Yun Si Man saw the melancholy on Murong Qing's face, as if she was recalling some sad past. He smiled and comforted her, "I was just joking earlier. Who you like is your freedom. It's just that Jin He is unlucky, not knowing how to cherish a good girl like you. His brain must have been filled with water..."
Murong Qing was thinking about when she would go to Yan Country to reunite with her younger brother. Upon hearing Yun Si Man's words, she let out a chuckle and was amused...
"Brother Si Man, you are a good person. I hope you and Princess Xin Ling will be together forever and be happy for a lifetime!" Murong Qing said.
Yun Si Man felt a bit embarrassed, scratched his head, and chuckled, "Then I'll take your good words..."
Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, a 'crackling' sound suddenly came from outside the window.
It sounded like someone was eavesdropping by the window.
Murong Qing's face turned pale with shock. She quickly put away the treasure map and drew the dagger she carried with her...
Yun Si Man shushed her, blew out the candle and the oil lamp on the table, then rushed to the window with extreme speed and abruptly pushed open the window frame.
In the darkness, two black shadows flashed before his eyes and in an instant, they leaped onto the rooftop...
"Miss Murong, go wait in the next room. If I don't return to the inn before dawn, you must immediately return to Dashui Village!"
Yun Si Man left these words, then drew his sword, leaped out of the window, and his agile figure quickly disappeared into the vast night.
Murong Qing was stunned for a moment, then hurried to the next room and said to Shangguan Fang'er and Yun San Man, "Those Chen country assassins are chasing us again..."
These scums were truly persistent.
The treasure was buried on the mountain of this small county town. If those assassins got there first, all their efforts would be in vain...
Shangguan Fang'er looked anxious upon hearing this, "Then, then what should we do?"
"Don't be afraid!" Murong Qing narrowed her eyes and snorted coldly, "We can't find the treasure even with the treasure map, let alone them. Tomorrow morning, we'll leave here!"
Yun San Man looked out the window, feeling a bit anxious, "I hope Fourth Brother can return safely..."
If they didn't deal with those assassins, they might follow them to Dashui Village, and then their family would be in danger.
Fortunately, Yun Si Man's Qinggong was superb. He subdued the two black-clad assassins in just the time it took to brew a cup of tea.
These Yan country death warriors had undergone special training. Before Yun Si Man could interrogate them, they both bit their upper teeth, swallowed poison, and died...
"Damn it, dying so cleanly! Do your parents know?" Yun Si Man kicked them in anger, then casually found a pit and buried the two of them.
In fact, even if the two assassins hadn't committed suicide by poison, Yun Si Man wouldn't have killed them. At most, he would have stripped them naked and tied them to a tree to fend for themselves...
The next morning, outside the inn.
Yun San Man had already brought out the carriage and the horse-drawn sled. After breakfast, everyone was about to go their separate ways.
"Third Brother, you take Miss Fang'er back to Dashui Village for now. I'll escort Miss Murong to Bocai Academy. I'm worried about her traveling alone..." Yun Si Man arranged.
After escorting Murong Qing to the prefectural county, he would have to give himself a vacation.
He hadn't rested even during the New Year, what kind of nonsense was this?
Yun San Man nodded, "Alright, then Fourth Brother and Miss Murong, be careful on the road. I'll be waiting for you in Dashui Village!"
Actually, this outcome was quite good for Yun San Man. What if Shangguan Fang'er really found the treasure, would she become greedy for wealth...
After all, not everyone could resist the temptation of immense wealth.
There were still two months before spring arrived. During this time, Yun San Man wanted to educate Shangguan Fang'er, so she wouldn't value money too much...
"Let's go, let's go, Miss Murong, hold on tight. This journey will be bumpy!" Yun Si Man cautioned.
He left the horse-drawn sled for Fourth Brother and Fang'er, and drove the carriage himself to escort Murong Qing to the academy.
Because the road to Dashui Village had too much snow, the carriage was too difficult to drive...
After the four parted ways, they headed in their respective directions.
At the same time, at a crossroads leading to Heyang County, Gu Zhenshan stopped with his subordinates, looking around in confusion.
"Steward Cao, are you sure this is the right road?" Gu Zhenshan frowned and asked.
On the battlefield, he wouldn't get lost no matter how he wandered, but once he arrived in these remote villages and counties, he often got confused...
Steward Cao sighed and pointed ahead, "Oh, Young General, this is indeed the road. Haven't we been here before!"
Alas, in this freezing cold weather, they had been standing at this intersection for a quarter of an hour, and it was quite cold.
Gu Zhenshan still had some doubts, "Steward Cao, if you dare to trick this general, see how I deal with you!"
Steward Cao: "..."
Your servant doesn't have the courage to trick you.
"Let's go, let's go. We must reach Dashui Village before dark today, otherwise, all the pastries I bought will be crushed!" Gu Zhenshan ordered.
This time he had bought several boxes of high-quality pastries, including small mooncakes with sugar filling, and soft and sticky rose crisps. Things like osmanthus cakes, chestnut cakes, and sesame crisps were bought by the case and loaded onto the flatbed cart...
Considering the large population of the Yun family, the pastries had to be prepared in sufficient quantities.
As the soldiers were about to continue their journey, they suddenly heard the rumbling of horses' hooves from behind.
Everyone turned their heads and saw a large group of men in tight-fitting clothes, galloping on horseback, with sabers hanging from their waists. Wherever they passed, they exuded a killing aura that chilled the bone...
Gu Zhenshan squinted his eyes upon seeing them, "Where did this group of bandits come from? How dare they show themselves in broad daylight!" https:/
Steward Cao took a closer look and wondered, "Huh? That's not right!"
The clothing of these people was very similar to that of the yamen runners of Jingzhao Prefecture...
Jingzhao Prefecture was the administrative division of dozens of counties and prefectures around the Daliang Kingdom. Its highest official was the Prefect of Jingzhao, who held considerable power.
The Prefect of Jingzhao was a third-rank official, and his subordinates included the Deputy Prefect of Jingzhao and the Gongcao Canshu, among others.
Shen Ducai, under Consort Xian, was a Gongcao Canshu...
"What's wrong? Why are you stammering?" Gu Zhenshan glared at Steward Cao and asked impatiently.
Steward Cao stared at the man leading the group and exclaimed, "Young General, look for yourself! Isn't the leader Shen Canshu? What is he doing in Heyang County?"
Gu Zhenshan heard this, his gaze sharpened, and his heart was filled with suspicion...