12dz Chapter 1913 Captured!
Chapter 1913 Captured!
"Let's go! To the west gate!"
Dugu Jia lowered his voice and spoke to Liu Xiang, who could hardly walk, with an unquestionable resolute tone.
She didn't dare to walk on the wide main road, so she could only pull Liu Xiang and, like two rats in a gutter, they chose to walk through the narrow, dirty, and intricate alleys.
They avoided any roads with Chu troops and, relying on their familiarity with the streets of the imperial capital, sneaked towards the west in the chaotic Chang'an City, moving with difficulty and fear.
Every time they looked out at the alley entrance, every time they heard the Chu army's scolding in the distance, they were frightened and cold sweat soaked their camouflage clothes.
The desire for life supported Dugu Jia, while Liu Xiang became a complete vassal of his mother, following numbly, with only extreme fear of an unknown fate in his eyes.
The road leading to the west gate is full of unknown dangers, but it is also the only possible way of survival that Dugu Jia can think of in desperation.
She gambled everything, including the lives of the two substitutes and the escorting guards, just for this slim chance of survival.
To Dugu Jia and Liu Xiang, the road to the west gate seemed long and dangerous, and every step was on the edge of despair.
Like frightened birds, they shuttled among the broken walls and chaotic crowds, avoiding any sight that might bring danger.
The closer we got to the west gate, the more shocking the scenes on the street became.
Black smoke was emitting from the burned houses, and the corpses that had not been cleaned up in time emitted a foul stench. The looting behavior of some ruffians became more rampant.
The sporadic Chu army patrols were like hunting wolves, scanning every suspicious target with sharp eyes.
Dugu Jia held Liu Xiang's hand tightly, his nails almost digging into his son's flesh.
Liu Xiang completely lost the ability to think and just followed his mother instinctively. His face was as pale as paper and his eyes were dull, like a puppet with his soul taken away.
Finally, the tall and majestic West Gate Tower, which had changed hands, appeared at the end of the sight.
The city gate was not completely closed, but half open, allowing a small number of people who had passed inspection to enter and exit.
Teams of Chu soldiers in shining helmets and armor replaced the former Han army guards, firmly guarding the city gates inside and outside, with stern expressions, vigilantly watching anyone who tried to approach.
A not-so-long queue formed at the city gate. Most of them were people who wanted to escape from this dangerous city. They came with their families, their faces filled with fear and panic.
Some scattered Han soldiers took off their uniforms and mixed in with the crowd, trying to sneak through. The Chu soldiers strictly questioned and inspected everyone who left the city.
Seeing this scene, Dugu Jia's heart sank.
With such strict inspections, how could these two "eunuchs" and "little eunuchs" get out?
Especially Liu Xiang. Although he changed his clothes and smeared dust on his face, his delicate skin and tender flesh formed by his pampered life and the nobility left between his brows were still subtly different from those of a real palace maid of the lower class.
But now that things have come to this, they have no way out.
Turning back would only lead to death.
Dugu Jia took a deep breath, forced himself to suppress the fear in his heart, pulled Liu Xiang, lowered his head, and mixed into the end of the team waiting to leave the city.
She lowered her head even lower, imitating the frightened people around her, her body slightly hunched, trying to completely blend herself into this humble background.
The team moved forward slowly.
Every time they heard the stern shouts of the Chu soldiers from the front, or saw someone being roughly pulled out of the team for further inspection, Dugu Jia and Liu Xiang's bodies would involuntarily stiffen.
Finally, it was their turn.
A Chu army officer swept his eyes like an eagle over the two "eunuchs" in front of him, one old and one young.
The old man lowered his head, his face couldn't be seen clearly, but his body seemed a little stiff.
The younger ones were shaking like sieves, their heads almost buried in their chests, not daring to look him in the eye.
"Raise your head!" the captain shouted coldly, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
Liu Xiang was so frightened that he shuddered and subconsciously wanted to look up, but Dugu Jia pinched him hard from behind, forcing him to hold back.
Dugu Jia tried to make his voice sound hoarse and humble, with a crying tone:
"General... General... please be kind. We are servants who escaped from the palace."
"We can no longer stay in the palace. Please, General, spare us and return home."
As she spoke, she slightly turned sideways, as if trying to use her body to block Liu Xiang behind her.
However, her deliberate act of humility and her overly deliberate attempt to block Liu Xiang's view aroused suspicion from the experienced Chu army commander.
During the chaotic times, he had seen many palace maids who actually fled for their lives, most of them were in panic, with confused eyes.
"And this 'old eunuch' in front of him, although his voice was trembling, the eyes that occasionally flashed when he raised his eyelids were sharp and had a kind of sharpness that was inconsistent with his status and something that he could not describe.
The captain ignored Dugu Jia's pleas. His eyes passed over her and stared at the "little eunuch" who was almost curled up into a ball.
"you!"
The captain pointed at Liu Xiang and said in a stern voice, "Raise your head! Look at me!"
Liu Xiang had never experienced such a scene before. His defenses collapsed instantly at the roar of this murderous officer. He cried out, his legs weakened, and he almost collapsed to the ground.
This cry further exposed his cowardice and pampered lifestyle that was inconsistent with his age.
The captain frowned, and doubts grew in his heart.
He suddenly stretched out his hand, grabbed Liu Xiang's arm, and forcibly pulled him out from behind Dugu Jia!
"what are you doing?"
Seeing this, Dugu Jia could no longer maintain his disguise.
In a panic, she uttered a rebuke that was both shocked and angry. The subconscious dignity of a long-time superior in her voice formed an extremely glaring contrast with the tattered eunuch uniform she was wearing at the moment!
This rebuke was like lightning in the dark night, instantly illuminating the doubts in the captain's mind!
He turned his head suddenly and stared at Dugu Jia's face, which was dirty but still showed the general outline and the sharpness between his eyebrows!
How could a lowly eunuch possess such power?!
Then, thinking about the news from the palace about the Queen Mother and the Prince possibly escaping in disguise...
The captain's eyes instantly became as sharp as a knife!
He suddenly stretched out his other hand, grabbed Dugu Jia's messy hair, and pulled it upwards with force!
"what!"
Dugu Jia screamed in pain, his hair was pulled apart, revealing his complete face, which was disheveled but still recognizable!
Although there were stains on her face and her clothes were tattered, her facial features and the fierceness between her brows were at least 70% similar to those of the Empress Dowager Cixi Dugu Jia whom I had seen in a portrait before!
And the little eunuch next to him who was so scared that he was crying and trembling, upon closer inspection, his eyebrows and eyes also vaguely corresponded to the legendary Hejian King Liu Xiang!
"It's you!!"