Qing Dynasty Transmigration: Fourth Master's Imperial Consort

New book is open: "Qing Dynasty Transmigration: Fourth Master's Beloved Consort", welcoming new and old friends to follow.

Before transmigration, Lin Mengyao was a leftover woman ...

Chapter 1445 Another fruitless attempt.

Following his memory, Quan Xinwei led the Fourth Prince, Magistrate Tang of the Capital, and a group of soldiers towards Changping. To avoid attracting attention, they took as many secluded paths as possible, rather than the main roads. The Fourth Prince did not want to alert the enemy, as they were no ordinary people.

"Your Highness, how did this person find you?" Lord Tang and Fourth Prince rode side by side in the middle of the procession.

"He did stop my carriage. Speaking of which, he's quite an interesting man." The Fourth Prince then told Lord Tang what Quan Xinwei had said when he stopped the carriage the day before and what he had said in the mansion.

"How could Lord Shi allow his son to do such a thing?" Lord Tang said in surprise.

"Perhaps there's more to the story. Is this Shi Junyan really close to having any record with him?" Fourth Master said. "Even if we catch him now, the Shi family might deny any connection to him."

“But what Your Highness said is that Shi Junyan may already be under their control,” Fourth Prince said.

"Hopefully, Quan Xinwei can lead us to him," said Lord Tang.

A group of people were moving along a country road, not very fast, because horses could not run fast on such roads, so they had to walk slowly.

After a morning of intensive searching, Quan Xinwei led Fourth Master and Lord Tang all the way to the countryside of Changping.

They arrived at a courtyard with white walls and black tiles. A large elm tree stood in front of the gate, making it a rather elegant place.

"Is this the place?" Fourth Master asked.

“Your Highness, this is the place I remember. I remember this big elm tree,” Quan Xinwei said with certainty.

"Very well!" Lord Tang said to the guards behind him, "Surround this courtyard and guard all the gates. Don't let anyone escape."

After the guards dispersed, the Fourth Master ordered a few of his men to go up and knock on the door.

After a series of knocks, there was still no response.

"Your Highness, it seems we'll have to break down the door today," Tang Bin said.

"Looks like this is the only way. Time to get ready to climb the wall!" Fourth Master said, looking at the courtyard wall.

"Okay, you guys try to go over there, climb up to that courtyard, and go in to open the door," Tang Bin said to the guards.

"Yes!" The group responded and left.

They were all on horseback, so they weren't far from the top of the wall; they could reach it simply by raising their hands.

Sure enough, one of them led the horse, while the other gradually pulled his legs up, stepped onto the horse's back, and then leaped up and climbed onto the wall.

Before long, the door was finally pushed open from the inside out.

Fourth Master's heart tightened, realizing that the people inside already knew about their arrival.

The crowd rushed in and entered the courtyard. The courtyard was deserted, seemingly abandoned.

"Something's not right. Why can't we see a single person here?" Tang Bin said.

"Quan Xinwei, what was this place like when you were taken away from here that day?" Fourth Master asked.

“There weren’t many people here, but it wasn’t like this before. I remember the old man guarding the gate was very kind; he even smiled at us two brothers,” Quan Xinwei said.

"Lord Tang, send men to search immediately!" Fourth Master said.

Tang Bin nodded and then gave instructions to the guards who had followed him in, ordering them to immediately begin searching the entire courtyard.

Fourth Master and Lord Tang followed Quan Xinwei inside, not noticing anything amiss along the way. The furnishings inside were very tidy; Fourth Master even went up to check the dust on them and was surprised to find the place surprisingly clean.

"It seems the people here just left. They cleaned this place so well, they must have been gone long ago," Fourth Master said, raising his hand to touch a porcelain vase placed on a high table.

After Fourth Master and Tang Bin stood in the main room for a while, people kept coming in to report to Tang Bin that no one had been found.

Fourth Master suddenly had a bad feeling and said, "Could it be that they received advance notice and have already evacuated?"

“But we were very discreet; no one should have been able to get the news so quickly. Quan Xinwei spoke to the Prince yesterday, and we arrived today. How did they know?” Lord Tang said.

"A message sent by carrier pigeon!" the Fourth Prince said. "Just now, when I entered the courtyard, I saw some pigeon droppings on the ground."

"Your Highness is truly observant. It's a pity they got away. It seems our enemy is far more formidable than we imagined," said Lord Tang.

“Your Highness, Lord Tang, I remember we were imprisoned underground.” Quan Xinwei stepped forward and said, “It’s dark and damp there. Why don’t we go and see where the entrance to the dungeon is?”

Fourth Master nodded and said, "Lord Tang, quickly send someone to find the entrance to the dungeon."

Tang Bin personally led the search party, while Fourth Master and Quan Xinwei remained in the main hall of the courtyard. Fourth Master carefully observed the surroundings, then walked to a painting and examined the figures within.

"Your Highness, how did they know that Your Highness and Lord Tang were coming here for a surprise attack today? Is there something wrong with Lord Tang's people on the inside?" Quan Xinwei asked.

“Possibly! But what I’m curious about is how you could remember so clearly while blindfolded?” Fourth Prince turned and stared at Quan Xinwei.

"Well, I have a special skill: I have a photographic memory. I generally don't forget anyone I've met or any place I've been," Quan Xinwei said.

"Then was the person you saw in the dungeon him?" Fourth Master took out a piece of paper from his pocket, on which was a portrait of Shi Junyan.

Quan Xinwei looked closely and nodded, saying, "It is indeed him."

Fourth Master already understood, and said, "Even if they leave without a single one of them, as long as we investigate everyone in this courtyard, the Shi family will not be able to escape."

"Your Highness, we've found it! We've found it!" Tang Bin walked over excitedly and said to the Fourth Prince.

"Lord Tang, have you found the entrance to the dungeon?" Fourth Master asked.

"Yes, it's hidden very well in a courtyard behind the house," Tang Bin said.

Fourth Master then followed Tang Bin there.

"Your Highness, please!" Lord Tang had already ordered torches to be lit.

"It's very narrow here, only wide enough for one person to pass through at a time," said Lord Tang.

"It's probably very big inside," Fourth Master said. So, led by Tang Bin, he entered the underground prison.

When they entered, they saw only some sticks scattered on the ground. But no one was there. Quan Xinwei walked to the cell where he had been imprisoned and said to the Fourth Prince, "Your Highness, Lord Tang, this is the place. I was imprisoned here with the person in the portrait."