Chapter 74 : The Stand-in

Li Qingye led Pei Si Yan to gallop her horse all the way, and after leaving the city gates, she zipped into the dense and boundless woods, startling the countless birds perched on the branches of the trees.

"Stop!" Pei Si Yan shouted in annoyance for who knows how many times, his voice hoarse and dry.

Li Qingye looked around, and with a strangle of the reins, the steed let out a long neigh and stopped in its tracks.

Pei Si Yan felt cold, she wrapped the cloak around her body tightly, her tone was hard to resist the prevailing anger: ''Why did you come to save me? Have you forgotten what I said yesterday? Do you know how dangerous it is under heavy guard? If it wasn't for the sudden help, do you want to die with me?!"

Li Qingyan didn't answer immediately, he pondered for a few moments and said softly, "What's the harm in dying together with you?"

"Sh, what ..." Pei Si Yan couldn't believe her ears.

"Miss, my subordinate swore to protect you from a young age, so I absolutely won't allow you, Miss, to be half harmed." Li Qingye didn't make a half explanation for his previous words, rolled over and dismounted, "This is also the order that the old master instructed to my subordinate before he was born, so my subordinate can not have to agree to miss's request yesterday."

"I've already told you, I'm not Tantai Yan."

Li Qingdian led the horse and continued forward without haste, as if there wouldn't be any pursuers behind them at all.

"Miss entrusted everything to you, from the day you accepted, no matter if you are Tantai Yan or Pei Si Yan, you are the subordinate's master."

Pei Si Yan was dumbfounded for a moment, when did Li Qing Dye become so artful and eloquent? Once upon a time, other than reporting on official matters, he would never say so much, it was true that even though he knew about the big secret he was carrying, he still didn't understand him as a person?

The two of them walked in silence for half a day, the surrounding trees became more and more dense, covering the sky, originally the sky was dim, now it was as if evening had descended.

"But have you thought about what we are going to do after robbing the court? We have now become the court to capture the key criminals, until the death of all have to live in exile, running around the day, with my body now is better than a death to get relief! And it's inevitable that the Emperor will take it out on the Tantai family in a fit of rage, I don't want to see that!"

"Miss," Li Qingyan stopped her steps and looked back at Pei Si Yan, the blood on her face had already dried up, but it still appeared that her face was too grim, only a pair of deep eyes were calm as usual, "No one will come after us, and the people of the Tantai family won't be implicated either."

"Why?" Pei Si Yan's words had just fallen when she heard a thin footsteps coming from the front, looking up, it was Yun Qi, the maid who had been attentively serving her.

Yun Qi smiled faintly, "Miss, seeing you return safely, the slave girl is at ease."

"Yun Qi, why are you here?" Pei Si Yan asked, vaguely feeling a hint of uneasiness.

"Because the slave girl is going to the execution ground in place of miss, to confuse the crowd," Yun Qi explained flatly, not having the slightest fear of the impending death, "To make everyone think that you're dead, miss, so that you can live in seclusion in the mountains without any worries, without having to worry about the imperial court pursuing you. "

Pei Si Yan was shocked and looked towards Li Qing Dye, if she could move right now, she would definitely go up and smack him hard!

Surprisingly, he came up with such a ridiculous method!

"Absolutely not!" Pei Si Yan flatly refused, "There is no reason why you should be tortured in my place! Yun Qi, listen to my words, go as far away as you can with Li Qing Dye and stop having such ridiculous thoughts!"

Li Qingdian said, "Miss, it's not up to you to make the decision now."

"You!" Pei Si Yan glared at him angrily, "If you guys dare to do such things, I will never forgive you for the rest of my life! Please don't let me live in guilt and regret, okay? Things have come to this, I have no regrets in death!"

"Miss, my subordinate said earlier that I will never allow you to be harmed in the slightest." Li Qingye gazed at Pei Si Yan's eyes filled with anger, "Yun Qi is volunteering to go back in place of you, miss. Moreover, Miss, are you really willing to lose to the Emperor and Second Miss? Do you have half a thought of revenge in your heart?"

"Not even yourself?" Pei Si Yan coldly asked back, "What qualifications do you have to say about me?"

Li Qingyan's eyes had a momentary darkness, "Miss, that was retribution obtained by going against the laws of heaven, my subordinate has no reason to take revenge. But you are different, you did your best for the country, but you ended up with the name of a traitor and the punishment of capital punishment, are you really willing to be left with a stench for years to come?"

"With your words yesterday, I am satisfied."

"That is because you thought at that time that you had no chance of living, and that in a desperate situation a single thing would be a great satisfaction. And to-day, when you have a chance of living, why are you bent on seeking death."

"Because I don't want innocent people to die in my place!" Pei Si Yan was furious, becoming more and more unable to endure the current situation, "If you all still call me a miss now, then obediently listen to my orders and leave this place of wrongdoing far away from the ends of the earth and sea and never come back!"

"Miss!" Yun Qi suddenly knelt down, her eyes pleading, "Please let your slave servant die on your behalf, it's something that your slave servant is willing to do!"

"Yun Qi," Pei Si Yan reached out and tried to help her up, helplessly unable to move as she was lying on the horse's back, "You are not too old, there is still a brighter future waiting for you, why would you want to die in my place? Even though you were once my maid, don't you have your own wishes and dreams?"

"The dream of the slave girl is that Miss can live well!" Yun Qi said loudly.

Facing the stubborn Li Qingyan and Yun Qi, Pei Si Yan didn't know what words to use to dissuade them from their foolish thoughts, she would rather die than see someone else do such a thing!

"Miss, please promise Yun Qi!"

"I can't promise you." Pei Si Yan shook her head, it was hard to feel like there was a blockage in her throat.

"Miss, over the past year, you have treated the slave girl like a family member, Yun Qi wants to repay you," Yun Qi choked, a layer of hazy water vapour covering her eyes, "When I was a child, even though Miss was unsmiling and always had a cold look, she treated the slave girl and the slave girl's family very well as well, if it wasn't for Miss. If it wasn't for Miss, the slave girl's family would have died in the plague long ago. So, Miss, please promise the slave girl!"

Pei Si Yan roared, "I am not Tanya Yan!"

"You have been entrusted by the young lady, and are the benefactor of the young lady, which is the benefactor of the slave girl."

Pei Si Yan clenched the reins and looked at Yun Qi whose gaze was unwavering, slowly shaking her head, "The pursuers must be arriving soon, you guys should go!"

Yun Qi lowered her head, and when she re-lifted her head it was Li Qingyan who she looked at.

Li Qingye's complexion was bleak and helpless, his toes pointed to the ground and flew up, a hand knife hit the woman on the horse, Pei Siyan fainted noiselessly and went limp on the horse's back.

Yun Qi stood up and said, "Lord Li, please take the young lady and leave quickly! I know what to do next."

"Yun Qi," Li Qingyan also had an intolerance, "Do you really intend to do this? Perhaps there are other ways we can think of to avoid the pursuit, and Second Miss might have a way to stop the Emperor from taking his anger out on the Tantai family."

"Lord Li, see, you've said perhaps," Yun Qi pointed out pointedly, "there's a chance that things won't go the way we think they will. Lord Li, please take good care of the young lady so that she can at least live as she wishes in the future. Hurry up and go, the pursuers might be coming soon."

"Yun Qi ...," Li Qingyan wanted to say something else.

Yun Qi pulled out a pill from her bosom and said, "After taking this pill, any pain I won't feel, being able to die in place of Miss is considered my repayment for her kindness to me, and I'm willing to do it without complaint."

The wind sends a subtle and messy sound, Li Qingyan keenly perceives that the pursuers are slowly approaching here, he solemnly clasps his fist to Yun Qi, "Yun Qi, take care, I'm leaving!"

"Hmm." Yun Qi smiled and nodded, watching as Li Qingyan remounted his horse and watched them fade away, his figure disappearing into the depths of the woods. Then she took out the things needed for her disguise that she had prepared long ago from the baggage she had with her ...

Late at night, the cool wind gusted, mixed with the odour of blood, which could not be dispersed for a long time. The sound of the wind was like a ghost that couldn't be relieved hovering and wailing in mid-air, causing one to feel fear from the heart.

On the wooden frame of the torture platform hung a fragmented corpse, there was barely a piece of intact skin on the body, white bones were vaguely visible, a head was placed on a small stone platform in front of the wooden frame, long hair stained with blood was messily draped down, the eyes were tightly closed, and if there was no blood all over his face, it would seem that he was just quietly sleeping. Under the dismal firelight, this tragic scene on the torture platform, it was impossible to describe its horror with words.

A dozen or so men and women wearing black robes silently gathered at the execution ground, looking at the dead woman on the execution platform, wanting to show the grief in their hearts, but seeing the officials and guards in charge of guarding nearby, they had to harden their tears and sighs to hold them back.

No one could imagine that this was the truth.

The matriarchs who had just returned from the field inspection were originally still drinking tea and laughing in the garden, but after just a few days, all they could see were mutilated corpses.

"How could this happen, Aunt ...," Tantai Qiyun covered his mouth, unable to stop the tears from falling.

His father, Tantai Xun, helplessly wrapped his arms around him and tried to comfort him with something, but his grief clogged his throat and he couldn't make a single sound.

The rest of the clan looked at Tantai Zhan, who was walking at the end of the line, with dissatisfaction, this guy actually secretly defected to Tantai Si, betrayed the clan leader, and jointly fabricated a false accusation.

Tantai Zhang hit the ground with his cane in annoyance, distressed that such a rebellious son had actually emerged from the third house! Tantai Yuan rushed to support his staggering father and whispered comfortingly.

Tantai Zhan stood expressionless, as if he did not see the resentful gazes of the clansmen.

According to the laws and regulations of the Blue Country, the bodies of those who had committed ten unforgivable great crimes would end up being thrashed to ashes and could not be brought back by their families. After quietly expressing their condolences to the dead patriarch, the Tantai family members helplessly returned to their mansion.

The palace was quiet under the night, and the palace people stood quietly outside the Palace of Nurturing Heart, listening to the moans and gasps that faintly emanated from within, unable to help but blush.

The swaying candlelight reflected two intertwined figures on the bright yellow gauze tent, and a touch of ambiguous love/lust filled the air, dispersing away the coldness of the late autumn season.

After a cloud and rain of love and affection, Tantai Si snuggled in the arm of Lan Xuan, her long and slender fingers gently sliding over the face of this stunning emperor, finally resting on his beautiful eyes, her slender eyelashes seeming to flutter lightly like butterfly wings.

"Emperor, I love you." She said lazily.

"Hmm." Lanxuan responded carelessly.

Tantai Si couldn't help but get a little angry when she saw him in this state, her voice transmitting a chill, "Emperor, are you happy that Tantai Yan is dead? I will always be by your side in the future, are you happy? Will you enthrone me as Empress?"

Lan Xuan held Tantai Si's hand, disdain swept across his eyes, "I hope you are more capable than Tantai Yan, don't let me down. Whether I'm happy or not all depends on how well you do. As for enthroning the Empress, it is not something I can decide with a single word."

"Your Majesty!" Tantai Si pouted, "Could it be that with my status as Wuban, and the fact that I've helped you with so many things, am I not qualified enough to become Empress?"

"Tantai Si," Lan Xuan gently kissed the back of the fair beauty's hand in his palm, "I don't want to talk about these things in **. But ..." he sat up, his smile carrying the majesty of an emperor, instantly making Tantai Si tense up, "You must remember that if you can't compare to Tantai Yan in the future, I will abandon you without mercy."

Tantai Si's heart tightened, finally feeling the cold of late autumn.