I looked at Shen Pei and gave a perfunctory nod. Then, I shifted my gaze to the young guard standing beside him. Though his features were ordinary, he carried a most peculiar weapon. It looked somewhat like the Green Dragon Crescent Blade I had once seen in movies.
"What a unique weapon," I said, offering him a friendly smile. "What is it called?"
The young guard smiled bashfully. "It’s an heirloom passed down from my ancestors. It is called the Tuliu Blade."
"A fine weapon indeed." I looked it up and down with genuine admiration. "May I take a look?"
The young guard hesitated for a moment, and before Shen Pei could intervene, he had already placed the Tuliu Blade in my hands. Upon closer inspection, it reminded me once again of the famous blade from the Three Kingdoms. It is said that Guan Yu’s Green Dragon Crescent Blade was also known as the 'Frost Fair Saw.' It was nine feet five inches long and weighed eighty-two catties, with the pattern of a coiled dragon swallowing the moon inlaid upon the blade. The Tuliu Blade in my hand was roughly eight to nine feet long, and its weight was slightly lighter than the legendary version. Forged from refined steel, the sharp edge was faintly etched with intricate, complex patterns. As it caught the sunlight, a cold, greenish light rippled across the blade’s surface.
"A magnificent blade!" I couldn't help but praise it again.
The young guard’s bashful smile returned, but beside him, the wariness in Shen Pei’s eyes began to sharpen.
Just then, two figures hurried out from the gates of the Ministry of Justice. The one in front wore a gold ring in his hair and a light-colored robe. His face was etched with anxiety—it was Ming Yi.
"Xi Xia!" Upon seeing me, Ming Yi seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "How could you be so reckless today?"
My grip on the blade tightened, but I said nothing.
Shen Pei and the guard prepared to salute, but Ming Yi dismissed them with a wave of his hand. He paced a few steps before me with his head bowed, and when he looked up again, his expression had softened considerably. "Xi Xia, did you not say that being a catcher was your dream?"
"The Prince is mistaken," I replied tonelessly. "Xi Xia’s dream was for all the common people of this world to abide by the law. I was young and impulsive, bent on punishing evil and promoting good, and being a catcher was the only legal way to do so. That is all. Besides, I can no longer even control myself—how can I continue to serve the public office?"
Ming Yi stared at me, as if trying to discern the truth behind my words. After a long silence, he sighed softly. "I saw Master Ji only the day before yesterday..."
I cut him off sharply. "Master Ji has no connection to Xi Xia. I do not know what the Prince intends by mentioning him now."
Ming Yi stared at me, dumbfounded, stammering, "You... what did you say?"
I took a deep breath, my heart twisting like a knife was being turned in it.
"Xi Xia’s parents died when she was young, and she was taken in as an adopted daughter by Master Ji at the age of three or four. However, Xi Xia is unruly by nature and was never held in high regard by him. Two years ago, Master Ji cast me out of the family." I looked Ming Yi straight in the eye. I knew he didn't believe me, yet I gritted my teeth and forced the words out. "A year ago, when I joined the Ministry of Justice, I had no place to stay in Zhongjing, so I was taken in by Aunt Fu, the housekeeper of the Ji estate, to stay in a side courtyard. But when Master Ji found out later, he threw me out again."
The initial disbelief on Ming Yi’s face slowly gave way to a flicker of realization. I averted my gaze and said with finality, "Therefore, whether Xi Xia lives or dies has nothing to do with the Ji family. Whether the Ji family prospers or falls, Xi Xia will not give it a second thought."
I bit my lower lip so hard that the faint taste of blood spread through my mouth. I needed this sliver of pain to remind myself to stay rational; this was perhaps the moment I needed my wits most. I had to say this.
I could only say this.
I could not let my old man and my little mother be disgraced because of me.
If I failed to escape this great cage, the scandal of me being unmarried and pregnant would soon spread throughout Zhongjing. If it came to that, how could they bear the shame?
The only comfort I had was knowing that whether I lived or died, Ming Yi would use these lies—which he understood perfectly well—to shield my father. Furthermore, with Wu Xiu’s current rank being second only to the Empress and her carrying the dragon seed, it shouldn't be difficult to keep the Ji family safe. Moreover, destroying the Ji family would only embolden Empress Han and the Han clan. For Ming De, moving against the Han family was only a matter of time.
The look of realization on Ming Yi’s face was instantly replaced by horror. He opened his mouth and had just cried out, "You—"
A cold light flashed. The Tuliu Blade in my hand swept directly toward Shen Pei’s chest.
Shen Pei’s face paled as he hurriedly leaned his body back. The Tuliu Blade spun rapidly in my hand, and the rounded pommel of the hilt struck two acupoints on his right shoulder.
Shock flickered in Shen Pei’s eyes as he stumbled back two steps. His left hand suddenly shot upward, launching a flare into the sky. With a sharp *pop*, the flare burst into a cloud of conspicuous red smoke. This was the signal used by the Imperial Guard to summon reinforcements. Shen Pei usually prided himself on his martial skills and didn't carry such things.
I had been careless.
Before the red smoke overhead could even dissipate, a dark mass of soldiers surged from both sides of the street. At a glance, there seemed to be more to the west. This was likely a precaution in case I tried to flee via the West Gate, the nearest exit, so they had stationed more guards along West Street.
I leaped onto the back of the great black horse and tossed a quick word to the young guard, who stood paralyzed by the sudden turn of events: "I’m borrowing your weapon!"
Love You Ten Thousand Years let out a long neigh and charged toward the crowd to the west. Seeing our fierce momentum, the soldiers at the front of the line instinctively scrambled out of the way. Meanwhile, the soldiers from the east side of the street gave chase, and soon the two groups converged, surrounding me and my horse in a tight circle.
Though the Tuliu Blade felt a bit unfamiliar, its long handle was indeed perfect for combat on horseback. As I turned, I caught a glimpse out of the corner of my eye: a troop of formidable cavalry was galloping toward us from the end of West Street. Judging by their uniforms, they were the men of Han Nian, the General of the Nine Gates.
I quickly parried the blades and spears around me, reached into my robe with my left hand, and pulled out a packet of Puluo Incense I had prepared long ago, hurling it into the air.
Love You Ten Thousand Years understood perfectly. He swerved his head and charged toward East Street. I held my breath, gripped the Tuliu Blade, and knocked aside the soldiers blocking our path.
Man and horse flashed past the gates of the Ministry of Justice like a bolt of lightning.
In that split second, Ming Yi’s sorrowful gaze collided with mine. He seemed to be asking me with his eyes: *Why are you doing this?* I could only answer him silently in my heart: *Because my conscience is clear, I must leave with my head held high.*
Perhaps he understood, or perhaps he didn't understand my look at all. Love You Ten Thousand Years had already plunged into the narrow alleyway of Donglin Street. From here, if we headed north and crossed Pulin Street, we would reach the banks of the Xunfang River.
A strange commotion rose behind us, punctuated by the shouts and cries of many men. It seemed the Puluo Incense had taken effect. This mild hallucinogen could cause irritability and slight delusions. Though the effect would only last for half an hour, it was enough to stall the elite cavalry of the Nine Gates.
Because of the Imperial procession, several streets near the Ministry of Justice had been cordoned off. The streets that could normally fit two carriages abreast were now occupied only by two squads of Imperial Guards on patrol, totaling about forty or fifty men. Seeing someone in a Ministry of Justice uniform galloping wildly, these guards looked on in bewilderment. One man, who appeared to be a squad leader, spread his arms to stop me, shouting, "Officer—"
Love You Ten Thousand Years kicked him aside. The man fell backward into the arms of his comrade, and both tumbled onto the stone pavement. The remaining soldiers immediately drew their weapons and gave chase, while another patrol squad was alerted. Instead of coming to help, they quickly formed a battle line at the end of the street.
A sudden whistling sound came from behind. I quickly hugged the neck of the black horse and ducked low. A sharp arrow grazed my temple and struck the stone road with a *clink*, sending up a shower of sparks. At the same time, a familiar voice shouted from not far behind, "The Emperor has ordered: no arrows! Do not harm Officer Xi!"
Indeed, no more arrows were fired. However, now that they knew which way I was fleeing, I estimated that Shen Pei and the others would soon be upon me.
I fought my way out of Xilin Street at top speed. There should be one last checkpoint ahead of me.
This final, heavily guarded checkpoint was manned by none other than Captain Li, whom I had seen briefly this morning. Seeing me burst out of Xilin Street, he didn't say a word, simply leveling his spear and charging straight at me.
With a *clang* of clashing weapons, the webbing of my thumb went numb from the impact. I looked at him in surprise, but he only gave a cold smirk, his spear darting toward my chest like a venomous snake. The Tuliu Blade quickly entangled the spear, but to my surprise, he flicked it aside, nearly sending the blade flying from my hand.
In that moment of retreat, I glimpsed a troop of men and horses surging toward us like a tide from Xilin Street.
The tip of the spear reflected a sharp silver light in the sun as it lunged toward my eyes once more. I leaned back sharply, parrying the spear with the Tuliu Blade and sweeping it toward his waist in one motion. Captain Li pulled his spear back and parried the blade, his mount stumbling back two steps.
I stole a quick glance behind me. The tidal wave of guards was about to burst out of the mouth of Xilin Street. Worse still, several agile Imperial Guard experts were leaping across the high rooftops on either side of the street, closing in.
Gritting my teeth, I raised the Tuliu Blade and charged at Captain Li again. The Tuliu Blade was suited for hacking through crowds, but in a one-on-one duel like this, I was ultimately at a disadvantage due to my lack of familiarity with the weapon. After three or five exchanges, the Tuliu Blade was finally knocked away by his spear. The black horse veered to the side, and I lunged down from the saddle, striking a sword-bearing guard unconscious with a single palm. I snatched his long sword and leaped back onto the horse. Captain Li’s spear was already thrusting toward my back; through the layer of coarse cloth, I could already feel the chilling sensation of the weapon about to pierce my flesh.
At that moment, there was a sharp *ting*. Something struck the tip of Captain Li’s spear, causing it to veer off course. I swung my sword back and slashed his shoulder. Captain Li let out a muffled groan and tumbled from his horse.
Love You Ten Thousand Years lunged forward, leaping over the guards behind Captain Li and charging into Pulin Street like a flash of lightning. Pulin Street was not a commercial street, and there were usually few pedestrians. The recent skirmish had already sent the residents of Pulin Street scurrying into hiding. However, as I looked toward the end of the street, my heart sank again.
A dozen or so guards in bright armor were lined up in a neat formation, waiting for me. They must have circled around from the sides of Pulin Street while I was occupied with Captain Li. What made my heart tighten was that I knew all of them. Even from a street away, I could see Shi Yun’s grim face and the shocked expressions of Zhu Bao and the others.
I glanced behind me. The tide of guards had poured out of Xilin Street and was hot on my heels. However, the experts on the rooftops had noticeably slowed down. Just as I retracted my gaze, I saw the lead Imperial Guard on the left roof suddenly stumble and fall.
This must have been the work of the person who had secretly saved me with a hidden projectile. Knowing someone was helping me in the shadows, a sudden, inexplicable warmth surged through my heart.
And ahead of me, behind Shi Yun, Zhu Bao, and the others, was the grassy embankment of the Xunfang River. I could even hear the rushing sound of the water, echoing the hot blood surging through my veins.
I was very close now. Close enough to see the veins bulging on Zhu Bao’s hand from how tightly he gripped his saber.
Shi Yun took the lead, spurring his horse forward to meet me. His weapons were a pair of short axes—I had never seen him use them before. Perhaps he had been wary of me from the very beginning. I feinted with my sword, dodging his steady axes, then swept the blade upward toward his waist. Shi Yun threw himself backward, lying almost flat against his horse’s back. My sword quickly entangled his axes; after a moment’s hesitation, I tapped the tip of the blade lightly against his pulse point.
Shi Yun let go in shock, and the axe in his left hand hit the ground with a thud. Love You Ten Thousand Years streaked past him, heading toward Zhu Bao.
The pursuers behind me were less than ten feet away.
Zhu Bao and Zhu Mo closed in from the left and right, while the rest of the team followed behind them with a hesitant air. I raised my sword and parried Zhu Bao’s frontal strike, forcing it upward with all my might. To my surprise, Zhu Bao stumbled back two steps, and his saber clattered to the ground. His retreat happened to block Wang Hao behind him.
On the other side, Zhu Mo let out a great shout and charged fiercely with his saber raised. His style was different from Zhu Bao’s; his bright blade danced in the sun, creating a whirlwind of steel. I had only traded two blows with him when he roared again, his sturdy body suddenly toppling backward, horse and all, crashing into Li Chunjiao behind him. For a moment, the entrance to Pulin Street was a chaotic mess of fallen men and horses.
I knew exactly how much force I had used. Looking at the Zhu brothers and the familiar faces behind them, all shouting and falling over each other, I felt another urge to cry.
"Quick! Surround the embankment!" someone shouted from behind. "Boats! Get the boats, quickly!"
I dug my spurs in, and Love You Ten Thousand Years let out a roar like a dragon’s cry, bolting toward the riverbank. The sounds of battle blurred in my ears; I could only hear my ragged breathing and the violent thumping of a heart, though I could no longer tell if it was mine or his.
Love You Ten Thousand Years grew faster and faster, then suddenly leaped into the air.
My heart seemed to stop beating in that instant. My gaze drifted aimlessly over the tops of the mulberry trees on the far bank, reaching all the way to the tranquil fields and cottages in the distance.
A second passed, maybe two, and a blur of green rushed toward me at incredible speed. Then, my body jolted. Love You Ten Thousand Years had landed safely on the other side. Without a moment’s hesitation, he plunged into the depths of the mulberry forest.
Behind us, after a moment of stunned silence, a fresh wave of chaotic noise erupted. People were calling for boats, and others were frantically summoning archers. But all that noise was soon left far behind.
The next day and night remained a blur in my memory. Love You Ten Thousand Years ran like he was possessed—without a goal, without a direction, just running, running, running. The scenery was a smear of colors flashing past. As for me, I seemed to be in a state of half-waking, half-dreaming, like a clockwork doll that had been fully wound, leaving the reins entirely to my body’s instincts.
The horse and I finally came to a halt by a small stream the following morning. I had barely crawled off his back before I collapsed onto the soft grass and fell fast asleep.
I dreamed that I had leaped onto the back of the great black horse, with a trembling Gulita in my arms. The horse carried me across the boundless grasslands, racing with a wild, untamable heart, playfully dodging left and right as if trying to throw me off. He leaped into the air, carrying me and Gulita into the bone-chilling waters of a lake deep within the plains... I opened my eyes groalily, and the first thing I saw, just two feet away, was Ming Shao’s face, perfect as a statue. His eyelids fluttered, and he opened his eyes before I could look away. It was the first time I had looked into someone’s eyes from so close—they were very dark, very bright, and unfathomably deep. He looked at me, and for a fleeting moment, there was a dazed look in his profound eyes. Then, slowly, very slowly, a ripple of warm tenderness spread through them...
When I woke from the dream, my face was covered in tears.
The soft light of dusk filtered through the treetops, spilling warmly onto my face. Beyond the leaves was a sky as clear and blue as a gemstone—the sky of freedom. All around was silence, save for the gentle rustle of the wind through the branches.
Love You Ten Thousand Years nudged me, gently nuzzling my face. His large, golden-apple eyes shone with their usual warmth and trust.
I threw my arms around his great head, pressing my face against his neck, and wept aloud.
***
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A Dream of Justice: The First Lady Constable | Chapter 66 | Leap to Freedom | Novela.app | Novela.app
