Chapter 35 Da Wu was outsmarted by a woman!
The cold wind outside was like a knife, piercing to the bone.
The city was ablaze with New Year celebrations, its lights blazing like daylight, but the outskirts were eerily silent, with several men in black lurking in the shadowy bushes.
Shen Mingshu frowned, his handsome face as cold as frost, as he listened intently to the city's gong.
The gong struck three times, signaling the arrival of Hai hour (9-11 PM).
He parted his thin lips slightly: "Let's do it."
It was past midnight, and the spy that her adoptive father had planted around Pei Xiaoyun had not yet reported anything unusual. It seemed that Madam Lin had succeeded.
If she gets out safely, there are people waiting for her along West Street, so there shouldn't be any problems.
The most urgent task is to rescue Young Master Lin tonight.
At his command, the torches, soaked in oil, roared to life, their ghostly lights flickering as they moved forward.
Inside the prison, the atmosphere was gloomy and quiet, everything seemed normal.
He Lianqing carried the medicine box down the steps, followed closely by a woman in tight-fitting clothes.
Lin Xian's smallpox was almost cured, and today was the last day that he would treat him. He also knew that those people would make their move tonight.
He tried several times, but no matter what he did, he couldn't shake off Xingwei. If the governor's mansion came to rescue him, and Xingwei found out that he had been communicating with Lin Xian, wouldn't he immediately skin him alive?
After some thought, he finally said, "Miss Xing, you've been with me for so many days, you should be able to rest easy now. Today is New Year's Eve, why don't you go out for a stroll? This prison is unlucky, you don't want to get any bad luck."
Xing Wei glanced at him lightly, unmoved, and said succinctly: "It's the last day, don't try anything funny with me."
Her master had assigned her to keep an eye on He Lianqing, and she couldn't let her guard down until the mission was over.
He Lianqing shook his head, feeling helpless. He had no choice but to resort to a last resort. He moved his sleeve and sprinkled out the medicinal powder he had prepared earlier.
This was the same kind of medicine he gave Mingying. He had increased the dosage of the medicine he had on hand. As soon as the smell entered her nose, she would fall into a coma.
He decided to play along and fell down in front of her first.
"You!" Xingwei's expression turned alert, and a hint of surprise finally appeared on her face. She squatted down and shook him. "What's wrong with you?"
Immediately afterwards, she felt dizzy and weak, and fell down next to him.
Then, Shen Mingshu led his men in and stormed in. The prison was instantly engulfed in flames, and amidst the clash of swords, blood stained every step.
Passing by the stone steps leading to the entrance, they saw He Lianqing and Xing Wei lying one after the other at the crossroads. One of them drew a long sword, his eyes filled with ruthlessness, and looked at Shen Mingshu: "Young master, these two are Pei Xiaoyun's lackeys. Should we kill them?"
"Stop." Shen Mingshu wiped the blood splattered on his face and stopped his men. "Doctor He is a good man. As for this woman, spare her life. Take them away and keep them under guard. We'll let them go once we've successfully picked up the person."
Blood flowed like a river in the prison, and corpses lay scattered everywhere.
He swung his long sword, cut through the shackles, and easily opened the iron gate, looking at the tall, solitary figure: "Young Master Lin, come with us quickly."
Lin Xian, a scholar, was terrified by the continuous sounds of slaughter. He forced himself to calm down and asked, "Young Master Shen, how is my wife? Is she safe?"
He had met this young master Shen several times and could tell that he was a kind-hearted person who did not seem like the type to go back on his word.
"Don't worry, Young Master Lin, Madam Lin has already succeeded, and someone will come to pick her up."
A bead of sweat dripped from Lin Xian's forehead. She barely felt the weight on her heart and followed them outside.
Finally out of prison, the biting cold wind lashed at every inch of their skin. Lin Xian was accidentally slashed on the arm by a struggling prison guard. Shen Mingshu had someone help him up, and the group quickly retreated.
The clothing shop on West Street was a secret hideout. He was afraid of alerting the enemy on the way back to the Governor's Mansion, so he wanted to have Lin Xian settle there first.
Suddenly, a subordinate rushed in anxiously to report: "Young master, something bad has happened. We haven't been able to find Madam Lin. We've discovered that all the spies on West Street have been withdrawn."
Lin Xian was struck dumb, his eyes bloodshot. Ignoring the blood streaming down his arm, he broke free from the person supporting him, shouting, "I need to find her! I need to find her..."
He was afraid that Pei Xiaoyun would find out about her, and what that madwoman Pei Xiaoyun would do to her.
"Young Master Lin, please calm down." Shen Mingshu was also surprised to hear that the scouts had been withdrawn. "You are injured and may not be able to find her. These places are all under my control. I will go find her and bring her back to you safe and sound."
"I'll go with you, I'm worried about her safety!" Lin Xian wouldn't listen to any advice, she was flustered like a headless fly for the first time.
Shen Mingshu naturally couldn't let him go, so he forcibly ordered someone to take him away, while he himself led a few people to search for the person.
Suddenly, thick black smoke billowed from the suburban prison, and flames shot into the sky, shattering the peace of New Year's Eve.
Kong Qing stood outside the elegant room of Zhenweizhai, and his expression changed drastically after receiving the news from the people in the suburbs.
He stared at the tightly closed door. The old man had taken Miss Ming inside and hadn't come out for a long time. But the matter was of great importance, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and knock on the door: "Sir, the situation is not good."
I called out once or twice, but no one answered. All I could hear were fireworks going off into the sky, one after another, deafeningly loud.
He sensed something was wrong, broke down the door, and found his master slumped on the table, half of the window wide open, and Miss Ming nowhere to be seen...
Seeing this, he was shocked and realized what had happened. He shouted outside, "Quick, someone! Search along both east and west streets!"
Mingying jumped out of the window, twisted her ankle, and looked disheveled with her hair in a mess. She limped down West Street.
Fearing that Pei Xiaoyun's men would discover her too early and catch up, she ran with the surging crowd.
I vaguely remember the route in the letter. The shop was at the end of West Street. If there were no pursuers along the way, I would be very lucky. If there were, it would be very difficult to escape.
Sure enough, after turning two alleys, a squad of soldiers with swords suddenly rushed out, shouting to drive away the people: "The government is arresting thieves. All bystanders, disperse! Do not linger in the streets and alleys. Anyone who disobeys will be killed without mercy!"
The people who were singing blessings around the lanterns suddenly screamed and scattered like birds and beasts.
Mingying's body stiffened like a rock, a chill spreading from the soles of her feet to her heart, her heart pounding like a tolling bell.
With her path blocked by soldiers, her fingertips grew cold, and she had no choice but to run back.
After enduring so much hardship and feigning compliance for so long, I've finally managed to escape and I absolutely cannot be caught and taken back!
Soldiers were everywhere, some on horseback, some with swords, emerging from alleyways and shops.
She endured the excruciating pain in her ankle as she ran into the ever-darkening darkness, and due to excessive tension, she unconsciously shed a few warm tears.
The people scattered, the lanterns fell, and the once bustling streets and alleys instantly became deserted and dark. This scene reminded her of that night ten years ago.
Many people surrounded them from all directions. Her mother led her and her brother away. The long night seemed to never end, making it hard to breathe.
With pursuers behind her and impenetrable walls on both sides, she had nowhere to retreat. Gazing at the dark, still lake beneath the bridge, she took a deep breath and plunged in.
She's tried to escape death and block a path before.
Hopefully, God will protect her this time and she will get through the night safely.
She was originally from the south and was skilled in swimming, able to swim briefly. However, the lake water in the cold winter was icy cold, as if it wanted to strip away her warm flesh and blood. She submerged in the water, feeling nothing at all.
Where are they?
The two men who had chased after them on horseback were pacing around in circles. "We just saw someone there," one of them said.
"Open your eyes wider and go look ahead," another person scolded him.
As the noise subsided, violent waves surged across the lake. Mingying clung to the riverbank, gasping for breath and spitting out water. Her fingernails were covered in mud, and she was so cold that her teeth chattered.
After the two men had gone far away, she dragged her wet and heavy body onto the bridge with difficulty, walking slowly by the light of the remaining lanterns.
"stop."
A man's command came from behind.
Mingying closed her eyes, her blood boiling, surging through her brain, her head buzzing.
Seeing that she didn't move, the officer quietly nocked an arrow and aimed it at her: "The authorities are catching thieves, turn around."
A cold wind swept by, and Mingying seemed to hear the sound of a bowstring being drawn.
The tension in her heart was so high that it was about to break.
Indeed, one cannot always be so lucky.
She wouldn't turn back; even dying here was better than being dragged back to his side.
As he faced death, his mind gradually calmed down, his clenched fists loosened inch by inch, and water droplets dripped from his fingertips onto his shoes.
One drop, two drops...
She heard the sound of arrows piercing the air, wondering if she would be shot through the chest by an arrow in the next moment.
But the expected pain did not come; instead, a scream rang out behind him—the sound of someone rolling off their horse.
She turned around abruptly and saw that the arrow that should have been stuck in her body had pierced the man's heart instead.
Under a tree in the distance stood a man in black, drawing a bow.
The lanterns and leaves on the tree swayed and obscured the view, making it difficult for Mingying to clearly see the outline of his face.
Unbeknownst to her, a powerful, innate force of attraction cleared away the obstacles and guided her gaze. Suddenly, her head throbbed and her ears rang.
The torrent of water burst forth, constantly washing over her heart with memories of the past. Without needing confirmation, she couldn't help but run towards it.
When she was little, she would jump onto his back, pouting, and say, "Brother, carry me quickly, or Mother will find out!"
There were many people watching the lanterns, and because she was too short to see them, she would ask him to carry her on his back: "Brother, lift me up a little higher, we'll see them soon!"
Long-forgotten memories flooded her heart; her body felt cold, yet scalding tears flowed endlessly.
Without any warning, as if in a dream, she mustered all her strength and ran towards the man, who was already much taller than her: "Brother, tell me, am I dreaming? Did I just die...?"
Otherwise, why would she meet her relatives whom she had been separated from for ten years?
Shen Mingshu stood there, his chest heaving. Even a man who had fought on all sides could have his eyes redden and shed tears.
His sister, whom he had been searching for for ten years, was now in his arms.
Ten years ago, he and his sister fell into the water. He failed to protect her, and the two siblings were separated forever.
He felt guilty and heartbroken day and night, and as long as he lived, he would search for her.
Ten years have passed since I searched from the south to the north.
Now, she stands perfectly intact in front of him.
“Ah Ying, it’s me, it’s your brother.” His voice trembled as he poured out all the guilt he had felt over the years. “It’s your brother who has wronged you. You have suffered so much.”
This place was not safe to stay any longer. He took Mingying and, through a secret contact, evaded the pursuit and finally arrived safely at the clothing shop.
Lin Xian refused to have her wound bandaged, and for the first time, she was completely flustered. Despite the obstacles, she insisted on going to find Ming Ying.
If his release this time only implicates her, he might as well die in prison.
Pei Xiaoyun wanted blueprints, right? He'll go draw them for her now, as long as he doesn't hurt her.
As he got up to leave, the door was opened from the outside. Mingying, her hair disheveled, was wearing a dry cloak, and Shen Mingshu was with her.
"Aying!" Lin Xian reached out and hugged her, her heart overflowing with joy. At this moment, she could not feel the pain of her wound.
Mingying's eyes welled up with tears again, and she hugged him tightly: "Ziming, I'm fine, I'm very happy."
In the past, when she was casually abandoned and looked down upon, she thought she was all alone in this vast world.
But now, she not only has a husband, but also her brother whom she had lost and then found again.
When everyone is together, those hard times will disappear.
Lin Xian finally felt at ease, looked at Shen Mingshu, and was about to lift her robe to perform a grand salute, "Young Master Shen's great kindness to my wife and me is something I will never forget..."
"You've taken such good care of my sister; I should be deeply grateful to you," Shen Mingshu said earnestly as he helped him up.
I feel gratitude towards him, but also hatred towards someone else.
He never expected that the Madam Lin he had been trying to save was his own sister.
Perhaps it was because his parents were watching from heaven that he did not give up on the rescue plan, which allowed the siblings to be reunited.
Lin Xian listened to his explanation in astonishment, and couldn't help but sigh that it was a destiny ordained by heaven. He hugged Ming Ying even tighter.
Mingying was taken by the shopkeeper's wife to wash up and change her clothes, and then sat in front of the stove to warm herself by the fire.
Shen Mingshu served her a bowl of steaming ginger soup and said gently, "I added brown sugar, so it's not bitter. Drink it quickly."
He also remembered that she didn't like strong-flavored ginger soup and would only drink it if brown sugar was added.
When they were little, he loved to tease her and challenge her to a drinking contest. She wanted to win, but she really couldn't drink any more, so she would cry in frustration.
Compared to the suffering she had endured, these few pieces of brown sugar could not alleviate even a fraction of it.
Mingying took the bowl of ginger soup and drank it sip by sip. The sweetness of the brown sugar lingered on her tongue and wouldn't go away. Tears dripped into the bowl.
She hasn't added brown sugar to her ginger soup for many years.
In Mianyue Tower, these women had no medicine when they got sick; they just endured it and saw who was the luckiest.
When he was with Pei Xiaoyun, he heard that she added brown sugar to her ginger soup and teased her for being spoiled. Afraid of upsetting him, she dared not add sugar anymore.
Later, she tried all sorts of contraceptive soups, abortifacients, and medicines even more bitter than ginger soup.
Tonight is New Year's Eve, after all. After taking the medicine, the shopkeeper's wife prepared a table full of dishes, and the long table was filled with people, who ate together in a lively atmosphere.
Mingying had never experienced such a lively New Year. Although the dishes were simple vegetarian, they tasted like delicacies from heaven.
After finishing her New Year's Eve dinner, she snuggled into bed and had a good, restful sleep.
Early morning, the first day of the Lunar New Year.
Because of the large-scale arrests and disturbances last night, people dared not go out the next day, and the streets and alleys were deserted, showing no signs of the first day of the new year.
Mingying didn't dare to sleep too long, so she got up early and found the shop already full of people.
At this moment, one of Shen Mingshu's men came to report: "Young master, the governor is urging you to send the person back to your residence."
The dry charcoal in the basin was burning red-hot, and with a "sizzle," it sparked a few orange-red embers.
The crimson light reflected in Shen Mingshu's eyes, burning brighter and brighter. He clenched his fist and made a decision.
The order to withdraw the spies from West Street was given by Shen Chun; no one else could have done it.
Even now, thinking back on it, he still feels a lingering fear; what if he hadn't found Ah Ying in time...
He thought about it all night and finally realized Shen Chun's hypocrisy and ruthlessness; Shen Chun was just trying to use him.
Over the years, he had only given him a meal, and he had gone through fire and water for him. Those shallow favors had long been repaid.
Seeing Ah Ying and Lin Xian reunited now, he was genuinely happy.
He couldn't possibly hand the person over to Shen Chun.
“Gu Yue.” A cold glint flashed in his eyes. “From this day forward, I sever all ties with the Governor’s Office. Hangzhou is no place to linger. I will set off immediately to take them to the Northwest for resettlement. You are from the Governor’s Office; if you do not wish to follow me, then go back.”
Gu Yue clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "Your subordinate is willing to serve you, young master."
Shen Mingshu nodded slightly, then looked at Lin Xian sitting to the side, "Taking you to the Northwest is a temporary measure. My troops are there, so there is no need to fear anyone."
Lin Xian was a smart man who had already seen through the situation. He naturally agreed to go to the Northwest, "but I don't know if Aying is willing."
"I'm willing to go."
Mingying listened through the curtain for a long time before finally coming out, her expression resolute: "Wherever you are, that is my home."
She wanted to go to a new place, live with her family, and completely forget the people and things here.
The three reached an agreement, but a sense of crisis also followed.
They not only offended Pei Xiaoyun, but also broke off relations with the Governor's Office. Once they realized what was happening, it would be like being pursued from the front and blocked from the rear.
After some discussion, they decided to leave the city and head north that night.
—
Pei Residence.
Rain fell in torrents, mixed with snowflakes, landing on the eaves incessantly, a constant, irritating noise.
Pei Xiaoyun was poisoned, and all the famous doctors in Hangzhou were helpless. Perhaps only He Lianqing could cure her.
He Lianqing has disappeared without a trace, and everyone guesses that he was killed by the escaped rebels when he went to treat Lin Xian.
He lay in bed like this for three days in a row. One night, Pei Xiaoyun woke up, rubbing his throbbing forehead.
He vaguely remembered drinking with Mingying, but he couldn't recall what happened next. Looking at the lonely, swaying tassels of the curtains above his head, a sense of fear crept into his heart.
"Someone come here!"
Kong Qing was both happy and afraid when she heard the shouts. She was happy that her master had finally woken up, but she was afraid that everything had become a mess.
"Sir, you're awake?"
Pei Xiaoyun sat up, irritably kicking off the covers, and asked with inexplicable unease, "What happened?"
Kong Qing lowered his head and answered truthfully: "Master, the day you took Miss Ming to the Zhenwei Restaurant for a meal, a fire suddenly broke out in the suburban prison, and Lin Xian was kidnapped by someone. I wanted to tell you, but when I went in, I found you lying on the table, and Miss Ming was nowhere to be seen. I sent people to look for her, but they couldn't find her."
"I only found this one." He presented a purple hibiscus earring that had been left on the windowsill with both hands.
Pei Xiaoyun had just woken up when she was suddenly bombarded with these messages, leaving her dizzy and disoriented. She felt as if the world was spinning. After a few breaths, she finally heard what Kong Qing was saying.
His eyes instantly became bloodshot, and a surge of anger welled up in his chest and rose to his throat, threatening to burst forth.
He took the earring, touched the lustrous pearl, and used so much force with his two fingers that the pearl cracked and was about to turn to dust in his hand.
I remember how she gently moved her delicate fingers, pinching the rim of the cup several times as she poured him the wine, and watching him drink it with her own eyes.
He could almost picture her, smug and triumphant, as she escaped through the window while he was under the influence of the drug.
He was outsmarted by a woman!
No wonder she tried so hard to seduce him, deliberately flatter him, cried her eyes out in front of him, and made a scene about going to the lantern festival. It turns out that she was scheming to elope with Lin Xian!
He mistakenly believed she had changed her mind and wanted to treat her better, but he was blinded and walked step by step into her clumsy trap.
She's just a damned vixen.
He vowed that if he caught her this time, he would not let her off easily.
He would kill her with one blow to vent his hatred!
There's another person who wants to settle this score first.
She didn't have the ability to get such medicine; someone must have given it to her. And even if she escaped, how could a weak woman evade so many pursuers and get away so easily?
In Hangzhou, only Shen Chun dared to oppose him.
Lin Xian, Shen Chun, He Lianqing, Ming Ying.
He connected these people, and everything made sense.
"Where did He Lianqing go?!" he almost roared.
Kong Qing replied, "Master, neither Doctor He nor Xing Wei have been found. I suspect they may have perished at the hands of villains."
"Fool." Pei Xiaoyun glanced at him coldly and smashed a cup at him.
Kong Qing's eyes lit up, and he instantly understood: "Sir, please calm down. I will go find him right away, and once I find him—"
"Once we find him, chop him into mincemeat for me." Pei Xiaoyun interrupted him, her teeth practically grinding to powder.
They all dared to cause trouble right under his nose, so he'd play along and make their lives miserable. He wouldn't let any of them get away with it.
"Take your men and head to the Governor's Mansion." He donned a dark ink-colored crane-patterned cloak, drew a gleaming, sharp longsword, and exuded a sinister and murderous aura.
It's true that Shen Chun is powerful, and he always thinks it's better to avoid trouble, but that doesn't mean he's afraid of Shen Chun. If he dares to steal his people, he'll make him pay the price.
That ungrateful woman was playing tricks on him, thinking that the mere governor's mansion could protect her.
He gave a mocking smile, braved the wind and snow, and mounted his horse.
On the other side, Shen Chun was furious when she learned that Shen Mingshu had taken Lin Xian and that woman north.
He sent people to investigate, and it turned out that Lin Xian's wife was actually that unfilial son's younger sister.
He sneered repeatedly. No wonder she broke off relations with him so quickly. It seemed she would never hand over Lin Xian.
"My lord, shall I take some men and persuade the young master to return?"
"Shut up!" Shen Chun cursed angrily, his face contorted with murderous intent. "Send men to kill them all, leave no one alive!"
Having come to this point, he no longer bothered to pretend to be a loving father and filial son.
If he couldn't have Lin Xian, he absolutely couldn't let Pei Xiaoyun have her either, so he decided to go all the way and kill them all.
The subordinate went to carry out the order, and returned a moment later.
Shen Chun closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. Hearing footsteps, his blood surged again: "What else is there?!"
"My lord, something terrible has happened! Pei Xiaoyun has surrounded the manor with his men!"
Shen Chun suddenly opened her eyes, sat up in shock, a chill running down her spine. "What did you say?"
Outside the governor's mansion, the area was completely blocked by soldiers. A maidservant tried to slip away through a side door, but was immediately shot through the heart by an arrow.
Pei Xiaoyun sat high on his horse, his robes fluttering in the cold wind.
He stroked the hilt of the sword in his hand, his eyes filled with coldness and ruthlessness.
Surrounded by people at his doorstep, Shen Chun had no choice but to come out and shout, "Lord Pei, what are you doing? Have I ever offended you?"
Pei Xiaoyun didn't want to waste words with him. With a cold sneer, the cold light on the blade scattered, "Hand over my men, or I will raze the Governor's Mansion to the ground."
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Author's note: Requesting nutrient solution! [heart eyes]
Could there be more comments? [crying emoji] I feel so lonely. [crying emoji]
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