This speculation was indeed too bold, but it successfully convinced Jiang Yong'an.
He had always felt that he had overlooked some clues, and now that he thought about it, wasn't that exactly what it was?
“By the way, I remember Jiu Niang told me before that the village chief’s son accidentally fell off a cliff. Later, when the villagers went to look for him, they found his body at the bottom of the cliff. How could there be a body out of nowhere? In addition, Luo Jing was injured and unconscious on that mountain at the time, and was later rescued by Sister Jiang. I’m thinking that it might really be related to the iron mine on this treasure map.”
Gu An'an made a bold analysis, and she felt that it made perfect sense.
Otherwise, it's really hard to explain why Luo Jing, the dignified leader of the Orchid Sect, would just run off to a small mountain village and almost lose his life there.
Gu An'an opened the treasure map repeatedly, "I don't quite understand it, why don't you take a look?"
The treasure map was drawn very simply; with just a few strokes, it was hard to tell that it was actually a treasure map.
Jiang Yong'an was familiar with the terrain of his hometown, but he still couldn't tell the difference.
He felt that Gu An'an's line of thinking was correct. "I'll go back and take a look. It should be in Anping County."
With this treasure map, he had more leverage, whether it was to overturn the general's case or to protect himself and them.
"Thank you so much this time."
Gu An'an twitched her lips upon hearing this, "What you're saying makes me want to take this back."
Is it really necessary for them to be so polite to each other?
Jiang Yong'an chuckled at these words. "I'll handle Qiaoqiao's matter; it won't cause you any trouble."
The treasure map issue has been resolved, but if outsiders believe that the treasure map is with Gu An'an, it could bring her death.
Jiang Yong'an naturally did not want this situation to occur, and he wanted to handle the matter personally.
Gu An'an didn't ask any more questions. How to handle it was Jiang Yong'an's business, and she didn't need to worry about it too much.
However, she also had a worry: "Jiang Yong'an, will you rebel?"
The word sounded so ordinary coming from Gu An'an's mouth, as if she were just talking about whether to have steamed buns or fried dough sticks for breakfast.
This time, Jiang Yong'an didn't look at her, but looked up at the sky.
The weather in May was already hot and dry. Even though the grape trellis in the courtyard brought a little coolness, the sky was so dry that there wasn't even a cloud in it.
"Perhaps, but no matter what, I will protect you."
Gu An'an wasn't surprised to hear this at all. This person was very responsible; even towards a dead person, he would still give an explanation.
"Fine, do whatever you want, I don't care about your business."
She gave her the treasure map, she gave her freedom, and other matters were not her concern. Gu An'an didn't have the habit of asking questions like a mother hen, and she didn't want to get involved anymore.
"Go ahead and do your thing. Oh, and if you really start a rebellion, remember to take Pearl with you. She seems to really like fighting."
A formidable female general is not trained in the western suburban camp; she needs to go to the battlefield with real swords and spears and accumulate merits little by little.
Gu An'an was reluctant to part with her child, but she respected the child's aspirations.
She wouldn't stop him; in fact, she'd even think about giving the child a chance.
Jiang Yong'an seemed startled by these words, and after a while, he finally spoke, "Okay, then you get some rest, I'll be going now."
He needed to deal with Qiaoqiao's situation, to see how many loose ends there were, and whose orders Qiaoqiao had taken.
We really can't afford to delay.
She was alone again under the grape trellis in the courtyard. Gu An'an looked at the silk fan on the table, picked it up, and felt that the handle was still a little warm.
That was Jiang Yong'an fanning her here just now.
This man wasn't good at sweet talk, but he handled the little things exceptionally well, which made her extremely satisfied.
Let's train him slowly; I refuse to believe I can't train him myself.
...
The news of the treasure map quickly spread throughout the entire Great Ye Dynasty. Even Madam Xie heard about it and spoke to Chen Wangdao, saying, "How come it's in our Anzhou Prefecture? Isn't this going to cause trouble?"
The royal family already harbored resentment towards the Chen family because of the death of the fourth prince. Now that the mysterious treasure map has appeared in Anzhou, it is likely that a palace envoy will arrive in a few days, and then they will be in trouble.
"This matter has nothing to do with us. His Majesty keeps Orchid Sect members in various prefectures to gather information. It's not a wise move for so many people to be supported by local finances. This is something the Orchid Sect did. What does it have to do with us?"
Speaking of the Orchid Gate, Chen Fangdao recalled that he wondered if it was the work of that great general. The Orchid Gates of Anling and the three prefectures were destroyed. In the past two years, the Orchid Gates of various prefectures have suffered massacres one after another. Now, there are only ten Orchid Gates in the thirty-six prefectures of the Great Ye Dynasty. It is really incomparable to the once prosperous state.
The Orchid Gate was a thorn in the side of all the prefectures and a sharp blade in the hands of the Longqing Emperor.
Removing this thorn is a good thing for all the prefectures and cities.
Chen Fangdao really couldn't think of anyone other than that general who would do such a thing.
"I'm just afraid that what if our emperor is no longer the wise ruler he once was? What if he really starts acting unreasonably? Wouldn't we be in great danger?"
"If it really comes to that, it will be a case of the ruler forcing his subjects to rebel. Are you afraid, my lady?"
Hearing this, Madam Xie was taken aback for a moment, but she quickly laughed. "Why would I be afraid? If rebelling can save my family's lives, then what's wrong with rebelling?"
Otherwise, what's the point of merely surviving in this world?
She only has a few sons and daughters. If she can't even protect them, what difference is there between being alive and being dead?
Chen Fangdao couldn't help but laugh when he heard his wife's words. "My wife has finally shown me your youthful temperament again."
It was that fiery passion that entered their hearts, but despite all these years of loving marriage, they could never truly return to their youthful days.
Madam Xie raised her eyebrows slightly upon hearing this. "Oh, does the Prefect mean that I haven't met your expectations these past few years?"
Chen Fangdao repeatedly reassured her, "No, no, it's just that Madam's reappearance of her former beauty makes me feel much younger."
He couldn't be described as having a smooth and successful life these past few years; as the head of a prefecture, he was more of a local tyrant.
But having not moved over the years, and with even his own son surpassing him, Chen Fangdao felt somewhat aggrieved.
The emperor in the capital city doesn't trust anyone. Who among his comrades-in-arms who have risked their lives together, or his blood relatives, does he even care about?
Emperors have no personal feelings, but their ruthlessness is only directed at them.
Moreover, the fact that his daughter was almost sold to the imperial family reminded Chen Fangdao of the past. Why was the previous dynasty overthrown? It was because that Emperor Ai was unreasonable and forcibly abducted a group of noble ladies into the palace and bullied them.
Although the Longqing Emperor has not actually done this, there are signs of it.
If Emperor Longqing and General Han were able to rise up in rebellion back then, why can't they do the same today?
Moreover, An Yu, who had been lying low for many years, was no longer content to stay put.
For Chen Fangdao, all that's needed now is one word—
wait.
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