Su Fan picked up the equipment and put it away, then went into the overturned carriage to carry Xia Yun out.
"Are you alright?"
Su Fan asked Xia Yun in his arms.
Xia Yun's face was a little red.
He had never been so close to a woman before.
"N-no, I'm fine."
"The carriage is broken now, we can only ride back."
Su Fan sighed as he looked at the dismantled carriage.
Fortunately, the horses were fine, otherwise, they would have had to walk back.
Su Fan rode the horse again, carrying Xia Yun back to the bandit suppression camp.
Familiar with the route, it was actually faster this time because they were riding horses. They soon arrived back at the bandit suppression camp.
When Li Changmin saw Su Fan riding a horse and bringing Xia Yun back again, he was dumbfounded.
"What are you looking at? Protect her well from now on. Lord Ping Nan has assigned this mission to our bandit suppression camp. If anything goes wrong, the entire camp will pay with their lives!"
Su Fan said to Li Changmin with a serious expression.
Li Changmin immediately straightened his back.
"Understood!"
Li Changmin's serious demeanor surprised even the joking Su Fan.
"Is this guy so serious?"
Su Fan was just joking and didn't expect Li Changmin to take it so seriously.
Given the current situation, it was difficult for him to say it was a joke.
"Well, there will be rewards for completing the mission."
Su Fan patted Li Changmin on the shoulder.
Li Changmin's heart stirred with a hint of hope.
Could it be that he was going to be reinstated?
Li Changmin was very excited and resolved to protect Xia Yun well, even at the cost of his own life! He would not let the general's kindness go to waste!
Su Fan was unaware that Li Changmin had once again imagined a whole new plot in his mind.
Su Fan went directly to the dungeon.
Bai Hong and his group were still imprisoned in the dungeon.
"Hey, how have you been these past few days?"
Su Fan pulled over a stool and sat in front of the cell, smiling as he asked Bai Hong.
Bai Hong merely glanced at Su Fan indifferently and remained silent.
"So cold? Don't be like that. Actually, I can let you go."
Su Fan said to Bai Hong.
This statement immediately moved Bai Hong, who had been wearing a serene expression.
"You want to let us go?"
Bai Hong asked, frowning.
"I didn't say that. I said I *can* let you go, but I didn't say I'm letting you go *now*."
Su Fan quickly emphasized, so as not to be branded as untrustworthy.
"What do you want?"
Bai Hong knew as soon as he heard it that Su Fan had conditions.
"Nothing much, I just want to make a bet with you."
Su Fan said with a smile.
"Bet on what?"
Bai Hong asked, frowning.
"Just a bet on whether Fang Shijie still trusts you."
"Hmph! I've served the City Lord for nearly ten years, he naturally trusts me."
Bai Hong snorted coldly, speaking with confidence.
Su Fan smiled slightly.
"Then let's make a bet? If he no longer trusts you, you'll come work for me."
Su Fan wanted Bai Hong's confidence. If he wasn't confident, he wouldn't be interested in recruiting him.
"How do we bet?"
Bai Hong became interested.
"I'll let you go now, and we'll bet that after you return, Fang Shijie will be wary of you at all times."
Su Fan said to Bai Hong.
"Aren't you afraid I won't honor the bet?"
Bai Hong retorted.
Su Fan smiled slightly.
"If you had that intention, you wouldn't have asked me that question."
Su Fan became even more confident. Recruiting Bai Hong would indeed be very useful.
"Alright, I accept the bet!"
Bai Hong agreed without hesitation.
Because he believed in the City Lord, their nearly ten years of relationship meant the City Lord would not be wary of him because of this.
"Good, open the door and let him out."
Su Fan ordered the soldiers to open the cell and let Bai Hong out.
However, Su Fan only released Bai Hong, leaving the others still imprisoned.
"Didn't you say you'd let us all go?"
Bai Hong asked Su Fan, frowning.
"I only said I'd let *you* go. When did I say I'd let *them* go?"
Su Fan said with a cold smile, challenging Bai Hong to check the records if he didn't believe him.
Bai Hong really wanted to tear this shameless person's mouth apart, but it seemed the other party hadn't actually said he would release all of them.
"Captain Li, please escort him back."
Su Fan instructed Li Changmin.
"Yes."
Li Changmin nodded.
Bai Hong immediately became anxious.
"What do you mean by having him escort me back?"
If Li Changmin escorted him back, the City Lord would surely be suspicious!
"This is the style of our bandit suppression camp. We treat people with courtesy, help them to the end, and see them all the way home."
Su Fan explained with a friendly smile.
Bai Hong knew he couldn't argue with Su Fan, who was clearly doing this intentionally. He had no choice but to reluctantly follow Su Fan's arrangement.
"Hmph!"
Bai Hong snorted coldly and left with Li Changmin.
Li Changmin personally drove the carriage and sent Bai Hong to the entrance of the City Lord's mansion.
"Hey, brothers, I've brought the person back for you. Treat him well."
The one who first emerged from the carriage was not Bai Hong, but Su Fan.
He greeted the guards at the City Lord's mansion with a smile.
Then Bai Hong emerged from inside.
Su Fan had even made Bai Hong change into new clothes. Bai Hong now looked as if he had just returned from a few days of leisure, not like someone who had been imprisoned for several days.
Bai Hong's expression was gloomy. He knew Su Fan was doing this intentionally, but there was nothing he could do.
The guards at the City Lord's mansion looked at Bai Hong emerging from Su Fan's carriage with surprise.
They then went to inform Fang Shijie.
After delivering Bai Hong, Su Fan left without any delay.
"Bai Hong is back?"
Fang Shijie was somewhat surprised to hear of Bai Hong's return, and then a little confused.
How did Bai Hong escape?
"Yes, Su Fan personally escorted Bai Hong back."
The guard truthfully told Fang Shijie.
"What? Su Fan escorted him back?"
Fang Shijie's brows furrowed.
Why would Su Fan let Bai Hong go? And personally deliver him to their doorstep?
The already suspicious Fang Shijie immediately became suspicious.
Being naturally suspicious, Fang Shijie would consider multiple possibilities for any event, or view it from the other party's perspective.
If he looked at it from Su Fan's perspective, letting Bai Hong return must have had a purpose, otherwise, he wouldn't have personally delivered him to the City Lord's mansion.
Sending Bai Hong back would surely make him suspicious, especially since Su Fan personally delivered him.
No! Su Fan wouldn't do something so obvious!
Fang Shijie's brows were tightly knit, then his eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had thought of something.
Su Fan predicted that he would suspect Su Fan's plan, and thus would trust Bai Hong, but in reality, Bai Hong had already been bought over by Su Fan!
Otherwise, why not release others, but only Bai Hong!
"Hmph! You think you've predicted my prediction, but in reality, I've predicted your prediction!"
Fang Shijie snorted coldly, a disdainful smile appearing on his face.
Su Fan went to such great lengths just to make him trust Bai Hong, but in reality, Bai Hong had already been bought and was an informant planted by Su Fan!
The more Fang Shijie thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Otherwise, Su Fan wouldn't be making such a futile effort. Other possibilities would bring Su Fan no benefit.
"City Lord!"
Bai Hong arrived at the study and saw Fang Shijie, immediately kneeling and bowing.
Fang Shijie saw Bai Hong, but did not show any superfluous emotion on his face.
"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back!"
Fang Shijie, appearing overjoyed, pulled Bai Hong up.