Chapter 2: Bait for Each Other
The snow outside the window gradually subsided, but the branches on the treetops were still weighed down and could not stand up straight.

Xiao Yan took the medicine, politely declined the maid's offer to support him, walked to the window alone, and looked out quietly.

Ji Ruxue held the sword in her arms, sat by the door railing, and looked out following his gaze.

A few sparrows had their necks shrunk by the cold wind, so they had no choice but to jump down from the branches and hop around in the yard, occasionally lowering their heads to dig for food in the snow. Although it seemed that they gained nothing, it was better than freezing to death on the branches.

In fact, compared to this, Ji Ruxue was more surprised at Xiao Yan's recovery ability.

When she found Xiao Yan, his injuries were already quite serious. Even if he was brought back and treated with special methods, ordinary people would be confined to bed for at least ten days or half a month. But the former had only lived here for two days and was able to walk on her own.

Even if he is a puppet emperor, can he practice martial arts?
She frowned slightly and looked at Xiao Yan's back. That night, while waiting for the maid to report to the two saints, she had carefully inspected the latter's palms and found that there were almost no callous scars on them that a martial artist would have. He was really like a born rich man, so clean.

Over there, Xiao Yan seemed to notice Ji Ruxue's gaze, so he turned around and asked her politely:
"Miss Ji, have you found any news about my enemies in the past two days?"

"Not yet. Caozhou has been in turmoil recently. The city gates are blocked every day. Officers and soldiers are arresting people and searching everywhere. I don't know if it has anything to do with you."

Ji Ruxue pondered for a moment, then continued to ask him: "Have you remembered anything in the past two days?"

Xiao Yan looked calm and said with a wry smile: "No... maybe the heavy snow froze his brain."

"Although you have lost your memory, I believe you can still remember that you learned martial arts before?"

"I think so. I don't have much impression in my mind."

While secretly observing his expression, Ji Ruxue continued to probe: "Did you have any companions that day?"

"Miss Ji should know this best." Xiao Yan shook his head and explained to her: "I can't remember most of the things that happened before I fell into a coma."

The girl fell into deep thought.

Xiao Yan also turned around and continued to watch the snow scene outside the window.

He understood that this girl was the one sent by Miao Chengtian to monitor him, and she just wanted to dig out the secrets about him.

All his words were naturally used to deal with them. Only he himself knew whether he had lost his memory or not.

The original body had a lot of troubles, and with a face that almost everyone in the world would be hostile to, it was very easy for him to fall into the situation of "escaping from the dragon's den and falling into the tiger's den".

There was a flash of indigo in his eyes.

The mechanical voice in my head sounded again.

"'Sword Intent' has been reloaded and is now activated..."

In fact, this was Xiao Yan's second time traveling through time.

In his previous life, he traveled to a high-level martial arts game world called "Sword Intent". He carried this "Sword Intent" with him. With this, he joined the Sword Sect and practiced smoothly all the way, becoming the youngest sword master in the world. However, when he was only one step away from becoming a sword saint, he was surrounded by enemy forces from all sides. A tiger cannot defeat many dogs, let alone the opponents who were almost helpless. In order to protect themselves, the sect also abandoned him and compromised.

Sure enough, within half a month, he died in a dilapidated temple.

When he woke up again, he had become this boy and inherited his memories.

Fortunately, although the person is dead, the "sword spirit" still exists.

The so-called "sword intention" is not just a "sword" as a carrier, but the will of the host is represented by the sword. Specifically, everything in the world can be used as a weapon, and all the skills practiced by the world can also be refined into consciousness by the host and used for his own benefit.

With this, he can protect himself.

Xiao Yan opened the wooden window slightly and watched the breath he exhaled turn into white mist in the wind.

He knew it when he heard the girl behind him leave the gate.

She took the bait.

----

In front of the warm room door, Ji Ruxue waited for a moment.

A maid came out and invited her in.

In the warm room, incense rose from the stove and lingered around the inkstone. Miao Chengtian picked up the brush, dipped it lightly in the ink, and then began to write.

Xuan Jingtian was adjusting the bowstring of a longbow in front of the table. When he saw her come in, he asked, "Miss Xue'er, have you found any clues?"

"I seem to have found a clue." "Oh? Tell me about it."

"That day, when I found Xiao Yan, he was unconscious in a dark alley, but he was covered by various objects. I just remembered that he might have companions outside."

After hearing the last part, Xuan Jingtian put down the bowstring and turned to look at Miao Chengtian who was writing at the desk.

"Sister, that's the truth."

The latter also stopped writing, her beautiful eyes slightly focused, and asked: "Has there been any fighting in the city in the past two days?"

"Never."

"Did Anzi deliver any news today?"

"I've been there before. There's still no sign of Prince Jiyin in the old residence of Uncle Clan. We've also carefully monitored several city gates day and night, but we've never seen anyone sneak out of the city."

After the former Li Tang emperor abdicated the throne to Zhu Wen, he was demoted to the King of Jiyin by the latter and placed in the residence of the former general Shuzong, so the residence is also called the Jiyin Palace.

Miao Chengtian thought for a moment and asked Ji Ruxue, "Besides this, is there any way to tell whether his amnesia is true or not?"

"I cannot confirm it for now. He has rarely talked to anyone in the past two days."

"You saved his life, but he still doesn't trust you?"

Ji Ruxue shook her head, "I don't know."

Beside him, Xuan Jingtian took her hand and said with a smile, "Is it because of Xue'er's cold face that the young man is not willing to get close to you? In my opinion, Miss Xue'er, you should not always look so cold. You two are both young people. If you get closer to him, maybe he will tell you the truth."

The girl felt a little uncomfortable, so she pulled her hand back and bowed to Miao Chengtian, saying, "I don't really understand. Since Saint Ji has determined that he is the deposed emperor, why do we need to stay in Caozhou any longer? If we bring him back to Fengxiang earlier, wouldn't it be less risky?"

"Xue'er, you don't know," the latter waved his hand and patiently explained to her: "You have been serving the empress before, and have never really set foot in the martial arts world, so naturally you don't know some of the tricks in the martial arts world. This matter of the same appearance is incredible, but in the eyes of a true disguise master, it can be accomplished in just a few years. We came to Caozhou this time, saving people is a small matter, and for the reputation and the justice of King Qi, that is the real reason."

"If this boy is from the Tongwenguan or the Liang thief Zhu Wen, wouldn't it ruin the reputation of the King of Qi?"

"My subordinate understands."

Miao Chengtian frowned and got down from the low couch with the small table on it. He walked back and forth and said, "Besides, without the Empress's instructions, we cannot act rashly."

"Sister, why don't we tell the boy the truth? If he really has amnesia, it won't be a big deal." Xuan Jingtian paused and suggested, "But if he is faking amnesia, why can't we take advantage of him?"

Finally, she added, "A sister down below reported that many of our hidden men seem to have been targeted by the Xuanming Sect because of the pursuit of the deposed emperor these days... The longer we delay this matter, the more likely it is that something bad will happen."

Ji Ruxue raised her eyebrows, thinking that this plan was feasible.

However, Miao Chengtian frowned and thought for a long time, then shook his head and said, "Everything depends on Feng Xiang's news. The situation is tense now, so it is not suitable to take the initiative... Maybe someone wants to see him lead us into a trap."

Xuan Jingtian had no choice but to pick up the bowstring again.

"Then follow my sister's wishes."

Listening to their conversation, Ji Ruxue felt a little worried, but she bit her lip lightly and suppressed her thoughts.

Finally, Miao Chengtian specifically told her, "Miss Xue'er, there are still unknown dangers in this matter, so you must not do anything dangerous again. The portraits of my sister and I have long been recorded in the Xuanming Sect's Book of Life and Death. Although you have never appeared in the martial arts world, your temperament does not match that of the sisters. If you don't have important matters in the next few days, don't go to the front building. The officials are searching closely."

"Follow the order."

----

Seeing the girl leave, Xuan Jingtian put down his longbow and couldn't help asking.

"Sister, isn't this too risky? This girl is on a mission with us for the first time. Before we left, the empress asked us to take good care of her. Should we..."

Miao Chengtian rolled up the dried letter paper, stuffed it into the letter tube, and said:

"The Empress once said that although Ji Ruxue has been serving her as a maid for many years, she is actually tough and stubborn, and has her own ideas when encountering things. She has been tempered for a long time, and the Empress will send her to the rivers and lakes sooner or later. We just brought the time forward. What's more, with you as a backup, she should be safe."

Seeing that Xuan Jingtian felt a little guilty, her expression was solemn.

"Just wait. You are using the lives of the sisters in Zuiyin Tower as bait. She will definitely fall into your trap."

(End of this chapter)