Chapter 43

A thunderclap exploded, and the rain poured down even harder. In the darkness, Yang Yanzong kicked open the heavy iron door, leaped through the grass pavilion, and turned to speed along the rail track direction.

In the torrential rain, A Zhao was still confused, “Master? This…”

“Quick!! Go back immediately!!!”

A Zhao immediately shut his mouth and sped forward at full speed!

Following closely behind them, Ji Yuanhao also led his men back, clearly having figured out the situation. One after another, the groups were in a rush, especially Yang Yanzong at the front. The heavy rain poured down, making it hard to keep their eyes open. The torrential rain made the mountains blur, and the slippery iron tracks and suspension cables were impossible to stand on. Yang Yanzong didn’t stop for a moment, leading the way swiftly. The people behind gritted their teeth, struggling to keep up. It had taken them half the night to get there, but the return trip was even shorter, and they barely made it back by dawn. At this time, the sky was just beginning to lighten, but the heavy rain and overcast sky made dawn indistinct. The eastern sky was slightly brighter, but the land was still shrouded in darkness, with only the sounds of thunder and rain. The rolling spring thunder and the rain that had accumulated all winter poured down, soaking the land thoroughly. Water rushed through the forest, flowing down the slopes like streams. One step into the mud and half a foot would sink into the soft earth. They rushed back at full speed but were just a step too late. The disaster had already struck!

It happened right before their eyes. From a distance, they saw the last suspension cable track. In the torrential rain, they couldn’t see the other side clearly but could hear the sounds! Just as they stepped onto the suspension cable basket, there was a thunderous “boom!!!!”

It wasn’t thunder. In the pouring rain, the entire mountain, including the state-owned silver mine, collapsed like a domino effect, with the rain pouring down and the whole area sliding down. With a crash, the suspension cable track couldn’t withstand the landslide. The large iron anchors embedded in the rock were pulled out, crashing heavily onto the stone platform, breaking a large piece of it, and the suspension cable basket fell into the valley below.

In that instant, Yang Yanzong’s blood ran cold. The collapse covered a large area, including the entire camp where Su Ci, Yang Yanzhen, and dozens of others were located, right in the center.

“Quick! Take a detour, hurry!!” He shouted hoarsely.

Ultimately, things took a turn for the worse. Yang Yanzong had instructed Su Ci to head towards the imperial guards if anything seemed amiss. Although he sensed something was wrong at the time, he never imagined that Northern Rong would travel thousands of miles deep into the southern territories to get involved in this matter. Given the relationship between Northern Rong and the Da Qing and the critical importance of those affecting the golden tracking period, the five hundred imperial guards were likely the first to be targeted!

Ignoring the danger of the recent landslide, he found a path that allowed him to descend quickly. He sped down, navigating through the wind, rain, and muddy water, reaching the area affected by the landslide, and rushed to the approximate location of the imperial guards’ camp.

This was the edge of the landslide area. The mining area had a large platform used to temporarily store silver ore, with a large canopy for sheltering from the rain and for overnight stays. Even the lookout guards were under the canopy during the night’s torrential rain. As dawn broke, the rain began to lessen, and visibility improved slightly. Before him lay the torn and shattered canopy, with blood splattered everywhere. Most of the blood had been washed away by the rain, but there were still many bloodstains under the canopy. The entire area was red, with fresh yellow soil stained by the blood. Despite the heavy rain, the red color was still evident, with severed limbs and red streams flowing together. Everyone was dead.

It was Northern Rong. The neck wounds were clearly inflicted by Northern Rong’s curved blades. One such blade was even found on the ground, still held by a Northern Rong corpse dressed in Han attire.

Evidently, before the landslide, the people under the canopy had already been ambushed. The Northern Rrong soldiers, known for their strength and skill, had killed everyone under the canopy, leaving no one alive, especially in the imperial guards’ area. The severed limbs indicated the intensity of the battle. While there might have been survivors in other areas, it was unlikely in the imperial guards’ area.

If Su Ci and the others had headed towards the imperial guards…

Yang Yanzong felt a rush of blood and a moment of dizziness. He stumbled, catching himself on a fallen pillar.

After a moment, he rasped, “…Search, find them!”

Alive or dead, he needed to see them! Until he found their bodies, he refused to accept their fate.

Many people were present in the mud and blood, including those who arrived later, like Ji Yuanhao, but no one spoke. Only heavy breathing could be heard. After a moment, they gathered their strength and began searching for their missing companions.

Yang Yanzong steadied himself and stood up abruptly, “Xiao Ci!! Ci’er!! Yanxin, Yanzhen, A Kang, A Huai, Da Ming—” Though he didn’t want to believe it, he knew that if Su Ci and the others had run towards the imperial guards, their chances of survival were slim. It was unlikely they had escaped.

His newlywed wife, his brothers, his trusted soldiers who had followed him for years, his closest aides, the core of his first team.

Yang Yanzong had to exert all his control to keep his emotions in check, but even so, his face was a shocking shade of pale. Even Ji Yuanhao had no mind to mock him. Both sides lowered their heads and quickly began searching and digging.

Soon, Ji Yuanhao’s men found a few bodies. Strangely, none of Yang Yanzong’s people were found. In a landslide, the edge areas usually weren’t buried too deeply. With dozens of people, some bodies should have been visible. But after searching twice, not a single one of his people was found. Everyone exchanged glances, and a new hope arose in their hearts!

Yang Yanzong wiped his face, quickly looked up, and scanned the rain-soaked, dark green forest. By now, it was fully daylight, and the rain had lessened, making visibility clearer. He stopped searching and said in a deep voice, “Spread out in teams of two or three and search the nearby forest for shelter from the wind and rain!” He pointed his toe and chose a direction, rushing out first!

---

Actually, they weren’t wrong; Su Ci and the others were indeed lucky to have avoided the disaster. But calling it luck wasn’t entirely accurate because it wasn’t just luck involved.

The story begins with Su Yan. At that time, Su Ci and the others didn’t follow the main group but retreated to the large canopy. This canopy was truly enormous. To facilitate the transportation of silver ore, a natural platform on the mountainside had been excavated and widened, eventually forming a giant semi-circular platform over a mile long. The widest part was several hundred meters, and the narrowest part was still dozens of meters wide.

“Madam, where should we set up camp?”

The place was too large, with many scattered items. As soon as they stopped, factions emerged. Although several teams were under the canopy, they each set up their own camps. With Yang Yanzong absent, Yang Yanxin wanted to make a decision, but A Kang looked to Su Ci first, and Yang Yanzhen also looked at his sister-in-law, so he paused and said nothing.

Leading the entire team and giving orders felt quite new, but Su Ci had done it before. The novelty quickly wore off, and she adapted smoothly.

Alright, “Madam” it is. It sounded a bit old-fashioned, but it wasn’t wrong. Su Ci glanced at the area chosen by the five hundred imperial guards, as well as the directions chosen by the Fourth Prince’s residence, the Seventh Prince’s residence, the Kun family, and the scattered court officials. She thought for a moment and finally chose a spot that was not too far, not too close, and suitable in all aspects. She had initially wanted to choose the other side of the canopy but decided against it because it was too far from the five hundred imperial guards. If something happened, it would be too far to run over. After choosing their spots, everyone was actually pretty close. They each found a place with obstacles and began setting up camp.

Once the main decision was made, Su Ci didn’t need to worry about the rest. A Kang and the others had their own procedures. After choosing the location, they immediately divided the work. Yang Yanxin led the team to organize, A Kang took a few people to find dry baskets and boards for firewood, and Yang Yanzhen and his team were responsible for lookout and reconnaissance.

Today was no exception. However, today’s team included Su Yan. “Little Third, Little Third, how are we going to scout? Where am I responsible?”

Su Yan and Yang Yanzhen were the same age and had grown up playing together. As a child, Su Yan was chubby and strong, while Yang Yanzhen was thin and weak. Before the gender advantage became apparent, Su Yan always won their fights, leaving Yang Yanzhen with a head full of bumps. He would cry and call his big brother for help, and Su Yan would run home. Despite this, Yang Yanzhen kept fighting almost every two or three days until he was eight or nine and his big brother took him under his wing. That was when their duo disbanded.

Being two months older, Su Yan always saw herself as the big sister and called Yang Yanzhen “Little Third.” Here she was again! Yang Yanzhen noticed his deputy snickering and snapped, “Call me Little Third again, and I’ll throw you out!” He was annoyed. It was too hard to manage her, and he didn’t want to.

Su Yan glanced at him dismissively, “Alright, alright. I heard you, Little Third. Don’t be mad.” The older he got, the less lovable he became.

Yang Yanzhen gritted his teeth, but with everyone watching, he couldn’t continue arguing with her without appearing petty and immature. He took a deep breath and said irritably, “Alright, alright. Just follow along, will you?”

The reconnaissance team split into three groups: one stayed to keep watch, while the other two moved out, one in front and one behind, to scout the area outside the canopy. As soon as they stepped out, the rain poured down heavily. While observing, Yang Yanzhen used one hand to shield himself from the rain and said, “Pay attention to your footing, the forest, behind trees, and those places I mentioned yesterday that people often overlook.”

“First, we need to observe the environment, and second, the safety conditions. Both are equally important. Also, whenever we reach a new place, we must immediately note the paths for entry and exit. Keep your eyes and ears open.”

There were many details, such as bloodstain identification and trace recognition, but with the heavy rain, discussing trace recognition was pointless. Away from the firelight, it was pitch black, and seeing anything ten meters away was already impressive.

“Alright, leave one person at each point to keep watch, and let’s head back!”

They scouted several hundred meters down the rugged slope. Given the weather and terrain, this range was the limit. Seeing the path becoming increasingly impassable, Yang Yanzhen whistled to signal the end of the search.

Bird calls responded from nearby, and Yang Yanzhen led Su Yan back. After returning, they dried their clothes and rested. Then, it was time for shifts. Other companions could rest, but the lookout and patrols continued without pause.

Su Ci could see the hardship but said nothing and didn’t stop Su Yan from taking her shift.

Near dawn, Yang Yanzhen took Su Yan out of the canopy. On the way, Su Yan pointed out, “Shouldn’t we check over there?”

They had scouted in a straight line down the slope all night, but there was still a large forest area. Halfway up, Su Yan tugged at Yang Yanzhen and asked.

Hmm, but he hadn’t said that yesterday. Didn’t he say to use the camp as the center? Why only check one area now?

“There are people. Did you see it? From the Seventh Prince’s residence.”

That area was behind the Seventh Prince’s camp. The situation was different now; they had a sensitive, non-intrusive relationship with the Seventh Prince’s residence, so they each scouted their own areas. Crossing the boundary would be seen as an intrusion and could cause conflict.

And now was not the time for conflict. But Yang Yanzhen spoke too late. Su Yan, new to the team and still riding high from her successful underwater survey, had already leaped over. She was skilled in light-footed techniques, moving swiftly and landing in the forest on the other side. The people on the other side immediately noticed and rushed out. Yang Yanzhen hurried over, pulling her back and signaling the others that there was a misunderstanding.

The other side glanced at Su Yan, clearly recognizing her as a rookie, and let it go. However, the forty-something black-faced man sneered, “Is the Sixth Prince’s residence out of people?”

Using a little girl? What could she do with that delicate appearance? The two men behind him snickered.

Su Yan was furious. She hated when people used that disdainful tone to deny her abilities as a woman. She clenched her fist, but Yang Yanzhen held her back, saying calmly, “Watch your words.”

His tone was quite like Yang Yanzong’s, and the other side, not wanting to break the alliance, stopped laughing, shrugged, and continued their patrol.

The three figures quickly disappeared, and Su Yan kicked a tree trunk in frustration, “Damn it!!”

Yang Yanzhen sighed, “Don’t mind him. Why are you so rough? Can you even get married?”

Su Yan glared, “Married or not, I’m not marrying you. I’m going to bring a husband into my family!!”

She knocked on Yang Yanzhen’s forehead twice, making him angry. This woman was as stubborn as a mule!

The two bickered again, and Su Yan eventually won. After defeating Yang Xiaosan, she was finally happy. But before she could laugh, she slipped on the rain-soaked yellow mud. As she stepped back, the ground gave way, and she fell, her foot stuck. She flailed her arms, “Hey, hey—Little Third!!”

Yang Yanzhen quickly jumped over and pulled her up, and they landed on a large rock. “Look at you, look at you…”

Being with Su Yan made him act more childish. They argued all day, but before he could finish, Su Yan exclaimed, “What’s that?!” She broke free from Yang Yanzhen’s hand, jumped back to the spot, and picked up a shiny white object.

A pile of stones had rolled down where she had kicked away the yellow mud. Among the dark stones was a huge, shiny white one. It looked like—silver?

Su Yan bent down and picked it up. It was indeed silver, a small nugget about the size of a child’s palm, newly minted. Turning it over, she saw two lines of engraved characters: “Great Qing Prosperity Year 41, Shang County Silver Mint, Silver, Fifty Taels.”

It was very new, with the bright, shiny silver glow of freshly minted ingots, without any tarnish from use. This was a newly minted ingot! The Shang County Silver Mint had only recently minted a batch of silver ingots.

The two of them were stunned and quickly looked into the gap, but it was too dark to see if there were more.

Yang Yanzhen, experienced in reconnaissance, had sharp senses. At that moment, he thought he saw something move in the dark, sloping forest outside their patrol boundary. It wasn’t large and could have been an animal, but a chill ran up Yang Yanzhen’s spine. Without thinking, he shouted, “It’s just a rock! What did you think it was?! Let’s go back. The rain is heavy!” He pulled Su Yan, quickly heading back up.

In the pitch-black night, an invisible tension crept closer. Su Ci flipped over and sat up, instantly alert as she took the silver ingot from Yang Yanzhen. The three exchanged glances, and the night watch quickly woke their sleeping companions. At the same time, a faint commotion from the slopes on both sides roused everyone under the canopy!

“Quick, let’s go to the imperial guards!” someone shouted.

Yang Yanzong had indeed instructed them to run towards the imperial guards if anything seemed wrong. In a flash, Su Ci hesitated. The situation was clearly different from when Yang Yanzong was there. Wasn’t the newly minted fifty-six million taels of official silver supposed to be transported ahead by rail? Why was it here?

Su Ci, near the campfire, noticed a long-bearded middle-aged man from the Seventh Prince’s camp glance at the silver ingot in her hand. He froze for a moment, and then his face changed dramatically. He and his dozen men quickly headed to the other end of the canopy. Meanwhile, the Fourth Prince’s residence and other court officials and guards rushed towards the imperial guards.

The scene was chaotic, with people running, firelight, and rain sounds. The middle-aged man was inconspicuous but went against the flow, choosing a different action. Even the Seventh Prince’s men didn’t all follow him; only eleven or twelve did, while the rest headed towards the imperial guards.

What to do? Imperial guards? Or somewhere else?

Su Ci’s heart pounded as she clutched the silver ingot. She stood for a moment before deciding: “Go! That way!! We’ll split up and avoid drawing attention!!” She lifted her skirt and ran in the opposite direction of the imperial guards!

Something was wrong! The official silver, which should have been transported ahead, was still here. Whether it was part or all of it, there was definitely an unknown hand involved. Their every move seemed to be under someone’s control. Was it wise to stay on the platform with the main group in such a situation?

Su Ci couldn’t help but think, what if the imperial guards couldn’t hold out? The attackers must have some confidence to launch an assault, right? The conclusion was clear: this place was not safe!

It was better not to stay with the main group. Fishermen know that when they can’t catch both big fish and small shrimp, the small shrimp are often let go. All these thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant. As everyone got up, Su Ci also stood and led the way, running in the opposite direction of the crowd towards the other end of the canopy.

“Get on!” Su Yan bent down, and Su Ci immediately jumped onto her sister’s back. The group quickly moved to the other end of the canopy. They encountered some resistance but managed to break through and rush into the pouring rain and the vast mountains.

It turned out that Su Ci’s decision was absolutely correct. Not long after they escaped and shook off their pursuers, Yang Yanxin frowned and said, “But big brother said we should go to the imperial guards,” when suddenly there was a thunderous “boom!!!”

The sound of thunder mixed with the massive noise of the mountain collapsing. The ground trembled, and a dull, flowing sound echoed. Whether it was man-made or a natural disaster, the heavily mined mountain suddenly collapsed.

Everyone was stunned, standing in shock. Someone muttered, “Those, those are Northern Rong people, right?”

Was the battle still ongoing? Were there any survivors among the imperial guards? They didn’t know. But they knew that with just a few dozen people, if the Northern Rong soldiers turned back and found them, they wouldn’t stand a chance. Having been here for so long, their hearts had grown stronger. They had seen so much that even the most brutal scenes seemed easier to accept.

Su Ci didn’t know what was happening on the other side and could only pray for them. “Let’s go, don’t worry about others for now.”

Finding a safe place to stay was the priority.

---

When Yang Yanzong found Su Ci’s group, they had already set up camp in a hollow fifty miles away. They had driven away the wild animals, tidied up the nest, lit a campfire, and even hunted. Some were drying clothes; others were skinning and preparing the game, all in an orderly manner, with the firelight warm and bright. His newlywed wife, his brothers, and his loyal comrades who had been with him through life and death were all safe and sound. The entire team was unharmed.

It was almost noon, and although the sky was a bit gloomy, the firelight under the cliff was warm and cheerful. Everyone was lively and full of energy.

Su Ci was the first to spot him. In the rain, she turned, startled, then delighted, and smiled brightly at him.

Yang Yanzong couldn’t help but smile, too. The scenes of collapse and bloodshed were behind him, but his team was safe. Su Ci was directing people to build some waterproof structures, and everyone looked relaxed, everything in order.

After the storm, the smile remained. She had managed to bring the entire team out. Relieving him of his worries.

Yang Yanzong had just met with the scouts and understood the situation. Seeing Su Ci’s bright smile, his heart settled, and he couldn’t help but smile back.

The two of them, separated by the rain, smiled at each other for a long time before Yang Yanzong strode into the hollow, wiped his head and face with dry clothes, and ruffled her hair. “You’ve become quite capable, huh?”

Besides her medical skills, her judgment and crisis management were impressive.

Su Ci, proud and pleased, wasn’t one to do good deeds without taking credit. Before anyone could ask, she began to recount vividly, “You don’t know how thrilling it was. I sent scouts back, and they said it was very dangerous. Luckily, I decided to run the other way, or else…” It would have been very risky.

It was like jumping from a silent world into a noisy one. As Yang Yanzong wiped himself and changed clothes, she chattered around him, and he thought to himself, “And she dares to complain about the birds being noisy; she’s quite loud herself.”

He glanced at her sideways, “I didn’t realize you had such talents. I would have entrusted you with important responsibilities long ago if you were a man.”

It was hard to describe Yang Yanzong’s feelings at that moment. It was a mix of extreme joy and a strange sensation. From a young age, he had shouldered all responsibilities alone. But today, he had expected the team left behind to suffer heavy losses, only to find that his worries were unfounded. This feeling of not having to worry about what was behind him was genuinely novel and delightful.

When he said this, Su Ci wasn’t having it. “What? What’s wrong with being a woman? Can’t a woman be entrusted with important responsibilities?”

She was unhappy, hands on her hips, glaring at him.

“Alright, why not?” Yang Yanzong laughed, hugging her waist and whispering in her ear, “It’s just that now it’s a bit inconvenient. You have a more important position,” his wife, “I don’t want you taking risks.”

Better to stay in this more critical position. Besides, trusted subordinates with important responsibilities don’t share a bed with him. He stroked her fair face; he couldn’t bear to let her go.

Su Ci huffed and rolled her eyes at him.

After talking for a while, they returned to the campfire. The dry wood and straw the wild animals had slept on had a musty smell, but no one minded. They sat around the fire, eating lunch. Su Ci asked Yang Yanzong if he had encountered the person she sent to inform him, but they had missed each other.

“No worries, A Kang will handle it.” Seeing the situation at the transfer warehouse was off, he would have returned immediately.

After eating the sizzling roasted meat and filling their stomachs, they rested briefly. Then, the team members began to report the details they had noticed.

The reports were similar. After learning that all five hundred imperial guards on the platform had perished, Su Ci and the others fell silent. After a while, she said, “So it was Northern Rong who intervened.”

Su Ci murmured, “But how did Northern Rong know about the emperor’s plan?” Guessing? How could they guess without any clues? At the very least, “Could someone in the imperial envoy team be sending messages out? Could the traitor who colluded with the enemy be in the imperial envoy fleet?!”

Yang Yanzong said calmly, “Not necessarily.”

Perhaps someone just didn’t want to see the old emperor crush the three princely residences. This didn’t necessarily mean the previous traitor was on the imperial envoy team. However, planning this scheme to steal the silver required cooperation from someone on the inside. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for the Northern Rong people to enter the pass and find this place so quickly and accurately. After all, it was fifty-six million taels of official silver!

Su Ci thought about it and felt a headache coming on. She suddenly remembered something, “Hey, didn’t my sister find a new silver ingot earlier? Should we go check it out now?”

Regarding this matter, Su Ci repeatedly praised her sister and reminded Yang Yanzong to give her sister credit, even calling her a lucky charm.

It was true; sometimes luck was more important than ability. For example, in the stories, who could say Cheng Yaojin didn’t have merit?

She quickly took out the silver ingot from her pocket.

Yang Yanzong examined it and, after a moment of contemplation, said, “Let’s go check it out, right now!”

The situation was still complicated, but the first priority was undoubtedly to track down the Northern Rong people and retrieve the missing silver. Otherwise, such a large sum of silver falling into Northern Rong’s hands would help them overcome their difficulties and become another major problem later. Even Su Ci couldn’t help but curse; traitors and colluders were the worst!

Yang Yanzong stood up, holding her hand, and said calmly, “In this world, there are all kinds of people.” So don’t be too surprised.

Yang Yanzong was long past the age of youthful fervor. He couldn’t control others too much but had to take care of himself and the large group behind him.

Yang Yanzong looked down, gently brushing a bit of green bud off her damp black hair, and said softly, “Let’s go.”

She blinked, asking with her eyes, “Will you carry me?”

But before Su Ci could speak, Yang Yanzong lifted his hem and bent down, “Get on!”

Su Ci giggled and quickly jumped on his back. This was right; with her husband around, how could she let anyone else do this?

“Let’s go, we’re ready.” Giddy up!

Of course, she only dared to think the last part in her head; otherwise, Yang Yanzong would definitely throw her off.

Hehe.