?

  Finally gazed at the simple and ordinary coffin made of grass, a black armored guard waved his hand, indicating to let go. Jing'an

  Su Wei's men carefully re-tied the coffin and then calmly walked out of the west city gate.

  Today, many people left the city, Su Wei also left the city gate, but only lined up in the middle of the queue. Following the team, walking at a moderate pace for a while, seeing that there were no pursuing soldiers coming forward, Ah Lu quietly let out a long sigh of relief.

  At this time, a fork in the road appeared ahead.

  Under Su Wei's command, the troops headed towards that fork in the road.

  As the fork in the road increased, the number of people traveling together decreased, and Su Wei's speed also became faster.

  Two hours later, seeing that there was no one else around, Su Wei hastily carried Zhang Qi out. At the same time, he ordered his guards to throw the coffin down the cliff, and a team of people galloped towards Chang'an.

  Su Wei seems to be very familiar with the road conditions here. Before he even encounters bandits, he has already avoided them. If he can't avoid them, he will let his guards form a queue and advance, opening up a bloody path with the enemy's blood.

  It wasn't until now that Zhang Qi realized the young man in front of her was a versatile talent, with his long swordsmanship being both elegant and ruthless, killing people as easily as slaughtering chickens.

  In this way, under their rapid advance, in less than a month, Chang'an City appeared before their eyes.

  Staring at the magnificent building that gradually appeared in her field of vision, Zhang Qi was dazed. After a while, she said softly: "I left him..." Two lines of clear tears flowed down her cheeks, Zhang Qi smiled, but also with unspeakable pain, and muttered again: "I left him... I never want to see him again!"

  Su Wei, who was standing beside her, stared at her in a daze. After a while, he said in a low voice, "The King of Lanling has already become suspicious." Seeing Zhang Qi turn around and look at him in surprise, Su Wei continued, "I just received a message by carrier pigeon that those people who spread rumors for us have all been caught by him, along with the coffin we abandoned. They've also retrieved it... Ah Qi, he'll be arriving in Chang'an soon."

  Smiling, Su Wei said confidently: "However, this is Zhou's land, not the Qi state where he has the final say!" Moreover, once he finishes his business, he will immediately take Zhang Gui to Chen's land. Even if Lanling Wang comes, he will only be left empty-handed.

  The fleet entered Chang'an City.

  Looking around at the familiar yet strange scenery, Zhang Qi felt a little dazed.

  More than a year later, she came to Chang'an again.

  Last year, she leaned on Langling Wang's side. Under his protection, a pair of children from Yuwen Hu's family were wantonly humiliated.

  When she came again, she was in a sorry state, but still clinging to men.

  The fleet entered Chang'an City.

  Although her mind was preoccupied, Zhang Qi also noticed that Su Wei seemed particularly quiet compared to the past few days. She glanced at him and saw his eyebrows furrowed, with a hint of worry hidden between his tightly pursed lips. She thought to herself: What is he worried about?

  Zhang Qi found herself being stared at, Su Wei turned his head and smiled at her, saying: "Hungry? Let's go eat." After that, he instructed the convoy to stop in front of a wine tower.

  The wine house is very large and can accommodate more than a hundred people, but it still looks empty. The business of the wine house is very good, and soon there are already ten tables occupied.

  Zhang Qi not only put on makeup but also wore a veil. She quietly had her meal while listening to the idle chatter of the crowd.

  As they spoke, the two men at the next table, who looked like minor officials from the imperial court, dragged in the name of Yuwen Hu, the Grand Chancellor.

  "This time, Daizong had two daughters enfeoffed as princesses. The newly created Princess was originally a concubine daughter but due to her intelligence she was enfeoffed along with her older sister."

  "The young princess I've met is indeed impressive. Although she's still young, her demeanor is elegant and refined. She has the kind of classical beauty and poise that's been passed down through generations of noblewomen."

  "She's still a beauty."

  "Unfortunately, it was already promised to Su Wei of Wugong."

  "Cheaper than Su Weina."

  "Do you know what? That Su Wei, a noble family's young master, has been trained since childhood and is steady in character. The previous emperor, Yuwen Tai, was fond of him. Otherwise, do you think that as a young man, he could have inherited his father's title and position after his passing? Even the Prime Minister values him because all the officials praise him and the scholars spread the word about him."

  Saying this, the refined-looking minor official shook his head and sighed repeatedly, "Some people are born to inherit their family's glory, and they rise to prominence with just a wave of their hand. But for us, no matter how hard we work our whole lives, it is all in vain."

  Since those two mentioned the rising princess, Su Wei couldn't help but keep glancing at Zhang Qi.

  Zhang Qi kept her head down.

  She is a bit distracted.

  From Su Wei's words, she only heard some trivial matters. This was also the first time she knew that Su Wei's fiancée was a princess. It was also the first time she knew that Su Wei, at such a young age, had actually gained the praise of Shi Lin and other officials. It seemed that in Zhou territory, Su Wei's reputation was similar to Xiao Mo's when he was in Chen territory.

  He has such a high starting point, and with just a little effort, he can rise to a higher position.

  At this moment, her hand warmed up, and then Zhang Qi heard Su Wei's worried voice coming over, "Ah Qi, don't mind."

  Zhang Qi lowered her head.

  The people next to him were still discussing, and Su Wei could no longer eat. He randomly picked at his food a few times before getting up first. After Zhang Gui and the others finished their meal, he had already booked a room in the wine building.

  After arranging everything for Zhang Qi in great detail, he dismissed everyone and came before Zhang Qi.

  Slowly kneeling down, Su Wei supported her knees and said in a low voice: "Ah Gui, even if she is a princess, I will not marry her..."

  He stood up resolutely at this point.

  Seeing him take steps to leave, Zhang Gui finally called out: "Awei."

  Su Wei hastily turned her head back.

  She said softly to him, "No matter what, we must preserve our lives." She was telling him not to resist anymore.

  Upon hearing her reminder, Su Wei flashed his pearly whites and said brightly: "I will." He added lightly: "I still have to send A Qian off to Chen territory too."

  Having said that, he closed the door and walked out.

  Su Wei had just left, and Ah Lu quickly ran over. She looked around and asked: "Ah Qi, where is Su Wu Lang?"

  "Is he gone?"

  "How could he just leave?" Ah Lu was a bit anxious, "I heard from Ah Qiao that Yuwen Hu regards Su Wei highly and is afraid to let him go. He will force Su Wei to marry his daughter."

  "Speaking of which, Ah Lu glared at Zhang Qi, "Ah Qi, how could you let him go? Why not keep him and have him send us back to Chen Di first? He likes you so much. With him protecting us, our days in Chen Di will definitely be good."

  Zhang Qi raised her head.

  With her makeup washed off, she gazed at Ah Lu softly and dazedly, saying in a low voice: "Ah Lu."

  "Huh?"

  "If you don't want men to hate and resent you, if you don't want that resentment to silently destroy all the love and beauty, then never block a man's path to success!"

  Rising princess? It seems to have some memory, she is an excellent woman? According to legend, her husband rose because of her, and later Yuwen Hu fell down, but her husband remained stable.

  Zhang Qi closed her eyes.

  In her past life, she must have also obstructed that man's path to success. Because there were too many people spying on her. He had no choice but to constantly revolve around them and frequently offend his superiors. If it weren't for her, how would that man have ended up as a fifth-rank official?

  She used to think it was her intelligence that helped him solve many problems and rise through the ranks. Now, however, she realizes it was her beauty and childlessness that have been tormenting him.

  In such a chaotic world, the man dedicated her to someone else, which could save her life and bring her wealth. After all, if he were to divorce her directly, no matter how much money he gave her, the ultimate consequence would be that she would be taken away by a powerful family and ruined. By dedicating her, not only did he preserve her, but he also gained promotion for himself. From the man's perspective, wasn't he being considerate and showing his utmost benevolence towards her?

  Zhang Qi's words. Ah Lu didn't understand. She stared at Zhang Qi for a while, then suddenly burst out laughing and said: "What does it matter? Anyway, Su Wu Lang likes me so much, he definitely won't marry that new Princess Xing."

  Su Wei left and didn't come back for three whole days.

  Just as Ah Lu was getting anxious and restless, carrying the one thousand two hundred taels of gold on him at all times. Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside the wine shop.

  Among the din and noise, someone was heard shouting: "Hey, you little innkeeper, are there some foreign men and a few women staying at your place?"

  Zhang Qixing was shocked, and just as she was about to listen again, He Zijun rushed over hastily. He strode quickly to Zhang Qi's side and said rapidly: "Yuwen Hu has flown into a rage, if someone hadn't pleaded for mercy, he would have killed Ah Wei. Now Ah Wei has been locked up, the people outside are here to catch you." Explaining this far, he pulled Zhang Qi along, "Fortunately Ah Wei also thought of this point. Come quickly with me."

  "Where's A Lu?" Zhang Qi asked hastily.

  He Zhiyu ran alongside Zhang Qi, saying: "You can't easily fall into another man's hands, Ah Lu will be fine."

  He pulled Zhang Qi to the back of the wine building. Before Zhang Qi could react, he had already lifted her onto his shoulder, retreated a few steps, and with one leap, stepped on a stone and flipped over a wall as high as a person.

  He Zhen obviously knew the terrain very well, and after leading Zhang Qi to wind east and west for more than half a time, they came to a place with dense trees and beautiful ripples. Pointing to a row of wooden houses on the other side of the lake, He Zhen put down Zhang Qi and said in a low voice: "Ah Qi, you go to that wooden house. Remember, if someone asks, just say your surname is Li."

  Having said that, he hastily retreated a few steps and disappeared in front of Zhang Gui with just a few leaps.

  Zhang Qiming saw He Zhen off and had not yet reacted when a series of stern shouts came, "Who is here?"

  In the midst of the cheers, all that could be heard was a whooshing sound. In an instant, more than a dozen guards rushed out from both sides, holding long spears and pointing their icy spear tips at Zhang Gui's chest.

  Too sudden!

  This series of changes was so sudden that Zhang Gui had not yet reacted when he was already beset by swords and knives.

  She turned pale and involuntarily took a step back. Just as she retreated, her back was suddenly in severe pain, and it was a spearhead that stabbed her.

  "Just then, a gentle and clear voice came over, 'It's just a woman, why be nervous?'"

  In the footsteps, a handsome and majestic young man with an air of authority, wearing a loose cloud robe, with long hair flowing down, walked slowly.

  The guards retreated in unison, and in an instant, they cleared a path.

  The noble young man walked slowly in front of Zhang Qi, then he stretched out his white and slender hand, and slowly removed Zhang Qi's veil.

  As the silk hat floated down, Zhang Qi's absolutely beautiful face appeared before everyone's eyes.

  In an instant, a dozen or so spearheads pointing at Zhang Gui's throat simultaneously dropped to the ground!

  The young man gazed at her for a while, then flashed his pearly whites and smiled gently, asking: "Who are you? You look so familiar."

  Zhang Qi stared blankly at the young man for a while, then lowered her head and curtsied slightly, saying in a soft voice: "I am Li, I did not mean to intrude on your land, I apologize." Due to being intimidated by the young man's aura, her voice trembled slightly, making her appear even more delicate and pitiful.

  After finishing his confession, Zhang Qi retreated backwards. Just as he took a step back, the young man spoke up, "Since you're here, let's go in and have a chat."

  ####

  Seeking pink tickets, it's really the end of the month, seeking pink ticket votes.