Hearing a familiar voice, Chiyou's body stiffened, and she tilted her head in disbelief.
The newcomer was dressed in Central Plains attire. He pulled down his black mask, revealing a face she knew all too well.
Her blood seemed to surge backward, rushing over her heart. She trembled so much that she couldn't react for a moment.
"Xuan Qing."
Indeed, the person was Xuan Qing, the young priest of Southern Border.
He released her, cupped her face, and playfully teased her with a smile.
"Little You'er, it's been a long time."
The candlelight in the room flickered, casting diagonal shadows.
Chiyou suppressed the tremor in her heart and sized him up.
Xuan Qing noticed the strangeness in her eyes and glanced at the sky, which hadn't completely darkened yet. He clicked his tongue.
"You've recovered?"
Chiyou nodded.
Xuan Qing immediately dropped his playful demeanor and bowed respectfully.
"This minister pays his respects to the Saintess."
"We've known each other since childhood, no need for such formalities."
Xuan Qing chuckled. "Who was it?"
A flicker of embarrassment crossed Chiyou's eyes as she whispered, "Liu Rongruo."
"The Prime Minister of Daliang?!"
Xuan Qing was shocked. Their Saintess of Southern Border had fallen for an enemy.
Chiyou also felt humiliated, but she couldn't control it. It was indeed Liu Rongruo who had removed her Toad King Gu, and she hadn't suffered any backlash.
Her expression turned ugly as she sat down on a nearby stool.
Xuan Qing's face grew serious. The Toad King Gu could only be dispelled by intimate contact with one's beloved. To think it was Liu Rongruo.
"You—the one you love is him."
"No!"
Chiyou retorted with an extreme reaction.
The maid outside heard the voices within and immediately pressed her ear against the door.
"Miss, what happened?"
Chiyou was startled, suppressing her emotions, and said calmly, "I had a nightmare, it's nothing."
The maid outside said no more.
Chiyou glanced around and pulled Xuan Qing into the inner chamber.
Xuan Qing followed her in, glancing at her without speaking.
The atmosphere in the chamber was somewhat stiff.
Chiyou poured tea and murmured with lowered brows.
"Don't worry, fleeting affections cannot compare to national hatred. He and I will only be enemies."
Xuan Qing's eyes were deep, and he didn't respond.
"By the way, where is Xia Yun?"
Hearing her question, Xuan Qing came back to his senses.
"I told him to leave, but he insisted on coming back to save you, so I had someone bring him back to Southern Border."
Chiyou asked, "Why are you in Shangjing now?"
Xuan Qing looked at her and suddenly smiled.
"I've come to take you home."
How could their Saintess of Southern Border be so humiliated by being left in Daliang?
Chiyou naturally wanted to leave, but now was not the time.
"It's not time yet. I wrote to you to return and consolidate the army, not to come and die."
Xuan Qing stood up, his face solemn as he looked at her.
"Ghost Gu Mountain has already assembled a hundred thousand troops, and all seven great Gu masters have come to Shangjing. I will escort you past Yue Pass even if it costs me my life."
"Furthermore, the Great Priest has personally gone to Northern Qi, and His Majesty has promised that if Daliang goes to war with us, Northern Qi will ensure the stability of Southern Border."
Chiyou said coldly, "If I don't kill him, my hatred will not be appeased."
Xuan Qing shook his head, his face darkening as he looked at her.
"If he dies now, war with Southern Border is inevitable. A gentleman's revenge is never too late; Southern Border needs to recuperate."
"Without you in Southern Border, Chi Qi cannot hold the overall situation, being restrained by those old members of the Gu King's faction, and your troops in Myriad Gu Cave are being neglected."
Chiyou gripped the table, her delicate and tender hands turning pale and trembling.
"But if Liu Rongruo doesn't die, and I return to Southern Border now, he won't let me go. Once war breaks out, Southern Border will be like it was before, engulfed in war and facing ruin."
"Even if my brother is willing to send troops to aid Southern Border, if Daliang is determined to attack, war is unavoidable, and Southern Border will once again fall into turmoil. I came for the marriage alliance for the peace of Southern Border, must I now cause wars to break out because of me?"
Xuan Qing was silent for a moment before speaking.
"There are gains and losses. You are the Saintess of Southern Border and cannot be confined to Daliang forever. Since ancient times, there has never been a precedent for a Saintess to marry. This is a disgrace to Southern Border."
"Moreover, Daliang has already announced to the world that Consort Qing is dead, and they have no reason to send troops."
He said, looking at her with a serious expression.
"Currently, all escape routes for Southern Border are blocked. Without the military token, the city gates cannot be opened. Even if Daliang's cavalry intends to attack, they cannot break through so quickly."
"Whether it's the Gu King's faction or your confidants, they are all unified in their demand for your return to Southern Border."
Chiyou's hands tightly gripped the table. Listening to the sound of guards patrolling outside, she asked.
"How do we leave? I'm surrounded by his people."
"When you returned to the capital, the guards were at their most lax. We have troops ambushed outside the capital's suburbs, and the seven great Gu masters will be there to receive you."
Chiyou frowned. That beast was cunning and difficult to deal with. If he were to pursue them to the death, they wouldn't even be able to get past the outskirts of the capital, let alone Yue Pass.
She thought for a moment, a spark of light flashing in her eyes.
"If that doesn't work, I have another plan. Come closer and I'll tell you."
The moonlight outside gradually faded. Under the four-cornered eaves, a man in an ink-white robe strode around from the direction of the bamboo forest.
The guards patrolling outside the hall saw him and retreated in an orderly fashion towards the arched gate.
"Do you understand?"
Xuan Qing's ears twitched as he heard the footsteps outside. He lowered his eyes, no longer delaying.
"Someone's coming, I'm leaving now. If it doesn't work out then, we'll do as you say."
Chiyou hurried to open the window and pushed him.
"Go."
The light in the chamber was dim. The bamboo window opened, and the wind rustled the swaying tree shadows.
Liu Rongruo pushed open the door and entered. His profile was clear, but his eyes were filled with a hidden darkness, making one feel a chill.
He kicked open the door to the inner chamber, the loud noise making Chiyou, who was lying on the couch, shiver.
This beast, his temper was truly unpredictable.
She pretended to be awakened by his commotion and sat up with a cold expression.
Liu Rongruo strode to the bedside, swept aside the large red mosquito net, and carefully examined the surroundings before his gaze landed on her face.
His usually clear eyes now resembled the solitary wolves on their Heavenly Mountain, staring at her intently and deeply, making her scalp tingle.
The moonlight reflected from outside cast onto his profile, making him look terrifyingly cold.
Chiyou's heart skipped a beat unexpectedly. Why was this beast so frightening?
Their eyes met, and neither spoke.
The air was filled with a faint chill, mixed with the scent of lotus flowers blowing in from outside the window.
"Why are you staring at me like that, Prime Minister?"
Liu Rongruo leaned down, grabbed her neck, and pulled her closer.
Chiyou cried out in pain, her hands instinctively gripping the red bed curtains on either side, and she cursed him.
"What madness is this? It hurts!"
"Hurts?" He tightened his grip on her neck, his expression indifferent. "Forgetful thing, you deserve to hurt."
Chiyou bent her knees and kicked towards his lower abdomen. He swiftly released her neck, grabbed her leg with one hand, and began to tear her clothes.
The possessiveness in his eyes was extremely glaring in the dim tent.
She twisted her waist desperately to dodge, but he grabbed her waist and pressed her down.
She was so angry that tears welled up in her eyes, but being suppressed by him, she was completely unable to move.
In the dim tent, fragmented curses and murmurs echoed.