Chapter 0008: Should One Become a Beast

Li Xuan said: "Oh, feel free to speak if there is something to discuss"

Well, this issue is somewhat complex and cannot be easily resolved with a single statement. It depends on the specific circumstances, and further careful study should be conducted based on those circumstances. Perhaps, at that time, it may be possible to reach a conclusion...

The first half of this statement, "do your best," actually signifies that Li Xuan has rejected her proposal. Currently, he is solely focused on escaping this place and will not engage in actions that could hinder his escape, such as provoking Liu Bagou and Fang Dongquan.

Then I shall first express my gratitude to Young Master Li. My father is an official of the court, and when the time comes, I will clarify to him that you were forced to do these things. At that time, the court will surely not pursue the matter! Miss Dong's eyes have already begun to show a glimmer of hope for leaving this place alive

He did not say that he would definitely take them away, but rather that he would take them away if there was an opportunity. Although he made promises without asking for money, when the time comes, no one would hold him accountable if he did not keep them. However, deceiving a young girl is ultimately not a very honorable thing to do

The latter part, however, is to give her a promise that if the marriage tomorrow is unavoidable, he will not tarnish her purity; the best outcome would be to stage a performance and then part ways to escape their respective fates

However, if it meant paying the price of his life just to help her, Li Xuan asked himself if he could do it

It is easy to imagine that it would not be easy for Li Xuan and his few companions to leave secretly, let alone to take along the two servants of Miss Dong.

However, this time Miss Dong did not speak as readily as before; instead, she hesitated for a moment before finally summoning the courage to say: "Please, Master Li, decline this marriage proposal!"

At that time, it became even more difficult to leave secretly on one's own.

Because the purity in Li Xuan's eyes and the purity in her eyes are two different matters. For Li Xuan, as long as that layer of membrane is not broken, it can be considered that her purity is preserved

As Li Xuan, who possesses the soul of a person from a later generation, it is absolutely impossible for me to witness a woman walking down the path of suicide

If outsiders were to learn that she was abducted by bandits and forced into marriage, she would have no purity left to speak of

However, even with his words, Miss Dong's expression still did not look good, and she remained silent for a long time

So he simply chuckled and said: "Then I will leave it to Miss Dong from now on"

Just looking at the glimmer of hope in Miss Dong's eyes, Li Xuan could not bear to extinguish her hope, and immediately said: "If there is an opportunity at that time, I will take you all away"

However, for the young ladies of the Dong Miss era, being abducted by bandits was already associated with the loss of their purity. If they were then forced to marry someone else, even if there was ultimately no conjugal relationship, it would still completely ruin their chastity.

Since ancient times, feudal dynasties have never been lenient towards rebellions, especially those led by individuals who have legitimately ascended to the throne. It is quite normal for them to execute the entire clan, and as the son of Li Erbi, there is absolutely no possibility of being spared.

Li Xuan said with a bitter smile: "What kind of emperor is this? It is merely a group of foolish villagers from the mountains amusing themselves. If I had the chance, I would be eager to escape from this place right now"

This matter is simple to discuss, yet it can also be considered quite tricky

After a while, she said: "I have one more request for you, Young Master Li!"

If Li Xuan were to oppose, regardless of whether the opposition would be successful, it would inevitably leave a negative impression on Liu Bagou and others, thereby increasing their vigilance against him

Perhaps it was the hope of escaping this place that led Miss Dong to contemplate more deeply, and then, as if recalling something, her expression once again turned somber.

Take you all with you? However, Li Xuan hesitated

However, now that he has met Miss Dong, it is evident that although she is currently speaking to him in a gentle and amiable manner, even lowering herself to seek his favor, Li Xuan can still perceive a hint of determination in the woman's eyes

The Miss Dong and her servant from across the way were captured, and Li Xuan was not worried that they would go to Liu Ba and the others in Gaomi to say that they were planning to escape

Thus, Li Xuan found it difficult to make a decision for a moment. Initially, he had planned to let Liu Ba and the others act recklessly, allowing them to handle matters such as marriage as they pleased, after all, as a grown man, he would not suffer any loss from getting married.

Therefore, even if he managed to escape from this bandit den, he would not foolishly seek out the authorities, nor did he plan to continue residing in this county; instead, he would choose to flee to another place and live a life in obscurity.

Miss Dong's expression changed slightly, and before she could speak, the little maid beside her spoke up: "Liar, they all call you the Emperor!"

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Miss Dong's eyes once again filled with hope: "Are you planning to escape from this place, young master? If so, could you take us along with you?"

However, regarding Miss Dong's words, Li Xuan was not concerned. Even if he claimed to the court that he was forced to become emperor, and could even deceive others by saying that he had never ascended the throne, the fact remained that his father, Li Erbi, had indeed ascended as emperor last year, and this was known to the authorities. There was no way to escape the title of a 'pseudo-Tang prince'.

Thus, after revealing a faint bitter smile, he said: "I will do my utmost; however, Miss Dong, please do not worry. Even if this matter is unavoidable, I will not tarnish your purity."

However, upon hearing these words, Miss Dong's face turned pale!

Listening to her disjointed words, Li Xuan initially did not react, but soon he understood what Miss Dong meant by the marriage matter. It was that Liu Bagou and the others wanted to marry this Miss Dong and make her their consort, oh no, rather, the empress of the Great Tang Dynasty

Seeing her like this, Li Xuan could only let out a sigh and then left the wooden house on his own

Yesterday, when he was discussing with Madame Bai and Bai Yunqi, he clearly realized for the first time the crisis he was facing. Firstly, this bandit stronghold is located deep in the mountains; when they initially entered the mountains, they had to walk for an entire day. Moreover, there are many insects and beasts in the deep mountains, and the dense forest lacks any established paths.

Without a guide, one might wander in the deep mountains for several days without finding a way out, and it is possible to venture even deeper.

He is currently struggling to take care of himself, so it is naturally acceptable to help her within his means, for instance, if possible, to take her away with him.

Especially, she is a beautiful woman who evokes sympathy

Looking at Miss Dong's pale face, with her white teeth lightly biting her red lips, she almost bit her lips until they bled, while Li Xuan was still unaware of what she was worried about

Moreover, the so-called marriage tomorrow is merely a performance in Li Xuan's eyes, a play intended to deceive Liu Bagou and the others. Once they escape from this place, who will remember that they were once forced to marry in this bandit den

Moreover, even if it were true, Li Xuan is not a beast; if she is unwilling, would he really force himself upon her

If she is unable to preserve her chastity, it is likely that this woman may resort to some extreme actions, perhaps even resorting to hanging herself or biting her tongue to end her life in a fit of despair.

First of all, based on the discussion he had yesterday with Madame Bai and Bai Yunqi, it is certain that in the short term, they must feign compliance with Liu Bagou, Fang Dongquan, and their associates, in order to prevent them from resorting to desperate measures such as confinement.

Moreover, although Li Xuan appears to be wandering aimlessly in the valley, he has been stopped several times by the bandits guarding the outskirts whenever he attempts to reach the perimeter. The bandits, while polite and addressing him as Your Majesty and His Highness, refuse to let him leave the valley no matter what he says, claiming that it is dangerous outside and that venturing out recklessly could lead to peril.

At that moment, he said: "Miss Dong need not worry, if we are able to escape from this place, outsiders will not know what has happened here"

After reaching the age of thirty, for Liu Bagou, who is entirely focused on supporting the young lord, this is an essential undertaking that he will not easily abandon