Chapter Seventy-Five: Rye Leaves, Rye Leaves

  The coal mine has collapsed, and Wang Ye's life is in danger!

  These eight words almost took away Yun Ning's breath, Shang Guan Meng bent down to pick up the note, and when she saw the words on it, her face also turned pale.

  He should have gone with her to Ningcheng back then...

  After a while, Yun Cong slowly calmed down and saw Shangguan Meng who was also shocked. He took his hand and said softly, "The king will be fine." He firmly believed it and had to believe it.

  The king has never broken his promise since ancient times.

  Shangguan Meng nodded lightly, but didn't say a word. Wife, Meng'er also believes you'll be fine. At the same time, Ziyuan also received the news!

  Ziyanran held the note, her face equally pale. "Dark Guard!" she called out in a low voice, and a black shadow appeared before her.

  "I order you to set out immediately to rescue King Ye! Go at once!" Sister, you can't come to harm! Zi Yan sat listlessly in the chair, damn it! You're not allowed to come to harm! If anything happens to you, how can I face our deceased parents?!

  Liu Qingyue saw Zi Yanran like this, and her heart felt a faint pain. She walked up to her, leaned into her arms, and comforted her, saying, "The prince will surely receive the protection of the Phoenix Goddess, and he will be safe and sound."

  "If only it were true that one could speak as freely as the moon... " Zi Yanran murmured, and couldn't help but recall the shocking thing she had heard that year.

  In fact, she and Yorihime were not born to the same empress. Her mother had died in childbirth when she was born, and she was adopted by her father's wife. Five years later, Yorihime was born, but she didn't cry or make a fuss at birth, which scared her mother. The two then spent a limited number of unforgettable times together. She had been jealous of this younger sister who shared blood ties with their mother, but after the empress passed away, that little girl came to her and said...

  Elder sister! I will help you obtain this world!

  She stared at her in astonishment, the small figure having an unyielding spirit that didn't belong to anyone. Then, without another word, Ruo Ye joined the Dark Guard. For three whole years, she hadn't seen Ruo Ye once, until three years later when Mu Jin appeared by her side. She had indeed fulfilled her vow, helping her rebel against their cruel Empress Dowager...

  When she was still hesitating to kill her mother with her own hands, Ye Yifeng's sword pierced the heart of the Empress Dowager, and fresh blood stained her small face. She said firmly, "Imperial sister, you did not kill the Empress Dowager, it was I, Zi Ruoye, who killed her. Imperial sister only needs to take good care of the country and the people."

  At that moment, the proud woman shed tears, looking at Yorihime who was five years younger than her, taking away the sword in her hand and wiping away the blood on her face. She knew that Yorihime had taken all the blame upon herself. At that time, it was announced to the outside world that the Empress Dowager had died of illness, but right and wrong were not always decided by them. Yorihime did this for her, knowing that if she became Emperor, the crime of murdering her mother would make her unfilial.

  But Ruo Ye…… why must you suffer so? On that day…… she was no longer jealous for Ruo Ye's sake, but instead felt heartache. However, Ruo Ye wouldn't let her speak of the things she had done, and the world gained a lecherous prince! After nearly drowning that day, she was frightened to death, and when Ruo Ye woke up, although he seemed somewhat different, one day he said to her, "Imperial sister, I am still Ruo Ye! Only Ruo Ye!"

  Yes... If Ye is still Ye... But she doesn't want Ye to just be Ye anymore.

  "Your Majesty, what are you thinking about?" Liu Qingyue asked softly as she looked at Zi Yanran's slightly distracted expression.

  "It was just a faint purple, but she glanced at Liu Qingyue and slightly tightened her arm, saying in a soft voice that no one could hear, 'Who else knows that Ruo Ye wasn't originally called Ruo Ye...'"

  In her mind, she once again recalled the time when Zi Ruoye said those words and then changed to a carefree tone, saying, "Imperial sister, since you're called Yanran, I can't be called by my previous name anymore. From now on, I'll be called Ruoye! Yanran must match with Ruoye!"

  After all those years, she finally knew the meaning behind Wakaba choosing this name for herself.

  Like leaves, like leaves, forever set off by tender leaves...

  When she found out that the man she married was the one Ye had always admired, her heart was even more... But Ye smiled and said, "Wow! Imperial sister, I didn't know Feng Hou was such a beautiful woman! You're really lucky! I won't keep you company anymore, looking at your sweet appearance makes me sour to death!"

  Furthermore, Yor has been hiding her severe poisoning for years, always appearing in front of her with a smile, and completing the tasks she assigns to the best of her abilities, occasionally grumbling a few words, but never mentioning her own poisoning.

  "Yue Er, let's pray together that our sister will be all right."

  Liu Qingyue nodded gently, unaware of the past between the Emperor and Wang Ye, but knowing the deep affection between them. Marrying into such a royal family was truly a blessing, and the Emperor also loved her deeply. Liu Qingyue's fingers intertwined with Zi Yanran's as she whispered, "May the Phoenix Goddess bless our King with peace for all eternity."

  Zi Ruoye and Liu Qingyou have been trapped in the stone cave for three days! However, since there is no sunrise or sunset inside the cave, they are also uncertain about how long they have been trapped.

  "Liu Qingyou, how did you end up liking Li Yu back then? I don't think he's that great," said Zi Ruoye, speaking up as they were trapped in the desolate stone cave, if they didn't find something to talk about, it would drive them mad.

  Liu Qingyou was trapped for three days, glanced at the dark face of Zi Ruo Ye and said awkwardly, "Damn it, why are you asking these questions? Don't you already know?" He didn't believe she didn't know. Then he remembered something and viciously said, "Was it you who spread the rumors from the tea house?"

  Zi Ruoye's face turned red as she smiled flatteringly, "You've discovered it, have you... If not, how would Li Yu notice you?" She still thought Liu Qingyu didn't know!

  "It's really you!" Thinking of this, Liu Qingyou couldn't help but release the air she had been holding in. After all, it was unbearable for anyone to have their past worries used as a joke by others.

  "Don't be angry! Although you don't like Li Yu now, but at that time you liked him. And for my sake of that jar of wine, I will certainly help without hesitation." Zi Ruoye's one sentence extinguished the anger that had just flared up in Liu Qingyou, and all she heard was his soft 'hmm' before he ignored her.

  "You haven't said why you like Li Yu yet!" Zi Ruoye said stubbornly, her voice full of gossip, but at this moment she was already exhausted, her lips were dry and cracked, and every move would make blood ooze out.

  "You don't know, do you!" Liu Qingyao turned her face away, but continued to speak, "That year, I couldn't bear the control at home, so I secretly ran out and saw Li Yu riding a horse running past on the road."

  Zi Ruoye was speechless, what a love at first sight? Li Yu actually rode his horse on the road, what if he trampled ordinary people? Even this king had never been so arrogant!

  "So how did you come to dislike her?" Zi Ruoye was very curious about this, someone who had been infatuated for so long, how could they suddenly give up.

  "That's because..." Liu Qingyou paused, but his heart was somewhat flustered. If that dead man knew that Li Yu had once spoken and acted improperly towards him, would he think that he was a man who didn't love himself?

  "What for?" He paused for a long time and still couldn't say anything, the comma was too far apart.

  "Because when I borrowed her sword to dance with it, I saw the disdain and contempt in her eyes." Recalling that time, this bastard was the first to stand up and say it was good, and the phrase "one dance moves four directions" really shocked him, and his heart was moved a little. Turning away with a slightly flushed face, he secretly rejoiced that it was fortunate that it was dark and couldn't be seen clearly, otherwise she would have definitely discovered it.

  "Hmm, so that's how it is. Li Yu is also quite unreasonable. Actually, men with martial arts skills are very good, and can even protect themselves. Liu Qingyou, you're now considered a small expert too. But compared to me, you're far inferior." The inner strength he helped dissolve was at least six years' worth of inner strength. "However, there's still some inner strength in your body that hasn't been dissolved. After we get out, eat well and drink enough, then digest the inner strength in your body properly."

  "This young master is a small but mighty expert, and what are you!" Liu Qingyou said as soon as she heard it, and hearing her self-loving tone, she subconsciously retorted.

  "Of course I am..." said the serious voice, "a master, a great master!" Zi Ruoye couldn't help but think of that line and chuckled.

  Pfft!

  Liu Qingyou was amused by Zi Ruoye's nonsensical sentence and burst out laughing, "You damn idiot, you're still making jokes in a situation like this!"

  "I'm not joking! I am indeed a master, a great master, a supreme master!" Zi Ruoye said seriously and solemnly.

  "Can the great master tell this young master how to get out of here with passion?" Liu Qingyu smiled and hit Ziyue's positivity, saying that they had been trapped for so long, even they themselves didn't know.

  "We'll definitely be able to get out! Don't worry, but save water for drinking." Zi Ruoye reminded again.

  "Hmm. You're a dead man too." He was following Zi Rao Ye's words, and he was really thirsty, so he just took a small sip of water. "You damned fool, don't drink all your own water! Don't you have any water left? I, Ben Shao Ye, have some!" As he spoke, he went to untie his own water bag, but then he discovered that Zi Rao Ye seemed not to have drunk even a single mouthful of water, and his heart skipped a beat.

  Zi Ruoye stopped Liu Qingyu's movement, laughing and saying, "How could I possibly drink all the water? I'm most afraid of death! I'm not thirsty yet, so that's why I haven't drunk any." Zi Ruoye said as she took out her own small wine jug, gently swaying it, with a hint of boastfulness towards Liu Qingyu, "I don't just have one bag of water, I also have half a jug of wine. If only we could exchange the water for wine!"

  "Alcoholic!" Liu Qingyou finally felt at ease after hearing the sound of water in the wine jug, as long as that damned thing had water...

  "Huh? Shouldn't ordinary people be gnashing their teeth and saying to me, 'Ahh, you actually have half a bottle more than me, this is unfair' and that sort of thing?" Zi Ruoye said curiously, her tone extremely arrogant!

  "Damn it! That half bottle of wine is not even worth my attention!" Liu Qing said with a huff, this person actually thought he was so despicable! It's infuriating!

  "Haha, I know the great Liu Qingyou won't mind." Zi Ruoye smiled slyly and continued, "I'll go take a look around, maybe we can find some mice or something to eat!" Yin Sengseng laughed ominously, purely to scare Liu Qingyou.

  "Just eat it!" Liu Qingyou's face turned pale with fright, but she gritted her teeth and said so. There were only five sugar lotus seeds left, and every time she gave them to the dead bastard, he would say that thing was too sweet and she didn't like it, but he still forcibly stuffed it into her mouth and made her eat it. What rotten reason was this? Did Liu Qingyou really treat her like a child?!

  "Liu Qingyou, you said we've searched that stone wall almost five times and still haven't found anything. Could it be that the mechanism is being pressed down by those stones blocking that section of the stone wall?" Thinking of this, Zi Ruoye's eyebrows furrowed tightly together, if that was really the case, then they were truly unlucky.

  "It's possible." Thinking of this possibility, Liu Qingyu hesitated slightly and said that it was impossible not to feel disappointed, just like someone who had gained hope suddenly encountered despair.

  "Don't be fooled. The one who set the trap wouldn't have put it so close to the entrance, if it were real, we'd both be buried together!" He said as he stood up, but suddenly felt a bit dizzy from standing up too quickly, and walked over to the other side saying "You take a rest, I'll check again. You're rested, I'm resting, taking turns isn't tiring, is it?"

  "Uh-huh." Liu Qingyou responded softly, he was also a bit tired now, hadn't eaten anything, occasionally drinking a few drops of water, and at this moment had no extra energy left, listening to the words closed his eyes and fell into a light sleep.

  Zi Ruoye's expression suddenly solidified, they had been trapped for so long, if they didn't get out soon, Liu Qingyou might really not be able to hold on anymore. Although she had internal energy to sustain her, she was afraid that even that wouldn't last much longer. With a temperament like Liu Qingyou's, if he knew that she hadn't had any water to drink, he would definitely give his own water to her. But instead, she was planning to leave the half jug of wine for Liu Qingyou as well.

  She licked her dry, cracked lips and searched the walls, but what about the floor? Thinking of another possibility, Ziyue Ye decisively lay down on the ground, checking it block by block.