The Eldest Daughter is Delicate and Pretty, How Can She Be a Malicious Supporting Character - Chapter 75

Chapter 75: Sharing Hardships

Pei Lingyi looked back and saw that the assassins were almost surrounding him.

The fur coat he had thrown over his shoulders earlier was now discarded, revealing the dark blue robe underneath.

His posture was tall and straight, like a noble tree.

At that moment, he stood alone, and everything around him seemed to be silent. She looked back but didn’t look again.

Because she knew he wouldn’t be in danger. Besides, with her around, she wouldn’t let anything happen to him.

The woman lifted her skirt and hurried away, but her steps were steady and calm. She navigated through the plum forest, and the falling petals surrounded her, creating a beautiful scene.

Pei Lingyi’s face was calm, without any sign of panic or weakness. She looked up at the plum blossoms on the branches, but her eyes didn’t linger.

Everything that was happening today was exactly as she had planned.

Based on Xiao Yan’s martial arts skills and the number of assassins, she could roughly calculate how long he could hold out.

As the saying goes, it’s easy to add flowers to a brocade, but it’s hard to send charcoal in the snow.

If she wanted to break down his preconceptions about her, she needed to strike when he was at his most vulnerable. Since they had no chance of being in this situation naturally, she would create the opportunity herself.

Now that they had gone through this shared hardship, and he wasn’t truly a heartless demon, as long as he opened up his heart slightly, she was confident she could change his impression of her.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, the scent of blood gradually faded, and the only fragrance left was the sweet scent of plum blossoms. She slowed down, carefully examining the marks on the surrounding plum trees.

She had agreed with Layan and Luoxu to carve a plum blossom symbol on the trees. If she found the mark, she would blow a whistle under the tree, and Layan and Luoxu would know to bring the right people.

Although there were many plum trees, she could tell at a glance whether there was a mark or not. Finally, amidst the layers of trees, she spotted a small plum blossom mark carved on a trunk.

She took out a white porcelain whistle from her sleeve and gently blew it, producing a crisp sound loud enough for those hiding in the shadows to hear.

Before long, rustling sounds came from the surroundings, and the first person to appear before Pei Lingyi was Layan, who looked worried.

“Miss, are you okay? Let me take a good look at you,” Luoyan said, her voice filled with concern.

Even though she knew her miss was resourceful, it was still too dangerous. Those assassins were ruthless, and if anything had happened to her mistress, they would be guilty of a crime that deserved death.

Pei Lingyi’s face was calm, and she grasped Layan’s arm. “I’m fine, where’s Luoxu? Has Brother Xie arrived?”

Just as she finished speaking, footsteps came from a distance. “Miss, we’re here!” Luoxu called out.

Luoxu walked out from a distance, followed by a large group of people, all of whom were armed and looked skilled in martial arts.

The leader of the group had prominent eyebrows and a chiseled face. His eyes were dark, and he wore a black narrow-sleeved robe that exuded an aura of coldness and lethality.

Xie Chengjun had been worried, and when he heard that Pei Lingyi was in trouble, his face turned serious, and he rushed over quickly. However, when he saw the girl standing under the tree, he hesitated for a moment, taken aback by her beauty.

“Brother Xie, I didn’t want to trouble you today, but those assassins were skilled, and I had no choice,” Pei Lingyi said softly, her brow furrowed in concern.

“You were in trouble, and I couldn’t delay. Besides, Jingzhi asked me to take care of you before he left,” Xie Chengjun replied, his voice low and steady.

Xie Chengjun was a close friend of her brother’s, and Pei Lingyi knew him well. Today, although she had brought guards from the mansion, they were no match for the trained assassins.

So, she had sent a letter a few days ago, mentioning that she wanted to visit the Yunhua Temple to pray and feeling uneasy, she asked him to accompany her.
He had agreed immediately.

Therefore, when she first met Xiao Yan, she had asked Layan and Luoxu to find Xie Chengjun, and they would leave marks along the way. When she found an opportunity to escape, she would blow the whistle, and it would be natural for them to bring Xie Chengjun.

The man stood tall, his posture like a pine tree, each step he took exuding confidence and strength.

He walked forward slowly, carefully observing the girl. Seeing that her hair was slightly disheveled but she seemed unharmed, he said, “Since you’re fine, let’s leave this place quickly. I’ll deal with those assassins after you’re safe.”

However, the usually gentle girl shook her head, a rare sight.
“No, Brother Xie. Heir Xiao is currently fighting alone against those assassins without any guards. If we don’t go, I’m afraid he won’t have a good chance.”

“You’re talking about… Xiao Yan?” Xie Chengjun hadn’t expected Xiao Yan to be involved. When Luoxu came to find him, she was in a hurry and only mentioned that there were assassins in the plum garden and that Pei Lingyi was in danger. He had only heard that the girl was in trouble and had panicked, not knowing that there were others involved.

“Did Xiao Yan save you?” Xie Chengjun’s voice rose slightly as he picked up on the important detail in the girl’s words.

“No… we were both attacked, and Heir Xiao told me to run while he faced the assassins alone. Since he saved me, I couldn’t just leave him to face danger alone,” Pei Lingyi explained.

Xie Chengjun sighed softly and thought for a moment, quickly piecing together why the assassins had appeared suddenly.

Xiao Yan was young, but he had already become the Imperial Guard’s commander, known for his ruthless methods. Rumors said that those who were interrogated by him were often left half-dead. It was hard to believe that he didn’t have many enemies.

Obviously, the girl in front of him was implicated because of Xiao Yan. Yet, she was too kind-hearted, and despite being dragged into this, she still wanted to go back and save him.

Xie Chengjun didn’t know Xiao Yan well; he had only seen him from a distance a few times. His first impression was that Xiao Yan was sharp and ambitious.

However, given his noble status, Xie Chengjun hadn’t paid much attention to him. If Pei Lingyi hadn’t spoken up, Xie Chengjun wouldn’t have bothered to save Xiao Yan on his own. No one wanted to get involved in unnecessary trouble, and anything related to Xiao Yan was bound to be complicated.

“Since Heir Xiao is also there, let’s not waste any more time. We’ll go to rescue him. But it’s been a while since you escaped,” Xie Chengjun said.

“Whether he lives or dies will depend on his fate,” he added coldly.

He agreed to help only to avoid appearing heartless in front of Pei Lingyi.

For a moment, Xie Chengjun’s eyes softened as he looked at Pei Lingyi, but he quickly suppressed his emotions.

With a cold expression, he went to rescue Xiao Yan.