Chapter 80 Carefully Avoiding Him

Xie Yanzhi led his men to the ferry, and he could see the ship sailing through the night from afar.

On the bow of the boat hung a large wooden sign with the words "Tongzhou" written in charcoal.

The night wind blew against Xie Yanzhi's face as he stared intently at the ship, as if he were staring at Shen Qingnian.

He then stretched his hand to the side, and the attendant behind him brought him a bow and arrows.

Xie Yanzhi pulled hard and shot the arrow at the boat.

The boatman loosened his grip on the oar and looked up to see an arrow grazed his hair and shot straight at the sign.

"Row the boat back! There are escaped prisoners on board!" one of the attendants shouted at the boat, then waved.

The boatman looked up and saw a group of people on the shore holding torches, illuminating the entire ferry crossing.

A tall, imposing figure stood in the middle, his expression unclear, but he exuded a chilling aura, and his gaze toward him was as cold as ice.

Knowing that it was a case involving an important person and that there was no time to waste, the boatman rowed vigorously and quickly moved towards the shore.

At first, the people on the boat complained when they saw the boatman rowing the boat back.

Seeing a large group of people on the shore, carrying swords and torches, all with fierce and menacing expressions, they dared not speak any further.

Before the ship had fully docked, Xie Yanzhi leaped onto the deck, sword in hand, and began searching for the figure in bamboo green amidst the crowd.

The people in the cabin were all frightened by his fierce aura. As the sword swept past them, the timid women and children wanted to scream, but quickly covered their mouths, afraid of displeasing the important man.

Xie Yanzhi grew increasingly frustrated. He searched the cabin twice, but still couldn't find Shen Qingnian.

Seeing that the women and children looked at him with the same fear as Shen Qingnian, he finally calmed down and walked down from the deck.

The boatman wiped the sweat from his brow, walked up to him respectfully, and asked, "Sir, may our boat depart now?"

The wind was getting stronger that night, and we had to hurry and set off while the river was still relatively calm.

Furthermore, there were many passengers on the ship, some going home to see their elderly mothers one last time, and others rushing to Tongzhou to do business; none of them could afford to be delayed.

The attendant beside Xie Yanzhi glanced at him and waved to the boatman: "Let's go."

The boatman then rowed the boat away from the shore.

As Xie Yanzhi gazed at the river, a complex mix of emotions welled up within him.

He had no idea that Shen Qingnian possessed such abilities—a young woman who dared to escape in the middle of the night with her maid.

Just then, a small boat came into his view.

With the large ship no longer providing cover, the small boat revealed itself in the darkness.

An old man could be vaguely seen using a bamboo pole to push the small boat away from the shore in an instant. He then switched to rowing, quickly moving the boat to the center of the river.

Inside the small boat, Shen Qingnian looked up and saw the bright moon hanging high in the sky, the river calm, and the starlight reflected in it.

Looking again at the lights on both sides of the river, receding one by one behind, this bustling capital city finally turned into a small dot and gradually disappeared into the distance.

Shen Qingnian let out a long sigh of relief and leaned back in the cabin to rest with her eyes closed.

Fortunately, the old boatman was willing to take them away that very night.

After that large ship left, although many ships were still moored on the shore, none of them were heading to Tongzhou.

Just then, the old boatman was enthusiastically trying to attract customers, but after trying for a long time, no one got a ride.

Seeing their anxiety, he said to them, "Young masters, if you wish to go to Tongzhou, I can take you to Yunzhou first."

"It's much more convenient to change ships once we get to Yunzhou, since almost all the ships there are heading to Tongzhou."

Shen Qingnian thought there was some truth to what he said.

They could indeed go to Yunzhou first, and then to Tongzhou.

That way, we can leave the capital tonight.

She sized up the old boatman and saw that he had a peaceful look in his eyes and seemed to be a fairly honest man.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have dared to take Ling'er on such a risk.

Having learned from Gu Lingyu's lesson, Shen Qingnian became more cautious.

She took out ten copper coins from her sleeve, counted them several times, and then handed them over.

So that the boatman would see their distress and give up his idea of ​​robbing them, and that she and Ling'er could be safer on their journey.

The old boatman glanced at the two's attire and saw Shen Qingnian carefully counting the copper coins, and he had a better understanding of their situation.

The man before me was yet another down-on-his-luck young master who, unable to make a living in the capital, had fled overnight.

At this moment, the small boat had already left the ferry and was heading downstream towards Yunzhou.

In the distance, Xie Yanzhi looked at the boat. It was small, just an ordinary fisherman's boat, with a shallow draft.

On such a night, with the river swift and the boat rocking back and forth, it was impossible for it to travel a long distance.

Xie Yanzhi couldn't help but laugh at himself. What was he thinking just now, actually wanting to call back such a small boat to search it thoroughly?

It seemed as if Shen Qingnian was currently huddled in the cabin, carefully avoiding him.

Then a servant came to report that all the boats on the shore had been searched, but there was still no sign of the young lady or the maid.

Xie Yanzhi clenched his fist, muttering to himself: Shen Qingnian, where are you?

He stood there at the ferry crossing, watching the small boat slowly disappear into the distance.

At this moment, Yuan Qing also rode up to report that he had found some people at the city gate who were going to Tongzhou, but none of them were Qing Guniang or Lingjiao.

He also wanted to know if they were at the ferry, so he rushed over.

It's so late. Will the little girl with her hair in two buns be scared? Will the two women be in danger?

Yuan Qing watched as his master stood at the riverbank, gazing forlornly into the distance, his cloak fluttering in the night wind, making him appear desolate and cold.

Yuan Qing couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Judging from his appearance, his master, like him, hadn't found anyone either.

Watching Xie Yanzhi's retreating figure, Yuan Qing sighed again. Why did Miss Qing run away?

And Miss Gu, why did you have to cause trouble?

The roads in the capital are so complex and confusing that they don't know which way to go.

Even after the veil is lifted, the master still has to go to the palace to report the situation to the emperor. Even if he wanted to pursue Miss Qing, he couldn't.

Ah, Miss Qing is quite good at choosing her timing; she just happened to pick this moment.

After a long while, Xie Yanzhi turned around and said, "Go and search all the inns."

"Also, send someone to inform the officials at Tongzhou Post Station to thoroughly investigate whether there is a man named Fang Weinian among the people who have arrived in Tongzhou in the past few days!"

Once he returns to the palace and reports back to the Emperor, he will personally capture this audacious and ungrateful woman!

"Also, prepare boats and send Yuanxiao to Jiangnan to check on the Shen family's movements."

He wanted to see how Shen Qingnian would escape his grasp!

He was determined to make her understand just who Xie Yanzhi really was to her!

"Yes, sir!" Yuan Qing accepted the order and led his men into the night.

Inside the residence of the Marquis of Jingnan.

The old lady was so angry that she pounded the ground hard with her pear wood cane. "Look at the good niece you brought in, she's made such a mess of this Marquis's mansion!"

Aunt Su knelt in the center of the room, the shock in her eyes lingering for a long time.

The old lady grew angrier the more she thought about it. If it weren't for Zhao Ge'er's sake, she would have really wanted to hit Aunt Su with that cane.

She stole Yi Ge'er's heart back then, causing him to favor his concubine over his wife.

Now her niece has captured the heart of her grandson.

Both of them are a menace!