The thought that someone had died at the Li Family Escort Agency in Qizhou, and that Chief Secretary Xie had thought they had gone too far and had written a letter scolding them, made Zhang Yuankai very uncomfortable. He was, after all, a deputy head of the guards, and had been leading the escort agency all over the country in Xinliang for a year. Was he such an unreliable person?

In order to prove his innocence, Zhang Yuankai had to investigate day and night. When he learned the truth, he exclaimed in his heart, "Wow!"

What did these bodyguards do to offend Vice General Yuan, that he would resort to such ruthless measures?

Zhang Yuankai couldn't help but feel a surge of anger when he thought of what Xie Changshi had said in his letter. Without saying a word, he made his move, and the two quickly started fighting. However, they were mindful that they were in the courtyard rented by Yuan Shiliang, so they held back their moves.

After a while, Zhang Yuankai sat back down, looking annoyed, and said, "I'm not playing anymore, it's no fun."

His eyes darted around, and he went straight to the point: "Deputy General Yuan, why don't we talk about the Li's Escort Agency? Aren't those escorts your brothers? Why did you attack them?"

Yuan Shiliang remained silent, like an old monk in deep meditation, no matter what Zhang Yuankai said, but his heart was in turmoil.

He did indeed rob the caravan; he had been waiting for this day ever since he joined the caravan company.

The people who robbed the caravan were his true brothers, the original Huo family army.

These people spend most of their time in the military camp and have no other way of making a living. After they leave, they can only rent land to farm, and it's considered a good thing if they can make a living in the year.

It was at this time that Yuan Shiliang discovered that Li Ji Trading Company had some connection with the Prince of Chu. He devised a way to infiltrate Li Ji Escort Agency under an assumed name, partly to find out about the Prince of Chu, and partly to earn money so that his brothers wouldn't suffer too much.

He had been infiltrating the escort agency for over two years, and had only been promoted to head escort. Although he was not allowed to participate in many confidential matters of the agency, he knew that many head escorts and bodyguards in the agency had done bad things.

When the day someone robbed the shipment happened, Yuan Shiliang knew that his opportunity had arrived...

Thinking of this, Yuan Shiliang lifted his eyelids to look at Zhang Yuankai, only to see him smiling at him: "Vice General Yuan?"

Yuan Shiliang hummed in agreement, but couldn't hold back any longer: "Who are you? What's your connection to the people who robbed the caravan the first time?"

His hand, hidden under his sleeve, tightened. Two years wasn't a long time, but he dreamt of his brothers' angry eyes and the marshal's face, which had aged instantly...

"you……"

Zhang Yuankai chuckled: "It's easy to find out. First, explain why you attacked those bodyguards."

He could investigate and find that Yuan Shiliang was behind it all, but he couldn't find out why.

Yuan Shiliang remained silent for a while, as if he had made up his mind. He went back to his room and took out an account book: "These are some things about Li's Escort Agency."

It looks like an account book, but it contains important information. If this person is really related to the marshal, he will definitely be able to understand it.

Zhang Yuankai seemed indifferent, after all, Marshal Huo had told him about these things before he came.

Not only that, but they also wrote him an encrypted letter, which he could see once he was certain that Yuan Shiliang was reliable.

Zhang Yuankai casually opened the ledger. Some information wasn't entirely accurate, but it was still alarming enough. His expression immediately turned grim: "Is everything recorded here true?"

Did the prefect of Qizhou know that the people from Li's Escort Agency were doing these things?

If he didn't know, how could he be a local official?

If I knew...

Zhang Yuankai inwardly cried out in alarm. These past two days, Shen Yu'an had been trying to make contact with the prefect of Qizhou. If the prefect of Qizhou was a treacherous person, wouldn't their scheme against Li Ji Trading Company be exposed?

He picked up the account book and got up to leave, but Yuan Shiliang stopped him, his eyes narrowed, his voice laced with threat: "I've seen the account book, shouldn't you confess now?"

Zhang Yuankai exclaimed, then decided to be bolder and stuffed the account book directly into his pocket: "Since you have this evidence, why didn't you think of handing it over to the prefect of Qizhou?"

Is it because the prefect of Qizhou is unreliable, or because it's useless to give him the position?

The two probed each other, neither willing to give a definite answer. Yuan Shiliang felt a little tired and went straight to the point: "What's your relationship with the people who robbed the caravan? You know that hand gesture, and you know our code, don't you?"

Zhang Yuankai raised an eyebrow slightly, neither nodding nor shaking his head, and just quietly looked at him.

"Did you target Li's Escort Agency because of me, or because of Li's Escort Agency, or perhaps both?"

"Who did you work for before?"

Yuan Shiliang's voice trembled slightly as he said this.

Even though he was certain that everyone who had been by the marshal's side back then, except for himself, had perished, he still clung to a sliver of hope...

Only then did Zhang Yuankai burst into laughter: "Who do you most want to call me here?"

Seeing that Yuan Shiliang remained silent, he tempted him, "When you're guessing, why not be a little bolder?"

Before Yuan Shiliang could react, Zhang Yuankai threw down the envelope and quickly retreated: "Meet me at the place where the escort agency had an accident at 9:45 PM tonight."

After saying that, he grabbed the account book and ran away, quickly disappearing from Yuan Shiliang's sight.

At this moment, Yuan Shiliang was still in shock.

What did that person say? When guessing, why not be a little bolder?

The boldest one was definitely the Marshal!

Yuan Shiliang stumbled back to his room, his hands trembling uncontrollably as he opened the letter. It took him a long time to unfold it, and he read it carefully, word by word. His eyes reddened, and large tears fell, blurring the entire envelope.

Let's make a bolder guess, a bolder guess...

Even after seeing this letter, Yuan Shiliang dared not believe it so easily.

He sat motionless with his eyes closed for a long time until he gradually regained his strength before burning the letter.

After the wind had blown away all the ashes, leaving no trace, Yuan Shiliang sat down again.

He kept telling himself not to rush, that he would find out the truth tonight, but he couldn't help looking out the window, feeling that time was passing slowly.

As soon as Hai Shi (9-11 PM) arrived, Yuan Shiliang couldn't wait to go to the place where the caravan had been robbed last time. It wasn't until the very end of Hai Shi that a figure appeared faintly in front of him—a tall, upright figure.

When Yuan Shiliang saw that figure from behind, his eyes widened involuntarily, his knees buckled and he knelt down. He opened and closed his mouth several times, but could not utter a sound.

He wanted to say, "Marshal, is that you?"

But he was also afraid, afraid that it was all a lie, a fantasy born from his long-held hopes.

He strained to keep his eyes open, afraid that if he blinked, the familiar figure in front of him would vanish.

The person seemed to only then realize someone was behind them. They turned around, a slight smile appearing on their serious face, their eyes slightly reddening, and silently called out, "Sera..."