Two-pronged approach
The escort team marched slowly towards Yongjing City, and seemed to be in no hurry to bring Xiao Luochen to the capital. This made Xiao Luochen wonder whether Wang Zheng and his party were already brewing some conspiracy, and that he, as the instigator, needed to be sent to the guillotine at the right time.
Because of Su Musong's warning, Wang Zheng did not attack Xiao Luochen again. However, when he thought of the teeth knocked out by Xiao Luochen, he couldn't help feeling angry. So he cut off Xiao Luochen's food and only ordered people to send him a bowl of water a day to keep Xiao Luochen alive.
This went on for three to five days. At first, Xiao Luochen could barely sit in the prison car, but later he no longer had the strength to sit still and could only curl up in a ball.
It was unknown when some people from the underworld began to appear behind the escort team. By the time Wang Zheng realized what was happening, there were already more than 20 or 30 of them. At first, Wang Zheng thought that this group of people were here to rob Xiao Luochen, but after a few days, he found that they were just following him from a distance and did not seem to have any intention of taking action.
That day, one of the men in the group presented Wang Zheng with something. After seeing it, Wang Zheng began to sweat on his forehead and felt a chill on his back.
The deputy general had been with Wang Zheng for many years, but had never seen him like this. He couldn't help but wonder how it was just an ordinary ring and pendant, how could it have such great power that it could change the expression of the usually fearless general.
"Commander, what's wrong with this pendant?"
Wang Zheng then realized his mistake and did not explain to the deputy general, but just ordered
"From today onwards, we will provide meals for the prisoners."
Although the adjutant didn't know what was so special about the pendant, there was no doubt that it was related to the escorted prisoner. Since the general didn't respond, the subordinate didn't need to ask any more questions and could just do as he was told.
This pendant was a personal item belonging to Wang Zheng's son. When Wang Zheng saw it, he immediately understood that it was Su Musong's warning, so he had no choice but to provide Xiao Luochen with meals as usual.
Before Su Musong left Xizhou, he sent letters to his friends in the martial arts world through the pigeon house, asking them to look after Xiao Luochen along the way. That's why there were people in the martial arts world following Wang Zheng.
Ning Zhen brought the news back to Qingzhu Village, and Tieshan immediately informed the Western Border Alliance. Upon hearing their leader's arrest, the various factions were eager to fight, nearly attempting to hijack the prisoner van. Fortunately, Tieshan was able to control the situation, preventing it from escalating out of control. However, as the prison van drew closer to Yongjing City, the number of people following the escort grew larger and larger, reaching a massive group of 120. Although Wang Zheng wasn't afraid of them hijacking the prisoner with his own forces, the fact that they were following him closely was a constant source of concern.
These people dressed as ordinary people and dispersed into the crowd every time they passed a pass. However, they gathered again just a few miles away from the city gate. They had no weapons and no behavior that violated the rules. Although Wang Zheng knew that they came for Xiao Luochen, he had no idea where to start.
After Su Musong finished explaining all the matters, he rushed to Yongjing without stopping. He worked without sleep and exhausted four horses along the way. Finally, he returned to Kyoto before Wang Zheng.
Seeing the lintel of the Anguo Mansion, Su Musong's forced breath gave way, and he fell from his horse, fainting on the ground. The guard at the gate restrained the galloping horse and, with a lantern, took a closer look, only to discover that the man on the ground was actually the eldest son. He hurriedly called the doorman to inform the butler, and he and his companions carried Su Musong into the mansion.
It happened that Su Mufeng accompanied Prince Ding back to the Anguo Mansion to drink and relax. Seeing the servants running around in the mansion, Su Mufeng hurriedly took the drunk Prince Ding back to the shore from the pavilion in the middle of the lake. Hearing about Su Musong's embarrassed appearance, Su Mufeng knew that something might have happened. He didn't care about the unconscious Prince Ding, handed him over to the housekeeper, and went to visit his eldest brother.
Su Mufeng took Su Musong's pulse and knew that he was just overworked, and he felt relieved immediately. However, his elder brother was so anxious to come back, which was exactly the same as his urgency when he went to Xizhou. After a little thought, Su Mufeng guessed that it might be related to Xiao Luochen, which caused his elder brother to act like this.
The next morning, Su Mufeng accompanied the hungover Prince Ding for breakfast and then went to find Su Musong together.
"Brother, you are so anxious, is something wrong with Brother Luo Chen?"
Su Musong looked at Su Mufeng, who was dressed as a princess, and then glanced at Prince Ding who looked normal. He couldn't help but feel puzzled. Judging from Mufeng's dress and voice, she was clearly pretending to be the Princess of Ding, but he had no scruples when asking about Xiao Luochen, as if he was not afraid that Prince Ding would know that he was an imposter.
Seeing Su Musong's confusion, Su Mufeng took Prince Ding's hand. The two of them interlocked their fingers and looked into each other's eyes. They were clearly a couple in love.
"The prince already knows my identity, big brother, just speak frankly, don't worry."
The feelings between the two had already shown signs when they were in Xizhou. Su Musong was worried that Prince Ding would be furious because he was deceived after knowing that Su Mufeng was married off, or that he would draw his sword to cut off the relationship because of his status. However, he did not expect that in just two or three months, the two had been open and honest with each other, and it seemed that they were deeply in love.
How could Su Musong have known that Prince Ding knew from the very beginning that the person he was escorting back in the grand sedan chair was Su Mufeng, the lover he had painstakingly and carefully sought after, and was now severing the ties of love with a sword? That didn't exist!
In this case, Prince Ding is definitely an ally of the same camp.
"Luo Chen has been recognized. The Right Prime Minister has sent people to take him away from Xizhou. He is currently being escorted to the capital."
Su Mufeng was shocked when he heard this. Although he guessed that his elder brother's embarrassing return to Beijing was related to Xiao Luochen, he did not expect that the Right Prime Minister would act so quickly.
"So how should we respond?"
Although he was not in the court, Su Mufeng also understood that the Right Prime Minister would not bring Xiao Luochen to the capital just to kill him, but must have wanted to make connections.
"I already have a solution, but I still need your help."
"Speaking."
"I want to see the Emperor in private."
Although Su Musong and Xiao Luochen have been planning for many years and have collected enough evidence, the key to overthrowing the right prime minister and the Wang family lies in the emperor.
Eliminating powerful officials is never an easy task. If the emperor is not resolute, not only will he fail to save Xiao Luochen, but he will also have to sacrifice the Duke of Anguo's Mansion and even the Marquis of Jingxi's Mansion. Therefore, Su Musong must meet with the emperor and confirm it in person.
Ever since Prince Ding learned of Xiao Luochen's identity, he knew that he would be the opportunity to eliminate the Right Prime Minister and the Wang family. Moreover, the Empress Dowager and her party had poisoned the Emperor and had repeatedly tried to kill Prince Ding. This had already reached a point where both sides would be at risk, and even without perfect preparation, he had to fight hard.
Therefore, Yuwen Ye agreed to Su Musong's request without asking the emperor.
"That's not difficult. I'll invite the Emperor to the palace tomorrow."
Having agreed to meet the Emperor, Prince Ding didn't stay long. Crown Princess Yuelong was on a diplomatic mission to Xiangping to discuss defense against the Qingning, and he was in charge of receiving her and discussing northern defense. He had official duties to attend to today. Su Mufeng still had many questions to ask Su Musong, so he didn't return with Prince Ding, but instead accompanied Su Musong to arrange follow-up matters.
Su Mufeng followed Su Musong through a hidden entrance into Wenying Tower. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Su Mufeng would never have guessed that this most prestigious brothel in Yongjing City was actually his own property, and even the location of the Kyoto Pigeon House. Previously, he had been busy scouting for beauties for Prince Ding, and he thought he had gathered all the managers of the Su family's various properties in Kyoto, including brothels and even Zuixianju. However, he hadn't expected Wenying Tower to be the one he hadn't responded to. It was truly well hidden.
Although the meeting with the Emperor had already been decided, and given the current situation, the Emperor would most likely adopt Su Musong's countermeasures, Su Musong could not allow Xiao Luochen's life to be lost, so he also planned to make the Emperor not cooperate with him. If that were the case, kidnapping the prisoner became Su Musong's only option. On the way back, Su Musong had already thought of the rescue team and planned the escape route. Now all he had to do was send the news from the pigeon house and have everyone prepare.
Just then, news arrived of Xiao Luochen's recent condition, and Su Musong felt a surge of anxiety. Wang Zheng hadn't tortured Xiao Luochen again after seeing his son's ring pendant, but the letter reported that Tieshan and Xiao Buyi had joined Xiao Luochen's gang. Xiao Luochen didn't have time to consider why Ning Zhen hadn't listened to him and kept Xiao Buyi a secret. If Wang Zheng discovered Buyi's identity, she would not only be thrown into the prison van, but also become Wang Zheng's hostage, putting the situation in a difficult position. For now, he could only send someone to bring Xiao Buyi back to Kyoto for protection as soon as possible.
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