Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 188 Xie Zhang

Chapter 188: Chapter 188 Xie Zhang

"Right leg, she fainted." Fang Lingjun sobbed, grabbing the dangling rope and tying it around Fengyu’s waist. Xie Xun and Fang Chuning held onto the rope and pulled her up.

Xie Xun had been searching for half the night, worried and anxious, finally seeing her. The personal guards held up torches, lighting up the cave entrance as bright as day. Fengyu’s face was ashen with purple, the poison had spread throughout her body, and Xie Xun looked at her with eyes wide with pain, tenderly touching Fengyu’s sweaty face even while unconscious, "What snake bit her?"

"It was a green snake, Ayu applied herbal medicine on her right leg."

Xie Xun tore off Fengyu’s shoes and socks, rolled up her pants, and saw her entire calf was black and blue with swelling. Fang Chuning took one look and hurriedly said, "It should be a green leaf snake, Zhang Lingzheng can treat it, go find him quickly."

Xie Xun quickly picked up Fengyu, mounted Zhuifeng, and galloped wildly out of the camp, with Feiying and Nuanyang following closely behind.

Fang Chuning released the rope and pulled Fang Lingjun down, noticing that her hands and wrists had been stung by poison bees, fortunately not too serious. Fang Chuning urgently asked, "Were you bitten by a snake?"

Fang Lingjun burst into tears in Fang Chuning’s arms, "Brother..."

She was full of vigor, unlike someone with snake venom, Fang Chuning relaxed and gently comforted his sister, "Alright, alright, don’t cry, Fengyu will be okay."

Fang Lingjun cried heartbreakingly, as if greatly wronged, with tears and snot all over Fang Chuning’s lapels.

Fang Chuning sighed and said, "Junjun, crying like this, you look so ugly."

"Brother!" Fang Lingjun stomped her foot, wiping her eyes messily.

"Alright, alright, your eyes are swollen from crying, really ugly." Fang Chuning bent slightly, his fingers gently wiping her tears, "What happened?"

Fang Lingjun said, "It’s all Cai Wensen’s fault, knocking down a beehive. Those poison bees chased us and bit us. Ayu and I were avoiding the bees and got bitten by a venomous snake. I wanted to carry Ayu back to the camp but fell into a trap. I woke up hearing you calling for me."

Fang Chuning looked into her eyes, "Didn’t meet a single person along the way? Why not ask for help?"

His pronunciation was especially clear, Fang Lingjun paused, her brother’s eyes were distinct in their black and white, shining sharply in the torchlight, creating a certain pressure. Fang Lingjun, understanding his heart, got angry, "Didn’t see a single shadow, I even fell into a cave, how can you scold me? If I saw someone, wouldn’t I ask for help? I couldn’t carry Ayu myself."

"Alright, Missy, stop fussing, let’s go back to the camp."

"Brother, I can’t walk."

Fang Chuning clicked his tongue, picked her up horizontally onto the horse for shared riding. Xie Jue’s shadow guards, One, Two, and Three, had been following behind him, disappearing midway for a moment. One and Two appeared silently behind them. Fang Chuning glanced back at the shadow guards and galloped out of Xiyanshan.

Chen Mo was hidden in the dense leaves of a tree, watching Fang Chuning lead people out of the jungle. Chen Mo remained on the branch, unmoving and silent.

The forest was silent and still, Chen Mo’s breathing slowed, the only sounds in the forest were the rustling of the wind and the occasional birds and beasts. Xie Jue’s shadow guard Asan emerged from the darkness and quietly left.

Chen Mo, like an eagle hidden in the night, hovered in the dark.

The camp was as bright as day, Emperor Jianming hosted a banquet to entertain Dugu Jing and the Beiman envoys, with Marquis Zhenbei and Lin Hongyuan leading civil and military officials in attendance. It was a men’s banquet, with dancing girls performing in the center stage, songs, dances, and drinks, harmonious and pleasant.

Everyone from the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion, except Xie Xun, was at the banquet. Yet Emperor Jianming noticed the absence of Fang Chuning and asked about it. The Fang Family was very close to the Yuwen Royal Family, though Mrs. Fang was from a collateral branch, her father and brothers were idle members of the royal family. She was favored by the late Empress and raised in the palace, holding a status equal to a princess. The status of a favored royal family member and an unfavored one was vastly different. She and Prince Qi’s mother were cousins, and her marriage to Marshal Fang was a union between the Yuwen Royal Family and the noble family.

After Emperor Jianming ascended the throne, he treated the royal family with favor, with Mrs. Fang receiving the most preferential treatment among the Yanyang Royal Family. However, in reality, Mrs. Fang was more loyal to the late Emperor. Her relationship with Emperor Jianming’s family was rather bland. The late Emperor was more adept at balancing, with many royal family members marrying into noble families, to maintain court equilibrium.

A general under Fang Chuning’s command stood up and said, "Miss Fang is not feeling well, the Junior General is accompanying her in the tent and will come later."

Hearing this, Emperor Jianming sent an Imperial Physician to check on it, showing his concern.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess Consort sat on Emperor Jianming’s left in the first row, followed by Prince Duan and Lin Hongyuan. The main officials from the Secretariat and the six ministries were present. The grand secretary was unwell and did not accompany them to the hunting grounds. On Emperor Jianming’s right, the first row was Marquis Zhenbei, followed by Marquis An Yuan, Xie Zhang, mostly military generals. Prince Kang and Princess Huazhen sat behind the Crown Prince.

Dugu Jing sat directly below Emperor Jianming, slightly ahead of the Crown Prince and Marquis Zhenbei, as a sign of respect. The Beiman envoys sat with him in a semicircle, directly facing the stage.

After a dance, Emperor Jianming smiled and asked, "Does Prince Nine enjoy Yanyang’s dances?"

Dugu Jing stood up and bowed, saying, "Beiman does not love dances, preferring wrestling, I wonder which warrior of Yanyang would dare to contend with this prince? Let Emperor Yan Yang experience our Beiman customs."

The Yanyang Family did not enjoy wrestling, finding it crude and violent, preferring refined activities. However, in the Ningzhou army, wrestling was common. Marquis Zhenbei moved his neck, showing some impatience in his expression.

The Beiman Royal Family and Marquis Zhenbei Mansion were deeply hostile both publicly and privately, difficult to resolve privately. Sending a junior officer would seem disrespectful to him. Dugu Jing surely wanted his third son to step forward. Ting Feng, if he did, would meet King Yan with a single punch. Zhixu was not present at the banquet and had gone to find Fengyu. Even if he were at the banquet, the poison in his left leg spreading was a constant risk, being an old enemy of Dugu Jing, who knew his weakness.

What about Shouyu... Only if absolutely necessary, Marquis Zhenbei did not want Xie Zhang to step forward, as Dugu Jing was a formidable opponent, even Xie Xun and Fang Chuning would find it difficult to gain an advantage in a solo fight. Xie Zhang’s advantage was not in close combat, if he lost, it would damage his prestige.

He would rather Xie Xun fight Dugu Jing in physical combat, if Xie Xun lost, it would not affect the reputation of the iron cavalry.

"Is there no one among the brave warriors of Yanyang’s iron cavalry who dares to fight this prince?" Dugu Jing’s gaze fell directly on Xie Zhang, the Eldest Young Master continued to drink undisturbed, still as the wind.

Feng Shu sat beside Su Yuejiao, looking at his back, her palms sweating from nerves. Everyone knew Dugu Jing was as fierce as a tiger in physical combat, her brother had little chance against him.

He intended to humiliate the Marquis Mansion in front of everyone.

Several young generals under Marquis Zhenbei’s command stepped forward, asking to fight Dugu Jing, all with fiery eyes, since Dugu Jing openly challenged, the iron cavalry had no reason to retreat.

Dugu Jing was about to mock them.

"I’ll do it!" Xie Zhang put down his wine cup, stood up, and cupped his fists, "Since Prince Nine has such refined interest, this general will accompany you to the end."

The young generals desperately tried to stop him, but Xie Zhang raised his hand lightly, suppressing their momentum. Dugu Jing had already issued a challenge at the city gate, if he did not respond, or sent someone else to the fight, it would damage the prestige of the iron cavalry.

There are no generals in Marquis Zhenbei Mansion who fear battle.