Chapter 556: Zhao Jin's Fortune
Chapter 556: Thousand Miles of Fortune for Zhao Qianjin (5k)
Facing the king's selective gaze, the second son gritted his teeth and said:
"...No, we don't know yet. Our people are investigating. From the clues we have so far, it seems that he was rescued by someone."
"Rescue?" Xu Jingtang's eyes suddenly became sharp.
"Yes... Zhao Ke'er had no obvious abnormalities before today, but she was dissatisfied with the people arranged by her son. Today, she left the mansion under the pretext of going to the Confucius Temple to burn incense for her father. She encountered many obstacles along the way. Now I think that someone must have deliberately made trouble to distract the guards and take the opportunity to contact Zhao Ke'er..."
"Afterwards, when Zhao Ke'er entered the temple, she also deliberately avoided the guards. Judging from the traces at the scene, she must have taken the initiative to open the window and escaped, and reunited with the people who were waiting for her... However, she didn't get too far away. It is said that someone nearby saw her..."
"In the mansion where she lived, the servants were all asleep, and some of her underwear and belongings were missing..."
The second young master reported everything in detail.
The more Xu Jingtang listened, the uglier his expression became.
He jumped out of the window on his own initiative...someone picked him up...took away his personal belongings...no matter how you look at it, it was a premeditated escape.
Or should it be called a "rescue operation".
"Father," the second son was also full of anger, "The biggest suspect should be that Zhao Shixiong sent someone to do it."
Since the last Yongjia secret letter incident, Prince Mu’s palace sent embroidered officials to conduct multiple investigations.
After verification, the information on Nie Yurong's memorial was all true.
However, there is no conclusive evidence as to whether Zhao Shixiong had secret dealings with the imperial court.
Xu Jingtang went to find King Huai'an, but was unable to get an answer.
"Father, Zhao Shixiong must have known that we suspected him, so he took the risk and sent people to secretly rescue his only daughter." The second young master reasoned.
This is the most reasonable possibility.
Xu Jingtang sat in a high-back chair with a blank expression on his face and said:
"Zhao Shixiong's soldiers, even if they are scouts, are only good at fighting. How could they sneak in and rescue us without our knowledge?"
After a pause, he answered himself: "Unless it is the imperial guards who take action."
The second son was surprised: "Father means..."
Xu Jingtang tightly grasped the corner of the table with his right hand, his eyes red:
"It seems that Zhao Shixiong is very likely to have defected to the imperial court, so the shadow guard will help him rescue his daughter."
"boom!"
The solid corner of the table was crushed!
"You are an ungrateful bastard," Xu Jingtang tried his best to suppress his anger. Without hesitation, he immediately said:
"Send people to search, find, and capture! Inform the mastermind of the Embroidered Clothes to bring Zhao Ke'er back!"
The second son reminded:
"Father, the chief envoy of the Embroidered Uniforms is now in the north, investigating evidence of Zhao Shixiong's collusion with the enemy... The other envoys of the Embroidered Uniforms are also sent out to work. There is only one first-class envoy of the Embroidered Uniforms in the city now."
"I want you to catch him! At any cost!" Xu Jingtang interrupted rudely.
The second young master was startled, nodded and was about to go out.
But he was stopped by King Mu:
"After you get out, immediately gather your retainers and generals to discuss matters! If Zhao Shixiong rebels, we must prepare in advance. Also, kill anyone who knows about Zhao Ke'er's escape! While the two places are not in a timely manner, we can catch him off guard."
"Also, send a handwritten order to Yongjia by flying eagle, summoning Zhao Shixiong to come back alone immediately! To discuss the war! Humph, if he is willing to come back, I can give him a chance to explain. If he is reluctant, it means he is really rebelling."
The second young master took a deep breath, his heart beating like a drum: "Yes."
He felt heavy in his heart. Although the palace already had many means to control Zhao Shixiong, including the southwestern border troops, Zhao Shixiong now only had half of them with him.
But if this person rebels, I am afraid that the Huai River will be undefendable.
He turned around and was about to leave.
"Wait, there is one more thing." Xu Jingtang remembered something again:
"Contact the White-robed Sect Master. I want to see her. Also, contact the people from the Shenlong Temple."
The Second Young Master waited for a while this time, only to hear King Mu's furious shout:
"Why don't you go now!?"
Only then did he run out of the garden in a rage and covered in dust.
……
When Nie Yurong was summoned and met the second young master in a mansion, she saw that he had a gloomy face and was furious in his every move:
"Bring your people with you! Hunt down Zhao Ke'er! If you can't catch this person, you will be beheaded!"
Nie Yurong was scolded all over. The female killer silently wiped the spit from her face and said calmly:
"Second Master, I need help."
The latter, venting his anger on his subordinate, grabbed the badge and threw it at him:
"Is it enough? All the personnel at the Huaishui checkpoints are at your disposal!"
Nie Yurong lowered her eyebrows and continued:
"I will definitely complete the task."
When she walked out of the mansion, several subordinates in embroidered clothes surrounded her.
The young man holding a handleless blade between his fingers asked curiously:
"Sister, what happened?"
Nie Yurong glanced at him with a strange expression on her face:
"Zhao Shixiong's daughter ran away. The prince said that if we can't catch her, we will all die."
A group of B- and C-grade embroidered robes shuddered in unison and their faces became solemn.
The embroidered clothes pointed directly to the cruelty and bloodshed within the organization. They knew that if the prince said so, he would really kill people.
"Sister, what are we waiting for? Let's go find that person now." Kong Kong said anxiously.
Nie Yurong pursed her lips and looked at the subordinates who had followed her for many years. She hesitated to speak, but finally nodded:
"Okay. I'll assign the tasks."
She immediately divided the pursuit routes into different groups, assigned them to everyone, and agreed on a meeting time and place.
Wait until Xiu Yizhi points to them and they all leave.
Nie Yurong chose the remaining clue, and her figure swayed like a wisp of green smoke, floating in the alleys.
After an unknown amount of time, the green smoke suddenly stopped in a secluded alley and condensed into the enchanting figure of a female assassin.
"You came."
In the shadow of the alley, light and shadow slowly squirmed and twisted. Song Jinxi walked out with a sinister look, staring at her with gray eyes.
Nie Yurong was awed, fearing this palace attendant whose abilities in hiding, lurking, and assassinating were far superior to hers.
The female killer clasped her fists and saluted: "I pay my respects to Master Song."
Song Jinxi smiled and said:
"It seems that everything is as Lord Zhao guessed. When Xu Jingtang learns the news, he will definitely send people to search for him, and you, the first-class embroidered uniform envoy who delivered the letter, are the best candidate."
Nie Yurong said coldly:
"I have obtained the badge of the second young master of Prince Mu's Mansion. All the checkpoints along the way can be mobilized to cover your evacuation."
Song Jinxi shook his head:
"No. The badge given to you is both a power and a test. If you move it rashly, Xu Jingtang will react quickly and it will be troublesome.
Next, you can lead your men to search for Zhao Ke'er with all your strength. However, you can send a message to Prince Mu's Mansion, saying that according to the investigation, Zhao Ke'er is protected by the Shadow Guards. "
Nie Yurong was stunned for a moment, then she suddenly realized:
"Master Zhao also sent a third force to escort Zhao Ke'er? Are the shadow guards led by you, Song Gongsheng, the smokescreen to cover her evacuation?"
Song Jinxi stared at her quietly:
"Smart, but a truly smart person doesn't need to say it out loud even if he knows it in his heart."
Nie Yurong shuddered, as if being stared at by a poisonous snake. She took out a folded paper from her sleeve and handed it over:
"I have found some clues about the matter that Lord Zhao ordered me to investigate. I hope you can send it back to Linfeng."
Song Jinxi rolled up his sleeves and put away the secret letter. He twisted and squirmed, and disappeared into the shadows.
Nie Yurong waited for a while and confirmed that he had left before she let out a breath, walked out of the alley, bathed in the sunshine, looked back to the southwest, and raised the corners of her mouth:
"This time I should have made amends. Humph, you want my head? I'm surrendering to Zhao, so I won't accompany you anymore."
……
In the city, the door of a tailor shop was closed.
In the backyard of the tailor shop, Zhao Ke'er sat upright on a round stool, facing a bronze mirror on the table.
Behind her, a young man as delicate as a girl was holding a paintbrush between his fingers and deftly painting on her delicate face.
Wu Ling said as he painted:
"Don't move. My makeup is ruined, so I may not be able to change my appearance. You should know how many people in the city are looking for you now."
Zhao Ke'er, who had escaped death, didn't dare to move for a moment. She was as obedient as a sculpture. With the help of the reflection of the bronze mirror, she looked at Yun Xi who was standing by the door and looking out. She whispered:
"My fellow heroes, isn't your Kuangfu Society against the imperial court and the false emperor? That Zhao Duan even killed your leader, and that Zhuang...what..."
"Zhuang Xiaocheng."
"Yes, what's the point. Shouldn't you hate him to the core? Why are you still working for him?"
Yunxi looked through the crack in the door and saw soldiers walking on the street outside. She retracted her gaze and said coldly, "Because Zhuang Xiaocheng is a traitor to the country, a traitor who has brought disaster to the country and the people. The people of the world have been deceived. It is difficult to explain in a few words. In short, if we have to choose between someone like Prince Mu and the empress, we would rather choose the latter."
Zhao Keer nodded quickly, sharing the same hatred and the same enemy:
"That's right! This Prince Mu is not a good guy. I advised my father not to get involved with him..."
"Don't move! Your makeup will be ruined!" Wu Ling looked unhappy.
You yelled at me... Zhao Ke'er felt very aggrieved, but she knew the situation well and didn't dare to say a word.
Suddenly, Yunxi's ears moved slightly, and she turned her head to Lin Yuebai and his sister in the corner of the room and said:
"Just keep an eye on me, I'll be gone for a while."
Yunxi quickly left the room and appeared in the room next to the tailor shop.
Song Jinxi threw a letter to her:
"Take it back to Lord Zhao. Remember, when you get to the north, contact our Shadow Guards first and wait for Lord Zhao's instructions."
Yun Xi had no expression on her face. She put away the letter and nodded, "Got it."
After more than half a year of hardships, Yunxi has grown a lot. Although her appearance is still young, she is no longer the passionate young man who lived a life of idleness and waiting for death in the imperial prison, and was determined to overthrow the false emperor and sacrifice himself.
"And these are Zhao Ke'er's important belongings that she didn't have time to take with her when she fled."
Song Jinxi threw a small bundle over and continued:
"As you ordered. Next, we will pretend to be the team escorting Zhao Ke'er north to attract the pursuers from Prince Mu's Mansion, so as to cover your real team and escort her north."
"Don't worry, we will find a way to solve the checkpoints along the way for you in advance..."
This is Zhao Duan’s real arrangement.
Three forces cooperate with each other.
The pursuers led by Nie Yurong can divert most of the attention. When necessary, they can use the authority of the badge to mobilize troops along the way to encircle and intercept the "Shadow Guard", so as to create a gap for Yunxi and others to go north without arousing suspicion.
The people who were escorting, the people who were pretending to be escorting, the people who were chasing... they were all my, Zhao Duan's subordinates.
How will Xu Jingtang play in this game?
Soon, he watched Song Jinxi leave.
Yunxi returned to the tailor shop. In front of the mirror, Wu Ling used the "God of Drama" magic to successfully paint Zhao Ke'er into another person.
"Without further delay, we should set off."
Yun Xi said, throwing the bag over:
"See what might give you away and what wouldn't."
Zhao Ke'er subconsciously took the bundle, opened it, and saw the many items she had left behind. She couldn't help but realize:
These people were so thoughtful that they brought all the things to themselves.
……
……
Under the deliberate suppression of Prince Mu's Mansion, Zhao Ke'er's disappearance did not attract any attention.
There were only three teams moving northwards. As time passed, Nie Yurong's paper cranes never brought any good news.
Yongjia City.
The back hall of the government office.
Zhao Shixiong, who was a little short with a beard but had a powerful and intimidating aura, paced in the room.
The tall, plump, and graceful Gongsun sat at the table and couldn't help but say:
"Master, you can't go back! Xu Jingtang has become suspicious of you. When the eastern front asked for help, King Mu ordered us not to move! Now, he sent another letter, asking you to leave your troops in the city and rush back alone! This is definitely a trap!"
Zhao Shixiong paused, turned his head to look at his wife, and sighed:
"I understand. Is it because King Mu is suspicious of me? But I am not sure whether he summoned me back because he wants to attack me or is it a test. If I don't respond, I am afraid he will be even more suspicious!"
Between the couple, on the round table, there was a token.
A few days ago, a token from the prince was sent from the south, urgently summoning Zhao Shixiong to return.
It just so happened that Yuan Feng in the north, somehow, was preparing to attack by the Yongjia River at this moment.
Zhao Shixiong was hesitant to begin with, fearing danger, and he delayed by using the excuse that he was temporarily unable to leave to fight.
But there is a limit to procrastination. If the delay goes on for too long, it will prove his guilt in resisting a recall.
"In the final analysis, it's still that little thief Zhao Duan, so vicious!"
Zhao Shixiong cursed angrily:
"Who would have thought that he went to so much trouble just to frame me and alienate me from Prince Mu?!
No wonder Master Zhuang mentioned to me many times that this man was vicious, cruel, ruthless, dirty, cunning and changeable... Later, Master Zhuang fell into the hands of this man.
I didn't really believe it at first, and thought it was the trick of that fake emperor, and this person was just carrying out the execution.
Now it seems...Alas!"
That night, after Zhao Shixiong received the blank letter, he immediately realized that he had been tricked.
He had no choice but to hurriedly send the letter back, trying to tell Xu Jingtang everything first to avoid the other party's suspicion.
But it is obvious that judging from the subsequent changes, my efforts have had little effect.
Gongsun gritted his teeth and said:
"Prince Mu is too suspicious. If he were a wise ruler, this despicable frame-up would not work."
Zhao Shixiong shook his head and smiled bitterly:
"I know Xu Jingtang is not a benevolent emperor, but even though he has many faults, he is still much better than the fake emperor who killed his father and brother."
After a pause, the border general said in a deep voice:
"I want to go back, not only because I'm worried about the misunderstanding, but also because Ke'er is still in Xu Jingtang's hands. If I don't go back, I'm afraid Ke'er will be wronged."
Gongsun immediately shut up and said no more.
Gongsun Nai was Zhao Shixiong's second wife, and Zhao Ke was not her daughter. The two were in a stepmother and stepdaughter relationship.
Therefore, Gongsun was very careful and knew that he could no longer persuade Zhao Ke as it involved his safety.
Just at this moment.
Suddenly, there were footsteps outside the door, followed by knocks on the door:
"General! Miss... Miss is here!"
The couple in the room were stunned for a moment. Zhao Shixiong took a few steps forward, pulled open the door with both hands, and stared at the guards outside:
"Who did you say is coming?"
The guard said, "Yes, Miss! Miss Ke'er! A few people of unknown origin escorted Miss into the city and came directly to the outside of the government office. They want to see you."
……
A few moments.
"father!"
As soon as Zhao Ke'er stepped into the inner hall of the government office, she saw her father and second mother standing at the door. Her eyes suddenly turned red, and she let out a cry, then threw herself into her father's arms like a young swallow flying into the forest.
The group's journey north was safe and sound, but they did have to sleep in the open air.
As the only daughter of the general's mansion, how could Zhao Ke'er have suffered so much? At this moment, she was wearing a cloak and her face was much thinner.
When I saw my father, I was finally no longer afraid and my tears flowed like a floodgate, and I couldn't stop them.
Zhao Shixiong was shocked at first, but when he saw his daughter like this, he felt extremely distressed.
First I comforted him and then asked about the situation.
"Dad, Xu Jingtang knows about your relationship with the court and is planning to deal with you! He is even planning to capture my daughter to vent his anger!"
Zhao Keer calmed down, began to cry loudly, and quickly recounted her experience.
Hearing that Prince Mu's mansion had increased the number of people to monitor his daughter, and later wanted to defile her... Zhao Shixiong, a general of the border army, was so angry that his lips trembled.
Gongsun, who was standing by, was shocked and angry, but he was more concerned about the follow-up: "How did you escape?"
Zhao Ke wiped away her tears and asked in confusion, "It was that Zhao Duan who sent people to rescue my daughter. Dad, don't you know? Didn't you appoint them to bring my daughter back?"
When did I surrender to the imperial court? And I also appointed that guy...
Zhao Shixiong was stunned for a moment, his brain was temporarily out of service, but he was such an important figure that he suddenly understood something, and his expression became extremely complicated: "It's him..."
Gongsun also frowned.
"Dad, Second Mom. The heroes who escorted me back are still outside. We should invite them in as well." Zhao Keer said.
"A hero? Not a shadow guard?" Zhao Shixiong was stunned. If he was the person arranged by Zhao Duan, he should be a lackey of the imperial court.
"No, they are from Kuangfu Society... Oh, it's too complicated. You can find out if you call Yunxi in." Zhao Ke'er became familiar with the people from Kuangfu Society along the way.
Someone from Kuangfu Society?
Following the orders of that guy Zhao Duan?
Rescue your daughter?
Zhao Shixiong's head was buzzing, and he felt like it was a fantasy, but he still announced that the person should be brought in.
Soon, a group of people led by Yunxi stepped into the hall.
"General Zhao, we meet again." Yunxi took off her hat and said calmly.
Zhao Shixiong was stunned for a moment, his pupils dilated: "It's you! Master Zhuang's favorite disciple!"
He had met Yunxi once a long time ago.
That was before Zhuang Xiaocheng came to Beijing.
Yun Xi shook her head and said, "Zhuang Xiaocheng is a traitor to the country. Now, I have turned over a new leaf and am working for Governor Zhao."
(End of this chapter)