Chapter 175 The Powerful Minister Returns to His Youth 29.

The post station had been abandoned for many years, overgrown with weeds, with silkworm nests covering the beams, and insects and rodents scurrying about, creating the most unsettling noises in the quiet night.

Yu Shiqing cupped that hand, looked into those eyes, smiled silently to himself, and sighed.

Ever since he heard that the young princess and the young prince had suddenly caught a cold, he had had a vague premonition. When he guessed the reason for the young princess's illness and accepted the young prince's earnest request, that premonition became much clearer.

Having found Ye Zangxing and orchestrated this night's events, he anticipated that he could temporarily deceive and stall many people, but he never imagined that this could also deceive and stall Ye Zangxing.

Whether in their past lives or this one, there always seemed to be some indescribable, intricate connection between him and Ye Zangxing. At certain moments, they could naturally touch each other's hearts and souls across their chests.

So, at this moment, Ye Zangxing's question didn't come as much of a surprise to him, only a slight regret. It was a pity he hadn't been able to wait until the winter solstice, and his gift hadn't been prepared.

"There are some things I wanted to tell you at a better time..."

On the second floor of the inn, the candlelight was dim. Yu Shiqing spoke, "But since you asked today, it's quite a coincidence. Life is unpredictable and full of surprises. Waiting for the future might not be any better, so I might as well tell you now."

Ye Zangxing seemed to have a premonition, and his heart started to beat faster.

“Danzhi, when we parted last time, you said you had something to say to me next time,” Ye Cangxing’s eyes were bright and calm. “I forgot to tell you then that I also have something to say to you.”

Yu Shiqing was slightly taken aback. Lately, especially tonight, a certain suspicion that had been lurking in his heart began to surface: "You...could it be that you also..."

Ye Zangxing's eyes narrowed as he was about to speak when a loud bang suddenly erupted from next door, followed by panicked cries: "Your Highness! Your Highness is gone!"

Yu Shiqing paused, Ye Cangxing's smile vanished, and the two of them changed color simultaneously, immediately getting up and rushing to the next room.

"What's all this noise about!"

Yu Shiqing followed closely behind Ye Zangxing and rushed into the next room with the guards. The room was wide open, the bed was in disarray, and apart from the flustered servants, there was no one there.

Prince Yong has disappeared!

Yu Shiqing looked around, then quickly walked to the window and looked outside.

It was already late at night. Outside the post station, the mountains and forests were deep and dark, the sky and earth were pitch black, there were no stars or moon, and the thick darkness made it impossible to discern any outlines.

Yu Shiqing's gaze swept across the room, and he frowned slightly.

The window could only be opened from the inside, and there were no signs of damage. He and Ye Zangxing were in the next room just now, and although they were some distance apart, they didn't hear any strange noises...

"Tranquility!"

Ye Zangxing suddenly called out to him.

Yu Shiqing turned around and saw the young man straighten up from under the bed curtains, his expression uncertain, holding a note in his hand.

Yu Shiqing walked closer and looked down. He saw a note with a sentence written in the Prince Yong's handwriting: "I have some confidential business to attend to and will be leaving temporarily. I will return in three days. Do not look for me."

"Where are Yang Beiwang and Yin Bufan?" Ye Cangxing called out to the secret guards brought by the Prince of Yong.

However, all around was quiet and there was no sound.

The guards in the room held their breath, looking at each other in bewilderment.

"On this trip, Prince Yong brought two secret guards, but neither of them were present. Since they were not his own master or His Highness, there shouldn't be anyone here who could mobilize them, right? The windows were also opened from the inside, and there was no sound during their movements. Neither the guards nor we noticed anything. It must be because of the help of secret guards."

"And a note was left behind..."

Yu Shiqing raised his eyes. "Your Highness, I'm afraid Prince Yong really did leave on his own."

Or perhaps, it wasn't Prince Yong who left.

Yu Shiqing didn't say the second half of the sentence, but Ye Zangxing already understood.

His brow furrowed sharply: "Investigate the area around the post station, leaving no stone unturned..."

Before he finished speaking, a series of footsteps approached. The guards who had been sent out to chase the archer more than half an hour earlier, along with Ye Cangxing's secret guards, returned. "Your subordinates are incompetent and failed to catch up! But we can confirm that it was a man with companions, more than one. He seemed to be very familiar with the surrounding terrain. He disappeared into the woods as soon as he disappeared."

They then asked if they would see the Prince of Yong on their return journey, and whether anything unusual would happen. They all shook their heads.

"His Highness is still injured and his headache is acting up again. How could he just leave in such a hurry with only his guards? He can't possibly be rushing back to Huai'an to see the young princess and the young prince, can he?"

"Where did this secret come from?!"

The Prince of Yong's confidant was so anxious that his eyes turned red.

Yes, from an ordinary person's perspective, Prince Yong was injured, his headache was acting up, and he had just gone through the matter with Doctor Rong. He was also worried about the young princess and the young prince. No matter how you look at it, it was impossible for him to suddenly leave with only his guards and not inform anyone because of a "secret matter" that was hard to explain.

Therefore, there is at least a 70% chance that the one who manipulated Prince Yong's body and led the secret guards away was not Prince Yong himself, but Long Ran.

Why would Long Ran leave for no apparent reason?

If he and Ye Zangxing had revealed something and Long Ran had discovered it, it would be understandable for him to want to escape. However, in that case, he shouldn't have brought his bodyguards with him. Moreover, in this situation, it would be better to delay and look for a better opportunity and method than to flee. Running away in a panic would be a foolish act.

If it wasn't because of him and Ye Zangxing, then what could it be?

All the events of today flashed through Yu Shiqing's mind, leaving only a blurry afterimage.

"Duan Fan".

He suddenly said.

Ye Zangxing paused in his examination of the window frame, then suddenly turned his head.

...

“Your Highness, you have never mentioned Duan Fan before. Is it not prudent to go and meet him so abruptly, especially with only the two of us accompanying you? Your status is related to the nation and the world. Just tonight, there was a rebellious empress and her faction causing chaos. Now you are taking such a risk…”

Along the mountain path, Yang Beiwang put down the Prince Yong on his back and helped him into the simple carriage that Yin Bufan had found. He tried to hold back, but he couldn't help himself and spoke in a low voice before closing the carriage door.

Yin Bufan also said, "Or perhaps His Highness will permit us to send some more secret guards over..."

Long Ran, clutching the throbbing wound on his chest, got into the car and glanced at the two people.

Prince Yong is the same; he's gentle with this person and kind to that person every day, which makes his group of secret guards so talkative and even "advise" them. They're nothing like the secret guards in novels who don't utter a word for ten years and come and go without a trace! It's exhausting for him to have to use his words to appease them.

Long Ran inwardly scoffed, but outwardly remained calm: "It's alright, I have my own plans. You just haven't heard of Duan Fan; he's not a bandit. It's getting late, let's not say any more."

"Beiwang, you drive the carriage, Bufan. You continue to clear away the traces of our journey. At least tonight, we cannot let anyone follow us."

“Remember,” Long Ran’s eyes sharpened, “it’s anyone.”

"Yes." Yin Bufan accepted the order and quickly disappeared behind him.

Yang Beiwang hesitated for a moment, then could only agree, close the carriage door, and crack his whip.

The carriage started moving slowly and wobbled along.

Caught off guard, Long Ran nearly hit his head, but quickly grabbed the railing to steady himself.

This little carriage was extremely rudimentary, incomparable to the carriages of Prince Yong. When it moved, it was incredibly bumpy, enough to shake one's intestines out. Long Ran groaned inwardly, but could only endure it.

It's all for the brothers!

Long Ran clung tightly to the car wall, his gaze sharp.

According to the two guards, this place is ten miles away from the post station. He only needs to endure another twenty miles to reach the dilapidated Buddhist temple on the mountainside, where Duan Fan is waiting for him.

Speaking of Duan Fan, Long Ran pressed his chest wound and carefully took out a letter from his sleeve amidst the violent shaking.

He unfolded the letter, pinched a luminous pearl, and slowly illuminated the words on it: "Aran, this is Duan Fan. For some reason, I have to get involved with the Liang faction. I really want to get out of this, but I can't do it alone. I need your help. I know some things about your current situation and can help you get out of this predicament."

"Oh right, I don't know anything about Dr. Rong's matter. Even if I'm being controlled by someone, I would never abandon my conscience to harm an innocent child! Anyway, I want to meet you tonight at Dingguo Temple, halfway up Tanlang Mountain."

"To prove my identity, I'll tell you something that only heaven, earth, you, and I know. Do you remember when I was in the third year of junior high..."

At the end, it says, "Waiting for your sail, come quickly, Xiao Ranran~", accompanied by a funny older brother with a dazed look.

The letter was short, written entirely in charcoal in simplified Chinese characters, so the handwriting was not very clear, but it felt vaguely familiar.

Long Ran tightened his grip on the luminous pearl.

He received the letter just as he was about to drift off to sleep after Yu Shiqing and Ye Zangxing left.

The letter was delivered by a bird resembling a carrier pigeon. He heard the bird pecking at the window, a very faint sound. When he looked up instinctively, he saw a corner of paper peeking through the crack in the window. He was startled and didn't dare to move. He gestured for his guard to bring it over. When he unfolded it, this was the contents.

Long Ran was skeptical of the letter.

If it really is Duan Fan, he would naturally want to go. Firstly, they are both transmigrators, and secondly, they are best buddies. If they could combine their skills, wouldn't they be able to roam freely in the Great Qi? Being trapped by rebels or trapped inside the body of Prince Yong would definitely be easy to solve!

But what if this is a trap?

With Dr. Rong's coded message before him, Long Ran had no choice but to be suspicious.

He wanted to go, but he didn't dare to.

But this matter can't be delayed. Not to mention whether Duan Fan can find a suitable opportunity to sneak out and contact him again, as for himself, once Prince Yong wakes up, he doesn't know when he will be able to come out again.

"To go, or not to go?"

Long Ran twirled the letter in his hand.

While he was struggling with his decision, he suddenly caught sight of Yang Beiwang, the bodyguard who had not yet been ordered to leave. He paused immediately, and his eyes lit up.

Oh dear, what am I afraid of? Prince Yong has such powerful secret guards, what's wrong with going out to meet them? No matter what, I should be able to get away unscathed, right?

Long Ran calmed down, raised his hand to summon two guards, gave an order, and quietly opened the window, letting the guards lead him out.

“Thirty li is a short distance, and it takes about half a night. With transportation, it should be enough for a round trip,” Long Ran said in the carriage. He put away the letter, held the luminous pearl, and his expression swayed with the movement of the carriage. “They shouldn’t know. Even if they do, it’s fine. I’ll be back by dawn… Sigh, I should have left a note saying that I have something to do and will be back by dawn.”

"Never mind, it's fine if you don't stay. You'll just be gone for a while, nothing will happen... Little Fanfan, your father is here with the imperial guards to rescue you!"

The carriage swayed, and the mountain road was dark.

In the deep darkness of night, the forest was eerie and swayed in the wind. In the distance, the Buddhist temple was lit up with faint, almost imperceptible lights.