Chapter 33 Her figure is so graceful, is it you who has returned?
Early morning mist filled the air, the sky was half-dim, the Nanpan River was calm and still, and the dense reeds could be vaguely seen.
Inside the cabin, Lou Yunbing served Lou Yanxu a bowl of snacks and asked, "Sister, why aren't we going to Heling?"
This route was decided on short notice; they were changing their route to Annam. With the matter of the coroner's arrest settled, they couldn't let the Lou family's shops be sold off one by one; they had to stabilize their business as soon as possible.
Lou Yanxu reached out and took the bracelet, which Yun Bing had given her, and it shone with a clear light. “I once read in a book that Annam also produces rainbow pearls. Now, because of the civil war, prices are low and it is closer to Jiaozhou, so we can spend less time and money.”
Annam had long been conquered by the Great Jin Dynasty and made a vassal state. Now, the regent in the country was plotting a rebellion. However, the king had foreseen this. After a fierce battle, the regent led his troops to establish himself as king on the southwestern border. The two sides occasionally clashed, and the people suffered greatly.
Yun Bing worried, "Annam is in turmoil, and it may not be safe."
Lou Yanxu's heart pounded faster and faster as she sighed, "Fortune favors the bold."
There was no time left. Every day she waited, her enemy would live a carefree life. Her heart ached terribly. How could her brother rest in peace in the afterlife?
She never expected that as soon as they entered Annam, they would encounter the royal army marching through the city. The city was deserted and desolate, with broken walls and ruins everywhere. Men were decapitated corpses, and women lay dead with their eyes open on the bodies of the enemy. The sight was enough to make one's soul fly away.
The four dared not linger and searched for a place to stay in the dark until they reached the center of Annam before finally breathing a sigh of relief.
However, after searching for several days, they found that the people were living in poverty and had not enough to eat, so they rarely did this business anymore.
Lou Yanxu felt deflated, wondering if she had really come to the wrong place.
However, on the seventh day, they finally found the seller.
It was a group of about three merchants who had accumulated pearls due to the war. Lou Yanxu recognized them as Japanese pearls. She asked for three taels.
When they arrived at the transaction location, the other party blocked the other three people and only allowed her to enter.
Yun Bing was suspicious and stopped her, "Sister, I'm not comfortable with this. Why don't we go to another place?"
This place is a few cents cheaper than usual; you probably won't find anything like it at another place. Not having much money, Lou Yanxu considered for a moment but decided to stick to the original plan: "You all stay outside and keep watch. If I haven't come out in half an hour, break down the door."
Wan Qing'an reminded him intently, "Be careful."
Upon entering, one sees a foreigner with his back to them; as one approaches, he turns around.
The two spoke in Annamese. Lou Yanxu examined the finished product and confirmed it was genuine, then informed the others that the money was in the hands of the other three.
She had a backup plan, fearing they might use the money to kill her. Sure enough, she saw the man's expression change drastically, but she didn't expect that he wouldn't care about the money. He gave her a look and covered her mouth with a handkerchief.
The drug took effect very quickly; after only a couple of struggles, he fell silent. The three chuckled twice and left through the secret passage.
Half an hour later, the three people who had been pacing anxiously outside rushed in, only to find the room empty.
The night wind howled, and terns and doves cooed.
When Lou Yanxu opened her eyes, her mind was blank, her hands were tied painfully, the oil lamp in the room was burning brightly, and she could only hear the rising and falling of the river tide and the sound of flowing water.
I reckon they were taken to the dock.
The cramped room was simple and old; the most valuable thing was the box beside her, which was filled with neon pearls.
Two people were outside, whispering to each other under the moon.
Lou Yan and Xu Xu overheard a bit of the conversation and figured it was something like one person had lustful intentions while the other disagreed, and they wanted to sell her for money. Presumably, she was to be sold to wealthy families with illicit desires; otherwise, how could her worth be compared to the gold exchanged for neon pearls?
Her heart pounded with fear, and she struggled with both hands, but the rope was tied in a tight knot, leaving her helpless.
Qing'an and the others should already be on their way; she couldn't just sit and wait to die. Just as she was getting anxious, she suddenly touched the jade bracelet on her wrist. Overjoyed, she secretly pressed it down, and sure enough, a sharp blade sprang out, perfect for cutting the rope!
As she moved her hands and shifted her hips toward the window, she heard the two whispering to each other, and her hands stopped, her heart pounding.
They dared to demand money to kill him, attempting to assassinate the Emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty!
Before they could think any further, one person left, and another pushed open the door and entered. This person had shifty eyes, a black mole in the center of his chin, and a few gray-black hairs sticking out from underneath.
His eyes swept over her entire body, his lecherous gaze utterly repulsive. Lou Yanxu gritted her teeth and stared intently at him, while behind her, the movements were small yet swift.
But this man thought with his lower body. He couldn't move when he saw a beautiful woman, and in the blink of an eye, he forgot his promise and rubbed his hands together as he stepped forward.
In a moment of desperation, Lou Yanxu shouted, reminding him that he wanted to sell her for money. However, the man was blinded by lust and had no sense of reason left. He immediately pounced on her.
The rope was too thick, and she had already cut her wrists painfully, but to no avail. She had no choice but to dodge to the side.
But the person in front of her kept pressing on, forcefully pressing down on her shoulders. He licked his lips and chuckled strangely, burying his head in her hands.
A wave of nausea is churning in my stomach, what should I do? What should I do!
In a flash, the rope finally snapped, and with a flick of his arm, the knife tip pierced below his ear, blood flowing freely.
She frantically pushed the man away and tried to run, but the man behind her was incredibly strong. In the blink of an eye, he grabbed her by the back of the neck and dragged her back. Her hand, adorned with a bracelet, was pinned to the ground. The man was choking her, his eyes bloodshot. Her breathing became increasingly difficult. Her other hand groped around haphazardly, and she didn't know what she touched, but she gripped it tightly and slammed it down on his head.
He collapsed and passed out.
Lou Yanxu clutched her neck, panting, her heart pounding faster and faster as she desperately tried to escape.
However, when she reached the door, she saw through the crack that another person had already returned. With trembling hands, she grabbed the club she had just used and hid behind the door. When the person pushed the door open, she struck him on the back of the head with all her might, giving him no time to react before striking him again.
The three blows were ineffective; the club was grabbed by one hand, and the other hand slammed her head against the wall, causing a bloody splatter to appear on her forehead.
Blood dripped from her forehead onto her shawl. She was dizzy from the blow and vaguely heard Qing'an calling out. At that moment, the hand behind her stopped, and she seized the opportunity to break free. She kicked him in the groin and, taking advantage of his pain, ran out like a madwoman, bumping right into Wan Qing'an's arms.
Lou Yunbing leaped over and entered the house, punching the man until he lost consciousness. The remaining merchant arrived late and, seeing this scene, fled in terror.
Having survived the ordeal, Lou Yanxu hugged Wan Qing'an, weeping and trembling, still shaken by the experience.
"It's alright, it's alright..." Wan Qing'an patted her back to comfort her, waiting for her to calm down.
The group dared not linger any longer and quickly returned to Da Jin with the box of pearls.
Upon returning to Jiaozhou, he overheard the locals talking and learned that the Emperor would be staying there for several days to discuss with the Annamite ruler the matter of quelling the internal strife. He then suddenly recalled the assassination attempt mentioned by the Annamite merchant that day and seemed to be deep in thought.
Just as she was secretly making plans, Wan Qing'an lifted the curtain and entered, asking her what she was thinking.
She looked on, her mind deep and her dark eyes gleaming.
After a moment, Wan Qing'an was slightly lost in thought, her words echoing in her mind, "Qing'an, do you want to go back to Chang'an?"
"We can't run away forever. Let's go back to Chang'an together, but we will never be lambs to the slaughter again." Lou Yanxu was very serious. This time, when they returned to Chang'an, they were determined not to be bullied again.
Her ambition was evident on her face; her eyes were bright, and her words carried weight.
"Let's go back and fight our way through."
...
A cool breeze stirred the autumn air. Xu Congjing stood before the crabapple tree, watching the falling leaves and feeling melancholic, but his eyes were empty and lifeless.
“My lord, it seems that Lady Sheng has recognized Cao Yiyuan as her father.” Yun Lu walked to his right and bowed his head to report the recent situation. “Recently, the imperial mausoleum has been extensively repaired, and Cao Yiyuan recommended Sheng Yan to the Emperor.”
Sheng Yan was appointed Minister of Works, and this matter should have been handled by him. However, he recently retired due to injury and stayed at home, so this important task fell to the Vice Minister of Works. Unexpectedly, it turned out that he was the one who had to take on the task.
Xu Congjing scoffed and said, "Sheng Yan has been embezzling for a long time. If he can't change this habit, he's bound to get into trouble."
At worst, Sheng Yan would be punished for embezzling government funds; at worst, he would be executed for causing the collapse of the imperial tomb. It all depended on how far Sheng Yan's corruption went.
Xu Congjing's voice suddenly turned deep, "She is plotting against Sheng Yan to kill him." Sheng Ling is a scheming person, and in the future, the Chenghua Marquis's mansion may be taken over by her alone.
"Then let's..."
A thought flickered in his mind: "Let's just sit back and watch how it goes."
After he finished speaking, just as he was about to turn around, a servant rushed over and said, "Young master, the lady requests your presence in the main hall."
"What is it?"
"We have a guest to see."
His mother rarely invited him to meet guests, so Xu Congjing became suspicious and took Yun Lu through the passageway with him.
As I crossed the arched bridge and reached the top, I spotted a figure in a pale yellow dress in the distance. She touched her earlobe shyly, and her every move exuded her aura.
She looks a lot like her.
He stopped, gazing intently at her graceful figure. Wanwan, is that you back?
But then he scoffed at himself, wondering how he could possibly face her.
Lost in thought, his mother called him over.
"Come here." Madam Zhang smiled brightly. "These are the wife and second daughter of Grand Tutor Meng."
The woman was dressed in fine clothes and exuded nobility in every smile and frown. "My daughter and I spent our youth in Chang'an, and we had long heard of Minister Xu's handsome appearance and extraordinary talent. Now that I have seen him, it is indeed true."
As she spoke, Meng Lingshang was pulled forward from behind, and she gave a shy smile and curtsied. Her eyebrows were like distant mountains, her eyes were like stars, and her speech and behavior were elegant and composed, just right. What a gentle and dignified noble lady.
Unfortunately, it wasn't her.
Xu Congjing glanced at him vaguely, his eyes filled with disappointment.
He understood his mother's meaning in these polite exchanges. However, he couldn't accept that anyone could be brought before her, so he bowed and took his leave, saying, "You flatter me, Madam. I have official business to attend to and cannot accompany you."
Upon hearing this, Madam Meng could no longer laugh. Her lips twitched slightly in displeasure. How could she leave so hastily when her guests arrived?
"What's the rush!" Madam Zhang glanced left and right, then patted him on the shoulder. "You should accompany Second Madam Meng on a proper stroll."
Not wanting to put his mother in a difficult position, he agreed despite his reluctance.
The two walked side by side to the back garden in silence. Meng Lingshang glanced at him sideways, about to speak, when she heard him call out, "Yunlu! Accompany Second Madam Meng for a stroll."
"?"
Yunlu followed behind with a bitter face. What a young man! He's never spent time with a young lady. He should be sent to train.
But Xu Congjing had already made up his mind. He turned to the side and nodded, "Second Madam Meng, I am really preoccupied with trivial matters and cannot disobey the imperial decree. Please do as you see fit."
What could they say when they used the imperial decree to pressure her? Before she could even respond, they had already walked three miles away.
Meng Lingshang looked at that tall and straight figure, her eyes turning cold.
However, she still strolled around with great interest, and suddenly saw a swing in front of a rockery, so she grabbed it with both hands and swayed back and forth.
Yunlu was shocked; that was what the young master had prepared for Lady Lou!
Just as I was about to offer a gentle reminder, Xu Congjing's cold voice rang out.
"What are you doing!"
Yun Lu thought to himself, "Oh no."
Author's Note: The female lead is coming back for revenge! [Go for it!]
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