Chapter 130 Where is the Emperor?
The true emperor, traveling incognito, was mistaken for a rebel by his own soldiers.
Lu Jinlan gritted her teeth in anger, "I think your eyesight is so bad you're practically blind! I'm a traitor, take a good look!"
Seeing this, Yan Wuxin quickly stepped in to stop them, "Ladies, my friend here is a law-abiding citizen, please don't misunderstand. I have some small tokens of my appreciation for your hard work on duty, please take them and have a drink."
As the three were talking, seven or eight constables surrounded them, all looking at the leader.
The head constable, Li, weighed the silver in his hand and curled the corner of his mouth. "A full one hundred taels of silver. You guys are really generous."
"But you underestimate us far too much. Although we serve in this remote place, we are still paid by the emperor and bear his burdens. You think you can bribe us with a few stinking coins? Humph! Don't even think about it!"
Officer Li tossed the silver back, and Xiang Ruzhen couldn't help but clap and cheer, "Good! Upright and honest, a model for officials!"
Officer Li drew his sword and shouted, "What's so good about it? You think I didn't see you were in cahoots with those two? Men, arrest all three of them!"
A dozen or so constables rushed over instantly. Xiang Ruzhen wanted to explain, but she grabbed Constable Li's wrist and said, "Don't do anything! It's a misunderstanding! We're really not rebels!"
Officer Li questioned, "If you're not rebels, why would you bribe us with so much money? I think you're either rebels or fugitives; in any case, your identities are something you can't show to the public."
As she spoke, she called to the constables beside her, "Sisters, don't be shy, just arrest them first, I'll take responsibility if anything goes wrong!"
More than a dozen steel knives were instantly drawn and charged towards the three men.
Enraged, Xiang Ruzhen kicked Constable Li, yelling, "Idiot! Can't you tell right from wrong? Get out of here!"
Things had escalated to this point, leaving the three with no choice but to take action.
However, since these were their own people, they couldn't be too harsh. The constables, on the other hand, genuinely believed they were suspicious and practically wanted to hold a knife to their throats.
The three fought and discussed their options. Yan Wuxin suggested, "How about we tell the truth?"
Lu Jinlan said, "It's too late. If we're arrested by our own people while traveling incognito, we'll be laughed at. Of the thirty-six stratagems, running away is the best option!"
As soon as the two jumped out of the battle circle, Xiang Ruzhen followed.
Just as the three were about to leave, Lu Jinlan suddenly said, "Wait a minute! We're all out now, who are those constables going to attack?"
Yan Wuxin turned his head and saw Ji Yunliu pushing a straw cart into the crowd, shouting, "My benefactor, run!"
Ji Yunyuan also came over to help, but his martial arts skills were lacking, and he was captured in just a few moves and taken away by several constables.
Yan Wuxin chuckled, "Fine, after saving them, they saved us, and now we have to save them back."
Lu Jinlan said, "You two go save Ji Yunliu, and I'll go save Yuanzhen."
Lu Jinlan left after speaking. Just as Xiang Ruzhen was about to make a move, Yan Wuxin grabbed her. "I can't tell that she's still moved. She's even calling him Yuanzhen."
Xiang Ruzhen said with a serious expression, "I can only tell that if we don't act quickly, Ji Yunliu will be killed."
*
Ji Yunyuan was escorted to the government jail by four constables with a knife to his neck.
He thought to himself: This is probably going to be troublesome. I wonder how worried my mother will be if she finds out.
Just as he was feeling worried, he suddenly heard a scream behind him, and the constable next to him instantly fell to the ground.
He turned around and saw that Lu Jinlan had knocked out four constables in the blink of an eye, casually straightened her clothes, and looked at him with a smile.
Lu Jinlan said loudly, "Young Master Ji Yun, this is the second time I've saved you."
Ji Yunyuan looked at her gratefully, but didn't go on to say that he and his senior sister had returned to save them. He simply said, "Thank you for saving us, Second Hero Lu. In my next life, I am willing to serve you like a cow or a horse, at your beck and call. Even repaying your kindness is nothing."
Lu Jinlan smiled, "You only wish to repay me in the next life? What about this life? I thought you would repay me with your body."
Ji Yunyuan's face flushed. "This...this is not possible. I already have someone I love. Please do not treat me lightly, young hero."
Lu Jinlan sighed, "Alas, young master is so handsome that he naturally wouldn't be interested in a notorious bandit like me. You may leave now."
Ji Yunyuan quickly replied, "No, it has nothing to do with status. I like her, not because she's the emperor. Do you think I'm the kind of man who climbs the social ladder by currying favor with the powerful?"
Lu Jinlan laughed and said, "You and your senior sister risked your lives to come back and save us. You are certainly not that kind of man. I was being presumptuous. The pursuers will be here soon. You should leave quickly."
Ji Yunyuan hurriedly asked, "And what about you?"
Lu Jinlan said, "I'll help you hold off the pursuers. One day, when you and your sweetheart are together, don't forget my kindness in helping you today."
Sigh, what a coincidence, she also has the surname Lu. Unfortunately, she's not the Lu he wanted to marry.
A shadow fell over Ji Yunyuan's eyes. "Her and I...it's impossible. You should escape with me. You still have a case against you; what if you get caught by the authorities?"
As they were talking, shouts of officials arresting people came from not far away.
Lu Jinlan quickly took out the Garan bracelet from her bosom and stuffed it into his hand, saying, "The arrest warrant from the capital won't reach here. Besides, when catching a thief, you can catch him red-handed. If you take the bracelet, the government won't have any evidence. At most, they'll detain me for a few days and then release me. When I get out, I'll come looking for you. You have to keep it safe for me."
As she spoke, she pushed Ji Yunyuanzhen into the alley, saying, "Hide well."
Ji Yunyuan, who was hiding among the clutter, saw Lu Jinlan walk to the middle of the road and calmly said to the panting constables, "Don't worry, everyone, I'm right here. Catch your breath before you take me back. I'll be waiting."
One of the constables looked around and said to Constable Li, "A man escaped."
Officer Li, panting heavily, glared at her. "What can a man accomplish? Quickly arrest this mastermind and bring him back. The Prefect will surely reward him handsomely."
*
Xiang Ruzhen and Yan Wuxin were in a similar situation. Xiang Ruzhen told Yan Wuxin to take the injured Ji Yunliu and run first, while she was responsible for holding off the pursuers.
The implication was that she naturally intended to stay and discuss the suppression of the rebellion with Zhang Siyuan.
Yan Wuxin understood and left with Ji Yunliu.
Zhang Siyuan was handling official business at the government office when she heard from her subordinates that they had encountered rebels during an inspection. The rebels were not only highly skilled in martial arts, but also fought back fiercely.
She immediately gathered her men and rode swiftly to provide support.
Zhang Siyuan was quite unlucky. As a prefectural governor, he was demoted to the position of prefect of Xinping Prefecture because he failed to flatter the emperor properly.
She arrived just in time for the rebellion, but she remained optimistic, thinking that nothing is worth doing and if she could quell the rebellion, she might be able to return to her post as the governor of Mianzhou ahead of schedule.
If she happens to catch the rebels red-handed today, her career will be secure, and it's not impossible for her to be promoted to a high-ranking official in the capital.
Just as she was happily lost in her thoughts, she saw the constables bringing Xiang Ruzhen before her.
Zhang Siyuan's vision went black, and he almost fainted.
Just as she was about to greet him, Xiang Ruzhen gestured for her to look at the crowd of onlookers and whispered, "It's not convenient to talk here. Please come to the prefectural office to interrogate me, Your Excellency."
Zhang Siyuan nodded repeatedly, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said to his subordinates, "This... the criminal hasn't been convicted yet, why are you binding her? Untie her quickly."
The officer beside him hurriedly reminded him, "Your Excellency, you can't untie her. Her martial arts skills are too high; if you untie her, she'll run away."
Zhang Siyuan said urgently, "Stop arguing, I'll figure it out myself."
Xiang Ruzhen smiled and said, "Go ahead, it's fine."
Zhang Siyuan hurriedly said, "Then...then bring the horse over here."
She said in a low voice, "It's quite a distance from here to the government office. Please mount your horse."
Xiang Ruzhen refused, "How can a prisoner ride a horse? Your Excellency, please mount your horse, I'll walk."
Zhang Siyuan had no choice but to mount his horse with trepidation.
Upon arriving at the back hall of the government office, she quickly untied Xiang Ruzhen's ropes and performed a deep bow to apologize.
Xiang Ruzhen flexed her wrists, sat down, and said while drinking tea, "Ignorance is no excuse, it's not a big deal. Siyuan, I think you manage your subordinates well, you've done a good job in Xinping Prefecture."
Zhang Siyuan stood to the side wiping his sweat repeatedly, "Your Excellency, please stop mocking me."
Xiang Ruzhen smiled and said, "I'm not mocking you, I'm praising you. This place is remote and the salary is meager, yet the constables here are not swayed by money. It must be because you have taught them well."
Xiang Ruzhen drank a cup of tea, explained her purpose, and said, "This time, Grand Commandant Yan and I accompanied the Emperor on an incognito visit, and the Emperor was just caught up in it. However, she is very skilled, and she can escape even a thousand troops, let alone ordinary constables."
Zhang Siyuan hurriedly replied, "Yes, yes, how could the people under my command possibly harm the Emperor? Even if they are blind, they cannot harm the Emperor's body, otherwise I'm afraid I won't have my head left."
Before he could finish speaking, Constable Li knocked on the door from outside. "Your Excellency, I have something important to report."
Zhang Siyuan hurriedly said to Xiang Ruzhen, "This man is named Li Yi, and he is my most capable constable. Could you please let her know your identity?"
Xiang Ruzhen nodded. "I'll be staying here for a while, and I'll definitely need your people. They can know my identity, as long as they don't let unrelated people know. Otherwise, if word gets to the rebels, it'll cause trouble. It's fine if they're on our side."
Zhang Siyuan immediately let Li Yi in. Li Yi was taken aback when he saw Xiang Ruzhen sitting there drinking tea.
But she still reported first: "Sir, we have arrested a traitor and he has been imprisoned."
Zhang Siyuan hurriedly said, "Forget about the rebels for now, come and pay your respects to the Prime Minister."
The Prime Minister, Li Yi, knelt down in a daze to pay his respects, then stammered, "You...you are the Prime Minister, then who...who is the one we captured?"
Zhang Siyuan: "What? You arrested people who were with the Prime Minister?"
Li Yi nodded vigorously, "Yes, but two women and one man ran away."
Zhang Siyuan clutched his pounding chest. "Your Excellency, don't worry. Perhaps the one we arrested really is a traitor, perhaps... perhaps it's the Grand Commandant himself."
Just then, Yan Wuxin burst in, brandishing the Grand Commandant's token.
Zhang Siyuan was about to faint. "Grand Commandant, what... what are you doing here?"
Yan Wuxin said, "I am accompanying the Emperor on an incognito visit."
She sat down by herself and said to Xiang Ruzhen, "I handed Ji Yunliu over to Ji Yunyuanzhen and told them I'd come back to find you, thus shaking them off. By the way, where is the Emperor?"
She looked around. Li Yi was kneeling there with her head down and no words were spoken, while Zhang Siyuan's face was ashen.
Xiang Ruzhen sighed, "He's in jail."
Yan Wuxin was startled: "What? You've imprisoned the Emperor?"
Zhang Siyuan was on the verge of tears. Xiang Ruzhen pointed at her and said, "Zhang Siyuan, you really are good at managing your subordinates."
Zhang Siyuan was both amused and exasperated. "Your Excellency, things have come to this point, and you're still praising me?"
"I'm praising you, but this time I'm being sarcastic."
Xiang Ruzhen rolled her eyes at her, then turned to Li Yi and said, "This constable, really! You didn't search the real rebels, but instead called the Emperor out of the crowd. She's the Emperor, and you say she looks like a rebel? She's the Emperor, why would she need to rebel against herself?"
Li Yi was completely terrified. "Then...the person has been arrested, what do we do now?"
Zhang Siyuan suddenly realized, "Yes, yes, yes, it's crucial to release the Emperor quickly. He's only just gone in, so he shouldn't be too angry yet; at most, he'll just chop off our heads. What if he stays there too long and they execute our entire families? Come on, come with me to the prison to beg for forgiveness!"
"Stop!" Xiang Ruzhen called out to the two of them. "If the Emperor doesn't want to go in, you can't stop her even if you try. Now that she's gone in, she must have her reasons. Let me think about it."
Yan Wuxin said thoughtfully, "Is that Xu Lin locked up in jail?"
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Author's Note: I forgot to mention! Thank you to "Meimei Wants to Kill Eight" for today's deep-sea torpedo! It's the first time I've received such a generous gift, I'm incredibly flattered and grateful! Thank you also to all the donors, nutrient solution givers, subscribers, and commenters... Thank you to all my legitimate readers, I bow deeply, thank you to all my benefactors!
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