Chapter 46 (Bug Fix) "We'll do it right now..."
"Hey, don't be afraid, it's empty, it hasn't been filled with gunpowder yet."
Seeing that she was so frightened that her face turned pale, Pei Jinghuai quickly tried to explain.
Shen Lingyue realized what was happening and angrily kicked and punched him, "What kind of time is this to scare me? Is it fun?"
Pei Jinghuai ran around in a panic, silently thinking: This is fun.
The two continued their chase inside the house, but Pei Jingyi and Yan Yi pretended not to see it and exchanged information in a serious manner.
"Huaizhou and I climbed over the back mountain and walked for another half an hour. There was a valley below, and the entrance to the mine was there."
Yan Yi guessed correctly. The mine was open day and night, and those people seemed to take advantage of the secluded location to act very arrogantly. The bright lights made them particularly conspicuous in the dark.
Pei Jingyi and Pei Jinghuai split up and first surveyed the general terrain around the mine, estimating that there were about two hundred people inside, including miners and guards.
"There were about thirty guards, strong and fierce, carrying knives and whips. Anyone who disobeyed or moved slowly would be beaten without mercy."
Yan Yi listened intently, then frowned. "Were those miners willing to go down the mine? Were they hired laborers or slaves?"
“I guess it’s the latter,” Pei Jingyi said. “Don’t forget, illegal mining is a capital offense. These people are either the mine owner’s servants or they were kidnapped by human traffickers to work here.”
Pei Jingyi also found the miners' accommodations, which were a row of very simple shacks with large communal beds where more than twenty people slept crammed together. The environment was extremely harsh, with a mixture of various smells.
It's barely bearable now that it's summer, but it definitely won't last until winter; people will freeze to death.
Although the guards were few in number, they lived in proper mud-brick houses.
The two then secretly went down into the mine during a shift change.
"The mine tunnels are interconnected and cover a large area, indicating that mining has been going on for some time. We didn't dare to go too deep, but we found a few boxes of unfilled semi-finished detonators at the end of one of the forks in the road."
Pei Jingyi said that they secretly took out two of them, which would serve as proof when they went to the palace to report to Emperor Qingxi.
Yan Yi thought for a moment, then lowered her voice and asked him, "Have you found out who owns this mine?"
Manufacturing gunpowder illegally is no small matter.
Pei Jingyi's eyes flickered slightly, and he gently shook his head.
"Huai Zhou and I searched around several times, but we couldn't find a single person in charge. Even if we did, he's probably not in the valley today."
"That's good, at least it shows they don't know they've been exposed yet, and we still have time."
Yan Yi said to Pei Jingyi, "You've been running around all night, go and rest for a while. Even if you need to go to the palace to report the news, there's no rush."
Shen Lingyue was holding Pei Jinghuai's ear when she heard this and immediately let go. "Yan Yan is right. You two just stayed up all night and then rode for several hours to get back to the capital. You must be exhausted. Go and get some sleep."
Pei Jingyi looked at Yan Yi, about to ask her to go back to the next room with him, when Pei Jinghuai casually came over, "Come on, let's go take a nap next door, I'll squeeze in with you."
Pei Jingyi: ...Who wants to squeeze in with you?
...
The two brothers slept for a little over an hour, rested for a bit, and then prepared to ride back to the capital at full speed.
Before leaving, the two asked Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi if they wanted to return to the Marquis's residence first.
Xiaowangzhuang is at the foot of the mountain, but it's too close to the mine and not safe.
Yan Yi shook her head, "If the two of us go back to the manor alone, how will we explain your whereabouts? It would be better to pretend that the four of us have been staying at the manor all along, and then go home together after the matter is settled."
Pei Jingyi then changed his mind, "Huaizhou, you stay at the estate and guard them. I'll go to the palace to meet the Emperor. Once His Majesty sends people, we'll find a way to reunite. Wait for my news."
When he comes back with the people sent by His Majesty, he will definitely not take the route through Xiaowangzhuang, otherwise it will expose the extent of the Pei family's involvement and cause trouble for the Marquis's mansion for no reason.
"Okay, go ahead without worry."
Pei Jinghuai didn't think much of it. After all, Pei Jingyi had to call Emperor Qingxi his uncle, so it wouldn't be easy for him to be suspected if he suddenly entered the palace.
Pei Jingyi made all the necessary arrangements to ensure the safety of Yan Yi and Shen Lingyue before he felt at ease and prepared to set off.
He mounted his horse and whispered to Yan Yi, "Don't worry, I'll be back in a few days."
Yan Yi looked up at him, her eyes seeming to hold a thousand words, but in the end she could only nod gently, "Yes, you must be careful too, and take good care of yourself."
Pei Jingyi glanced around discreetly, then suddenly grasped Yan Yi's hand and leaned down to gently kiss her fingertips.
"Don't worry, my lady, I'll be back soon."
...
Worried about whether things were going smoothly with Pei Jingyi, Yan Yi was somewhat distracted all day.
Not wanting Shen Lingyue to worry with her, she said she hadn't slept well last night and wanted to rest for a while.
Seeing that Yan Yi's complexion was not good, and considering that they had trekked in the mountains for most of the day yesterday, Yan Yi was the one who had worked the hardest, Shen Lingyue took her back to her room and watched as Yan Yi lay down and covered herself with the blanket.
"You get a good night's sleep. I'm right next door. Just call me if you need anything."
As evening fell and Shen Lingyue and Pei Jinghuai were about to lie down, they heard the fluttering of wings outside the window, which were also "cooing" against the windowpane.
Pei Jinghuai went to open the window and returned shortly afterward with a carrier pigeon in his hand.
"It must have been my elder brother who sent me the message."
Shen Lingyue sat up and watched the pigeon pacing back and forth on the ground, with a small bamboo tube tied to its foot. "So there really are pigeons that can deliver messages."
“Look, these are just pigeons trained by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.” Pei Jinghuai lifted one wing to show her the mark on it. “His Majesty must also be worried that someone is plotting a rebellion, so he actually dispatched the Embroidered Uniform Guard directly.”
He took out the note and opened it; it was indeed Pei Jingyi's handwriting.
"My elder brother asked me to meet him at the grove north of the official road at 7 p.m. tonight. We will bypass Xiaowangzhuang, cross the mountain from there, and head straight for Huanglong."
It seems the operation will take place tonight. Pei Jinghuai stopped dawdling and quickly changed into a black, tight-fitting robe that allowed for easy movement. He tied leather wrist guards to the cuffs and slung a short knife at his waist.
He pulled Shen Lingyue into his arms, kissed her on the cheek, and raised his eyebrows. "Be a good girl and wait. I'll be back by tomorrow night at the latest."
Shen Lingyue grabbed his wrist, nervously reminding him, "There might be explosives or something in the mine, so you have to be careful. Don't be foolish and rush to the front; if you need to run, run immediately..."
Pei Jinghuai nodded in agreement, glancing at the little fox sleeping soundly on his foot, "When I get back, we'll—"
Shen Lingyue jumped up and covered his mouth, "Don't make promises you can't keep!"
Pei Jinghuai was stunned for a moment. What brother?
As the two left, the door to the next room opened, and Yan Yi came out, asking Pei Jinghuai with concern, "Did you receive a message from your older brother?"
"Okay, I'll go out and meet them right away."
Pei Jinghuai briefly explained the contents of the note.
Yan Yi nodded to indicate that she understood, and then reminded Pei Jinghuai to be extra careful.
Pei Jinghuai left the manor quietly under the cover of night.
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi stayed in the same room again.
"It's alright. I heard His Majesty sent the Embroidered Uniform Guard. They're incredibly powerful; they'll definitely be able to take down all those guards."
Shen Lingyue kept talking, holding Yan Yi's hand, which felt a little cold. "What's wrong? Are you still worried about Pei Jingyi?"
Yan Yi hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "He's only slept for a little over an hour since yesterday, and he's been constantly traveling back and forth between the capital and Xiaowangzhuang..."
Pei Jingyi works very hard at the Ministry of War, leaving early and returning late every day. Unlike Pei Jinghuai, he doesn't have the habit of exercising. Sometimes, when he is busy with official duties and goes to bed a little late, his eyes will show a faint bluish tinge the next day, which is particularly noticeable.
Having lived with him for so long, Yan Yi felt that Pei Jingyi didn't really take care of his health. Sometimes he had headaches and sometimes he coughed. She was really afraid that he would wear himself out by working so hard.
Shen Lingyue suddenly leaned closer, staring at her without blinking.
"Yan Yan, something's wrong with you."
She said sourly, "I feel like you've been paying extra attention to Pei Jingyi these past few days, even more so than to me."
Yan Yi was taken aback by her question, biting her lip as a blush slowly crept onto her cheeks.
Shen Lingyue was even more surprised, cupping Yan Yi's face and looking at it from left to right.
"That's strange. We've only been apart for two days, but why do I feel like you've suddenly become so much prettier?"
Of course, her daughter Yan Yan was already very beautiful, but now, looking at her again, she is so beautiful that she is practically radiant!
Yan Yi's long eyelashes trembled incessantly, making her eyes appear even more captivating. Unable to avoid Shen Lingyue's persistent questioning, she steeled herself and whispered a few words in her ear.
Shen Lingyue's eyes widened instantly, and even covering her mouth couldn't stop her from exclaiming in surprise.
"What? You were just..."
Yan Yi blushed and nudged her, "Alright, don't repeat yourself like that."
Shen Lingyue silently processed this bombshell news for a while. Just when Yan Yi thought she had accepted it, she suddenly punched the bed board in frustration.
"Pei Jingyi, you're really something, Pei Jingyi. My Yan Yan is such a stunning beauty, married to you for so long, and you're still pretending to be a saint..."
Is it not working for you?
She mentally ranted that it was enough to make Pei Jingyi sneeze until the end of time.
After venting her frustrations, Shen Lingyue hugged Yan Yi and comforted her gently, "It's all his fault! He made you stay alone in your empty room for so long, it's too much."
Yan Yi's face was still flushed, and she explained shyly, "Actually, this is fine too, after all, we were strangers before..."
If it weren't for the past month or so of getting to know each other and gradually infiltrating each other's lives, Yan Yi wouldn't be sure what kind of feelings she would have for Pei Jingyi.
Shen Lingyue snorted, "So what if he's Young Master Pei? So what if he's the future Marquis? It's his good fortune to be favored by my Yan Yan."
But no matter what, she still hoped that Yan Yi and Pei Jingyi could be loving and happy.
"Hehehe..." Shen Lingyue chuckled mischievously and tickled Yan Yi's waist, "Are the spices Yao Niang gave you really that effective?"
Yan Yi's face, which had just recovered, turned completely red again after what she said. She dodged left and right while trying to cover Chen Lingyue's mouth.
The two of them played around on the bed for a long time, waking up the little fox. The fox raised its fluffy head and looked over with a confused expression: "Chirp?"
...
The best friend's late-night chat dispelled her worries about men. As the night deepened, Yan Yi and Shen Lingyue fell asleep head to head.
Just as dawn was breaking, Shen Lingyue suddenly felt the person beside her breathing become rapid, and a hand suddenly struck her.
She and Yan Yi opened their eyes almost at the same time.
"What's wrong?" Shen Lingyue looked at her pale and frightened face, and a bad feeling rose in her heart. "You had a dream, you dreamed about them?"
Could something have happened at the mine?
Yan Yi's heart pounded. She clutched her chest and tried to catch her breath. After a while, she nodded, then shook her head.
"I did have a dream, but this dream is different from my previous dreams; it seems to be just a simple nightmare?"
Yan Yi’s voice was slightly hoarse. “Perhaps it’s because I’ve been thinking about it all day that I dream about it at night. I suddenly remembered that the mine in the mountains contains realgar and cinnabar. Both of these substances are toxic. If they are exposed to high temperatures or an explosion, realgar will turn into highly toxic arsenic, and cinnabar… high temperatures will cause mercury vapor to be released. Once inhaled, it will cause poisoning, and in severe cases, it can even lead to death on the spot.”
Mercury poisoning, given the current level of medical care in Daye, is an incurable and fatal disease.
After she finished speaking, Shen Lingyue also became nervous.
"Even in our world, we often see news reports of mine collapses caused by improper operation... Oh no, isn't there a lot of explosives stored in that mine? It's a powder keg."
Shen Lingyue grabbed Yan Yi's hand, "What should we do now?"
Yan Yi had calmed down and looked directly into her eyes. "We'll head into the mountains right now."
It's better to be safe than sorry.
Now we're going into the mountains to find the Pei brothers and remind them to take precautions.
If they've already entered the mine... at least they'll be closer, and that will put their minds at ease.
The two immediately got up, changed their clothes, and without even having breakfast, went to the kitchen, grabbed a few flatbreads, filled their water pouches, packed a small bundle, and carried it on their backs.
As soon as Shen Lingyue stepped out the door, the little fox chirped and chased after her.
Yan Yi said, "Take it with you; it knows the way better than we do."
The two people and the fox went up the mountain once again.
For the first half of the journey, they had enough strength to keep going, but as the mountain path became steeper, their breathing gradually became heavy.
Shen Lingyue, who was in better physical condition, helped Yan Yi step across a shallow ditch. "Do you want to rest for a while?"
Yan Yi wiped the sweat from her face and shook her head.
She no longer had the strength to speak; her throat felt like it was on fire, and she could only try to conserve her energy.
Boom...
Suddenly, a muffled sound came from the other side of the mountain.
The two looked at each other, and their expressions changed instantly.
Shen Lingyue's voice trembled: "Could it really have exploded?"
She shook her head vigorously, trying desperately to convince herself, "No, it's probably just thunder. Look how gloomy it is today, it might rain in a little while..."
Her voice trailed off as she spoke, until finally even she couldn't believe her own flimsy excuse.
Yan Yi gripped her hand tightly, "It's not the worst yet, don't overthink it."
She looked up at the towering mountain in the distance, her eyes resolute. "Just a little longer, and once we get over this mountain, we'll be there soon."
The two held hands and supported each other until they finally reached the top of the mountain. By then, their legs were no longer their own.
Fortunately, after that muffled thud that sounded like an explosion, there was no further sound, which put their minds at ease a little.
Yan Yi dared not stop to rest, but her physical strength had really reached its limit. She took two more steps forward, then stumbled and fell to the ground.
She braced herself against the muddy ground, trying several times to get up, but each time she fell back down.
The once clean fingernails were now filled with grit and unknown weeds, making them look filthy.
"Yan Yan, let me pull you..."
Shen Lingyue was a little better than her, but only slightly. After pulling Yan Yi up from the ground, she was exhausted and sat down heavily on the ground, panting heavily.
"What should we do? They said it would take another half an hour to cross the mountain..." Shen Lingyue's nose tingled and her eyes reddened. She had never felt that a road could be so long.
"Chirp!"
The little fox stayed close to the two of them without showing any signs of fatigue. When it saw that the two of them suddenly sat down on the ground and wouldn't move, it anxiously circled around them and nudged Chen Lingyue's hand.
"Scarf, I really can't walk anymore..."
Shen Lingyue muttered something, then suddenly remembered the carrier pigeon she had seen last night.
She took a purse from her bosom, tied it around the little fox's neck, and pointed ahead, "Go find your father and give him this purse, understand?"
The little fox blinked and tilted its head to look at her, looking completely bewildered.
Shen Lingyue, her mouth dry, took out her water pouch and took a big gulp before continuing to reason with the little fox.
After repeating this several times, the little fox seemed to really understand. It retreated step by step away from the two of them, then turned around and ran forward quickly.
Yan Yi witnessed the whole process: "...Will this work?"
"Let's try anything, even if it's a dead end." Shen Lingyue leaned back, weakly saying, "Even if the sky falls down now, I can't move."
...
The mine shafts below the valley.
Pei Jingyi and Pei Jinghuai did not show themselves; they were hiding in a grove of trees not far away.
After the two met up last night, they took the Imperial Guards on a long detour to avoid Xiaowangzhuang, which took them some extra time.
Just as they were preparing to move, there seemed to be a minor collapse in the mine, causing chaos below and disrupting their rhythm.
Pei Jingyi discussed the matter with the commander of the Imperial Guard who was leading the team and decided to observe for a while longer and find a suitable opportunity to defeat them one by one.
Pei Jinghuai lay in the grass, idly chewing on a blade of grass. The juice inside tasted a little sweet as he smacked his lips.
Just then, the other Imperial Guards lying in ambush behind them seemed to move.
What darted past?
"It looks like a red fox?"
"Tsk, perfect timing to take it down and have some extra food..."
What red fox?
Pei Jinghuai pricked up his ears, turned his head, and met a fox's head peeking out from the grass. "Chirp!"
He sprang to his feet, slapped the arm of the Imperial Guard who was about to draw his bow and shoot an arrow, and shouted, "Don't touch it, that's my house!"
Pei Jinghuai strode forward, picked up the little fox, and stroked it a couple of times, exclaiming in shock, "How did you find your way here?"
Pei Jingyi heard the commotion and rushed over. He immediately noticed something hidden in the fur under the little fox's neck and reached out to take it.
The little fox immediately bared its teeth and claws at him. If Pei Jingyi hadn't reacted quickly enough, it would have already scratched the back of his hand.
"Brother, please don't touch it. Our scarves are very shy."
Pei Jinghuai muttered something, then grabbed the back of its neck and lifted it up, causing the purse hanging on it to fall out.
His pupils constricted. "This is my wife's."
Pei Jingyi also realized, "Could it be that your sister-in-law sent it to tell you? Are they in danger?"
His first suspicion was that today's operation had been leaked, and that the mine's owner had realized the Pei family's involvement, leading him to target the women first.
Pei Jinghuai also realized this, and his face instantly darkened.
He gently tossed the little fox to the ground. "Scarf, lead the way!"
The little fox took off running forward, and Pei Jinghuai immediately caught up.
Pei Jingyi was worried about him going back alone, and even more concerned about Yan Yi's safety. He quickly gave a few instructions to the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, "Continue to observe, proceed according to plan, we will be back soon."
...
After resting for a quarter of an hour and eating half a pancake to stave off hunger, Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi continued their journey after regaining some strength.
They hadn't walked far when they heard hurried footsteps ahead. Then, Pei Jinghuai's anxious face came into view, getting closer and closer.
What are you doing here?
He picked Shen Lingyue up in one go and held her tightly, their heartbeats mingling together, both of them racing wildly.
Shen Lingyue wrapped her arms around his neck, looking him up and down anxiously. "Just now... there was an explosion. Are you alright?"
On the other side, Yan Yi was also tightly embraced by Pei Jingyi.
Seeing that he was also safe and sound, she finally let go of the nightmare that had haunted her for half the night, feeling a sense of relief that she had survived a disaster.
"That's good, I'm glad you're alright."
"Chirp?"
The little fox circled around the group, so anxious it almost stood up, constantly tugging at Chen Lingyue's trouser leg.
Pei Jinghuai let go of her, picked up the little fox, and kissed her hard. "Our little fox is such a good fox, so clever!"
Seeing him standing properly in front of her, Shen Lingyue felt like joking again, "Didn't you say that scarf didn't sound good?"
Pei Jinghuai muttered, "It's just because I've heard you say it every day these past few days, so I've gotten used to it."
"We chased after you to remind you that if you're going to enter the mine to arrest someone, you must take proper precautions..."
Before Yan Yi could finish speaking, an even more violent explosion, louder than before, swept across the area.
The ground shook violently, and all four people were thrown off balance and fell to the ground.
After a long while, the rumbling sound subsided.
Yan Yi was pulled up by Pei Jingyi and immediately walked to the higher earthen slope.
She squinted and looked closely; in the distance, below the valley, a wisp of pale yellow smoke seemed to be drifting up.
Yan Yi immediately found a handkerchief to cover her mouth and nose, and turned back to remind them, "The smoke is poisonous, please do not inhale it."
Pei Jingyi said to her, "You and your sister-in-law should hurry down the mountain and find a sheltered place to hide. Huaizhou and I will go over to warn and rescue people."
Yan Yi nervously grabbed his sleeve.
Pei Jingyi squeezed her hand, his gentle gaze revealing a firm and composed expression.
"Don't worry, we'll come back as soon as we've rescued them, we won't stay any longer."
-----------------------
Author's Note: I had a sick leave note this afternoon and thought I'd be late, but I actually finished writing it all by way of an exception [doge][doge] What kind of amazing divine body am I QAQ
Fox Fox still made a great contribution today! [Go Fox!]
June 28th Bug Fix: The Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) team leader has been changed from a thousand-man commander to a hundred-man commander. A hundred-man team seems more appropriate; any larger and it wouldn't be a secret operation but an attack (just kidding). Besides, the forest can't hide that many people. [doge][doge]
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