Back at the inn.
The sound of Zhang Yang opening the door woke the sleeping Di Yun'er.
Di Yun'er sat up like a startled bird.
She nervously looked around, and when she found herself in the inn.
She finally breathed a long sigh of relief.
These times have been too difficult.
Di Yun'er had been living rough, sleeping no more than three hours a day.
Today, in the big bed of the inn, was perhaps the most sound sleep she had ever had.
"Did you go out just now?" Di Yun'er rubbed her sleepy eyes and asked.
"Mm, I packed you dinner, but it's already cold." Zhang Yang pointed to the lunchbox beside him.
Upon hearing this, Di Yun'er's stomach rumbled uncontrollably. She didn't mind that the lunchbox was cold, opened the packaging, and began to devour the food.
"Slow down, no one's going to snatch it from you," Zhang Yang said.
"Mm-hmm."
Di Yun'er kept mumbling with her mouth full of food.
However, her eating speed did not slow down.
Seeing this, Zhang Yang couldn't help but smile wryly.
It seemed Di Yun'er had been having a tough time lately.
After eating her fill, Di Yun'er patted her stomach contentedly and said to Zhang Yang.
"Thank you! I didn't expect you to be so trustworthy, not to run off while I was sleeping."
"Don't think everyone is so bad," Zhang Yang rolled his eyes.
"But... all the people I've met are bad, including my own family," Di Yun'er suddenly said sadly.
Zhang Yang's unintentional remark had touched upon her sad memories, and tears of grievance suddenly fell.
Seeing this, Zhang Yang felt helpless.
"Why are you crying all of a sudden?"
"It's nothing, I just remembered some sad things."
Di Yun'er cried quickly and stopped just as fast. She wiped away her tears and was smiling again.
At this moment.
Zhang Yang, who had been hesitating, finally decided to ask.
"Someone came looking for you while you were sleeping. Their strength is not weak."
This!
Di Yun'er was startled and ran to the window, opening it to look outside.
"Don't look, I drove them away," Zhang Yang said.
Hoo~
Di Yun'er took a deep breath and thanked him sincerely.
"Thank you, I didn't expect them to find me so quickly."
Zhang Yang narrowed his eyes. "Your identity is not simple, is it? Aren't you going to tell me?"
Di Yun'er fell silent. After a moment of thought, she said.
"It's nothing. It's getting late, let's go to sleep."
After saying that.
Di Yun'er pounced onto the bed and buried her head under the covers, giving Zhang Yang no chance to question further.
Zhang Yang shrugged at this.
Since Di Yun'er wouldn't say, he wouldn't force her.
...
The next day.
As dawn broke, Zhang Yang took Di Yun'er and left the inn.
The old car started and headed towards Jiangnan City.
As they set off, more than ten cars followed behind them, all Mercedes-Benz!
It was obvious they were being followed.
The other party made no attempt to hide it, directly sending a convoy to tail them!
Di Yun'er, observing the rearview mirror, also noticed something was wrong and said nervously.
"Zhang Yang, the convoy behind us seems unusual! Are they following us?"
"I noticed it long ago, but our old car isn't fast. Let them follow if they want," Zhang Yang shrugged.
Di Yun'er was also helpless.
She knew Zhang Yang's car very well. It was a bit faster than a tractor, but it shook much more violently. She really didn't know when it would fall apart.
The car continued to drive.
Zhang Yang and the convoy behind him were minding their own business.
But the good times didn't last long. A barrier appeared on the road ahead, blocking the way.
"It's over, they're here!" Di Yun'er suddenly panicked.
"Zhang Yang, ram through it!"
This...
Zhang Yang looked at the old car that was about to fall apart and gave up.
"Do you believe that if we ram through, the car will break down, and then we still won't be able to escape?" Zhang Yang said.
"But if we don't ram, they'll catch me, it's over, it's really over," Di Yun'er despaired.
At this moment, she was like someone about to drown, utterly helpless.
Suddenly.
Di Yun'er grabbed Zhang Yang with both hands and pleaded.
"Zhang Yang, you could drive them away yesterday, and you can do it today too. Please help me! I don't want to go back with them!"
Hearing this, Zhang Yang stopped the car and said with a light smile.
"Heh, I can indeed drive them away, but why should I help you? You wouldn't tell me anything last night."
This...
Di Yun'er's face turned a little awkward.
Last night, she thought Zhang Yang had driven everyone away, and they wouldn't come looking for her so soon.
Who would have thought that the other party would take action today.
"I was too sleepy last night, so I didn't say anything. Actually, I wanted to tell you earlier."
"Heh, can you tell me now?" Zhang Yang smiled.
Di Yun'er sighed and said.
"I am the daughter of the current Emperor, the Ninth Princess. Half a month ago, my father forcibly betrothed me to the Western Beast King, disregarding my feelings."
"The Western Beast King is over fifty years old, ugly and rough-looking, like an unevolved ape, covered in fur! So the first day I arrived in Xijiang, I ran away!"
"These people are the Western Beast King's men, and they've come to take me back. I've been hiding from them for half a month, but I didn't expect to escape..."
Di Yun'er looked desperate.
She told Zhang Yang her identity and the whole story.
After listening, Zhang Yang's expression turned grim.
The Western Beast King was also a War King!
His status was on par with Zhang Yang, the King of Jiangnan, but his forces were much stronger than Zhang Yang's.
After all, he was a veteran War King.
It was just that Zhang Yang couldn't understand why the Emperor would marry his daughter, a young girl like Di Yun'er, to the Western Beast King?
This was not something a father would do!
The Western Beast King's age was enough to be Di Yun'er's father!
"Did you object, and the Emperor still insisted on marrying you to the Western Beast King?" Zhang Yang asked.
"Yes, before I got married, I tried to escape the imperial city twice, but my father caught me both times," Di Yun'er said sadly.
"The Western Beast King is stationed in Xijiang, with strong and numerous troops. When I arrived in Xijiang, I heard that the Western Beast King had already reached the Yuanfu realm."
"I suspect my father's insistence on marrying me off is to win over and appease the Western Beast King."
Although these were Di Yun'er's speculations, they were likely close to the truth.
This was also why Di Yun'er had told Zhang Yang last night that everyone she met was a bad person.
"This matter was indeed handled rather inappropriately," Zhang Yang frowned.
In his impression.
The Emperor would not do such a thing.
But now that Di Yun'er had said it herself, he had no choice but to believe it.
Then, coupled with Zhu Zhi's evaluation of the Emperor, Zhang Yang's original impression of the Emperor was completely overturned.
Zhang Yang looked at the sad and desperate Di Yun'er and sighed inwardly.
This was also a woman with a difficult fate.
Seeing Zhang Yang's silence, Di Yun'er said.
"Zhang Yang, to be honest with you. I've been following you because I guessed you might be the King of Jiangnan."
"So I wanted to use you to stop the Western Beast King, and then find an opportunity to completely get rid of them. If you don't want to get involved in this mess, I won't blame you. At worst, I'll go back with them."