did not dare to get close to hurt him.

Tan Mou watched Shen Yining, who was wearing a fiery red wedding dress, retreat. Song Xiaoyuan could not hear any emotion in his voice: "Yining, do you really not want me anymore?"

Shen Yining stood there at a loss. She couldn't utter a word when she looked into his eyes. Her feet felt as if they were filled with lead and she couldn't move. Song Xiaoyuan stood up and walked over with the scent of white pine and wanted to hold her hand.

Shen Yining turned his back and asked: "Why did you still come?"

Song Xiaoyuan raised his hand and retracted it: "I'm sorry, is your injury... feeling better?"

She moved her right shoulder slightly and stepped back a little further away from him, then said calmly, "Song Xiaoyuan, you are really not afraid of death!"

"Go home, Yining!"

"Okay, let's go home." Shen Yining stepped forward and pulled him up, and they both left the hall. This time Song Xiaoyuan was behind, looking at her slender figure in a fiery red wedding dress in front of him, smiling with his deep eyes, and holding her hand tightly.

"Yining, thank you for the antidote last time! I'm sorry for hurting you and running away alone. You asked me not to come in the letter, but I can't not come. Yining, my heart is only for you, I'm not afraid of death!"

Shen Yining turned around to look at him, her eyes as cautious and full of self-blame as last time.

"Song Xiaoyuan, how did you live without me before? From now on...you will live the same way!"

Suddenly Song Xiaoyuan looked at her back and stopped: "What... mean?"

Shen Yining, who was stopped, turned around, held him tightly and continued to pull him forward as he approached the palace gate: "Go home, don't you want to go back?"

A sharp arrow shot out from the darkness and hit Shen Yining in front of her. Song Xiaoyuan pulled her over to protect her behind him. Chiyue cut off the arrow feathers: "I want to! I want to go back with you!"

Shen Yining looked at the distant building with a startled look. This was the Saint's warning. He pulled Song Xiaoyuan up and ran towards the nearby Qiang Palace gate: "Hurry up, Xiaoyuan!"

Arrows flew down, and the imperial guards behind him were ordered to chase Song Xiaoyuan. The red and white figures were running from afar. Zhao Jinmo saw them and immediately ordered the shadow guards to force open the palace gate. Ah Wu and Shen Changjun also rushed over here.

Suddenly, Pombal and the Forbidden King were intercepted in the palace road, and the imperial guards behind them also caught up. The two were surrounded. Pombal walked out of the imperial guards and pointed a knife at Song Xiaoyuan: "See, he wants to kidnap the queen, catch him!"

Shen Yining stepped forward to stop him: "No, he is my Liao Kingdom envoy. It's rare to see him again next time. I will send him out of the palace. Don't say such unfounded words!"

"Really?" The saint walked out with a bow, looking at Song Xiaoyuan who had fallen into the trap with satisfaction.