I Married a Disabled Prince in Prison

by Usui Takumii

not mine, it is MTL and edited by cybernumb at wattpad. Waiting for the translator/editor to update.

10. 69 to 72

Yan Shuixin frowned, "Now that the matter has come to this, I won't deny it. I am indeed not Huang Yueniang. But it's better that you don't know my real name because it could lead to your death."

Li Youzhu thought for a moment, "Actually, I heard a man's voice in your room twice, but when I listened carefully, there was no one there."

Looking at her extraordinarily slim figure, he asked, "How can you possibly eat three bowls of rice for each meal?" He suddenly realized, with an almost certain tone, "There is a man hiding in your room."

"Since you already know, I won't hide it from you." The person who spoke was Xiao Yeheng. His figure flashed and he entered the kitchen in the next moment. In an instant, the temperature in the kitchen seemed to become colder.

Li Youzhu was just suspicious at first, but when he saw his left cheek was disfigured and his steps were slightly limp, he understood instantly. He glanced at the two of them and said, "You are the man and woman that the government officials and the men in black are looking for."

Yan Shuixin sighed, "Brother Li, why do you bother asking about this? Don't you know curiosity killed the cat?"

Xiao Yeheng's eyes were filled with murderous intent, "If that's the case, then just die!"

Condensing the real energy in his hand, and just as he was about to wave his palm, Li Youzhu quickly knelt down and said, "King An, spare my life! If I had the heart to betray you, I would have notified the magistrate today. If I could have given the magistrate important information, I would have received a reward of 10 silver coins. If I had directly contributed to the capture, I would have received a reward of three or two hundred taels of silver. But, I have no intention of earning such unscrupulous money."

Xiao Yeheng raised his thick black eyebrows and said, "Tell me, how did you know that I am King An?"

"The government officials and the gang of men in black searched for days without taking off their clothes. The county magistrate even ordered the city to be closed down. Ordinary robbers cannot garner this much effort from the government. Besides..." Li Youzhu glanced at Xiao Yeheng's appearance, "King An's left eye is a prosthetic eye, and his left cheek is disfigured. Upon closer inspection, you fit the description quite well. Although the person that the government wanted to arrest was not described as having a prosthetic eye, they probably didn't want the court to know they were arresting you."

"You are a clever man, but that will only make you die faster."

"King An, now that you are employing people, I am willing to go to the capital in person to deliver a message for you." Li Youzhu volunteered, "Please give me a way out."

1

Xiao Yeheng thought about it, "This is a good idea. But what about your old mother?"

"Her leg injury has mostly healed, and she can even walk on crutches. I will tell her that I'm going on a business trip with my friends, and that I'll return in two to three months. My mother can take care of herself."

Xiao Yeheng looked at Yan Shuixin, "Xin'er, what do you think?"

Li Youzhu heard him call 'Yueniang' as Xin'er. It turns out that her name is Xin'er?

Yan Shuixin took out a pill from the paper bag in her sleeve and fed it to Li Youzhu. Her voice was as calm as water, "This is chronic Chuanchang Powder. The poison will take effect in two months. You can only get the medicine for the antidote once you reach King An's Mansion in the capital. There is an antidote, but I am the only one who can make it. If you have the heart to betray me, you will die of intestinal rupture."

Li Youzhu smiled bitterly, "Don't worry, I will never be a traitor."

In fact, he volunteered to deliver the message to the capital because he knew where she was headed and just wanted to see her more. Furthermore, he also gets the opportunity to help her.

Yan Shuixin took out four ingots and twelve taels of silver from her sleeve pocket and handed it to Li Youzhu, "This is the reward for delivering the letter. If you complete this errand, King An will definitely reward you heavily in the future. On the contrary, those gang of officers and black-clothed men who want to arrest King An behind the imperial court's back, do you really think they will let someone who knows about this stay alive?"

Hearing this, Li Youzhu broke out in a cold sweat. He couldn't help but feel lucky that he was kind. Otherwise, he would have died if he had gone to the magistrate to report the news. "I understand."

"King An will also go out of the east city gate tomorrow." Yan Shuixin thought for a moment, "The inspection over there is too strict, so could you please do me a favor Brother Li."

"Yue... As long as I can do it, it's my duty to do it." Li Youzhu knew that he couldn't compare with King An at all, and he didn't dare to have any wishful thinking. He could only like her silently in his heart.

"My name is Yan Shuixin." She said helplessly, "The safety of King An is very important. I only drugged you as a last resort, so please don't blame me."

"I understand." Li Youzhu felt a little sour in his heart, "I finally know the girl's real name."

"Okay, let's go get ready." Xiao Yeheng interrupted the two of them unhappily. He didn't like him having too much contact with Xin'er.

That night, Xiao Yeheng handed a handwritten letter to Li Youzhu. Li Youzhu and Yan Shuixin went together to bid farewell to Li Cui. Li Cui was very reluctant to give up and said she wanted 'Yueniang' to be her daughter-in-law, but was politely rejected.

Li Youzhu left an ingot of ten taels of silver for his mother, saying that it was given by Yueniang. He only asked her not to speak too much and never to reveal anything about 'Yueniang' living at home.

As for Xiao Yeheng, Li Cui was not allowed to know about it from beginning to end.

Xiao Yeheng asked Li Youzhu to rent an ox cart in the village, and then figure out how to return the cart back when the time came.

After a night's rest, at about four o'clock in the morning, Li Youzhu drove the cart, and Xiao Yeheng and Yan Shuixin got into the cart with their luggage and headed for Duanji City.

Before turning from the village road to the official road, Xiao Yeheng hid under the bullock cart. Yan Shuixin tied a rope to him and across the bottom of the cart to prevent him from losing his balance and falling. She also made sure that nobody was able to see the tether underneath.

From the outside, it looked like there were only two people in the oxcart, Yan Shuixin and Li Youzhu.

At six o'clock in the morning, the west gate into the city was already wide open, and there was an endless stream of people entering the city, sometimes mixed with carriages

Li Youzhu got off the ox cart, led the cart pulled by the ox, and mixed in with the people entering the city.

The thick calluses on his hands, the tanned skin, and the coarse linen clothes on his clothes made him look like a local.

The officer guarding the west city gate saw him and was about to stop his ox cart. Li Youzhu quickly shouted to a fellow villager who had entered the city, "Goudan's mother, you are also entering the city. If I had known you were taking your child with you, I would given you a ride." This was used to divert the attention of the officers and soldiers.

A woman in front, her head wrapped in a cloth and holding a child of about seven or eight years old, turned her head, saw him, and waved, "Zhu'er, you are coming to the city too..."

One of the city's officers and soldiers was about to check the oxcart when he noticed that there was only one woman sitting in the cart, who was obviously not Wan Niang. The oxcart was clean and there was nothing to check, so he shouted, "This is not a place for you to chat, hurry up and leave!"

"Okay!" Li Youzhu responded cheerfully, and quickly led the ox cart into the west city gate.

It wasn't until he mingled among the people that he could no longer see the officers and soldiers guarding the west gate. Li Youzhu breathed a sigh of relief.

"Zhu'er!" A woman held her child and patted Li Youzhu on the shoulder.

Li Youzhu smiled naively, "Auntie." He touched the face of the boy she was holding and said, "Goudan is here too." These two were his neighbors in the village.

Goudan's mother glanced at Yan Shuixin who was sitting on the bullock cart, "Who is she? Zhu'er, why are you holding the bullock cart of Old Man Ye from the village?"

"I rented this for a friend who sells mats. He needs an oxcart to carry the goods." Li Youzhu said the excuse he had thought up in advance and pointed to Yan Shuixin in the car. "I met this girl on the way. I was given a few copper coins to give her a ride."

"So that's how it is..."

"Auntie, I have something else to do, so I'll leave first." Li Youzhu took out five copper coins from his arms and handed them to Goudan's mother, "Take them to buy steamed buns."

"Thank you, Brother Li." Goudan's mother was very happy.

Li Youzhu said to Goudan Niang in embarrassment, "Auntie, I picked up a girl into my cart. When you go back to the village, don't say anything to anyone, not even to your family. Even if an unmarried girl needs a ride, she will mostly be picked up by someone who cares about her. So, it's not good to spread this matter further and ruin someone's reputation. I'm planning on going on a long trip, since the boss from Yuanshan County has ordered a few pairs of mats. My old mother would be alone at this time, so I'm asking my aunt to take more care of her while I'm away."

With that said, he took out twenty copper coins.

Goudan's mother couldn't refuse, so she accepted it, and she said yes again and again.

In Duanji City, where people were coming and going, Li Youzhu drove the ox cart to a residence near the east gate of the city and opened a room on the first floor.

Yan Shuixin looked at the hotel, it was actually a low-end inn in ancient times. Not everyone can afford to stay in an inn. The environment of the accommodation is poor and the food and accommodation are relatively cheap. Many porters like to stay there.

Generally speaking, those who drive oxcarts can only afford to live in their own houses.

In order to avoid attracting attention, this is the perfect place to stay temporarily.

As soon as the bullock cart was brought to the backyard of the lodge, Yan Shuixin untied the rope under the cart while no one was around and let Xiao Yeheng come out. The three of them entered the newly opened room on the first floor.

Li Youzhu said, "The west gate is easy to enter, but the east gate to the capital is difficult to get out. I'm going to inquire about the situation at the east gate of the city."

"I'll go too." Yan Shuixin glanced at Xiao Yeheng, "Husband, you wait here."

He nodded slightly.

Yan Shuixin and Li Youzhu left the room and came to the front hall of the inn.

When the owner of the hotel saw Yan Shuixin, he smiled and said, "Little lady, your husband loves you so much. He said that if it weren't for you, he wouldn't be willing to open a private room. He would've just live in a big room with a bunk bed."

Li Youzhu responded, "That's right, I can't wrong my wife no matter what."

In front of outsiders, he was very happy pretending to be husband and wife with Miss Yan to avoid being noticed.

A group of officials passed by in a menacing manner outside. Yan Shuixin asked worriedly, "Are the people from the Yamen still searching the city? It's been so scary for so many days."

"Don't worry, little lady, they've conducted a thorough search here this morning, and they won't come back for the time being." The owner of the hotel reassured, " I also hope they don't search anymore. If they continue disturbing my guests, how will I be able do business?"

Yan Shuixin deliberately made herself ugly when putting on makeup and wore ordinary clothes, so her appearance did not attract attention.

After she and Li Youzhu chatted for a while with the owner of the hotel, the two of them went to the street.

This is a small alley, and when you turn a corner, you will find the main street. You can also reach the East Gate in a few steps.

The two of them walked out of the alley and found a long queue of people leaving the east city gate, and officers were checking them one by one.

Yan Shuixin was in front of a jewelry stall on the street, pretending to look at a simple wooden hairpin. The vendor who set up the stall immediately said enthusiastically, "My dear lady, this is a rosewood hairpin. It is of good quality and cheap. It only costs five hundred copper coins."

Li Youzhu took the wooden hairpin in Yan Shuixin's hand and looked at it, then looked at the vendor unhappily, "How come you are so dishonest in doing business? This is obviously pear wood, not like red sandalwood at all. You really think we are easy to fool."

The vendor was a young man in his twenties, and he was not annoyed, "Yes, yes, I remembered it wrong, it's actually pear wood. This hairpin only costs fifty copper coins."

"Twenty." Li Youzhu counter-offered.

"That's too little. We don't even have enough capital..."

"If you want to sell, sell it. If you don't want to sell it, then don't." Li Youzhu pretended to bargain, while Yan Shuixin kept paying attention to the direction of the east city gate.

Neither of them really wanted to buy anything.

"Okay, I'm selling it at a loss today." The vendor wrapped the wooden hairpin in a small piece of cloth and handed it to Yan Shuixin. She took it and was about to pay.

Li Youzhu had already taken the lead in taking out twenty copper coins.

"Brother, you really love your wife." The vendor finished the business and smiled.

Directly misunderstanding that the two are husband and wife.

Yan Shuixin didn't explain much either.

"By the way, why is the team so slow coming out of the East City Gate?" Li Youzhu asked seemingly casually.

"It's because of those evildoers. After so many days, the city was closed down, and every village in eighty miles has been searched from house to house. The city was also turned upside down. They said they were catching big thieves, but not even a thief was found." The vendor was full of complaints, "What the hell? If some people can't go out, then it's hard to do business. The city gates were finally unsealed yesterday. The west, south, and north gates are okay, so it's easy to get in and out. Those who take a carriage to leave the city through the east gate, however, will be searched both inside and outside the carriage. If you take a bullock cart, they will look under the cart to see if there is anyone hiding underneath."

Yan Shuixin looked at the map. To go to the capital, you must go through the East Gate. Therefore, it would be strange if it wasn't strict.

Li Youzhu and Yan Shuixin pretended to be shopping nearby, while observing how to hide people and get out of the city safely.

Those who are lame, have facial disfigurement, or have eye problems, regardless of appearance, will be arrested before speaking.

After a while, two women and three men who were suspected of being thieves were arrested at the East City Gate.

"You can't rob me of my money. I don't have any money to pay for traveling expenses to take the exam, please do me a favor!" A young man suddenly shouted from the painting stall in front of him.

"If you want to set up a stall here without paying the protection fee, then prepare for it be demolished!" A middle-aged man with a sinister face waved his hand, and several thugs behind him smashed the young man's painting stall.

There were many passers-by watching, but they didn't dare to lend a helping hand.

The young man's painting stall was smashed to pieces and his income from the stall was robbed.

The other vendors had no choice but to obediently pay the protection fee.

Through the whispers of passers-by, Yan Shuixin learned that the young man who set up the painting stall was called Ye Yongan. He was a scholar. He came from a poor family and had no money to go to the capital to take the imperial examination.

Everyone said that Ye Yongan was of good character, upright, kind, and very talented. If he went to the capital, he would definitely win the imperial examination. Because of the loss of travel expenses, it was a pity that a talented person was lost.

Yan Shuixin asked Li Youzhu to go to the food stall in front for a bowl of tofu nao, and she quietly followed Ye Yongan who was packing up the painting stall to go home.

There are two letters written by Xiao Yeheng himself. One was given to Li Youzhu, and the other she thought Ye Yongan was suitable to take.

This kind of letter was not written directly to save King An, but rather it mention some casual greetings with friends, reminiscing about the place name where they met, and also accompanied by a secret code, which will be sent to the general manager of King An's estate.

Even if someone reads the letter, they won't be able to guess who is the sender. She can only hope that the general manager who receives the letter will be smarter.

The letter cannot be sent to King An's Mansion. It is estimated that the head guard in the mansion has been targeted for a long time.

It cannot be sent to the emperor, since ordinary people don't have the opportunity to see the emperor's face.

She didn't tell Li Youzhu either, and instead asked Ye Yongan to take the letter to Beijing. One more person means more guarantee.

Ye Yongan was only given twenty taels of silver, which was enough for food and accommodation. Li Youzhu was given forty taels, plus payment for running errands.

Ye Yongan, a new friend of Yan Shuixin, was not allowed to tell anyone about bringing the letter for her, so she only let him do it quietly.

The other party agreed wholeheartedly.

Then, she went to a shop that she had heard about that sold fake eyeballs, and found that it was so fake that you could tell when you put it close your face, and it actually made your eyes gleam.

The idea of giving Xiao Yeheng a new look also came to nothing.

She turned back to a food stall about fifty meters away from the East City Gate and continued to observe with Li Youzhu.

Li Youzhu didn't ask her what she had just done.

Two hours later, Yan Shuixin noticed that Ye Yongan walking quickly towards the east city gate with his baggage.

He was a local scholar who was headed to Beijing to take the exam, and was quickly released by the city guard.

Yan Shuixin didn't expect Ye Yongan to go to the capital so soon. She hoped that the letter would be delivered as soon as possible.

After observing for a long time, she and Li Youzhu came to the conclusion that if the investigation was too strict, Xiao Yeheng might not be able to sneak out of the city quietly.

It was almost lunch time, and the two of them walked to the inn. Yan Shuixin took out twenty copper coins from her pocket and gave it to Li Youzhu, "This is the money for buying the wooden hairpin."

Li Youzhu refused to accept it, so she had no choice but to give up.

After returning to the inn, she asked the waiter to deliver food, and had dinner with Xiao Yeheng in the room.

In the second half of the day, Yan Shuixin and Li Youzhu continued to wander around the East City Gate and met several people nearby who went in and out of the East City Gate every day. Yan Shuixin finally figured out a way to take Xiao Yeheng out of the city.

Li Youzhu left their place of residence, bought a lot of straw tied into bundles, loaded the piles into the ox cart, and led the ox cart into a queue out of the east gate of the city.

Yan Shuixin walked next to Li Youzhu, waiting for the officials at the East City Gate to inspect one by one.

In front of the queue were two men pushing a cart carrying a coffin. Next to the cart were five people that were wearing mourning clothes.

"You seven, raise your heads!" the officer guarding the east gate shouted.

The two people pushing the trolley and the five people wearing sackcloth and mourning raised their heads.

There was nothing suspicious with their appearances, so the leading official ordered his subordinates, "Open the coffin!"

"You can't open the coffin!" One of the women who was in mourning cried out, "Master, my father went to the city to see a doctor a few days ago, and he died of tuberculosis yesterday. It's time to go back to the village for burial. We are all good people, and there's absolutely no way any of us are the people you're looking for."

"A gangster can also call themselves a good citizen." The leading official ignored her and waved his hand, "Lift the lid of the coffin!"

"Even in death, my father cannot rest in peace. I will fight with you!" The woman cried and refused to let the officials lift the cover. Several other men also obstructed the officials from inspecting the coffin.

Suddenly, a fight broke out.

There were dozens of officers and soldiers, so the five civilians including women were quickly subdued.

"The more you don't allow the investigation, the more suspicious things will appear!" The leading officer put a knife on the woman's neck. "If someone is found in the coffin who shouldn't be there, your whole family will die!"

Soon, the coffin lid was opened. A few officials who feared that they might be infected by tuberculosis, covered their faces and took a closer look inside of the coffin. Inside was the body of an elderly man in his sixties who was dressed in a shroud.

"Just admit there is no one else but my father's body." The woman cried, "You disturb the peace of the deceased, aren't you afraid that he will come to you at night?"

A group of officers and soldiers suddenly trembled all over.

"Go and see if there is anyone hiding under the body, and if there is a hidden compartment in the coffin!" The leading official refused to give up.

The subordinate did as he was told, and after careful inspection, he reported back, "There's nothing."

Yan Shuixin lowered her head and stood back looking at the scene in front of her, almost breaking into a cold sweat. She really wanted to hide Xiao Yeheng in the coffin where the body was transported.

The cart carrying the coffin was released from the city.

"It's your turn." Another official waved to Li Youzhu, who was loading an oxcart of straw, "What are you doing out of the city?"

"I'm going to help my aunt's family. Her fields are not fertile enough. I'm going to burn some straw and use the ashes to fertilize the fields." Li Youzhu replied respectfully.

The officer glanced at Yan Shuixin next to him, "Who is she?"

"She is my newly married wife. I am going to visit relatives, and she is very attached to me." Li Youzhu explained dryly.

The officer looked at his cart of straw again, "It's such a big cart and it's full. I think there's someone hiding in it!"

He guessed correctly. Li Youzhu was so frightened that he almost knelt down, but he held on to keep himself from falling.

The two officers drew their swords and stabbed randomly into the pile of straw.

Li Youzhu was horrified in his heart, but his expression was solemn. Yan Shuixin pretended to be frightened and said, "Master, my husband and I would never dare to hide anyone. Otherwise, you can spread out all the straws and inspect them to prove our innocence."

If they really spread it out, it would be over.

Xiao Yeheng was hiding among the straw piles.

He was not afraid of being stabbed by a sword, because he was wearing a bamboo vest, and even newly made bamboo sleeves and bamboo trousers.

An officer who originally wanted to untie the straw rope heard this and thought that if the rope was loosened, wouldn't there be straw all over the ground? What a hassle to clean up.

So, he jumped on the cart, stabbed the tall haystack from top to bottom, and retracted the sword. After finding nothing unusual, he waved his hand, "Let them go!"

"Thank you, Master!" Li Youzhu quickly led the ox cart out of Duanji City's east gate with Yan Shuixin.

Yan Shuixin, who had walked away, looked back and saw a woman pushing a cart with buckets of night incense placed on it. (i'm very certain that a 'bucket of night incense' means toilet bucket)

The officials all used sticks to poke and stir things up.

They really didn't let go of any possibility.

After walking for a while, Li Youzhu drove the bullock cart and turned onto a deserted path. Then he sighed with a pale face and looked at Yan Shuixin with admiration, "Miss Yan, if it weren't for your cleverness to let the officials scatter a cart of straw, they wouldn't have been so eager to inspect so quickly. Otherwise, King A might have been discovered."

"It's really thrilling." Yan Shuixin was also frightened. She really found out that there were so many official servants that it was difficult to fly even with wings. She and Li Youzhu quickly untied a cart of bundled straw and hid it in the haystack. It was definitely uncomfortable to breathe in it.

Sure enough, Xiao Yeheng had difficulty breathing and his face was a little blue. He slowly recovered after breathing in fresh air.

Yan Shuixin helped Xiao Yeheng sit up from the bullock cart. She said to Li Youzhu, "Brother Li, go to the capital alone to deliver the message. It's dangerous to be with us."

"I'm not afraid..." Li Youzhu wanted to say something else.

"King An and I have to evade pursuit, and we will travel slowly. It's up to you whether we can get reinforcement." She explained, "You dump the pile of straw into a field with haystacks nearby, put the cart at the designated location for Old Man Ye, and let him pick it up. You can find a caravan to share the journey with, and make sure you don't take the wrong route."

"I understand." Li Youzhu nodded, looked at her steadily, and then said to Xiao Yeheng, "King An, take care."

Then he drove away the oxcart.

Yan Shuixin rested her head on Xiao Yeheng's shoulder and said excitedly and happily, "My lord, we have finally left Duanji City."

He patted her back gently and said softly, "Yes."

He once thought he would be discovered and was prepared to fight tooth and nail. He really didn't expect to come out safely.

It's all Xin'er's credit.

Yan Shuixin looked up and down to check for scars on his body. When she noticed that his pants were torn at the thigh, she raised them up to reveal knife marks on the bamboo pants he was wearing.

Luckily, she was prepared in advance. He was wearing clothes sewn with bamboo pieces, making him 'invulnerable to knives and spears.'

Otherwise, he would have been sliced open by the long knife.

Knowing her worries, Xiao Yeheng took the initiative to speak up, "I am fine."

She nodded slightly, pulled out the sheepskin map she had purchased in advance from her bag, planned the route to the capital, and helped him walk up the trail.

She did not dare go through the official road for fear of crowds. With a prosthetic leg and a limp, as well as a deformed face, Xiao Yeheng's unique characteristics would be easy to identify. If someone went to Duanji City to file a complaint, they would be in trouble.

After all, a reward of three hundred taels of silver is something most people cannot earn in their entire lifetime.

Xiao Yeheng held her hand instead and said, "Xin'er, my internal injuries have completely healed, and I don't need support." He glanced at her distressedly, "On the other hand, you are very likely to be pregnant, so you have to be more careful."

"I told you I'm not pregnant!" Yan Shuixin was very angry. "Don't treat me like a pregnant woman. If you do this, I would be under a lot of pressure! If I'm not pregnant in the end, then wouldn't you be furious?"

"No, no." Xiao Yeheng quickly reassured her, "Don't be angry; be good. It's my fault. If you don't get pregnant, then you won't get pregnant."

Having said that, he remembered that his imperial brother had complained to him previously about his sister-in-law's temper after she became pregnant.

Xin'er is so angry right now, so isn't this a sign that she's pregnant?

He just thought about it but didn't dare say it aloud since he was afraid of placing more pressure on her.

Yan Shuixin's face became a little better now, and she asked casually, "My lord, why does the messenger have to send the letter to the capital? Can't it be done elsewhere? If it's closer, we can get the response quickly."

Xiao Yeheng thought about it and replied, "My main force is in the capital. If we send it to a close range of 600 or 800 miles, the leaders there may not understand what the king's letter refers to, and their power is not large enough to mobilize many people. Secondly, once I disappeared, King Jin had the support of the Queen Mother and was extremely powerful. Unless a large force comes from the capital to assist me, any other reinforcements may be eliminated by King Jin. In this way, I would be exposed. We'll either get no response, or once we do, everything will be safe."

She finally understood. "Indeed. If it's delivered nearby, the other party will probably have to go to the capital to ask for instructions, which will make things even slower. It is faster to send the letter directly to the capital."

"I also think the same way," Xiao Yeheng replied.

She was full of confidence and said, "My lord, besides Li Youzhu, the second letter you gave me was given to Ye Yong'an, a scholar who went to Beijing to take the exam. We will definitely be saved."

He put his arms around her shoulders and said, "Xin'er, I actually think that our current situation is many times better than being in prison."

"Although in prison, my head was always on the chopping block, it is also Xin'er's blessing that I can share life and death with my husband."

Xiao Yeheng promised emotionally, "After returning to the capital, I will definitely compensate you ten or a hundred times for the suffering you have faced."

Yan Shuixin smiled and winked at him. "Then will you give me more money?"

In ancient times, as the neglected daughter of a low-ranking official, she was definitely very poor. Making some money was necessary to live a good life.

"What stupid things are you saying..."

She frowned. "You don't want to?"

"Xin'er, you misunderstood me." He stared deeply at her beautiful profile and said, "Don't mention giving you money; everything I have is yours."

"Okay. Then I'll accept it without being polite."

"Haha!" He laughed joyfully, enjoying Yan Shuixin's lack of pretense.

She pointed to a protruding stone on the road ahead. "My lord, watch your step."

He walked more carefully, but the bamboo trousers were thick and uncomfortable to walk in. Also, the bamboo sleeves were quite uncomfortable when he bent his elbows.

So he removed his bamboo trousers, the two detachable bamboo sleeves made by Xin'er, and placed them in his luggage, leaving only a bamboo vest under his clothes.

The two walked very slowly, stopping from time to time. When they got tired, they would find a rock by the roadside to sit down, drink water from the sheepskin flask, and eat a piece of flatbread.

The thirty pieces of flatbread with shredded radish and pork brought from Li Youzhu's house would last them a few days.

Whenever they encountered people on the road, Xiao Yeheng would hide in advance.

Once the passersby had gone, he would come out again to continue walking with her.

After two hours, they reached a fork in the road. Yan Shuixin took out the map again and examined it. "We should take the right path, which is close to the official road. The trail goes over mountains and ridges, so it will be difficult for us to walk over them. But there's a guest inn after the next turn. Let's stay there for the night."

Xiao Yeheng agreed. "How did you know there's an inn? It's not marked on the map."

"I asked around in the city. I've also gathered some information about nearby towns."

"Xin'er is so smart."

Sure enough, they took the right path, and after walking for about three hundred meters, they saw an inn named "You Peng".

As usual, Xiao Yeheng hid, while Yan Shuixin went alone to book a room on the first floor.

The environment of the inn is very simple, with a wooden structure similar to what she had seen on TV.

The first floor had a lobby, a backyard with a kitchen, a woodshed, and several guest rooms. The upper floors were all rooms.

Being close to Duanji City, many merchants who were in a hurry to do business there would spend the night at this inn rather than entering the city.

The shopkeeper thought she opened the room on the first floor to save money, but in fact, she did it to make it easier for Xiao Yeheng to sneak in, considering his mobility issues.

Perhaps due to the exhaustion from traveling, she felt hungry again.

1

It was almost midnight, and some guests were having a late-night snack in the lobby on the first floor.

Yan Shuixin ordered two small dishes and a large bowl of rice, which she had the waiter deliver to their room. She and Xiao Yeheng enjoyed a hearty meal together in the room.

She also gave the waiter twenty copper coins to have hot water brought to the room for bathing.

Whenever the waiter appeared, Xiao Yeheng would hide under the bedding, ensuring that no one else saw him.

After taking a hot bath, Yan Shuixin and Xiao Yeheng were so tired that they fell into a deep sleep. While they slept, the two of them were hugging each other on the same bed.

Early the next morning, after breakfast, Yan Shuixin went to check out of the hotel. Xiao Yeheng hid not far away from the inn, preparing to continue the journey with her.

To their surprise, as soon as Yan Shuixin finished checking out and stepped out of the inn's door, a group of soldiers surrounded the inn.

One of the leading police officers shouted, "Everyone, please stop moving and comply with our interrogation!"

Yan Shuixin's heartbeat suddenly accelerated. Damn it, she was a step too slow.

Fortunately, Xiao Yeheng left the inn first; otherwise, he would have been caught in a trap!

The innkeeper was a young woman, about thirty years old. She was not a glamorous proprietress but an ordinary-looking woman. She quickly came out and said, "Master, what's going on? Didn't you search the place just yesterday evening?"

Yan Shuixin thought to herself, 'thank goodness I didn't check in until midnight.'

"The male and female bandits have been elusive for too long, posing a threat to the people. We've been ordered to capture them!" The leading officer declared with unwavering determination, "We'll pay special attention to both men and women during our inspection."

He waved to his group of subordinates, "You all, search carefully!"

"Yes!" The group of officers began meticulously searching each room.

The diners in the inn's lobby fell silent.

The leading officer walked to a table where a man and a woman were sitting. Seeing that they had their heads lowered, he said sternly, "Raise your heads."

The man, a young gentleman around twenty-four or twenty-five years old, had multiple scars on his left cheek, but the woman, in her early twenties, had good looks.

"This man has scars on his face. Seize this couple!" The officer's authoritative tone sent shivers down their spines as two of his men immediately apprehended the dining couple.

"Master, what crime have I committed? Why are you arresting me?" The man's handsome face on the right side remained pale, while the scars on his left side quivered in fear.

"You have scars on your face, and you limp when you walk!" The officer looked excited. "You are the bandit we've been looking for!"

"Injustice!" the man quickly protested. "I'm Zhao Facai, the youngest son of Zhao, a prominent figure in Duanji City. My father married Huang Yueniang; that's well-known far and wide. How could I be a foreign bandit?"

The woman who was with Zhao Facai also said, "I...I don't know him!"

Zhao Facai spoke bitterly, "Xiuchan, how many times have we been intimate in bed? How dare you say you don't know me?"

"You have committed a serious crime, of course I don't recognize you." The woman named Xiuchan hurriedly tried to distance herself.

The officer scrutinized the scars on Zhao Facai's left face and his limping left leg. "What happened to your face and leg?"

Zhao Facai said timidly, "I committed adultery with Liu Mei'e, the concubine of the Jicheng County magistrate, and was scolded by the county magistrate. It cost me a lot of money, and it even left me crippled. Liu Mei'e was also sold to a brothel. I just enjoy seducing other men's wives and concubines. I don't dare to do that in Duanji City, so I came outside the city to seek pleasure."

"So you're that scoundrel, Zhao Facai. Your father, Zhao, forcibly took Huang Yueniang as his young wife. And you're no good either!" The officer seemed familiar with the situation and was fuming with rage. "I thought I had caught the big bandit that the higher-ups were after."

"Since I'm not the one, then just let me go, please," Zhao Facai pleaded.

"I don't care if you're the thief or not; you've wasted my time," the officer grumbled, about to order his men to beat Zhao Facai.

Zhao Facai hurriedly took out a banknote and handed it over. "Please, have a cup of tea. It's my treat."

The catcher took it and looked at the amount of the banknote. "This will do."

Several people, including the innkeeper, stepped forward to confirm Zhao Facai's identity. Others testified that the woman with him, Xiuchan, was a married woman from a nearby village.

The head officer stopped arresting the two of them.

Yan Shuixin had been standing by the counter with her head down, trying not to attract attention.

A team of government officers searched every guest room, and after finding nothing, they were about to withdraw. The officer's gaze fell on Yan Shuixin. "Who are you? You look like a foreigner."

"I'm Yang Ru, a person from Yuanshan County. I came to Duanji City to visit relatives, and I'm preparing to return home," Yan Shuixin said, pretending to be Li Youzhu's cousin.

The officer scrutinized her. "What does your family do?"

"We're just simple farmers," she replied.

The officer scrutinized her and suddenly spoke up, "You're not Yang Ru. I know the real Yang Ru, and you don't look like her!"

Yan Shuixin's heart raced with fear, but she remained calm. "Master, how can I not be Yang Ru? It's a common name, there are surely many people with the same name and surname. I married Yang Biao from Wuli Village in Yuanshan County. Perhaps you're thinking of a different Yang Ru."

In order to deal with the official search of Yejia Village, she had learned a lot about Yang Ru from Li Youzhu.

This catcher must be trying to test her. But if she shows any flaws, she will definitely be caught.

During this period of time, government officials arrested many suspicious people.

"Really?" Sure enough, the head catcher snorted nonchalantly, "Tell me, what are the characteristics of Wuli Village? Is the village head, Yang Song, doing well?"

"There is a well in the center of Wuli Village." Yan Shuixin maintained a calm expression, then feigned a puzzled look. "But the village head isn't Yang Song; it's Yang Shu. Master, are you perhaps mistaken?"

This time, it was clear that the officer wasn't mistaken; he was intentionally testing her. If she hadn't corrected him about Yang Song not being the village head, she would have been caught for sure.

She only had little knowledge about Yang Ru's condition. Any additional probing would have exposed her.

The catcher was impatient to talk nonsense to a village girl and said angrily, "Go away, don't disturb me from arresting people!"

"Yes, yes." Yan Shuixin understood from his lack of explanation that she had narrowly passed the test.

A young woman in her twenties in the inn was deemed suspicious by the officer and was arrested.

After two hours, the group of officers finally left.

The innkeeper comforted the guests, and Yan Shuixin quickly left with her baggage.

Xiao Yeheng hid behind some bushes on a small hill about thirty meters from the inn, his hands tightly clenched into fists, with deep bruises on his palms.

Yan Shuixin hadn't come out after a long time, and he almost rushed into the inn out of anxiety. But he knew that, with Xin'er's cleverness, she might be able to stay safe.

After seeing a bunch of officers walk away and arrest a woman who wasn't Yan Shuixin, he felt a little relieved.

Yan Shuixin walked thirty meters eastward towards the main road, but she didn't know where Xiao Yeheng was hiding.

Xiao Yeheng waited for her to get closer and whispered in a voice that only she could hear, "Xin'er!"

She caught a glimpse of him from the corner of her eye, but she also noticed the group of soldiers from earlier heading in their direction. Pretending not to hear, she kept walking.

The situation was getting complicated.

If those soldiers came closer, they might discover Xiao Yeheng hiding behind the bushes.

She even considered killing them with Xiao Yeheng.

But with about fifty of them, they might not stand a chance.

Just as she was worrying, the group of soldiers veered onto another path, the same one she and Xiao Yeheng had taken the night before. They were probably retracing their steps.

She couldn't help but feel relieved that they had already walked that path the night before. Otherwise, things would have been much more difficult.

Observing their surroundings and seeing no one around, Xiao Yeheng swiftly moved onto the main road, holding Yan Shuixin close to him, utilizing his lightness skill to glide along the official road.

After a long distance, they noticed the sound of hoofbeats ahead.

As soon as they heard the sound of horses approaching, Xiao Yeheng leaped into the surrounding woods with Yan Shuixin in his arms.

They watched as a group of constables rode past on the official road at the foot of the mountain. Their presence clearly indicated they were on a mission to capture someone.

Taking a moment to rest in the woods outside Duanji City, Xiao Yeheng and Yan Shuixin realized that the investigation was too intensive!

The two decided to re-plan their route to the capital.

Xiao Yeheng couldn't bear the thought of his beloved taking a longer route, so he insisted on buying a carriage.

Yan Shuixin also feared that someone might recognize Xiao Yeheng's appearance while traveling, so hiding him in a carriage seemed ideal. When she stole money from the brothel, she calculated that the amount she took would be enough for their journey, accommodations, and the cost of purchasing a carriage.

If they walk in a straight line, there will be a market town a hundred miles away. However, if they headed south, there is Shupo Town ten miles away.

After buying a carriage, the journey would become faster. In order to avoid the intensive investigation, the two decided to take a detour of 200 miles.

After that came the territory under the influence of General Tu Zhenguo in Tuzhou.

Tu Zhenguo has always been at odds with King Jin. Maybe they can be rescued there.

Xiao Yeheng did not go east towards the capital but used his lightness skills to take Yan Shuixin south to Shupo Town.

At the same time, in the Imperial Palace of the capital city:

Emperor Xiao Jing led a group of people to Kunning Palace, where the Empress Dowager Liang Qingzhen resided.

Inside the bedroom, the Empress Dowager Liang Qingzhen was half-reclined on the ornate phoenix bed, her kind old face looking pale, and she kept coughing.

The old eunuch Liu Fu waited anxiously by her side and said, "Your Majesty, you must take care of yourself. You've been worrying about King A day and night, and your eyes have become blind with tears. What should we do?"

"The pain of being a mother without her son returning, even for a day, is unbearable!" Liang Qingzhen shed tears. "My son has always been filial, and I have always treated him as my own flesh and blood. Why did he have to disappear? It should have been this old bone of mine, not my dear son!"

A group of servants stood by, grieving and sobbing.

Liu Fu looked towards the entrance of the bedroom, where a man in his thirties, wearing imperial robes and exuding an imposing aura, stood outside with a group of armed guards.

"We, humble servants, pay respects to Your Majesty!" Liu Fu led a group of eunuchs and palace maids to greet the emperor.

Liang Qingzhen glanced vaguely towards the door and asked, "Has the Emperor arrived? Why didn't anyone announce it?"

"Greetings to the Empress Dowager." Emperor Xiao Jing walked into the room solemnly and gave a slight bow to Liang Qingzhen.

"Don't bother with formalities," Liang Qingzhen helped him up, but she felt quite displeased inside. Since ascending the throne, the Emperor has always addressed her as "Mother," but ever since King A disappeared, he no longer used the term. After all, it wasn't her own flesh and blood that had gone missing.

Sitting by the bedside, the Empress Dowager tilted her head slightly upward and 'looked' directly at the Emperor, "Jing'er, do you have any news about Heng'er?"

Emperor Xiao Jing shook his head disappointedly.

Empress Dowager Liang Qingzhen inquired again, "Any news or not?"

Emperor Xiao Jing was surprised, "Empress Dowager, your eyes?"

"Since King An disappeared, the Empress Dowager has been crying day and night, and her eyes have been blinded by tears... sob..." replied the old eunuch Liu Fu, who then burst into tears along with several eunuchs and palace maids.

"In front of the Emperor, there should be no noise!" The Empress Dowager frowned, and a group of servants silenced their cries.

Emperor Xiao Jing looked at the Empress Dowager's kind and gentle face and thought to himself, Isn't it you who told them to say this? Why are you pretending?

The Empress Dowager waited and waited, but she didn't see the Emperor showing any concern for her in his eyes, which made her slightly uneasy.

Emperor Xiao Jing tried to read something from her face, but apart from sorrow, he couldn't discern anything else. After some consideration, he said, "King An has been missing for months without any news. I have ordered the Imperial Guards and various local officials to spare no effort in searching for him. If anyone finds King An, they will be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold and a thousand acres of good land. For officials, their ranks will be promoted by three levels. Unfortunately, despite searching almost every corner of Fengxiang Kingdom, there is still no sign of King An."

"Heng'er... My Heng'er," the Empress Dowager burst into tears, "I wonder if he's safe now?"

"King An holds several important positions in the capital. He was always diligent in his duties, especially towards me, his elder brother. It's impossible for him to disappear without saying goodbye," the Emperor, who had been worrying for months, looked tired and worried, "He must have been abducted, or even... killed."

Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Liang Qingzhen almost fainted, and she uncontrollably pounded the bedsheet covering her legs, "Heng'er, my dear Heng'er will definitely be fine!"

Emperor Xiao Jing narrowed his eyes and looked at the Empress Dowager's excited face calmly, "Empress Dowager, rest assured, I will never allow anything to happen to King An. He is my only brother, without him, I wouldn't have ascended to the throne."

"Indeed, Your Majesty should dispatch more people to search for Heng'er."

"You don't need to tell me, I will do so," Emperor Xiao Jing retorted sarcastically, "But as for the Empress Dowager's eyes, I will find the best imperial physician to treat you."

"Thank you for your trouble, Your Majesty," Empress Dowager weakly leaned against the head of the bed, and the eunuch Liu Fu tenderly tucked a pillow behind her, "I'm tired."

"In that case, I won't disturb Your Majesty's rest," Emperor Xiao Jing said, leading his attendants out of the Kunning Palace.

King Jin Xiao Shen waited for the group to walk away, and then entered the Empress Dowager's chambers through a side door. With a wave of his hand, all the eunuchs and maids retreated.

"That Dog Emperor came to see the Empress Dowager with so many guards with swords, as if the Empress Dowager would kill him!" King Jin's sinister face was full of anger, and he was especially dissatisfied with Emperor Xiao Jing's behavior.

"He was born from the late Empress Shi's womb and not mine, so his behavior is not surprising," Empress Dowager Liang Qingzhen, abandoning her gentle and loving appearance, had a sharp expression: "He has already suspected that I was involved in King An's disappearance but is unable to provide evidence. My position as Empress Dowager is secure only as long as King A does not return to the capital. Otherwise..."

King Jin Xiao Shen nodded hastily and said, "I understand. Our forces, both inside and outside the city of Duanji, have been thoroughly searched."

"It's not just there; other regions must not be overlooked either."

"Rest assured, Empress Dowager, your son has made proper arrangements and will not fail."

Liang Qingzhen furrowed her brows, "How can I be reassured? Didn't you say that the prison that you and the others built together is located on the border, far from the Emperor's reach, and that it's impregnable? Since people inside cannot get out, then how did King A manage to fly out like that?"

"There was an oversight on the part of a woman named Wan Niang. I have already reported the details to you," King Jin clenched his fists. "Rest assured, Empress Dowager, no matter what, I will retrieve King An's corpse before he returns to the capital. This capital belongs to me, not him!"

"The Emperor has dispatched people to search for King An. I will do my best to intercept them," the Empress Dowager's eyes flashed with a vicious light. "Losing King An is like losing an arm for the Emperor. It's time to give him and those who support him a taste of their own medicine."

"But because of King An's disappearance, these people have all become more vigilant..."

"No matter which strategy is used, we only have to wait and see, and we will surely find an opportunity." The Empress Dowager's bright eyes were firm. "With King An still missing, if something were to happen to the emperor, the eldest prince among his descendants is only four years old. This world is bound to be yours!"

King Jin had a greedy look on his face. "I will arrange it immediately."

...

On the other side, Xiao Yeheng used his light skills to bring Yan Shuixin to the outskirts of Shupo Town. His appearance was eye-catching and unsuitable for appearing in public, so he hid in a dilapidated temple outside the town and waited.

Yan Shuixin went to the town alone to buy a carriage.

The town was very small, with only two long streets. The buildings were made of white walls and gray tiles, and there are even yellow mud houses near the edge of the town.

Today happened to be market day, and people from nearby villages came to the fair, making it lively and crowded.

Rows of shops lined either side of the street, and sellers peddling various things screamed energetically.

Yan Shuixin inquired with passersby and arrived at the busiest market, where there was a place specifically for selling livestock. Several merchants brought horses from elsewhere and tied them to trees for sale, but there was no place that was selling horse carriages.

"Miss, buy a horse." A vendor saw her looking around and quickly pointed to the four horses tied under the tree, saying, "One hundred and fifty taels each, take your pick."

"One hundred and fifty taels?" Yan Shuixin pointed at herself, "Do I look like a wealthy person to you? Your price is too high."

The middle-aged horse dealer looked at her ordinary clothes and said, "One hundred and twenty taels, final price."

"Other places are asking for one hundred taels. I reckon I can strike a deal at eighty taels." In fact, other places were also asking for one hundred and twenty taels. Yan Shuixin was just bluffing and glanced at his horse. "Your horses don't seem to have any advantages. I need them to pull a carriage; I'm afraid your horses won't be able to handle it."

"How could that be?" The horse dealer patted the horse's buttocks, and the horse neighed loudly. "Listen, this horse's voice is loud and clear; I'm sure it can endure hardships."

"I'll take one for eighty taels." She walked away and said, "I'll check elsewhere."

"Miss, wait." The middle-aged horse dealer stopped her. "Ninety taels is an impossible price for a horse, unless it's an old horse that won't live much longer. What's the use of that? This horse is just three years old, which is the best age for work. How about this, I'll sell you one for ninety-five taels."

"Ninety taels at most." Yan Shuixin counter-offered.

She was not wealthy, and saving a few more coins would allow her to eat and live better on the road. Also, the price she offered would still give him some profit.

"Ninety taels may be available for sale in Tuzhou." The middle-aged horse vendor also wants to do this business, "but my horses came from Tuzhou, which is two hundred miles away. I need to make some money to cover the meals and accommodations."

Yan Shuixin stopped talking nonsense. "You can sell it if you want, but I have to save some money for other expenses. The price I offered you would have at least earned you some money."

"Fine, fine." The middle-aged merchant said, "This place is poor, and few people can afford horses. I haven't done business for quite a few days. If it weren't for the old and young in my family, I wouldn't bother doing business in this poor town."

Yan Shuixin pointed to the saddle on one of the horses and said, "Throw in the saddle for me."

"For a hundred taels, I'll throw it in for you. I can't afford to give it away for free."

Yan Shuixin also knew that the other party wouldn't go any cheaper, so she agreed and started to choose horses. In total, it will take more than a thousand kilometers of running and stopping, so she had to choose carefully.

"Miss, let me recommend this horse to you." The middle-aged man pointed to the white horse and said, "This horse is strong and healthy, with shiny fur, and can easily run a hundred miles a day."

"You can spare yourself the trouble, I don't want defective goods. The one you mentioned..." Yan Shuixin looked closer and smelled the horse's scent. "Its head and buttocks are not symmetrical, the bones are not strong enough, and the hooves are damaged. There's also a faint medicinal smell on its body. It probably just recovered from an illness not long ago."

The horse dealer didn't expect her to be knowledgeable. "Your eyes are sharp. Fine, you pick it yourself."

Yan Shuixin chose a tall, brown horse. "This horse is strong and healthy. Although its quality is not excellent, it's the best among the four horses you have. It's suitable for pulling a carriage."

"The purchase price of such a high-quality horse is too high to buy and not affordable." The middle-aged horse dealer untied the horse she had chosen and handed her the reins. "Indeed, the best one has been bought by you."

Yan Shuixin paid the money, took the reins in his hand, and asked, "Uncle, may I ask where I can buy a carriage?"

"There's none sold in this town." The horse dealer pointed to the intersection ahead and said, "Turn at the intersection ahead; that alley is full of shops selling second-hand goods, and there are many pawn shops. You can ask if they have an old carriage."

"Thank you very much." Yan Shuixin led the horse and went to each of the second-hand shops in the alley. One shop had a very old carriage; the paint had peeled off completely.

But the asking price was ninety-eight taels of silver, which Yan Shuixin thought was too expensive. If she added a little more, she could buy a new one.

Coincidentally, a woman who came to buy things saw her asking about the carriage and said that her employer was getting rid of an old carriage, and was going to sell it to a junk shop for a mere fifty taels.

Yan Shuixin saw that the aunt was followed by two little maids, and even a vendor nearby greeted her. She was probably not a bad person and should be trustworthy, so Yan Shuixin followed her.

They arrived at a large courtyard with a high gate and many servants.

Yan Shuixin went directly to a utility room in the backyard, where there was a very old carriage with a comfortable interior.

The carriage had a wooden structure, with a red-painted wooden floor inside. If it were covered with a blanket, it could even be used as a bed. There was a long bench with a cushion near the back, and there was space behind the backrest to put luggage.

A square wooden board about sixty centimeters long and wide extended from the side of the carriage, where cups or food could be placed. When not in use, it could be folded up against the wall, saving space.

There were windows on both sides, with curtains hanging. However, the curtains were old, and the color had faded.

Yan Shuixin was extremely satisfied and quickly bought it for fifty taels.

The woman happily took the money and kindly had her servants help her put the carriage on the horse she bought. "Miss, you're really sincere. You've made a good deal with fifty taels of silver. If I've had sold it to the second-hand shop, those unscrupulous people there would've offered a low price that I wouldn't want."

"Auntie, are you the nanny of this household?" Yan Shuixin also chatted with her about home affairs.

"The girl is really smart." The aunt looked her up and down and said, "I think you are good-looking, you can even afford a carriage, so your family must not be that poor, right? Our young master is planning to find a wife..."

Yan Shuixin guessed that the woman was trying to play matchmaker, so she hurriedly said, "I'm already married."

"That's good."

"Auntie, I don't know how to drive a carriage. Could you send a coachman to give me a ride? I'm going to Tuzhou to visit relatives. I'm afraid I won't find an honest coachman at the market. I'll cover food and accommodation on the way, and pay double for the fare." Yan Shuixin pretended to be worried.

The woman seemed very satisfied with the conditions. "My son, Xu Chuang, can drive a carriage. How about letting him help you?"

"Of course, that's fine." Yan Shuixin took out half a tael of silver from her pocket and handed it to her. "This is a deposit. I need to buy some things first. Let your son get ready, and we'll meet outside the broken temple on the outskirts later."

The woman described her son's appearance, and Yan Shuixin randomly made up an address in a small alley in Tuzhou, to avoid being mistaken for a bad person.

So, the deal was made.

Although heading south was not in the direction of the capital, it was close to Duanji City and wasn't strictly monitored, but there were still soldiers searching, especially targeting a man and a woman.

She couldn't drive an ancient carriage, and Xiao Yeheng's appearance wasn't suitable to be a coachman in public.

So, finding a coachman to avoid attention could not be more appropriate.

Yan Shuixin led the carriage on the town road and bought a bag of rice, a few pieces of iron brackets for cooking, two cooking pots, some cured meat, and three bowls.

She noticed that some of the women in town were very tall, most likely due to their proximity to the border, which resulted in a mix of foreign blood.

She came up with a plan and bought two sets of women's clothes and headdresses according to Xiao Yeheng's size, including a free straw hat.

She also bought a maid's outfit for herself.

Seeing a vendor selling buns on the roadside, she ordered twenty hot buns. Yan Shuixin led the carriage out of the town and walked to the ruined temple.

A young man in his twenties with an ordinary appearance was already waiting there, carrying a small bundle on his back.

As soon as the man saw her, he bowed respectfully and asked, "Is it Miss Yang? I'm Xu Chuang."

Yan Shuixin's name was already dead on the prison roll, so she did not dare use her real name. Instead, she used the alias Yang Ru, claiming to be Li Youzhu's cousin. "Yes, I'm from Yuanshan County. My husband, Yang Biao, often beats me and doesn't give me food to eat. So I came out to find work, specifically to serve my young lady. The young lady... Ye Ning. The young lady is a very good person, just not very talkative. If you have anything to say, just tell me."

"Alright." Xu Chuang agreed readily.

Xiao Yeheng hid in the broken temple and was initially wary when he saw a man waiting outside. While anxiously waiting, he finally saw Yan Shuixin return with a horse carriage, and his heart finally settled.

Yan Shuixin asked Xu Chuang to hold the carriage outside while she entered the broken temple alone with a small bag. As she walked to the courtyard behind the temple, intending to find Xiao Yeheng, she was suddenly hugged tightly by someone.

The familiar hug and the warm male breath on her neck all told her that the man holding her was Xiao Yeheng.

"Husband, I'm back." She looked up at him affectionately, staring deeply into his half-scarred face. "Back by your side."

"My Xin'er!" Xiao Yeheng hugged her tightly, the love in his one eye was burning. "I was so worried about you."

"I just went to buy something, and nothing happened." She had encountered soldiers in the town, but they were looking for someone who looked like Wan Niang. She felt lucky that she had impersonated Wan Niang to escape from prison. Otherwise, if both Xiao Yeheng and herself were unable to show themselves in public, they would have been in trouble.

Taking out twenty meat buns from the bundle, he ate six, and she ate three. She packed up the remaining buns and pointed to the women's clothes in the bundle, apologizing slightly, "My lord, I may have to wrong you."

Xiao Yeheng heard her talking to Xu Chuang outside the ruined temple previously, and she had called him her 'young miss'. So when he saw women's clothes, he immediately understood that Xin'er wanted him to disguise himself as a woman.

Without saying a word, he took off his clothes and put on the fitting women's dress she had bought.

Yan Shuixin watched carefully as he changed into the women's clothes, "Aren't you angry about dressing up as a woman?"

"If you can dress up as a maid, why would I mind dressing up as a woman?" Xiao Yeheng looked at her in the servant's attire that couldn't hide her noble air. "Moreover, my appearance is too eye-catching. There are still soldiers searching nearby. Disguising myself as a woman is the best way to avoid attention."

She sighed again. He was really an adaptable person.

After he changed into the women's clothes, she took out the cosmetics she had bought earlier and gave him heavy makeup, thick enough to paint a wall, covering even the scar on his left cheek. Then she covered him with a white straw hat, with a light veil covering his face, ensuring that no one would recognize him.

Yan Shuixin looked at him in a complete set of women's clothing. He appeared tall and slender. When the wind blew, the veil fluttered, giving off a hint of peerless beauty.

"I really wanted to dress up as a husband, and have you as my wife." Yan Shuixin smiled, "But unfortunately, I have to save money and can't afford to buy suitable men's clothes for myself."

"You were staring at me just now. Do i look good?"

"You are beautiful." She chuckled, packed up the bundle, and left the broken temple with Xiao Yeheng.

Xu Chuang saw 'Yang Ru' helping a tall beauty out, but he couldn't see her appearance, so he bowed respectfully and said, "Is this Miss Ye? I'm Xu Chuang, the coachman hired by Miss Yang. Nice to meet you, Miss."

Xiao Yeheng nodded slightly.

Yan Shuixin helped Xiao Yeheng onto the carriage and into the carriage compartment.

"Brother Xu, give me your bag. It must be uncomfortable to carry it on your back. I'll put it in the carriage compartment with mine." She lifted the heavy curtain of the carriage.

"Thank you." Xu Chuang handed her the bag, knowing that there was nothing valuable inside anyway.

Yan Shuixin placed his bag behind the seat of the carriage, and then she put the two sets of men's clothes that Xiao Yeheng had worn before into Xu Chuang's bundle.

Xiao Yeheng knew she was doing this to deal with the soldiers' investigation.

There couldn't be two bundles of men's clothing in the carriage at the same time.

He also saw that the back of the seat was full of pots, bowls, food, and bedding.

He knew that she had prepared so that even if they couldn't find lodging on the way, they could still have a hot meal outside and could stay in the carriage compartment. She was truly thoughtful.

Xiao Yeheng couldn't help but feel grateful to be able to win her heart. Looking at the environment of the carriage compartment, it must have been second-hand goods used by wealthy families, but it was practical. In the current situation, he wouldn't mind anything. As long as he wasn't separated from her, it was good.

"Drive!" Xu Chuang sat outside the carriage and whipped the reins, heading towards Tuzhou along the official road.

They encountered a group of soldiers on the road and met no trouble along the way. Perhaps the officers thought that the notorious bandits wouldn't abandon the direction towards the eastern capital and instead head south. Or perhaps they assumed that they didn't have the money to buy a carriage.

It could also be that after several days of inspections, the soldiers had not found anything and were tired, so they didn't bother stopping carriages.

Yan Shuixin and Xu Chuang passed by a team of soldiers while chatting. She concocted some interesting stories about herself and the "young lady."

"Brother Xu, just call me Xiaoru." Yan Shuixin suggested an idea: "Seeing as these officers and soldiers are always catching suspects, to avoid trouble, you will have to temporarily pretend to be the Ye family's servant. Don't say you were hired halfway."

"Alright." Xu Chuang, who did things for money, saw no harm in it. Naturally, whatever the employer said was what he would do. Moreover, he would be paid double for the work. "We'll soon reach Tuzhou after passing through Shupo Town and crossing into Xiaoya Township. It's about a hundred and seventy li from here."

Yan Shuixin was aware of this and said, "Thank you, Brother Xu, for letting me know."

On the main road ahead, there were two rows of wooden fences set up as checkpoints, with a group of soldiers blocking the road.

Several men and women on foot and a carriage were undergoing inspection, and they were let go when nothing suspicious was found.

"Brother Xu, when the time comes, make sure not to startle my 'young lady'." Yan Shuixin hurriedly gave Xu Chuang three taels of silver.

"Yes." Xu Chuang agreed readily. It was a trivial matter, and it was best not to cause any trouble.

As their carriage approached the checkpoint, the leading officer gestured to stop. Xu Chuang immediately tightened the reins.

"Who is in the carriage, and where are you going?" The leading officer questioned sharply.

Xu Chuang answered according to what 'Yang Ru' had said, "It's Miss Ye from Xiao Si Lane in Tuzhou. She went to Shupo Town for a family visit and is now returning to Tuzhou."

Yan Shuixin didn't dare to tell Xu Chuang that they had come from Duanji City, where the prison was located, as it would lead to questions and suspicion.

The leading officer wanted to lift the curtain of the carriage, but Xu Chuang quickly handed him three taels of silver. "Sir, my young lady is delicate; please don't startle her."

The soldiers accepted the silver, and even their action of lifting the curtain became gentler.

Inside the carriage, they saw an ugly woman with heavy makeup covering half her face with embroidered handkerchiefs and another woman dressed as a maid who looked pretty.

These days, maids are often more beautiful than their young ladies.

"What's in the back of the carriage?" the officer asked.

"It's some food and clothes." Yan Shuixin replied quickly.

"Open the rear compartment door and take a look!" The officer ordered. After all, it was necessary to prevent anyone from hiding.

Xu Chuang quickly dismounted and did as he was told.

The officer looked inside and saw pots, bowls, rice bags, water jars, and a few bundles. When he opened one of the bundles, he found four sets of men's clothes, and the other two bundles contained women's clothes.

There was one man, two women, and three bags, which matched the number of individuals in the carriage, which was good.

Seeing that Xu Chuang was respectful but calm, the officer didn't say much more and waved them through.

A servant driving two women was definitely not the culprit that they wanted to arrest.

Yan Shuixin and Xiao Yeheng left right under the eyes of the officer, sitting proudly in the carriage.

Once they were far away, Xu Chuang couldn't help but feel a bit bitter. "Miss Yang, you were too generous just now. Giving those officers three taels of silver was too much. We're not bad people. Even if we didn't give them money, we could still have passed the checkpoint."

Yan Shuixin couldn't let the officers scrutinize Xiao Yeheng's appearance too closely. The thickness of the makeup might have been enough to conceal his scar, but his left eye wouldn't withstand a close examination.

If she told Xu Chuang that she and Xiao Yeheng were wanted by the authorities, wouldn't it scare him to death?

Three taels of silver might seem hefty, but it was necessary to make the officers less wary.

"The safety of the young lady is the priority." Yan Shuixin promised, "Just do as I say and don't make trouble. When we reach Tuzhou, not only will I pay you double the wages, but I'll also give you a bonus."

"Alright!" Xu Chuang was delighted. If he could get a couple of extra taels as a bonus, wouldn't it be equivalent to a month's wages?

Yan Shuixin took out the two sets of men's clothes Xiao Yeheng had worn from Xu Chuang's bundle and put them in a separate bundle.

Xu Chuang occasionally helps people rush to Tuzhou to make a living and is familiar with the roads.

He knew where to stay overnight, so when night fell, he found an inn to rest.

Xiao Yeheng, who was dressed in women's clothes and wearing a bamboo hat, deliberately walked slowly and swayed gracefully while being supported by Yan Shuixin, so no one could tell he walked with a limp.

Two rooms were booked, one for Xu Chuang and one for Yan Shuixin and Xiao Yeheng.

Yan Shuixin let Xu Chuang eat in the inn's hall, with his meal expenses limited to forty copper coins per meal. This amount could buy two meat and vegetable dishes with rice.

Generally, helping someone drive a carriage only costs 20 copper coins for a meal.

She was being overly generous.

But she had to provide compensation for Xu Chuang. Although he was unaware, there was still a risk involved.

If caught, he would be in trouble too.

It was good to be kind to people.

With Yanshuixing and Xiao Yeheng sharing a room, they could eat and drink as much as they wanted.

At night, Xiao Yeheng held Yan Shuixin in his arms on the bed and asked with concern, "Xin'er, are you tired? Let Xu Chuang drive as slowly as possible tomorrow."

He was worried about her. If she was pregnant, she wouldn't be able to endure the bumps of the journey.

"I'm fine." She reached out to check his pulse and frowned. "Your poisoning has worsened. Every time you use your internal energy, the toxicity deepens. In the future, try not to use your internal energy as much."

He nodded. "My body has burdened you a lot."

"Don't say that." She hugged him tightly. "If I were the one poisoned, would you consider me a burden?"

He pointed a finger at her lips. "You're not allowed to say that! No matter what happens, you are never a burden to me."

"Same goes for you."

The inn's food was fragrant, and the bedding was clean. With their hearts together, the two slept soundly.

Having experienced being trapped outside Duanji City in an inn during a search, Yan Shuixin specifically asked the innkeeper when the soldiers last searched the place.

The other party stated that it occurred the day before yesterday afternoon.

So, before dawn, Yan Shuixin settled the bill and went with Xiao Yeheng into the carriage driven by Xu Chuang.

Just after turning a corner on the official road, Yan Shuixin opened the curtain of the rear window of the carriage and found a group of officers and soldiers entering the inn to search.

This time, they managed to avoid the danger of being trapped in the inn.

Traveling by carriage was much faster than walking on foot.

Yan Shuixin spread bedding on the floor of the carriage. When she was tired from sitting, she would lie down, which was much more comfortable.

"Brother Xu, drive more slowly and steadily. Our young lady has a weak body and cannot handle bumps." Yan Shuixin explained in a loud voice.

"No problem." Xu Chuang responded.

There was a long stretch without food or lodging in Xiaoya Township. Yan Shuixin instructed Xu Chuang to set up two tripod stands for cooking rice and vegetables.

At night, Yan Shuixin and Xiao Yeheng slept in the carriage, while Xu Chuang slept outside on a mat.

Traveling together and sharing meals, they didn't feel any hardship.

After four days of leisurely travel, they entered the territory of Tuzhou without being captured by the soldiers as "notorious bandits," and they traveled unimpeded all the way.

Entering Tuzhou City, the people lived and worked in peace, and the city was bustling with activity.

The residence of General Tu Zhenguo is located on a bustling secondary street, with two lion statues guarding the front. The vermilion gate had a majestic gold-lettered signboard that read... General Tu's Mansion.

There was an inn diagonally across from the General's Mansion, and Yan Shuixin asked the coachman, Xu Chuang, to ask about the accommodation price.

It was too expensive, so they couldn't afford it.

Instead, they went to a nearby private house that also offered accommodation, which was much cheaper.

Yan Shuixin had previously paid half a tael of silver as a deposit to Xu Chuang's mother and settled the remaining carriage fare, then gave him three taels of silver as a reward.

Xu Feng left happily.

Yan Shuixin's had limited financial resources and was originally frugal, but Tuzhou City seemed safe. General Tu had always disagreed with the political views of King Jin. If he was willing to send a strong force to escort King A back to the capital, then her and Xiao Yeheng's days of hardship would end.

The place they were staying now resembled a modern B&B, but the environment was much worse. The rooms were divided into individual units and charged per night for incoming guests.

Yan Shuixin and Xiao Yeheng stayed on the second floor facing the street, diagonally opposite General Tu's mansion. Standing at the window, they could see the bustling street below, with occasional hawkers shouting about their merchandise along the way.

The sound of horse hooves rang out, and a middle-aged man with an imposing presence clad in armor rode a warhorse, accompanied by a team of guards.

Xiao Yeheng said to Yan Shuixin, "The middle-aged man leading the troops is Tu Zhenguo."

She nodded slightly.

They watched as General Tu dismounted briskly in front of the mansion, and the guards at the gate immediately bowed to him and went to take the reins of his horse.

General Tu stood at the entrance of the mansion, hesitating to enter, as if waiting for something.

Shortly after, a soldier hurriedly came to report, "Reporting to the General."

"Is there any news about King An?" General Tu's voice boomed.

Across the street, diagonally.

Both Yanshuixing and Xiao Yeheng could faintly hear his voice.

"No," the guard replied. "We have sent people everywhere to search, but to no avail."

"According to the people sent by the court, the Emperor is worried about King An and has lost his appetite for months. I am also doing my best to find King An, but it's like finding a needle in a haystack." General Tu sighed loudly. "I wish I could share the Emperor's worries and find King An to escort him back to the court."

Hearing such righteous words.

Xiao Yeheng and Yan Shuixin, who had suffered for many days, almost felt an impulse to run out.

But the two of them kept their composure.

"Xin'er, what do you think?" Xiao Yeheng asked her.

Yan Shuixin frowned, "Seeing General Tu's righteous appearance, and considering his disagreement with King Jin, theoretically, he can be trusted."

"But in reality?"

"Is it necessary for him to publicly announce his intention to escort you back to the capital on a busy street?" She felt something was amiss. "If General Tu has been bribed by King Jin, and we approach him, we might fall into his trap."

Xiao Yeheng's eyes narrowed slightly. "General Tu is a prominent general who has won several battles and has made great contributions to the court. My father highly valued him, and based on my understanding of him, he is proud and unlikely to be bought by King Jin. But his actions just now seem suspicious."

"If he genuinely wants to help the court find you, we cannot afford to miss this opportunity." Yan Shuixin pondered. "Or should I try to test him?"

"No. During this sensitive period, if he truly listens to King Jin's orders, then it's too dangerous." He hugged her. "If the other party uses you as a hostage, I will surrender without a fight."

"You..." She glared at him angrily.

He affectionately kissed her forehead, "So, Xin'er, you must protect yourself. You are my life."

She looked at him in women's clothing, with thick makeup on his face. "Your Highness, it's so strange for you to kiss me while dressed like this..."

"You should be punished!" He pretended to be angry. "How can you despise the kiss given by this king?"

"I don't mind. I'm just tired after traveling for several days. We should rest for a night and gather some information." Yan Shuixin wiped off the lipstick mark on her forehead in front of the copper mirror on the table and then went out of the room to ask the landlady to bring food to the room.

After having lunch, they both slept in the afternoon.

Only after his repeated instructions did he finally let her leave the house.

Even if she didn't inquire, passersby would gather together from time to time and say that Tu Zhenguo especially wanted to find King An and win a reward from the court.

While walking and wandering around, Yan Shuixin saw a notice in Zhangbang District next to the Yamen saying that if you find King An, you can get a thousand taels of gold and thousands of meters of fertile land. If you are an official, you may even be rewarded with promotion, allowing you to advance three levels at once!

One can imagine how much the emperor valued King An. Many people were spontaneously looking for King An.

With her blood boiling and her spirits high, she was ready to return to the capital to claim the rewards!

The extravagant hopes were brought back to reality, and now the most important thing was to save one's life.

She pondered how to find out whether General Tu could be trusted.

There was no use wandering around. In fact, she wanted to go into the general's mansion and have a look. It would be best if she could overhear Tu Zhenguo talking to his cronies.

However, that would be truly dangerous.

It was obvious that General Tu could never be a member of King Jin's party. As Xiao Yeheng said, even if they traveled another five hundred miles, he couldn't be sure of finding reliable people to escort them back to the capital. Even if there were, if the escorting force was insufficient, they would be wiped out by King Jin.

Yan Shuixin really didn't want to be caught and beaten to death at any time, like a rat crossing the street.

She was eager for Tu Zhenguo to dispatch a large force for their protection. If he sent tens of thousands of troops as bodyguards, even if King Jin was powerful, he wouldn't dare dispatch one and a half times as many people to fight.

Even with the same number of soldiers, one party might not be able to win; they must be more powerful than the opponent.

Alright, let's go to the general's mansion.

Pretending to be a passerby, Yan Shuixin walked around the General's Mansion and noticed the footsteps of heavy soldiers coming from the courtyard wall of the General's Mansion from time to time.

In other words, no matter where you choose to climb over the wall, you will be discovered immediately.

If sneaking won't work; then let's try the direct approach.

She heard a middle-aged male voice inside the wall instructing, "Go to Yihong Pavilion and invite Miss Meixue to come over. The general wants her company tonight."

"Yes, Manager Zhou."

Yan Shuixin felt that it was the general manager of the General's Mansion who was giving orders to his subordinates.

Then the opportunity for her has come!

Seeing a maid coming out of the mansion dressed similarly to herself, she decided to impersonate a servant of the mansion without changing her clothes.

She immediately went to the street to ask for directions to Yihong Pavilion and then hurried over.

She didn't dare to run. Just in case she was pregnant...

As evening approached, the brothel began its operations.

The Yihong Building is decorated with lights and colorful decorations. Looking in through the wide-open door, you could see tables of patrons enjoying the performances on stage. There were a large number of clients entering the door.

There were two gatekeepers at the entrance.

Yan Shuixin walked over to them and said, "Please inform Miss Meixue to accompany General Tu tonight. I am Xiaoxue, and Manager Zhou instructed me to come along the way to serve Miss Meixue. In a moment, General Manager Zhou will send someone else to come."

The two gatekeepers politely ushered her in, and one of them said, "Miss Meixue is in the first room of the small building in the backyard."

"Thank you." Yan Shuixin swaggered into the brothel.

Then she went to the small building in the backyard, entered the first room, and found a beautiful brothel woman to convey her message.

The other party was extremely happy. She happily instructed her maids to dress her up and ordered people to prepare a sedan chair outside the front yard.

Yan Shuixin waited outside the room, and soon enough, someone from the general's mansion came to escort Miss Meixue.

She pretended to be Meixue's maid and said she would inform her mistress.

Shortly after, Meixue was ready, and Yan Shuixin helped her step out of the brothel's main gate and onto the luxurious sedan chair.

When the two servants of the General's Mansion saw Yan Shuixin, they only thought she was Meixue's maid.

Yan Shuixin even instructed the four sedan bearers, "Be careful and steady with the sedan; avoid harming the girl."

The four bearers nodded in agreement.

Seeing how Yan Shuixin took care of Meixue, the servants from the general's mansion directly assumed she was her maid.

"Start the sedan!" One of the servants ordered, and the four bearers carried Meixue towards the general's mansion... through the side entrance.

When accompanying someone to sleep, one cannot enter through the main gate.

Yan Shuixin walked beside the sedan chair and entered the back entrance of the general's mansion in a dignified manner.

Upon entering the backyard and passing several buildings, Yan Shuixin saw rugged artificial mountains, lush flowers, and trees. Wealth was visible everywhere, and the mansion resembled that of a corrupt official rather than that of a general.

The two servants directly took Meixue to a guest room and said the general would be there soon.

They asked Yan Shuixin to wait outside.

Without a doubt, if the general entered the room later, he would immediately engage in intimate activities with Meixue, and there would be no opportunity for her to gather useful information.

She quickly covered her stomach and said to the two servants with a grimace, "I need to use the restroom..."

One of the servants pointed to the path on the right and said, "Turn past five buildings, then turn left. There's a small building there; that's where the servants' restroom is."

"Thank you." She bowed respectfully and walked away with her head down.

A group of patrolling soldiers passed by, seeing her only talking to the servants from the mansion; they didn't find it suspicious.

Yan Shuixin bravely brushed past the soldiers. She thought, Should she go to the general's office?

Perhaps she could learn something about his character from the official documents he had endorsed.

Just as she was pondering how to get to the office, an elegantly dressed middle-aged woman angrily pointed at a servant and asked, "Where is Tu Zhenguo?"

"Madam, the general is in the study." A servant replied.

The woman, with her head full of gold hairpins and silver ornaments, walked away after hearing this. Yan Shuixin followed behind.

The woman turned to glare at her and asked, "Which slave are you, and why are you following me?"

"The general asked me to take care of Madam." Yan Shuixin lied.

"That scoundrel, Tu Zhenguo, must have asked you to keep an eye on me. He's entertaining that slut Meixue behind my back in the mansion. I'm so angry that I need to confront him!" The middle-aged woman quickly ran into the study, guarded by fifteen soldiers.

The middle-aged woman rushed in, and Yan Shuixin followed behind.

The group of soldiers thought she was the madam's maid, so nobody stopped her.

That was exactly the effect Yan Shuixin wanted.

The study had an outer room with a tea table, soft chairs, and several bookshelves against the wall.

The middle-aged woman rushed directly into the inner room and screamed at the middle-aged man who was writing calligraphy behind the desk, "Tu Zhenguo, how dare you bring that woman into the mansion and humiliate me like this?"

"What are you going crazy about? Can't I just have some fun with a woman?" The middle-aged man's voice was furious.

Yan Shuixin recognized that the voice was Tu Zhenguo's voice that she had heard on the street.

"I've given birth to two sons for you, and this is how you treat me?!" The middle-aged woman quickly overturned the tea set on the table and started fighting with Tu Zhenguo.

Yan Shuixin stood in the outer room, hiding behind the bookshelf, listening to the commotion in the inner room.

"You wicked woman! If your father weren't the Minister of War, I would have divorced you!" Tu Zhenguo was furious.

"Divorce me? Go ahead! Just wait until my two sons deal with you." As soon as the middle-aged woman finished speaking, Tu Zhenguo screamed in pain, "You crazy woman, how dare you bite me? I'm going to Meixue's to sleep, and I'll marry her as my concubine!"

Tu Zhenguo, who was dressed in casual clothes, angrily strode out of the inner room and opened the door directly.

"How dare you!" The middle-aged woman ran out after him, completely forgetting that she had brought a maid in.

Seeing that the door of the outer room was partially open and the guards outside might see what was happening inside, Yan Shuixin took the opportunity to sneak into the inner room.

The floor was a mess, scattered with various official documents, probably detailing the current deployment of troops.

Yan Shuixin looked around the study, opened a drawer, and found neatly stacked documents.

She picked up a folder and found that it was a report to the emperor to impeach Meng Fei. She didn't have time to read it all.

Then she noticed a brush holder on the table. Despite the commotion caused by the general's wife overturning the table, the brush holder remained steady on the table. How strange!

She tried to lift it, but it wouldn't budge. She tried turning it left and right.

The top of the table made a sound, as if something fell off.

She opened another drawer and found a stack of neatly arranged documents, with an additional letter on top.

She quickly opened the letter and found it was a list of Tu Zhenguo's corruption charges, listed one by one. There is also a pear-shaped secret code.

Who dares to write such a letter to Tu Zhenguo?

Clearly, it was a threat from King Jin towards Tu Zhenguo, but what was the purpose? Yan Shuixin speculated that it was to get General Tu to help capture King An.

She felt around the tabletop under the drawer and found a hidden compartment. Obviously, the letter was hidden there, and the brush holder was the switch.

She put the letter back into the compartment and twisted the switch back into place. She opened another drawer and found three exquisitely carved pieces of jade, obviously valuable, and a palm-wide brocade box. Opening the box, she found a human face mask inside!

She took the three pieces of jade and the brocade box and put them into her sleeve pocket. If she doesn't take it, then Tu Zhenguo's people will soon find out that she has infiltrated the mansion.

She might as well gain something, right? Then let it be wealth.

If she took the letter and they knew that she was aware of his crimes, then wouldn't she be wanted throughout the city?

But if it was just for money and not much was stolen, then the general's mansion would probably pursue the case very lightly.

Yan Shuixin picked up the broken pieces of teacups from the floor, which had been smashed by the general's wife.

Seeing that the maid didn't come out in time, several soldiers entered the study door to check and saw her picking up pieces.

Yan Shuixin explained respectfully, "Madam asked the slave to clean up just now."

Several soldiers saw the mess in the study, with tea spilled all over the floor. One of them said, "It's stupid to pick up the pieces by hand. Go get a broom."

"Yes," Yan Shuixin respectfully replied as she walked out of the study. She was just about to step out of the study door when a soldier suddenly shouted, "Wait a minute!"

Yan Shuixin's face turned pale with fear. Had she been discovered? She could only freeze in place, preparing for the worst.

If she died, what would happen to Xiao Yeheng?

"Bring the bucket and mop as well," the soldier continued. "Clean up the tea spilled on the ground."

"Yes." Yan Shuixin pretended to agree obediently, and as soon as she walked away, she turned a corner and realized her legs were trembling.

She walked towards the side gate of the general's mansion. There were many servants and maids in the mansion, and no one paid attention to her.

The mansion was huge, and if she hadn't forcibly memorized the route, she might have gotten lost.

Fortunately, she finally found her way back to the side gate of the mansion.

There were two soldiers at the gate who stopped her. "Where are you going?"

She replied, "Miss Meixue doesn't need my service anymore. She asked me to go back first."

The two guards remembered her and let her pass.

Yan Shuixin's figure quickly disappeared into the bustling street. She immediately turned a few corners and spent thirty seconds in a clothing store, buying a set of suitable men's clothing. She held it close to her chest and entered the temporary residence through the back door.

Xiao Yeheng was extremely anxious when she didn't return, and when she finally did, his furrowed brows immediately relaxed.

"My Lord, Tu Zhenguo is not reliable. I stole something from the general's mansion, so we need to leave quickly." Yan Shuixin picked up their luggage and pulled Xiao Yeheng out.

They didn't have much luggage—just two well-packed bundles ready to go. Everything else was on the carriage.

This was the fastest way to escape without wasting time packing. Otherwise, it would take half a day.

She helped Xiao Yeheng into the carriage parked in the backyard.

Yan Shuixin immediately checked out of the room, gave the innkeeper some extra silver, and told her she was leaving in the evening.

Then she entered the carriage and put on the men's clothing she had just bought, tying her hair into a male hairstyle.

For the four-day journey from Shupo Town, she had been learning how to drive a carriage from Xu Chuang. With her natural intelligence, she quickly grasped the technique and even drove for a while on the road, becoming proficient at it.

Yan Shuixin, disguised as a man, drove the carriage straight towards the gate of Tuzhou City.

If her estimation was correct, even if Tu Zhenguo thought she was just a thief, they would soon send people to search for her.

She intentionally made herself look ugly, always keeping her head down and trying not to attract attention when entering and leaving the general's mansion, but there was still a risk of being discovered.

It was better to leave early.

For a thief, they might search for a while, but if they couldn't catch her, they would eventually give up.

Fortunately, Tuzhou is a big city, and the city gates are not closed until twelve o'clock in the middle of the night.

She drove the carriage and managed to leave the city before midnight.

After leaving the city, the official road outside the city was quiet, and there were no people on it because it was midnight.

Xiao Yeheng opened the curtain of the carriage and said, "Xin'er, I'll drive the carriage. You can just rest."

She sat next to him and let him drive the carriage.

Speaking of Xiao Yeheng, he was talented in both civil and martial arts, skilled in riding and archery, and had remarkable accuracy even from a hundred steps away.

Yan Shuixin sighed. "My Lord, it's all because of me that you're in trouble. If it weren't for me, you could have ridden a fast horse back to the capital."

"Without your help in concealing my appearance, I would have been discovered soon enough," he replied.

"It's different now." Yan Shuixin took out a brocade box from her pocket and opened it. "Inside is a human skin mask. It's made of real human skin and looks very realistic. If you disguise yourself and ride a fast horse back to the capital, the journey will be much faster, and I'll follow later."

She couldn't ride a horse, fearing that the bumps would endanger the child that might be in her womb. This was the last hope for Xiao Yeheng to be a father.

"I won't leave." Xiao Yeheng shook his head. "I want to be with you."

Yan Shuixin persuaded him, "The deeper you fall into the poison, the longer it will take on the road, and the more dangerous it will be for you. Moreover, King Jin's men will be looking for the appearance of you and Wan Niang. If I travel alone, it will be relatively safer for me. You should hurry back to the palace and seek joint diagnosis and treatment from the imperial doctors. There is still a glimmer of hope for your poisoning. You wait for me in the capital, and I promise you that I will slowly return by carriage."