Repeatedly broken branches

"Her Majesty the Empress instructed me to deliver a message to the criminal Bai Jiaoyu, asking me to enter."

You wore a veil and a light pink, narrow-sleeved riding outfit, which looked light and comfortable.

When Jiang Yi saw that it was her, he didn't ask any more questions and opened the cell door to let her in. But when he relaxed his guard, he was stabbed in the abdomen. He didn't have time to shout or break free. The person was extremely strong. It would take several years of martial arts training to make him bleed profusely with a single stab. And this person was actually the seemingly weak palace maid who served the Empress.

He didn't have time to think, and collapsed and died from excessive blood loss.

The other jailers came running at the sound, but before they could help Jiang Yi up, they were struck by You's poisoned needle. The needle was fired so fast that they didn't even realize that You was the one who assassinated Jiang Yi before they were struck by the poisoned needle, their whole body numb and stinging, and they collapsed to the ground, unable to get up.

Five needles in one hand, each one aimed directly at the heart.

This is the venom of the ice snakes from the Western Regions. Legend has it that a group of ice snakes live in the high mountains of the Western Regions. Unafraid of the severe cold, they like to crawl on the snow. The venom on their fangs is also highly poisonous; a single drop can kill a person. The royal family of the Western Regions loved to use poison. Their assassins liked to apply poison to silver needles and then hide them in a bamboo jar on their belts. When necessary, they would draw one out, gather their strength, and fly it out. This move would kill someone unexpectedly and without warning.

You quickly found Bai Jiaoyu, who was on the verge of death. No one cared for her. She had not eaten for several days and had suffered serious injuries. She was barely breathing. But as long as they returned to the Western Regions, the king would have a way to save her.

She carried Bai Jiaoyu on her back and ran outside, as light as a swallow and extremely fast.

Just as she was escaping the water dungeon, she pulled out a tinderbox from her waist, lit it, and threw it directly onto the pile of firewood outside the door. Instantly, the fire intensified, and the entire water dungeon was engulfed in flames.

With a gentle smile, she draped the cloak over Bai Jiaoyu's back, covering her completely. With a light leap, she landed on the rooftop and darted about the palace walls like a nimble rabbit.

The flames burned extremely quickly, and in no time, the entire water prison was engulfed by the flames.

Just as they were about to step out of the palace gate, the tiles beneath their feet were suddenly shattered by a flying arrow. A blue arrow was stuck in the wooden frame of the roof, and several glazed tiles in front of them were also smashed, leaving a large hole.

You looked down and saw rows of archers holding bows with arrows drawn, all aimed at him. The leader was none other than Wei Hao.

For some reason, Wei Hao felt a sudden pang of pain in her heart. The man who once said he would marry her was now pointing a bow and arrow at her heart.

"Wei Hao, shoot her in the calf," Zhou Tingxi said from the side.

"General...it is me."

Zhou Tingxi angrily shouted, "Wei Hao, give me the bow!"

Wei Hao stared at him blankly, then raised his head and shouted at You, "Run! You, run!"

You stared at him in astonishment, her feet seemingly rooted to the spot, unable to move. Bai Jiaoyu on her back whispered, "Why aren't you running anymore? Where are we now? Take me back quickly, I want to see... I want to see my maternal grandfather."

Wei Hao looked at her, feeling utterly unfamiliar. She was no longer the weak woman who needed protection; her skills were surprisingly agile, on par with his own.

He had just received orders to lead two hundred archers to surround and eliminate the assassin. He rushed to the palace gate without stopping. When he arrived, he raised his bow and arrow without hesitation and aimed at the man. But when the man lowered his head, he realized that the man was actually You.

You's lightness skill is so good that she can actually carry someone on her back and jump and run on the roof.

Zhou Tingxi cursed, "Wei Hao, what are you doing?"

He snatched the bow from Wei Hao's hand and quickly aimed it at You's calf. Before You could dodge, the moment his arrow flew towards her, she suddenly gave up the idea of ​​escaping.

What's done is done.

She accepted her own judgment. Zhou Tingxi's arrow struck You's calf, but she felt no pain because she saw Wei Hao's eyes—those eyes filled with such disappointment.

Mother, younger brother and sister, I'm sorry.

I am a bad person.

Wei Hao still couldn't accept that You was actually a spy, the sharpest knife by Bai Jiaoyu's side. As long as Bai Jiaoyu identified a target, You would kill for her.

"You, do you have anything else to say?" Yu Yanjing glanced at her and said coldly.

You glanced at Bai Jiaoyu, who was lying on the ground, her face pale and in pain all over, and chuckled, "The Emperor already knows, so what else is there to ask?"

"Then you go die."

Yu Yanjing waved his hand, signaling Zhou Tingxi to take her away and deal with her immediately.

Such a person, if kept in the palace, would only make people feel disgusted for no reason.

Wei Hao suddenly knelt before Yu Yanjing and Zhou Tingxi, kowtowing several times. When he raised his head, tears were streaming down his face. "Your Majesty, General, please spare her. She is a pitiful person."

You could clearly hear that Wei Hao's voice was trembling.

He begged for mercy, he even shed tears in front of everyone for his own sake. A man doesn't easily shed tears, but he was willing to lose his dignity for his own sake.

I'm sorry, she actually considered taking advantage of Wei Hao, who is such a good person.

Yu Yanjing frowned. "Why are you pleading for her? What is your relationship with her?"

“She is my beloved,” Wei Hao said without hesitation. “Your Majesty, General, she is my beloved.”

Zhou Tingxi was furious and kicked him in the chest. He said in a deep voice, "Your beloved is Miss Jiang, not this spy!"

Tears streamed down Wei Hao's handsome face. He raised his head and looked intently at Yu Yanjing and Zhou Tingxi, then chuckled wryly, "You Cai is my true love. Please, Your Majesty and General, spare her."

Bai Jiaoyu knew she couldn't escape. Things had already come to this point. You had set fire to the water prison and taken several more lives. How could Yu Yanjing let them go?

She used the last of her strength to sit up, then suddenly burst into maniacal laughter. Bai Jiaoyu glanced at Yu Yanjing and said with a sinister smile, "Do you think You is merely a spy?"

Yu Yanjing narrowed his eyes. "What are you trying to say?"

"From the very beginning, from the moment she became Xia Yunzhi's maid in the Western Regions palace, everything was premeditated. We've always kept in touch. I had her put poison in Xia Yunzhi's food—a colorless and odorless poison—she wouldn't notice. Hahahaha, even if I die, it doesn't matter! After a while, Xia Yunzhi and her child will come down to join me. I'm so happy..."

Before Bai Jiaoyu could finish speaking, Yu Yanjing pierced her throat with a long sword, splattering blood everywhere. Her eyes were wide open, and even as she fell, she still looked terrified.

Yu Yanjing stood in front of You with his head down, the sword in his hand still dripping blood. A drop of blood sprayed by Bai Jiaoyu overlapped perfectly with the beauty mark under his eye, making him look eerie and beautiful.

You was not afraid. She used to be afraid of the emperor, but now that everything, all the evil deeds, had been exposed, she was no longer afraid.

"If you want to kill me, then kill me." You let out a heavy sigh. "I have let down Her Majesty the Empress, and I have let down the child in her womb."

Yu Yanjing's eyes narrowed into slits as he used his sword to lift You's chin. The blade was icy cold, forcing You to bite her lower lip tightly. This ruthless emperor suddenly asked in a low voice, "What did you do to her?"

His voice was icy cold, even Wei Hao, who was standing to the side, was frightened and kept kowtowing. You could see that his forehead was already bleeding from the banging.

She turned her gaze back to the person pointing a sword at her and said, "It's a poison from the Western Regions, parasitizing the fetus in her womb. The day she gives birth will be the day the poison takes effect, and it can be fatal. I put the poison in her favorite side dish, and for a month she ate the side dish I made every day... In that month, the poison had already entered her body..." You's tone was calm, showing no remorse whatsoever.

But her heart felt like it was bleeding.

Yu Yanjing's face darkened, and with disgust in his eyes, he raised his leg and kicked You in the chest. You was kicked to the ground, feeling a tearing pain in the spot where he was kicked.

But he couldn't kill You; she hadn't yet cured the Empress's poison.

"Where's the antidote?"

With a cold, gloomy smile, he said, "There is no antidote. This was prepared by a secret physician from the Western Regions court, whom Bai Jiaoyu consulted. That physician is long dead."

Wei Hao's face turned deathly pale. He knew that after what had happened, the Emperor would not spare You's life, but he could not let You die, he could not.

"Take her to the dungeon and torture her until she confesses everything she's done. She also needs to hand over the antidote," Yu Yanjing said calmly, glancing at Zhou Tingxi beside him.

Zhou Tingxi bowed and accepted the order. He then helped up Wei Hao, who was kneeling silently with a pale face. Wei Hao looked up at Yu Yanjing and said, "Your Majesty, Wei Hao's actions just now were unintentional. Please forgive him."

“Wei Hao, now that you’ve promised yourself to the Jiang family’s daughter, you shouldn’t get involved with anyone else. Besides, she’s a criminal, so you’d better stay away from her.” Yu Yanjing’s eyes seemed to pierce.

Zhou Tingxi knew that if You hadn't still been useful, her fate would have been the same as Bai Jiaoyu's.

The fact that he did not blame Wei Hao was already an act of leniency. If Wei Hao continued to plead for You, the emperor would punish him as well.

With the battle at the front intensifying and the impending confrontation with Yin Fu'an imminent, Wei Hao cannot afford to be discouraged.

After You was taken to the dungeon, Yu Yanjing secretly summoned the imperial physicians to study the poison she mentioned overnight. Combining this with her pulse, which indicated she was four months pregnant, they finally reached a conclusion.

This is a poison prepared by the Western Regions court. It is colorless and odorless, and it parasitizes the placenta in the uterus. When the placenta is delivered during childbirth, the poison flows into the uterus along with it, which can cause postpartum hemorrhage or other fatal illnesses.

The poisoned person will not feel any discomfort and will be almost no different from usual, and it cannot be diagnosed from the pulse.

The fetus in the Queen's womb was already formed. If she took abortion pills, the poison in her body would be released along with the delivery of the fetus.

There is no antidote for this poison, which is often used in palace intrigues among concubines. It is rumored that this poison has long been forbidden to be prepared, and the identity of the secret physician is unknown, as he has already passed away. So where did this poison come from?

Yu Yanjing executed Bai Jiaoyu without prior notification. Upon hearing this news, the King of the Western Regions was furious and dispatched troops to attack Chaoyang, completely disregarding the border situation.

Xiao Mu, being in the inner palace, was unaware of what was happening in the court. Yu Yanjing ordered a complete blockade of all information, including the fact that You was a spy. Zi Ning Palace was as quiet as a cold palace.

Occasionally, Consort Jing and Lady Xue would come back to sit and teach her how to embroider baby bibs and shoes. Xiao Mu was clumsy and the stitches on her clothes were very rough, but Yu Yanjing said they were beautiful and that he would personally dress her the baby after the baby was born.

Shuangru's death made Xiaomu depressed for four or five days, but she had to pull herself together. She was the mother of the nation, Yu Yanjing's wife, and the mother of the child in her womb. If she fell, Yu Yanjing would have to take care of her, and then what would happen to the war effort?

In less than ten days, Zhou Tingxi and the others would be going to the battlefield. Madam Xue led Ouyang Meixi to kneel in the Buddhist hall every day to pray for blessings.

Consort Jing would occasionally chant sutras and pray for blessings, but most of the time she would work with Ru Meng on things for Xiao Mu's unborn child.

Yu Yanjing said that You missed her family too much, so he let her go back to the Western Regions.

That's good, that's good too, so she won't have to spend her days in tears.

However, there were no more palace maids she liked by her side, and Xiao Shao could no longer serve her every day. After all, she had already married and could no longer be her personal maid as before.

Yu Yanjing then instructed Wei Lan to take Rou Rou to Zi Ning Palace to serve her. Wei Lan was originally his attendant, but now that she was gone, he only had a palace maid named Xuan Sheng by his side, and no other palace maids.

Rou Rou was noisy and lively, but Xiao Mu had no interest in dealing with her. She didn't want to get close to any more palace maids, fearing that she would be very sad when she left.

Although Wei Lan always had a cold face, she was very attentive to people. With her around, Xiao Mu couldn't be picky about food or break the rules. She was like a housekeeper, disciplining her every day.

For example, when there was eel porridge for breakfast, Xiao Mu picked out the vegetables and said they were unpalatable. Wei Lan immediately frowned and told her that she had to eat the vegetables, or she would have to report to the Emperor immediately. Xiao Mu was afraid that Yu Yan Jing would be distracted, so she had no choice but to eat them.

There was pigeon soup for lunch, but she felt nauseous. Although she had tried her best to remove the grease, there were still many oil droplets floating in the golden soup. Wei Lan said that pigeon soup was good for replenishing qi, and since her complexion was not good, she should drink more of it.

If she didn't drink it, she would threaten to tell Yu Yanjing, so Xiao Mu had no choice but to drink it obediently.

It doesn't snow in Chaoyang in winter, so apart from the cold, I didn't feel the atmosphere of winter.

You has endured over 160 kinds of torture in the dungeon, his ten years of martial arts skills have been completely destroyed, and his meridians have all been severed. He is now a cripple.

She recounted in detail how she transformed from a destitute woman into an assassin by Bai Jiaoyu's side, and then became a spy to go to Chaoyang to become the Empress's personal maid.

It wasn't because of torture; she had already confessed everything before she was even tortured.

Yu Yanjing was so angry that he ordered her to be subjected to all sorts of cruel torture, but even that could not quell his anger.

However, he still couldn't find out the whereabouts of the antidote from You, and he still couldn't kill her to vent his anger.

He didn't dare to see Xiao Mu at all. He was afraid that if he saw her face, he would lose control of his emotions. He couldn't accept the fact that Xiao Mu was poisoned and wouldn't have much time left if there was no antidote.

He could only immerse himself in the imperial study, spending his days with memorials to the emperor. Sometimes, as he stayed up, the night would pass by silently.

Wei Hao locked himself in his room and refused to come out. The food that Zhou Tingxi sent was left at the door, and it was the same when he went to pick it up.

He didn't eat, drink, or speak.

He simply sat on the ground, leaning against the door, recalling the scene when he first met You. Beside the babbling stream, her eyes were so beautiful, so deep that one couldn't help but want to explore them.

She said the tassels on her military armor were very beautiful.

She said, "Wei Hao, come back safely." She said, "We will be together forever."

Of course, they can't be together.

From the moment she told the dungeon guard that even her encounter with Wei Hao was planned, he felt utterly hopeless.

If it was all premeditated, then why was I chosen instead of someone else? Why manipulate someone's true feelings?

Wei Hao refused to believe that You Na's eyes, full of autumn water, were fake.

Impossible. Even if he can't judge people, he couldn't possibly be unable to distinguish between the real and the fake. He could feel You's love for him.

Zhou Tingxi said from outside the door, "Your wedding with Miss Jiang is in seven days. How long do you intend to stay so dejected?"

Wei Hao did not respond, but just stared blankly out the window.

"Miss Jiang is under house arrest and unable to visit you, so she specially sent someone to deliver a handwritten letter. Please take a look at it yourself."

Zhou Tingxi slipped the letter Jiang Qi had personally written to Wei Hao through the crack in the door.

Wei Hao picked up the paper and unfolded it.

General Wei, I have learned of your affair with Miss You, and thus I requested my parents to annul the engagement. Unfortunately, they refused and I was confined to my home. My family is already preparing for the wedding, and I have no other choice but to ask for your help, General.

After reading Jiang Qi's letter, Wei Hao stood up in a daze, turned around without hesitation and opened the door, where he immediately saw Zhou Tingxi standing in the courtyard, about to leave.

"General, I want to annul the engagement."

"What?" Zhou Tingxi stopped and turned to look at him, her eyes filled with inquiry. "Do you think this is a joke?"

Wei Hao calmly replied, "If I were to marry Jiang Qi, I would treat her the same way you treated Miss Ouyang. Rather than that, it would be better to annul the engagement."

Zhou Tingxi strode up to him, and they stared at each other. His words were like daggers to the heart, the most unspeakable pain in Zhou Tingxi's heart.

He couldn't remove Ouyang Meixi from his life, nor could he be with her. He could only watch helplessly as his beloved was in love with someone else.

If Wei Hao marries Jiang Qi, Jiang Qi will become the second Ouyang Meixi.

At first, he proposed that Wei Hao betrothed to another woman, and Wei Hao did not refuse. However, the appearance of Jiang Qi stirred up his deepest memories.

He had ulterior motives, and he really shouldn't have dragged her into all of this just because Jiang Qi and Xia Yunzhi looked alike.