Chapter 25 (Afraid that Wei Mingsu would discover she was awake)
As night falls, the pagodas in the north of the city stand in deep silence, with the sound of chanting emanating from the moonlight.
The Chief Secretary of Xizhou stood by the window with his hands behind his back. The candlelight shone on him, and his wrinkled face looked much older than it had been last month.
A servant hurried into the room, clasped his hands in greeting, and reported, "Chief Secretary, an urgent message has arrived from Liucheng..."
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The attendant shook his head: "Chief Secretary, Governor Wei has imprisoned Lu Sanniang in his own room and eats with her twice a day. Lu Sanniang's family has also been imprisoned by Governor Wei. Our men have tried to make a move several times but haven't found an opportunity. Also... Vice Minister Zhou apologized to Governor Wei in public, and it seems he won't interfere in this case anymore."
The chief secretary gave a mocking, bitter smile and waved for his attendants to leave.
As the candlelight flickered, the curly-haired Hu man sitting cross-legged on the mat in the room opened his eyes, his brows furrowed: "Isn't Zhou Qin Suo Yuanli's right-hand man? How come he gave in so quickly? What methods did Wei Mingsu use?"
The chief clerk turned around and said, "His Majesty does not value people's background or reputation, but rather their talent and courage. Wei Mingsu is indeed exceptionally talented to be trusted by His Majesty."
The curly-haired foreigner looked disdainful. Seeing the chief clerk's worried expression, he asked, "Since Lu Sanniang is sentenced to death anyway, we can't kill her now, and she'll still die after the case is closed. What are you worried about, chief clerk?"
The Chief Secretary of Xizhou shook his head: "I suspect that the official documents sent by Wei Mingsu are just to lull us into a false sense of security. He doesn't want to close the case like this."
The curly-haired barbarian narrowed his light brown eyes slightly: "He wants to make an enemy of Xizhou? For a mere commoner?"
If it weren't for Zhou Qin's interference, the case would have been closed long ago. Since Wei Mingsu has the means, he should understand that closing the case quickly would prevent him from offending anyone.
The Prefect of Xizhou closed his eyes in thought, then opened them after a moment and said, "I suspect that Wei Mingsu is investigating the real culprit."
A fierce killing intent flashed in the curly-haired barbarian's eyes: "First Mo Zuo, second Mo Xiu, let's kill him too!"
The Prefect of Xizhou sneered: "Although Wei Mingsu has been demoted, he is still the Prefect of a prefecture. Besides, he was handling the case of the murder of a prince. If we kill him before the case is closed, what do you think the Emperor will think?"
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Killing Wei Mingsu was tantamount to telling the world that the real culprit who murdered Wu Yanxing had not been caught and brought to justice, and that the real culprit's identity and background were extraordinary, to the point that they were so audacious as to kill a prefectural governor to stop the investigation.
The curly-haired Hu man's eyes darted around: "Chief Secretary, why don't you ask the Commander for help? Have the Commander put pressure on Wei Mingsu to close the case as soon as possible."
Upon hearing him mention the governor, the Prefect of Xizhou frowned and sighed, his voice weary: "I wrote to urge him twice, and Wei Mingsu replied that he needed to collect evidence according to regulations before a final decision could be made."
The curly-haired barbarian sneered inwardly, knowing that the chief clerk did not want to involve the governor. He frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "Wei Mingsu is unwilling to close the case, it must be to curry favor with the Wu family. If the chief clerk can give Wei Mingsu what he wants most right now, perhaps he will stop investigating."
"Future prospects? Money? Women?" The Chief Secretary of Xizhou shook his head. "Many aristocratic families in the capital tried to bribe Wei Mingsu, but all failed. He is neither lustful nor greedy for money."
"Moreover, if we suddenly and unjustly show goodwill, it will arouse his suspicion, as if we are trying to hide something."
The curly-haired barbarian said coldly, "Does he really have no weaknesses?"
The Prefect of Xizhou lowered his eyes, staring at the candlelight, and shook his head, saying, "Wei Mingsu has no parents or elders above him, no wives or children below him, and my teacher has turned against him... What a fine knife!"
"Nothing works, nothing works," the curly-haired barbarian said, feeling a surge of anxiety. He stood up and paced back and forth, saying, "I'll arrange for people to get the young master and the others out as soon as possible. As long as they can leave Xizhou smoothly, even if Wei Mingsu finds out something, he won't be able to do anything about it."
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The candlelight illuminated his face, making the worry in his eyes even more pronounced.
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As dawn broke on the horizon, the thunderous sound of hooves echoed across the main road, and a swift horse galloped through the dust to the outskirts of Xizhou City.
Big Ears wiped his sweat, looked at the isolated island cliffs rising above the river in the distance, and let out a long breath.
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He retrieved the passbook Chai Yong had given him and prepared to enter the city. Suddenly, several tripwires were erected on both sides of the main road. He was just a laborer and was startled. He instinctively reined in his horse and stopped. Just as he slowed down, there was a whooshing sound all around him, and several rope loops came down from different directions, trapping him and the horse that Chai Yong had given him.
Big Ears was tied up and dragged off the horse. People with ropes rushed out from both sides of the road and dragged him and the horse away.
One of them put away the lasso and said to the other, "Report to the young master that we intercepted the letter. There are people of unknown origin coming and going from the Protectorate. We have confirmed their whereabouts, but we are afraid of alerting them, so we dare not arrest them."
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Xizhou was a strategic location, guarding the northern route of the Silk Road. Caravans and camel caravans came one after another, and the camel bells jingled on the main road. A camel caravan came from afar and passed the place where Big Ears had been ambushed. The tripwires that had been set up had long been removed, leaving no trace.
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Sunlight streamed into the underground courtyard of the Protectorate General's residence. A cold wind howled and dust swirled along the north-south avenue in the city, but the courtyard remained quiet and serene.
The Prefect of Xizhou sat at his desk, reviewing official documents.
A series of hurried footsteps sounded on the steps. A curly-haired foreign man, holding a letter in his hand, strode down the stairs, a smile gleaming in his brown eyes: "Chief Secretary, Wei Mingsu has closed the case. He intends to bring Lu Sanniang to Xizhou. Please, Commander, handle this matter!"
The chief clerk's face lit up with joy.
Whether Wei Mingsu genuinely wanted to close the case or had found clues, once Lu Sanniang was taken out of Liucheng, killing her would be effortless!
...
Liucheng was bustling with activity, as the procession of carriages and horses preparing to leave the city blocked the main road in front of the city gate.
When news spread that Wei Mingsu was about to leave Liucheng, the playboys couldn't help but secretly cheer: Finally, they could leave Liucheng!
Everyone assumed Zhou Qin would oppose Wei Mingsu and refuse to leave, but to everyone's surprise, Zhou Qin also agreed to go to Xizhou. He seemed to want to avoid Wei Mingsu and offered to lead his men to escort Wu Yanxing's coffin.
The officials of Liucheng breathed a sigh of relief that the immortals did not fight this time.
Lu Huaying was awakened from her sleep by Afu, who put her into a carriage parked in the courtyard. Afu tied her hands behind her back, closed the carriage door, and the carriage slowly drove out of the courtyard.
We're heading to Xizhou.
Lu Huaying knew that once she was convicted, she would be sent to Xizhou.
She had considered this outcome. When she was actually crammed into the carriage in Xizhou, listening to the noisy voices outside and the whistling wind, she didn't feel as panicked and desperate as she had imagined.
Wei Mingsu hated her, but he wasn't like the corrupt officials of Liucheng who treated human life like dirt, nor was he like the perverted Zhou Qin. He didn't use torture to extract confessions, nor did he use his position to settle personal scores by tormenting his brother and sister-in-law. That night, when he saw her naked in bed, he turned and left...
He didn't take the opportunity to kick her while she was down; his indifference was enough to make Lu Huaying very grateful.
As long as Wei Mingsu doesn't make things difficult for his sister-in-law and brother, she has nothing to worry about.
Lu Huaying lay in the carriage, half asleep.
These past few days, the doctor has come every day to take her pulse and seems to have prescribed a lot of medicine. Afu sits at the door every day to brew the medicine for her. Originally, she couldn't sleep all night because of the pain from her injury, but after drinking the medicine, she would fall into a deep sleep. Every time she woke up, she felt much better.
The main road was crowded with carriages and horses, and the carriages were moving very slowly.
Lu Huaying suddenly heard Chai Yong's voice.
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Chai Yong rode a white horse behind the procession. When he saw several carriages coming out of Wei Mingsu's residence, he knew that Lu Huaying must be in one of them. He tried to approach, but the guards on horseback blocked his way and drew their swords, signaling him to step back.
He reined in his horse and watched the carriage drive past, then followed behind.
Pei Jingyao rode up on horseback and said, "Sanlang, I asked the guards. Governor Wei took my sister-in-law and Lu Erge away as well. The guards said that Governor Wei did not torture them."
Chai Yong breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's good to leave Liucheng. We'll have more freedom of movement and can help Third Sister with her affairs. The governor of Xizhou and my family have been friends for generations. When we get to Xizhou, I'll go see the governor and pester him for help. You can go with Governor Wei."
Pei Jingyao nodded and asked, "What if the Governor is unwilling to get involved?"
"I knelt down and begged him."
Chai Yong replied without hesitation.
As they spoke, the surroundings quieted down, and Wei Mingsu rode past them on a black horse.
Wei Mingsu reached out and took it.
But he kept watching.
She remained motionless.
She still remembered the faint mockery in Wei Mingsu's eyes as he stood in front of the bed, looking down at her with his belt undone.
He has changed a lot, even his smell has changed, making him seem unfamiliar to her.
He watched quietly.
It seemed like it was getting dark, and the light was dim. He leaned against the car window, looking down at the open book in his hand. He wore a blue robe, a black belt, and rolled-up sleeves. His profile was handsome, his expression calm, and his sideburns were sharply cut, but there were noticeable silver strands in his black hair.
Footsteps came from outside the car window, and Tong Jin's voice said, "Ah Lang, we've set up tents in the yard. It's a spacious place, and we've arranged for several people to keep watch on higher ground. If anyone gets close to the tents, they'll immediately fire arrows as a warning."
In the midst of the chaos, Wei Mingsu turned around.
This time she really fell asleep.
Tongjin followed him, shook his head at him, told him to shut up, and handed him several scrolls of books from the sheepskin bag hanging next to the saddle into the carriage.
Wei Mingsu lifted the carriage curtain and stepped into the carriage.
The road through the desert was rugged and uneven. The carriage suddenly swayed heavily a few times, and Lu Huaying lurched to the side, bumping into Wei Mingsu's bent long leg.
Everyone's eyes widened, a chill ran down their spines, and without time to object, they all turned and ran wildly out onto the main road.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Wei Mingsu hummed in agreement, withdrew his gaze, rolled up his book, and got off the carriage.
Several soldiers followed behind him, took longbows from their backs, nocked arrows, and aimed them at the frightened horses that were charging in the ranks.
The caravan stopped at the post station ahead, where officials from Xizhou had been waiting for some time.
It got dark.
The noblemen, surrounded by their entourage, turned around, looked at the fallen horse, and asked in bewilderment, "What just happened?"
Thirty li ahead is Xizhou. We'll rest tonight and set off tomorrow morning, arriving before noon.
Afu stepped forward, woke Lu Huaying, and pulled her off the carriage: "Third Sister Lu, wake up, let's go to the tent."
Lu Huaying gradually regained consciousness, subconsciously holding her breath. Her eyelashes trembled a few times before slowly closing again, without making a sound.
Now, a vast snowfall has blanketed this vibrant green landscape, making it all the more desolate and austere.
Tong Jin shouted again, "Everyone, return to the main road from both sides and reorganize your formation! No mistakes allowed!"
She opened her eyes to find the carriage bumping along the road. Her hands were tied behind her back, and she lay curled up on a blanket, a slender figure sitting beside her.
The sky gradually darkened.
Lu Huaying smelled an unfamiliar odor.
Chai Yong looked at Wei Mingsu in the distance.
The guards escorting them were all under the command of the Protectorate General. Creating chaos in the traveling group was the best opportunity to strike.
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The piled stones are like jade, and the rows of pines are like emerald green.
Wei Mingsu looked at the book in his hand and made a shushing gesture.
His companion immediately rode his horse to the front of the carriage and shouted, "Everyone, listen to my command! Spread out to both sides and retreat to the outside of the main road!"
Before the horse could finish running, a series of whooshing sounds continued for a while, followed by several loud thuds as the horse fell to the ground. Several arrows were shot out, and gusts of arrows rained down, killing the horse.
Wei Mingsu's gaze was fixed on the yellowed paper. There were no lights in the carriage, and it was dark, so he couldn't see the words clearly.
The carriage was surrounded by the government troops, and no one could approach it without Wei Mingsu's permission.
Judging from their calm and decisive demeanor, anyone who disobeys orders and retreats to the outside of the main road could be shot dead!
There were no wounds, and the cause of the sudden fright could not be found.
He didn't want to see her.
She was afraid that Wei Mingsu would find out she was awake.
The group left Liucheng and walked on the desolate road. The sky was gray and gloomy. Looking into the distance, there were only gravel, withered shrubs and continuous mountain ranges on the boundless wasteland, making it impossible to tell which way to go.
The Registrar summoned a squad leader and asked how far it was from the post station ahead. A scream came from behind, and several startled neighs suddenly rang out from the slowly advancing column. Several horses had apparently stepped on something and suddenly began to rampage through the column. The others scrambled to get out of the way, and the already disorganized column was thrown into chaos.
Only then did Wei Mingsu dare to lower his eyes and look at her face.
She was in a bit of pain on one shoulder and arm from the impact, but she remained silent, her eyes closed, and quietly moved back.
He reined in his horse and stopped in front of the carriage, his face calm and his demeanor solemn, as if he had expected everything that was about to happen.
The officials who had come with Zhou Qin and Liu Cheng, along with the young noblemen from Luoyang, dismounted and entered the post station one after another, filling the courtyard with the aroma of meat and wine.
Afu scratched his head: "Ah Lang and the prisoner are riding in the same carriage?"
But Wei Mingsu in the dream didn't have white hair.
The curtain was drawn back down.
Afu tightened the reins and asked, "What are your orders, Alang?"
Tong Jin, who was leading the team, stayed behind to check the fallen horse, then caught up with the team and reported: "Ah Lang, the horse has no wounds on its body, but its hooves are not injured either."
The majority of the troops were soldiers from the garrison. They quickly reorganized their formation and continued forward.
Officials from Liucheng came to see him off with smiles on their faces, but Wei Mingsu remained calm and solemn, his eyes fixed on the advancing procession. The officials chuckled awkwardly and withdrew.
A cool sensation suddenly brushed against my face.
Wei Mingsu frowned slightly.
When Chai Yong first left Yumen Pass, he was captivated by the vast and magnificent scenery beyond the Great Wall. Now, however, he had no interest in appreciating it and focused most of his attention on the carriages behind Wei Mingsu.
Lu Huaying, who was lying next to him, was breathing heavily.
The carriage was parked in a quiet corner.
He looked up at the sky, gestured for the carriage behind him to stop, dismounted, and walked to the carriage.
Two hours later, the caravan stopped to rest at an inn by the main road. Everyone ate dry rations, filled their water bags, and continued their journey.
Everyone looked exhausted.
...
Afu lifted the carriage curtain and looked inside.
Lu Huaying looked at him, and for a moment thought she was dreaming.
Lu Huaying was pushed into the tent.
Lu Huaying didn't open her eyes, but she could feel Wei Mingsu's gaze sweep over her.
Wei Mingsu had his back to them, and only turned around after the curtain was lowered, instructing his companion, "Bring the medicine in."
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