eurekapd Chapter 525: Seeking the Heir Apparent of the Marquis of Jing'an
Chapter 525: Seeking the Heir Apparent of the Marquis of Jing'an
Fang Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and said, "I've thought of a way. I'll ask Li Renyi for help. He's the heir of the Marquis of Jing'an's mansion, and perhaps he can find a way to save Pei Yan."
The words had barely left his lips when the other husbands' faces instantly darkened. Murong Changqing's brows furrowed, his eyes filled with jealousy and resentment; his usually refined face was now distorted by the turmoil of his emotions. He clenched his teeth, as if suppressing the fire of anger within him.
Ouyang Tuoba stood with his arms crossed, his face ashen, and his deep eyes flashing with fury. His breathing became rapid, his chest heaving violently, and the discontent in his heart was like a volcano about to erupt.
Long Jinyan's face was dark, his resolute features now shrouded in gloom, terrifyingly so. He glared fiercely at Fang Xiaoxiao, his gaze seemingly capable of piercing through her.
Fang Xiaoxiao looked at them with a mixture of helplessness and anxiety. Her eyes were firm as she tried to persuade them: "Don't look at me like that. It's not that I think you're useless. It's just that the Jing'an Marquis's mansion, where Li Renyi is, has deep roots in the court, extensive connections, and better access to information. Perhaps they can find the key clue to save Pei Yan."
However, her explanation did not ease the emotions of her husbands. Murong Changqing's eyes were filled with deep suspicion; he pursed his lips, his heart in turmoil. On one hand, he was unwilling to believe that he was less useful than Li Renyi at this crucial moment; on the other hand, he worried that his stubbornness would delay the opportunity to save Pei Yan.
Ouyang Tuoba was filled with resentment. He muttered to himself, "Hmph, I don't believe that Li Renyi has any extraordinary abilities." But looking at Fang Xiaoxiao's eager and determined eyes, he wavered, wondering if his insistence was truly correct.
Long Jinyan was filled with conflict and pain. He knew that Fang Xiaoxiao's decision was perhaps the most likely to succeed at the moment, but his pride as a man prevented him from accepting it easily.
At this moment, the sky was covered with dark clouds, completely obscuring the warm sunlight. A cool breeze blew by, causing everyone's clothes to flutter, as if adding to the desolate atmosphere of the tense situation.
Fang Xiaoxiao looked at them, tears welling up in her eyes, her voice choked with sobs: "Please, stop arguing. Pei Yan is still suffering, we can't waste any more time."
Her tears seemed to fall on the hearts of her husbands, stirring a ripple within them. Murong Changqing finally sighed and nodded helplessly, though a hint of reluctance still lingered in his eyes.
Ouyang Tuoba turned his head away, no longer looking at Fang Xiaoxiao, which was considered an admission of the decision.
Long Jinyan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said, "Then let's go."
The group arrived at the Jing'an Marquis's residence. The tall gates were tightly closed, exuding an air of majesty and mystery. Two imposing stone lions stood guard at the entrance, seemingly protecting the dignity of the Marquis's residence.
Fang Xiaoxiao stepped forward and knocked on the door. The heavy knocking echoed in the quiet street, sounding particularly abrupt.
After a while, the door opened a crack, and a servant poked his head out, looking them up and down with a look of doubt in his eyes.
After Fang Xiaoxiao explained her purpose, the servant asked them to wait a moment and then closed the door.
The crowd waited anxiously outside, each minute feeling incredibly long. The wind picked up, tousling their hair and clothes.
Finally, the door opened again, and the servant led them into the mansion.
The Hou Mansion has deep courtyards and winding corridors, with carved beams and painted rafters that reveal the weight of time and the mansion's former glory.
They entered the living room and saw Li Renyi sitting in a chair, leisurely sipping tea. Seeing them come in, Li Renyi put down his teacup, a hint of surprise on his face.
Fang Xiaoxiao said urgently, "Li Renyi, Pei Yan is in trouble, we need your help."
Li Renyi frowned, but before he could answer, his father's stern voice came from the inner room: "Nonsense! Pei Yan is guilty of treason, how can he be saved!"
Everyone's hearts sank to the bottom, and Li Renyi's face also turned extremely ugly.
Fang Xiaoxiao's eyes were filled with despair and pleading as she looked at Li Renyi's father, who came out of the inner room.
Li Renyi's father had a serious expression, with a resolute look in his eyes.
At this moment, the atmosphere in the living room was extremely oppressive, as if even the air had frozen.
Looking at the eager and expectant eyes of Fang Xiaoxiao and the others, Marquis Jing'an sighed slightly and said slowly, "You should go back first. This matter involves many things, and I need to consider it carefully before I can come up with a solution."
The light in Fang Xiaoxiao's eyes dimmed instantly. Her lips trembled slightly as she pleaded, "My lord, please, you must save Pei Yan."
Helpless, everyone had no choice but to leave the Jing'an Marquis's residence with heavy hearts and return to the Lingxi Pavilion. No one spoke a word along the way; the atmosphere was so oppressive it was hard to breathe.
Back at Lingxi Pavilion, Fang Xiaoxiao sat blankly in her chair, as if she had lost her soul. Her eyes were empty and lifeless, and her mind was filled with Pei Yan's image.
Inside the palace, Pei Yan was finally exonerated and freed. He walked heavily along the long palace path, the sunlight shining on his face, but unable to dispel the gloom in his heart.
"Finally..." Pei Yan murmured to himself, his heart filled with mixed emotions. However, before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, he suddenly felt a chilling killing intent rushing towards him.
A group of dark figures leaped down from the rooftops of the surrounding palaces like ghosts, wielding sharp blades, and headed straight for Pei Yan.
Pei Yan's heart tightened, and he instantly became alert, his eyes turning sharp. He quickly turned to the side, dodging the first sword thrust at him.
"Who goes there? How dare you attempt an assassination in the palace!" Pei Yan roared, his voice echoing through the empty palace corridor.
The assassins remained silent, frantically wielding their weapons with ruthless and deadly moves.
Pei Yan moved with lightning speed, like a nimble cheetah, dodging a series of attacks. His eyes were fixed on the assassins' movements, searching for an opportunity to counterattack.
Taking advantage of Pei Yan's momentary lapse in attention, an assassin suddenly lunged at his back. As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Pei Yan whirled around and kicked the assassin's wrist, causing the sword to clatter to the ground.
Pei Yan gave his opponent no chance to catch his breath, and punched the assassin in the chest. The assassin groaned and flew backward.
"Hmph, you think you can take my life?" Pei Yan's eyes widened in anger, his hair flying in the wind, and he exuded a powerful aura.
Seeing this, the other assassins not only did not retreat, but instead attacked even more frantically.
Pei Yan dodged left and right, seizing every opportunity to counterattack. Every move he made was full of power and speed, and each strike accurately hit the assassin's vital points.