Chapter 284 Last Will
Lin Changning came out of the cave and touched the bandaged wound on his shoulder. It still hurt a little, but as long as he didn't move his arm, the pain wasn't too intense.
After taking a look at myself, I found that the herbs seemed to be working. The bleeding had stopped, and as long as I didn't do any strenuous exercise, I should gradually get better.
Lin Changning walked to the stream and splashed water on her face. After drinking a couple of mouthfuls of water, she walked towards a deeper part of the stream. The princess and the young lady must both be exhausted.
She needed to find a way to get some food. She was injured and had two helpless women and children with her. If she didn't fill her stomach and heal her wounds quickly, they would be overtaken by the people behind them sooner or later.
Lin Changning walked to the stream and found that there were quite a few small fish, about the length of a finger. After thinking for a while, he turned around and went back to the cave, took the gourd, and caught a whole gourd full of small fish by the stream.
Eating his fill was definitely not an option, but something was better than nothing. Lin Changning reached into his pocket and found that the tinderbox was still usable.
They gathered some dried firewood along the way and picked up some withered grass from the ground. After returning to the cave, they started a fire and lit a bonfire next to the mother and daughter. They also picked up two thin rocks from the stream and used them to make a makeshift stove in the cave.
After washing the stones and heating them over a fire, the small fish from the gourd were laid out on the thin stone slabs.
The spice packet in his arms was soaked by water and formed large clumps of spice. Lin Changning spread the spice clumps evenly on each small fish while grilling them on the stone.
In less than half an hour, the aroma of pan-fried small fish filled the entire cave. Moon, who was in her sleep, smacked her lips and was suddenly awakened by the fragrance.
Just then, Lin Changning and Lin Changning stared at each other, and Lin Changning picked up a small fish, put it in his mouth, chewed it, and squinted his eyes because it smelled so good.
Seeing Yue'er looking at her, she made a shushing gesture to indicate that she should not wake the princess, and then beckoned to Yue'er.
Yue'er looked back at her mother, who was sleeping soundly, and carefully turned over, got up, and moved step by step to Lin Changning's side.
Lin Changning picked up a small, fried fish from the stone slab, blew on it to cool it down, and put it into Yue'er's mouth.
As Yue'er chewed on the crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside little fish, her big eyes curved into crescent moons as she gazed longingly at Lin Changning; she was starving.
Lin Changning thoroughly enjoyed feeding the child. The two of them ate one fish at a time, eating happily. They did remember that there was a sleeping person among them. After frying about a dozen small fish, Lin Changning placed them on a leaf and pointed at Li Mingshu: "I'll leave some for your mother. Uncle Lin will catch more later."
Yue'er nodded hurriedly and licked her lips, seemingly still a little hungry.
Such a small amount of fish is definitely not enough for three people. It's okay for anyone to go hungry, but we can't let the child go hungry. Upholding the fine traditional virtues, Lin Changning took Yue'er's hand and pointed outside: "Come on, Uncle Lin will take you to catch fish."
Yue'er looked at Lin Changning with bright eyes, reached out and took Lin Changning's hand, and was led outside.
Lin Changning, holding half a gourd, led Yue'er along the stream and found a slightly deep pool, which pleased him.
She just saw four or five fish inside, each the size of a palm, enough for them to eat for two meals!
Beijing
The eldest princess frowned and asked the kneeling guard, "What did you say? Ninth Brother's men infiltrated the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence?"
The eldest princess lightly tapped the table with her nail polished, dimpled nails. For a moment, she was unsure what the ninth prince was up to. Logically speaking, Shu'er had already been sent away, so why were the ninth prince's people still staying in the capital?
The young lady from the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion was investigated by her secret guards, and she was just a maidservant impersonating someone else; there was nothing different about her.
However, now that Lao Jiu's men have infiltrated the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence, she has no choice but to be more careful.
Completely baffled, the eldest princess frowned, utterly unable to understand what the ninth prince was up to this time.
"The Marquis of Zhongyong's residence, the Marquis's residence, what exactly is Ninth Prince keeping secret? Remember to report any movements of the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence to me in a timely manner!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
The Marquis of Loyalty and Valor's Residence
Su Qingyan stayed by Fu Bao's side for three days. It wasn't until the third day that Fu Bao's fever gradually subsided. Su Qingyan breathed a sigh of relief and stood up, but then her vision went black.
Suddenly, a servant's voice rang out from outside: "Young Master, the Marquis urgently summons you! Please come to the main courtyard at once!!!"
Su Qingyan paused for a moment, then responded and leaned against the wall, saying, "I understand, I'll be right there."
After finishing speaking, Su Qingyan picked up the teacup on the table, poured herself a sip of tea, and strode towards her father's courtyard.
As soon as I arrived in my father's yard, I saw my father, enraged, smashing everything in the study to pieces.
After bowing to her father, Su Qingyan knelt on one knee: "Father, what is this?"
Marquis Zhongyong's face turned pale. He looked around and said in a deep voice, "Follow me!!!"
Su Qingyan was a little confused, but she still followed her father forward. She saw her father stop in front of a bookshelf in the study and press some mechanism. The bookshelf popped open slightly with a creak.
Marquis Zhongyong led Su Qingyan through the crack and directly into the secret room of the Marquis's mansion.
Su Qingyan was completely bewildered: "Father? What's this?"
With a dark expression, Marquis Zhongyong led Su Qingyan into the innermost part of the secret chamber. Once inside, he closed the door and said:
"Two days ago, someone broke into the Marquis's mansion's secret chamber and took away Emperor Taizong's last edict!! I can't leave the capital right now, Yan'er, I'm giving you two hundred palace guards and forty secret guards. You must sneak out of the capital and retrieve the edict!!!"
Su Qingyan raised her eyes, her brows furrowing slightly: "What imperial decree? Is it important?"
Marquis Zhongyong's face was ashen: "It is the decree to pass the throne to the current King of Chu. Your grandfather hid it during the palace coup. The current emperor and the late emperor both thought your grandfather had destroyed it, so this matter must not be publicized!!! We must retrieve it secretly!"
Su Qingyan's pupils constricted sharply: "Isn't this a crime of deceiving the emperor?! Father!!! Why wasn't this thing destroyed sooner?!"
Marquis Zhongyong remained silent: "The most urgent task is to retrieve the imperial decree!"
Su Qingyan took a deep breath: "Was it the Prince of Chu? The Prince of Chu sent someone to steal the imperial edict? Who else knows about the secret room in the house? Nothing has happened for so many years, but now of all times, it seems like there have been spies planted in the house for many years!"
Marquis Zhongyong sighed, "The man has already been executed. You must leave the capital tonight and retrieve the imperial decree. Otherwise, our Marquis Zhongyong's mansion may be finished..."
Su Qingyan lowered her eyes: "Father, why don't we just side with the Prince of Chu? The Prince of Chu has planted spies in his mansion for so many years without making a move, but now, of all times, have you heard? The Prince of Chu's daughter was burned to death in the Marquis of Jing'an's mansion. I feel that the world is about to change!!!"
The Marquis of Zhongyong slapped his eldest son across the face, turning his head to the side: "You scoundrel! Do you know that during the palace coup back then, your grandfather and I both...!"
The Marquis of Zhongyong clenched his fist, his hand trembling, and said coldly, "No matter what, we must get this imperial decree back, otherwise, we'll have no bargaining chips left!!!"
After saying this, the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor closed his eyes: "You are the hope of the Marquis's mansion, Yan'er. Leave the city tonight. I'm entrusting the secret guards and the mansion soldiers to you. The Marquis's mansion will ultimately depend on you..."
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