Predicament (Revised)
Almost instantly, relying on his intuition, he deduced that the people fleeing forward were also from the military.
Although it was late at night, the area was brightly lit by the campfires near the military camp, making it almost impossible for the man to hide.
He had practiced martial arts since childhood and was extremely skilled. After arriving in the capital, he trained day and night at the martial arts training ground. Ordinary soldiers would never be as fast as him. Liang Zhengyuan pursued relentlessly, which made the fleeing man realize instantly that his whereabouts had been exposed.
Ordinary people would probably have panicked and run away by now. But that person was clearly agile, not wearing ordinary armor, but a black short coat, and was moving quickly through the fields.
Perhaps fearing being caught by Liang Zhengyuan, the man began to deliberately walk in circles.
The waist-high withered grass stretched endlessly, and occasionally grasshoppers and other insects hidden in the grass would scatter in all directions when disturbed. Liang Zhengyuan swung his sword and cut through several patches of grass in front of him, forcefully clearing a path forward.
Under the moonlight, ahead lay a vast, empty depression, and beyond that, the river was shrouded in the darkness of night.
The figure paused, having nowhere else to run, and perhaps giving up, stopped in front of the depression.
Who are you?
Liang Zhengyuan, slightly out of breath, asked loudly.
The man paused noticeably upon hearing his words, then slowly turned around.
The bright moon shone everywhere, waves surged, and the river water lapped against the shore before slowly receding. Unfortunately, the person's face was covered with a black cloth, his expression mostly hidden in the boundless night, blending into the darkness.
Liang Zhengyuan couldn't see clearly. He cursed under his breath and then shouted again.
"You audacious thief! You were acting suspiciously in my camp just now, what are you up to?"
Having said that, he couldn't help but take a step forward. He felt that the figure was distinctly familiar, yet for some reason, it exuded a strange aura... something was definitely not right...
The man shifted slightly, but his eyes went straight past him, looking directly behind him.
As Liang Zhengyuan watched the long sword in his hand flash with a silver light, he suddenly realized something and thought to himself, "This is bad!"
But it was too late for anything!
He was about to sidestep the beam of light when he suddenly felt his right calf go weak—
It was a feint attack. He had been careless and fallen into the enemy's ambush.
When he woke up again, he was thousands of miles away.
However, he was attacked and fell into a coma. Even after he regained consciousness, he kept thinking about the incident.
He naturally understood that this matter was of great importance and could not be acted upon rashly. And he naturally trusted Lin Xu.
With constables on duty nearby, he had no choice but to suppress his anxiety and briefly recount his attack to Lin Xu, even lowering his voice to the minimum for fear of attracting attention.
But she remained resolute after hearing this, and quietly pressed his hand.
Those eyes reflected the faint candlelight hanging high beside them, their shimmering light making the entire dark and cluttered cell appear slightly brighter.
For some reason, he suddenly felt at peace.
Although Duan Jinru had shown leniency, it was still related to a murder case, so Lin Xu couldn't stay inside for long even with the exception. Lin Xu glanced deeply at Liang Zhengyuan behind the railing, then picked up the packed food box and went out.
Liang Zhengyuan watched Lin Xu's departing figure until she completely disappeared into the faint light in the distance. Having not stood for a long time, he felt weak all over and his head was throbbing after standing for only a short while.
As a martial artist, he tried to gather his breath, but before it could sink to his dantian, he felt the qi surging and churning in his abdomen. He lost his balance and couldn't help but cough violently.
A few more specks of blood were scattered on the dry grass spread on the ground.
If he had been even a fraction slower in dodging, the consequences would have been unimaginable...
.
Before leaving the prison, Lin Xu made sure to give each of the minor officials guarding the prison a heavy purse. The minor officials' salaries were meager, but the purse was worth far more than their annual expenses.
The prison was built underground, and since it was dark and damp, she felt cold after only a short while, while Liang Si had been inside for two whole days.
The thought of Liang Zhengyuan's blood-stained appearance just now filled her with sorrow. She couldn't bear to think about it any longer and quickened her pace.
He just hoped that he would hold on until she came up with a solution.
As Lin Xu hurried along, passing through layers of stone steps, and then saw the bright daytime street scene all around, he suddenly felt a little dizzy.
The Ministry of Justice was solemn and imposing, with several fierce-looking guards holding knives standing at the entrance.
She turned her head and saw a sedan chair parked not far away. The curtains fluttered in the wind, revealing a familiar blue interior.
Today's events happened so suddenly that she owes someone another favor.
Lin Xu took a slow breath, walked quickly forward, and respectfully bowed in front of the sedan chair.
"Thank you so much, General Duan, for your kindness today. I have no way to repay you, so I will keep your kindness in my heart and visit you in person to express my gratitude another day."
Because she was disguised today, she had temporarily borrowed a peach-colored linen jacket from Nongyu. She was much taller than Nongyu, and when she bent down to perform the maid's curtsy, a large section of her fair, moon-like wrist was revealed.
A muffled sound came from behind the curtain. The sedan bearers and their servants dared not delay and immediately rolled up the soft curtain.
Duan Jinru was dressed in a smoky blue robe with auspicious patterns. Half of his angular face was hidden in the shadows inside the sedan chair, except for his slightly furrowed brows.
He beckoned her forward with his finger.
Lin Xu had no choice but to put down the food box in his hand, walk forward quietly, and bow again.
Duan Jinru's full head of jet-black, shiny hair was combed into a neat bun, topped with a white jade crown. In just a few days, he appeared even more dignified. Although he was dressed in ordinary clothes, his demeanor could not hide his noble and solemn air.
The classmate who was once so refined and taciturn has now become increasingly ruthless and powerful.
In her haste, her thoughts returned to normal, and the person in a high position noticed her absent-mindedness.
Duan Jinru spoke softly, but his voice remained flat and devoid of any inflection.
"Lin Xu, I've helped you twice already."
She felt a chill run down her spine and hurriedly looked up, only to see that his gaze was clear, but his appearance was quite stern.
The situation was urgent today. If it weren't for the news from the Princess's residence that Kunrou had suddenly fallen ill, she wouldn't have been so anxious and immediately decided to venture out alone.
But besides Liao Yan, who else could help her?
After much deliberation, she gritted her teeth and went to find Duan Jinru under the cover of darkness.
The Fourteenth Division returned to the capital in triumph, and it was a time of great celebration, with banquets being held in restaurants everywhere. She only sent Zhao Qi to inquire in the streets and alleys a few times, and she was able to confirm Duan Jinru's whereabouts.
On a dark and cold night, shrouded in mist, one is most prone to feeling lost and disoriented.
She still owed Duan Jinru a favor from the last time, but now she had to swallow her pride and ask him for help again. She was prepared to be harassed and rejected by him.
Unexpectedly, Duan Jinru stood at the street corner next to the restaurant, his face slightly flushed from the alcohol, yet he listened to her entire plan without saying a word, and then looked silently at the anxious woman in front of him.
Just when she was about to lose hope, she saw Duan Jinru lean against the wall and nod slightly.
“Since he is your cousin, it is understandable that you care about your family and want to visit him in times of crisis.”
She lowered her head, hastily concealing her joy, so happy she almost didn't know what to do.
But Duan Jinru's eyes were blurry, and he whispered in a voice slightly tinged with alcohol:
“But this case is of great importance, and you have no choice but to go and meet him. You must not reveal any information. Otherwise, not only will I be unable to help you, but everyone involved in this matter may also be implicated, including you—your husband who now works in the Ministry of Works.”
She forced herself not to think of anything else, and only spoke softly:
"Therefore, I will never forget General Duan's kindness in my life."
When Duan Jinru is sober, he is always aloof and detached, with a cold and aloof demeanor, and even his voice carries a chilling aura.
She had something on him, and now that she needed his help, she had to be even more humble in front of him.
"That's not necessary."
Duan Jinru looked at her unusually respectful demeanor, his expression unchanged, and said coldly:
“Your cousin is brave and skilled in battle. Many people in the 14th Division felt sorry for his current situation when they heard about this, and I was not the only one.”
After he finished speaking, he raised his hand, and a servant bowed and stepped forward to lower the curtain for him again.
This means that you are about to leave.
Lin Xu nodded slightly, about to watch him leave in his sedan chair, when she heard his voice slowly drift down from above and into her ears the moment the bridge was erected.
"As for that case from before, I said I would do everything in my power to find out the truth. You don't need to thank me."
Exhausted from a long day's work, she returned home feeling utterly drained. Disguised, she as usual sneaked in through the back door of the other courtyard when no one was looking. Inside the wooden door, Zhu Ling was already waiting, carefully assisting her.
Zhu Ling looked worried, but breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Lin Xu had returned safely. She couldn't help but look Lin Xu up and down, as this was the first time she had ever seen Lin Xu dressed like a maid.
Lin Xu pretended to pinch Zhu Ling's cheek before quickly returning to the side room to change.
Zhu Ling said in a low voice, "Why does Madam need to hide it from the Second Young Master? This morning after you left the manor, I saw the Second Young Master pacing around in the backyard several times before the Eldest Young Master sent someone to invite him away. If the Second Young Master knew, perhaps he could help you think of some ways to smooth things over."
As she let Zhu Ling redo her hair, she frowned and looked at herself in the bronze mirror.
She also wished for another person to help him.
However, on top of this, Liao Yan was imprisoned in the Princess's residence by the Eldest Princess for helping Liang Zhengyuan, and was not allowed to leave even for a moment, which made her somewhat uneasy.
The case that even the eldest princess didn't want Liao Yan to get involved in—just how complicated are the inside stories and details?
She was quick-witted, and after a moment's thought, she realized that Liang Zhengyuan had probably provoked someone who was not someone to be trifled with.
This was clearly a deadly trap designed to take his life.
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