When Zhu Ying hurried back, Shang Qingyan had just taken his medicine and looked somewhat listless.
Zhu Ying recounted the conversation he had overheard between Yu Anhe and Zhang Shou, concluding, “Young Master Yu’s actions this time are quite appropriate.”
Shang Qingyan said, “More than appropriate—it’s seamless. Both I and Zhang Shou can escape unscathed. The Yu family remains untouched, and His Majesty will be satisfied.”
Zhu Ying thought to himself, “This Young Master Yu seems to be helping us.”
Shang Qingyan recalled the events in the cellar—the faint scent of cedar, the murmurs, the tears, the embrace…
His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and he quickly stopped his train of thought. “Yu Anhe’s martial arts surpass yours. When you went to eavesdrop just now, she may very well have known.”
Zhu Ying was shocked. “Then why did she allow me to listen?”
Shang Qingyan looked out the window. “She was showing goodwill, wanting to form an alliance with me.”
Zhu Ying was momentarily speechless. “But… Master, you… where do you…”
Shang Qingyan glanced at him. “Are you trying to say I’m not worthy?”
Zhu Ying stammered even more. “Not exactly, it’s just that on the surface… it’s not worth her taking such a risk.”
Though Zhu Ying spoke tactfully, Shang Qingyan was blunt. “Indeed, Young Master Yu is astute to the point of being uncanny, and Yu Ting commands a powerful army. They could support the eldest prince or the second prince, both with promising futures. Why would they take a risk for a deposed crown prince like me?”
Yu Anhe had caught his fox tail, yet he couldn’t see through her at all.
This feeling of being out of control made him wary.
Shang Qingyan said, “Never mind. Whatever she intends to do, her help now is real. I must thank her.”
Zhu Ying wholeheartedly agreed.
Meanwhile, Prefect Zhang, following Yu Ange’s instructions, began a large-scale crackdown on bandits throughout the prefecture, making a grand show of it. He also widely recruited renowned physicians to save the “critically ill” Nanchuanwang.
However, none of these physicians ever saw Nanchuanwang. Instead, they first treated Cen Tanhua.
Cen Jiashu was troubled by the matter of breaking off the engagement when he heard the sound of galloping horses outside, followed by the screams of guards.
As Cen Jiashu lifted the carriage curtain, an arrow struck his right shoulder, and blood quickly soaked his clothes.
He cried out in pain, his vision darkening. When he looked up, several fierce-looking bandits surrounded the carriage.
His servant first screamed, then blustered, “How dare you! Inside this carriage is the newly appointed Tanhua, personally selected by His Majesty! How dare you harm him!”
Hearing the word “Tanhua,” the “bandits” paused, exchanging glances. One of them rode closer to identify them, and the servant trembled with fear, unable to speak.
Facing these sword-wielding “bandits,” Cen Jiashu also felt a pang of fear. Suppressing the pain in his shoulder, he addressed them, “Honorable gentlemen, I am the future son-in-law of Shenwei Dajiangjun. If anything happens to me here, General Yu will surely avenge me. Here is some silver for you to buy wine.”
Cen Jiashu didn’t want to mention Yu Ange’s father, but distant water couldn’t quench a nearby fire. At the border, the name Shenwei Dajiangjun carried far more weight than Yongchang Houfu.
It was unclear whether the “bandits” paid any heed to his words. They simply forced their way forward, dragging Cen Jiashu and his servant out of the carriage.
Cen Jiashu, with a shoulder injury, lost his footing when dragged down and fell to the ground, the pain nearly causing him to faint.
The bandits thoroughly searched the carriage but found no trace of Shang Qingyan. Without a word, they simply left.
Now, two of the guards Cen Jiashu had brought were dead, and three were severely wounded, their blood staining the grass red.
A servant hurried over to support Cen Jiashu, pressing on his wound, and asked in a trembling voice, “Young master, what were they trying to do?”
Sweating profusely from the pain, Cen Jiashu watched the retreating figures of the bandits and said, “Didn’t you notice? Their… their martial arts moves looked familiar.”
The servant, who had narrowly escaped death, hadn’t paid attention to their techniques and replied tearfully, “I didn’t notice.”
Cen Jiashu gasped heavily from the pain, his expression grim.
Though he was a scholar, his grandfather, fearing that the Shenwei Dajiangjun might look down on him due to his engagement with the Yu family, had him practice martial arts since childhood.
Just now, he had noticed that the bandits’ moves resembled those of the Longyiwei, the imperial guards by the Emperor’s side.
The Longyiwei were the Emperor’s personal guards. Although their highest commander held only the sixth rank, they answered solely to the Emperor.
The servant asked, “Where have you seen these moves before, young master?”
Suppressing his unease, Cen Jiashu said, “I must have been mistaken.”
He had traveled discreetly to Wangchuncheng to break off the engagement but had accomplished nothing. How could he have provoked the Longyiwei?
Cen Jiashu steadied himself. “Leave someone behind to bury these two guards properly. We must compensate their families generously upon our return.”
The servant nodded, still shaken.
Cen Jiashu asked again, “Which government office is closest to us now?”
The servant replied, “The Qizhou Fu office is the nearest.”
After a moment’s thought, Cen Jiashu said, “Hurry and drive to the Qizhou Fu office.”
When he had come, he had only wanted to break off the engagement quietly. But now, not only had he failed to do so, he was also severely injured. To be safe, he needed to seek protection from the authorities.
To Cen Jiashu’s surprise, when he arrived at the Qizhou Fu office, wounded and weary, he encountered his nominal future brother-in-law.
Yu Ange stood under the eaves, sunlight filtering through the summer greenery and casting its glow upon her. Bathed in light, she seemed enveloped in verdant hues.
Though she appeared elegant and refined, her ink-dark eyes held a chilling glint that even the warmth of summer could not dispel.
For some reason, Cen Jiashu’s mind drifted to Yu Ange’s childhood appearance.
Perhaps it was due to excessive blood loss and his muddled consciousness, but for a moment, the Yu Anhe before him seemed to overlap with the young Yu Ange of the past.
Cen Jiashu shook his head vigorously, trying to clear his mind.
A clerk supported Cen Jiashu as they approached. Yu Ange deliberately blocked their path, her tone indifferent. “What happened to Cen Tanhua?”
Cen Jiashu felt guilty toward Yu Ange, and facing Yu Anhe, he was naturally uneasy. Flustered, he struggled to find words.
The clerk beside him spoke up, “Cen Tanhua encountered bandits! He’s severely injured.”
Yu Ange shifted her gaze to his shoulder and parted her thin lips slightly. “Oh? Then Cen Tanhua is truly…”
Lucky to be alive.
What a pity.
Cen Jiashu didn’t grasp the unspoken meaning in Yu Ange’s words. Yet, the moment their eyes met, he felt as though needles were pricking his back, as if a pair of hands were tightly gripping his throat, leaving him breathless.
The minor official was unaware of the grudge between Cen Jiashu and Yu Ange. Seeing Cen Jiashu’s face pale and blood flowing from his shoulder, staining his entire body, his condition truly seemed dire. He said, “Please step aside, Young Master Yu. Cen Tanhua needs immediate medical attention.”
Yu Ange lowered his gaze and stepped aside to make way for Cen Jiashu and his companions.
After they had left, a teasing voice came from around the corner: “It seems Cen Tanhua’s safe return has greatly disappointed Young Master Yu.”
Yu Ange turned to look at the newcomer: “Your Highness is ‘on the brink of death,’ yet still concerned with whether others live or die?”