The Commander of the Five Districts Military Police quickly came out to meet Third Master Chen.

He sat in the Military Police hall, drinking tea with a cold expression.

The Commander approached, clasped his hands, and smiled: “It’s rare for the Cabinet Elder to visit my humble place!”

Chen Yan Yun pointed to the armchair beside him, gesturing for him to sit down, and first tossed a document on the table: “This is an order to seal the city. Commander Zhou, please take a look first!”

The Commander was both surprised and doubtful. Such a city-sealing order was not simple to obtain. Although Chen Yan Yun was an esteemed Cabinet Elder, this wasn’t something he could just take as he pleased! He opened it and saw that it was indeed an authentic city-sealing order! Not daring to delay, he immediately called in guards and issued the order to seal the city.

Though the Military Police was responsible for maintaining order in the capital, the inner city had the Jin Wu Guards and Shen Ji Battalion, while the outer city had garrison troops, so their actual authority was limited. Wondering what had happened that took half a day for orders to reach the Military Police, the Commander smiled and asked Third Master Chen: “For the Cabinet Elder to personally deliver a city-sealing order, there must be an urgent matter. If this official knew what it was about, it would be easier to carry out orders properly!”

Chen Yan Yun explained calmly: “A gang of bandits has entered the capital, extremely vicious and murderous. They committed over ten homicides in Baodi, and someone reported seeing them enter the capital. With the capital being populous and prosperous, it would be terrible if they threatened the safety of civilians. We need to catch them like fish in a jar.”

The matter of Gu Jin Chao’s abduction would bring a bad reputation, so naturally, it couldn’t be revealed. Fortunately, these people had committed homicides, which could be used as a cover.

The Commander was somewhat puzzled but didn’t dare to ask further.

Whatever came from above was to be accepted; there was no room for him to question it.

Chen Yi soon came in.

He called Third Master Chen outside and spoke as they walked: “…Following the trail, we’ve found some traces. People saw this group enter the city but lost track of them at Jiuchun Ward. They must be hiding nearby. A search would find them, but we don’t have enough guards. Once they discover we’re tracking them, they might change locations. Perhaps we should ask the Duke to dispatch troops…”

“We can’t make too much commotion,” Third Master Chen said quietly. “Where is Chang Hai now? I’ll speak to him personally.”

He feared these desperate bandits might kill people ruthlessly if pursued by troops in a panic.

……

When Gu Jin Chao woke up, she found herself sitting on a heated kang bed, her hands tied to the railing behind her. Looking around, she saw blue fine gauze curtains, a paulownia wood kang table, and a cotton quilt with a hundred-pattern design on the kang… Judging by the furnishings, this seemed to be an ordinary household. Cai Fu and Nanny Sun were still lying nearby, their hands tied together.

She tried moving her hands and found they weren’t tied very tightly. If she applied more force, she could probably break free…

But voices suddenly came from outside the door.

Gu Jin Chao stopped her twisting movements and listened carefully to the people talking outside.

The voice sounded very much like the leader’s. His tone was slightly angry, his voice much lower than before: “…Third Brother, what do you mean by this!”

The other voice was unfamiliar, without a Sichuan accent.

“You have murders on your hands, and you didn’t clean up properly. The Young Master won’t let you stay. Besides, what’s so good about the capital? If you went back to Jiazhou, wouldn’t you have everything you want? Do you think it’s easy to serve these nobles? That Young Master is ruthless and never shows mercy to people like us. Everyone lives on the edge of a blade…”

“The men under me aren’t ordinary either. If you just tell the Young Master, he’ll surely agree.” He paused. “You urge me to return to Jiazhou, but why have you never gone back? When Mother was gravely ill and wanted to see you, you didn’t even write a letter home!”

The other person sighed: “Xie Si Xing, just listen to Third Brother and leave first! I’ll return to Jiazhou someday to visit Mother’s grave and ask forgiveness.”

Xie Si Xing…

Gu Jin Chao heard this name and found it extremely familiar.

When she realized why, her whole body went cold!

No wonder it felt familiar!

Xie Si Xing was the former leader of Sichuan bandits who had killed over ten thousand people in Sichuan. Loathed by the public, his evil deeds were innumerable. Later he proclaimed himself king, self-styling as “King Qi Zhen,” causing great alarm to the imperial court.

After he proclaimed himself king, the court finally refused to tolerate it and sent troops several times to eliminate him, but they all returned defeated. Finally, Third Master Chen went to Sichuan as a military supervisor, and that was the time he died in Sichuan and never returned…

And now, Xie Si Xing was still just a bandit. But his cold-blooded ruthlessness, meticulous mind, and superior martial arts skills were already enough to cause great concern.

But who was this Young Master he wanted to join?

As far as she knew, the most ruthless one would be the Young Master of the Marquis of Chang Xing, Ye Xian…

Gu Jin Chao closed her eyes with a bitter smile. She both wanted and didn’t want to encounter him. If it was Ye Xian, she would naturally be safe, but if it was him, Gu Jin Chao didn’t know how to face him…

“Third Brother, you still speak to me so condescendingly.” He suddenly laughed. “I’ve brought something over this time. Rest assured, it’s something good. If you let me present it to the Young Master, not only will he not blame you, but he’ll reward you. Since we’re brothers… I won’t treat you poorly either.”

That person couldn’t help asking: “What have you brought?”

“If you help introduce me, everything can be discussed.” He said calmly. “We’re all people who don’t act without profit. If Third Brother is unwilling, then don’t blame me for disregarding our years of friendship.”

What was he going to give?

Gu Jin Chao suddenly had a guess. These bandits hadn’t killed her, most likely because they knew her identity… Her appearance was secondary; it was her identity that could bring this man enormous benefits!

The conversation suddenly stopped, and Gu Jin Chao didn’t know what had happened.

Soon she heard footsteps approaching.

She quickly closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

The door creaked open, and steady footsteps came closer and closer.

Gu Jin Chao felt a rough hand touch her forehead, slowly sliding down along her cheek… Thinking about how these hands had killed people and torn bloody horse meat, she couldn’t bear it for a moment. She turned her face and opened her eyes to stare at Xie Si Yuan: “What are you doing!”

He had shaved his beard clean and changed into a light cyan long robe, looking at least ten years younger. His features were exceptionally deep-set, with deep eye sockets, giving him a foreign appearance. He turned and picked up the knife from the table, saying calmly: “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t go so far as to molest a woman. I just wanted to wake you up… I knew you were pretending to sleep the moment I entered. You drank the least from that bowl of water, so it’s normal that you woke up first.”

The dark red blood on his knife was slowly wiped away, the blade polished to shine.

So that bowl of water did have a problem.

Gu Jin Chao secretly twisted her hands again and found that the knot was looser than before. Without revealing anything, she diverted his attention: “With your grand ambitions, what do you want with a mere woman like me? Aren’t you afraid of being looked down upon?”

Xie Si Yuan laughed heartily at this: “Others looking down on me has nothing to do with you. Just stay put!”

Someone called him from outside. Xie Si Yuan no longer paid attention to Gu Jin Chao and strode out of the room.

Gu Jin Chao quietly sighed in relief. Smart people all have a fatal flaw: arrogance. Xie Si Yuan probably disdained to guard against her… which was perfect! Her hands were a bit looser now, able to reach her waistband.

Gu Jin Chao pulled off a few South Sea pearls the size of rice grains from her waistband and quietly held them in her hand.

She lay back and closed her eyes.

Since Xie Si Yuan wanted to take her to meet someone and seek favors, she would be moved out of this courtyard… She still had a chance!

By evening, Xie Si Yuan indeed came in again.

He was holding another bowl of water, smiling as he looked at Gu Jin Chao: “Madam, please be at ease. It will only take about two hours.”

Gu Jin Chao nodded: “Untie my ropes then!”

Seeing that she wasn’t resisting, Xie Si Yuan didn’t make things difficult for her. He also didn’t like to harm women, except for killing them.

Gu Jin Chao drank the bowl of water and soon felt her head becoming heavy. She desperately pinched her palm to maintain consciousness.

She was placed in a carriage again. Gu Jin Chao leaned against the carriage wall, no longer able to suppress the dizziness… Her palm was covered in blood from her pinching, and her entire hand was trembling.

The sound of wooden clappers being struck came from outside, indicating she was in a town. The official road from Baodi only went to the capital and Daxing. Calculating the travel time, she should now be in the outer city of the capital. Gu Jin Chao felt the carriage gradually stop, and she was carried into a stranger’s arms as she was taken out of the carriage.

Someone exclaimed in surprise: “Xie Si Yuan, this is what you called a thing? This is a woman—”

Xie Si Yuan smiled: “Never mind what it is. Where is the Young Master?”

The man snorted: “The Young Master of the Marquis of Chang Xing is too important for you. You’d better wait! He’s said to be with the Young Mistress… whether he’ll come over is uncertain. Put this woman in the side room first! I’ll go and inform him again.”

Xie Si Yuan held back his anger repeatedly. After all, this was the capital, and he had come to seek advancement! That little patch of land in Jiazhou couldn’t contain his grand ambitions; he couldn’t be confined to those mountain valleys. He just smiled: “Then please ask the Young Master to come and see!”

Gu Jin Chao was placed on a chair, with no further movement.

She hazily heard the conversation between these two people but couldn’t process it at all, leaning against the chair back and slowly waiting to regain clarity.

So Xie Si Yuan had indeed come to join Ye Xian.

Based on her understanding of Ye Xian, he wouldn’t refuse such a person. Wasn’t it because Ye Xian had cleared out the bandits in Sichuan that he gained the qualifications to sit in the position of Minister of War? If Xie Si Yuan was truly his man, then how large was this chess game of creating the “King Qi Zhen,” and how many people had he calculated against?

Who exactly had killed Third Master Chen? Zhang Ju Lian, Fourth Master Chen… or Ye Xian?

Or perhaps more than one person was involved.

Gu Jin Chao could now feel the pulse of the matter, but what lay behind it felt increasingly heavy.

By the time she truly regained consciousness, she saw Xie Si Yuan sitting at the table drinking wine. He was tall, and his shadow in the candlelight covered her like a mountain.

Someone knocked on the door. He stood up and walked out, followed by the sound of lowered voices laughing.