CH 60.1

Meng Huan didn’t expect Cui Lang to show up here.

An Chui was a foreigner on the verge of defecting.

Cui Lang was acquainted with him.

Did the Cui family collaborate with the enemy to betray the country?

Meng Huan raised his eyes in a daze. After a few days in captivity, he looked unkempt, but his eyes were still bright under his dark hair, and his skin was fair, like the refreshing dark green in summer.

As he guessed so, Cui Lang fell on his knees, shocked and outraged. “Princess, this junior is too late to save you!”

Why did he kneel?

Meng Huan blinked, a little confused about the situation. Cui Lang turned his head and roared, “Still not untie the princess! How dare you!”

It seemed that An Chui had not informed Cui Lang about Meng Huan’s kidnapping, and Cui Lang disapproved of him.

However, Meng Huan didn’t immediately take a liking to Cui Lang.

It was possible that this group of people didn’t come up with the price, with evil tricks in their stomachs. The Cui family could not be innocent anyway.

Cui Lang’s face was full of sweat, looking genuinely fearful. “The prince regent is going crazy these days. The city gates are locked, inspecting in and out. The word is out that the relatives of a major official are missing. On top of that, the county yamen runners, the prince’s guards, and even the Jingyi guards of the Northern Zhenfu Division have been used! You truly don’t even want your life! How dare you kidnap his wife!”

An Chui, being scolded by him, looked fierce and hostile. “I’ve already kidnapped him.”

“Then why don’t you untie him?”

“Why should I?” An Chui gently pressed his whip against his palm and shrugged indifferently. “Just use him to threaten Lin Bozhou~.”

“Threaten Lin Bozhou?” Cui Lang looked like he was about to spit out a mouthful of blood, and his vision blackened, trying to make himself clear. “An Chui, although you are Mao Chengchang’s adopted son, you were sent to the Cui residence as a hostage. I have treated you well all these years, but do you want to put me and the Cui residence to death?”

This speech was pitiful and heavy., but An Chui looked relaxed. “When did I ever think of putting you to death?”

“Have you ever thought about our Cui family? The Cui family has received the emperor’s grace and works for the court, but the hostages we have taken in our house have kidnapped the prince regent’s wife! Wouldn’t that be a collaboration with the enemy and betrayal of the country? An Chui! You’ve known me for so many years and have been in the Cui family for so many years. We can’t afford this label of betraying our country and collaborating with the enemy!”

When Cui Lang spoke, his body was trembling.

Meng Huan was a bit confused as a bystander, feeling that Cui Lang was still righteous, young, and energetic, not quite like an actual treacherous person.

An Chui was silent for a while. “I kidnap mine; what has it to do with you? This label will not fall on your head; the consequences are all on me.”

“Wrong! I watched you kidnap and attack the princess without stopping it. I’ve already been charged with collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country.” Cui Lang ran towards Meng Huan. “Untie the person immediately!”

But after he said these words, An Chui grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back violently, his shoulder hitting the door panel heavily.

An Chui’s eyes were dark and murderous. “I’m telling you, I’ve already kidnapped him. It’s impossible for me to let him go!”

As he said it, he took a big step forward and yanked up the chain holding Meng Huan. “At most, I will leave now and never drag your Cui family down again!”

Cui Lang stood in place, his face full of distress.

An Chui’s clansman behind him came forward and took Meng Huan out the door.

Cui Lang shouted angrily behind him, “The prince regent’s iron cavalry will be coming over soon! How far can you run!”

Hearing the words ‘prince regent,’ Meng Huan twisted his head to look at him, but the ropes around his wrists tightened, and he was violently yanked forward by An Chui, his feet gently swaying.

It was pouring rain in the courtyard, and they were hurrying. Without rain gear, they suffered from the torrential rain that fell wildly on their faces, wetting their clothes, flowing down their ears and necks into their clothes, and sticking the wet clothes tightly to their skin.

An Chui’s eyes squinted back to Cui Lang. “I have been in the Cui residence for three years. I am indebted to you for caring for me these three years, but I will never submit to the Han. When the time comes, I will fly back to my homeland, stretch out the wings broken by you, and become the eagle flying in the sky.”

His voice paused, “The next time we meet again, it may be my iron cavalry that breaks through the capital, but I will leave you alive.”

An Chui dragged Meng Huan and stepped into the rainstorm. “Goodbye.”

Their conversation finally ended.

The rain drenched Meng Huan’s hair as his boots entered the muddy puddles. Hearing these words, he knew An Chui had decided to invade the Great Zong.

Then, he would do what he wanted: leave the capital and return to Jurchen’s Sanbu, north of Liaodong.

The torrential rain washed over his whole body, and a chill invaded his bone marrow. Meng Huan’s teeth chattered slightly. He was now covered in chills, but not more than the fear of what would come.

How would Lin Bozhou still find him if they really took him out of the capital?

Did he have a chance to return?

The further things were delayed, the more variables would be added.

–He must not leave the capital.

But when Meng Huan walked slowly, the rope was pulled tight again. His shoes splashed in the muddy water, and the backs of his feet became sticky and wet–it was not his choice whether to leave or not.