Chapter 82: The cunning implication is that you shouldn't even think about escaping.
In the distance, the mountains rise a good ten feet high, steep and towering into the clouds. At the foot of the city gate, the people who had been delayed had formed a long queue behind the carriages.
Yu Ruxi's clear and loud shout ignited a glimmer of hope in Feng Tan's eyes. She sat in Xiao Yinshi's lap, trying her best to escape her restraints. Her bound hands made a clattering sound as she struggled. Xiao Yinshi's dark eyes held a gentle look of pity, but his actions clearly did not reflect that.
He pulled the steel chain wrapped around Feng Tan's wrist and looped it around his own neck, binding them together. Then he slowly released his hand from her lips. Before Feng Tan could utter the word "fish," the man leaned in and kissed her lips, quickly turning her around and pressing her down on the cushion.
Like a fish out of water, she clung to Xiao Yinshi's neck, writhing and turning. Her lips and tongue were completely invaded, and her throat trembled. Her violent struggles caused the carriage to shake, as if confirming the guards' description of her as "lost in passion."
Yu Ruxi, however, refused to give up. His piercing gaze made the city guards step forward and lift the sedan curtain. Upon seeing the scene inside, which was both hot and scorching, he was shocked and his eyes widened.
In such a short time, the two of them couldn't stand it anymore?
You really can't just take any treatment when you're sick. Do you think that taking some aphrodisiac will expel the disease from your body?
Sigh, this team owner is really stupid.
Yu Ruxi turned her horse around and looked at the two people in the carriage. In the dimly lit and cramped space, the man's tall and strong body completely covered the somewhat thin and weak boy beneath him. The boy lay on his back on the bedding, receiving kisses, his hands wrapped around the man's neck. The two were so engrossed in their kiss that they did not even notice when the curtain of the carriage was pulled open.
The boy's features were unremarkable. He had a furrowed brow and a hazy, watery look in his eyes. His fingers, which were tightly clasped on the man's shoulders, were dark-skinned. Even the shoes on the man's feet, which were spread apart on his sides, were three sizes larger than Feng Tan's.
Yu Ruxi, inexperienced in such matters, blushed upon seeing such a sexually charged scene. She still forced herself to observe carefully before lowering the sedan curtain and asking Zhu Qi, who was also disguised with a full beard, "What are your master's hobbies? Why do you chain him up when you do this?"
Zhu Qilang replied loudly, "You don't know, my master is kind-hearted. He rescued this male prostitute who sells bougainvillea in the slave market, but he always tries to escape, so my master had no choice but to lock him up."
Yu Ruxi had no suspicions. She squinted at the long line of cars behind the convoy and raised her hand to signal them to proceed.
Zheng Qingru rode up from the end of the queue of people, glanced at the departing caravan, turned to Yu Ruxi, and asked, "Did you find anything?"
Yu Ruxi shook her head and said, "Not yet. We followed Yongle's marks all the way here, which proves that she must be in this area. Let's search carefully again!"
Looking at Yu Ruxi's face, which was tanned from days of running around, Zheng Qingru said, "Yu Ruxi, we are not good at solving cases. Now that we have confirmed that Yongle is nearby, let's inform Weishengxian. Let's put aside our grudges for now and find Yongle first."
Yu Ruxi remained silent. Zheng Qingru knew she had taken his words to heart and said softly, "Actually, I have already sent him a message. He should arrive this afternoon."
Yu Ruxi gripped the reins tightly and said, "Fine, I'd like to see what the Embroidered Uniform Guard is capable of!"
The sky was overcast in the afternoon, looking like another heavy rain was about to fall. Menshouzhou was located in a strategically important area, and the prefect Rui Teng, who was in charge of various affairs, had been extremely busy recently, urging the collection of taxes and grain and repairing the county town. After receiving the imperial edict, he was afraid that something might go wrong in his territory and allow the thieves to take away Princess Yongle, so he was particularly concerned about this matter.
Hearing that Wei Shengxian, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in Beijing, would arrive in the afternoon, he had the opportunity to send people to prepare local specialties at the government office. However, Wei Shengxian had no appetite and sat down in front of the main hall of the government office, waiting for Yu Ruxi to come and hand over the news to him.
Upon seeing him, Yu Ruxi recalled the horrific scene of the eight ladies of Hongxiu Pavilion being dismembered, and her face showed no pleasantness. Wei Shengxian, always eccentric, was not angry, but wore a sinister smile and said, "Lord Feng... ah, no, Princess Yongle... is truly an eye-opener, putting on such a grand show, all just to rescue Feng Youming. Wouldn't it have been better if she had just admitted to being a princess sooner?"
Yu Ruxi sneered and said, "What, does His Majesty think he'll let Mr. Feng go just because she admits she's Princess Yongle?"
“Of course not,” Wei Shengxian wiped his embroidered spring knife, twirled it in his hand, “Even the Empress’s death can only allow Feng Youming to live for ten more years. No one can shake the system of my Great Huang Dynasty.”
Yu Ruxi didn't want to talk to him anymore. This man was quite cunning, and she felt uncomfortable standing next to him. So she changed the subject back to business and told him about the locations of the three marks left by Feng Tan and the inspection in front of the city gate today.
After hearing this, Wei Shengxian tapped his embroidered spring knife lightly on the stone lion in front of the door, squinted, and asked Yu Ruxi, "You mean the male prostitute in the sedan chair was clinging tightly to the shoulders of the person on top of him?"
Yu Ruxi nodded in agreement, then, noticing Wei Shengxian's suspicious expression, asked, "Is there something wrong?"
Wei Shengxian suddenly reached out and pulled Zheng Qingru, who was standing to the side, to lean against the stone lion. Then he put his hand on Zheng Qingru's shoulder and said, "Do you think I should pin him here or push him?"
Yu Ruxi's expression suddenly changed, filled with regret and remorse. Her eyes reddened, and she quickly turned around, mounted her horse, and said, "I'll go and bring her back!"
Wei Shengxian hooked the reins around her arm and said with a half-smile, "Do you know where to chase after them?"
After a moment of silence, Yu Ruxi said, "There will definitely be new marks."
“There won’t be any more,” Wei Shengxian said with excitement in his eyes, finally able to settle things once and for all. He smiled broadly and then pondered, “I’ve worked under Xiao Yinshi for many years. He deliberately left me with a loophole. He definitely won’t go to Jinliao Prefecture on the border. If he’s going to leave Dahuang, he’ll pass through here... so he can only go there.”
When Yu Ruxi realized that Xiao Yinshi was the one who took Feng Tan away, she asked anxiously, "Where are they going?"
Wei Shengxian's eyes gleamed with even more excitement as he looked at Yu Ruxi and said, "A city where no one can return, a place that has been feared throughout history, a place that even Asuras and demons tremble in terror."
Yu Ruxi's face darkened. The worst had happened: Xiao Yinshi was about to lead Feng Tan out of Huanyan Liuguang City and out of Dahuang.
Actually, there are two routes from Menshouzhou to Dahua Dynasty. One is the border pass Jinliaozhou, which most people choose, and the other is to go through Menshouzhou to Huanyan Liuguang City on the other side of the high wall.
This would drastically increase the difficulty for them to find the Wind Sandalwood.
Yu Ruxi's eyes flashed with coldness, and the ruthlessness from years of fighting on the battlefield burst forth. Her voice was resolute, "Summon the Yu family army, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Imperial Guard. Prepare to depart immediately."
As for the Imperial Dragon Camp, I believe Feng Bingzhu and the others will definitely go there as well, and we can meet up in the city then.
Zheng Qingru's expression was heavy, and his heart felt like it was being gripped by something. "For many years, it has been an unwritten rule that the two dynasties have never interfered with Huanyan Liuguang City. There are countless traps inside, and if we are not careful, we risk the annihilation of the entire army. We need to discuss our plan to infiltrate the city carefully."
Yu Ruxi said, "We'll disguise ourselves immediately."
***
The name Huan Yan Liu Guang City sounds nice, but its appearance is quite different. It does not belong to the Da Huang and Da Hua dynasties; it is an independent city with its own governance.
The city of Huanyan Liuguang is inhabited by inhuman gambling addicts. It's a place of debauchery and countless casinos. These gamblers include business owners who have failed and are now desperate for a quick fortune, reckless vagrants hoping to make a fortune through gambling, brutal forces seeking thrills, and even outlaws pursued by the imperial court with nowhere else to go...
Therefore, in order to protect the safety of the people of Shouzhou, the prefect Rui Teng had to reinforce the city walls every year, leaving only a heavy iron gate as the entrance to Huanyan Liuguang City. Moreover, the iron gate was only for entry and never for exit. Almost no one who entered Huanyan Liuguang City with the intention of making a quick buck and leaving ever survived.
Bloodshed and violence permeated the entire city. Primitive and savage methods of slaughter nurtured the scum of humanity, who reveled here. The city lord granted every thug who won in the casino a heinous feast. Here, human life was worth less than that of animals, and the blade of death moved as fast as lightning.
This is the City of Radiant Feasts.
The city was quiet during the day; the gamblers only began their revelry at night. The carriage traveled along the empty road, and Zhu Qi said to the person inside, "Master, the weather looks bad. There's an inn ahead; let's stay there tonight!"
Looking at Feng Tan, who had been quiet for several hours after their deep, passionate kiss, Xiao Yinshi said in a deep voice, "You can make the arrangements."
Zhu Qi accepted the order, found an inn, and after everything was arranged, he welcomed Xiao Yinshi alighting from the sedan chair. Feng Tan's ankles were chained, making it difficult for her to move, so Xiao Yinshi stood beside the carriage and reached out to help her.
Feng Tan coldly watched his outstretched hand, then grabbed the car body and jumped down, before walking into the inn without looking back.
Xiao Yinshi watched her retreating figure as she entered the inn. Just before she stepped across the threshold, the chain caught on a protrusion, causing her straight figure to stumble. He quickly went over to support her as she was about to fall, but Feng Tan pushed him away abruptly, coldly saying, "Get out of my way."
Xiao Yinshi's eyes were indifferent as he watched her slowly adapt to walking with chains on her feet, and a colder smile curled at the corner of his lips.
This was the first time Zhu Qi had seen his master turn away. His eyes darted subtly between Xiao Yinshi and Feng Tan, and he spoke tentatively, “Master, I think Lord Feng… ah, no, Miss Feng is not someone to be trifled with. You have important business to attend to tonight, and you’ve already spent a lot of time and energy during the day. Perhaps it would be better if you slept in separate rooms with Miss Feng tonight, so you wouldn’t have to be on guard against her while you sleep.”
Xiao Yinshi had a fresh, inch-long wound on his thin lips, and it wasn't hard to imagine the ferocity with which Feng Tan bit down. Hearing this, he didn't let go, but followed Feng Tan upstairs and said, "Tell the waiter to bring the food up."
When Xiao Yinshi pushed open the door and entered, Feng Tan was looking down at the street scene below from the window. He glanced at the food on the wooden table and said, "Huan Yan Liu Guang City is full of fierce and vicious people. With your mediocre skills, you can't beat anyone."
The implication is clear: don't even think about running away.
The heat and hardness he felt in his lower abdomen made Feng Tan feel uncomfortable all over. Then, as the carriage walked out of the city gate, he slowly took her hand off his neck, took out the willow branch and magnolia flower she had treasured from her bosom, and casually threw them out of the carriage, letting the wheels crush them and bury them deep in the soil.
Xiao Yinshi sat on the translucent embroidered chair made of huanghuali wood, tested the temperature of the hot porridge in the large lacquered blue and white bowl, scooped out a bowl and placed it on the seat opposite him, "I've been hungry all day, come and have a meal."
Feng Tan silently walked to the table, and then overturned the wooden table in front of Xiao Yinshi.
Author's Note: Yesterday's Feng Tan: I can endure it!
Today's Wind Sandalwood: Damn, I can't take it anymore!
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