Chapter 791 Arriving Outside the Cave

Xi Yu was riding on the horse, anxious. The longing in his heart was like a fire, making him restless and just wanted to get to his destination as soon as possible.

The sound of horse hooves hit the ground rapidly, raising clouds of dust.

Suddenly, there was a muffled sound, and the playful horse ran into a stall selling mung beans.

Mung beans were scattered all over the ground in an instant, like green stars scattered on the earth.

Xi Yu shouted: "I will make up for it later, but something is wrong now!" However, no one responded around him.

He glanced anxiously at the mung beans on the ground, gritted his teeth, and continued running forward.

Xi Yu hurried to the Prime Minister's Mansion. When the soldiers at the door saw him, they hurriedly saluted and shouted: "The Prime Minister is finally back!"

Xi Yu had no time to say anything, so he dismounted neatly, handed the reins to the soldiers, and walked forward eagerly, with only one thought in his mind - to find Ganmei.

I learned that Ganmei went to the Buddhist temple.

He walked quickly towards the Buddhist hall without hesitation.

After passing through the winding corridors and blooming flowers, Xi Yu finally arrived in front of the Buddhist hall.

Sanskrit sounds came from the Buddhist hall, which was quiet and peaceful.

Xi Yu stood at the door, paused slightly, collected his emotions, then gently opened the door and stepped into the Buddhist hall.

Ganmei knelt quietly in front of the Buddha statue, with a dignified posture and a pious expression.

Xi Yu looked at her quietly, his eyes full of tenderness and pity.

In this peaceful Buddhist hall, time seems to have stood still.

Xi Yu slowly walked to Gan Mei, knelt down gently, and held her hand.

Ganmei trembled slightly and turned her head. The moment she saw Xi Yu, surprise and emotion flashed in her eyes.

"You're here." Gan Mei's voice was soft and warm.

Xi Yu stared at Gan Mei and asked anxiously, "What's going on?"

Ganmei frowned slightly and explained the matter with a solemn expression.

There was a hateful woman who kidnapped many people, and those innocent people were in dire straits.

Gan Mei's eyes were full of worry and anxiety. She looked at Xi Yu and said sincerely: "You must rescue them quickly."

When Xi Yu heard this, he immediately became angry. He clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth and said, "How dare this evil woman act so boldly! I'll go right away." After that, he turned around and left.

However, Gan Mei grabbed Xi Yu's clothes, her eyes full of concern and uneasiness.

"Be careful." Her voice trembled slightly, with deep concern.

Xi Yu looked at Gan Mei and felt a warm current in his heart.

He gently held Ganmei's hand and said gently but firmly: "Don't worry, I will be careful. Wait until I come back."

His eyes were full of confidence and courage, as if they could penetrate all darkness.

Ganmei looked at Xi Yu, nodded slowly, and let go of his hand.

Xi Yu turned around resolutely and strode out of the Buddhist hall.

His figure looked extraordinarily tall and straight in the sunlight, as if he were a fearless hero who was about to rush to the battlefield to save the imprisoned people.

Gan Mei stood quietly at the door of the Buddhist hall, watching Xi Yu's retreating back, silently praying for his safe return.

The atmosphere in the cave was oppressive and dull.

Mrs. Mingyue paced back and forth anxiously, obviously impatient.

Zhuge Liang looked at the disappointed expressions of the people around him and couldn't bear it.

He slowly said: "If the Prime Minister knew, he would definitely come to save everyone, but the Prime Minister is indeed not at home at the moment."

As soon as these words came out, the people's expressions became even more disappointed, and their eyes that originally held a glimmer of hope dimmed instantly.

Mrs. Mingyue came to Zhuge Liang angrily and whispered viciously: "Why tell the truth? You should deceive these people that the prime minister will come soon, so that the people will feel better."

When Zhuge Liang heard this, a trace of disdain flashed in his eyes, and he retorted without fear: "Then why didn't you just let them go? You keep saying you care about the people, but you did this kidnapping. It's extremely hypocritical."

Mrs. Mingyue was choked by Zhuge Liang's words and her face became even more gloomy.

Zhuge Liang straightened his spine and looked at Mrs. Mingyue firmly, as if waiting for her response.

During this tense confrontation, the air in the cave seemed to freeze, and everyone's heart was filled with uneasiness and expectation.

Mrs. Mingyue snorted coldly and left, taking several of her subordinates outside the cave.

At this moment, the sky had begun to get dark, and the night slowly enveloped the earth like a huge black curtain.

Mrs. Mingyue was filled with anxiety. She was pacing back and forth, her eyes revealing uneasiness and entanglement.

She turned around and asked several of her subordinates: "What should I do?"

One of his men said in a cold tone: "Since we said that Xiyu won't come when it gets dark, then we will kill the people. What else is there to discuss?"

After hearing this, Mrs. Mingyue became more and more anxious.

Her face turned pale and her hands were wrung together tightly.

But his purpose is not to kill people, even if any of the people die, he will be in pain.

Mrs. Mingyue kept repeating this sentence in her heart.

She was caught in a deep conflict, and she didn't know what to do.

She looked in the direction of the cave, as if she could see the frightened eyes of the innocent people.

She was struggling painfully in her heart. On the one hand, she had said her harsh words, and on the other hand, she felt intolerable towards the people deep in her heart.

The night wind blew by, bringing a slight chill, but Mrs. Mingyue felt like she had fallen into an ice cellar.

She knew that she had to make a decision as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous.

But this decision was like a heavy burden, which almost made her breathless.

When Madam Mingyue was in a dilemma outside the cave, another subordinate said, "In this case, Madam, why don't you find another excuse?"

Madam Mingyue nodded slightly, and her heart was slightly relieved. She took a deep breath, calmed down her emotions, and then turned and walked into the cave.

In the cave, the people were full of fear and anxiety. When they saw Madam Mingyue coming in, their eyes were full of expectation and worry.

Madam Mingyue cleared her throat and tried to make her voice calm.

"I have investigated clearly that the prime minister is indeed not in Youzhou, and I can't force anyone. So, I changed the deadline to three days. If Xi Yu doesn't show up after three days, I will be rude to everyone."

When the people heard this, they felt a little relieved and had new worries.

Fortunately, they escaped for the time being, but they were worried about what fate they would face after three days.

After saying this, Madam Mingyue secretly breathed a sigh of relief. At least she had temporarily eased the crisis.

But she also knew that this was only a stopgap measure. Three days would pass in a flash. She had to come up with a better way to solve this thorny problem as soon as possible.

Zhuge Liang stood aside, watching Madam Mingyue quietly, his heart full of doubts about her actions.

He didn't know what Madam Mingyue was planning, but he knew that he had to stay alert at all times and look for opportunities to rescue the people. The cave was filled with a tense atmosphere. Everyone was waiting for the turning point of fate, and Madam Mingyue's decision was like a stone thrown into the lake, stirring up layers of ripples and making the situation more confusing.

Zhuge Liang stood in a corner of the cave, frowned slightly, and thought to himself.

"It seems that Madam Mingyue will not do anything to the people at all? So why did she find the prime minister?" Zhuge Liang's thoughts turned rapidly.

He recalled that Madam Mingyue had kidnapped the people, and although her words were fierce, she had never really hurt anyone. This is very different from the behavior of those vicious people.

Perhaps, Madam Mingyue had her own reasons.

She threatened the people, and what she wanted must be important. But what could make her make such a bold move?

Zhuge Liang racked his brains, trying to find clues from Madam Mingyue's words and deeds.

He thought of Prime Minister Xi Yu again. If the Prime Minister knew about this, he would do his best to rescue the people.

But if Madam Mingyue's purpose was not to harm, what kind of entanglement did she have with the Prime Minister? Was it an old grudge? Or did she need help from others?

Zhuge Liang's heart was full of questions. He decided to closely observe Madam Mingyue's every move in these three days, looking for opportunities to solve this mystery and find a way out for the safety of the people and the resolution of this crisis.

Xi Yu galloped all the way and finally arrived in front of the cave. He got off the horse neatly, patted the horse's back gently, and said with pity: "You have worked hard. You came here without eating."

At this time, Xiyu looked solemn and anxious. His eyes were fixed on the entrance of the cave, and he was worried about the kidnapped people.

The wind blew over the corners of his clothes, bringing a hint of coolness, but it could not cool his eagerness.

Xiyu took a deep breath, walked slowly towards the cave.

He seemed to be a solid barrier, guarding the hope and future of the people.

And the horse he had comforted stood quietly by the side, and seemed to be cheering him up.

Xiyu's voice echoed in front of the cave.

"I am Xiyu, I'm here, who is looking for me?" The loud voice was like a huge bell, breaking the silence here, and instantly caused a commotion in the cave.

When Madam Mingyue heard the shout, her eyebrows raised, a complicated look flashed in her eyes, and then she quickly walked out of the cave.

She moved lightly and soon appeared in front of Xiyu.

She looked Xiyu up and down, with scrutiny in her eyes, and asked: "Are you Xiyu?"

Xiyu frowned slightly, looked at the strange woman in front of him, and asked back: "Who are you?"

Madam Mingyue raised a faint smile at the corner of her mouth, but the smile did not reach her eyes.

"It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that you are finally here, Prime Minister." There was a hint of sarcasm in her tone, and it seemed to hide many unknown stories.

Xiyu snorted coldly.

"No matter who you are, why do you kidnap those innocent people? Do you know that this is a big crime!" He took a step forward, exuding a majestic aura, and stared at Madam Mingyue, his eyes were like torches, and he did not retreat.

Madam Mingyue still looked suspicious, staring at Xiyu and asked again: "Are you really Xiyu?"

Xiyu sneered, with a bit of pride in his expression.

"Humph, I am Xiyu as long as I can."

Madam Mingyue saw this and turned around and ordered someone to bring Zhuge Liang out.

As soon as Zhuge Liang came out and saw Xiyu, his eyes flashed with excitement, and he was secretly happy, glad that the prime minister finally came.

Xiyu hurriedly took out the token symbolizing the prime minister's identity from his arms and handed it to Madam Mingyue.

Madam Mingyue took the token and looked at it carefully. The token was finely crafted, with unique patterns and marks, which was the only proof of the prime minister's identity.

After repeated confirmation, she finally believed that the person in front of her was Xiyu, and her expression was slightly relaxed, but there were still complicated emotions in the depths of her eyes.

"Prime Minister, since you are here, we should have a good talk." Madam Mingyue looked at Xiyu, her tone was a little softer, but still a little tough.

Xiyu nodded slightly.

"Okay, I hope you can give me a reasonable explanation for why you kidnapped the people."

The two looked at each other, the atmosphere was tense, and a conversation about the fate of the people and the secrets behind them was about to begin.

Madam Mingyue bowed her head slightly, her tone full of helplessness and guilt.

"I am indeed guilty of a heinous crime, and it doesn't matter to me how to be punished. But I have no choice but to do this. Now I will let the people go."

At this time, a subordinate hurriedly said: "Madam, you can't let the people go first! The Prime Minister should forgive Madam's crime before letting the people go."

Madam Mingyue heard this, her eyes were stern, and she said firmly: "It's already like this, I can't use the people as a threat anymore. Let the people go quickly!"

Her words were loud and clear, and there was no doubt about it.

Although the subordinates were unwilling, they did not dare to disobey the order, so they had to act quickly and lead the imprisoned people out of the cave one by one.

The people regained their freedom, their faces full of surprise and gratitude.

They looked at Madam Mingyue, with complex emotions intertwined in their eyes.

Xiyu watched this scene quietly, and was quite surprised by Madam Mingyue's actions.

He originally thought there would be a difficult confrontation, but he did not expect Madam Mingyue to choose to release the people so decisively.

At this moment, he was more curious about Madam Mingyue's purpose, and was also thinking about how to deal with this complicated situation.

At the same time, Madam Mingyue looked at Zhuge Liang and whispered: "You can go back too."

Zhuge Liang stood there, motionless, with a hint of worry in his eyes.

Seeing this, Xiyu nodded to him and said, "Let's go quickly."

Zhuge Liang sighed deeply, he looked at Xiyu, his eyes full of concern: "Prime Minister, be careful."

After that, he slowly turned around and left.

With Zhuge Liang's departure, only Xiyu, Madam Mingyue and their men were left at the entrance of the cave.

The wind blew gently, bringing silence. Both sides were silent, and the atmosphere was so heavy that it seemed that water could drip out.

Xiyu's face was as heavy as water, and he looked directly at Madam Mingyue, waiting for her next words, while Madam Mingyue frowned slightly, as if considering where to start.

Madam Mingyue bowed slightly and said, "The Prime Minister is affectionate."

Then, she made a gesture of invitation and invited Xiyu into the cave.

Soon, the servants brought good wine and food, filling the table.

Madam Mingyue looked at Xiyu and said softly, "I can see that the Prime Minister looks exhausted. He must have rushed back from outside and hasn't eaten yet."

Xiyu frowned slightly. He was in no mood to eat now. He just looked at Madam Mingyue coldly and said, "What do you mean?"

Madam Mingyue sighed softly and said frankly, "Prime Minister, I have no intention of harming the people. Although my subordinates advised me to take the people as hostages just now, I did not listen. Prime Minister, don't worry about this. There is no conspiracy such as poisoning these meals. They are just to entertain the Prime Minister. I know that this reckless behavior has caused the Prime Minister to misunderstand."

Xiyu's expression eased slightly, but he was still vigilant.

"Even so, you kidnapped the people for no reason and led me here. What is the purpose? You need to tell the truth."

Madam Mingyue looked hesitant, as if she didn't know where to start, and a trace of complex emotions flashed in her eyes.

Madam Mingyue smiled and invited again: "Prime Minister, please have dinner first. I will tell you everything after you finish your meal."

Xiyu touched his rumbling stomach. Indeed, he was a little hungry after galloping all the way.

However, he was cautious and put forward a condition before picking up his chopsticks: "You can ask me to eat, but you must let your men try whether these dishes are poisonous first."

Madam Mingyue smiled helplessly: "Prime Minister, don't worry, I have no such intention." After that, she motioned several subordinates to come forward.

Although the subordinates were somewhat reluctant, they did not dare to disobey the orders of the lady and tasted the food on the table one by one.

Seeing that they were not unusual, Xiyu picked up the bowl and chopsticks and started eating.

For a while, there was only a slight sound of bowls and chopsticks colliding in the cave. Madam Mingyue looked at Xiyu quietly, as if waiting for a suitable time to tell her story.

While Xiyu was eating, he paid attention to the movements around him. He knew that this seemingly calm situation might still be hidden.

After eating and drinking, Xi Yu looked at Madam Mingyue and made an unexpected request to her - asking her to help feed the horse.

Madam Mingyue was stunned at first, and then immediately did it.

She took the fodder and walked towards the horse, with a hint of complex emotions in her eyes, but the action of feeding the horse was very gentle.

After the horse was full, Xi Yu wiped his hands, looked at Madam Mingyue, and said calmly: "Now, can you tell me what you want to see me for?"

Madam Mingyue nodded slightly, turned around and said to several men: "You all leave first and wait outside."

Several men looked at each other, somewhat hesitant. They didn't know what the lady was up to, and they were not at ease to leave like this.

Seeing this, Madam Mingyue said seriously: "I know that the prime minister is upright and he will not harm me. You can just go out."

After listening to the lady's words, the men were still worried, but they did not dare to disobey, and had to retreat to the outside of the cave one after another.

For a moment, only Xiyu and Madam Mingyue were left in the cave, and the atmosphere became particularly solemn. Xiyu looked at Madam Mingyue quietly, waiting for her to reveal the secret behind the storm.

After everyone left, the atmosphere in the cave was a little dull.

Xiyu looked at Madam Mingyue with a questioning look in his eyes: "If you have something to ask me, why don't you use normal means? Why do you have to kidnap those innocent people and make them worry?" (End of this chapter)