Chapter 39 Not Ready?

"Haven't decided?"

Jiang Chen laughed in anger, "Mei Ruoying, are you planning to use this to threaten me for the rest of my life?"

"If Your Majesty truly feels so deeply for Sister Xu, this concubine wouldn't mind keeping her locked up forever," Mei Ruoying said with a smile, seemingly confident that Jiang Chen couldn't do anything to her.

"Time is running out, Your Majesty should make a decision quickly. Even if you stall for time, you won't be able to find Sister Xu."

"If I don't receive news soon, my men will become impolite... tsk, tsk, how could a delicate beauty like Sister Xu endure that!"

A cold glint flashed in Jiang Chen's eyes, wishing he could tear the beautiful smiling face in front of him to shreds.

However, thinking of Xu Jiaying and her dangerous situation, Jiang Chen suppressed the anger in his heart.

He said coldly, "Fine, I agree, but you better not play any tricks."

"If anything happens to Jiaying, I will use everything I have to take your life!"

Mei Ruoying's beautiful eyes curved into a smile, feigning fear, "Oh dear, Your Majesty is so fierce, this concubine is so scared... If Your Majesty could give this concubine even half of the affection you have for Sister Xu, perhaps this concubine would stay in the palace and serve Your Majesty."

Ignoring Mei Ruoying's pretense, Jiang Chen turned his head and shouted, "Feng Jin, prepare the Edict of Self-Reproach, write the content according to this silk scroll!"

The ministers outside the door were shocked by this!

How did a proper Feng Shan ceremony turn into issuing an Edict of Self-Reproach?

Your Majesty, what on earth are you doing?!

Seeing the confusion in everyone's eyes, Jing Yue's cold and pretty face showed a hint of shame and killing intent. Her hearing was excellent, and she heard the conversation inside clearly.

His Majesty's compromise with that enchantress was all because of her incompetence in failing to find Consort Ying.

Thinking of this, a murderous intent rose in Jing Yue's eyes, and she coldly questioned her subordinates, "Has the search of the mountain been completed? Have you found any trace of the Consort?"

"I'll give you another half an hour, and if there are no results, you don't need to come back!"

The hidden guards next to her were so frightened that they broke out in a cold sweat, and quickly agreed, leading their men away.

After this matter, Feng Jin, filled with anxiety, quickly approached and said worriedly, "Commander Jing, is this Edict of Self-Reproach really going to be sent in?"

Jing Yue's pretty face was gloomy, she grabbed a blank imperial decree and said sternly, "I'll, go, send, it!"

At the same time, dozens of miles away in the depths of Mount Tai.

Xu Jiaying, who had regained consciousness, was carefully observing her surroundings, thinking about how to escape.

Mei Ruoying was meticulous. After capturing her, she took away all her jewelry and sharp objects to prevent her from escaping.

But that woman was no longer here, and the people guarding her had hastily stuffed her into a stone cave due to the forbidden army's search... Xu Jiaying's beautiful eyes swept over the sharp stones on the ground, and a resolute look appeared on her pretty face.

This was the best chance to escape, and she must seize it no matter the cost!

With a plan in mind, she struggled to get up and brought her jade-white wrists close to the sharp protrusions on the stone wall, trying to grind through the rope on her hands.

'Tear!'

The stone blade pierced her skin, and scarlet blood gushed out. The intense pain made Xu Jiaying's eyes darken.

Because her back was facing the stone wall, she could only rely on her sense of touch to get closer to the stone blade, and her hands were also scratched because they were tied too tightly with the rope.

The pain of a dull knife cutting flesh was unbearable for ordinary people.

But Xu Jiaying only paused for a moment to adapt to the pain, and then gritted her teeth and continued, allowing the flesh on her wrists to be torn apart without stopping.

Her life was bought with the heads of her parents and brothers!

She could not allow herself to become a tool for the Mei family, the mastermind behind the scenes. No matter how painful or difficult it was, she had to escape!

Just as Xu Jiaying was in so much pain that she was almost numb, a faint, refreshing fragrance like grass and wood suddenly wafted into the stone cave, followed by the crisp sound of swords clashing and a few short screams.

Before Xu Jiaying could react to what was happening outside, a misty and ethereal figure suddenly entered her sight. It was Yang Muxi!

This simple-minded leader of the Taiping Dao was finally tricked by Jiang Chen's scheme.

Although she was still angry at Jiang Chen's deception, she couldn't let go of this nemesis after all. She followed him all the way, investigated in secret, understood the whole story, and came to rescue this woman she didn't quite like.

Shaking off the blood on her sword, Yang Muxi neatly cut the rope on Xu Jiaying's body, then took out medicinal powder from her sleeve and helped her stop the bleeding.

After a series of actions, Xu Jiaying, who was originally a little wary, relaxed her guard and said weakly, "Who, who are you? Why did you save me?"

"Also, have you taken care of those guards outside?"

Yang Muxi glanced at her, remained silent for a few breaths, then softened her tone and said, "Don't worry, I killed all those thugs outside... As for my identity, it doesn't matter."

"The most important thing now is to rush to the Feng Shan altar. If we're any later, that bastard Jiang Chen will suffer a great loss because of you!"

"Suffer a loss, what do you mean?" Xu Jiaying frowned slightly, then seemed to realize something, and her beautiful eyes suddenly turned red.

Yang Muxi couldn't help but feel complicated emotions when she saw her moved appearance.

She originally didn't like the woman in front of her, because this woman was married to that bastard Jiang Chen... However, after seeing the tragic scene in the stone cave, she instead felt a bit of admiration for the woman in front of her.

After all, not everyone could have this kind of determination to never give up until they achieved their goal. If they hadn't met in such an awkward situation, they might have become friends.

Thinking of this, Yang Muxi sighed sadly.

It was all Jiang Chen's fault for always causing her trouble!

Mount Tai Altar.

As time passed, the originally warm sunlight turned scorching hot, making people's hearts burn with impatience.

Jiang Chen stood expressionlessly on the altar, facing the ministers below and the vast crowd in the distance that stretched as far as the eye could see.

Behind him were the Feng Shan relics left by the emperors of the Great Wei Dynasty.

The Feng Shan stone tablets standing on both sides of the altar, like the eyes of the ancestors, made the Edict of Self-Reproach in his hand weigh a thousand pounds.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Chen prepared to stall for a little longer.

Before the last moment, there was still a chance to turn things around!

He turned his head and coldly questioned, "Mei Ruoying, as long as I issue the Edict of Self-Reproach, you will release Jiaying, right?"

Mei Ruoying was dressed as a female official in front of the Emperor, her pretty face lightly powdered, delicate and charming. Hearing Jiang Chen's question, she smiled charmingly and said, "Your Majesty, you are not in a position to negotiate with me!"

"Hurry up and read it, if you miss the time, I can't guarantee Sister Xu's safety."

From her full red lips came words that could not be more vicious. Anger rose in Jiang Chen's heart, but he was controlled by others and had to compromise.

Although he was annoyed by Xu Jiaying's betrayal, his woman, even if she made a big mistake, could not be harmed by outsiders!

Grasping the edict in his hand, Jiang Chen stepped forward...