The Marquis Is Innocent

(*) Shiyi, the ancient name of the county, was located in the southeast of Huilu County (now called Luquan District) in Hebei Province, in the western part of present-day Shijiazhuang City.

Xiao Qiao could barely open her eyes because of the wind. She was spinning on the horse, unable to distinguish between north and south, struggling to save herself out of an instinct, when a voice came to her ears: “Man Man! It’s me!”

This voice sounded familiar.

Xiao Qiao stopped struggling. The man returned her to a normal position on the horse. She opened her eyes and see a handsome face revealed under the bucket hat.

Liu Yan, the Heir of Langya!

She was surprised. Xiao Qiao never dreamed the person who appears and kidnaps her would be Liu Yan!

“Man Man, don’t be afraid! The carriage is waiting just ahead. I will explain to you when we get to a safe place!”

Liu Yan looked nervous. He glanced back behind him from time to time. After comforting Xiao Qiao with a few words, he clamped the horse’s belly hard. Gave it a heavy whip, and the horse let go of its hooves to run forward.

Xiao Qiao reacted.

“Heir Liu! I won’t go with you! Please let me go back!”

But Liu Yan didn’t listen. Instead of stopping, he whipped his horse harder.

A mouthful of icy wind filled her mouth, swallowing her voice, and Xiao Qiao choked and coughed.

There was a carriage parked on the roadside in front of them. The white horse carrying the two of them sped up to the front. Two people came down from the carriage. Liu Yan flew down from the horse, forcing Xiao Qiao, who was still coughing, into the carriage, followed by himself. After the door was closed, the carriage turned and headed east.

When he got on the carriage, Liu Yan looked relaxed and saw Xiao Qiao still lying there coughing. His face showed pity, with one hand around her shoulder and the other hand patting her back, whispering: “Man Man, did you get scared? Don’t be afraid. I’ll take you away. We will never be separated again!”

Xiao Qiao stopped coughing and straightened up her body, avoiding his hand that was circling her.

“Heir Liu! You can’t take me away like this! I must go back!”

Liu Yan was stunned and looked at Xiao Qiao for a moment, then smiled, his gaze bitter.

“Man Man, could it be that after two years of not seeing me, you have become unfamiliar with me? In the past, you wouldn’t have called me like that.”

……

Memories surfaced in Xiao Qiao’s mind.

Liu Yan came to the Qiao family at thirteen, returned to Langya at eighteen, became engaged to her the following year, and now he is twenty-one.

In the five years he lived in the Qiao family, he was treated with courtesy by the Qiao family, despite his fallen reputation. Qiao Ping hired the best riding instructor for him, searched for military books for him to study, and treated him with the courtesy of a guest. Xiao Qiao and he were in love, and the marriage was a perfect match.

If she were still the old Xiao Qiao, she would know how to face her former lover, Liu Yan.

But she is not the old Xiao Qiao anymore.

The deepest impression Liu Yan left on her was not his talent or love, but the nightmare that tormented her for so long in the last moments of her previous life.

In her previous life, Xiao Qiao and Liu Yan, as a pair of emperor and queen, had died together, and it was reasonable to say that they were faithful.

She can understand about Liu Yan’s harem.

But the gaze of the thirteen-year-old Consort Liu staring at her before she died still makes her shudder every time she wakes up from a dream.

She might also understand the way Liu Yan disposed of his harem, which was taken for granted in this era. But she couldn’t agree.

She also sympathized with Liu Yan, the sad emperor from her previous life, but she could no longer give the same affection to him as Xiao Qiao did before.

She could not afford to be held hostage by Liu Yan, and that was the only thought in her mind.

……

“Heir, uncle broke our marriage contract and married me off. It is our Qiao family’s fault to you. But today is not the same as before, I am not the old Xiao Qiao. I am already a married woman. I can only remember your deep love for me, and I wish you all the best in the future. Please send me back or let me go down nearby. General Wei should look for me soon.”

Xiao Qiao said.

Liu Yan remained looking at Xiao Qiao and reached out his hand again and clasped her hand.

“What are you talking about? I know they forced you to marry that Wei Shao. It wasn’t your original intention! Now I take you away. Isn’t that good?”

Xiao Qiao shook her head, “Heir, it’s still the same words. I appreciate your feelings. But I’m not the old Xiao Qiao. Besides, if you take me away like this, how can Wei Shao let it go? Where will you take me now?”

“Since I decided so, I have no intention of returning to Langya. The position of the heir apparent is not a priority for me either. People who came with me are devoted to me. The sky is far away. I will take you where no one can find us, and we will never be apart!”

His expression became excited as he spoke.

Xiao Qiao withdrew her hand from his, pulling it out.

“I’m sorry. I’m afraid I’m going to disappoint you. I won’t leave with you like this. Please let me go back.”

The redness on the two cheekbones that flushed from excitement faded away from Liu Yan’s clear and handsome face.

He just stared at Xiao Qiao, not moving and not speaking, as if he was decided.

The carriage was speeding along the road. Their bodies bouncing as the wheels rolled over, and the bumps were very strong.

The look in Liu Yan’s eyes made Xiao Qiao feel a little uneasy.

“Heir…..” she called him.

Liu Yan seemed to come back to his senses, and a smile reappeared on his face, said: “Man Man, you must be frightened so you talk nonsense. Don’t be afraid, listen to me. I have arranged everything. We will live well in the future.”

“Heir Liu! Giving up everything you have now for me is not worth it! I won’t go with you either. The past is the past. Please let me go!”

Liu Yan stared at her, the smile on his face disappearing once again.

“Man Man, you have confused me and made me disappointed.”

He said word by word, with a deep voice.

“You understand my heart, the sun and the moon can witness for three lifetimes! I have not seen you for two years. I miss you almost all the time in Langya. Last year, I take advantage of your uncle’s birthday to go to the East County. I was hoping to see you. I did not expect you to avoid it. I’ve been waiting for the wedding date, but your Qiao family sent me news about the termination of the contract. How can I live with myself? Even though I am incompetent, I can’t bear such a hatred of losing my wife! Two months ago, I was already on my way, but I never had the chance. Today, even the heavens helped me, allowing me to take you back again. I just don’t understand. What’s wrong with you? Do you have unspeakable secrets, or have you changed your heart and reneged on our former vow?”

“Man Man, I know you have a lot of concerns. But you just come with me. No need to think too much. After some time, you will figure it out. Have you forgotten what you said to me in the past?”

His tone became gentle again.

Xiao Qiao closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Heir, I ……”

She opened her mouth with some difficulty, and before the words fell, the carriage, as if it had met with some accident, suddenly slowed down. Because of momentum, Xiao Qiao’s whole body fell forward, and Liu Yan grabbed her.

“What happened?”

The carriage came to a halt. Liu Yan probed out of the window and asked in a stern voice.

He froze.

A few feet ahead, in the snow, a line of horse archers crossed the middle of the road. They blocking the way. They already stretched their bow strings out, ready to be shot.

Liu Yan’s expression changed and ordered the driver to turn around. In the snow behind him, the same seven or eight horse archers caught up with him. Then a horse came out of the side. On the horse sat a young general dressed in armor, holding a painted halberd. With a wild posture, pointing his halberd at the carriage, and laughing: “I am Chen Rui of Bingzhou! Heir Liu, leave Wei Shao’s wife. I respect you as a Han family, will not make things difficult for you!”

……

Chen Rui, the third son of Chen Xiang, the ruler of Bingzhou, is a ruthless man. The people of Bingzhou are afraid of him. Because he was born with a feminine face, they gave him the nickname “Jade-faced Rakshasa”.

A month ago, in the battle of Boling, Wei Shao defeated Zhang Jian, the general under the command of Chen Xiang, who lost his troops and was forced to retreat west. Chen Rui escaped from the defeat with Zhang Jian’s brigade, and was escorted by his own soldiers. After breaking the encirclement, he was left with less than 20 men.

He was young and vigorous. Competitive and meritorious and favored by his father. He had been displeased with Wei Shao for a long time. And in this battle of Bo Ling, he volunteered to lead the vanguard of the lieutenant, boasting that he would capture Wei Shao alive. Unexpectedly, he lost Bo Ling and ended up in such a mess. He was ashamed to go back and stay in the vicinity.

He heard that Wei Shao had recently gotten married and his wife was a Yanzhou woman, and the weather was getting colder. He thought he could not take advantage of the situation if he stayed any longer, so he was going back to Bingzhou. The next day, Wei Shao sent his wife to Youzhou. When he got the news, Chen Rui followed him all the way. He was afraid of Wei Liang’s strength and courage. He did not dare to come closer and make a rash move. It surprised him that today Wei Liang was a little negligent. He let Liu Yan succeed first. He could not let go such an opportunity. And he immediately chased after him, so he picked up a big bargain. How can he not laugh?

……

When Chen Rui saw there was no movement in the carriage, his face sank. He made a gesture, and the horse archers immediately released arrows. There was a scream from outside the carriage, and Liu Yan’s followers were hit by arrows and fell to the ground injured.

When the carriage stopped, Xiao Qiao thought Wei Liang had arrived, but suspected he could not have chased her so quickly. At this moment, hearing the groaning outside the carriage, Liu Yan’s face was extremely ugly. Shielding Xiao Qiao behind him. With one hand, clutching the handle of his longsword. The back of his hand with bulging veins, and his heart couldn’t help but shiver.

The Chen family of Bingzhou and Wei Shao were enemies, and she knew they had just fought in Boling last year.

If she knew she was going to fall into the hands of the Chen family, she would rather go with Liu Yan.

……

A footstep is near, and the door of the carriage is pulled open. Came a fair jade face, twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with a golden crown on his head and a lion barbarian sash around his waist. His eyes saw Xiao Qiao behind Liu Yan and immediately fixed, motionless.

Liu Yan was furious and pulled out his sword, pointing it at Chen Rui’s face, and said, “General Chen, Langya and Bingzhou have always been at peace with each other. What is the reason for your obstruction?”

Chen Rui also heard of Yanzhou Qiao girl’s beauty, but did not expect she was beautiful to this extent. Once he saw her, he almost lost his soul. He saw Liu Yan pulling out his sword and pointing at himself, then he came back to his senses. He was not annoyed and pushed the sword away with his finger. Raised his chin back, said: “Heir Liu, the number of people behind me is several times more than you. If not because you are a Han family member, how can I leave you alive today? “

Chen Rui’s horse archers surrounded him, and a dozen full-bowed arrow clusters were aimed at Liu Yan in unison.

“I advise you to know what’s good for you. This beauty does not belong to you. Therefore, it is not wrong for me to take her away. You should come down and leave the carriage for the wife of Marquis Yan. The weather is cold. I can’t let her freeze.”

Chen Rui grabbed the longsword from Liu Yan’s hand, and several horse archers climbed onto the carriage and dragged Liu Yan down from the carriage by force. Chen Rui took one more look at Xiao Qiao. Laughed loudly, closed the door of the carriage with a bang, turned on his horse and said, “We can’t stay here for long! Let’s go!”

“Chen Rui! If you dare to touch her, I, Liu Yan, and you will fight against each other…”

Liu Yan chased after him but he could not catch up. He could only watch as a group of people and horses swarmed around the carriage and sped away in the snow.

He ran wildly forward. Chasing out dozens of paces away. His feet stumbled and finally fell to the ground.

For a long time, he slowly raised. Half kneeling in the snow, looking in the direction where the carriage disappears. Trembling with his eyes red, looked like he was crying and laughing.

……

When Wei Liang chased until here, the blood on the ground and the ruts of the carriage had been covered up by the snow. Only from a few arrows that are still stuck in the snow can be deduced what probably happened a few moments ago.

A passerby had delivered a message to him, saying that someone had asked him to convey the wife of the Marquis of Wei had fallen into the hands of Chen Rui in Bingzhou. Wei Liang wanted to ask more, but the passerby said he knew nothing else.

He had sent someone to report to Wei Shao as fast as possible, and he should receive the news in a day or two.

Wei Liang is blaming himself, while anxiously looking into the distance.

The people who had been sent out to gather news of Chen Rui’s carriage and horses returned, and some had seen them going to the southwest.

From experience, he deduced Chen Rui should have taken the lady with him to Shiyi, hundreds of miles away. It was the closest city to the border between Wei Shao and Chen Xiang’s territory, and had a large contingent of Chen Xiang’s men and horses.

T/N: The author keeps changing between Marquis Wei and Marquis Yan. It’s the same though. Yan is the title and Wei is the surname.