Chapter 17 Escape (Text Plot) It’s really hard not to catch her back...

On the Lantern Festival, the Wenshu Villa was more deserted than usual.

A few strong women were granted the privilege and went to see the lanterns all over the city, chatting and laughing.

The number of guards had also decreased significantly, with only a few important checkpoints still being manned.

She glanced out the window.

The window had been sawed and ground by copper wire for many days, leaving only a thin layer of skin as brittle as paper.

Even so, pushing it open directly would inevitably make noise and alert the guards.

So she had to wait until the night of the Lantern Festival and use the sound of firecrackers to cover it up.

boom.

Bang.

The first wave of fireworks tore through the night sky, lighting up the entire yard as bright as day.

Now is the time!

Shu Yao took out a roll of cotton thread for binding books, tied one end to the bottom of the candle on the copper lampstand, and hung the other end on a carving on the door lintel.

Four hours later, the candle burned out and the copper lampstand fell down automatically. The sound was enough to alert the guards and create the illusion that she had just disappeared.

Then she climbed out of the bedroom window, leaving several footprints on the windowsill and at the base of the wall pointing towards the outside of the yard, making people think that she had escaped by climbing over the wall.

Everything was done to leave false clues and buy more time to escape.

After doing all this, she walked through the alley without stopping, sticking to the cold brick wall.

Until he touched the damaged window frame, his knuckles gripping the edge.

Just then, a firework exploded in the sky.

She secretly exerted her strength and gave a hard pull, and the wood veneer broke with a sound.

The crisp sound was drowned out by the loud noise of firecrackers.

She struggled to climb over the window leak.

Even though her palms were burning from being rubbed, and even though the hem of her skirt was torn, she did not forget to restore the window grille to its original state.

Finally, she took out the plain silk handkerchief that she had stolen from Yuwen Zhao from her sleeve and threw it in the corner of the alley, pretending that she had accidentally dropped it.

I hope that when Xiao Chengjing and the others see this silk handkerchief, they will just think that she was abducted by the remnants of the Jin State, so as not to implicate Chun Tao.

She stood in the alley in a daze, her mind in a mess.

Sometimes it was Chuntao's worried face, sometimes it was the shadows of Lu Bo and his grandchildren.

At the end, Xiao Chengjing's face, which looked like he wanted to eat someone, flashed by.

Another cluster of fireworks whistled up and exploded.

Streams of bright light poured into the alley, illuminating her face.

The sky was dim, and the atmosphere of Lantern Festival fireworks still lingered in the Wenshu Villa.

Bang.

A loud bang exploded from Shu Yao's bedroom.

The two soldiers who were dozing off by the door were so frightened that they crawled and pushed the door open and rushed in.

But the room was empty.

The windows were wide open, and the cold wind blew in.

There were several muddy footprints on the windowsill.

A copper lampstand lay on the ground, slightly tilted.

"Bad...bad!" A soldier's face turned pale and his voice changed. "Quick! Quick report! Madam Jiang...Madam Jiang is missing!"

This news was like a beacon fire, spreading rapidly layer by layer, and reaching the Liang army's tent at the fastest speed.

Inside the golden-roofed tent with coiled dragons.

Xiao Chengjing sat upright at the desk, holding a red pen in his hand, concentrating on reviewing the memorials.

Cui Jinzhong stood by, not daring to disturb him in the slightest.

Suddenly, a staggering sound of footsteps broke the silence in the tent.

A eunuch rushed in, trembling like a sieve. "Your Majesty! Urgent news from the clerk's quarters! Madam Jiang... has disappeared!"

Xiao Chengjing paused with the red brush in his hand.

The tip of the pen, dipped in red ink, suddenly fell, splashed on the memorial with a "pa" sound, and spread silently.

The air in the hall froze instantly, and the candlelight seemed to be suppressed by an invisible force, and drooped dimly.

Cui Jinzhong's scalp went numb, and he fell to his knees with a thud, not daring to move.

Xiao Chengjing didn't look at him and slowly put the red pen back on the pen holder.

The movement was so slow that there was no sound at all.

But this silent power is more suffocating than the wrath of thunder.

Xiao Chengjing looked at the eunuch trembling on the ground. His tone was surprisingly calm, even revealing a strange gentleness, as if asking about an ordinary trivial matter: "Missing? When did it happen?"

"About...about an hour ago..."

"One hour." Xiao Chengjing repeated softly, looking at the cinnabar that had accidentally stained his fingertips and twisting it absentmindedly, "One hour, and it took for this to reach my ears?"

The corners of his lips curled up ever so slightly, but it was definitely not a smile. "You misrepresented military secrets. Drag him out and give him eighty strokes of the cane."

Before the eunuch could understand that eighty strokes of the cane was actually a death sentence, he was dragged out and was not allowed to stay even if he begged for mercy.

Xiao Chengjing wiped the cinnabar from his fingertips as if nothing had happened and said calmly, "Also, anyone who fails to provide adequate care inside and outside the clerk's courtyard will be given twenty strokes of the cane."

At that moment, Zhao Yan hurried inside and bowed, presenting a piece of plain silk. "Your Majesty, the urgent report from the annex has been verified. Jiang has indeed disappeared without a trace. This handkerchief was found in a conspicuous place on the outer wall of the annex." He held the handkerchief with both hands, "Judging from the pattern and stitching, it seems to be the style of the old Jin court."

Xiao Chengjing's eyes suddenly turned cold as he glanced at the handkerchief, but he didn't reach out to take it. "Are you trying to say that she was abducted by the people of Jin? Yuwen Bo is trapped in an isolated city, and all the noble families have moved to Liangdu. Who else in Jin could kidnap her?!"

Zhao Yan knew that directly revealing the hostage's escape would offend the emperor, so he could only whisper, "Your Majesty... dare not."

Seeing that Zhao Yan pretended not to know, Xiao Chengjing became even more angry.

He slammed his palm on the desk, shaking the ink and brush. "Then tell me! At this moment, which remnant of the Jin State has the courage and ability to sneak into my secretarial office and kidnap my people?!"

Zhao Yan raised his head and looked directly at Xiao Chengjing. His eyes seemed frank at first, but upon closer inspection, they were mixed with a hint of helplessness, unwilling to reveal the truth. "Your Majesty, please understand. I... also believe this is definitely not kidnapping."

Xiao Chengjing's pupils suddenly shrank, and the coldness all over his body became even stronger.

Zhao Yan spoke faster, "The traces at the scene are quite bizarre. The bedroom window was wide open, and there were indeed muddy footprints on the windowsill, heading towards the outside of the courtyard. At first glance, it looked like someone had climbed over the wall. However, the patrol records and the testimony of soldiers from the neighboring courtyards showed no unusual movements. Those footprints... were too deliberate, as if they were left there intentionally to divert our attention outside the wall."

Zhao Yan paused and continued, "After a closer inspection, I discovered a fresh break on a window lattice in the courtyard wall, as if someone had carefully sawed it off with a sharp tool for several days."

Xiao Chengjing stood up suddenly, leaned forward, and placed his hands on the table, his knuckles crackling from the extreme force.

Zhao Yan wiped the sweat from his forehead and continued in a deep voice, "There's another fatal flaw... the fallen bronze lampstand. The guards heard the noise and broke through the door, thinking it had happened there. However, after careful inspection, I found that this object was definitely not accidentally dropped."

He paused briefly, his voice growing lower but each word clearer. "There's a cotton string tied to the bronze candlestick. One end is tied to the base of the candle, and the other end is tied higher up. This is a time-delay mechanism. When the candle burns out, the candlestick falls to the ground. In other words, she actually escaped long before the guards heard the noise... at least several hours earlier!"

Xiao Chengjing was silent for a moment, then sneered, "Great! Excellent! Escape! Making a feint to the east and attacking in the west! This guest official of mine is truly dedicated to his duties! He's devoted all his thoughts to this escape plan!"

He thought he treated her well. Although she was imprisoned in a deep courtyard, he never bullied or treated her frivolously like the people of Jin.

She had lived peacefully under the rule of the Jin Emperor for fifteen years, but when she fell into his hands, she even risked her life to escape.

Such behavior really shows that he is not taken seriously.

If I don't catch her back, I will never be able to vent my hatred!

He took the red brush and quickly wrote a few lines on the memorial. He asked, "Have the troops who escorted the noble family to the capital returned?"

Zhao Yan bowed and replied, "He returned to the camp yesterday."

Xiao Chengjing said in a deep voice: "Send a message to the Ministry of War to send reinforcements immediately. Yuwen Bo kidnapped the princess and tried to restore the country. I will send troops to protect the allies.

"Push down the rebellion!" His voice was as cold as iron. "Within ten days, I want to see Yuwen Bo's head hanging at Yumen Pass!"

He looked at the Jin silk handkerchief Zhao Yan presented, his eyes half sarcastically and half sighingly. "Also, send an envoy to urgently inform Prince Li that Yuwen Bo has been so audacious as to kidnap your princess. If Prince Li refuses to send troops to join the fight, he has no intention of forming an alliance with the Liang Kingdom!"

He picked up the silk handkerchief and twisted it gently between his fingertips. His movements were almost gentle, but there was a cold light in his eyes.

This gentle gesture contrasts sharply with the coldness in his eyes.

He ordered Cui Jinzhong: "Pass on my order and order the Ministry of Justice to quickly send a letter to all prefectures and counties, and reward three hundred taels of silver to anyone who finds the noble family of Li Guo.

Anyone who provides information will be rewarded with fifty taels of silver."

Although Zhao Yan knew that he should not mention the hostage girl again after that night, he could not help but said anxiously: "Your Majesty, if we attack Yumen by force, the country will be praised.

I pay tribute. At that time, the hostage's fate was insignificant. Now offering a large reward is afraid of causing controversy. If the public accuses your majesty of indulging in personal feelings,

Light national body..."

Xiao Chengjing interrupted Zhao Yan with a cold face: "Go!"

But the words were directed to Cui Jinzhong.

"Your Majesty!" Zhao Yan called out worriedly.

Xiao Chengjing threw the red pen to the ground fiercely: "If they dare to speak, let them speak."

Shu Yao had no idea that the mystery she had carefully set up was solved in less than a day.

All she could do was run away without stopping.

As I was running away, the panicky scene when I first escaped emerged uncontrollably in my mind.

At that time, she was rushing to Rube's house to confirm the safety of his grandfather and grandson.

Even when I reached the door, I didn't smell the familiar medicinal fragrance of the past, only a bloody and rotten smell that hit me in the face.

A feeling of unease suddenly surged up like a tide.

As soon as she reached out to touch the door, it creaked open by itself.

The horrific scene in the house frightened her so much that she trembled all over. She took several steps back and turned around to vomit, but she only vomited out some sour and bitter water.

The wooden door next door was pushed open a little, and the neighbor's aunt was about to leave the hospital with a basket of vegetables.

Suddenly seeing Shu Yao, he was so startled that he took a step back.

The neighbor aunt gripped the basket handle tightly with one hand and covered her mouth with the other, sobbing: "You... know this house?"

Shu Yao forced herself to swallow the bitter water that surged up in her throat. Her throat was burning with pain and her voice was hoarse: "Do you know...Lu Bo and the others...?..."

The vegetable basket in the neighbor aunt's hand fell to the ground with a bang.

She rushed forward, shaking her sleeves to wipe away tears, sobbing, "What a tragic death they had! The government let them go a while ago, but they didn't expect that all the drugstores in the city couldn't get a penny of ephedra... They said there was a war at the border and the goods were banned! The child coughed and wheezed all night, and died... suffocated to death in Lu Bo's arms..." At this point, the neighboring aunt beat her legs and cried even more miserably, "Old man Lu hanged himself on the beam the next day..."

Shu Yao stood there in a daze, tears streaking her face. A sweet, fishy taste welled up in her throat, her voice cracking. "Is it me...? I begged them to harm me...?" If she hadn't begged Xiao Chengjing to release them, they would still be imprisoned in Liangying, and perhaps there wouldn't be a shortage of medicine...

"What are you talking about?!" The neighbor aunt hurriedly patted her back and whispered, "It's all the fault of the war! If it weren't for the battle between Jin and Liang, how could there be such a shortage of ephedra?"

Shu Yao knew that what the neighbor aunt said made sense, but she still felt regretful.

If she hadn't dragged Rubeus and his grandchildren into this, they might still be living peacefully somewhere...

The author has something to say:

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Finally, we have reached the part where she escapes and he chases, which is my favorite part for melodrama fans [evil smile]