Three days later, Shu Fuyan personally went to the Cui residence to demand the prisoner.
Although Cui Yan managed the prison, he was not the highest-ranking official. After pulling strings through various connections, he finally managed to quietly smuggle the person out.
Now that he had to hand Lin Xie’e over to Shu Fuyan, Cui Yan felt a mix of anxiety, fear, and anger.
“Master Shu, do you not plan to explain the matter concerning the Prince of Jin’an?” Cui Yan stood squarely in front of Lin Xie’e, intentionally blocking her from Shu Fuyan’s view.
Shu Fuyan’s brows twitched slightly as he spread his hands in a helpless gesture. “As Lord Cui can see, the noble benefactor who helped you rise to power is none other than the Prince of Jin’an.”
It had never been Shu Fuyan who wanted to help Cui Yan step onto the path of glory.
Furious, Cui Yan raised a fist and swung it at Shu Fuyan.
With a faint curl of his lips and gloomy eyes, Shu Fuyan nimbly side-stepped, effortlessly dodging Cui Yan’s attack.
“Shu, you’re playing me!” Cui Yan’s eyes split with rage as he pressed, “The Prince of Jin’an has crippled legs; how could he ever accomplish a grand enterprise? Today, caught in your demonic schemes, have you ever considered the lives of the hundred-plus members of my Cui household?”
Shu Fuyan moved his finger in an imperceptible gesture, his slender, skeletal index finger tapping against his upper lip. He made a soft shushing sound. “Lord Cui, be careful—paper walls have ears.”
Cui Yan was burning with rage. Because of the matter of rescuing Lin Xie’e, the Minister of Justice was watching him closely, and he dared not make even the slightest misstep. Now, Shu Fuyan was telling him that the person who helped him was the useless Prince of Jin’an. If the Crown Prince and the Prince of Ji were to find out, the Cui family would face absolute destruction.
Aiding the Prince of Jin’an to ascend the throne was far inferior to supporting the Prince of Yu; at least the Prince of Yu could please the Emperor and still possessed a possibility of seizing the succession.
Shu Fuyan had no intention of arguing with Cui Yan; he had only one purpose in coming to the Cui residence.
To take the person.
As for what Cui Yan thought, it did not matter.
“Lord Cui, once a person steps onto a pirate ship, it’s hard to get back off,” Shu Fuyan teased. “Lord Cui surely wouldn’t want to capsize, fall into the water, and get stinking wet all over.”
Cui Yan’s thick brows stood on end as he pointed a trembling finger at Shu Fuyan. “You!”
With a smile in his eyes, Shu Fuyan naturally grasped Cui Yan’s angrily pointing finger and pressed it downward. “Lord Cui, don’t be so unfeeling with your words.”
His expression remaining completely normal, Shu Fuyan naturally reached out to lift a lock of Cui Yan’s drooping hair.
Amidst a moment of silence, Shu Fuyan lowered his gaze and tugged at a few strands of Cui Yan’s dark hair. “Lord Cui, what needs to be said has been said.”
Filled with rage, Cui Yan felt his scalp go numb. “Are you threatening me?”
Shu Fuyan raised an eyebrow and released his grip. “Has Lord Cui not noticed that while the Minister of Justice frequently picks faults with you, he never dares to voice them outright? The reason behind this has another story to it.”
With a half-smile, Shu Fuyan looked straight through Cui Yan’s inner thoughts. “Does Lord Cui truly not know?”
Cui Yan froze. In truth, the situation was exactly as Shu Fuyan described.
Taking advantage of the moment Cui Yan was dazed, Shu Fuyan bypassed him and, with lightning speed, snatched Lin Xie’e away from the two burly men.
“I am taking her away,” Shu Fuyan said, looking back with a profound gaze. “This humble Shu offers his premature congratulations to Lord Cui on taking up your new post with three initial fires.”
In just a few days, the official promotion document would be delivered to the Cui residence. No matter how angry Cui Yan was, once he sat firmly in his position, all his anger would vanish.
Cui Yan watched helplessly as Shu Fuyan took Lin Xie’e away, filled with deep regret.
The burly men looked at each other in dismay before turning to ask Cui Yan, “My lord, should we seize her back?”
Cui Yan waved his hand, having no heart to play scheming games with Shu Fuyan anymore. “No, you may leave.”
If he were to truly snatch the person back from Shu Fuyan’s hands, he would not only offend Shu Fuyan but also incur the lasting hatred of the Prince of Jin’an.
Cui Yan’s head pounded. Whose side was Shu Fuyan on anyway, and why was he involved in everything?
Traveling nearly a hundred meters out of the Cui residence, Shu Fuyan did not immediately return to Bamboo Retreat. Instead, he took Lin Xie’e in the direction of the city gates.
Near the city gates, imperial guards were responsible for inspections, so Shu Fuyan simply led Lin Xie’e to sit inside a tea house, waiting for the guard shift change to slip out.
Upon entering the tea house, several gazes swept toward Shu Fuyan and Lin Xie’e.
Fortunately, Shu Fuyan had used a veiled hat to conceal Lin Xie’e’s appearance, and the thick rope hidden beneath her wide sleeves kept anyone from noticing anything amiss.
Shu Fuyan found a table in the innermost corner and pressed gently on Lin Xie’e’s shoulder to make her sit down.
He rolled the thin gauze of the veiled hat up to both sides, revealing the woman’s half-face.
“You don’t need to be afraid, Miss. I have no intention of harming you.” Shu Fuyan removed the cloth gag from her mouth and poured a cup of tea, bringing it to her lips.
Being proud by nature, Lin Xie’e turned her head away and refused to drink.
Shu Fuyan chuckled lightly, extending his hand a bit closer.
Although Lin Xie’e had never met Shu Fuyan before, she had tasted endless pain and torture in the prison and believed Shu Fuyan was no different from the people inside.
With a faint sigh, Shu Fuyan put the teacup down.
“Miss Lin, do you not wish to see him?”
Lin Xie’e let out a cold snort, failing to understand what Shu Fuyan was talking about.
When Lin Xie’e refused to drink, Shu Fuyan had his own ways to make her speak.
“The widow murder case has yet to find the true culprit. Do you suppose someone is intentionally shielding the murderer?” Shu Fuyan’s voice was cold as he quietly observed Lin Xie’e’s expression.
Hearing this, a flash of panic crossed Lin Xie’e’s eyes. As if to cover up her nervousness, she slammed her hand fiercely onto the table. “Absurd! I killed her; what talk of shielding is there?”
As soon as these words left her mouth, Shu Fuyan smiled.
Fortunately, their location was secluded; otherwise, letting those words fall into the ears of outsiders would scare people to death.
“Why is Miss Lin in such a rush? I never said you were shielding the murderer.” Shu Fuyan poured her another cup of tea.
This time, Lin Xie’e did not refuse.
She furrowed her brows and glared angrily at Shu Fuyan, eager to catch the answer she wanted from his expression.
Unfortunately, she gained nothing.
“Speak. What is your purpose in saving me?” Lin Xie’e tilted her head back to drain the tea, slamming the cup down onto the table without a shred of politeness.
Shu Fuyan’s gaze swept across the tea house, mimicking Xiao Yi’s motion as he gently tapped his fingertips against the tea table.
“I want you to help me save someone.”
Lin Xie’e let out a cold snort. She could barely protect herself; how could she possibly help others?
“Forgive me, but I am powerless to help.” Lin Xie’e’s eyes were filled with exhaustion.
“No, this favor is something only you can do,” Shu Fuyan stated firmly.
“What’s in it for me if I help you?” Lin Xie’e retorted. “Can you set me free?”
Shu Fuyan curled his lips, remaining calm and composed. “Why ever not?”
Lin Xie’e’s pupils contracted slightly, finding it hard to believe what she was hearing. “You’re really letting me go?” She anxiously grabbed Shu Fuyan’s arm.
A faint feminine fragrance drifted into his nose, causing Shu Fuyan’s body to stiffen completely. Without thinking, he pushed Lin Xie’e away using a bit too much force, nearly causing her to fall over.
With a strange expression on his face, Shu Fuyan muttered an apology.
Having suffered greatly in prison—beaten, burned by fire, and washed with salted water—Lin Xie’e’s resilience meant Shu Fuyan’s push did her no actual harm.
“Who do you want me to save?” Lin Xie’e adjusted her attitude, no longer showing excessive resistance toward Shu Fuyan.
“You will know in due time.” Selling a suspenseful hook, Shu Fuyan felt a rare surge of pleasant mood.
Lin Xie’e looked Shu Fuyan up and down, seeing only a figure of cold, unapproachable aloofness.
Someone so high and mighty, who looked like he shouldn’t be touched by mortal dust, had actually risked his life to save her.
And he saved her with a purpose.
For the sake of another person.
“You must like men, don’t you?” Lin Xie’e guessed with a smile.
Shu Fuyan paused, then narrowed his eyes and cast an unfriendly glance at Lin Xie’e. “Are you threatening me?”
Lin Xie’e shrugged. She had merely spoken the truth, yet Shu Fuyan had bared his claws to strike at her.
“I know someone just like you who likes men.”
Shu Fuyan’s tightened heart relaxed for a moment as he pondered the degree of truth in Lin Xie’e’s words.
Suddenly, as if discovering something, he let out a clear laugh. “So, he likes men.”
Lin Xie’e’s scalp went numb. Did Shu Fuyan perhaps know an old acquaintance of theirs?
Otherwise, why would Shu Fuyan have come to rescue her? It must have been on account of that old acquaintance.
A wave of grief and indignation surged in Lin Xie’e’s heart. She had entered the prison precisely to save that person, yet in order to rescue her, that person had willingly offered his body to serve Shu Fuyan. Just thinking about it filled Lin Xie’e with incomparable humiliation.
“Young master, send me back instead. I can’t save anyone,” Lin Xie’e said as she readjusted her veiled hat and stood up, intending to march straight to the magistrate’s office to surrender herself.
Moving a step faster, Shu Fuyan grabbed her back and said in an angry tone, “If you go back now, it’s a dead end.”
What good outcome awaited an escaped felon who returned to prison?
Unwilling to be manipulated by others, Lin Xie’e fiercely shook off Shu Fuyan’s grip and cursed angrily, “I don’t need your rescue! Tell him that I never want to see him again in this lifetime.”
Seeing that Lin Xie’e was stubbornly unreasonable, Shu Fuyan saw no need to pamper her and said coldly, “Lin Baiyi is dying.”
“What!” Hearing the news, Lin Xie’e felt a splitting headache. “Where is Baiyi? Take me to see him right now!”
Shu Fuyan gave a cold snort. If he hadn’t exaggerated the situation, Lin Xie’e certainly wouldn’t have obediently followed him.
“He sustained heavy injuries and fled everywhere. He has now reached the capital, though his current whereabouts remain unknown,” Shu Fuyan said, weaving lies one after another.
Lin Xie’e’s mind was in utter chaos. Lin Baiyi was the only family she had left in this world; he was still so young, with unfulfilled ambitions—he could not die.
“Master Shu, I beg of you, help me find Baiyi! Whatever you want me to do, I will agree to all of it!” Falling heavily to her knees, Lin Xie’e clutched Shu Fuyan’s robe and refused to let go.
Shu Fuyan stared unblinkingly at Lin Xie’e.
An elder sister is like a parent; with her going to such lengths for Lin Baiyi, what virtue or ability did Lin Baiyi possess to merit this?
Sighing, Shu Fuyan felt a sour ache in his heart. The familial affection he had never attained came so naturally to his mortal enemy, Lin Baiyi.
Helping her up, Shu Fuyan straightened the veiled hat on her head and said gently, “As long as you are obedient, you will see him. I promise.”
Left with no other options, Lin Xie’e had no desires or pursuits in life except to see her younger brother once more. Shu Fuyan’s appearance happened to offer her a fulfillment of that wish.
“I will listen to you.” Wiping away her tears, Lin Xie’e choked out through her sobs, “No matter what, I beg of you, do not harm him.”
Shu Fuyan nodded in agreement, giving Lin Xie’e a reassuring pill of comfort.
As for harming people, Shu Fuyan actually wished Lin Baiyi would never appear in the capital again.
After sitting for a while, the city gate guards changed shifts.
Shu Fuyan brought Lin Xie’e out through the city gates, where a carriage was waiting in a concealed spot outside.
Once Lin Xie’e boarded the carriage, Shu Fuyan gave the order to depart and leave.
Lifting the carriage curtain, Lin Xie’e called out loudly, “Aren’t you coming with us?”
Shu Fuyan waved at the carriage as it gradually traveled into the distance. “No, once you arrive at the destination, someone will make arrangements for you.”
Keeping the curtain lifted without moving, Lin Xie’e watched with her own eyes as Shu Fuyan’s figure shrank smaller and smaller.
Having sent Lin Xie’e away, Shu Fuyan abruptly let out a breath of relief.
With Lin Xie’e in hand, Xiao Yi’s safety was secure for now, without worry.
Dragging his ailing body, Shu Fuyan returned to Bamboo Retreat.
In recent days, the Crown Prince would undoubtedly make a move against him.
It seemed he couldn’t go to the Prince of Northern Suppression’s estate for the time being; he could only wait it out here at Bamboo Retreat.
If the Crown Prince truly dared to come, he would let soldiers be blocked by generals and water be checked with earth.