Who says the prince is weak and can't take care of himself?

Chapter 213 Let him go?

Chi Yue disagreed: "Tang Ling wasn't being sullen; he had planned this for a long time. I don't think his feelings for Your Highness were fake, but he still left so cruelly. This shows that Your Highness doesn't mean enough to him, at least not as much as he does to Your Highness."

"It's not like we have to trade by the pound... Didn't you say that if we both share the same mind, there's nothing more to ask for?"

Chi Yue raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at Zong Sheng: "You usually pout like a gourd. No matter what others say, you won't say a word. Why are you making so many excuses for Master Tang today?"

"...I just hope you can be happy." Zong Sheng looked at Chi Yue and said it seriously. Qi Xiao was very happy when Tang Ling was by his side, just like when Chi Yue was by his side, he would be very happy and satisfied.

Chi Yue was stunned and didn't remember what to say for a moment. He seemed to suddenly realize that Zong Sheng was not as stupid as he thought. That was why he didn't know how to bear grudges and easily forgave him, couldn't resist his provocation, and was deceived by him.

"...Mong Sheng...If one day, I betray you and leave without saying goodbye, what will you do?"

Zong Sheng smiled, a rare moment. "Then I'll wait for you to come back. But, can you not make me wait ten years?"

Chi Yue suddenly choked up. Ten years ago, he had left completely and decisively. Back then, they weren't as close as they were. Chi Yue thought that as long as Zong Sheng was fine, he wouldn't matter. He could just treat him as a vicious dog that had bitten him. Zong Sheng could hate him, forget him, and not care about him anymore...

"...You were waiting for me?"

"Well," Zong Sheng sighed softly, "Give me an explanation when you come back."

But Chi Yue never explained...

Zong Sheng walked over and hugged Chi Yue: "It's not necessary now, it's not important."

As long as Chi Yue was by his side, it was enough. Although Zong Sheng didn't know what happened back then, the changes that had taken place in Chi Yue, the disappearance of those scars, and his drunken ramblings on Mid-Autumn Festival night were enough for Zong Sheng to understand how hard Chi Yue had lived these past years. Now he only hoped that Chi Yue would no longer be hurt or in pain, and that because of him, Chi Yue would be happy and content.

Chi Yue leaned on Zong Sheng's shoulder and suddenly felt like crying. Last time, he cried and threw a tantrum, taking advantage of the alcohol to act so recklessly, but this time, he didn't want Zong Sheng to see him cry. He wanted to laugh. He had never been so happy before. Shouldn't he laugh?

Chi Yue held Zong Sheng's face and kissed him hard!

Although they have been almost inseparable in the past few months, they have had no chance to be intimate due to marching and fighting. Chi Yue and Zong Sheng have been enduring this for a very long time.

Zong Sheng held down Chi Yue's hand that was pulling his belt.

"I told you they don't need you to worry about them!"

***

Compared to the lingering and affectionate atmosphere in the other room, Qi Xiao's room seemed like a battlefield of endless slaughter.

The chaotic and overlapping breathing and the mixed sounds in Qi Xiao's ears disturbed his mind. He didn't know what he was doing and didn't want to regain his sanity. He followed his instincts like a beast and didn't care about anything else.

"Qi Xiao!"

Tang Ling had lost a lot of weight, and her waist was so thin that it seemed like Qi Xiao could hold it with both hands, and it was so fragile that it seemed like it would be broken by him at any time.

Tang Ling looked at him, her eyes were misty and she couldn't see anything clearly. He had a feeling of weightlessness, as if he was floating, but also as if he was tied up by something, like an anchor thrown into the water, just sinking continuously.

Qi Xiao wanted to devour Tang Ling inch by inch. What was he thinking when he first saw her? Yes, she was like a white lotus, shimmering in the mist, extravagant and illusory, like a wishful thinking that Qi Xiao could never obtain even if he held her in his palm!

"why why!"

Qi Xiao asked again and again, growling heartbreakingly, but why did Tang Ling still refuse to answer?!

Tang Ling was soaked in sweat, his long hair was disheveled, and he looked like he was stuck in a quagmire, becoming extremely dirty.

Does it hurt? It’s okay to hurt!

Qi Xiao had never intended to turn Tang Ling into this. He had only wanted to hold her in his palm, cherish her like a treasure. But why, at this moment, seeing Tang Ling in such a state of depravity, did he feel such immense pleasure? Was he really so angry and resentful of him? Did he want to torture him endlessly?

"Qi Xiao..."

Tang Ling finally couldn't hold on any longer and passed out. He didn't beg for mercy, nor did he explain. He just gritted his teeth and endured it, letting Qi Xiao vent his emotions. The pain in his body was nothing. He was even very happy. He was also crazy.

"..."

"Tang Ling..."

Qi Xiao pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly: "Tang Ling, why..."

Why would you be so self-righteous and make decisions for him? Just like his mother! Make him hate himself! Hate his identity, his ignorance, and his powerlessness!

Concubine Lin thought that if she died, Qi Xiao would be able to return to Yongcheng and live happily ever after! Tang Ling thought that if he left, Qi Xiao would be able to return to Yuanjing in triumph and rise to prominence from then on?!

Doesn't Tang Ling know what he wants?! Why would she choose for him?!

When Tang Ling woke up again, it was just dawn. The candle in the room had burned out, the flickering flame threatening to go out at any moment. Tang Ling's mind was blank. He stared at the candlelight in confusion. The weak light was no match for the morning light filtering through the window, and it felt powerless.

Tang Ling gently closed her eyes. The events of last night came back vividly to her mind, and the pain in her body was even more pronounced. What should he do? Qi Xiao was so angry...

"What are you sighing about? Have you figured out how to deal with me?"

Qi Xiao had been right next to him, and the voice was so close that it scared Tang Ling. He sat up suddenly, and the injury on his shoulder caused a piercing pain.

Qi Xiao gently pulled Tang Ling's uninjured arm: "Don't move, let me take a look."

Only then did Tang Ling realize that he was wearing a thin undershirt and his body was clean. He knew who was taking care of him without asking.

Qi Xiao gently pressed Tang Ling's shoulder: "It's okay, it's just a little swollen. I'll get some cold water to apply to you later. Don't move around anymore."

“…Qi Xiao…”

Qi Xiao took advantage of the situation and pulled Tang Ling into his arms, holding her tightly against him. He had never thought of hurting him or causing him any pain. He just wanted to hold him like this and hug him forever.

Qi Xiao's breathing and heartbeat, the warmth of his embrace, the scent of his voice, all seemed like something in Tang Ling's dream, so familiar, making him so reluctant to leave...

"...Qi Xiao, I'm sorry..."

Tang Ling's voice was hoarse and choked, and when Qi Xiao heard it, it pierced his heart deeply. He didn't want to hear "I'm sorry"!

"When you ran away, didn't you think about what would happen if I caught you?"

"Qi Xiao...let me go..."

"What did you say?!" Qi Xiao grabbed Tang Ling's neck and pulled him back, staring at him intently, and asked through gritted teeth, "You still want to leave?!"

Tang Ling looked at Qi Xiao and couldn't help but let a tear slip from the corner of her eye. It hurt so much, so much: "Let me go..."

Qi Xiao stared at Tang Ling with hatred. He picked up his hand and bit his wrist hard until blood dripped from between his lips.

Qi Xiao had bitten this spot before, leaving two clear rows of teeth marks. At that time, Qi Xiao said, "Tang Ling, your life is mine, and your body is mine. You are mine."

The original tooth marks have disappeared, and now Qi Xiao is going to brand him again. This time he wants to bite into Tang Ling's flesh and carve it into his bones!

Tang Ling called out, his memory was sharper than the pain of his flesh, he had promised not to leave!

Tang Ling was too thin, and his wrist was so thin that Qi Xiao could bite through it. Qi Xiao was like a ferocious wolf. Once he bit his prey, he would never let go until he had devoured it.

Blood flowed from Tang Ling's wrist down his arm and dripped onto the bedding, making a mess. The newly changed bedding was about to become a mess again.

Qi Xiao bit too hard. When he finally loosened his teeth, his mouth and face were covered in blood. He stared at Tang Ling with sinister and resentful eyes. He swallowed all the blood in his mouth like a demon eating raw human flesh.

He refused. Let him go? Impossible!

Tang Ling looked at Qi Xiao in a daze. This was Qi Xiao's response to him.

***

Qi Xiao had killed too many people in the grocery store. Although it was wartime, the flames of war hadn't yet reached Renliang Prefecture. The government couldn't just ignore such a serious "family extermination" incident. But anyone with a brain knew that the government couldn't handle this case. Who could kill over twenty armed young men in an entire yard without anyone noticing? And who were those young men in this grocery store?

Renliang Prefecture did not dare to investigate and could not investigate, so it directly sealed the grocery store and reported the case to Shuoliang. This kind of "serious" incident would usually be directly taken over by the Zhanshi Office.

There was no need to wait for the news to reach Shuoliang. The people sent by the Office of Occupation lost contact in Renliang Prefecture and failed to deliver Tang Ling to Ji Yu and Fu Shouguang on time. The Office of Occupation knew that something had happened.

"What's the situation outside?"

Chi Yue said, "Renliang Prefecture has been placed under martial law. The people from the prefecture are pretending to check this and that on the streets, saying they are searching for bandits, but they actually know nothing."

"Not surprising." Qi Xiao nodded. They dared to hide in Renliang Prefecture instead of leaving the city immediately. Even if they were certain that Renliang Prefecture could not do anything, and even the Office of the Occupational Affairs had no idea who rescued Tang Ling, "the Office of the Occupational Affairs should take action."

"Although the Divination Office cannot confirm who rescued the man, the biggest suspect must be the Xingluo Guards. Given the way the Divination Office acts, they will definitely set up ambushes on all the roads leading to Lingshan and wait for the opportunity. Once Young Master Tang returns to Zhou State, all the Divination Office's plans will be meaningless."

Qi Xiao snorted and laughed: "Hmph, planning..."

Chi Yue looked at Qi Xiao's sinister eyes and felt a chill in his heart. He turned to look at Zong Sheng. There were only three of them, and they were accompanied by Tang Ling, who was injured and had no martial arts skills. What evil plan was Qi Xiao planning?!

Zong Sheng seemed completely unaware, his expression remaining calm. Chi Yue sighed. He couldn't rely on Zong Sheng. He did whatever Qi Xiao said without hesitation, which made Chi Yue jealous.

"Your Highness, even if the Office of the Occupation sets numerous traps on the road to Lingshan, it will be useless. We can take a detour through the mountain roads and bring the young master back to Shuoliang to reunite with the army."

Qi Xiao glanced at Chi Yue and didn't respond to Chi Yue's question. Instead, he asked, "How is the battle in Bashan going?"

"It's not clear yet."

As soon as Qi Xiao learned Tang Ling was missing, he abandoned the Yaoshan army and fled without a care in the world, leaving no one from the Xuanji Camp with him. Although Chi Yue was trying to contact them, it was difficult for him to do so at the moment. They were like a small boat on the vast ocean, unable to tell east from west, south from north, let alone military intelligence from Bashan, thousands of miles away.

"We'll stay here for a few days first. Chi Yue, you can take care of it."

Let him figure it out... Chi Yue forced a smile. He really was going to give him a hard time. But... Chi Yue looked at Qi Xiao. He really was a lot like His Majesty. Too much alike. The most similar thing was his unpredictable and stubborn temperament!

Qi Xiao didn't explain anything and let Chi Yue handle it on his own. He turned around and went back to guard Tang Ling. Now, whenever Tang Ling left his sight, Qi Xiao would feel very uneasy.

“…Haha…” Chi Yue sighed, really not knowing what to say.

Seeing Chi Yue's embarrassment, Zong Sheng asked, "Can't you contact the Xuanji Camp? What about Ye Huai and Qing Lan?"

During these two days, Zong Sheng had been staying by Qi Xiao and Tang Ling's side, while Chi Yue changed his appearance and went out to take care of everything.

Chi Yue shook his head slightly: "Xuanjiying and Qinglan will come sooner or later. We are safe in Renliang Mansion for the time being. I am worried about His Highness."

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you think Mr. Tang had to escape?"

Zong Sheng was stunned for a moment and said, "Young Master Tang came to Dachen as a hostage to negotiate peace. Now..."

"Qi is now like a grasshopper after autumn, unable to hop for many more days. Once Qi is destroyed, if Tang Ling is still in Dachen, he will undoubtedly become a hostage for Your Majesty to control Marquis Xun An." Chi Yue sighed again and said to Zong Sheng in an almost inaudible voice, "Based on my understanding of Your Majesty, I presume that Your Majesty will not keep Young Master Tang as a hostage, but will kill him to prevent future troubles."

Even without Tang Ling as a hostage, Da Chen now boasts the valiant and skilled Lu Fangjin, the rising star Bai Xiqiao, and the unrivaled Qi Xiao. Given His Majesty's arrogance, he wouldn't care about a mere Tang Ling. But Qi Xiao loves her too much. His Majesty cannot bear to see his blade soaked in the sour vinegar of love. Tang Ling must die.

Zong Sheng frowned. He understood why Bai Xiqiao had jumped up and down in anxiety when Qi Xiao first said he liked Tang Ling. It was the same reason. Their identities and positions meant it was like this. But from the beginning, they both knew it clearly in their hearts.

"Ah... Your Highness will never let go." But what could Qi Xiao do? Fake her own death and keep Tang Ling by his side? Would Tang Ling accept that? No, regardless of Tang Ling, as long as she was still alive and by Qi Xiao's side, it would be impossible to hide this from His Majesty...

Chi Yue didn't want his next mission to be to assassinate Tang Ling. Even if Qi Xiao couldn't become the crown prince, the emperor, or the master of Tiance Camp, Chi Yue could not care less about Qi Xiao, but he couldn't ignore Zong Sheng.

He was actually left to his own devices... Killing people is much easier, why should he worry about such a troublesome thing!

Chi Yue shook his head and said to Zong Sheng, "I'll go there."

"It's getting dark, where are you going?"

Chi Yue raised the corner of his mouth: "Shh, idiot, serving our master is expensive."

Zong Sheng was silent for a moment, then heard Chi Yue say, "Be back soon." Before he finished speaking, the man had disappeared.