Chapter 60: Are You Leaving?
Nightfall enveloped the land. In order to rest well, Yang Luo prepared to sleep early.
She had just lain down when a knock sounded at the door.
“Young Lady.”
A Sheng? Yang Luo was stunned for a moment. The young guard rarely approached her room at night. Although they had traveled together and even shared a room once, that was out of necessity. At other times, the youth was very mindful of the distinction between men and women…
“What is it?” Yang Luo hurriedly asked, getting up and putting on her outer robe.
“Something happened.” The young guard’s voice came from outside.
Something happened? Yang Luo walked over and opened the door.
“Are we out of money?” she said, handing over the money bag. “Does the carriage rental company need payment renewed?”
Mo Zheng shook her head: “No, no, we still have money.” She looked at her: “Miss Liu Chan’s father has come.”
Yang Luo was stunned, as if she hadn’t understood. The youth’s voice came again.
“.And he caused a scene at Duke Ding’an’s Mansion, saying they had captured his daughter.”
“How could that be?” Yang Luo blurted out in disbelief. “That incident wasn’t now!”
That incident—Mo Zheng narrowed her eyes. It sounded like it had happened once before? So it wasn’t divination?
“I mean, it shouldn’t be now according to the divination.”
Yang Luo knew she had misspoke, but she just gave a perfunctory explanation. Anyway, in the young guard’s eyes, she was already a strange one.
She gripped her hand and murmured about the current situation.
“Why come so early?”
In that life, the Liu Family had naturally come looking too, but it was a month later.
It had been less than half a month now.
“Young Lady chose this place initially to conveniently keep watch on Duke Ding’an’s Mansion.”
“When I couldn’t watch every moment because of guarding Young Lady, I found some beggars and gave them money to help.”
“You know too, beggars look unremarkable and are best suited for hiding and espionage. Back when we were in Lu County…”
The young guard was still explaining how it started. Yang Luo impatiently stomped her foot: “Stop talking about that. I know you’re meticulous and had arrangements ready. Quickly say what exactly happened!”
He should still explain what needed explaining. Mo Zheng lightly coughed in her mind. Although Miss Yang didn’t care and probably had even forgotten about watching Duke Ding’an’s Mansion.
“The beggars watching Duke Ding’an’s Mansion saw people causing a scene in front of Duke Ding’an’s Mansion at dusk…”
Mo Zheng repeated verbatim what Liu Changqing had said in front of Duke Ding’an’s Mansion gate at the time.
Yang Luo suddenly understood, her expression complex.
She got it. Originally, the Liu Family wouldn’t have come so early, but this time because of her replacement and the conflict with Yang Hui, Duke Ding’an’s Mansion had gone to reprimand the Liu Family. The Liu Family got the news and came to the capital city early…
She had exploited a loophole from the previous life, but also changed the course of the previous life.
“Now…” She looked toward the door.
Was it time to run?
Mo Zheng said softly: “Young Lady, don’t worry yet. I had the beggars tell Miss Liu.”
Tell Miss Liu? Yang Luo looked at him. This time, without waiting for the young guard to explain further, she took the initiative: “Right, you know where Miss Liu lives. I had you send her money…”
Mo Zheng couldn’t help laughing and nodded: “Yes, so now Miss Liu already knows the news and sent the maidservant to Duke Ding’an’s Mansion, hoping to convince her father and smoothly take him away…”
Hearing this, Yang Luo stared blankly at the young guard. Convince?
How would Miss Liu convince her father?
No, shouldn’t Miss Liu have also noticed something was wrong?
Could it be…
In the dimly lit courtyard at night, the young guard’s face showed apology.
“Please forgive me, Young Lady. The matter of me stealing the invitation for you was too big. I was still a bit afraid, so earlier I slightly explained and persuaded Miss Liu…”
Too many things had happened tonight. Yang Luo didn’t know what to think for a moment and couldn’t help wondering if she was dreaming right now. How was everything she heard so unexpected?
……
……
Night had fallen. Duke Ding’an had closed the gate and gone in. The scholar and his disciple sat at the doorway like stone lions, neither noisy nor disruptive. For now, there was no spectacle to see.
Plus curfew was approaching, so the watching civilians all dispersed.
“Teacher, I brought dry rations!”
The young disciple said, starting to prepare dinner.
A carriage hurriedly drove over, and a maidservant jumped down before it had even stopped.
“Master, Young Master Cheng!”
Hearing the shout, Cheng Yuan involuntarily stood up. Liu Changqing, who had been meditating with eyes closed on the steps, also opened his eyes.
“Bi Yun!”
“Oh, where is Chan’er?”
The two looked toward the carriage behind the maidservant Bi Yun.
No one else came out from inside the carriage.
“Young Lady is at home!” Bi Yun hurriedly said. “I went out to buy vegetables and heard the commotion on the street, so I knew you had come. Oh, Master, you misunderstood.”
She glanced at the tightly shut main gate of Duke Ding’an’s Mansion, her expression nervous, and went forward to support Liu Changqing.
“Master, hurry home. Young Lady is waiting for you.”
Cheng Yuan excitedly picked up the book bag. Liu Changqing hesitated somewhat and looked back at Duke Ding’an’s Mansion gate.
“Since it’s a misunderstanding, I’ll apologize to them,” he said.
With that, he was about to knock on the door.
The maidservant Bi Yun hurriedly pulled him back.
“Master, it’s not that they misunderstood. They really bullied Young Lady.” She hurriedly whispered, pulling hard at Liu Changqing. “Hurry home. After curfew, you won’t be able to leave. Young Lady is anxiously waiting for you.”
No misunderstanding, good then. Liu Changqing flung his sleeve toward Duke Ding’an’s Mansion gate and followed Bi Yun toward the carriage. Cheng Yuan was already standing in front of the carriage, reaching out to help, but at that moment footsteps came from the street side.
A team of Embroidered Uniform Guards in black robes gleaming with golden light surged over, surrounding the people and the carriage and horses.
Liu Changqing frowned slightly. Cheng Yuan looked surprised, while the maidservant Bi Yun had already begun to tremble.
“You…” Liu Changqing wasn’t particularly afraid and frowned to speak.
One Embroidered Uniform Guard jumped off his horse but passed them by, rushing to Duke Ding’an’s Mansion gate. The knife in his hand smashed heavily against the gate, causing a loud crash in the night.
“Come out!! Open the gate! Duke Ding’an!!! The one who cursed you is trying to run!!”
Liu Changqing, standing in front of the carriage, looked stunned.
……
……
Duke Ding’an’s Mansion front became lively again in the night.
First shocked by the shout, then frightened by the gate-smashing Embroidered Uniform Guard, Duke Ding’an’s whole family came out. Then hearing Liu Changqing say it was a misunderstanding and that he was leaving, the shock and fear instantly turned to anger: “Don’t let them go!!”
The two families started arguing again.
Wei Jiao, standing at the street side teahouse watching this scene from afar, smiled and nodded: “That’s right. How can you bully people and just leave.”
An Embroidered Uniform Guard came in from outside: “Captain, there’s no one in that carriage. Miss Liu didn’t come. The maidservant said Miss Liu is afraid of Duke Ding’an’s Mansion so she didn’t come.”
Wei Jiao sneered coldly: “What nonsense. If she feared Duke Ding’an’s Mansion, how would these things happen.”
He stood up looking at the group of people pulling and tugging.
There must be something strange about this matter.
……
……
In the dark night, two little beggars ran off from the alley. Mo Zheng stood at the doorway, seemingly lost in thought.
“What did they say?” Yang Luo asked softly from behind. “Duke Ding’an won’t let them leave?”
Mo Zheng turned her head: “It’s not Duke Ding’an. It’s the Embroidered Uniform Guards.”
Yang Luo looked surprised. Embroidered Uniform Guards?
What did this have to do with the Embroidered Uniform Guards? Could Duke Ding’an have called them?
How could Duke Ding’an call them!
“I think it’s not Duke Ding’an who called the Embroidered Uniform Guards. It’s the Embroidered Uniform Guards who have been watching Duke Ding’an’s Mansion.” Mo Zheng said. “Young Lady, it seems your impersonation of Miss Yuan back then has been exposed.”
Miss Yuan. Yang Luo paused slightly. Yes, Miss Yuan had entered the capital city long ago. If Wei Jiao checked, he would discover it immediately…
This was a lie that couldn’t withstand inquiry.
The young guard’s voice came to her ear.
“Young Lady, we should escape.”
