My Love Rivals Have All Reborn - Chapter 11

The feeling of a knife pressed against her neck was terrible. After being reborn, Xiao Kuning felt the constraint of her previous life returning.

Had she known this, she should have strangled Xie Yu when she was drunk just now and gotten it over with.

Since they were going to die together anyway, she might as well drag Xie Yu along and fight her on the road to the Underworld.

Soon, the sound of fighting outside stopped. Just then, footsteps piled up, and the knife resting against her neck trembled. Xiao Kuning took a sharp breath. Killing and taking hostages also required courage.

The footsteps stopped outside the carriage window. She could feel the knife moving slightly closer to her skin, almost about to cut through it.

“Second Miss Xiao, the assassins have all been apprehended.”

Xiao Kuning did not dare to respond. What did the capture of the assassins have to do with her… Wait, all apprehended? That meant it wasn’t Xie Yu’s doing. If she had come to kill her, why bother capturing the assassins? That would be redundant.

Xie Yu wanted to tell the person holding her hostage that he was the only one left, so he should not struggle.

Then, Xie Yu spoke again: “Second Miss Xiao, are you alone inside?”

Xiao Kuning almost fainted. The person who was usually so clever was suddenly acting like a fool. An assassin had brazenly broken into her carriage. How could she be alone?

Was she blind?

With the knife at her throat, she dared not make a sound. She subconsciously looked at the black-clad assassin beside her. The damned Xie Yu outside spoke again: “Second Miss…”

“Shut up…”

Xiao Kuning could not bear it any longer. When did this woman become so nagging, so annoyingly slow?

After her angry outburst, the assassin also trembled and spoke: “Grand Tutor Xie, we originally came for your life. We didn’t expect this Second Miss Xiao to take your place. If we kill her, we can at least report back.”

As expected, these were assassins looking for Xie Yu. Xiao Kuning’s face turned pale. She was truly cursed with bad luck to have gone out with her.

The ground outside was covered in corpses. The Zhao family’s people had all been killed by the assassins’ blades. If the people secretly protecting Xie Yu hadn’t appeared, Xie Yu would have surely died under the blade.

Yu Yin stood behind her, her eyes fixed on the carriage curtain fluttering in the wind. Through the uneven gaps, she could see the glint of the knife inside the carriage.

She did not dare to move. “Teacher, should we let them go?”

Xie Yu did not respond. Xiao Kuning, inside the carriage, secretly contemplated. Wouldn’t Xie Yu take this opportunity to kill her?

An assassin of unknown origin mistook the accompanying Second Miss Xiao for Grand Tutor Xie. She was unable to be saved in time and died instantly. A perfect, flawless excuse.

If she died like this, Xie Yu would be completely at ease, no longer worrying about her leaking secrets day and night. She swallowed her saliva and spoke to the assassin in a low voice: “Xie Yu is untrustworthy and cannot be believed. I have shown kindness to her, yet she won’t even save me. When I die, you will die too. Why don’t I help you leave the city? You can go wherever you want.”

The assassin was tempted. The pair of eyes outside the face covering flickered uncertainly. He was thinking.

Xiao Kuning held firmly to her belief. If Xie Yu wouldn’t save her, she would save herself.

“Think about it. I am just a frail woman. I certainly can’t beat you. After leaving the city, I won’t stop you from leaving.”

The negotiation took place inside the carriage, while outside, there was a murderous silence.

Yu Yin, who heard Xiao Kuning’s words, twitched the corner of her mouth. Second Miss Xiao is truly foolish. After leaving the city, would the assassin, once free, still care about her?

Xie Yu, standing in front of her, showed a helpless expression upon hearing those words. How did she teach such a stupid student? She motioned for Yu Yin to step forward, while she addressed the assassin: “Second Miss Xiao’s identity is too insignificant. Why don’t I exchange myself for her and send you out of the city? How about that?”

Exchange people? Xiao Kuning was startled. The assassin holding her hostage already showed an ecstatic look: “Good, we’ll listen to the Grand Tutor.”

Xie Yu is going to exchange herself for her? Dream on. Wake up.

The assassin originally came to kill Xie Yu. He only took her hostage after failing the assassination. In other words, she was just a backup. Now that Xie Yu was offering herself, the assassin was pleasantly surprised and would certainly not be very cautious. As soon as he revealed himself, he would be killed.

She couldn’t warn the assassin. In case Xie Yu became enraged and killed her before killing the assassin, everything would be over.

“Second Miss Xiao, don’t be afraid. Please lift the curtain and slowly step out.”

Xie Yu’s voice was steady as a mountain. Then came a silence.

The assassin smiled and moved, still holding Xiao Kuning. Just then, he realized something was wrong. Xie Yu held a high position. Why would she willingly exchange herself for a young girl? There must be a trick.

Realizing this, he gripped the knife tightly again and shouted to Xie Yu: “Everyone says Grand Tutor Xie is full of schemes and has a vicious heart. Why would she care about the life or death of this young girl?”

The assassin was not stupid; he clearly sensed something was wrong. Xiao Kuning almost wanted to beat Xie Yu to death. Absolutely no one believed her.

Xie Yu stood outside the carriage window, her figure tall and slender, her expression indifferent, staring intently at the fluttering curtain: “Second Miss Xiao has shown me kindness. Naturally, I care. I am merely repaying a debt of gratitude. If others knew I disregarded the life of my benefactor, I would surely be scorned.”

The assassin’s heart tensed, and Xiao Kuning’s heart was already in her throat. Cold sweat broke out on her back. Did Xie Yu still remember her kindness?

She’s lying! If she remembered the kindness, why would she force her to be buried with the Emperor in the previous life?

Xie Yu’s words were only convincing to a three-year-old idiot; she didn’t believe them.

She understood Xie Yu, but the assassin did not. He only assumed Xie Yu was desperate to repay the kindness and mindful of her reputation. Since the mission failed today, he would die upon returning anyway. Since death was certain, he might as well take these two with him so he had company before the gates of hell.

He lifted the carriage curtain and saw Xie Yu standing alone outside the window. She wore a brand-new white garment. Her figure was motionless, her waist slender, her wide sleeves like lotus petals, and her demeanor noble. Standing there, she was reminiscent of the Luo River Goddess—pure and untouched by dust, her features as exquisite as a painting by a master artist.

Had he not known her identity earlier, judging her by her appearance, he would surely have mistaken her for a mountain hermit and been deceived.

He shook the knife in his hand: “Then I trouble Grand Tutor Xie to get into the carriage.”

Xie Yu refused: “If I get in the carriage, and you don’t release my benefactor, won’t I have fallen into your trap?”

Xiao Kuning swallowed under her gaze. Xie Yu smiled faintly at her, like a spring breeze or a ripple, gradually calming her down.

The assassin did not want to let go, but feared Xie Yu might abandon her for the sake of the old matter, sacrificing the greater gain for a smaller one. So he said: “You drive the carriage, and we will leave the city.”

Xie Yu stood under the setting sun. The reddish light was behind her, making her figure appear ethereal. She shook her head and refused: “In that case, you still haven’t released my benefactor. I cannot agree to that.”

“Stop talking nonsense! If you don’t get in, I’ll kill her!” The assassin was enraged, vicious and impatient.

Xie Yu had no choice. She walked towards the carriage, and Yu Yin behind her urgently pleaded: “Teacher, she cannot be trusted.”

Xie Yu did not answer. She sat in the carriage, picked up the horsewhip, and lashed the horse’s flank. The horse bolted forward.

Qingcheng was small. The carriage moved quickly, constantly dodging pedestrians. The carriage body swayed from side to side, causing the two people inside to be violently tossed around.

Xiao Kuning was entirely unbalanced, unable to stand still. Even the assassin’s knife slipped from her neck. The assassin’s face changed, and he shouted outside: “How are you driving this?”

Xie Yu replied leisurely: “This is my first time driving. I lack experience. Please bear with me.”

Bear with her? Xiao Kuning felt like throwing up. Xie Yu’s delicate appearance certainly made it seem like she couldn’t drive. But if she couldn’t drive, why was she showing off her capability?

After fifteen minutes of jolting, the carriage reached the city gate. Suddenly, the carriage lost direction and crashed toward the city wall. Someone shouted: “Jump!”

The assassin heard the shout and pulled Xiao Kuning as he jumped off the carriage. Xie Yu had already vanished.

In the moment they jumped, as fast as lightning, an arrow grazed Xiao Kuning’s cheek and instantly struck the assassin’s head.

Blood splattered all over Xiao Kuning’s face. Her vision was stained crimson. She felt like she had taken another trip across the Bridge of No Return.

When she hit the ground, the pain woke her up again. The fall was so hard she couldn’t get up.

The assassin’s body lay beside her, the shock before death still present. His eyes were wide open, showing how accurate the archer’s shot was. The smell of blood made her sick. A corner of a snow-white robe appeared in her peripheral vision. She struggled to climb up, extremely disheveled.

Xie Yu calmly handed her a handkerchief, her gaze fixed on the blood on Xiao Kuning’s cheek. She said lightly: “You’ve been frightened.”

Looking at the corpse beside her, Xiao Kuning threw up on the ground.

She vomited uncontrollably. She had seen so many dead people in her previous life, but she had never been this close to death before. One moment, he was threatening her with a knife, and the next, he was lying dead.

After vomiting, she averted her eyes, not even looking at Xie Yu. She staggered up, swaying for two steps before finding her balance. When she took a step, she felt a piercing pain. She was likely injured from the fall.

The devil Xie Yu! Nothing good ever happened when she met her. Years ago, she was chased and nearly killed after meeting her. Even after being reborn, she was still being targeted for murder.

She brushed away the handkerchief Xie Yu offered. Limping, she walked toward the Zhao manor. She never wanted to have anything to do with Xie Yu again in this life.

Nong Qin came down from the city tower, an arrow quiver still on her back. Seeing Xiao Kuning’s stubborn retreating figure, she kindly said: “Teacher, she is angry with you.”

“I know. You may be quiet now.” Xie Yu brushed off the dirt on her sleeve and walked to catch up with Xiao Kuning: “Today’s incident was my fault for implicating you.”

Xiao Kuning’s face was deathly pale and she was still traumatized. She didn’t want to deal with Xie Yu at all, but the memory of Xie Yu’s murderous acts in the previous life flashed through her mind, making her feel terrified. She stopped and said: “Teacher is being too polite. It’s not your fault.”

Her tone sounded like she was pouting. Xie Yu’s eyes softened. There was a carriage ahead. She called Nong Qin: “Send Second Miss Xiao back to the Zhao manor.”

Xiao Kuning’s leg was injured, and she couldn’t walk far.

Nong Qin nodded in agreement and led the carriage over. Xiao Kuning was momentarily stunned. She turned and looked at Xie Yu: “Does Teacher know who is behind this attack on you?”

Qingcheng was sparsely populated, and there was no one around now, only the soldiers guarding the city gate staring at the two of them.

Xie Yu offered the snow-white silk handkerchief to her again, her gaze lingering on her blood-stained cheek. Fair skin with bright red blood—the white was translucent, and the red was enchanting. She was momentarily lost in thought.

Xiao Kuning realized her chance and dared not refuse again. She accepted the handkerchief tremblingly and wiped the blood from her face.

Once her hand was empty, Xie Yu recovered her senses and said calmly: “In any case, it won’t be me.”

Xiao Kuning, in the midst of wiping, paused. She subconsciously looked up: “No one would kill themselves.”

Xie Yu smiled: “There is. A fool would kill oneself.”