Yuan Chen had waited several days but hadn’t seen Nanchu start a war to seize food supplies. He was highly suspicious—had his elder brother’s hidden pawns made a mistake? Had they failed to sabotage Nanchu’s food supplies at all?
Growing restless, he asked Nangong Zheng, "Do you think there has been some mistake somewhere?"
"I have already sent people to verify the facts," Nangong Zheng replied.
Yuan Chen nodded.
After receiving a message from Su Rong, Zhang Yun immediately directed his investigative gaze towards Qin Luan. He hadn’t expected the problem to arise from Qin Luan. What was she thinking, exactly? Just like Su Rong, he wondered about her motivations. Over the years, she had risen from Ninth Grade to Fifth Rank in just five years. While her hard work and efficiency played a role, many were diligent—yet only her position had elevated so quickly. What did this imply? There were few female officials in the Imperial Court, and the King was promoting and elevating the status of women.
If this incident had indeed been her doing, Zhang Yun felt she had been blinded by folly, utterly senseless.
Zhang Yun’s people were quick to act. Following the clues step by step, they soon obtained solid information. Having received the news, he immediately reported to Su Rong, "Your Majesty, the Old Duke was right, it must be Qin Luan without a doubt. She is currently not in the Royal Capital. Originally, Ning Ze and Qin Ruo were supposed to escort the food supplies out of the city, but when Ning Ze was about to leave the capital, he suffered from severe vomiting and diarrhea. The Imperial Doctor diagnosed that he had been poisoned by incompatible foods, rendering him unable to even ride a horse for a while. Therefore, Qin Luan replaced him. Being Qin Ruo’s younger sister and a female official trusted by the court, well-organized and proper in her conduct, she has risen quickly in ranks over the years. She is well-liked, and no one holds grudges against her, making her the most suitable replacement."
As he spoke, his tone grew heavier, "The journey was very smooth. After passing Heiya Pass, Qin Ruo suddenly received news that his wife had slipped and almost had a miscarriage. That aside, from that day on, she was plagued by nightmares nightly and rapidly lost weight, unable to eat or sleep peacefully. Qin Luan then persuaded him to return to the Royal Capital, saying she had arranged everything and could take over without any issues. Naturally, Qin Ruo trusted his own sister, so he handed the responsibility of escorting the supplies over the remaining short distance to Qin Luan and hurried back to the Royal Capital."
Su Rong nodded, "Where is she now?"
Zhang Yun shook his head, "We haven’t located her yet."
Su Rong stood up, "Handle military affairs with the Old Duke; I’ll go find Zhou Gu myself. She’s likely targeting him."
Considering Qin Luan’s perspective, Su Rong wanted to know her reasoning, which she suspected naturally involved Zhou Gu.
Zhang Yun hesitated for a moment, "Perhaps I should take people and go instead? You should stay with the military."
"I’m going; with you and the Old Duke in charge here, I feel assured," Su Rong shook her head, "Discuss all matters concerning the military with the Old Duke."
Zhang Yun could only agree, "Very well, please be careful and take more people. Since Qin Luan is targeting Brother Zhou, she’s likely brought quite a few people."
Su Rong nodded, "Fen Ling will accompany me."
She immediately had someone summon Fen Ling. After a quick preparation, the two, along with the hidden guards, silently left the military camp.
After Su Rong left, Zhang Yun sighed and went to find the Old Duke.
The Old Duke didn’t say much, just scolded, "You stinking boy, your rotten luck with women has caused trouble."
Zhang Yun thought to himself that the scolding was completely justified.
Su Rong, aware of Zhou Gu’s destination, joined with Fen Ling, keeping an eye out for information while riding fast with their team. Four days later, they confirmed that Zhou Gu and his men had been ambushed while escorting supplies back. A fierce battle ensued with a large group of men, likely the Great Wei Royal Family’s Hidden Guard. After several brutal fights, and constrained by the need to protect the supplies, Zhou Gu was now forced onto a mountain path leading to Eight Wilderness Ridge.
Even as the Great Wei troops retreated to Eight Wilderness Ridge, they blocked all the paths except one leading there, clearly intending to corner Zhou Gu and force him into Great Wei’s hands.
Nanchu had captured Empress Luo Yan, but Su Rong did not use her to threaten Great Wei or for any exchange; instead, she had heavily guarded Luo Yan all this time. Clearly, Great Wei’s Imperial Court’s Hidden Guard also had something similar in mind, having now captured Nanchu’s King’s husband, thus securing the highest bargaining chip.
Su Rong could not bear the thought of Zhou Gu meeting with disaster, so, with a stern face, she pursued them.
Although she trusted Nangong Zheng, she dared not be completely sure if Zhou Gu fell into Great Wei’s hands, whether Nangong Zheng could or would choose to save him. She could not gamble Zhou Gu’s life on her trust of Nangong Zheng.
Thus, she, along with Fen Ling, riding day and night without stopping for food or drink, chased after them following the trail of the battle.
Meanwhile, she sent a message to Zhang Yun to tie down the Great Wei troops at Eight Wilderness Ridge.
After seven or eight days of relentless pursuit, Su Rong finally caught up in the deep mountains of the sprawling Eight Wilderness Ridge. Zhou Gu and Ziye were both severely injured, with only a few scattered Hidden Guards around them, all gravely wounded.
In front of Zhou Gu stood a woman, behind whom were hundreds of Great Wei Royal Family’s Hidden Guards.
Zhou Gu, covered in blood, watched the woman in black with a cold face, "Qin Luan, why are you doing this? Why betray Nanchu? Hasn’t the Imperial Court treated you well? What good does this do you?"
He did not mention how well Su Rong, the King, had treated her.
Qin Luan stood tall, "Fourth Young Master may not know, but I have long fancied you. When the Qin Family fell into misfortune, I desperately asked my brother to entrust me to you. Later, when I came to Nanchu, it was to be near you. Over the years, I have never let go."
Ziye almost jumped with irritation, "Are you sick? You love our Young Master, so you have to kill him? By killing him, you let go? Don’t you have ambitions? Are your ambitions to kill our Young Master and betray Nanchu? Aren’t you afraid of implicating your brother and the people of the Qin Family? Your mother is old, does she know that your unfilial actions could plunge the Qin Family into utter ruin again? Hasn’t the King shown favor to your Qin Family, and yet you repay kindness with enmity?"
Qin Luan replied calmly, with an indifferent expression, "I can’t manage so much; everyone is dead, who cares about what’s left behind? The Dawei Emperor promised me the Empress’s position long ago, while Su Rong, then a Princess, only promised me a Ninth Grade official position. Over the years, she indeed promoted me time and again, treating me quite well. Thus, I don’t need her kingdom, nor will I help Yuan Zhao kill her, I only want to kill you. Zhou Gu, in this lifetime, I am fixated on you alone. By killing you, I die with you."
Zhou Gu retorted word for word, "In your dreams!"
He also had not anticipated Qin Luan’s persistence; all these years, he never gave her any reason to misunderstand. If there was ever one, it was only when, drunk, he made a blunder fighting Xie Lin, worried she would be snatched away to become a concubine and failing the trust his brother had placed in him.
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