Chapter 0007: This is a lifelong private agreement

Upon hearing this, Li Xuan revealed a faint bitter smile: he himself wanted to leave this cursed place, as for letting her go, his words did not count at all; it would only be valid once Liu Bagou and Fang Dongquan nodded in agreement

The delicate oval face bore a slight expression of sorrow, within which there was also a hint of panic. A pair of small hands, as white as jade, rested on the table in front of her, intertwined with each other, gripping tightly enough that the marks of pressure could be seen on her skin.

At first glance, Li Xuan seemed somewhat perplexed, but upon closer inspection, he noticed that the little maid who had been crying yesterday was stretching half her head out of the window, her small hands waving continuously while her mouth opened and closed, as if she were speaking something in a hushed tone.

Since she spoke to him kindly, Li Xuan naturally would not put on a sour face. He immediately responded in a friendly manner: "I have met Miss Dong!"

The young maid nodded and said, "My young lady has something to say to you"

On this night, Li Xuan slept uneasily, at times dreaming of his parents and girlfriend from a past life, and at other times dreaming of soldiers chasing after him across the mountains and fields, to the point that he was awakened from his dreams in the middle of the night

He could only furrow his brows and gulp down a large bowl of traditional Chinese medicine

As Li Xuan looked around, within a radius of several dozen meters, apart from the two women guarding the wooden house, he was the only person present. It was evident that the young maid was not calling out to the two women at the gate, so her target was very clear: it was him

Now, hearing Bai Yunqi refer to himself as Xuan'er, it indicates to Li Xuan that this person is likely on his side, rather than on the side of Liu Bagou and the others. Previously, he and his mother, Madam Bai, were discussing matters, and it is highly possible that they were talking about escaping from this place

In simple terms, it is that Liu Bagou and his associates brought about their own demise, while also dragging down ordinary villagers like Bai Yunqi in the process

If an 'emperor' can be as peculiar as this, it is likely that he is unparalleled in history. Not only is he a mock emperor in a remote valley, but he is also coerced into this position, possessing no real power, merely a puppet for show.

However, the current situation clearly does not allow for any scenarios reminiscent of those found in storybooks.

However, although she bore a look of fear, her words remained normal; one could only hear her voice, like that of a yellow oriole, saying: "I have seen the young master!"

Li Xuan knew that not long ago, when the government troops attacked Li Family Village, apart from some individuals who were executed on the spot by the soldiers, most of the villagers scattered and fled. In the chaos, Bai Yunqi's family also became separated from him, and now their fate remains unknown.

But will Liu Bagou and Fang Dongquan agree?

Looking at her appearance, she seems to be merely a girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old, yet she has encountered such a calamity, being robbed by a group of bandits, and furthermore, she is to be married off to a rebel emperor from a mountain valley. It would be abnormal for her not to feel anxious or afraid.

The next morning, Li Xuan stepped out of the door and began to wander in the valley as he had the day before. However, his purpose had shifted from the simple aimless wandering of yesterday to observing the bandit hideout here, searching for a route to leave when the time came

Out of hundreds of people, only about twenty or thirty managed to survive and escape to this place; the others either were killed by the authorities or disappeared without a trace.

She is afraid

Since yesterday, when I was forcibly brought to the throne by Liu Bagou and his group, whether it is Liu Bagou or the other ordinary people in the bandit den, each and every one of them calls me Your Majesty or Your Highness

As he spoke, he also wore a face full of anger

Upon waking, I found that my back was already soaked with cold sweat; the scene in my dream of being pursued by officials and soldiers was truly terrifying

At this moment, Lady Bai also said: "Indeed, Liu Bagu and the others are all madmen. If they were to find out, they would certainly not allow us to leave!"

Before long, someone brought more medicinal soup, which was very bitter, and it was unlikely that there would be any sugar in this remote and impoverished area to alleviate the bitterness

Today, I have invited Young Master Li to discuss an important matter! Miss Dong continued, saying: I hope Young Master Li can agree!

Li Xuan said, "This matter is not that I do not wish to, but rather that I am powerless to do so"

Upon hearing Madame Bai directly state that Liu Bagou is a madman, Bai Yunqi also remarked: "Last year, when he incited my brother-in-law to act as if he were the emperor, I already knew this person was not normal. Unfortunately, at that time, we were also ignorant of the situation, thinking that our antics would not attract the attention of the court. Who would have thought it would escalate to this point!"

The impossible has become a reality; they have already regarded Miss Dong as the future 'Queen'. Tomorrow, they plan to marry her, so how could they possibly let Miss Dong go

This statement sounds like it aligns with Li Xuan's impression of a refined young lady. Yesterday, her nonsensical accusation even led Li Xuan to believe that she was some kind of scholar loyal to the court.

However, her expression today seems somewhat different from that of yesterday

After discussing among themselves, Li Xuan was sent back to his wooden cabin by Lady Bai.

Li Xuan said: "Alright, it seems that uncle you also understand the gravity of the situation, and did not foolishly mess around with Liu Bagou and the others. However, when you contact the others later, be cautious and do not let Liu Bagou and his group catch on!"

"I do not wish to hide it from you, Miss Dong. Everything here is not my intention; I am just like you, at the mercy of others!" With that, Li Xuan let out a sigh.

Li Xuan would certainly not agree without thinking; he did not even know what Miss Dong wanted him to help with. Therefore, he said, "Oh, I am not aware of what Miss Dong needs, but please feel free to mention it"

Miss Dong said: "I do not know if Master Li can allow me to leave; I would be immensely grateful, and in the future, I will certainly present a substantial gift in return!"

It is impossible not to drink this; after all, his illness has not yet fully recovered. How can the illness improve without taking medicine? And without recovery, how can one have the strength to traverse the mountains and escape this place

Upon entering the wooden cabin and slightly adjusting to the dim light inside, Li Xuan saw Miss Dong sitting quietly by the simple wooden bed, just as she had the day before. She was still wearing the same pleated skirt from yesterday, and her hair was somewhat disheveled

However, after wandering for a long time, as Li Xuan passed by the wooden house where Dong's daughter was being held, he caught sight of a delicate little hand stretching out from the window, continuously waving

And the goal, quite evidently, is oneself

Immediately stepping into the wooden house, the two women guarding the door recognized Li Xuan and, aside from nodding and bowing, did not obstruct him

Although Bai Yunqi is illiterate and cannot read a single character, he understands that if Liu Bagou and the others had not acted recklessly, his brother-in-law Li Er would not have engaged in the game of claiming the throne and establishing a regime. If that had not happened, the officials and soldiers would not have come, and the Li family village would not have suffered such a great calamity

Hearing Li Xuan's words, Miss Dong on the opposite side was also taken aback, clearly not expecting Li Xuan to say such a thing

This further strengthened Li Xuan's resolve to part ways with Liu Baogou and the others, as continuing to associate with them would inevitably lead to a fate similar to that of his father, Li Erbi, who had met a tragic end at the hands of the officials and soldiers.

At this moment, Bai Yunqi glanced at Madam Bai, and after she nodded slightly, he said: "Xuan'er, I will contact a few others when I return. Once we are prepared, we will quietly leave this place!"

The young lady instructed the maid to convey a message, stating that any words should be directed to her personally. If the situation were to change, Li Xuan would have no choice but to suspect that Miss Dong had taken a liking to him and wished to privately arrange a lifelong commitment.

He walked over immediately, without entering the wooden house, but instead said from outside: "Looking for me?"

This address not only sounded harsh, but also made Li Xuan feel a deep malice: because they were trying to drag him down to death with them