lcionline Chapter 407 Who is it?
Chapter 407 Who is it?
Chapter 407
Ye Yunzhou clenched his fists, a fierce look flashing in his eyes. He would not let Emperor Yuanzhen succeed easily in his wishful thinking. But now that the Third Prince was missing, he needed to stabilize the situation first, and then make long-term plans to resolve Luo Shuiyao's hidden dangers, so as not to let Emperor Yuanzhen take advantage of the situation. Thinking of this, he felt even more urgent and quickened his pace towards the Hidden Dragon Division. The Hidden Dragon Division could be said to be built by him. Although it was directly under the command of His Majesty on paper, most of the people in the division were his close friends. Of course, there were also people sent in by Emperor Yuanzhen. But he had already prepared a plan to deal with it, and he was not afraid of his deployment being known to the other party.
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News of the Third Prince's mansion fire spread throughout the capital the next day. While no one dared discuss it publicly, whispers circulated throughout the streets and alleys. Upon learning of the Third Prince's disappearance, Emperor Yuanzhen, enraged, announced to the world that he had died in the fire. The common people reacted indifferently, believing the Third Prince's status was too distant from their lives to be anything more than a topic of conversation.
For some reason, the streets had been overcrowded with guards and police officers for the past two days. Not only were travel permits strictly required for entry and exit, but businesspeople were scrutinized with even greater care. Checkpoints along the surrounding roads were also increasingly stringent in checking entry and exit records. Everyone secretly suspected that perhaps thieves were behind the fire at the Third Prince's residence, but no one dared to speak out loud. They simply tried to avoid leaving the city as much as possible for the next few days to avoid unnecessary trouble.
This incident had caused a stir in the capital, and Luo Shuiyao was naturally aware of it. The news of the city gate search could not be hidden from her. She had already repeatedly postponed her return to Qingshui Town, and it would be inappropriate to delay further. She thought to herself that the person they were searching for had no connection to her, so she probably wouldn't be implicated. Besides, bringing her aunt and others to the capital would take at least a month, by which time the incident would have died down. After careful consideration, she decided not to postpone her trip and set off for Qingshui Town as planned.
There were obviously fewer pedestrians on the streets of Beijing, but due to the strict inspections at the city gates, there were still long queues at the gates.
Luo Shuiyao set out today, accompanied only by Chun Xing and several skilled guards Yang Wei had hired on horseback. Chun Tao was left at the Luo residence, as she needed to handle certain matters and pass on messages. It was convenient to buy food along the way, and since the weather was hot, food didn't keep well. Aside from a few small toys for her aunt and the others, she didn't pack much, so one carriage was more than enough.
After waiting in line for a while, they finally arrived at the city gate. Luo Shuiyao didn't get off the carriage. Chun Xing and the other guards handed the pass and other documents to the guards. The guard leader took the pass, carefully checked it, and inspected the carriage inside and out. Seeing that there was no one out of the ordinary, he let them pass without making things difficult for them.
In the city, at the same moment Luo Shuiyao left, Ye Yunzhou also received news of her departure. He dismissed the subordinate who came to report and continued to attend to his official duties without looking up. Luo Shuiyao's trip to Qingshui Town to pick up her aunt was no secret; he had known about it for a long time. The most important thing now was to properly handle all matters at hand and not leave the city at the same time as Luo Shuiyao. He had to wait at least two days, then pretend to have found the whereabouts of the Third Prince, and personally leave the capital to "arrest" him and bring him back to the court. If the two left the city too close together, it would surely arouse Emperor Yuanzhen's suspicion.
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Elsewhere, after being escorted out of the city by the Marquis's residence, Lu Zhaozhao, accompanied by the servants who had accompanied her, journeyed to the Lu family residence in Ping'an County. This return journey was markedly different from her arrival, with nearly all of her closest associates wiped out. Those accompanying her were not close confidants, and naturally puzzled as to why Lu Zhaozhao had left the Lu family and headed for the capital. While everyone felt deeply embarrassed by the Marquis's apparent escort, their demeanor faded, leaving only joy at returning home. Only Lu Zhaozhao knew that this journey to Ping'an County was like walking into a dangerous trap.
My mother's actions made my grandmother hate her to the core. She was already disliked by my grandmother, and now she has become a thorn in her grandmother's side.
Lu Zhaozhao had considered not returning, but for a woman of such striking beauty, surviving alone in this world was tantamount to seeking her own death. But if she didn't flee, the mere thought of her grandmother's cold, disgusted gaze sent a shudder through her. The road ahead was long and thorny, and after much deliberation, she felt she had no choice but to grit her teeth and set out on the road back to Ping'an County.
But it seemed as if the heavens still had mercy on her, yet also as if they were deliberately testing her. Not long after leaving the capital, the group became stranded in a small town along the way. Days of heavy rain had washed away the roads, forcing them to stay there temporarily. This limbo lasted for half a month.
It was a rare sunny day. Zhao Zhao had been cooped up in the inn for a full half month, feeling as if she were about to molder like the damp weather. Finally seeing the clear sky, she immediately headed towards town with her maid. The heavy rain had just stopped, and the air was thick with the scent of damp earth. Fortunately, the town wasn't far from the capital, and the streets had been cleared long ago. While still muddy, it wasn't too difficult to walk on.
Lu Zhaozhao led her maid through the streets and alleys, but her interest soon faded. This town was too small, and the clothes and jewelry displayed in the street shops were old-fashioned and poorly made. Not a single one caught her eye. She glanced at the stalls absentmindedly, and finally, as the sun set, her interest waned and she turned to return to the inn.
But as she passed by a small stall, the rich aroma in the air instantly piqued her interest. Although the stall was shabby and simple, looking quite shabby, compared with the unchanging meals in the inn for days, this dislike was immediately forgotten.
Lu Zhaozhao turned around and walked towards the stall.
Seeing this, the maid hurriedly followed her, quickly stepped forward and carefully wiped the table and stool with her sleeves, then helped Lu Zhaozhao sit down. Lu Zhaozhao let the maid serve her, and after she was seated, she whispered, "Go and get a portion of all the specialties from this stall."
The maid replied "yes" and turned to walk to the stall to order.
Although this stall looks a bit old, perhaps because it has been used for a long time, the surface of the wooden table is slightly dull, but if you look closely, you will find that it is clean and tidy.
The aroma wafting from the stall attracted many people to stop by. When Lu Zhaozhao arrived, there was still one empty table. But in a short while, the previously empty tables were also filled. Some diners left with regret when they saw that there were no more seats available; others, who were not in a hurry, waited outside, planning to come in again when a table became available.
Soon, the maid arrived carrying several bowls. Because the stall was run by a husband and wife duo, they were incredibly busy, so diners mostly helped themselves to the food. The maid gently placed the food on the table and stood aside, her hands hanging.
Lu Zhaozhao noticed someone repeatedly looking in her direction. She glanced back and realized they were curious about her presence with her maids. The crowd here was filled with commoners, and with the maids serving her, coupled with her unique attire, she certainly stood out. So she raised her hand and gestured, "Go get a bowl and eat outside."
"Yes, Miss." The maid's face lit up with joy, already tempted by the aroma wafting from the stall. After hurriedly thanking Lu Zhaozhao, she carefully picked up a bowl and quickly walked out of the shed. Not far outside the shed, she squeezed in with the diners who had also found no seats and were sitting on the floor, feasting heartily.
Lu Zhaozhao naturally noticed the maid's actions and frowned in disdain, looking down upon her rather rude manner. However, she had very few people around her to work with, and this maid was the only one she found somewhat pleasing to the eye. So she turned away, intending to ignore her. However, this turn of her head caused her pupils to widen instantly.