11. Time to set up a trap
The warehouse seemed to be deserted when Pei, Xie, Rushuang and Su rode into the clearing. Pei and Xie dismounted first and cautiously walked to the warehouse. Both listened intently and tried to detect any movement. Everything seemed clear so they motioned for Su and Rushuang to come closer. Su gave Xie the key, he opened the door. Pei was close behind his with his hand on his sword. Years of training came to the foreground, honing and heightening their senses. They did a quick check of the warehouse, but found that there were no other people inside, Pei signaled to Su and Rushuang that they could come in. The friends spread out and took in the surroundings. Rushuang was the first to call out: "It seems like there were people here. Look this fire is out, but it still feels warm." Su held her hand over the ash as Rushuang had done previously. "You're right. Also the dust has been disturbed here." She pointed to the floor were she stood. Xie had found the entrance to the tunnel, which was close to the fire. But other than that there was nothing that gave any information on who had been there and why. Pei sighed: "It looks like this isn't helping us." Su was still looking around, but acknowledged that there was not much that helped them. The four friends sat down. "What should we do?" Rushuang asked, handing out some sweets. She saw Su an Pei were deep in thought. Then Pei looked up and started talking: "How about this: we tell the old lady we think there is nothing wrong in the house, maybe the sounds she heard were just some young persons visiting the house, we haven't found anything and that we are leaving. We leave, but Liu and his men keep watch over the warehouse and the two houses in the village. They can interfere when something happens." The others nodded, agreeing to the plan. "Let's go to Honggu, that will give us a day away." Rushuang suggested, Su looked at Pei, worried what going to Honggu would do to him. "Yes, we should honor those that died at the battle, now that we are so close." Xie said enthusiastically. Pei seemed to retreat a bit, but he did nod. "That would be good, on horseback it will take about half a day, so we will have to leave early. We'll come back late in the evening. If need be, we could go to the town further afield and wait there. It should give them enough room to act." This decided they left the warehouse, locked it up and left for the village. They halted at the same spot where earlier they had met up with the guardsmen. After a short while the guardsmen came out of the woods. Pei instructed them to keep an eye on the warehouse. After this stop the friends got back to the village and paid a visit to the old lady, explaining that they hadn't found anything and were going to continue their travels. Su noted that the red blanket was still up.
That evening, before they started their evening meal, Fei Yuan returned and Liu came along to report and discuss the plans. "The owner of the mine wrote down the usual amounts and what was needed extra the last time." Fei Yuan handed Su the parchment. Pei and Su quickly estimated the amount that most likely had been stolen. Su looked up at Pei after he said the amount aloud. "Would that be enough to blow up the bridge?" Still in thought Pei nodded, adding: "More than enough." Everyone fell silent realizing the implications, realizing to what length Liang Feng, Liang Chen and Prince Yun had gone to betray their own country. It was an affront to Pei and Liu, who served in the army. After a while Pei roused himself from his revery. "Liu, I need several things done. Please get this letter and medal to the Marquis as soon as possible. Then get a detailed list of the soldiers reported dead by the county magistrate. Lastly, tomorrow we will make a show of departing. We're heading to Honggu, have the men continue their watch over the two houses and the warehouse. If anything suspicious happens report it immediately. If necessary apprehend the persons involved." Pei gave the letter and medal to Liu. "Yes, Your Highness." Liu bowed and took his leave. The others waited for the boss of the inn to place the dishes on the table. As they ate Fei Yuan told them the magistrate had told him that a few soldiers from the back guard had stayed behind to help, but from them there was no indication that the help from the court was unwanted. "No one really discussed who would write the final report. But the magistrate did find the letter from the Marquis ordering the court to prepare the report." Fei Yuan concluded, handing the letter to Pei, who opened it and read it silently Su seated next to him as always, read with him. The letter seemed straightforward. "I don't think this is his handwriting, but the seal bears his mark. So someone wrote this in his name, which isn't uncommon especially in war times. But it must have been someone high in the ranks." Pei said, closing the letter. "There is nothing we can do about this letter. I'll send it on to the Marquis soon. Let's go to bed early. Tomorrow, we will leave for Honggu." Pei rose from his seat, holding his hand out for Su, who gratefully accepted his help. The others followed them and retired to their room.
The next day they loaded some of their luggage in the carriage, they had asked the boss to tell anyone asking him, that they had left and were not expected to return. Just as Rushuang and Su climbed into the carriage the old lady came by. "I thought I would come and thank you for your help and say goodbye." She said, Rushuang accepted the words and made a little small talk until Pei called to them that they had to leave. Inside the carriage Su and Rushuang looked at each other. "She was checking whether we were really leaving." Rushuang said, Su nodded. "I think so too." The guards in the village had nothing to report, but I saw Pei talk to a guard from the warehouse earlier, he'll inform us later." After a while Su and Rushuang got out of the carriage to continue on horseback. They left the carriage with the guardsman, who had driven the carriage. It took a little less then half a day to reach Honggu. After the lost battle the ground had been fought back by the remaining army under command of the Marquis. A shrine had been erected and a grave for those soldiers that had no family to bury them. Rushuang, Fei Yuan and Xie placed the offerings and then Pei stepped forward to pay his respect. The others followed him, bowing before the shrine. Afterwards they found a place to sit and eat something. "Ah, I saw some medical herbs a little bit back, I'm going to harvest some." Rushuang said, while she got up. Xie also rose: "I'll accompany you."
"No, that's not necessary. I won't be long." Rushuang quickly responded. Su furrowed her brow, usually Rushuang liked it when Xie went with her. Xie hesitated, slightly taken aback by her response: "Ehm, al right, please be careful." Nodding Rushuang quickly walked to the other side of the field. Su shook her head a little bit and then laid down, with her head in Pei's lap. "What was the message of the dowager empress? I forgot to ask yesterday." Pei stroked Su's hair, looking down lovingly while he answered her. "It was actually a message for you. She wishes to see you as soon as possible."
"Why would she want to see me?" Su wondered.
"I don't know, the message didn't say."
"Well hopefully we'll be able to leave tomorrow." Pei merely nodded, Su noticed his absentmindedness and, worried about him, asked: "Are you al right?" Noticing the worry in her voice Pei gave a small smile and said: "I'll be alright. You don't need to worry about me." With that he looked out over the fields, lost in his thoughts. Su knew he wasn't alright, but also knew there was no point in pushing him. Simply being here with him was enough. After a while Pei woke Su, who had fallen asleep. "It's time to go. Brother Xie, can you see Rushuang?" He called out to Xie.
"I'll get her." Xie walked in the direction where they had seen Rushuang disappear into the surrounding woods. He soon saw Rushuang kneeling near a tree. "Rushuang, Brother Pei wants to get back." Xie noticed that his wife seemed upset. "Rushuang, have you been crying?" Xie quickly stepped to her and grasped her forearms looking at her intently. "I'm al right, I just got a sting from some nettles." Vaguely Rushuang pointed away from her. Xie looked around, seeing some nettles near the tree Rushuang had been kneeling beside. Then something caught his eye: a name engraved in the tree 'Rui' "Brother Xie!" Fei Yuan called out.
"Let's go, Rushuang." Xie took the basked filled with plants and herbs and together they hurried back to the others.