Translator – Xiao He Lian
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Chapter 39.1
The rosy glow on the horizon has dissipated and the mist filled the sky. It was already late afternoon.
The surrounding mountains were gradually lost in the heavy dusk.
Shen Zhen looked at the fire spreading in front of her eyes and her heart sank again and again.
Seeing the panic on her face, Yang Zong quickly comforted her and said, “Don’t worry, Miss Shen, you are not taking the water route.” The boat that was originally prepared had become a way for them to delay time.
Having said that, Yang Zong couldn’t help but feel a little scared when he saw this scene.
If the Heir Apparent had not made complete preparations, even if they survived, the evidence they had worked so hard to collect would have been burned in the fire.
Time was running out and Yang Zong had no time to explain to Shen Zhen, so he only said: “Miss Shen, we have to get on the road as soon as possible.”
Shen Zhen nodded. In order not to delay, she did not make a sound even if her feet were sprained.
After climbing over mountains and ridges, they finally met up with the spies who had gone ahead.
But in such a deep mountain and old forest, Shen Zhen actually saw a sedan chair and she rubbed her eyes.
Why… Why is there a sedan chair here? ?
There was not only a sedan chair, but also seven or eight men dressed as groomsmen behind the sedan chair, as well as a dozen wooden boxes with the word “囍1(The character that is used during a chinese wedding. Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 喜 + 喜 (“happiness”). Duplication of 喜, the two characters representing the bride and groom.)” on them.
Yang Zong stepped forward and took out a wedding dress from the sedan chair, along with a pair of gold earrings and hairpins and handed them to Shen Zhen.
Yang Zong quickly explained the current situation.
Dacheng city is not far from Yangzhou, so the administrative office is also located in Yangzhou. To put it bluntly, this is still the jurisdiction of Zhao Chong. However, as long as they want to join the reinforcements, they need to pass through Dacheng city.
Once they enter the city, they will attract attention. In this case, it is necessary to disguise themselves.
The sedan chair in front of them had been prepared by Lu Yan in advance. And these groomsmen holding trumpets and suona in their hands were the secret agents who had withdrawn from Yangzhou in advance.
Tang Yue was quick witted and quickly put on the wedding dress for Shen Zhen in just a few moves.
It wasn’t until the evening of the next day that we finally entered the city.
Yang Zong led the way on horseback, and numerous groomsmen gathered behind him. They played music along the way and entered a house where firecrackers were being set off.
As soon as the gate was closed, they were isolated from the people in the city but everyone’s nerves couldn’t help but become tense again.
Although they were out of danger for the time being, the news about Lu Yan had not yet come back. Yang Zong first ordered people to continue playing and singing in the yard and then sent two people to the city gate.
When Shen Zhen sat on the bed covered in peanuts and painted with pear patterns2(something to signify fertility in ancient customs?? If I’m not wrong), the calmness she had just pretended to have disappeared.
She raised her hands to gather her wedding clothes, feeling inexplicably panicked. When she got up in a panic, she couldn’t help but stumble but luckily Tangyue held her steady.
“Miss, be careful.”
Shen Zhen nodded and said “Hmm”.
The day passed like this.
At night, Shen Zhen looked at the flickering candlelight in front of her eyes and the completely darkened sky and bursts of cold sweat broke out on her back.
There has been no news for so long, there was a high probability that something happened.
Shen Zhen got up and went to the study room next door, opened the door and said: “Yang Zong, the time that Lord and we agreed to meet has arrived but why hasn’t there been any news so far?”
Yang Zong was naturally worried. If his master hadn’t issued a death order3(A death order, refers to an order that must be executed and cannot be disobeyed.) to stay by the young lady’s side, he would have rushed out of the city long ago.
At the moment, all he can do is to comfort her: “Don’t worry, Miss Shen. Lord has always planned things carefully and has never made any mistakes.”
Others in the room followed suit.
Unexpectedly, as soon as these words were said, a man dressed as a servant rushed in, panting: “Master! Master is injured!”
Everyone in the study room was shocked.
If something happened to Lu Yan, then all their heads together wouldn’t be enough to pay for it. Yang Zong frowned and said sternly: “Speak clearly! What’s going on!”
“Heir Apparent was wounded by a sword.”
At this moment, there were bursts of footsteps outside the house.
Among the crowds of people, Shen Zhen saw Lu Yan being helped in by two people. From the front, it looked like he had no strength to walk but if she were to see from the back…
Shen Zhen was so frightened that she couldn’t help but cover her mouth.
Two large bloody holes appeared on his back. which appeared to be caused by the sword piercing in and then pulling out. Large patches of blood flowed out and every place he passed through was stained with dazzling red.
Lu Yan was carried to the bright red wedding bed.
Shen Zhen followed and said with a trembling voice: “My Lord, he…”
Yang Zong knew Fuman’s identity. He immediately picked up Fu Qi’s4(Lu Yan’s secret agents, named Fu Qi and Fu Ba.) collar and said,”Where is Miss Bai? And her elder brother, have they been rescued together?”
Fu Qi said with red eyes, “Don’t worry, Doctor Bai and the others are right behind us.”
Before long they saw a man and a woman running over with a box. The woman Shen Zhen knew was the Concubine he had taken in Yangzhou, but who was this man?
Bai Daonian said to Fuman: “A’ya, you go out first.”
Fuman pulled the man’s sleeves and sobbed: “If he weren’t trying to save me, he wouldn’t have been so seriously injured.”
As soon as these words came out, Shen Zhen’s eyes immediately fell on Fuman.
Having said that, everything was going very smoothly at first. At the Lantern Festival, Fuman put a colorless and odorless drug into everyone’s food. Since they had already found the location of the account books and the location of Bai Daonian, they were able to quickly get the things and saved the person.
However, Zhao Chong, an old thief, has been immersed in the officialdom for many years. No matter how well Lu Yan hides it, it is difficult to hoodwink someone who has never let go of his suspicion and vigilance. As soon as they were about to leave the city, the soldiers stationed in Yangzhou began to move in an orderly manner, as if they had been preparing for this day.
After having such a dream, Lu Yan naturally did not dare to put the account books on the ship. So, he took the remaining men, Bai Daonian and Fuman to take another road.
