Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Entering the valley is a dead end.

Chapter 65

Two days later, the group arrived in Yunzhou.

The carriage had barely entered the city when Shen Suining was awakened by a commotion. She rubbed her eyes, got up from He Hansheng's lap, and mumbled, "Have we arrived?"

"Hmm." He Hansheng opened the window and looked outside, only to find that the soldiers were posting notices offering a large reward for the capture of a wanted criminal, which had attracted people to stop and watch.

"Young Master," Shen Fengyu called from outside. After a moment's pause, she lowered her voice and asked, "Does that wanted criminal's portrait look familiar?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Suining moved closer to He Hansheng and looked at the notice board outside the window. The soldiers had posted several portraits of prisoners. She could see them clearly, and her expression immediately became serious.

He Hansheng, puzzled, asked her, "What's wrong?"

Shen Suining glanced at him, but didn't say anything directly. Instead, she instructed Shen Fengyu outside, "Have Lanzhu contact Ling Rui and Yan Zhen, and also inform the others in Qianji Pavilion and Bifeng Hall to refrain from making any rash moves for the time being."

Shen Fengyu responded with a "Yes" and jumped off the carriage first.

Shen Suining then explained to He Hansheng, "Some of the prisoners arrested by the soldiers look like some of the subordinates of Pavilion Master Wei of Qianji Pavilion."

He Hansheng suddenly realized what was going on, and then closed the car window. "I'll have Yu Chu take you to an inn to settle in first. I'm going to the government office."

What are you doing at the government office?

"Of course we should go and find out. If he really is one of Pavilion Master Wei's men, then we should have them withdraw the arrest warrant."

Shen Suining frowned deeply. "You don't even know why the government has issued a warrant for their arrest. Wouldn't it be a bad idea to rashly ask them to withdraw it?"

"If they are indeed Wei Pavilion Master's subordinates, they must have found clues about my father's incident in Yunzhou. Prefect Zhang Shan of Yunzhou is not a person who cannot distinguish right from wrong, nor does he have much power. Since Wei Pavilion Master and his group did not commit any crimes, the government's arrest of them is probably only because they received orders from above and do not want the truth about my father's attack to come to light."

He Hansheng's expression turned slightly cold. "Since I've come in person, Zhang Shan will understand the meaning and won't make things too difficult for me."

Shen Suining remained silent, seemingly sensing that things were not so simple.

Seeing that she was still somewhat uneasy, He Hansheng took her hand and held it in his palm, asking gently, "Are you worried that my involvement will expose your relationship with Shuyu Manor?"

“It’s not that I’m worried about that,” Shen Suining shook her head and denied. “The people from Qianji Pavilion do things just like Bifeng Hall. They can disguise themselves and use false identities. Even if they are caught and investigated, it won’t be traced back to Shuyu Manor. It’s just that they are always cautious and usually operate in the shadows. They have never been exposed like this before, and they are even wanted by the government. What I’m thinking is… this matter is probably aimed at you.”

He Hansheng pondered for a moment, then quickly made a decision: "You have Qianji Pavilion and your people evacuate first, and I'll have Jing Kong and Jing Lie take people to replace them. No matter what problems arise, have them push the blame onto me."

Jing Kong and Jing Lie are both personal guards of the Marquis of Yong'an's mansion and are openly He Hansheng's men. Once they take over this matter, they will not be able to refuse.

Shen Suining frowned, immediately displeased. "He Hansheng, I already told you they're after you. The Thousand Machine Pavilion, which was so well hidden, was wiped out in one fell swoop. This shows that the higher-ups don't want you to find out the cause of your father-in-law's death at all. Now you're trying to take the blame yourself. Aren't you just giving them ammunition against you?"

"Ningning, you have to believe me." He Hansheng knew she wanted to share his burden, but this was, after all, his father's business, and he didn't want her to suffer because of it.

Therefore, his tone was quite forceful, even authoritative, "Listen to me, go back to the inn and wait for me."

...

When Jiang Yuchu escorted Shen Suining to the inn, Shen Fengyu had not yet returned.

Shen Suining was already anxious about what had happened, and now that she couldn't do anything about it, she was naturally extremely unhappy and even cursed He Hansheng all the way.

Jiang Yuchu knew her temper and didn't know how to persuade her, so she could only soothe her, saying, "Madam, the martial world has its own rules, and the imperial court has its own laws. The Marquis is only thinking about the bigger picture. Why should you get angry over this?"

Shen Suining glanced at him and sneered, "My Shuyu Manor has lived in peace with the government for decades. Now, we are only trying to seek justice for a loyal general who has devoted himself to the court, and we are being unjustly put on a wanted list in the street. Who is it that is not following the rules and laws?"

Jiang Yuchu: "That's how it's always been in the imperial court. As long as there are shared interests, even brothers will turn against each other. It's not worth getting angry over this."

Shen Suining remained silent.

She had long heard of the dark side of officialdom, but seeing is believing. Now she realized that her father-in-law's death was not simply a case of being assassinated; there must have been a deeper entanglement of interests behind it.

Thinking of this, Shen Suining felt a surge of anger and couldn't help but mutter a curse: "Where did he come from? This is clearly a den of dragons and tigers!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuchu finally realized, "So, Madam isn't angry with the Marquis, but worried about his safety!"

"..." Shen Suining picked up a cup from the table and smashed it.

Jiang Yuchu quickly dodged to the side, and the cup slammed against the door with a "bang," startling Jing Kong and Jing Lie who had come to meet her.

But upon seeing that it was Jiang Yuchu and Shen Suining, the two felt it was normal and respectfully bowed to Shen Suining, saying, "Greetings, Madam."

Shen Suining glared at Jiang Yuchu and told Jing Kong and Jing Lie to get up. "Jiang Yuchu, take them to Lan Zhu and convey your lord's message to her. She will make the arrangements."

Jiang Yuchu hesitated for a moment.

Shen Suining saw through his thoughts and sneered, "What? Do you think I'm going to run away?"

"Uh, that's not what I meant," Jiang Yuchu said with an awkward smile.

He glanced at Jing Kong and Jing Lie, then at Shen Suining, and thinking that Lan Zhu's place of residence was not far from here, he replied with "Yes," and added, "Then Madam, please rest well here for now."

Shen Suining glared at him and impatiently waved him away.

A short while later, Shen Fengyu returned, accompanied by Wei Zhao, the head of the Thousand Machines Pavilion.

Wei Zhao had already been at Shuyu Manor during the time of Lady Zhuangqing. He was of a higher generation and could be considered to be of the same generation as Shen Yan and Lady Shuyu. Therefore, he rarely met Shen Suining directly. When he saw him come in person, Shen Suining was a little surprised and quickly got up to greet him.

“Pavilion Master Wei has come to see me personally, so he must have encountered some trouble,” Shen Suining said, her expression turning serious as she saw that Wei Zhao and Shen Fengyu looked grave. “Please speak freely.”

Wei Zhao and Shen Fengyu exchanged a glance. Shen Fengyu closed all the doors and windows and, after confirming that it was safe, she went up to Shen Suining and said, "Ling Rui and Yan Zhen are missing."

"What?" Shen Suining exclaimed in shock. "When and where? How could they suddenly disappear?"

Wei Zhao then explained, "Half a month ago, my men did find a person near Fuhu Cliff, where the Marquis of Yong'an was attacked. This person claimed to have witnessed the tragedy. However, this person's clothing was strange, his behavior was peculiar, and even his accent didn't sound like that of a local. We kept him occupied near the pass of Fuhu Cliff for a long time. Because his identity was unknown and the terrain was treacherous, we dared not easily enter the pass. It wasn't until Ling Rui and Yan Zhen came to our aid that the two protectors forced their way into the cliff, and they never came out again."

As he spoke, Wei Zhao took out a map of Fuhu Cliff and spread it out on the table. Several locations were marked on the map.

Wei Zhao pointed to one of the markers and said, "This is where Marquis Yong'an, He Changxin, met his end. This section of the road is extremely narrow, only wide enough for one horse to pass through. It is surrounded by mountains on all sides, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. If an ambush is set up here, it would be like catching a turtle in a jar, with no chance of survival. Not far ahead is the entrance to the valley, which is called 'Headless Valley.' As the name suggests, the terrain is extremely dangerous. Going up is almost a dead end. Even if one had extraordinary abilities, it would probably be a one-way trip."

Shen Suining stared at the map, lost in thought.

Neither the Marquis of Yong'an, He Changxin, nor Ling Rui and Yan Zhen today are the type to take risks. Moreover, how could the Marquis of Yong'an have been ambushed in such a place when he marched to reinforce the rebellion in Yunzhou?

The more Shen Suining thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed, and she immediately made up her mind, "I'm going to see for myself."

"No!" Before Wei Zhao could speak, Shen Fengyu immediately stood up to object. "Young Master, Pavilion Master Wei has already said that entering the valley is a dead end, a one-way trip. If we are not careful and encounter an ambush, there is no chance of escaping unscathed! As the young master of Shuyu Manor, this is not a place for you."

"If I don't go, who will bring Lingrui and Yanzhen back?" Shen Suining retorted. "They are sisters who have gone through thick and thin together. Now that they are missing, do you expect me to just sit here and wait for news of them?"

"I'll go find them! Whether they're alive or dead, I'll bring them back!" Shen Fengyu gritted her teeth for a moment, then knelt on one knee with her hands clasped. "Young Master, you can't go."

Shen Suining glanced at her but didn't say anything.

Most of the sisters in Bifengtang are orphans, abandoned by their parents at birth. They are as close as siblings, the closest partners and family members in the world without blood ties. For both Shen Fengyu and Shen Suining, losing any one of them would be an absolutely unacceptable thing.

Regarding the disappearance of Ling Rui and Yan Zhen, Shen Suining had to remain calm. She restrained her emotions, looked at Shen Fengyu kneeling on the ground, and said, word by word, "Fengyu, this is an order."

Shen Fengyu trembled and could not speak.

"Get up," Shen Suining bent down to help her up, "Go pack your things, we'll leave immediately."

"……yes."

Shen Fengyu knew she couldn't persuade Shen Suining, so she had no choice but to pack her things and allocate manpower.

Wei Zhao sighed and said, "Since you already know this trip is dangerous, why does the young master insist on going on this journey himself?"

“Lingrui and Yanzhen are like sisters to me. I can’t stand by and do nothing when they are in trouble.” Shen Suining’s tone was calm but firm.

Wei Zhao seemed to have anticipated her words, and shook his head with a helpless smile: "The Shen family are all people who value relationships. Young Master's actions are reminiscent of the style of the two ladies back then."

Shen Suining twitched the corner of her mouth, then suddenly remembered something and asked, "Sect Leader Wei has always been low-key, and the Thousand Machines Pavilion has no conflict with the government. Why were so many of our brothers suddenly exposed?"

Wei Zhao frankly admitted, "I also find it strange. Logically speaking, our main route of action is to pursue the witnesses at Fuhu Cliff. Most of the people in the city have already withdrawn, and the few who remain have been holding back for a long time. It shouldn't be that this predicament has occurred. Moreover, I have seen the wanted notices. In addition to our people, there are also some idle people from the martial arts world. Regardless of whether they have committed any crimes, they are all on the list. They are either imprisoned or have no choice but to escape from Yunzhou."

"It seems they're not just after our people." Shen Suining frowned, pondering. Meanwhile, Shen Fengyu had already finished packing.

She glanced at Shen Fengyu, then turned to Wei Zhao and said, "He Hansheng has gone to the government to inquire about the reason. He should be able to remove the notice soon. You can contact him directly. I'll need you to keep a close eye on the situation in the city, Pavilion Master."

"It is my duty, young master, please do not stand on ceremony." Wei Zhao cupped his hands in acknowledgment, and then left the inn.

After Wei Zhao left, Shen Suining immediately changed her clothes. She packed her weapons and was about to leave when Shen Fengyu quickly stopped her, trying to persuade her again: "Young Master, you—"

"If you keep nagging, I won't take you." Shen Suining interrupted directly.

Shen Fengyu had no choice but to remain silent.

As if remembering something, Shen Suining tossed her sword to Shen Fengyu, took a pen and paper, wrote a few words in a flamboyant manner, and placed them under the tea tray.

Then she looked up and said, "Let's go."