Chapter 009: The Poisonous Heart of the Wei Family

Cui Jingyu, draped in a fox fur coat, sat solemnly by the railing on the second floor, his expression grave. His features were striking, and he was enveloped in an air of sternness, a stark contrast to his usual leisurely and languid demeanor.

Dan Fei rolled her eyes and said, "I have a great fate, I didn't die in the sand's cry. What is there to be dissatisfied with?"

"How is it you?" Cui Jingyu and Liu Yujin spoke simultaneously. The former was asking Danfei, while the latter was inquiring about Wei Jiayin

Wei Jiayin was helped onto the horse by the guard. When no one was watching, she let out a long sigh and wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead

Jinniang has an aunt in Yuanzhou, so we came here to look for her. As it turns out, her aunt has also moved away with her family to escape the war.

Stop!

The cold wind swirls with fragments of snow into the pavilion. Snowflakes fall onto the table

What happened later?" Cui Jingyu said impatiently, "How is Ajiang doing?"

The attendant sighed and said: "Lady Duan, may the heavens favor you..."

Cui Jingyu squinted his eyes. Danfei looked at him calmly.

"The Turks have come!" A sense of panic instantly spread. The young men trembled, and the girls began to cry in fear.

Are you still there?" Danfei let out a sigh

At the time when Cui Jingyu followed Duan Yiyun out of the city to fight the Turkic soldiers, he had not yet developed a deep understanding of the situation and believed that being besieged was only temporary, expecting reinforcements to arrive soon. However, as the days passed, despair spread like poisonous weeds. It was not until he witnessed his uncle being struck by an arrow and dying that he felt as if he had been hit by a heavy blow, suddenly awakening to the profound realization that the country was on the brink of collapse

Chengdong Chunfeng Alley was originally the most prosperous place in the city, filled with numerous restaurants and bustling markets. However, at this moment, the merchants are hastily closing their doors and fleeing with their valuable possessions, leaving behind a scene of desolation

"Where is Ajiang?" Cui Jingyu suddenly tightened her grip on her arm, her tone sharp and severe

It is already noon, yet the sky remains as gloomy as dusk. Dark clouds fill the sky, swept up by a fierce wind, forming a massive vortex

Cui Jingyu took a deep breath, remained silent for a long time, and his hands trembled slightly

The city of Yuanzhou is currently engulfed in chaos and turmoil. News of the attack on Shaming has arrived, and the Turkic Khan is not satisfied with this modest victory, leading his troops directly towards Yuanzhou. With only a few soldiers stationed in the city, how can they withstand the Turkic forces? Consequently, the residents of the city are fleeing in droves, plunging the entire city into a state of panic

Cui Jingyu clenched his teeth and said, "Let's go!"

Cui Jingyu extended her slender fingers to brush away the snowflakes. Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside.

Cui Jingyu looked over one by one, and the more he looked, the more disappointed he became

At the moment when Cui Jingyu withdrew his gaze, he caught sight of a hand attempting to lift the carriage curtain, only to be pulled back by the guard with a whip. Immediately, the sound of a woman's weeping came from inside the carriage

The smoke of war rises in all directions, and the land is filled with scars. The once prosperous towns have withered in the blink of an eye, and the people flee in panic. Everywhere there is slaughter and death, families are torn apart, and people are driven from their homes.

"Hello, Cui Lang," Dan Fei called out in a low voice. "If you do not leave, I will go ahead with A Jin."

The guards reacted quickly and followed the young master as they leaped down from the tavern

The north wind howls, and the snowflakes fall like icy arrows

Cui Jingyu approached with his guards

Cui Jingyu cast a disdainful glance at him and strode towards the first carriage, swiftly lifting the curtain of the carriage.

Cui Jingyu sat in the now deserted Tai'an Tower, holding a glass of amber wine in his hand, his gaze distant, seemingly not having heard the words of the attendant.

Will Duan Ningjiang's vengeful spirit come to seek revenge on her again

Liu Yujin was about to speak when Dan Fei subtly tugged at her.

The man rushing to catch the bus was taken aback, hurriedly reaching for his waist. Before his hand could touch the handle of the knife, a piercing white light flashed, and a gash appeared on the back of his hand, drawing blood. The man cried out in pain, clutching his hand. Cui Jingyu kicked him down with a sideways leg.

We are late? Liu Yujin said dejectedly

The sound of crying drifted into Cui Jingyu's ears. He gasped, suddenly stood up, then grabbed his dagger, flipped over the railing, and leaped straight down from the second floor.

The dim sunlight filtered into the carriage, and a faint gasp was heard from within. In this small carriage, there were unexpectedly six girls squeezed together. Their ages ranged from ten to around twenty, and each one appeared disheveled.

Wei Jiayin, like a frightened fawn, hid behind Cui Jingyu, tightly clutching his robe, and said: "I have been separated from my family, and Gongzi rescued me"

Dan Fei's gaze swept over Wei Jiayin's wrist. Wei Jiayin clasped her hands together

Outside the building, horse-drawn carriages passed by one after another, carrying the panicked citizens fleeing in haste. Moreover, there were weary and sorrowful refugees, their faces covered in dust, dragging their families along as they made their way through.

Cui Jingyu pulled Wei Jiayin up and asked, "What are you doing here? Where is your family?"

At this moment, a military horn sounded from afar, the wind rose for thousands of miles, like wolves rushing and tigers roaring, carrying with it a chilling aura of death

My lord, we cannot delay any longer! We can still make it out of the city!" The attendant urged anxiously, "I dare to say, listening to this Lady Wei's account, it seems that Lady Duan is in grave danger. My lord, as long as the green mountains remain, we need not worry about firewood!"

Cui Jingyu was suddenly embraced by her and, in astonishment, asked: "Do you recognize me?"

The pampered young nobleman experienced the taste of suffering for the first time, and he also came to a profound realization of his own superficiality and incompetence

Upon considering this, Wei Jiayin broke out in a cold sweat, completely unaware of Dan Fei's profound gaze.

Wei Jiayin winced in pain, paused for a moment, and said with a hint of grievance: "Duan Dalang fought his way through a bloody path to escort us out of the city, sacrificing himself for the country. A group of people has been relentlessly pursuing us. A Jiang said that they are after her, and also mentioned that we need to go to Yuanzhou first..."

The guards of the Cui family surged forward, subduing the remaining individuals

Liu Yujin stared in surprise, and Danfei shot her a glare. She finally understood. Danfei was afraid that Wei Jiayin would resort to trickery, which was why she did not mention Duan Ningjiang.

The lights in the room have been turned on

The cry he just heard was very much like the one made by Duan Ningjiang. It is likely that the young girl's voice is similar, and he must have misheard it

My lord! The attendant said, "My lord, you should also think about the master and the lady at home; they are all waiting for your safe return to Chang'an."

Upon hearing this, the young girl hurriedly wiped her face and tousled her messy hair, revealing a dirty face, and cried out: "Cui Lang, my surname is Wei, and I am a close friend of A Jiang. We have met a few times at Sha Ming. My father, General Duan, is a military officer. Do you still remember, Cui Lang?"

How will Cui Jingyu view her if he finds out about the things she has done in the future

Cui Jingyu's eyes flashed with a sharp light, his body swayed slightly, and he wore an expression of disbelief

Wei Jiayin lowered her eyelids, concealing the emptiness in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she burst into tears, saying: "She and I fled in different directions. That group of people chased after A Jiang. I fear that she... may be in grave danger..."

Dan Fei and Liu Yujin hurriedly arrived at Tai'an Tower, only to find the doors and windows wide open, with no one inside the building

"My lord, someone else has arrived!" the guard reported.

Cui Jingyu pondered for a moment and led everyone into the room

"Rather than engaging in this useless chatter, it would be better to go out and find someone!" Cui Jingyu shot a sharp glance at the other party

A strong gust of wind swept through the room, and Danfei instinctively pushed Liu Yujin away with her other hand, drawing her short knife and swinging it. With a clang, the weapons clashed.

He leaned forward to look and saw several strong men driving two horse-drawn carts passing by. The men seemed to be in a hurry, constantly shouting and whipping the horses. The carts appeared to be heavily loaded, and the horses were pulling with some difficulty

Cui Jingyu's handsome face was dark and sullen, much like the sky outside the building. "From Shaming to here, a swift horse can cover the distance in a day. It has now been three days, yet there is not a trace of her. I am not concerned about where she might have delayed; I only fear that she has encountered misfortune"

Wei Jiayin cried out: "The city of Shaming has fallen, and my parents have been separated in the chaos of war. I escaped the city with A Jiang..."

"I will also go to Chang'an." Wei Jiayin's gaze flickered, "Both my uncle and grandmother are in Chang'an."

Wei Jiayin was in tears, "I am timid and incapable, and I do not dare to go back to save her, so I can only continue to run forward. I am merely a weak woman, and those pursuers are extremely ruthless. I... I truly feel powerless!"

"Let's go in and take a look first." Danfei left the horse outside and walked in with Liu Yujin

Cui... Cui Silang? Suddenly, a young girl widened her eyes, forcefully pushed aside those around her, and rushed towards Cui Jingyu, exclaiming, "Cui Lang, save me!"

Cui Jingyu stood in front of the carriage, blocking the way ahead.

"Just wait a little longer." Cui Jingyu downed his drink in one gulp and filled his glass again. "Is there still no news from outside the city?"

Thinking of this, Wei Jiayin gazed at the tall figure ahead. Cui Jingyu rode on horseback, accompanied by attendants, galloping towards the city gate, his back exuding a graceful and vigorous demeanor, embodying the beauty of masculine strength

No. Following the path, A San and his companions have been guarding the intersection from morning till night these past two days. Whenever they encounter anyone fleeing from the direction of Sha Ming, they will go and inquire. However, no one has seen Madam Duan.

"My lord, spare my life!" The leading man knelt on the ground, repeatedly bowing his head, "I only engaged in this act to make a living..."

Jinniang's parents and my mother have also passed away, and the Liu family has been destroyed. I will go with her... to Chang'an, seeking refuge with her uncle.

Wei Jiayin also cried and knocked her head, "It is all the little girl's fault! I did not save Ajiang. No matter how sad Cui Lang is, he must not give up on himself!"

Cui Jingyu stared at Danfei, "How did you find your way here?"

The attendant broke into a cold sweat. Although this young master from a noble family displayed a certain arrogance and reserve, his temperament was generally easygoing and he never harshly reprimanded his subordinates. However, if he were to become angry, it would be like a thunderous storm, unstoppable and overwhelming.

Duan Ningjiang sustained such severe injuries that day, he surely would not survive. Once Duan Ningjiang dies, no one will know of her actions on that day

Dan Fei immediately whistled, calling for Hong Ling, and mounted the horse with Liu Yu Jin

"Sir Silang, if you do not leave soon, the city gates will be closed!" The attendant anxiously paced back and forth, "The Turkic army is about to attack. The garrison in Yuanzhou is unlikely to withstand it. Do you really intend to take the risk of a city massacre?"

What was originally a moment of joyful reunion among relatives unexpectedly turned into a calamity, with war descending from the heavens, leading to the destruction of the nation and the loss of the family. The beloved uncle met a tragic death, and the whereabouts of the cousins remain unknown