Chapter 26

The family banquet ended around 9 PM, and Yang Yanzong escorted Su Ci back. Under the crescent moon, he didn’t just walk her back properly. Halfway through, he pulled her into the shadow of the garden’s dense foliage. With her back against the wall, he lifted her chin and kissed her.

“Ugh, stop!”

Reeking of alcohol, especially his mouth, Su Ci didn’t like it and quickly pushed him away. “Stop, stop, you stink!” Annoyed, she found him too strong to push away.

Annoying guy!

Her struggles and complaints soon turned into muffled sounds, then quickly into heavy breathing. The lush evergreen tea plants rustled softly.

In the moonlit shadows, Su Rong bit her lip and pulled Mrs. Bai away.

They were also heading back, but Mrs. Bai’s face was so off that she couldn’t hide it. Su Rong had deliberately lingered a bit before taking her back. Unexpectedly, they stumbled upon this scene. Neither dared to make a sound and quickly retreated. They didn’t speak, but their breathing was heavy. Mrs. Bai couldn’t hold it in any longer. As soon as they closed the door, she exclaimed, “Oh my child, what are we going to do now!”

Favored by Concubine Yan, Su Rong didn’t hesitate to accept her hint. When the expected benefits outweighed the risks, she still went ahead, even knowing it would offend Mrs. Chen. Initially, everything was going well, and success seemed within reach. Even Su Rong couldn’t help but feel a bit light and joyful. However, Concubine Yan’s attitude suddenly changed. She still praised Su Rong, saying she liked her very much, but the previous sense of urgency had disappeared. She no longer mentioned wanting Su Rong to stay by her side to serve her.

Su Rong sensed something was wrong but instinctively knew it was because of that incident. With no other way out, she continued to flatter Concubine Yan while Su Ci and Yang Yanzong were away.

Concubine Yan, concerned about her reputation, held herself in high regard and didn’t openly admit that Yang Yanzong had flatly rejected her proposal. She only told Su Rong and Mrs. Bai to persuade him, saying it was a matter of parental orders and matchmaking. She spoke as if she was confident, leaving Su Rong with no other choice but to believe her somewhat.

Within two days, Yang Yanzong returned, and today’s events completely shattered the mother and daughter’s hopes.

“What should we do?”

Mrs. Bai was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. Mrs. Chen Shi was shrewd and good at coaxing her cousin, who always indulged her. In the past, it was fine, but now Mrs. Bai and her daughter had deeply offended her. If Mrs. Chen found a seemingly sweet but actually bitter match for Su Rong, her daughter’s life would be ruined!

Mrs. Bai was extremely worried. “How about this, Su Ci becomes the main wife, and you become the secondary wife?” Suddenly, she thought of Concubine Yan, and her eyes lit up. “The heir, isn’t there still the heir?! Concubine Yan likes you so much, she would definitely be willing!”

Su Rong’s scalp tingled, and she abruptly stood up, shouting, “Mother!!!”

She lowered her voice, “I will not be a concubine!”

Her emotions were highly agitated. Mrs. Bai, coming from a wealthy farming family, had to work in the fields during busy seasons. To her, marrying into her aunt’s family, even as a concubine, was a great improvement. But Su Rong was different. She was the daughter of an official, never lacking anything since childhood. Her perspective was different. She had always seen her biological mother’s awkward position and lower status. Except for special occasions like today, she didn’t even have the right to attend family banquets. Even today, she could only sit at a small table in the corner.

Seeing her mother somewhat frightened, Su Rong took a deep breath, calmed herself, and whispered, “Mother, you are still my father’s cousin. Look at Uncle Yang’s concubines next door. Those favored are fine, but once they fall out of favor, how does Mrs. Yan treat them?”

“Don’t be fooled by Concubine Yan’s glamorous appearance. What about the other concubines in that household?”

The heir might be good, and the prince’s mansion might be good, but Su Rong had no intention of becoming anyone’s concubine, no matter who it was. If there had to be an exception, it would be if the emperor himself took her as a consort, then that would be different.

Mrs. Bai looked embarrassed. The mother and daughter sat in silence for a while. Mrs. Bai couldn’t sit still, got up, and paced back and forth. After a while, she anxiously whispered, “Rong’er, what about the hundred thousand taels of silver…”

Su Rong’s scalp tingled again, “Silence!”

She lowered her voice and quickly rushed to the door, listened for a while, then opened a crack to look outside. After carefully checking all the windows, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“Didn’t I tell you not to mention it again?” Su Rong lowered her voice.

Mrs. Bai: “But now, but now this isn’t…”

While Yang Yanzong and Su Ci were away, some things happened at home. The other day, when Mrs. Bai and Su Rong went to Jia Lan Temple in the western suburbs to offer incense for the late Su grandmother, someone quietly approached them, inquiring about the medicine she had.

The three Su sisters were of similar age and raised in seclusion, so outsiders couldn’t tell them apart. However, many knew that Su Rong had stood out in the military town, and even Yang Yanzong’s injury treatment was credited to her. Someone came to ask about the medicine she had. She said she didn’t know, and they asked her to find a way to get some from the medical camp. If she succeeded, they offered ten thousand taels of silver!

Ten thousand taels!!

Not counting the private spoils Father Su had accumulated over the years, the entire Su family’s assets combined might not even amount to a tenth of that!

And the person wasn’t joking. They gave a ten thousand tael silver note as a guarantee from Tonghui Bank with original seals, and it was authentic!

Thinking of the ten thousand taels, Mrs. Bai’s breathing became heavy. “If Su Yan and Su Ci can go to the medical camp, so can you,” she said. It made no sense that the legitimate daughters could, but her daughter couldn’t! “Talk to your father. It will definitely work!”

If they couldn’t get the person, getting the money first was also good. Ten thousand taels, with that money, they wouldn’t have to worry about anything in the future!

Before Mrs. Bai could finish, Su Rong abruptly stood up, “No, Mother!”

Ten thousand taels, such a large sum of money, would make anyone’s blood surge, and Su Rong was no exception. However, her eyes were clear, even a bit stern, as she said each word, “Without a good husband, no amount of money is anything but rootless duckweed!”

In the old days, there was a wealthy widow in the alley next to their home. Without a man, she had to become a concubine to a rich and influential merchant to protect her family’s property and money. Otherwise, without the protection of her natal family or a man to support the household, that bit of money wouldn’t be enough to fend off extortion.

How easy is it for a three-year-old to hold a gold brick?

Su Rong immediately returned the ten thousand tael silver note, not daring to take it. But who knew Mrs. Bai secretly kept the money. Su Rong was furious and planned to return this hot potato to Jia Lan Temple the next day. She was also hesitant about whether to speak out about this matter. If she did, she feared Su Di’s opinion of Mrs. Bai would plummet even further, worsening their already dire situation. But if she didn’t… it was like a leaking house encountering continuous rain.

Su Rong furrowed her brows, thinking it over repeatedly. Finally, she got up and took out the silver note, “No, I have to go to the eldest young master!”

Mrs. Bai was shocked. After being earnestly persuaded by her daughter, she knew she had done wrong. Hearing this, she grabbed Su Rong in a panic, “But, weren’t you worried that your father would find out and…”

“That was then, this is now!”

Perhaps she was sensitive, but today, at the dock, the heir didn’t immediately come forward. Instead, he stood aloof for a while until Concubine Yan waved him over, and only then did he smile and approach.

Su Rong felt something was off. The heir wasn’t like this before, but looking at the two of them, they seemed fine. These two matters combined made Su Rong’s heart race. She pulled Mrs. Bai’s hand away and said, “If it works out, the eldest young master will surely arrange a good marriage for me.”

If it were true, she would have made a significant contribution. Over the years, she had heard about the strict rules in the eldest young master’s camp: punishments for failures and rewards for achievements. If the eldest young master was willing to take charge, it would undoubtedly be the best marriage she could secure at the moment. She couldn’t gamble on Mrs. Chen’s mercy and generosity!

Su Rong rushed out. The cold wind cleared her mind even more. However, when she jogged to Yang Yanzong’s outer study, the quiet night and the silently standing guards made her nervous. Stopped by A Kang, she swallowed and calmly explained her purpose. Then, she was led into the outer study, standing in the outer hall. Inside, only a small lamp was lit. Behind the curtains, two stone-blue curtains separated the inner and outer areas. Opposite the outer hall was a large, long desk. The lamp couldn’t fully illuminate the desk. The man sitting in the grand chair behind the desk was half-hidden in the dim light. His voice, tinged with alcohol, remained cold and indifferent, “What is it?”

Su Rong tried her best to stay calm and took a step forward, “Reporting to the eldest young master, the day before yesterday, my mother and I went to Jia Lan Temple. Someone approached me, saying they wanted to spend ten thousand taels of silver to buy medicine from the medical camp’s pharmacy!”

Yang Yanzong’s previously half-closed eyes suddenly opened wide, “What did you say?!”

…

At the Fourth Prince’s Mansion.

The red corridors were deep, and the buildings stretched endlessly. The wind blew the early-blooming green calyxes, and the tender buds spun and fell on the thin layer of ice on the water surface in front of the pavilion. In the large courtyard to the west, a servant by the prince’s side had just arrived and reported to Ji Yuanhao that the prince had summoned him.

Ji Yuanhao smiled and casually slipped a silver ingot into the servant’s hand. “Do you know what it’s about?”

If it wasn’t something important, the servant, having received the money, was happy to share a few words, “Liang Rong just came by.”

Liang Rong?

Liang Shen’s younger brother. Liang Shen died, and no one wanted that, but the posthumous compensation was appropriately handled, and Ji Yuanhao managed it. However, for the Liang family, it wasn’t the same. What use was more compensation? Without a capable man of high rank who could speak in front of the Fourth Prince, the difference was like falling from the sky to the ground.

Liang Rong had been coming to see Ji Yuanhao every few days, asking and hating, saying he wanted to avenge his brother, but times had changed. The account books and the Liu brothers had fallen into the hands of the Sixth Prince. The Fourth Prince’s Mansion and the Seventh Prince’s Mansion were cautious and had successively contacted the Sixth Prince to negotiate peace.

At this point, they certainly couldn’t start a conflict with the Sixth Prince’s Mansion. Liang Rong came to see him three times a day, and Ji Yuanhao just brushed him off.

Liang Rong noticed his perfunctory attitude and went to seek an audience with the Fourth Prince.

Out of respect for Liang Shen, the Fourth Prince agreed to see him. In the front study, Liang Rong cried and begged, expressing his dissatisfaction and disappointment with Ji Yuanhao. He was just persuaded to leave.

Ji Yuanhao couldn’t help but smile, not caring much. He didn’t think the Fourth Prince had any objections to how he handled the matter.

Sure enough, when Ji Yuanhao arrived at the main study, the Fourth Prince didn’t mention it at all. “Yuanhao, you’re here. Sit.”

“Yes, godfather!”

The Fourth Prince was older than the Sixth Prince, over fifty, with graying temples but still spirited and sharp-eyed, looking dignified and heroic.

Ji Yuanhao respectfully greeted him and sat to the left of the Fourth Prince. The Fourth Prince said, “I have sent someone to contact the Sixth Prince’s Mansion,” he touched his chin, his eyes deep and cold, “the Sixth Prince did not outright refuse.”

Not outright refusing meant there was room for negotiation.

Ji Yuanhao nodded, “Given the current situation, with His Majesty’s health greatly improved, the Sixth Prince must be well aware.”

The old emperor not only survived but also recovered and returned to court, firmly grasping the reins of power. The three princes’ mansions, which had almost succeeded before, were now facing the emperor’s fierce counterattack.

An emperor is still an emperor. With his powerful comeback, the situation changed again. If the Fourth and Seventh Prince’s Mansions fell, could the Sixth Prince’s Mansion alone hold on?

Do you think the emperor will choose you just because you’re the only one left? Absolutely not. The emperor initially favored the youngest son of Prince Qian, who was born to the niece of Empress Kun. After the unexpected birth of the posthumous son of Prince Zhao, the emperor’s favor shifted to this posthumous son, who was taken into the palace to be raised from birth. These two children are seven and four years old, respectively.

As long as the Sixth Prince’s Mansion isn’t foolish, they won’t push the Fourth and Seventh Prince’s Mansions to the brink. Negotiations are sure to happen, and a result will likely be reached within the next two days. However, the Fourth Prince’s Mansion will probably have to make more concessions.

The Fourth Prince was aware of this. He didn’t need Ji Yuanhao to worry about the negotiations, as he would handle them personally. He called Ji Yuanhao for another matter.

“If the Sixth Prince’s Mansion doesn’t fall this time, it will become a future threat!”

The Fourth Prince exhaled deeply, narrowing his eyes. After two years of struggle, the situation was beyond his control. Following the incident with the account books and the Liu brothers, he became even more wary of the Sixth Prince’s Mansion.

The Sixth Prince wasn’t stronger than him, but he had managed to gather a large group of talented civil and military officials. Take Yang Yanzong, for example.

Ji Yuanhao stood up and knelt on one knee, “I failed to obtain the account books and the Liu brothers at Wuchuan. I have let you down, godfather!..”

“Sigh.” The Fourth Prince rubbed his temples. He was disappointed about not getting the account books and the Liu brothers, but there was no point in dwelling on it.

The Fourth Prince was savvy. As long as he still needed Ji Yuanhao, he wouldn’t blame him. In fact, he hadn’t said much about this matter.

Ji Yuanhao apologized, and the Fourth Prince had him stand up, “Learn from this and be cautious in the future.”

Ji Yuanhao lowered his eyelids, then quickly raised them, “Yes!”

After having Ji Yuanhao stand up, the Fourth Prince instructed, “The Sixth Prince’s Mansion has always been our biggest concern. Although we are negotiating with them now, preparing for the worst is best.” He beckoned Ji Yuanhao to come closer and whispered a few words, essentially advising him to secretly plant hidden dangers or sow discord within the Sixth Prince’s Mansion to prepare for future conflicts but to do so quietly.

Ji Yuanhao understood.

After leaving the Fourth Prince’s study, Ji Yuanhao walked back to the western courtyard along the red corridors. Due to his competence, Ji Yuanhao had a courtyard in the Fourth Prince’s Mansion almost as grand as the heir’s, one in the east and one in the west. As he walked, the servants and maids bowed respectfully. But Ji Yuanhao knew very well that as soon as he ceased to be valuable, the Fourth Prince would turn on him immediately, just as he had discarded the sworn brothers who grew up with him in the same courtyard, one by one.

Ji Yuanhao sneered inwardly. He walked slowly back home. His wife, Mrs. Ren, was sitting at the table, carefully reviewing their eldest son’s homework. Seeing him return, Mrs. Ren quickly stood up to greet him. Noticing his thoughtful expression, she sent their eldest son back to study and personally brought him tea, asking softly, “Husband, what did the prince say?”

“Nothing much.” Ji Yuanhao had Ren Shi sit down and briefly recounted what the Fourth Prince had said. However, his thoughts were not on this matter on his way back. He was thinking about Su Ci—no, that wasn’t quite right. He was thinking about Liu Sheng and the miraculous medicine that cured him.

Strangely, Liu Sheng shouldn’t have survived, but he did, and he became a crucial leverage to force Liu Ying to change his testimony. Since the three mansions intended to negotiate, the news that Liu Ying would change his testimony must have reached the Fourth Prince’s Mansion. However, the problem was that Ji Yuanhao received reliable information that Liu Sheng was severely injured. Given the extent of his injuries and the arduous journey, Liu Sheng should have been either dead or critically ill. He shouldn’t have survived.

In fact, Yang Yanzong had cleaned up very thoroughly. Any traces of the new medicine in Su Ci’s possession were meticulously erased, except for the confidants who had been injected and ensured not to leak information.

Ji Yuanhao didn’t know this, but he was a cautious and perceptive person. Having personally experienced the trip to Wuchuan, many things had brushed past him. The only thing he could be sure of was Liu Sheng’s injury. Based on this alone, he guessed that Yang Yanzong either had a miraculous doctor or miraculous medicine.

A miraculous doctor?

He thought for a moment and dismissed the idea. No matter how advanced their medical skills, they couldn’t defy the laws of nature. He wasn’t an ignorant person.

Eliminating all other possibilities, only the medicine remained.

Ji Yuanhao was very interested in this medicine, tapping his index finger rhythmically on the table. “That Su Di really raised a good daughter.”

The Su family had three daughters. He didn’t know which one was skilled in medicine, but he had seen Su Ci and didn’t consider anyone else. That old Su Di knew how to raise daughters. No wonder he didn’t mind not having sons. He asked Mrs. Ren, “Has A Ping returned? What did he say?”

Mrs. Ren was the daughter of Ji Yuanhao’s biological father’s retainer and his capable wife. Both came from humble backgrounds and had endured hardships together. Ren Shi was gentle yet strong and resourceful. She was Ji Yuanhao’s first helper, so he didn’t hide external matters from her and even entrusted her with handling some of them.

Ji Yuanhao was intrigued by the medicine and sent his trusted aides to investigate the details of the Su and Yang families, especially about the second daughter of the Su family.

“A Ping contacted the illegitimate daughter of the Su family. She didn’t dare to accept the silver note, but her mother secretly took it.”

Ji Yuanhao smiled. He guessed correctly; Su Er was indeed Su Ci. He was very interested in Su Ci and even more excited about the new medicine she had. But to win a girl’s heart and her possessions, it was simple—marry her, and both the person and the items would belong to him.

Ji Yuanhao weighed the situation between his second brother and his sister-in-law for a while, then suddenly remembered something, “Where is Erlang? Where is Chengtan? Call him over.”

He suddenly recalled that Ji Chengtan had a relationship with a girl from the Su family. Ji Chengtan thought he had kept it a secret, but Ji Yuanhao had known all along and just didn’t care. The Su family wouldn’t marry off their daughters, so it wasn’t worth his effort. But times had changed. If the girl Ji Chengtan was involved with was Su Er, then everything would fall into place!

Ji Chengtan was currently studying at Songshan Academy. He had already achieved the title of scholar but was old enough not to need a teacher’s guidance, so he spent half his time studying at home.

Ji Chengtan arrived quickly, his eyes slightly darkened. After Yang Yanzong left the hunting grounds, Su Ci talked about breaking up. Although she didn’t explicitly say it to avoid upsetting Ji Chengtan too much, her words implied that they had to part ways. Ji Chengtan had been feeling chaotic and more dispirited than before, but he washed his face with cold water and tried to pull himself together before coming, looking somewhat presentable.

Ji Yuanhao glanced at him and frowned but said nothing, getting straight to the point, “Which Su girl are you involved with?”

Ji Chengtan’s heart skipped a beat, and he looked at his brother in shock. Ji Yuanhao raised an eyebrow, “Hmm?”

His brother’s expression was calm but carried a subtle sense of danger, a common look when handling external affairs. His usually caring sister-in-law didn’t show any concern for him either, sitting upright beside his brother, watching him.

Although somewhat naive, Ji Chengtan was not foolish. He knew his brother well and felt a chill in his heart. Su Ci must have gotten entangled in his brother’s external affairs.

He panicked. His brother’s external affairs were extremely dangerous, often involving life and death. How could a young girl like Su Ci get involved without harm?

In his panic, Ji Chengtan had a moment of quick thinking. Trying to stay calm, he stammered, “It’s the eldest daughter.”

“Is that so?” Ji Yuanhao stared at Ji Cheng Tan, who held his ground. Ji Yuanhao seemed disappointed but said nothing, waving him off to study and not to cause trouble. He would check on him later.

“Brother, what’s wrong? Is it about her? Brother, I…”

Ji Yuanhao stopped him, not wanting to discuss trivial matters today. He waved his hand, and Mrs. Ren gently persuaded, “Second brother, you should go back for now. We can talk about it another day.”

Ji Chengtan had no choice but to leave anxiously.

In the main room, Ji Yuanhao was deep in thought when Mrs. Ren said, “I also had my maid inquire, and it seems the Su and Yang families are starting to purchase wedding items.”

“Oh?” Ji Yuanhao immediately looked up, but Ren Shi continued, “My maid found out that the second daughter of the Su family is engaged to General Yang. Now that she’s of age, General Yang’s father has brought her back, and the wedding will be held soon.”

Su Er, Su Ci? Yang Yanzong?

Ji Yuanhao was greatly disappointed.

“Why do you keep asking about the Su and Yang families?”

Ji Yuanhao replied calmly, “The prince ordered me to sow discord in the Sixth Prince’s Mansion.”

Having missed the opportunity with the account books and the Liu brothers, he couldn’t afford any more mistakes. His chosen entry point was the heir and Yang Yanzong. There were already undercurrents between the heir and Yang Yanzong. Why not discreetly add fuel to the fire?

Ideally, it would involve the new medicine. Only when the item was revealed would he know what it truly was and have a chance to obtain it.

How could he combine these two matters?

Ji Yuanhao pondered for a moment, curled his lips into a smile, got up, went out, and called his trusted aide over. He whispered a few instructions, “Deliver the news about the new medicine to the Sixth Prince.”

This person has always been ruthless, and he certainly won’t disappoint.

He doesn’t need to do anything, clean and efficient.

Ji Yuanhao smiled.

…

At the Yang residence, in Yang Yanzong’s outer study.

Su Ci strolled over, “What do you need me for in the middle of the night?”

She had sharp eyes and caught a glimpse of Su Rong sitting at the table in an apricot-colored dress through the half-open door opposite. She raised an eyebrow.

After Su Rong finished speaking, she was asked to leave the outer study. A Kang placed her in a room far from the study to wait. Then she saw Su Ci strolling into the courtyard, casually pushing open the door to Yang Yanzong’s study and entering. A Kang and the others did not stop her; instead, they silently greeted her. She entered and exited Yang Yanzong’s study as if it were her own home. Su Rong couldn’t help but lower her eyelashes.

Su Rong didn’t know what Su Ci thought and wasn’t interested in finding out. Upon entering Yang Yanzong’s study, the lights were already on. Yang Yanzong sat behind the large desk and beckoned, “Come here.” He wanted to pull her onto his lap, but Su Ci refused. She dragged a small round stool to the desk and sat down, resting her chin on one hand.

“What’s up? Is there something wrong?”

Yang Yanzong surprisingly let her be. Given his skills, she couldn’t have escaped if he wanted to hold her. They had only been apart for less than half an hour, so there must be an urgent matter. Was it about Su Rong? Su Ci brushed her damp hair aside and asked hurriedly.

Yang Yanzong nodded and asked her, “What’s the most important thing about your new medicine in the medical camp?”

Yes, the strain!

Of course, the most important thing was the strain. Her current strain was a mixed culture, and out of dozens of cultures, only one had the best effect and satisfied her. The original strain in the best small jar had already been used up and couldn’t be replicated.

“If someone else got hold of your medicine, how long would it take them to produce it?”

Su Ci felt a bit smug, “No one else can make it except me!” She raised an eyebrow at him, her face glowing under the moonlight, her cheeks tender and even showing fine hairs in the dim starlight. He pinched her cheek, making Su Ci yelp. He said, “That’s good!”

Su Ci’s teeth itched with annoyance. She covered her face and tried to pinch him back, but Yang Yanzong grabbed her wrist and pinned it behind her. He whistled, and there was an immediate response. He took Su Ci and leaped directly into the medical office through the back door.

They immediately went to the pharmacy to transfer the strain. With too little information and no clear idea of who was coming or their purpose, they decided to stick to their plan and adapt as needed.

…

After transferring the strain, the situation changed before they could investigate further. One night, Su Ci suddenly heard a “crackling” sound and immediately jumped out of bed. These days, she had been sleeping in the medical camp. They’ve come!

The thieves have come. Someone had sneaked into the camp in the dead of night, heading straight for the medical camp where Su Ci was and directly towards the pharmacy. But these thieves were unexpectedly skilled; their high level of coordination and training was astonishing. Apart from Yang Yanzong’s private soldiers, they could probably rival the personal guards of high-ranking nobles and officials.

With a “boom,” someone kicked over an oil barrel during the fight, spilling lamp oil. The dry weather quickly ignited a fire.

To prevent anyone from noticing the transfer of the strain, Su Ci had been sleeping in the pharmacy for the past few days, staying in an inconspicuous small corner room in the front yard. But these people seemed to be looking for someone as well as the medicine. When they didn’t find anything in the pharmacy, they quickly headed toward Su Ci’s direction.

Oh no, Su Ci was exposed. She was immediately protected by A Zhao and retreated. Just as they rushed out the door, Yang Yanzong returned. He grabbed Su Ci’s waist, and with a “clang,” the flash of his sword blinded the eyes. Su Ci turned her head slightly, and he had already repelled the masked man who had approached.

Of course, these people failed in the end; they were well-prepared.

However, they also couldn’t capture the intruders. Yang Yanzong severely injured one, but his companion carried him away. After all, this was a military medical camp. Even with secret arrangements, it couldn’t be heavily guarded. The intruders were all top-notch experts and managed to escape successfully.

Firefighters put out the fire, and others cleaned up. The medical camp courtyard, which had been neat during the day, was now in chaos. Yang Yanzong took Su Ci into the main hall. Not long after, one of Yang Yanzong’s trusted soldiers, whom Su Ci didn’t recognize, returned and knelt down to report, “Master, those people circled around and finally passed through the Ten Mile Slope in the west of the city and entered Liuyue Manor.”

“Liuyue Manor?”

“What place is that?”

Su Ci frowned. It sounded somewhat familiar, but in Da Qing, it was common for nobles and wealthy merchants to have one or more manors in the suburbs if they had the means.

Liuyue Manor seemed familiar, but she couldn’t recall it immediately.

Yang Yanzong said calmly, “Imperial Uncle Kun.”

He had been swamped these days, interrogating the Liu brothers and handling other tasks assigned by the Sixth Prince. His eyes were slightly bloodshot, and as he spoke, Su Ci noticed a fierce, blood-like glint in his eyes.

Imperial Uncle Kun, as the name suggests, was the brother of Empress Kun. This man was a close confidant and a high-ranking minister of the emperor, second only to the emperor himself.

Su Ci gradually held her breath. Yang Yanzong turned his head, his naturally cold voice sounding even colder on a chilly night. He said, “According to the latest news, the emperor’s leg injury has not healed. He experiences stabbing pain from time to time, and it is spreading daily. The imperial physicians are unable to treat it.”

Su Ci momentarily forgot to ask where the news came from and widened her eyes, “Are you saying?”

“Are you scared?”

The two were very close, and in the darkness, they could feel each other’s breath. Yang Yanzong slowly caressed her face.

“A little.” She gasped and whispered.

Yang Yanzong slowly pulled her into his arms, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

A storm was brewing.

His voice was deep and steady. He pressed one hand against her back, slightly squinting as he stared at a point outside the door.