The snow fell all night, turning the world into a pristine white expanse, as if burying all the filth and strife beneath its pure white hue.
After finishing dealing with Lu Jingze's affairs, the owner of Guilai Manor picked up an exquisite food box and hurried towards the small courtyard next door.
As he reached the door, two guards stopped him.
The manor owner put on a fawning smile and asked respectfully, "Gentlemen, is the man staying here Lord Zhou Yuan'an from Liangzhou?"
The soldier frowned, eyeing him warily: "Why are you asking these questions?"
The manor owner quickly explained, "I had the honor of meeting you once many years ago, and later I heard that it was Lord Zhou who, without fear of death, exposed the corrupt officials in Liangzhou. I admire you greatly, which is why I wanted to come and pay my respects!"
As he spoke, he pushed the food box forward, his tone sincere: "These are some snacks that I specially prepared. I hope you two officials will be lenient with me."
Seeing his respectful attitude and hearing about Zhou Yuan'an's achievements, the soldier's expression softened slightly, but he remained vigilant: "Sir, you caught a cold and just rested. Please come back another day."
Upon hearing this, the manor lord's face showed disappointment, and he sighed, "Ah...I see...Alright then, I'll come to visit Lord Zhou again in a few days."
After saying that, he turned around and prepared to leave.
Just then, a deep voice came from inside the room: "I'm awake. Please come in, sir."
The soldiers exchanged glances, and seeing that Zhou Yuan'an had spoken, they stopped trying to stop him and opened the door to let the manor lord in.
The manor owner cautiously entered the room and saw Zhou Yuan'an standing by the window with his back to him, gazing at the white snow scene outside through the half-open window.
He was thin, and his shoulders trembled slightly, as if he was trying to suppress a cough.
Seeing this, the manor lord quickly stepped forward, skillfully closed the window, and took a cloak from the side, gently covering Zhou Yuan'an with it. His tone was somewhat reproachful: "Young Master is too careless with his health. He's been freezing all night, how dare he open the window to let in the wind?"
Zhou Yuan'an waved his hand, "It's too stuffy in the room, I'm just getting some fresh air, so please don't nag."
After saying that, he coughed violently again, his face even paler than before.
What happened to the rest of them?
The head of the manor bowed slightly, his tone heavy, and replied, "As per the master's orders, they have all been executed on the spot."
"Can't we save even one person?" Zhou Yuan'an's voice carried a hint of resentment.
The manor lord shook his head helplessly, "Lu Jingze's personal guards are exceptionally brave. If we are not careful, they may expose important matters. We had no choice but to kill them all."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan'an coughed violently again, sounding as if he was coughing up his internal organs.
The manor lord hurriedly poured him a glass of water and handed it to him, gently comforting him, "Young master, don't worry. Although it was the master's order, those soldiers were all willing to do it. They sacrificed themselves for the future cause! They died a worthy death!"
Zhou Yuan'an took the water glass, took a sip of tea to calm himself down, and then asked, "What about Yang Leihu? Is he still alive?"
The manor lord sighed and shook his head: "He was never alive. He was killed by Lu Jingze under the tree. Some brothers wanted to collect his remains, but they encountered Lu Jingze's reinforcements and had no choice but to give up. His body has now been taken away."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yuan'an turned pale with anger, slammed his hand on the table, and roared, "That old bastard! He ruined my plans!"
After he finished speaking, the itching in his throat intensified, making him almost unable to stand.
"Young Master, don't be angry, don't be angry!" Upon seeing this, the manor lord quickly stepped forward and gently patted Zhou Yuan'an's back, trying to help him calm down.
After Zhou Yuan'an finally caught his breath, he had a face flushed red from coughing and said through gritted teeth, "If it weren't for Yang Leihu's arrogance, Lu Jingze would be dead by now, and there wouldn't have been so much trouble afterwards!"
The manor owner sighed inwardly.
Yang Leihu was one of their fierce generals, but he was arrogant and always obeyed his master's orders, showing no respect for even someone as important as the young master.
“Young Master is right. We have been meticulously planning in Liangzhou for so long, all to coordinate from within and without, to eliminate Lu Jingze in one fell swoop, incite infighting within the royal family, and thus completely destroy the foundation of the entire Da Xi Dynasty. Who would have thought that Yang Leihu would be so stubborn and self-willed, daring to openly defy your orders! However, Lu Jingze is currently at the manor. Should I go and take care of him?”
Zhou Yuan'an raised his hand to stop him, his tone serious: "No, we absolutely cannot act rashly again. Lu Jingze is heavily guarded, and we have already missed the best opportunity. We cannot act rashly again."
"Furthermore, pass down the order that our people withdraw from Tong and Xing prefectures immediately."
The manor lord hesitated, "This infiltration will be quite difficult. Should we ask the master's opinion first?"
"No need. Lu Jingze has already organized a large-scale search. The situation is urgent. You go and deliver the order yourself!" Zhou Yuan'an said firmly.
"Yes, sir." The manor lord nodded in agreement, then asked, "And what about you? Would you like my assistance in escaping?"
“No need. I handled things well yesterday and didn’t arouse their suspicion. Please send a message to my father that I will return to the capital with Lu Jingze and infiltrate the Da Xi court.”
"yes."
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