Chapter 44

Riding on Yang Yanzong’s back felt completely different from being carried by Su Yan. It was higher, more exhilarating. The wind roared past as he leaped from the short branches of the mountain pines across the gorge. The rushing water below roared, and the moist mountain wind whipped across, making it feel like she might be blown away. His movements seemed light but were incredibly swift, soaring down and landing on a protruding rock on the other side of the gorge, almost without pause, before taking off again. It was thrilling; the speed and excitement were amazing. Su Ci clung tightly to his slightly bulging arm muscles, unable to help but hold on tighter. Ah, so exhilarating!

It was so fast that Su Ci couldn’t help but lean down, her arms tightly around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder. It was too thrilling to handle otherwise. Yang Yanzong had carried her once before, but that was in the dark mine tunnels, and this felt completely different!

After a while, she couldn’t help but say, “This lightness skill is amazing. Can I learn it?”

Yang Yanzong chuckled but didn’t respond.

Was it some secret technique? She pestered him, “Teach me. I want to learn. Come on, come on…”

“You can’t learn it.”

Learning martial arts was too hard. This lazy yet clever person couldn’t endure the ten years of grinding effort required. Besides, she was already grown, her bones fully developed, and it was too late to achieve mastery.

“Even if I can’t master it, learning a bit would be great! Teach me, please!”

Finally, Yang Yanzong couldn’t resist her pestering, “Alright, I’ll teach you another day. We’ll start with horse stance training. Let’s see how long you can endure.”

Su Ci pretended not to hear the last part and cheered, “You promised! No backing out!”

Yang Yanzong, exasperated, didn’t bother to respond. He let her move around excitedly on his back, steady as a rock and didn’t mind her chatter. Occasionally, he even hummed or answered a couple of her questions.

Crossing the gorge, Yang Yanzhen managed well, keeping an eye on Su Yan as she leaped across. Being responsible for reconnaissance, light-footed skills were essential for him. The gorge was tricky but manageable. Yang Yanxin struggled a bit but made it across safely with A Zhao’s help.

The group moved swiftly, like monkeys, taking the shortest route after leaping across the narrowest part of the gorge.

Yang Yanzong glanced back and refocused, “What did Yanxin do last night?”

When A Kang reported the details, Yang Yanzong asked about everyone’s performance. He noticed some hesitation when it came to Yanxin, indicating he had made a small mistake again.

Su Ci was puzzled, “He didn’t do much.” She thought for a moment, “Just said a few words.” It wasn’t a big deal; he just trusted Yang Yanzong’s previous instructions more. There was no argument, and nothing went wrong. It only showed he was stubborn and lacked sensitivity, but it wasn’t a major issue.

Yang Yanzong said nothing. He knew his eldest brother well—he had mediocre talent and average ability, far from exceptional. In situations like yesterday, Yanxin wasn’t fit to lead, but it wasn’t right to let the younger Yanzhen take charge either. So, he had to leave A Kang or A Zhao behind, though sometimes that wasn’t convenient.

“With him like this, I can’t even trust him with an official position,” he sighed in frustration.

With a light step, he leaped onto the ridge, moving even faster. Despite their proximity, his voice was clear, revealing his helplessness, “For example, last night, when he didn’t understand something, you should teach him more.”

Su Ci wasn’t having it. Teaching and scolding a brother was one thing, but she couldn’t do it. Besides, she was young, and if Yang Yanzong couldn’t teach him, she doubted she could. She didn’t want to take on such a thankless task. Of course, she wouldn’t say that. If she did, Yang Yanzong would be angry and might leave her behind. She hugged his neck, smiling, “What’s there to worry about? Aren’t you watching over him?”

“Following you, his future can’t be bad, right?” She didn’t forget to sweetly flatter him at the end. But it wasn’t entirely flattery. Although Yanxin was somewhat mediocre in the original story, he followed his brother faithfully and ended up well. This was the classic case: “One person attains the Dao, and even the chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.”

She thought this and said it, laughing and making it sound humorous and joyful.

Yang Yanzong laughed heartily, “You have that much confidence in me?” The mountain wind howled, filling him with a sense of grandeur. His laughter echoed through the valley, less cold than usual, tinged with joy. He teased, “Nonsense, who talks about their brother-in-law like that?”

And what was this about chickens and dogs? His brother might be a bit slow, but he wasn’t that bad, right?

He pinched her thigh, targeting the tender flesh on the inside. Su Ci screamed and laughed.

“Stop pinching, or I’ll pinch you back…”

They spoke softly and laughed loudly. Though their words were inaudible, their laughter echoed through the forest, infecting those behind them. Yang Yanzhen and Su Yan couldn’t help but smile, exchanging a glance.

Su Yan said, “Little Third, stop laughing. You look silly.” She looked at him with disdain.

After a moment, Su Yan exclaimed, “Hey, why are you hitting me? Just for telling the truth? A grown man… Hey! Enough, Little Third Yang, wait for me, don’t leave!”

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The cheerful atmosphere lasted until they reached the state-owned silver mine. Seeing the familiar rail tracks, everyone consciously restrained their expressions and emotions, returning to a composed and serious demeanor. There were already many people at the mine. The elite troops who had rushed ahead had all returned, though their numbers were fewer due to losses. None of the five hundred imperial guards survived. The clerks, mid- and low-ranking court officials, and flag guards who had stayed under the canopy and rushed to the imperial guards at the first sign of trouble were almost all dead. So Yang Yanzong’s group, still intact, stood out.

Zhang Boqian paced like a trapped beast on the muddy ground, sometimes gritting his teeth in anger, sometimes panting heavily.

They were now in front of the silver pit. After the landslide, the silver pit, located on the backside, was unaffected. But when the Northern Rong people retreated, they dug up the pit, each carrying a large bundle. There wasn’t much silver left in the pit, and it was exposed, visible to all.

Many people were on the scene, including the elite team from the transfer warehouse and those who had scattered and escaped from under the canopy. Ji Yuanhao had lost many men but managed to find some, standing with about twenty people.

Imperial Uncle Kun and some of his men had also escaped, though many of his slower subordinates had perished.

Apart from these two, the others were in a dire state. Ji Lin and Ji Ying had a few injured and bandaged men standing with them, while Zhang Boqian and Ji Yan’s trusted subordinates who had gone into the mountains were almost entirely wiped out.

Zhang Boqian’s eyes were bloodshot as he looked at the remains of the five hundred imperial guards and the landslide site, his gaze murderous. “There must be a traitor among us. Who is it?! Step forward!!!”

Everyone present was smart, but few had realized the situation by now. Without someone inside sending messages to Northern Rong, how could they have executed such a precise ambush?

He glared fiercely at everyone—Ji Lin, Ji Ying, Ji Yuanhao, even Imperial Uncle Kun, and finally, Yang Yanzong!

“Is it you? Speak, is it you?!”

Everyone suffered losses except for Yang Yanzong, who was unscathed, with no single person injured and his clothes dry. Zhang Boqian’s bloodshot eyes fixed on him.

Ji Yan also turned sharply, having suffered heavy losses. Almost none of his men who went into the mountains survived. Coupled with his personal grudge against Yang Yanzong, he was furious: “Yang…”

“Silence!!” It was Mr. Fang who shouted. He was also a smart man. Seeing Su Ci’s actions, he immediately ordered his trusted guards to carry him and run, saving some of the Sixth Prince’s men. Usually, he wouldn’t easily offend Ji Yan, as he was the heir, but now was not the time for internal strife because Yang Yanzong was a member of the Sixth Prince’s residence.

Mr. Fang’s shout brought Ji Yan back to his senses. He immediately closed his mouth, gave Yang Yanzong a cold look, and said no more.

Yang Yanzong smiled faintly and said, “If I had known about Commander Zhang’s plan in advance, I would never have placed my wife, brothers, and trusted aides in danger.”

Everyone glanced at Su Ci, dressed as a young man, standing behind the crowd. Such a newlywed wife with extraordinary abilities—no ordinary man would sacrifice her to prove his innocence, right?

“Enough, enough!” Imperial Uncle Kun frowned, interrupting everyone. “Is this the time for mutual suspicion?” He said coldly, “Whoever it is, they won’t escape! But the most urgent matter now is to recover the stolen official silver!!”

“Yes, yes!!” The eunuch Tong Jien, who was in charge of supervision, echoed, “Imperial Uncle is right!!”

Tong Jien, in the imperial envoy team, held a position similar to a military supervisor, representing the emperor in overseeing the mission. As the old emperor aged and his energy waned, the Supervisory Office was established, staffed mainly by trusted eunuchs. Tong Jien was among the most trusted. Seeing everyone still arguing, he was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He immediately called for a halt: “The urgent task is to chase after the fifty-six million taels of silver!!!”

This matter was temporarily set aside. Everyone calmed down and began to search for clues. With such a heavy load of silver, the Northern Rong people had only a few days’ head start, so it wasn’t far. They could still catch up!!

Imperial Uncle Kun and Tong Jien jointly issued an emergency order for all counties within a hundred-mile radius to set up checkpoints and conduct strict inspections. They also urgently summoned the nearest garrison. Multiple copies of the order were sent out immediately. But these were distant measures, unable to address the immediate crisis. They had to rely on their hundred or so men to follow and catch up.

“As soon as we find them, immediately send a fast rider to summon the local authorities!!”

So many people, so much silver, freshly transported, would surely leave traces. They had to find them now!

Found it, chase after them!

The hundred or so people immediately split into several small teams and spread out to search. After spending half a day, they finally found some traces. Crossing the collapsed mountain, they entered the nearly exhausted state-owned mine and found fresh tracks on the rusty, unused rail tracks. Following the tracks south, they reached a small silver mine about ten miles away. It was close to the plains and main roads and bustled with local villagers. Indeed, they found many loading marks at the end of the rail tracks in this small silver mine. The tracks merged into the main road, blending with various other tracks, making it impossible to distinguish them after the rain.

Yang Yanzong and his team spent a day confirming that the silver carts had split into three routes: northeast towards Yanyao, directly north to Pingcheng, and northwest to Zhenyin. They had to chase them!

Without knowing the truth, fearing deception, they split into six teams, each pursuing a different route.

Yang Yanzong was responsible for the northeast route to Yanyao and set off immediately.

For Su Ci and her team, things finally started to go smoothly.

First, Yang Yanzong’s extensive experience dealing with the Northern Rong people proved invaluable. He was genuinely skilled. Despite several attempts by the Northern Rong to mislead them, Yang Yanzong’s keen instincts always found the clues to continue the pursuit. After seven days of intermittent tracking, with some of Yang Yanzong’s trusted subordinates joining along the way, they finally caught up with the Northern Rong people on the Salt Tea Ancient Road, over a hundred miles east of Yanyao.

Dusty and weary, they had even left the southwest, crossing the Great Western Mountains. The dry northwestern wind hit them as Yang Yanzong signaled a stop. He dismounted, stirred the ground with his boot, and examined it with his fingers, “Fresh horse manure.” He smiled, scanning the surroundings, finally focusing on a nearly eroded village.

With a command, they rode forward, skillfully avoiding traps. Yang Yanzong drew his sword with a flash. A fierce battle ensued, blood spraying in the night, the metallic scent filling the air. Yang Yanzong pressed Su Ci’s face to his chest, swiftly beheading a Northern Rong leader. The head rolled on the ground, a Han hairstyle on a deeply featured foreign face. Su Ci glanced, then looked away, obediently staying close to Yang Yanzong.

The battle lasted over half an hour, ending in victory for Yang Yanzong’s side. He wiped his sword on a Northern Rong corpse, sheathed it, and kicked open a half-closed door.

Descending underground, Su Ci discovered that these northwestern homes had hidden depths, with an underground layer like a cellar. Each household had a basement for storage, livestock, and winter living, complete with large kang beds and stoves.

Yang Yanzong kicked open the door to find two Northern Rong men lying dead inside. They hadn’t been killed by his men; these were Northern Rong leaders, but their necks were still bleeding, indicating they had just died. The first batch of missing silver was found, totaling ten million taels. On the bodies of the Northern Rong men, they also found clues about the “traitor” who had leaked information. Why the quotation marks? Because this clue was quite interesting.

A Kang and A Zhao quickly searched the bodies and found a sheepskin pouch on one of them. Inside was a small booklet. As they flipped through it, a piece of paper fell out. The ink was fresh, and the wording was cryptic, but anyone in the know would understand it was information about the sunken ship operation and the approximate date. At the bottom was a bright red private seal, “Left Guard… Commander.”

The seal was square but missing a corner, and the character for “Guard” was also blurred.

Su Ci gasped, eyes wide, “What’s going on?”

Yang Yanzong was the Deputy Commander of the Left Guard, but she didn’t think he was being framed because the seal was symmetrical. Missing a corner meant two characters were missing, and “Deputy Commander” had three characters.

So it could only be the Left Guard Commander, Zhang Boqian? Is this a joke? Su Ci didn’t believe it.

But her belief didn’t matter. Yang Yanzong glanced at it and snorted. He immediately thought of the person who had arranged for him to follow this lead and the two hidden traitors of Northern Rong leaders who had clearly been killed.

“Ten million taels of silver.” Not much compared to a third of the total. Was this the deal made with the Northern Rong?

Yang Yanzong’s smile was enigmatic as if he had figured something out. Su Ci thought for a moment, “Could it be… Imperial Uncle Kun leaked the information to the Northern Rong?”

Yang Yanzong then tossed the sheepskin pouch on the table, wrapped an arm around her waist, and gently stroked her face, smiling down at her, “You’re a smart girl.” His eyes showed surprise and admiration as he kissed her.

She was much smarter than his brother and had given him many pleasant surprises. His kiss was deep, and they shared a passionate moment.

Su Ci finally pushed him away, covering her mouth, “Hey, hey, why would Imperial Uncle Kun do that? Was he the one who colluded with the enemy on the battlefield before?”

“Of course not.” Imperial Uncle Kun was definitely not the battlefield traitor.

Yang Yanzong pecked her cheek and smiled, “You already know, don’t you?” He looked at her, and she looked at him. They stared at each other, and Su Ci blinked. Imperial Uncle Kun did have a reason to leak information. She had watched many political dramas and historical stories, so her thinking was broad and unrestricted. She immediately thought if the old emperor succeeded in taking down the three princely residences, the Kun family wouldn’t be happy about it, right?

“If the three princely residences fall, the next target would be the Kun family, right?”

First, deal with external threats, then internal ones. Empress Kun and Imperial Uncle Kun poisoned Prince Zhao and remained unscathed because the three princely residences were still standing. Once the three princely residences were eliminated, the old emperor, with his chosen heir and trusted ministers, would work to purge all potential threats before his death, including the Kun family. So, although the Kun family was an enemy of the three princely residences, they didn’t want them to collapse. Thus, they were forced to act. And they had already found a scapegoat, Zhang Boqian.

Would Yang Yanzong follow their plan? Of course! It was a mutually beneficial arrangement. Zhang Boqian saw Yang Yanzong as a tool, and given the chance, Yang Yanzong wouldn’t let him go.

Moreover, if Zhang Boqian didn’t die, how could Yang Yanzong take his place?

Yang Yanzong raised an eyebrow and asked A Zhao to bring the ink. He opened the bright red ink, took out a very fine brush, dipped it, and slowly filled in the missing part of the seal on the evidence cloth. It was seamless, looking as if it had been stamped!

Su Ci gasped in awe, “You’re amazing! Imperial Uncle Kun wouldn’t know you have this skill, right?”

“Of course not. He probably thought I would forge another letter.”

In that case, Yang Yanzong would have to take responsibility for the matter.

Su Ci was genuinely amazed and praised him, making Yang Yanzong feel pleased. He glanced at her, “If I hadn’t gone to the battlefield, I might have continued studying painting.”

Indeed, a person’s talents are never limited to one area!

He hugged Su Ci, feeling great, and played with her for a while before patting her on the butt, “Alright, get ready. Once we’re done here, we’ll go to another place.” He gave a very intriguing smile. It was time to close the net. One target was Zhang Boqian, and the other was Ji Yan!

The northwest was practically Yang Yanzong’s home turf, and his instincts were sharper than others. A man named Feng Tiexiong had just reported finding traces of the second batch of silver.

Yang Yanzong issued two orders: first, to clean up and prevent anyone from tracking the silver; second, to leak the information to the Sixth Prince’s heir, Ji Yan!

Yang Yanzong kissed Su Ci’s cheek and smiled, “Ci’er, what do you think Ji Yan will choose?”

Su Ci thought: When the master makes a move, you know it’s serious!

This was a big move! What would Ji Yan choose? On one side was the serious crime of colluding with the enemy, difficult to escape unscathed. On the other side, at least ten million taels of silver!! Ten million taels!! That’s a fifth of the annual tax revenue of the prosperous Great Qing dynasty!!

A huge sum, far away, known only to him. It was like a bank robber accidentally leaving behind a large bag of unmarked, untraceable money with no cameras or witnesses. The temptation was immense!!

Yang Yanzong’s expression was calm; he was clearly not surprised by Feng Tiexiong’s report. Su Ci couldn’t guess when he had started arranging the search or how many clues he held that others didn’t know, but that didn’t stop her from being in complete awe. She honestly replied, “I don’t know.”

Yang Yanzong chuckled, pulled her hand away from her mouth, and kissed her, “Then watch the show with me!”

His naturally calm voice carried an air of arrogance and confidence, like a poppy—dangerous, deadly, and incredibly alluring.