Chapter 130: Heroic Rescue

The young soldier guided Feng Xiyang carefully out of the room, pushing back the surrounding Biaoji guards with quiet authority. Step by step, he brought her before the Holy Emperor. A Yulin soldier stepped forward, taking Feng Xiyang into his hands. Only then did the young soldier bow and kneel at the Holy Emperor’s feet.

“This subject acted on his own initiative… I deserve death. Please, Your Majesty—”

Before he could finish, the Holy Emperor’s boot shot out, slamming into him.
“You know you deserve death?!”

The soldier didn’t flinch, absorbing the kick directly. A thundering impact shook him to the core; he toppled backward, his fall halted only as steel blades were pressed to his neck.

Feng Suige watched helplessly as Xiyang fell into the Holy Emperor’s grasp. Frustrated, he stamped his foot and turned to rush toward Yi Xiao—but Xiao Weiran was faster, scooping Yi Xiao into his arms. Dodging Feng Suige’s outstretched hand, he said with a faint sneer,
“I’ve got this. Better take care of your people!”

Feng Suige glanced at Yi Xiao, fragile and pale, feeling a twinge of guilt. Yi Xiao, however, struggled lightly in Xiao Weiran’s hold, gripping Feng Suige’s clothes.
“That soldier isn’t bad… don’t make things difficult for him,” she whispered.

The Holy Emperor laughed coldly, his tone venomous.
“To escape, you exchange Feng Xiyang? Fu Yi Xiao… clever, vicious!”

Pressed under the sword’s edge, the soldier protested urgently,
“It wasn’t like that—”

“Then what was it like?!” The Holy Emperor stepped closer to the pale Feng Xiyang, his smile sly and predatory.
“If you died, the only obstacle between her and Xia Jingshi would vanish. Brilliant plan, isn’t it?”

Feng Xiyang spat at him but still shot Yi Xiao a glance of doubt. Yi Xiao’s chest tightened with anxiety and frustration. Feng Suige’s cold voice cut through the tension:
“Apart from using women as shields, do you only judge others by your own wolf-hearted, dog-lunged standards?”

He softened slightly as he turned to Feng Xiyang.
“Don’t listen to him. Even if Yi Xiao were your rival, she’d compete openly, fairly. You’ll be fine with your elder brother here.”

Xiao Weiran’s eyes flickered with admiration as he carried Yi Xiao past Feng Suige. He leaned closer, voice gentle:
“I’ll look after Yi Xiao. Rest assured.”

The Holy Emperor’s outward calm masked a growing panic. His carefully laid plans had been disrupted too many times. Gritting his teeth, he gestured to the Yulin soldier holding Feng Xiyang behind him.
“Since things have come to this, let’s end today’s affairs here. Grudges, rights, wrongs—everything can wait until I return to the Holy City. Let’s go!”

“Wait!” Feng Suige strode forward, eyes blazing. “You can’t just come and go as you please! Is this some kind of children’s game?!”

The Holy Emperor raised an eyebrow.
“So what if it is?”

Feng Suige clenched his fist tightly, a silent rage boiling.
“You can leave if you want—but leave Xiyang behind…”

The Holy Emperor sneered, pinching Feng Xiyang’s chin as he glanced at Feng Suige.
“I make the rules. Don’t like it? Fine—fight me to the death. With her by my side, it won’t be too lonely in the afterlife.”

Suddenly, Xia Jingshi stepped forward.
“Let her go, and I’ll go with you.”

Shock rippled through the courtyard.
“Your Highness!” “Think carefully!”

Raising a hand, Xia Jingshi silenced the murmurs and spoke calmly:
“She’s injured. If you’re still a man, don’t make things difficult for a woman.”

The Holy Emperor laughed, incredulous.
“Don’t play tricks… what are you up to?”

“I’m merely suggesting. Consider it,” Xia Jingshi replied firmly. “If anything happens to her, you won’t survive the consequences.”

The Holy Emperor’s expression turned serious. After a pause, he said,
“Alright. But you must show your sincerity.”

“Sincerity?” Xia Jingshi frowned. “And what would you consider sincere?”

“You must travel in the same carriage with me to the Yulin main camp,” the Holy Emperor explained, lips curling in a mocking smile. “Your guards may accompany you—but only at the outskirts. They cannot approach even one step, unless a special event occurs.”

The courtyard erupted. Officers shouted, swords clanged, the tension tangible.

Xia Jingshi studied the Holy Emperor for a long moment before glancing at him.
“Speaking of sincerity… shouldn’t Xiyang also be sent back?”

The Holy Emperor smiled faintly.
“Certainly. Everyone else, ten paces back. You may come forward slowly.”

Feng Suige’s eyes burned with warning.
“If anything happens to her before reaching the Holy City, Su Sha will not stand idly by!”

Xia Jingshi nodded calmly. Step by step, under the intense gaze of all, he advanced toward the Holy Emperor. Behind him, the soldier guided Feng Xiyang, moving slowly and deliberately.

Her eyes, fixed on Xia Jingshi’s face, brimmed with tears. She hadn’t misjudged him. As she had promised her father before the wedding, he would never abandon her.

Despite her uncertainty over what he endured during detention, she vaguely remembered hearing Feng Suige instruct the physician to save Xia Jingshi’s life at great cost. Even if she had faltered, the price had been paid. He couldn’t fall into the Holy Emperor’s hands again—he simply couldn’t.

As the pair neared one another, Feng Xiyang summoned every ounce of strength to wrench free from the Yulin soldier’s grasp, lunging at Xia Jingshi. Startled, the soldier staggered, instinctively drawing his sword.

“Princess!”
“Lady!”
“Xiyang!”
“Husband…”

The blade sliced through the air in a rainbow-like arc, grazing her back with excruciating pain. Her body arched beautifully, long hair flying, eyes burning brighter than ever.

Xia Jingshi caught her just in time. Chaos erupted: the Holy Emperor was pinned down by officers, and the four Yulin soldiers who resisted were cornered.

“Xiyang!” Feng Suige roared, snatching a sword and lunging at the Holy Emperor without checking her.

The captured Yulin soldier shouted wildly, horrified:
“You can’t harm the Emperor!”

With a clash of metal, Feng Suige’s sword nearly flew from his hand, the enemy’s blade snapping. Blood spurted from a gash at his tiger’s mouth. He looked up—meeting Xia Jingshi’s determined, unwavering eyes.
“Prince Feng… focus on saving the Princess. After all, he is still the Emperor of Jinxiu!”

It was Shang Yun, commander of the Biaoji camp, who had arrived with Xia Jingshi.

Note:

In this chapter, Yi Xiao and Feng Xiyang face life-threatening danger as the Holy Emperor manipulates events to his favor. Xia Jingshi’s unwavering loyalty and strategic actions reveal the depth of his dedication, while the young soldier’s bravery highlights the theme of personal sacrifice for duty.

It heightens the tension between duty, honor, and personal loyalty, showing the lengths characters will go to protect those they care about.