Chapter 684 The Princess's Thoughts
Father Chen interrupted curiously, "Are they all elusive like shadows?"
Xi Yu laughed and said, "You can say that, so you don't have to be surprised by it."
In the dim room of the Sun family, Sun Haixu's family was sitting around a shabby wooden table to eat.
The table was filled with simple and rough food. The family was very poor, so the food was naturally not very good.
Princess Anxi looked at the food in front of her with a frown. She was used to eating delicacies from mountains and seas on weekdays, and it was really hard to swallow such a simple meal.
But she still endured the discomfort and tried hard to send food into her mouth.
While chewing the food in her mouth, Father Sun looked up at the princess and asked, "You don't look like a Central Plains person, do you?"
The princess nodded gently, with a trace of sadness in her eyes.
Father Sun then asked curiously, "Why did you come here?"
The princess put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hand, sighed lightly, and said, "It's hard to explain."
Seeing this, mother Sun quickly pulled Father Sun's sleeve and said, "Old man, don't ask, the girl must have something to hide." Father Sun realized his abruptness, scratched his head embarrassedly, and continued to eat.
After dinner, the princess walked into the room arranged for her with light steps.
She sat on the bed, thought for a while, and called Sun Haixu in.
Sun Haixu heard the princess' call outside the door and was overjoyed, wondering if she was willing to accept him.
He hurriedly tidied his clothes and walked into the room excitedly.
The princess saw his flattering face, and felt disgusted in her heart, and her face unconsciously showed a look of disgust. But she still suppressed her disgust, tried to keep herself calm, and said lightly: "Sun Haixu, I want to talk to you, tell me about the Central Plains."
Sun Haixu didn't notice the princess's disgust at all, and approached with a flattering face, saying: "What do you want to hear? I will tell you everything I know."
The princess nodded slightly and said: "Any news is fine, just tell me."
So, Sun Haixu cleared his throat and told the story with a beaming face: "Girl, there are many strange stories in the Central Plains. Take the Prime Minister Xi Yu, who is admired by everyone. He is an extraordinary figure."
Sun Haixu gestured while talking, his expression full of awe and respect.
The princess listened quietly, her eyes opened wider and wider, flashing with excitement, and she was secretly happy in her heart: "What a harvest!"
After Sun Haixu finished talking, the princess had already made up her mind and decided to get to know Xi Yu!
The princess also learned that Xi Yu was in Youzhou.
"Sun Haixu, I may accept you in the future, but it's not the right time now, so don't always mention marriage." The princess's face was a little serious, and her eyes were firm and unquestionable.
When Sun Haixu heard the princess' words, the expectation on his face turned into disappointment in an instant, but he quickly cheered up and nodded repeatedly, saying, "I will listen to you in everything." His eyes showed helplessness and obedience, but also a hint of unwillingness.
The princess turned slightly and said coldly, "You can go out."
Sun Haixu looked gloomy, responded in a lost voice, and slowly turned and left.
Sun Haixu immediately came to his parents' room, and his father asked anxiously, "Son, what did the girl say when she asked you to go?"
Sun Haixu told the situation just now.
Sun's mother said happily, "In this case, let's not worry, maybe one day the girl will agree." Sun's mother's eyes were full of love and expectation.
Father Sun also nodded and agreed: "Yes, son, let's wait patiently."
The princess sat on the bed, frowning, thinking with a worried face: "How can I leave here?"
Her eyes looked at the door from time to time, her heart full of anxiety.
Thinking of the shackles set by Father Sun at the gate to prevent her from running away, and that he lived in a room near the gate, and those ferocious dogs, the princess couldn't help shaking her head.
It was impossible to escape like this, and she had to think of a foolproof plan.
She twisted the corners of her clothes with both hands, bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth, and her eyes revealed determination and determination.
On the other side, Zhao Qiang and several others were escorted to Fang County.
Liu Bei was very happy to learn that the thieves who stole the treasure had been caught, and Guan Yu was also very happy to learn about it.
Liu Bei thought that the soldiers in the palace had caught these thieves, and Guan Yu thought so too.
Not long after, the leading dark guard appeared and told them that it was all the credit of Prime Minister Xi Yu.
Liu Bei and Guan Yu then realized that everything was arranged by Xi Yu.
Liu Bei showed awe and said, "It was actually the credit of Prime Minister Xi Yu. The Prime Minister is really talented!"
Guan Yu also looked admiring and said, "The Prime Minister's strategy is profound. We can't wait to catch up."
The two brothers looked at each other, and both showed a look of relief in their eyes.
Guan Yu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Brother, in this case, we don't have to be punished by the Prime Minister anymore."
Liu Bei nodded slightly, and the worry on his face also dissipated a little.
Liu Bei calmed down, looked at the dark guard, and asked in a gentle tone: "This warrior, can you tell us the specific process of what happened?"
The dark guard saluted with his fists, and respectfully told the relevant situation in detail, and then pushed the thieves forward and said, "These thieves are left to you to deal with."
Liu Bei clasped his hands in his fists and said with gratitude: "Thank you, strong man, for your hard work this time."
The secret guard saluted again, turned and left. Liu Bei looked at the back of the secret guard leaving, his eyes full of approval.
Guan Yu's face turned red with anger, his eyes widened, and he gritted his teeth and said: "Brother, I am very angry. I must meet Zhao Qiang and these thieves!"
Liu Bei frowned slightly, thought for a moment and said, "Then let the young eunuch take you there."
The young eunuch responded submissively and led Guan Yu to an empty room.
Zhao Qiang and several others were here. When they saw Guan Yu, they laughed maniacally and lost their minds.
Guan Yu was furious, pointed at them and cursed loudly: "You bunch of ignorant people have committed such a heinous crime, how dare you be so arrogant!"
When Zhao Qiang and others heard Guan Yu's scolding, their faces showed panic.
Guan Yu saw that they had stopped laughing, but the anger on his face had not dissipated. He glared at Zhao Qiang and others with blazing eyes, and said sternly: "Do you know what crime you have committed? How dare you steal treasures? How audacious!"
Zhao Qiang and others lowered their heads, not daring to look directly into Guan Yu's eyes. One of them said with a trembling voice: "General Guan, we...we were also confused for a moment."
Guan Yu snorted coldly: "A moment of confusion? Your foolish behavior almost caused a catastrophe!"
At this time, another thief raised his head, with a look of begging for mercy in his eyes, and said: "General Guan, please spare us this time."
Guan Yu shouted angrily: "Spare you? How can I be spared for committing such a serious crime?"
After saying that, Guan Yu stood there with his arms folded and a majestic look on his face, waiting for Liu Bei to make further remarks.
At this time, Liu Bei, led by several young eunuchs, also hurried here.
As soon as Liu Bei entered the door, he stared at Zhao Qiang and several others fiercely, his eyes seemed to be able to spit out fire.
"You are the villains who caused many people to wrongfully accuse Guan Yu. Your crime is unpardonable and you must die!" Liu Bei gritted his teeth and said word by word.
When Zhao Qiang and others heard this, their faces turned pale with fright, and they all fell to their knees with a thump, kowtowing and begging for mercy.
"Mr. Liu, please spare your life, we don't dare to do it anymore!" Zhao Qiang shouted with a cry.
"Spare my life? You have made such a big mistake, how can I be spared!" Liu Bei's eyes widened angrily and he yelled.
At this moment, Guan Yu suddenly slapped his forehead, frowned and asked, "Where did the treasure you stole go?"
Zhao Qiang trembled and replied honestly: "General Guan, most of it was spent by us, and a small part was handed over to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister also knows about this matter." After that, he lowered his head, Don't dare to raise your eyes.
After hearing this, Liu Bei's face turned gloomy. He thought for a moment and said, "It's getting late today. Tomorrow we will execute them outside in front of many people, so as to restore Guan Yu's innocence."
When Zhao Qiang and others heard this, they were so scared that they were paralyzed with tears streaming down their faces. They kept kowtowing and begging for mercy: "Lord, have mercy on me, have mercy on me!"
Liu Bei snorted coldly, unmoved, and shook his sleeves and said: "Begging for mercy at this time is of no use. You have committed such a heinous crime, and you should have expected to end up like this!"
On the second day, the sky in the east had just turned white, and Liu Bei ordered the eunuchs to take Zhao Qiang and a few others to the entrance of the palace.
And in the early morning, news had already been released that these thieves would be executed.
So, before it was even past time, many people were crowded at the entrance of the palace. They all came after hearing the news and wanted to witness this scene with their own eyes.
When they saw Zhao Qiang and others being tied up and pushed in front of everyone, the crowd immediately felt like a cauldron exploded, and many people started talking among themselves.
Liu Bei, dressed in fine clothes, steadily walked up to the stage and presided over the public trial in person.
He looked serious and said loudly: "Let these villains tell the people what happened!"
Zhao Qiang and others' faces were ashen and their legs were weak. Under the push of the soldiers, they began to tremble and tell what happened.
As a result, many people started talking about it.
"It turns out that we have really wronged Guan Yu. These thieves are really abominable!" An old man blew his beard and stared in anger.
"Yeah, luckily we wrongly blamed General Guan." A young man shook his head regretfully.
Liu Bei stood on the high platform and promised the people at the same time: "Everyone, these thieves have indeed stolen the treasure and squandered it. They are not just people I found to excuse Guan Yu. Moreover, the prime minister caught this."
At this time, the crowd burst into cheers.
"The Prime Minister is wise!"
"The Prime Minister is really a great hero!"
Hearing so many people praising Xi Yu, Liu Bei's face sank slightly, and he was a little unhappy in his heart. He gritted his teeth secretly, but on the surface he still looked very happy and said with a smile: "Prime Minister, you have worked hard for us. It’s a blessing for the country.”
At this time, Guan Yu strode forward, crossed his arms, and said seriously: "Brother, can we start now?"
Liu Bei nodded slightly and said solemnly: "Let's get started."
Following Liu Bei's order, the executioners held broadswords, and with a flash of cold light, the lives of Zhao Qiang and several others ended, and they paid the due price for their crimes.
There was a burst of exclamation from the crowd, and then fell into a brief silence, as if lamenting the tragic ending.
Liu Bei looked at the blood on the ground and said thoughtfully: "Although the thief has been executed and you have been cleared of all charges, this incident should be taken as a warning. We must strengthen management in the future and not let such disasters happen again."
Guan Yu bowed and said: "Brother, you are right. I will keep it in mind."
The two of them left the palace gate with their entourage. The sun shone on them, but it could not dispel the haze brought by the bloody scene just now.
After returning to the palace, Liu Bei smiled and said to Guan Yu: "Yunchang, how about playing chess with me?"
Guan Yu replied cheerfully: "Okay, brother, I have lost my appetite these days. Now that this matter is over, I am finally in a better mood."
The two sat opposite each other and set up the chessboard.
As Liu Bei made his move, he said worriedly, "Yunchang, although the thief has been caught, I am still worried that even so, you may still be punished by Xiyu, but I think it will be less."
Guan Yu looked firm and said without hesitation, "Brother, no matter what punishment I receive, I will accept it!"
After that, he made his move, with no fear in his eyes.
Soon, night came, and the candlelight flickered in the room of the Princess of the Parthian Kingdom.
The princess paced back and forth in the room, frowning, constantly thinking about how to escape?
She racked her brains and thought of several ways, but she felt that none of them were suitable.
The princess stopped and clenched her fists. Her beautiful face was full of anxiety at this moment. She said to herself anxiously, "What should I do? Time is running out. If I can't think of a way, it will be too late!"
The princess searched the room for something that might be useful, hoping to find inspiration for escape.
She sat dejectedly on the bed, staring blankly at the moon outside the window, her anxiety growing stronger. "Am I really going to be trapped here forever?"
The princess' eyes were slightly red, and her lips were bitten by her pearly teeth.
At this time, a breeze blew, blowing the curtains. The princess suddenly had an idea, and seemed to have thought of a new idea, but soon shook her head, feeling that it was still not thorough enough.
As the night deepened, the princess's heart became more and more confused, and fine beads of sweat oozed out of her forehead. She had never been so eager to be free.
After a while, the princess stopped, and a trace of cruelty suddenly flashed in her eyes.
Only if I kill all three of my family, I will have a chance to escape.
But her face showed a painful and tangled expression, covering her face with her hands, and she knew that it was too cruel to do so, and she had never hurt anyone before!
The princess took a deep breath and slowly put down her hands, with determination in her eyes but a hint of fear.
But in order to escape, she had to do this. But how should I kill all three people? This needs to be considered carefully.
She bit her lip, frowned, and fell into deep thought again.
The princess paced back and forth in the room anxiously, twisting the corners of her clothes with her hands.
Use poison? No, if she is discovered, all the efforts will be wasted. Do it while they are sleeping? But what if the noise wakes them up?
She stopped, closed her eyes, and calmed herself down, but beads of sweat kept rolling down her forehead.
When she opened her eyes again, the princess's eyes were full of determination.
"No matter what, I must think of a foolproof way. I must escape!"
She remembered the voice she heard from Sun Haixu, and all kinds of descriptions about Xi Yu emerged in her mind. The princess' eyes were full of expectations: "I really hope to see this Xi Yu as soon as possible, and I hope he can help me escape from this cage."
On the other side, Xi Yu, who was sleeping in the inn, suddenly sneezed.
He rubbed his nose and thought to himself, is Ouyang Linlin thinking about him? Besides, the trip was almost over, and he was about to meet Ouyang Linlin.
Thinking about it, Xiyu's mouth corners slightly raised, and he fell asleep with a hint of sweetness.
The next morning, the sun shone on Xiyu's face through the window.
He woke up slowly, stretched his body, and thought of his guess last night, and he was looking forward to it again.
After washing up, Xiyu walked out of the room and prepared to continue on his way. Along the way, he was imagining the scene of meeting Ouyang Linlin, and he was in a particularly good mood.
As for the princess, she had been racking her brains to think of a way to escape at night, so she got up very late during the day.
When she sat up from the bed with difficulty, her face was pale, her eyes were dark, and she looked listless.
Mother Sun walked into the room and saw the princess's appearance. She asked with concern: "Miss, what's wrong with you? You look so bad."
The princess tried to cheer herself up and said weakly: "Auntie, I just feel a little uncomfortable, nothing serious."
Sun Haixu also came over, looking worried, and said anxiously: "How about I ask a doctor to see you?"
The princess shook her head gently and replied weakly: "No, I just need to rest well."
Just then, Father Sun was carrying a bow and arrow and preparing to go out hunting.
He walked to Sun Haixu, winked at him calmly, and said in a low voice: "Be sure to keep an eye on this woman."
Sun Haixu nodded in understanding.
After Father Sun left, Sun Haixu stood in front of the princess a little awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
The princess noticed his abnormality, looked up at him, and asked: "What's wrong with you?"
Sun Haixu scratched his head and covered up: "No, nothing. You rest well, I'll be outside, call me if you have anything." With that, he hurried out of the room.
The princess watched him leave, sighed inwardly, and lay back on the bed, looking at the ceiling, with a lot of thoughts in her mind.
After a while, the grandma came in with a bowl of hot porridge, and said lovingly: "Girl, eat something, so that you can get better quickly."
The princess forced a smile, took the porridge, and drank a few sips.
The grandma watched from the side, and couldn't help nagging: "Alas, you are a child, it makes people feel distressed, you have to get better quickly."
The princess nodded silently, but she was thinking about her own escape plan. (End of this chapter)