Chapter 14

(27) The Great Plan for Protecting the Nation (II)

Suddenly, a spring breeze came, and thousands of pear trees blossomed.

It seemed as if overnight, everyone began to talk privately about the fact that someone was trying to overthrow the court.

And there are several different versions of the story.

Everyone was guessing who was going to lead the troops into the pass and overthrow the emperor?

As the most powerful relative of the emperor and the Minister of State, Wei Bai naturally became the number one suspect.

If you ask me about Weber's life story, I don't know.

After all, no one would give a little kid like me a detailed introduction to Wei Bo’s life.

All I know is that Wei Bo was furious when he learned about this.

Said he would investigate the case thoroughly.

This is where my cleverness comes in, hehe.

After summarizing the experience of spreading rumors about the emperor and the young marquis last time, I think the most important way for rumor spreaders to protect themselves is to run fast.

Although I am now staying in the Marquis's Mansion and cannot escape, Cui Cui, the steamed bun seller who cursed me, ran away very fast.

According to what I inquired with Sun Gouzi, the butcher next door a few days ago, he heard from the neighbor of the third uncle of the second nephew of the widow of the He family who sells mushrooms next door that Cui Cui had already gone to the neighboring country to sell steamed buns with a shoulder pole.

Haha, thanks to my brilliant plan, no one knows where this rumor came from, and it can serve as a warning to those who are trying to overthrow the dynasty!

Before falling asleep, I thought about this and felt like a messenger of justice.

At midnight, when I was sleeping soundly, a group of soldiers suddenly broke into my small bedroom.

"Shang Shisan, get up, you troublemaker!" The general yelled and pulled me out of the quilt with sleepy eyes.

The tall and strong general carried me as if I were a pendant.

Before I came to my senses, the man had kicked me into jail wearing only a single piece of plain underwear.

I lay in the cold cell, and it took me a while to understand what was happening.

I was arrested again.

I sat up suddenly, rushed to the cold iron door of the prison, and shook it violently.

"You, what rights do you have to arrest me? Is there any law?"

At this time, a soldier with a malicious smile walked in.

"We arrested you because of the law. You dared to spread rumors to Wei Bo that he was trying to overthrow the dynasty. You are so brave."

"What evidence do you have to prove that I was the one who spread the rumor?" I was still shouting indignantly.

Because Cui Cui had left the country, they couldn't find her at all.

Unless Cui Cui voluntarily comes back to surrender, I am sure that only the two of us know about this matter.

The soldier sneered and said the following cruel words to me: "The messenger of justice, Cui Cui, the steamed bun seller, upon learning of Wei Bai's difficult situation, voluntarily walked for two weeks, crossing three mountains, and came back to report you, saying that you had spread rumors about Wei Bai. Now Cui Cui has become the country's largest steamed bun monopoly. Wei Bai is planning to hold a steamed bun exchange conference for Cui Cui to increase the familiarity of Cui Cui's steamed buns with neighboring countries. Cui Cui has become a highly sought-after Confucian businessman, a figure worthy of being recorded in history books."

I felt as if I was struck by lightning, as if thunder was rolling in from the sky.

Faced with the cruel truth, I covered my cheeks and sobbed helplessly.

The soldier probably thought I wasn't miserable enough, so he continued, "You're just the daughter of the Baihuacheng City Lord, and yet you dared to go against the Emperor's favorite, Wei Bai, and the most famous Confucian businessman, Cui Cui. You're so bold! This time, you'll just have to wait for death!"

After saying this, the soldier walked away with firm steps.

(28) The Great Plan for Protecting the Nation (II)

A few days later, the yamen runner who came to deliver meals was a very petite and delicate person.

I stared at him as he came in, thinking that this person’s petite figure looked very familiar.

Finally, when our eyes met, I was shocked.

Yunniang's face was revealed under the loose yamen uniform!

"Wuuuu, Yunniang, I knew you would come to save me..." I lay on the iron gate, grabbing Yunniang's white and tender hands with both hands and rubbing them repeatedly.

Yunniang gave me a displeased look.

"Why do you keep getting into trouble all day long?" Yunniang came up to me and started to lecture me.

"I don't know, I just wanted to protect the young marquis." I sobbed and told Yunniang the whole story through the iron gate.

Yunniang listened and sighed, holding her forehead.

"Thirteen, are you stupid? The young marquis's father wanted to bring in fine horses from the Western Regions to win the recent horse race and overturn the existing horse racing situation. You're so foolish as to think that the old marquis is going to rebel."

After hearing Yunniang's words, I was stunned.

"But don't be sad, I went to see Wei Bo this morning." Yunniang said to me calmly.

"Ah?" I looked at Yunniang's beautiful face in even greater shock.

Thinking of the cruel reality that Yunniang might tell me after she was taken out, I was suddenly overwhelmed with emotions and burst into tears.

"Yunniang, why are you so nice to me? Woohoo! When I get out of prison this time, I won't make trouble for you anymore. Woohoo!"

I used the back of Yunniang's white and tender hand to wipe my tears and my nose at the same time, but Yunniang pushed my face away in disgust.

"You are so disgusting, Thirteen. Don't use my hands to wipe your big snot." Yunniang wiped her little hands with a handkerchief in disgust.

"Has Wei Bo promised to let me go?" I didn't care about being angry even though Yunniang pushed me away, and continued to ask.

Yunniang nodded. "Yes, he said that if I agreed to live with him, he would let us go."

When I heard Yunniang's words, I cried even more miserably.

At this moment, my miserable howls echoed throughout the cell.

"Yunniang, I was really wrong. I'm sorry. You really have to retire from the world for me. Ahhhh." I looked up to the sky and wept, with intense emotions echoing in my chest.

Looking back, every time I got into trouble, it was Yunniang who patiently cleaned up my mess and helped me sort it out.

This time, Yunniang even had to retire from the world.

I really feel guilty!

I knelt on the ground, wailing in pain, behind the ruthless iron gate.

Just when I was going crazy, Yunniang patted my hand gently with red eyes.

"Silly, what nonsense are you talking about? We are a family."

However, at this moment I was already squatting on the ground crying.

Yunniang continued to ramble, "I always feel that we are the same people. It's just that our goals are different. You want to marry the young marquis and live a life together, and I want to make money in the martial arts world, but we both know that our hearts are connected..."

As Yunniang spoke, she squatted on the ground, hugged herself and sobbed.

For a moment, Yunniang and I looked at each other in silence, tears streaming down our faces, separated by the ruthless iron door of the prison.

Yunniang and I were both tired of crying, and she slowly continued, "Don't cry anymore, I didn't agree to Wei Bo's request."

At that time, there were still traces of tears on my face.

I sobbed and asked Yunniang with a breath that was a little uneven, "What do you mean?"

"Wei Bo said that as long as I lived with him, he would let you go. I rejected him harshly and told him not to think about it. I said that even if we let you die, we would never agree to his despicable request." Yunniang said to me with tears in her eyes.

"Then what should I do?" My tears silently fell again.

I asked again. "Do I still have to die?"

Yunniang's tears overflowed from her eyes again.

"Yes, if you do that, you'll really die."