After Wen Yu spoke those words, the room fell so silent one could hear a pin drop.

The Prefecture Governor’s wife’s expression went from stunned to alarmed to overjoyed.

The rumor that Pei Song had posted portraits of Hanyang Wengzhu and was searching everywhere among the common people for women resembling Hanyang Wengzhu—the purpose behind this became clear in an instant.

She hastily struggled to rise and bowed to Wen Yu, “So it’s Your Highness who is here. Please accept this humble woman’s bow.”

Wen Yu held the Prefecture Governor’s wife’s elbow and helped her up, saying, “Madam is unwell. There’s no need for such courtesy.”

That she dared reveal her identity at this time—she had naturally considered it carefully before coming.

Previously she hadn’t dared seek help from the Prefecture Governor’s residence because in the chaotic situation, she couldn’t guarantee the Yongzhou Prefecture Governor’s position.

But the letter Xiao Li had unexpectedly obtained had already alarmed the soldiers into searching throughout the night last night, which was enough to prove that the letter was indeed evidence of Huo Kun’s treasonous collaboration with the enemy. The Yongzhou Prefecture Governor absolutely had no intention of defecting to Pei Song—otherwise Huo Kun wouldn’t be so anxious about that letter.

If this were a trap to lure her out, that would make even less sense. If those setting the trap had known early on that she was hiding with the Xiao family, they could have directly arrested her. Why would they need to create such a letter for Xiao Li to obtain and then lure her here?

The current situation was urgent. She and the Yongzhou Prefecture Governor were already grasshoppers tied to the same rope. Rather than continuing to conceal her identity and arousing the other party’s suspicion, it would be better to reveal her identity. This way she could more quickly bring in reinforcements to rescue Xiao Li, Xiao Huiniang, and the others.

The Prefecture Governor’s wife assumed Wen Yu had rushed here from Fengyang. Also, because the evidence of Huo Kun’s crimes had been brought by her, and she had been acting extremely composed all along, she suddenly felt she had found someone to rely on. She immediately steadied her mind somewhat and said shamefully, “This is the failure of this humble woman and her husband. Your Highness came to this place, yet we were completely unaware. That wolf-hearted Huo Kun’s schemes—it was Your Highness who came to inform us. This is truly shameful…”

Just as Wen Yu was about to speak, a maid’s voice suddenly came from outside the door, “My lord.”

Following that came a middle-aged man’s voice, “How is Madam?”

The maid answered hesitantly, “Madam… seems to have been frightened. She only has a maid brought by Madam Xu inside keeping her company.”

In a moment, the door was opened. Yongzhou Prefecture Governor Zhou Jing’an, wearing a crane-patterned Confucian robe, strode into the room.

He was in his early forties, with some white hair already visible at his temples. His figure was lean, and he kept the long beard that scholars liked to grow. His sleeves swept up the wind as he moved, presenting quite an elegant and upright appearance. After entering the room, he changed his tone, “Madam?”

Madam Zhou parted the bead curtain and signaled the maid at the door to close it, then turned to Wen Yu and said, “Your Highness, my husband has arrived.”

Zhou Jing’an had just heard the maid say outside the door that his wife had only kept a maid from Madam Xu’s side. He had already sensed something was wrong. Now hearing his wife address the other party as “Your Highness,” he instantly knew that the person inside probably had an extraordinary identity. He peered toward the inside of the bead curtain but only saw an ethereally beautiful profile. He was wondering in his heart who this woman was.

Then he heard his wife say, “Husband, quickly pay your respects to Wengzhu.”

The Imperial family’s descendants were few. Before the late Emperor’s death, court officials and the Empress Dowagers had looked through the Imperial clan genealogy over and over many times but couldn’t find anyone from the legitimate line. Only then did they select Prince Changlian’s collateral branch to inherit the throne.

The only one who had been personally granted a title by the late Emperor and was called Wengzhu was Prince Changlian’s daughter, Hanyang Wengzhu.

Zhou Jing’an quickly bowed with clasped hands through the bead curtain, “Not knowing Wengzhu has honored us with her presence, this humble official failed to greet you from afar.”

Wen Yu parted the bead curtain and stepped out, saying, “My lord, please dispense with courtesy. I’ve come today because of an extremely urgent matter.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jing’an’s face showed shock, and turbid tears immediately rolled from his weather-worn eyes. He asked in a trembling voice, “Is Fengyang in danger?”

Thinking of the fate of the nation’s rivers and mountains, his face showed sorrow. He said with a choked voice, “Since learning that Luodu had fallen to another and that the Prince was trapped defending Fengyang, this official, living in peace in this corner of Yongzhou, has never slept soundly. I’ve thought many times of going north to serve the king loyally and rescue him, but Yongzhou is also surrounded by wolves on all sides. I fear that if I leave, I’ll be placing the common people of Yongzhou in dire straits…”

Wen Yu said, “Now the world is in great chaos and the people’s livelihood is difficult. This is the Wen clan’s incompetence. My lord is the parent official of Yongzhou. Remaining here to protect the people of Yongzhou is not wrong. My lord need not blame yourself. My purpose in coming this time is not to ask my lord to rush to Fengyang’s aid, but because I’ve learned that Huo Kun has already pledged allegiance to Pei Song and intends to kill my lord and take his place. I hope my lord will immediately mobilize troops to arrest and execute this traitor!”

Madam Zhou quickly presented Huo Kun’s letter written in his own hand for her husband to see. Although her mind had steadied somewhat now, her fingertips were still trembling, “This letter serves as proof.”

After reading it, Zhou Jing’an felt both ashamed, guilty, and angry, saying, “I must not let such a traitor live!”

Wen Yu said, “Huo Kun already knows he’s lost the letter. A righteous person is falsely claiming to have the letter in hand and is holding him back. If he learns this is a trap, he’ll certainly act desperately. My lord, we don’t have much time!”

Zhou Jing’an also knew the situation was urgent. He bowed to Wen Yu again and said, “Then I must trouble Wengzhu to rest in the residence for half a day. This official will go immediately to mobilize troops and make deployments. After executing this traitor, I will come to beg Wengzhu’s forgiveness!”

Wen Yu clenched her palms and quickly said, “I have another request. I ask my lord to allocate several dozen men to me. That righteous person’s family has shown me great kindness. I wish to take people to rescue that righteous person.”

Zhou Jing’an showed some hesitation, “This… Huo Kun commands several battalions of troops. If he counterattacks then, I fear Wengzhu might come to harm outside. Why doesn’t Wengzhu tell me that righteous person’s surname and name, and where he is now? I’ll send people to rescue him.”

Wen Yu also understood that in this extremely urgent situation, she couldn’t add more trouble for the Yongzhou Prefecture Governor. But she absolutely couldn’t abandon Xiao Li either.

The method Zhou Jing’an proposed was already the most comprehensive strategy. She nodded and said, “That righteous person’s surname is Xiao, given name Li. His family is hiding in an abandoned dwelling in the old lanes of West City. Right now he’s probably using himself as bait to draw Huo Kun’s men away. I trouble my lord to send two groups of men to quickly go rescue them.”

Zhou Jing’an nodded, “I’ll give the orders immediately. Wengzhu, please don’t worry.”

He said again to Madam Zhou, “I’ll trouble Madam to manage everything in the residence. First, block the news—absolutely don’t let any word leak out.”

Madam Zhou nodded, “I understand. Husband, please go.”

Only at this moment did Wen Yu feel that the taut string inside her had loosened slightly. But everything hadn’t yet settled, and she didn’t know whether that ruffian was dead or alive. Her heart was still half suspended.

After Zhou Jing’an left, Madam Zhou saw her expression still showed no brightness and consoled her, “Wengzhu, don’t worry. That righteous person’s family will all surely be blessed by heaven.”

Wen Yu looked toward the fine snow outside the window that had begun falling again at some unknown time and said, “Let us hope for safety.”

—

Han Tangzong had been dragged outside in only a single layer of clothing to freeze for most of the night. By this morning he had already begun having headaches and fever. However, with this disaster having occurred, his life was still difficult to preserve, so naturally he didn’t dare return home to lie down.

All those in the gambling den who had fairly close relationships with Xiao Li, led by Zheng Hu’s group, had already been taken into custody by soldiers last night and interrogated about Xiao Li’s whereabouts. Only Hou Xiao’an still hadn’t been found.

The government authorities wanted him to send people who knew Xiao Li to go identify him, so he sent out all the remaining enforcers from the gambling den for their use.

Before the Si hour had passed, the group that had been following the soldiers searching everywhere returned to the gambling den.

Han Tangzong’s fever left his mouth and tongue parched. With a cloth on his forehead, he lay in a round-backed armchair and asked, “Well? Have you found that mother and son?”

The leader among the group said, “We didn’t find them. We had just searched to the old lanes area in West City when the soldiers discovered Xiao Li at the South City Gate. The officers didn’t need us anymore, so we came back first to report to you.”

He spoke these words nicely. Han Tangzong was worried about how to preserve himself and had no time to investigate whether they came back wanting to slack off or truly to report to him. His head ached terribly from the cold. With his eyes closed, he asked, “Did the government people find what they wanted on Xiao Li?”

The leader hesitated before saying, “I heard they haven’t caught him yet—they’ve only trapped him in a lane near the South City Gate.”

Upon hearing this, Han Tangzong lifted his eyelids and asked, “His mother and his several godmothers weren’t there?”

Those below shook their heads, “Didn’t hear anyone saw his mother.”

Han Tangzong’s shrewd calculating eyes immediately began pondering. He muttered, “That shouldn’t be… The city gates were already closed last night. They couldn’t have escaped at night. This morning all four city gates were also heavily guarded. The mother and son and several others definitely can’t leave the city. Since those prostitutes aren’t with him, where else could they be hiding…”

Suddenly, as if grasping some thread of thought, he quickly removed the cloth from his forehead, sat up a bit and asked, “You just said, you searched to where before Xiao Li appeared?”

The enforcer boss answered truthfully, “West City old lanes.”

Han Tangzong immediately laughed with delight and coughed, “Wonderful! It’s actually a diversion tactic!”

The group of enforcers didn’t make a sound. Han Tangzong knew he had let something slip and coughed twice more, waving at them to signal them to withdraw.

The gambling den steward quickly understood and said to the group, “You all go down first.”

After everyone went out, only then did he flatter, “You mean… Xiao Li hid all those prostitute mothers of his in the West City old lanes?”

Han Tangzong narrowed his old eyes and said with certainty, “No mistake. I watched that Xiao fellow grow up. I always wanted to use him precisely because his weak points were so easy to grasp. He doesn’t visit prostitutes or gamble. Whatever silver coins he earns with his fists, he either uses to buy medicine for his birth mother or sends to the madam at the Zuihong Pavilion to make his godmothers’ days there easier. Several prostitutes actually raised a filial son!”

When he spoke to this point, his tone was full of mockery. He paused before continuing, “The government is searching the whole city for him. He didn’t appear early, didn’t appear late, but appeared precisely when the government searched to the West City old lanes. Isn’t that because he was afraid the soldiers would find those prostitute mothers of his?”

The gambling den steward then asked, “Then Boss, according to your meaning…”

Han Tangzong used the cloth to cover his lips after coughing and said, “Go find those people who used to be under Wang Qing. Have them go to the West City old lanes to find those prostitute mothers of Xiao Li’s. If they can find my account book, I’ll give another generous reward!”

Since Huo Kun still hadn’t captured Xiao Li, if he captured those mothers, he wouldn’t fear Xiao Li wouldn’t surrender. He could also use this to curry favor with Huo Kun.

If he could directly find what Huo Kun wanted, he could then give up everything the Han family had to exchange for his own life—perhaps that wouldn’t be a problem.

Where there’s life, there’s hope.

As long as he kept his life, any amount of wealth could be earned back.

The gambling den steward naturally understood why Han Tangzong wanted Wang Qing’s former men to do this.

That group of people, like Wang Qing, never talked about righteousness. As long as you paid them, they would do anything—murder, arson, any dirty business.

Some of Han Tangzong’s shady activities in the past were all handed to them to do.

However, after Xiao Li split open Wang Qing’s head that day, once he took power he found reasons one after another to drive these people out of the gambling den.

The enforcers remaining in the gambling den now, although not loyal or virtuous people, all kept some boundaries in their actions.

With Xiao Li’s situation, anyone with eyes could see that Han Tangzong had abandoned him. If he still had his subordinates make things difficult for the man’s mother, this was unrighteous. In the future, that group probably wouldn’t dare serve him loyally anymore either.

So to be safe, it was better to hand this job to those people under Wang Qing.

It just so happened they all more or less also had some private grudges with Xiao Li. They would definitely be more than willing to take this job.

The gambling den steward smiled and flattered, “Boss is wise. If we find those mothers of Xiao Li’s, even if the government side can’t capture him for the time being, there are plenty of ways to force him to submit.”

—

The violent snow fell like cotton, and crows cried as if weeping.

Xiao Li’s shoulder had already been struck by an arrow. He could barely stand anymore and could only kneel half-supported by his blade on the ground. Fresh blood had soaked through the cloth strips wound around the blade handle on his hand. Blood dripped from the edge of the cloth strips, one drop after another hitting the ground, quickly staining a small pool of the muddy ground red.

The hand supporting the blade was trembling slightly—from exhaustion.

His eyes, silently looking down at the ground, were steeped in terrifying red—whether from blood from his temple flowing into them, or because they had truly become bloodshot from killing.

From the base of the wall at the end of this lane all the way to the lane entrance, mottled blood traces remained.

Some his, some others’.

Outside the lane, the Huo family’s personal guard who had been shooting arrows put away his bow and said to those around him, “He should have no strength left. Drag him out.”

The minor officer waved his hand behind him, and immediately two soldiers walked into the lane again.

That person at the far end against the wall base, covered in blood, clearly seemed like a cornered beast that had already been hunted until it lost its ferocity and could be slaughtered at will. Yet perhaps because they were provoked by the thick smell of blood in this lane, the farther forward the two soldiers walked, the more frightened they became in their hearts.