Unruly Phoenix Xiaoyao

Chapter 278: Grand Preceptor Xie arranges an escape route

Grand Preceptor Xie didn’t enter the bedroom. He ordered the servants to carry Chen Lu out to speak. When he noticed how Chen Lu’s face was beyond recognition, his brows furrowed. He was all fired up. “Did Pei Yan do this?”

“It was two assassins. When Pei Yan arrived with his men, the two assassins fled. I’m not sure why.”

The assassins fled when they saw Pei Yan? They weren’t sent by Ning Yu? Grand Preceptor Xie was unconvinced.

Chen Lu didn’t dare to lie about his attack. Grand Preceptor sent the assassins. If he insisted putting the blame on Pei Yan, Grand Preceptor would definitely suspect him. Why would he defend the assassins?

Suddenly, the outer room turned silent. The two sat face to face with heavy loads on their minds. They were not in the mood to speak. After a long pause, Grand Preceptor Xie spoke again. “How is Lady Xu?”

“Her injuries are very severe.” Chen Lu spluttered with his head down. “The physician said the assassin nearly stabbed her vital organs. I-I’m lucky my wife didn’t die.”

Grand Preceptor Xie noticed Chen Lu was speaking with his fists clenched. He was shaking from anger. “It’s good it isn’t life threatening. Don’t worry, this old man will make sure to catch the assassins for you.” he sighed in a low voice.

“Thank you, Grand Preceptor.” Chen Lu thanked Grand Preceptor Xie and lowered his head even more.

“Was Pei Yan making things difficult for you?” Grand Preceptor Xie continued on with his questions.This time, Chen Lu didn’t reply. He wasn’t good at making up nonsense. During his moment of panic, his hand accidentally knocked against the back of a chair and turned red. As a result, Grand Preceptor Xie assumed Chen Lu was boiling mad.

“That arrogant Pei Yan. We’ll let the bastard enjoy his last few days. After this old man gets rid of the monarch, I will let you personally handle Pei Yan.”

When Chen Lu heard the part about ‘getting rid of the monarch’, his five vital organs started to tremble. If Grand Preceptor Xie really gets rid of the monarch, both him and his wife will be dead for sure.

“Take proper care and heal. This old man has already spoken to the physician. He said you’re only injured externally. You’ll be fine in a few days.” Grand Preceptor Xie stood up and approached Chen Lu, speaking softly.

Chen Lu wanted to get up, but failed after multiple attempts. Grand Preceptor Xie patted him on the shoulder. “There’s no need to follow so many social etiquette in private. I need you to get better as soon as possible. This old man will need to rely on you for what’s to come.”

Chen Lu nodded. “Grand Preceptor, His Majesty is actually fine?”

Grand Preceptor Xie lightly patted Chen Lu on the shoulder again and turned to leave.

Chen Lu howled incoherently. “Grand Preceptor!!”

With his back facing Chen Lu, Grand Preceptor Xie waved his hand and pushed opened the door. Originally, Chen Lu didn’t feel nervous. But after watching Grand Preceptor leave, he realized his hands and legs were icy cold on a hot summer day.

When Grand Preceptor Xie left the Chen Estate, a guard came up and quietly notified him. “Pei Yan is heading in the direction of the Supreme Splendor Hall.”

“Return to my estate.” Grand Preceptor Xie entered his sedan and commanded.

-----

“General, Grand Preceptor has left.” one of Chen Lu’s commander officers alerted him. Chen Lu made an acknowledgement sound and held onto the armrests with both his hands as he painfully stood up. The way he was slowly taking his steps made it appear as if he had just came out of the torture chamber.

Seeing this, Lady Xu’s eyes turned red. She wanted to cry, but managed to suppress it. At this time, what can tears do?

The bed sank a little as Chen Lu sat down next to Lady Xu. “Grand Preceptor has left.”

Lady Xu nodded.

“Your father may very likely be on his way with his troops. Would your father believe a letter he receives on the road?” Chen Lu was stressed out.

“If my father isn’t already on his way, then the letter that I wrote would be useless.”

“What do you mean?”

“If they are still chilling at home, by the time they get my letter and rush to the capital, we would probably already be dead.” Lady Xu stated in a matter of fact.

“If the Roaring Tigers Camp doesn’t show up, then technically, we didn’t really…” Chen Lu spilled his thoughts.

“...didn’t really betray Xie Wenyuan?” Lady Xu helped Chen Lu complete his sentence. Chen Lu nodded with great effort.

“There’s something else I haven’t told you yet.” Lady Xu looked at Chen Lu and regurgitated what happened between her, Ning Xiaoyao and Lou Zigui. After listening to his wife, Chen Lu felt as if he was standing at the top of an overhanging cliff. Regardless if he took a step forward or back, he would be crushed.

“I don’t care if Xie Wenyuan really poisoned me or not. As long as His Majesty is able to cure my illness, he is my benefactor.”

“How could you eat poison?” Chen Lu was appalled.  

“How else would His Majesty and Supreme Commander trust us?” Lady Xu countered, “This is regarding the rise or fall of our country. Verbal promises mean nothing.”

“Xinghua, ah!”

“General, what would you do?”

Chen Lu revealed a bittersweet expression. “Even if we try our best, we might not get the happy ending that we want in the end.”

“Then we’ll die together.” Lady Xu remained firm. Chen Lu sighed in agony.

“The letter is in Pei Yan’s hands. His Majesty will definitely take a look before sending it out of the capital. Our proof of betraying Grand Preceptor Xie will be in His Majesty’s hands. So, General, His Majesty must be the ultimate winner.”

“If you clearly knew that His Majesty is going to keep the original letter, why did you let Pei Yan deliver it?”

Lady Xu raised her brows and gave Chen Lu a look.

Chen Lu: ...my wife did it on purpose to demonstrate her loyalty? Is it really necessary to gamble your life to show loyalty?

Lady Xu could hear Chen Lu panting loudly. To prevent him from experiencing greater anxiety, she decided not to tell him about her punching His Majesty in the mouth.

“General,” the older maidservant’s voice could be heard behind the doors. “Grand Preceptor sent another physician over to look after our lady’s injuries.”

Lady Xu coldly laughed. “Trying to buy his way into people’s hearts again?”

-----

Meanwhile, Grand Preceptor Xie had returned back to his estate. Currently, he was sitting in his study. After he drank half a cup of tea, he wrote on paper for his assistant, Xu Yiming. “Go make arrangements for this old man to leave the capital.”

When Assistant Xu read the words on the paper, he was shocked and quickly reconfirmed, “Grand Preceptor?”

Grand Preceptor Xie’s strokes were flying across the paper. “Chen Lu and Xu Jing may betray us.”

Xu Yiming breathed out loud.

“This old man doesn’t have solid proof, but my intuition tells me that Chen Lu is hiding something. I saw him just now. He didn’t ask me why my backup guards didn’t show up.” Grand Preceptor Xie wrote on the paper.

Xu Yiming picked up the brush and wrote back. “Maybe he forgot?”

“This is regarding his life. How could he forget?”

Xu Yiming’s brows crinkled as Grand Preceptor Xie continued to write. “If Ning Yu wanted him dead, the assassins would’ve already killed him. Why did they only beat him up?”

Xu Yiming wrote, “To create misunderstanding between you two?”

Grand Preceptor Xie’s fingers clenched into a fist and he pounded the table twice.

Xu Yiming continued writing, “Lady Xu is hurt. Chen Lu is so worried about her that he overlooked his own troubles. It is excusable.”

“This old man is only suspicious.” Grand Preceptor Xie picked up his brush again. “Just in case. During the war, it is best that this old man isn’t in the capital.”

Xu Yiming nodded and wrote on paper. “So does that mean we don’t need the Roaring Tigers Camp?”

“If you want a person to do a job, you can’t be so concern about their loyalty. Plus, the arrow is already on the bow. Now is not the time to change the general before the battle.” Grand Preceptor Xie spoke out loud.

Xu Yiming put down the brush and bowed. “Your subordinate will go make the arrangements now.”

“Do you think these two lines will be useful to Xiaoyao?” Outside the window, Cousin Magpie’s wife asked Cousin Magpie on the tree.

Cousin Magpie replied, “I have no idea. Chirp! Old man Xie is too evil! He used writing instead!” Cousin Magpie’s wife agreed. He’s bullying them magpies for being illiterate!

“What a scoundrel!” A’mo cursed at his corner. Ants are illiterate too!

-----

In the Supreme Splendor Hall, Lou Zigui had just finished reading the letter Lady Xu wrote for the mighty Great General Xu Jing. He lightly placed the letter on the table.

“How is it?” Ning Xiaoyao held onto her bowl of noodles. “Are there any issues with the letter?”

“The letter is fine.” Lou Zigui picked up a brush and copied the letter, word for word. Pei Yan was sitting next to him. “It’s not the original. Wouldn’t Xu Jing be suspicious?”

“I know, right?” Ning Xiaoyao added. “There’s no personal seal either. Would General Xu believe this?”

“When he sees the letter, it wouldn’t matter whether the content is real or fake.  Xu Jing will send someone to the capital to investigate on the matter.” Lou Zigui placed the counterfeit letter into an envelope and handed it to Pei Yan. “I’m not going to get my dragon guards to do this. Get someone from the Lord Protector’s estate to send it please.”

Pei Yan put away the letter and turned to leave.

Ning Xiaoyao asked, “Why don’t you have a bowl of noodles before you go? The soup is bone-based ah!”

Pei Yan smiled at Ning Xiaoyao. “Your Majesty, this subject doesn’t eat garlic. It tastes bad.”

Ning Xiaoyao looked inside her bowl. The onion and garlic smell was strong.

“Go do your thing,” Lou Zigui rushed Pei Yan to leave. But Pei Yan didn’t budge. “Your Majesty, if one overeats, one will get fat.”

Ning Xiaoyao stared at the bowls next to her. There were only two empty ones. She was on her third bowl of noodles. It was a big bowl too.

“Your Majesty, do you remember what Prince Fu looked like previously?” Pei Yan pressed.

Ning Xiaoyao finally understood. Pei Yan didn’t want her to enjoy her noodles.

“Eat,” Lou Zigui peeled a boiled egg and placed it in Ning Xiaoyao’s bowl. “The noodles won’t taste good if it turns cold.”

“Supreme Commander doesn’t mind me, why do you mind?” Ning Xiaoyao picked up the egg with her chopsticks and flaunted it at Pei Yan. “Supreme Commander never thinks I eat too much!”

Pei Yan felt like there was something wrong with Ning Xiaoyao’s words. What does this have to do with Lou Zigui?

“You’re dismissed. Make sure you send out the letter by today.” Lou Zigui told Pei Yan. Pei Yan was still staring at Ning Xiaoyao. Lou Zigui stood up to pour Xiaoyao a cup of water. Then, he remained standing and blocked Pei Yan’s view on purpose.

Pei Yan: …is this a battle between subjects striving for favour?

After Second Young Master Pei felt slightly light-headed and left the room, Lou Zigui sat down next to Ning Xiaoyao again.

“No matter how much garlic I eat, I won’t have bad breath. Also, no matter how much I eat, I won’t get fat.” Ning Xiaoyao thought it was necessary reassure Lou Zigui.

“But you can’t binge eat.” Lou Zigui handed the cup of water to Ning Xiaoyao. Xiaoyao gulped down the water and reevaluated Supreme Commander’s words. So he does mind me eating too much?

“Are you still eating?” Lou Zigui pointed at the bowl.

“Isn’t it a waste if I don’t eat it?”  

“So you’re not eating it?”

Ning Xiaoyao thought of a tactful way to protect her noodles. “I can’t waste food. Or else I’m gonna get hacked by lightning.”

Lou Zigui chuckled and picked up his chopsticks. He took Ning Xiaoyao’s bowl of noodles and began his feast. “Then I’ll eat it. That way, you won’t be hacked by lightning.”

Ning Xiao was (╰_╯)#! This guy dares to steal her noodles? She really wants to beat him up! What to do?

Lou Zigui lowered his head to eat. Miss Ning had already eaten two huge bowls. Witnessing it was enough to give him anxiety. If she keeps eating, wouldn’t her stomach swell too much?

(Author: You two are never on the same page…)