Chu Yunge looked up at Pei Ji, momentarily speechless.
The kind of heroic rescue scene one only saw in idol dramas had played out on her.
No, perhaps even idol dramas rarely featured anything like this.
When watching idol dramas, she had mocked some of the exaggerated tropes, but now that it had truly happened to her, she had to admit she felt truly grateful.
“Your Highness? Are you still hurt?”
“No.” Chu Yunge came back to her senses. “What about you?”
“I’m fine.” Pei Ji let out a breath of relief, though his legs still felt weak. “Do you know how dangerous that was just now?”
Falling from such a high place—he had felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest.
He had almost been too late.
Really, just a tiny bit more and it would have been.
“You scared me to death. That was too reckless.”
“I just didn’t want to get caught by Zhao Zeng. Besides, I had planned to use him as a cushion, but then an accident happened.”
Chu Yunge remembered Yan Feng. “Yan Feng is in danger. Go save Yan Feng.”
She wondered how he was doing.
Pei Ji, who had just caught his breath, nearly choked. “Why don’t you show some concern for me?”
Chu Yunge hurriedly glanced at Pei Ji and saw that he was drenched from head to toe, his hair soaking wet.
“You…”
Pei Ji sat up and touched the back of his head. In order to catch Chu Yunge earlier, he had not minded getting smashed once, and it seemed a bit swollen now.
But at least he was fully awake now.
“Aphrodisiac.” Pei Ji spoke irritably.
Chu Yunge understood. The Chu Emperor had plotted against her by first dealing with the people around her, and Pei Ji had been a primary target.
“You noticed?”
“I’ve roamed the rivers and lakes for so many years; I can still detect a trick like that.”
He had noticed a bit too late, though. In the end, it had delayed him for quite a while. He had tried every method, even using water, before sobering up and rushing over.
“Thank you for saving me,” Chu Yunge said gratefully.
“No need for your thanks.” Pei Ji’s tone was somewhat gloomy.
Seeing that Chu Yunge had gathered a courtyard full of Yan People male courtesans—not even sparing such young boys—Pei Ji was naturally annoyed with her.
Annoyed as he was, he had failed to protect her last time and had always felt guilty about it. This time, he could not let anything happen to her again.
Seeing Chu Yunge hesitate as if wanting to speak, Pei Ji gritted his teeth. “What, thinking about Yan Feng again? You sure care about him.”
He pointed with his hand. “Isn’t he right there?”
“Your Highness!”
Yan Feng was covered in blood—not sure if it was his own or others’—as he struggled to catch up.
“Watch out behind you!” Chu Yunge glanced over and shouted a sharp warning.
Yan Feng did not turn his head. He spun around and precisely blocked the blade coming from behind.
But then came a second blade, a third…
Chu Yunge hurriedly called out, anxiety filling her eyes. “I’m fine. Focus on protecting yourself.”
“Your Highness, watch out.”
Yan Feng looked at her again, but his gaze shifted to behind her.
Chu Yunge was just about to turn when Pei Ji grabbed her hand.
Pei Ji drew his blade with a reverse grip and dispatched the attacker behind her with a single move. The sound of a heavy body hitting the ground followed.
“Don’t look back. Stick close to me.”
Pei Ji kicked away the black-clothed man who died with eyes wide open and glanced back at Yan Feng.
“Too busy to handle your own fights and still keep staring? What are you looking at? Focus on your enemies.”
Chu Yunge was right by his side—did he think he would let anything happen to her?
“Do you think Pei Ji is dead?”
“Pa!”
Pei Ji’s face darkened as he reached back precisely and caught an arrow shot from behind—with his bare hand.
He then flung it back, and the arrow instantly pierced the throat of the black-clothed man trying to sneak attack from the rear.
Chu Yunge’s eyes widened in surprise as she gained a true understanding of Pei Ji’s martial prowess.
Feeling Chu Yunge’s gaze of shock and admiration, Pei Ji’s lips curved up. He rolled his neck.
“Wen Xin, Wu Kui—kill.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, blades flashed and swords clashed everywhere.
Pei Ji’s martial arts were formidable, and with Wen Xin, Wu Kui, and the others, the tide turned in an instant.
Everyone around Chu Yunge was killed, not a single one left alive.
Chu Yunge felt like she had danced a… waltz.
In any case, Pei Ji pulled her left, then right, spinning her around and around. When she finally focused again, the people around them had basically all been killed.
And Pei Ji had not gotten a single drop of blood on him—of course, neither had she.
Yan Feng’s side was still troublesome, though. There were even more black-clothed men there than around them—about two-thirds of them had gone after him, determined to kill him and refusing to stop. They continued their despicable, shameless attacks targeting Yan Feng’s little Yan Feng.
They had pulled the full hatred from Zhao Zeng.
“Pei Ji, hurry and help Yan Feng! They’re shameless and vile, just seeking revenge for losing half their men earlier.”
Chu Yunge pushed Pei Ji. “Go protect him!”
Pei Ji did not hesitate and headed toward Yan Feng without stopping, but he felt it was strange. Helping Yan Feng was one thing, but protecting him? What was that about?
As he killed, Pei Ji spoke up. “I’ll only help him stay alive.”
“They’re all men—what’s wrong with helping out? You should understand his feelings the best. Besides, if you help him today, maybe one day he can help you.”
Why would he ever go through something like this? Absolutely not.
“That day will never come.” Pei Ji stated it categorically as he blocked an arrow aimed at Yan Feng’s lower body.
“Here it comes again—that cold arrow shooter is back, still shamelessly aiming down there.”
Chu Yunge looked at Pei Ji. “Pei Ji, do you know where the archer is? Can you deal with him?”
“There’s no one I can’t find or eliminate, but you…”
That archer was a major problem; he did need to be dealt with.
“Wen Xin, Wu Kui.”
Pei Ji quickly decided and called out. Wen Xin and Wu Kui tacitly moved to protect Chu Yunge.
Wen Xin and Wu Kui had no problem protecting Chu Yunge, but… that meant they could not help Yan Feng anymore.
The pressure on Yan Feng’s side increased again.
All the attacks against him were dirty tricks—forcing him to guard his head and rear at once. He dodged another monkey-steals-peach dirty move and was pushed back repeatedly until he retreated to Chu Yunge’s side. When Chu Yunge steadied him, Yan Feng’s face instantly flushed red.
He was angry, and also embarrassed.
He had just said he would protect the Princess well, but in the blink of an eye, he had failed—and the Princess had seen him in such a wretched state.
Though he had roamed the rivers and lakes for years and seen many scenes, this was the first time he encountered such a desperate and shameless fighting style.
It was utterly disgraceful—who fought with moves like these?
Swords, arrows, that was one thing, but they even went mad enough to bite with their mouths.
His face flushed with rage, completely unaware that this fighting style was actually one his Princess had invented.
His Princess had been shameless against Zhao Zeng, so Zhao Zeng’s men had become like this.
It was karma Chu Yunge had created, now rebounding onto Yan Feng.
“Don’t worry, Your Highness. They’re just too shameless, that’s all.”
Yan Feng feared bringing danger to her and also scaring Chu Yunge, so he slightly shifted away from his injured shoulder. Seeing Wen Xin and Wu Kui could protect Chu Yunge well, he was just about to move away when Chu Yunge grabbed his hand.
She was not blind—she had seen the blood seeping from Yan Feng’s injury as he exerted himself.
Yan Feng’s face was bright red, but his lips were pale.
If this continued, he would lose strength. One slip, and he would be in danger—maybe even little Yan Feng would have problems.
If it got cut off halfway too… no.
Chu Yunge glanced at Wen Xin and Wu Kui, who were blocking arrows from another direction. She reached out, wrapped her arm around Yan Feng’s shoulder and neck, and said in desperation, “Carry me.”