LF Chapter 57
by VolareYan Wanzhi returned to the manor and happened to run into Jiang Yinghua, who was striding out. She was heading out with a grave expression. Upon seeing Yan Wanzhi, she walked towards a horse while instructing, “Scholar Yan, your return is timely. The prison is on fire, quickly follow me.”
Yan Wanzhi looked at Jiang Yinghua’s expression, truly appearing as shocked and nervous as if she had just received the news. If she didn’t know this person’s nature so well, she would probably have fallen for it.
Since she wanted to put on a show, Yan Wanzhi would play along. She obediently mounted her horse and followed her towards the prison.
When the two arrived, all the important officials of the state were present. Seeing Jiang Yinghua ride over, the officials were so frightened that they knelt on the ground. After all, Prince Yong was placed here by Jiang Yinghua, and if the sudden fire allowed him to escape or caused his death, these people’s heads would probably be moved by Jiang Yinghua.
The northwest wind howled, and the fire spread particularly fiercely. Jiang Yinghua looked at the raging flames and said coldly, “Don’t just stand there, put out the fire! Block the fire on the east side, don’t let the fire affect the residences. Where is the warden? How many prisoners are there in the prison?”
“Your Highness, there are a total of seven prisoners in the prison, counting that one, all of whom are prisoners awaiting execution. The other criminals were transferred elsewhere the day before yesterday,” the warden replied tremblingly.
“Scholar Yan, order the Prince Zhao Manor’s guards to strictly guard the city gates; Magistrate, organize everyone in the government office to come here to put out the fire, and double the frequency of patrols in the city tonight.” Jiang Yinghua commanded in an orderly manner, staring at the fire as if facing a formidable enemy.
Yan Wanzhi cupped her hands and said, “Your Highness, rest assured, I have ordered my attendants to make arrangements. Tonight, even if the traitor has wings, he will not be able to escape.”
Hearing this, Jiang Yinghua narrowed her phoenix eyes, and a deep light rose from the depths of her eyes. She clenched her fist hidden in her sleeve, looked back at Yan Wanzhi, and responded softly: “Scholar Yan is decisive, which is very much to my liking. I only hope that nothing happens tonight, and Prince Yong will be safe and sound.”
“The fire is too strong, and the wind is blowing fiercely. If this continues, I’m afraid there won’t be much left in the prison. This fire is suspicious. If he wasn’t trying to escape, he probably wouldn’t have survived; if he has accomplices, they probably have already made their escape.”
Yan Wanzhi lowered her eyes, squinting and coldly watching the people carrying water to put out the fire. Buckets of ice water were poured down without any effect. She used the corner of her eye to pay attention to Jiang Yinghua’s reaction, wanting an answer to her doubts.
Jiang Yinghua seemed to have been struck by what she said, pacing back and forth anxiously, and said disappointedly: “He can’t escape, heavily guarded, how could the traitor get in? If he dies in my hands, fate is playing tricks on me, and it is God’s will. I will take the blame for dereliction of duty.”
“Your Highness, don’t worry, we have made all the preparations, so we can just wait for the result. Your Highness’s redress is the first merit, even if Prince Yong dies, Your Majesty will not blame you.” Yan Wanzhi was confident, secretly thinking that even if this was directed and acted by Jiang Yinghua herself, her secret agency could intercept Prince Yong.
Before them was a fire, and behind them, they had their own thoughts. During the waiting period, the two tacitly did not speak again.
Jiang Yinghua also realized that this little fox, Yan Wanzhi, had probably smelled her plan. Otherwise, why would this person leave the manor and arrange for city defense ahead of time? However, Jiang Yinghua had already made a plan. She ordered the fire to be set, calculating the timing so that the shadow guards had probably already sent the person out of the city.
The sky gradually showed a fish-belly white, and the fire gradually slowed down. Thick smoke billowed, broken walls and ruins, scorched charcoal mixed with sparks scattered everywhere. Seeing that the fire was under control, Jiang Yinghua rushed up desperately, scaring Yan Wanzhi’s almond eyes wide. She took a step forward and pulled her back, “Your Highness, don’t be reckless, it’s dangerous!”
She secretly complained, there was no need to act so carefully. Helpless, Yan Wanzhi chose two guards and ordered, “You two be careful and go forward to find Prince Yong.”
After about a quarter of an hour, the two carried out a charred corpse, whose face was indistinguishable, but with Prince Yong’s golden hairpin inserted in his head, and the figure looked like him. Seeing the corpse, Jiang Yinghua’s body shook, and she almost fell over, and was supported by the attendants to retreat to the back to rest.
Yan Wanzhi covered her mouth and nose, and tried to resist the urge to retch, and carefully looked it over again. She was drumming in her heart, could it be that she really misunderstood Jiang Yinghua? Could it be that this sudden fire was really an accident caused by dry weather? No, there would be no such coincidence.
Jiang Yinghua on the side hugged her arms, rubbing uneasily, showing the panic in her heart. Yan Wanzhi, who couldn’t figure out the clue for a while, was distressed after all, raised her foot forward, and comforted softly: “Things have come to this, Your Highness, don’t think too much about it, go back to the manor, drink a bowl of soothing soup and have a good sleep, and leave it to me to deal with it.”
Jiang Yinghua nodded woodenly, and was helped back to the Prince Zhao Manor. Yan Wanzhi stayed in place to clean up the mess, deep into the mess of the fire, trying to find clues before the fire.
Jiang Yinghua, who returned to the Prince Zhao Manor, rested for a while, and then wrote a letter, reporting that Prince Yong had accidentally died due to the fire in the prison, and sent someone to send the news to the capital. At this time, Yan Wanzhi stayed at the scene of the incident with a frown, recalling the scene of the two getting along these days, and the clues to the escort of Prince Yong.
Suddenly, a picture flashed in her mind. On the charred corpse, there was nothing in his hand, but on Prince Yong’s thumb, there was a Hetian jade thumb ring, which he never left his body! So the thumb ring was the clue. Yan Wanzhi quickly gathered her followers and frantically searched for the thumb ring in the ashes. After more than half a day without success, she faintly understood Jiang Yinghua’s plan.
Yan Wanzhi pretended to be calm and returned to the manor, and asked Cao Song very concerned: “How is Your Highness’s mood these half days?”
Cao Song bowed his hands and replied: “Scholar Yan, after Your Highness returned, she ordered me to prepare a bowl of soothing soup, and soon went to rest.”
Hearing that this person was asleep, after tossing all night last night, she probably wouldn’t be able to get up for a while. Yan Wanzhi came up with a plan, returned to her room to pack some necessary belongings, and under the pretext of the annual inspection and supervision, took advantage of Jiang Yinghua’s deep sleep, and led the guards of the Prince Zhao Manor out.
As Yan Wanzhi expected, Jiang Yinghua, who had been nervous for several days, slept very soundly, and woke up in the second half of the night. In the dead of night, she lay on the bed waiting for dawn, recalling whether there were any omissions in her plan, and planning the words to meet the Emperor after entering the capital.
Until dawn, Jiang Yinghua summoned people to dress up, and after tidying up, she summoned Cao Song into the room and said softly, “Go and call Scholar Yan over.”
“Scholar Yan left yesterday afternoon, saying that she went on patrol, and is not in the manor at the moment,” Cao Song’s eyes turned slightly, and he replied respectfully.
Since seeing Jiang Yinghua hugging Yan Wanzhi’s shadow that night more than a year ago, Cao Song had guessed that this little Prince might have fallen in love with Yan Wanzhi. Now that he has returned, he is inseparable from her every day, and he wants to find her as soon as he opens his eyes, which confirms his guess even more.
Hearing this, Jiang Yinghua’s face gradually turned cold, and she frowned and asked, “She didn’t come back all night?”
“Exactly.” Cao Song responded softly.
Not returning all night, what a Yan Wanzhi. She had never issued an order for patrol. Jiang Yinghua was shocked, slapped the table and stood up, and sternly ordered: “Send someone to find her! Now!”
Cao Song was so frightened that he lost his mind and went to carry out the order. Jiang Yinghua sat back decadently and dismissed all the attendants. Her eyes were dull, and she regretted that she had removed the shadow guards staring at Yan Wanzhi that day. Letting Prince Yong go, she concealed it from Yan Wanzhi, just wanting to test her, but she never expected this result, which she really didn’t want to see.
Whether Yan Wanzhi left without saying goodbye for her own secrets or for Your Majesty’s orders, Jiang Yinghua was heartbroken.
She thought that even if this person suspected, she would come to her frankly because the matter was important. When Yan Wanzhi asked, Jiang Yinghua would explain the whole story. She wanted to use this matter as an opportunity for the two to untie their knots and be honest with each other, but that person left cruelly.
In the end, after so many years of getting along, Yan Wanzhi still couldn’t trust her? Even if she promised countless times that everything she did was for the two of them to live in peace…
Jiang Yinghua couldn’t understand how to warm Yan Wanzhi’s heart. Her eyes gradually blurred, and warm pearls dripped down like a rain line, splashing on the dressing table and breaking into pieces. She secretly vowed that after finding the person back, she would guard her every step of the way, no matter what, she would never let her leave her half a step.
While she was in grief, Cao Song returned and knocked on the door outside the hall. Jiang Yinghua wiped away the tears in a mess, and asked coldly outside, “What else is there? Have you sent someone to find her?”
“Your Highness, Steward Mo took the guards to find her. Now a general has come to the manor to see Your Highness, bringing a tally issued by the Ministry of War from the capital,” Cao Song carefully explained the matter, waiting for Jiang Yinghua’s reply outside.
The Ministry of War’s documents, Jiang Yinghua was surprised, but she didn’t dare to delay. She tidied up her makeup in front of the mirror and opened the hall door, “Please come to the front hall to discuss matters.”
Not long after, a spirited middle-aged man quickly entered the front hall and bowed down to Jiang Yinghua, “Minister Wu Dongqing, the heir of the Duke of Zhennan Manor, General of the Left Guard of the Forbidden Army, pays his respects to Prince Zhao. May Your Highness be well forever.”
Wu Dongqing, this person is the eldest son of General Wu, and has made great achievements in quelling the rebellion of Prince Yun’an. He is also the son-in-law of Jiang Yinghua’s concubine elder sister, Princess Pingyao.
“General Wu is too polite, please rise quickly.” Jiang Yinghua stood up and supported him, “Let’s talk after taking a seat.” Wu Dongqing thanked him and took a seat. Jiang Yinghua said lightly, “What is the general here for?”
Wu Dongqing presented the tally of the Ministry of War, and cupped his hands, “I am ordered by the Ministry of War to take over the military affairs of the northern border defense after Your Highness returns to the capital.”
Take over the military affairs? Jiang Yinghua took the document and glanced at it. The official seal was indeed correct. However, Your Majesty only ordered her to return to the capital, and did not mention a word about handing over the military affairs of the northern border to the person in front of her. Could it be that Your Majesty does not want her to stay in the northern border? “General, when was this order issued? I see that the document was sealed seven days ago, but this Prince has not received any messages.”
“This order was personally decided by Your Majesty in the court meeting half a month ago. I took the document and rushed here. I don’t know anything else. The Right Chancellor only ordered me to hand over and familiarize myself with all the defense affairs as soon as possible before you return to the capital.” Wu Dongqing explained seriously.
The document was correct, the seal was correct, and the person was also correct. Jiang Yinghua had no reason not to follow the arrangement, so she smiled apologetically, “Of course, I will order people to sort out the unfinished matters as soon as possible. General Wu might as well go to the Zhenwei Army to familiarize himself with the environment first. Something unexpected happened in this Prince’s manor, involving Prince Yong, which is really a mess. When I have time another day, I will welcome my brother-in-law and wash away the dust. Please forgive me.”
“Your Highness is too serious, then I will take my leave.” Wu Dongqing retreated very sensibly and went straight to the Zhenwei Army.
One wave has not subsided, another wave has risen. Jiang Yinghua vaguely felt that Your Majesty’s intention to take over her military power was by no means a temporary idea. Prince Yong fell, and her power was taken, which was very balanced.
——
Yan Wanzhi, who left the Prince Zhao Manor, camped and analyzed in a small shop outside the city, following the scattered clues provided by the secret agents scattered throughout the city. The city was closed for a night and a half, and there was nothing unusual, so this person could only have left in advance.
Yan Wanzhi was very familiar with Jiang Yinghua’s methods, and focused on collecting clues in the west of the city, especially around the Yan’an Temple that Jiang Yinghua went to. As the saying goes, hard work pays off, and Yan Wanzhi really found some clues. Someone had seen two men in black galloping on horseback under the night sky the day before yesterday, quickly traveling through the dense forest, heading straight west. In the cold winter night with howling winds, the disguise concealed their faces, which naturally made people suspicious.
Going west, Yan Wanzhi knew very well that there was no other place but Wei Bo. Prince Yong was hiding, and he could not easily leave Jiang Yinghua’s jurisdiction. He was captured from Wei Bo, and now he is going back, playing a trick of hiding in plain sight, which can naturally save his life.
Therefore, Yan Wanzhi quickly formulated a three-way plan and rushed to Wei Bo with her men to intercept him. To prevent Prince Yong from escaping, her order to the people was to kill the traitor on the spot.
Yan Wanzhi’s move, although it had the element of taking revenge for personal grievances, her main starting point was to ensure that Prince Yong would die without a doubt, and would never cause trouble again. In this way, Jiang Yinghua’s plan would not be easily exposed, and she could protect Jiang Yinghua, who was acting without authorization, in front of the suspicious Majesty.
After chasing for two days, at midnight on the third day, Yan Wanzhi caught up with Prince Yong. At this time, another bodyguard in black had disappeared. Yan Wanzhi got the opportunity, took advantage of the dark and windy night, and took two guards forward, blocked Prince Yong’s way, and hijacked him.
After intercepting Prince Yong, Yan Wanzhi threw a water bag to the two confidants, “Brothers, you have worked hard, drink some water and keep watch for me, I have something to ask him.”
The two followed the order, drank some water, and walked a few steps away to guard Yan Wanzhi. Yan Wanzhi’s eyes were full of murderous intent, and with just one sentence, Prince Yong was shocked and widened his eyes. The person tied to the tree struggled frantically. Yan Wanzhi understood, smiled coldly, “One day, I will kill all your minions to avenge my father.” After saying that, a cold light flashed, and Prince Yong’s head rolled down.
After cleaning up everything around, the two had been stunned by the water mixed with anesthetic. Yan Wanzhi had already left a message to Mo Jiu, and there were also marks along the way. She couldn’t clean up three corpses alone, so she stayed in the forest to wait.
When Mo Jiu arrived and dealt with the corpses with her, Yan Wanzhi ordered, “Uncle Jiu, go back and tell Prince Zhao that she doesn’t have to wait for me to return to the capital with her men. I will clean up the mess for her and go to the capital to take the blame first, so that she won’t take the blame on herself.”
“Girl, are you going to take the blame for killing Prince Yong without authorization?” Mo Jiu stopped her.
“Prince Yong died in my hands, and the knot in my heart for many years is gone. Uncle Jiu, Your Majesty is suspicious and will not believe Prince Zhao’s tricks. With such omissions, she will not let me off easily. It is better for me to take the initiative and leave Prince Zhao safe, so that there will be a chance to mediate. Don’t stop me, go back and tell her clearly, I’m afraid she will be stubborn and do something stupid again.”
Yan Wanzhi broke free from Mo Jiu’s hand, jumped on the horse, and headed straight for the capital without looking back.
Mo Jiu had already realized that Yan Wanzhi’s feelings for Prince Zhao were no longer the ordinary relationship between master and servant. He didn’t understand, but he wouldn’t disobey his little master’s wishes.
——
Speaking of the Prince Zhao Manor, Jiang Yinghua was anxiously waiting for news from Yan Wanzhi, unable to eat or sleep. But the first thing she waited for was the officials from the court who came to meet and escort her.
Jiang Yinghua did not meet anyone, but only asked the steward to explain the situation, saying that the memorial had been sent to the capital, and she would stay in the Prince Zhao Manor to hand over military affairs, so she would not meet the visitors.
The people who came to meet her came out early, so naturally they did not know about the changes, and had no choice but to stay in the northern border to wait for the reply from the capital.
Mo Jiu hurried to the Prince Zhao Manor, not daring to stop day and night, for fear of missing the deadline for Jiang Yinghua to enter the capital.
However, on the second morning after the arrival of the people who came to meet her, a person who sent a message from the imperial court rushed to the Prince Zhao Manor. Cao Song did not dare to stop him and directly led him into the main hall.
Jiang Yinghua, who had not slept for two nights, had a splitting headache. She supported her forehead with her hand and asked the visitors impatiently, “What’s the urgent matter?”
“Your Majesty’s urgent order, ordering you to return to the capital as soon as you receive the order, without delay. Please set off with me.” The visitor replied sternly, with a solemn expression.
Hearing this order, Jiang Yinghua closed her eyes helplessly, turned her head and asked Cao Song weakly, “Is there any news from Scholar Yan?”
Cao Song shook his head in embarrassment. Jiang Yinghua murmured in her heart: Wanzhi, this order came so suddenly, is it your doing? I hope it’s not you. I can’t wait for you to go back together. I’ll wait for you in the capital to give me an explanation.
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