He had checked all around and the roof—there was indeed no one. Could it be… that he had guessed wrong, and they really were so fortunate that they predicted County Magistrate Qin would come searching and escaped beforehand?
Just as he was about to go out, Li Shimin suddenly had a thought. He lowered his head and stared silently at the ground beneath his feet. That’s right—the roof and all four walls had indeed been searched thoroughly, but they hadn’t searched beneath their feet. Just like how their Governor’s mansion had an underground ice cellar, perhaps this old house also had a cellar!
Thinking of this, Li Shimin immediately said: “Come, check every inch of ground here to see if there are cellars or similar hiding places!”
Hearing this, County Magistrate Qin slapped his forehead hard. Yes, yes! How could he have forgotten this? Some households dug small cellars to store cabbage for winter. If there was one here, then Wu Laosan and his companion were very likely hiding in the cellar. He had truly been careless. Fortunately, Second Young Master was meticulous and thought of this.
Soon, everyone had searched the floors of several rooms but found no mechanisms that could be opened or secret passages. Then they took lanterns to search the back courtyard. Since this was the last piece of ground in the old residence, everyone searched with particular care—it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they searched inch by inch.
Soon, that wooden board that seemed carelessly discarded was moved aside. By the light of the lanterns in their hands, a soldier discovered that in what appeared to be uniform ground, there was a thin crack—inconspicuous but definitely there, and it happened to form a square shape with a place on one side where fingers could grip, and this area felt extremely cold to the touch, suggesting it was made of iron or something similar. Nine times out of ten, this was the cellar cover. They had finally discovered it. If Wu Laosan was really inside, he could get three hundred strings of cash—enough to make him laugh even in his dreams.
The soldier tried hard to suppress his joy and said to Li Shimin: “Second Young Master, this…” Before he could finish, Li Shimin had already gestured for him to be silent and indicated for him to retreat several steps.
After the soldier retreated, Li Shimin whispered a few words to Duan Zhihong, who nodded and quickly called over a team of archers, ordering them to surround the cellar entrance completely. After doing all this, a soldier finally pulled open the iron cover with force. As soon as he opened it, he immediately hid to one side as Li Shimin had instructed. Fortunately, he dodged quickly—a wooden arrow barely grazed his cheek as it flew past, leaving a streak of crimson blood and frightening the soldier into a cold sweat. If he had been slower to dodge, his entire face might have been pierced through. It was truly dangerous.
However, this arrow also proved that someone was indeed hiding in the cellar. County Magistrate Qin walked over and said coldly: “You’re already surrounded with nowhere to escape. If you don’t want to die, come out immediately!”
After waiting a while, no one emerged from the dark opening, nor was any sound heard. County Magistrate Qin’s face darkened as he shouted: “If you don’t come out, don’t blame this official for being impolite!”
As before, no one paid him any attention. After getting Li Shimin’s agreement, County Magistrate Qin called out loudly: “Bring tree branches and leaves to light fires, then throw them into the cellar. This official wants to see how long they can hold out!”
The soldiers responded and immediately found tree branches from nearby, piled them together and lit them with their torches, then threw them into the hole. Although they would quickly be extinguished, throwing them in one after another undoubtedly exhausted the two people hiding in the cellar. This place was also extremely narrow with not many places for them to hide. Soon Wu Laosan’s clothes caught fire, and after he managed to put it out with difficulty, Yunyi bit her silver teeth hard and called out: “Stop! I’ll come out!”
After she shouted this, they indeed stopped throwing things down from above. Seeing that Yunyi really intended to go out, Wu Laosan quickly grabbed her and said: “No, if you go out now, you’ll be caught by them, and then you truly won’t be able to escape!”
Yunyi smiled bitterly: “But they’ve already discovered we’re hiding here. We have nowhere to run.”
Wu Laosan said regretfully: “It’s all Father’s fault for not thinking thoroughly enough. We should have left here earlier, then they wouldn’t have been able to catch us. It’s all my fault!”
Yunyi said gratefully: “Father has already helped me so much. I’m only worried that the people from the Governor’s mansion will make things difficult for you because you helped me.”
Wu Laosan quickly shook his head: “It doesn’t matter what happens to Father. Father only wants you to be safe, but unfortunately… Father is truly useless!” He beat his head in frustration. Previously, he hadn’t been able to protect Meixue, allowing Meixue to be killed by Chunxiu. This time, he had tried everything to protect Yunyi completely, but the result was still the same. He was truly useless.
Yunyi grasped his hand and said gently: “We’re just temporarily caught. There may not be no chance to escape. Father needn’t worry too much.”
“But…” Wu Laosan had just said two words when Yunyi smiled and said: “What, does Father have so little confidence in his daughter? Wasn’t I also trapped in the Governor’s mansion before, yet I still escaped?”
After revealing her identity, she and Wu Laosan had not only not grown distant but had become even closer, treating him like her real father.
Wu Laosan was stunned for a moment, then nodded repeatedly: “Right, right, right. You’ll be fine, you’ll definitely be able to escape.”
While they were talking, urging voices came from above—clearly they had grown impatient with waiting. Before going up, Wu Laosan said: “Yunyi, can you promise Father one thing?”
Yunyi grasped the iron frame on the wall and said: “Father, just say it.”
Wu Laosan looked at her with a complex expression: “If you can escape this time, please don’t assassinate the Governor anymore, alright? He’s truly a good person. If he dies, who knows what kind of suffering the people in our commandery will endure!” After waiting a while without hearing Yunyi speak, he pleaded: “Yunyi, consider it Father begging you.”
Yunyi’s heart was torn with conflict. How could she not know that Li Yuan was a rare good official? But… she and Wu Laosan stood on different grounds. Once Li Yuan raised troops to rebel against Sui, the entire world would fall into chaos. As the saying goes, “One general’s success is built on ten thousand bones”—if this was true for a general, how much more so for the establishment of an empire, the changing of dynasties? The common people who would suffer then would far exceed those of just one Honghua Commandery.
She really didn’t want the people to suffer, but… Yunyi sighed and shook her head slightly. Seeing this, Wu Laosan’s heart sank. So it still wouldn’t work? During these few days together, he had asked several times about Yunyi’s identity and her reasons for assassinating Li Yuan, but unfortunately, she had always refused to reveal them.
“Yunyi…” Before Wu Laosan could continue, Yunyi smiled bitterly and said: “I do indeed want to kill Li Yuan, but this matter has escalated beyond my capabilities now, so Father can rest assured—I won’t assassinate Li Yuan again, at least I won’t do it personally!” If her father emperor was determined to execute Li Yuan, then she couldn’t be blamed for that.
Wu Laosan had no idea this matter concerned the rise and fall of the entire Great Sui. Hearing that Yunyi was willing to give up assassinating Li Yuan, he was overjoyed and said repeatedly: “Good! Good!”