Chapter 19 The Chase
Song Yitang threw the letter in front of Song Jiyun, "This is the surprise you promised me?! And you even sent it to the Zhou residence! Are you stupid or just plain dumb?!"
"A mere concubine has thrown you into such a state of panic! How dare you write such a stupid memorial!"
"Don't tell anyone you're Song Yitang's sister!"
Song Jiyun hid behind her mother, looking very aggrieved, "It was my older brother who said he and Liu Minghan were sworn enemies..."
She poked her head out and shouted defiantly, "Perfect, killing two birds with one stone!"
"You still dare to argue!" Song Yitang raised his hand, and Song Jiyun immediately screamed and hid back.
"Mother, save me!!"
Mother Song defended her daughter, saying, "No wonder your sister is angry. How dare she play tricks in front of Old Madam Zhou? And your brother-in-law just stood there without saying a word. What good days will your sister have in the future!"
"Besides, your sister wrote the letter for you because of you."
Song Yitang lowered his hand in exasperation, "Was she doing this for me, or for herself?"
"If she cared about me, she should stay home and prepare for her wedding instead of thinking about running to the Zhou family every day!"
He sighed as he spoke, "There are so many ways to die in this world, yet she has to be involved with Lord Liu. Who is Liu Minghan? You can't touch him at all, and you've only gotten yourself into trouble for no reason!"
Song Jiyun bit her lip in grievance, "How can I tolerate this? She deliberately provoked me. I've never been wronged like this before!"
"Mother, she's worth ten Aunt Lus back then!"
Song's mother hugged her tenderly, "Alright, alright, it's just a concubine, I'll help you find a way."
Song Yitang, "Mother!"
"Today there's Lady Jiang, tomorrow Lady Zhang, and the day after Lady Wang. Are you going to help her kill them all?!"
Mother Song turned her head, her eyes red, and scolded, "They're all lowly servants who can be beaten or killed at will, why not! Do you want your sister to follow in your mother's footsteps?!"
"Don't forget, if it weren't for your father protecting that bitch surnamed Lu, your younger brother would be ten years old by now!"
Song's mother and Aunt Lu had been fighting for most of their lives, and even though they were long dead, she still harbored endless hatred when she mentioned them.
Looking at his mother's reddened eyes, Song Yitang could only sigh.
The memories of the past were stirred up in Song's mother, especially the fact that her husband's study still contained a portrait of that little slut, which made her feel even more hatred.
She patted her daughter, "Don't worry, Mother will take care of that bitch before you even walk in the door!"
Song Jiyun immediately turned around and hugged her mother, "Thank you, Mother. I am an unfilial daughter, troubling you with such a small matter."
"Silly child, with your mother here, you just need to focus on preparing for your wedding, and leave the rest to your mother."
*
Jiang Shiyao visited Yubaolou again, but only selected some pearls.
The shopkeeper, Madam Wen, looked at her, seemingly wanting to ask for advice but unsure how to begin.
Jiang Shiyao pretended not to see it, quickly finished buying the items, and left.
Fishing requires patience.
She couldn't do long-term deals with Yu Bao Lou; it was a one-off transaction, so she had to be more patient.
Back in the carriage, she asked the driver to go to the embroidery shop again.
She didn't bring anyone with her on this trip; she was going to check out the caravan He Dayou had mentioned.
Following the trajectory of the previous life, the caravan was already itching to make a move at this point.
Jinzhou is about to miss the spring planting season. Although the food crisis in the capital will not last long, the famine in Jinzhou will also affect the capital, and the number of refugees will increase.
For businessmen, this is an opportunity.
It all depends on how bold you are.
Next to the embroidery shop is a teahouse. She will have the driver go to Dexinglou to buy some snacks later, and she will take the opportunity to go to the teahouse to discuss the caravan's affairs.
Jiang Shiyao's fingers traced the intricate pattern on her wrist, constantly calculating how much cash she could possibly have at most.
“Madam Jiang, the road ahead is blocked. It looks like a shop roof tile has slipped down.”
She lifted the carriage curtain and glanced inside. "Then let's take a detour."
The carriage turned around again, preparing to take a side alley to another road.
Suddenly the carriage lurched, and Jiang Shiyao managed to stay upright by bracing herself against the carriage with both hands.
Just as she was about to reprimand him, the carriage curtain was lifted, and the driver lay unconscious on the ground. Two masked men stood outside the carriage and said, "Get out."
Jiang Shiyao's face turned pale. She hadn't expected that someone would dare to rob someone in broad daylight, right in the capital!
At that moment, she was somewhat relieved that she hadn't brought Fu'er with her.
Regardless, staying alive is the most important thing.
She quickly pulled out her money bag, pleading, "Hero, spare my life! All my money is here!"
Unexpectedly, the masked man didn't even glance at the money pouch she handed over; he just stared at her with icy eyes, as if she were a dead person.
They don't want money.
Jiang Shiyao realized in an instant that they were not ordinary robbers.
One of the robbers slashed the edge of the carriage door frame with his knife.
"Do you want me to ask you to come down?"
Jiang Shiyao calmly got out of the car. These people weren't after money; they were after the Duke of England's mansion.
She feigned fear at the opportune moment, saying, "Good sir, I am merely a concubine of the Duke of Ying's son. Even if you have any grudges against me, capturing me will do you no good."
The man seemed to look at her with pity.
"Someone is buying your head. You're just a concubine, yet you're worth quite a bit of money."
Jiang Shiyao immediately thought of Song Jiyun.
Who would spend money to hire an assassin to kill a concubine?
She sensed a glimmer of hope. "Good sir! How much did they pay me? I'll pay double to buy myself back!"
The two men exchanged a smile, as if she were telling a joke, or as if they had never seen such a way of bargaining before.
After laughing, the man said impatiently, "Hurry up and go inside! If you keep babbling, I'll cut your tongue out!"
There are several houses in this alley, but the gates are now closed.
The carriage was right in the middle of the alley, with the doors of the houses next to it half open.
It wasn't a coincidence; it was all prepared specifically for her.
Ouch!
Suddenly, one of the robbers in front of them covered his eyes and squatted down.
"Damn it! Who is it?!"
A burst of children's laughter followed, and then a dozen or so pebbles rained down from the sky.
Jiang Shiyao immediately hid next to the carriage.
A dark hand reached out from behind the carriage and grabbed her wrist. "Madam, this way!"
Jiang Shiyao turned around in a panic and found that it was the little beggar brother who had eaten wontons with her that day.
She was led into a nearby house, which looked like it had been abandoned for a long time.
The little beggar led her out through a hole in the kitchen floor.
It was then discovered that this row of houses was abandoned and connected to each other.
She followed the little beggar through a maze of twists and turns, finally emerging from a dog hole.
"Madam! Come over here quickly!"
There are even more little beggars now.
They led Jiang Shiyao through a maze of twists and turns, until she was completely exhausted, before she finally stopped against a large tree by the roadside.
"Young man, I can't run anymore."
The little beggar looked back and said, "There are a lot of people here, those two probably won't dare to grab you here."
"I knew those two weren't good people, but I never expected they'd arrest the madam!"
Jiang Shiyao then noticed that the little beggar's eyes were bright and he looked very energetic.
"How did you know they were going to arrest people here?"
The little beggar said, "That area of houses is haunted. It's been abandoned for many years, and nobody ever goes there."
“That place provides shelter from the wind and rain; it’s long been our territory.”
“A few days ago, we noticed some people were around in the area, and someone even gave us a few coins, telling us not to stay here for the next couple of days.”
The little beggar curled his lip, "You think you can get rid of us with just a few copper coins?"
Jiang Shiyao felt around and realized that she had left her money pouch in the carriage.
"I left my purse in the carriage. Tomorrow at noon, right here, I will present you with a generous reward!"
The little beggar quickly waved his hand, "Madam, the money you gave me last time made my brother and I live a good life for quite a while. It's enough."
Jiang Shiyao shook her head. "No, you can't stay in that place. If those two retaliate, you won't even have a place to seek justice."
"I'll give you money, you can find another place to settle down."
The little beggar pondered her words for a moment, "Madam is right, my brothers need to be settled."
When Jiang Shiyao returned to her residence, the little beggar followed her from a distance the whole time.
She couldn't help but chuckle; even a half-grown child was more reliable than Zhou Congxian.
When she returned to the mansion in a disheveled state, the gatekeeper was startled.
She omitted Song Jiyun's name, only saying that she had been attacked by robbers, but was fortunately rescued by a little beggar she had given alms to before.
The steward then led a few guards to the alley.
When Jiang Shiyao returned to the courtyard, Shuangjiang and Mother He had already received the news.
Although Fu'er didn't understand, she now vaguely knew about emotions.
She held her mother tightly, crying uncontrollably, refusing to let go.
She finally cried herself to sleep before being taken away by her mother.
After getting medicine for her injuries during the Frost's Descent, Jiang Shiyao rolled up her sleeves, revealing abrasions on her palms and elbows from when she fled and crawled through the tunnel.
Shuangjiang frowned as she carefully applied the medicine. "My lady, in broad daylight, where did these bandits come from who dare to be so bold!"
"Can't they see that it's a car belonging to the British Duke's family?!"
Jiang Shiyao sneered, "They wouldn't even bother to rob a car that isn't from the Duke of Ying's mansion."
Shuangjiang paused, then asked, "Is he an enemy of the Duke or the Crown Prince?"
Jiang Shiyao remained silent.
Now that Song Jiyun dares to kill people openly, how could Zhou Congxian not know who she is?
Why would you want to marry someone like that? Do you think you have too much life ahead of you?
In her past life, she was allowed to live for more than a year longer. In this life, because she no longer keeps silent, they immediately want to take her life.
Neither Song Jiyun nor Zhou Congxian have changed in their past or present lives.
The final outcome will not change.
Therefore, the only way for her and Fu'er to save their lives is to leave.
Jiang Shiyao patted Shuangjiang, "Go and keep Fu'er company, and call Mother He over."
Do as instructed during Frost's Descent.
When Mrs. He arrived, there was one more person in the courtyard.
Zhou Congxian hadn't even had time to change out of his official robes.
This was the first time Jiang Shiyao had seen him in official robes.
He actually looked even more upright than when he was wearing regular clothes.
Zhou Congxian's gaze fell on her hands, which had just been treated with medicine.
Are you alright?
Jiang Shiyao's gaze remained calm. "I am still alive."
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