Yin Xuan's gaze was filled with utter disdain. Qingfeng, standing beside him, had already pulled Wuqing out of the water, carrying the wheelchair with his other hand as he swiftly retreated.
Qingyao shot Yin Xuan a glare and hurried to catch up with the figure in front.
What did it mean to be pained to the bone? It was likely how he felt at this moment. Those who had hurt her in the past were now returning the favor with tenfold vengeance. Heaven had always been fair, hadn't it?
Yin Xuan threw his head back and laughed raucously. Little Yu quickly ran over, his little hand reaching out to hug his father's leg with concern.
"Father, don't be sad. I believe you must have been too anxious, that's why you pushed Gongzi, right?"
Yin Xuan was speechless. Even Little Yu had witnessed the scene. Who else would believe him? He hadn't pushed him at all; this was merely a scene he had orchestrated himself. But did anyone still believe him?
"Little Yu, I didn't push him."
After he spoke, he seemed like a wounded wolf, turning and flashing away with a mournful expression. His subordinates, afraid that something would happen to him, followed their master with sorrow. In the dense forest, Bingxiao emerged, blocking her master's path, and spoke in a low voice.
"Master, I saw it just now. That man is not Wuqing; he must have a secret objective. Marshal is a sharp person and will soon see through the deception. Don't be sad?"
"Get lost."
Yin Xuan's voice was cold and deep. Bingxiao quickly moved aside, not daring to say anything more. Her master strode away, but not before casting back a sentence: "You must protect her well."
"Master, where are you going?"
Bingxiao called out. No one answered her, only a lingering echo that reverberated through the dense forest...
In the bamboo house, Qingfeng was inside, changing the Gongzi's clothes. The weather was so cold; if they delayed any longer, he might fall ill. Qingyao stood outside the door, pacing back and forth anxiously. The events of today were truly beyond her expectations. Logically, someone as calm as Yin Xuan wouldn't do such a thing. If the two had fought, she might have been more accepting, but to push someone when they were completely unprepared—that was such a childish act. If anyone else had told her this, she would never have believed that Yin Xuan would do such a thing.
But today, she had seen it with her own eyes. Could it be false? What was the reason behind it? Had Wuqing angered him?
As Qingyao was guessing, Wuqing's voice rang out from inside the room: "Let Qingyao come in."
Qingfeng respectfully replied, "Yes."
Qingyao didn't wait for Qingfeng to invite her; she flashed inside. The bamboo house was very simple, with no extraneous items. Apart from a table and two stools, there was a bed at the innermost side. The bed was covered with a soft, embroidered long-haired blanket. Wuqing lay quietly on the bed, covered with a quilt, his face a little pale, his lips somewhat blue, and his hair damp. However, this did not detract from his charm in the slightest.
This time, Qingyao saw clearly. The expression on his face was gentle, his features delicate and refined, with no trace of disguise. Generally, disguises were most vulnerable to water; they would lose their form when wet. But he had been submerged in water, and his face remained unchanged. So, was he truly Wuqing? She felt an indescribable feeling in her heart, happy for him, yet unsure of what to do next.
"Are you alright?"
Qingyao asked with concern. Wuqing on the bed shook his head. His wet hair contrasted with his face, making it appear even more tender.
"I'm fine. Don't blame Yin Xuan; he didn't mean it. It was my words that angered him, so his actions were unintentional. Qingyao, I didn't expect that after two years, so many things would have changed. It seems I should leave?"
As he spoke, a mist rose in his eyes, so soft it seemed about to dissolve into a pool of water. Qingyao's mind was immediately flooded with memories of the past. She had once said that she wouldn't let him suffer any harm, wouldn't let him be sad. How could it be that she was the one hurting him in the end? She quickly reached out and pulled him, "Don't overthink it. He was wrong. We are family; how can you just leave? Stay here. After the snow, I will arrange the subsequent matters and accompany you back to Wuqing Valley."
Qingyao decided. She would accompany him back to Wuqing Valley. Dealing with the affairs of Yun Cang Kingdom and Qing Luo Kingdom could be left to An Dingfeng; she only needed to handle the broad strategy...
"Alright," Wuqing nodded, his eyes filled with a faint mist. This mist seemed to entwine Qingyao's heart like clouds and smoke, leaving her somewhat speechless.
In the afternoon, Qingyao spent some time talking with Wuqing, instructing him to rest well, and then withdrew.
In the room, it was very quiet. As she walked in, several people looked at her in unison. Bingxiao abruptly stood up and spoke anxiously, "Marshal, you truly hurt Master's heart. Master didn't push Young Master Wuqing into the water at all; it was his own doing?"
"His own doing?"
Qingyao was stunned for a moment. Was what Bingxiao said true? If that were the case, Qingyao shivered uncontrollably. Although Wuqing was cold and aloof, he had never been a schemer. If he were, he wouldn't have been helpless against Hua Wenbo. If it were as Bingxiao claimed, then this person wasn't Wuqing?
Who was he?
Or was Bingxiao protecting her master? Qingyao looked up to meet Bingxiao's gaze. She saw that Bingxiao's expression was calm, showing no sign of lying.
From the attack on Dan Feng Kingdom to the annihilation of Wan He Kingdom, Bingxiao had been promoted from an eighth-rank cavalry captain to a fourth-rank commander. Qingyao understood her character. But what was going on?
She had also suspected Wuqing. How could someone who had been dead for two years suddenly appear? But no matter how she tested him, she couldn't find any flaws. If it were a disguise, it should have been revealed after falling into the river today, but he still looked the same...
As Qingyao pondered with a cold expression, Little Yu ran over, hugging Qingyao's waist, and said with a very heartbroken tone.
"Mother, Father is sad, he is very upset. He said he didn't do it, and I believe him. Little Yu is so sad."
Mo Chou, standing in a corner of the room, also stood up and said seriously, "Master, I also believe the Emperor. He is not that kind of insidious villain, so there must be some misunderstanding."
Qingyao's face was covered with a layer of frost. If he wasn't Wuqing, but someone else, then as long as she found out who he truly was, she would make him pay dearly. Qingyao's eyes were like an abyss, shrouded in deep mist, and the cold air emanated from her...
In the dark night, it was as bright as day. The pure white snow reflected a sacred glow upon the heavens and earth. The gentle moonlight spilled across the land, casting a thin veil over the mountains and forests.
In the bamboo house, Qingyao tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She had thought long and hard, but couldn't figure out who was impersonating Wuqing or why. If she couldn't prove that Wuqing was a fake, she absolutely couldn't harm him. What if he was truly himself?