Chapter 61 The Capital

These words struck Shen Zhilan like a thunderbolt, and she felt as if the blood in her body had frozen instantly.

Qing Shu, too, had bulging veins on the back of her hand gripping the knife, but she forcibly suppressed her turbulent emotions and said sternly, "Second Prince! This matter is of utmost importance. How can you speak recklessly without solid evidence!"

"Nonsense?" Ling Yao scoffed, casually raising her hand.

A guard immediately stepped forward and gently tossed an object covered in mud and dark red bloodstains onto the ground in front of Shen Zhilan's horse.

It was a quiver made of black brocade, with a simple design and fine cloud patterns embroidered in silver thread along the edges. There was a clear tear on the quiver, cut by a sharp blade, and the edges were stained with blood that had turned black.

Shen Zhilan's gaze was fixed on the quiver. Suddenly, everything went black before his eyes, and he swayed uncontrollably, almost falling off his horse: it was one of the travel gear he had personally checked and prepared for Ling Wei.

When Qing Shu saw this item, his expression completely changed.

Ling Yao admired their sudden change in expression and continued slowly, "It's a pity that when I arrived after receiving the news, the scene was just a mess. After investigating from various sources, I only learned that it was the serious criminal hidden in your team who gave Fifth Sister the wrong guidance, which led her to venture deep into enemy territory and be ambushed."

She took a step forward, her smile returning to her face, but it was icy cold: "Lord Shen, are you still saying you have no prisoners here? Why don't you obediently hand them over so I can take them back for proper interrogation? Perhaps... we can still find the real culprit who murdered my sister?"

Shen Zhilan bit her lower lip hard, the taste of blood filling her mouth, barely managing to maintain a sliver of consciousness.

Don't panic.

This is likely a ruse; Your Highness is a lucky man and nothing will happen to you.

This quiver may be a forgery, or it may be a deliberate deception by the other side.

He took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and raised his hand again to gesture.

Yun Qi's voice trembled with suppressed emotion, yet remained clear: "Second Prince, the origin of this item is unknown and cannot be used as evidence. As for the people inside the carriage, they are important individuals personally entrusted by His Highness and must not be handed over to others. Please, Second Prince, make way and do not obstruct us from carrying out His Highness's orders."

With a clang, Qing Shu held his sword horizontally in front of him, stepped forward, and formed a tight formation with his guards to firmly protect the carriage. His voice was resolute: "His Highness has ordered that the carriage be protected and no one is allowed to approach!"

Looking at their heavily guarded formation, and then glancing at the armor in the ranks that clearly belonged to the Fuling County garrison, Ling Yao's smile faded, replaced by a sinister expression.

Although the men she brought were elite, they were not numerically superior. The enemy had the advantage of terrain and the determination to defend to the death. A direct assault might not be successful immediately, and could instead cause too many casualties, leaving them vulnerable to attack.

“Heh,” Ling Yao suddenly laughed again. She waved her hand, signaling the restless men behind her to calm down. “They are indeed loyal. It’s alright.”

She casually straightened her cuffs, glanced towards the direction of Fuling County, and said in a relaxed tone, "I have already sent a message by carrier pigeon to Commander Zhao Ying. She should be here with her men soon. Once your Commander Zhao arrives, you will naturally know who to listen to now."

After saying that, she actually stopped going forward and instead had her men surround Shen Zhilan and her group from a distance, adopting a posture of patiently waiting.

The soldiers sent by Zhao Ying were left looking at each other, their faces showing surprise and uncertainty. If the Second Prince could really mobilize Commander Zhao, then they, as his subordinates, would have no choice but to obey their superior.

Shen Zhilan's heart sank to the bottom.

The other side came prepared and had timed it perfectly. Ling Yao might not be able to forcibly take Jiang Yingxue away immediately, but she could surround them and wait for Zhao Ying to arrive... If Zhao Ying really succumbed to the pressure and sided with Ling Yao, then they would be trapped like turtles in a barrel.

Unable to leave or stay, they were stuck in a stalemate.

At the same time, in the residence of the Fifth Prince in the capital.

Yi Shao has been feeling uneasy these past few days.

Ling Wei's last letter only said, "I will return as soon as the matter is settled. The return date is about ten days from now. The journey may be slow, so don't worry." The letter arrived four days ago, and according to her return date, she should have entered the capital yesterday.

But as of this afternoon, there has still been no news.

Were you delayed on the way? The snow in the Western Hills is heavy, and the official road is difficult to travel. It is normal to be delayed for a day or two.

Yi Shao tried to comfort himself, but he couldn't suppress the growing anxiety in his heart.

What alarmed him even more was that a servant from the manor secretly reported that in the past two days, he had noticed some unfamiliar faces in the alleys around the manor. Although they were dressed plainly, their eyes were alert, unlike ordinary people.

He sent one of Ling Wei's personal guards, dressed in plain clothes, out for a patrol. When he returned, his face was grave: "My lord, there is indeed someone watching us. They are quite skilled and very cautious."

Immediately afterwards, a gold-embossed invitation was delivered to him. It was from the Yongchang Marquis's residence, and the wording was polite. It said that the residence had recently acquired a rare pot of ink chrysanthemums and invited the young men of various residences to come and appreciate them.

Marquis Yongchang is on the side of the Third Princess Ling Xuan. This invitation was sent out of the blue, right when Ling Wei had not returned on time and the Prince's mansion was being targeted by unknown individuals.

Yi Shao stared at the post. Su Shijun was accompanying the emperor at the Cuiwei Mountain Palace, and His Majesty was not in the capital... At this moment, the capital city was like a net that seemed calm but was actually turbulent undercurrents.

He immediately picked up his pen and wrote a secret letter detailing the strange occurrences in the capital and his own concerns. He sealed it with a special potion, summoned his clever and reliable attendant A Yuan, and ordered him to find a way to send it to the imperial palace and deliver it to Lord Su.

But less than an hour later, footsteps sounded outside the door. The servant had returned, followed by a strange man dressed as a craftsman, carrying a wooden box.

"My lord, this is an extremely urgent matter concerning His Highness's safety. I dare not delay." The attendant spoke rapidly, his face filled with anxiety.

Yi Shao's heart tightened, and he immediately dismissed those around him: "Come in and speak."

As soon as the study door closed, A-Yuan rushed forward and whispered, "Secretary, the Fifth Prince, she..."

Just as Yi Shao subconsciously leaned forward to listen, A Yuan suddenly raised his hand and covered his mouth and nose with a wet cloth soaked in a pungent medicinal smell.

Before losing consciousness, Yi Shao only heard A Yuan's voice change, and the tone was somewhat similar to his own: "Turn me into him."

......

A moment later, the study door opened again.

"A Yuan" slowly pushed "Yi Shao" in a wheelchair out.

Yi Shao's face was slightly pale, but his expression remained as indifferent as ever. He instructed another personal attendant waiting in the corridor: "Prepare a spacious carriage and find a sturdy trunk. The gifts for the chrysanthemum appreciation banquet at the Yongchang Marquis's residence must be handled personally. No unauthorized personnel are allowed to approach."

The servant responded and was about to follow, but Yi Shao raised his hand to stop him: "A Yuan can come with me, you stay and watch the courtyard."

The servant paused, and when he looked up, he met "A Yuan's" silent nod and "Yi Shao's" slightly stiff profile.

A very faint sense of unease swept through my mind, but before I could discern it, "Yi Shao" was already being pushed by "A Yuan" towards the corridor leading to the side door, and his figure quickly disappeared around the corner.

Once the carriage was ready, a heavy box was carefully lifted onto the carriage, and the wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs, heading towards the Yongchang Marquis's residence.