Chapter 398: 398
The spot where Yan Liqiang ambushed the trio wasn’t that far from Hu Haihe’s location in the first place — it was only a few hundred meters away . Although Hu Haihe didn’t see anything, he immediately understood the situation when he faintly heard the rhinodrake steeds’ neighs and the short screams coming from that direction . He tensed up when he saw Yan Liqiang come back and say to leave the place .
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Hu Haihe lit up the carriage light again and drove the carriage while waving his whip . The wheels spun quickly as the carriage sped behind Yan Liqiang .
“Hyah… Hyah… Hyah…!”
The night was dark . Since the weather was good today, the visibility on the mountain road was decent under the moonlight and brilliant stars in the sky . They could speed as fast as they wanted because the road was mostly deserted during nighttime .
After speeding along the mountain road for over an hour, Yan Liqiang finally saw another traveling group of people in the night .
It was a caravan of about thirty horses, forty carriages, and more than a hundred people that were either merchants or travelers . It would appear as though they had temporarily teamed up . Hearing the sound of rushing hooves coming from behind, quite a few people in the group turned their heads around . Some even grabbed the bow they carried on their backs in alert .
When Yan Liqiang and Hu Haihe appeared in their line of sight, everyone relaxed after discovering that it was only a steed and a carriage coming from behind . After all, it was impossible for bandits to send out only two people to rob such a large group .
Neigh…! Yan Liqiang immediately slowed down when he caught up to the caravan . He cupped his fist to the people walking at the end of the group . “Excuse me, is everyone heading to Kun Province?”
“Yes, we have teamed up to travel to Kun Province together and we are planning to travel overnight . If you are heading in the same direction, why not travel with us to be safe? A normal gang of robbers will not dare to plunder a big group!” Noticing Yan Liqiang’s unusually magnificent steeds and carriage, one of the elderly merchants immediately smiled as he invited Yan Liqiang and his companion to join them . After all, the more people there were, the more powerful the group would be . Therefore, it was natural to increase the size of the group along the way .
“That’s great, we are going to Kun Province too . We shall join everyone then!” Yan Liqiang smiled, then turned to Hu Haihe, “I guess you’re right . As long as we move a little faster along the road, we’ll definitely meet a group that we can join . That will make it a lot safer . I guess I didn’t make a mistake in bringing you along . You have indeed learned a lot through your years of experience in traveling!”
Hu Haihe was also a quick-witted person . When he heard Yan Liqiang, he immediately smiled too . “Thank you, Young Lord . The Old Master has reminded us to prioritize your safety during your travel this time, so he sent me along as your coachman!”
“Yes . ”
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Upon hearing the conversation between Yan Liqiang and Hu Haihe, everyone in the group assumed that Yan Liqiang was a young lord from a wealthy clan who came out to travel . They calmed down and were no longer worried .
Their journey continued until it was almost eleven o’clock . After traveling for more than a hundred li, they finally arrived at a huge, bustling market town by the Lu River where they split up to separately found places to stay the night .
Kun Province was just on the other side of the Lu River . The town had a sizeable wharf . There were ferries and passenger ships, but they wouldn’t cross the river after dark due to the rapid currents at night . Therefore, the group could only wait until early the next morning to cross the river .
Naturally, Yan Liqiang found the best inn in town and reserved a private courtyard to stay the night .
“Young Lord… Did… Did you kill someone just now?” When Yu Qing brought water into the room for Yan Liqiang to clean up, she suddenly asked her question in a soft voice when Yan Liqiang was washing his face .
Yan Liqiang’s hands stopped and he looked at Yu Qing . After two seconds of silence, he calmly nodded . “Yes, there were bad guys following us . They were seeking to harm us so I had no choice but to dispose of them . I’m afraid things like this will still happen in the future . If you’re scared, I’ll allow you to turn back now . I can find someone from the escort agency to send you back to the Imperial Capital . ”
“I don’t mean that . ” Yu Qing lowered her head . Her voice turned even softer, but it was also firmer . “I believe you are a good person and will never kill the innocent . Therefore, the ones you killed must be bad people . I shall follow you wherever you go, Young Lord . Unfortunately, I don’t know martial arts . If I did, I would be able to protect you!”
“Don’t worry . By the time we reach Gan Province, I shall teach you martial arts if I have time!” Yan Liqiang laughed . “How did you know I killed someone?”
“The quiver you returned with to the carriage had three arrows less . I heard from Brother Hai that you have godly talent in archery . So I guessed that you went to kill three people when you had us stop the carriage!”
“I didn’t expect you to be this observant!” Yan Liqiang immediately came to realize that Yu Qing was exactly the same as the future version of herself . “Oh right . Do you remember the male attire that I asked you to prepare before we set off? You should change into it tomorrow morning and disguise yourself as my boy servant . That will make it more convenient during the journey . ”
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“Alright!” Yu Qing nodded obediently .
Early the next morning, Yu Qing put on the male attire as instructed and hid her hair in the hat . Since she was frail, thin, and young, it was difficult for average people to distinguish her gender if she deliberately spoke with a rough voice while dressed like a boy .
Yan Liqiang and his companions caught the earliest ferry and crossed the Lu River to enter Kun Province . They then spent a day traveling along the Lu River and arrived at Lingbai City, a big city in Kun Province, on the same day . Yan Liqiang got rid of that magnificent carriage Manager You gifted him by selling it cheaply to a merchant in the city . Then he replaced it with an ordinary carriage before the three of them disappeared into the sea of people…
“What? You lost Yan Liqiang?” Lin Qingtian’s hand that was holding a brush jolted and stopped in mid-air . The black ink on the tip of the brush dripped onto the paper underneath it, immediately ‘disfiguring’ the beautiful painting of a crabapple flower…
Gu Chunyi couldn’t help but lower his head . Lin Qingtian’s gaze terrified him . “I just received news that the three veterans I recently dispatched to follow Yan Liqiang have been missing for several days . They haven’t checked in with their next contacts yet…” he reported sadly .
“Where did you lose Yan Liqiang?”
“Lu Province!”
“When was that?”
“It has been eleven days since the three men from the Ministry of Justice have gone missing!”
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Lin Qingtian lifted his head to look at the complex pattern on the ceiling of his study as he muttered to himself . “Eleven days… Lu Province…”
“Lu Province is quite far from the Imperial Capital . Verification and communication by all parties required time . Hence, it was already pretty late by the time I learned of this news…”
“How long does it take for you to relay a message from the Imperial Capital to Lu Province?”
“Even by mobilizing the men in the Ministry of Justice, it will take at least two days to relay the message…”
“Did Yan Liqiang travel along the same route he previously used when he escorted Sun Bingchen back from Gan Province?”
Gu Chunyi was astonished . “Ah, how did you know, my lord?”
“No need to find the three who were following Yan Liqiang . They are most likely dead!” Lin Qingtian dipped his brush into the ink again, then painted over the ink blotch on the ‘disfigured’ crabapple flower without even raising his head .
“Yan Liqiang knew he was being followed from the start . The fact that he had chosen the same route he used to escort Sun Bingchen back to the Imperial Capital proves that he was intentionally deceiving those who were following him to make them let their guard down . He then chose to dispose of them in Lu Province because it was far from both the Imperial Capital and Gan Province . It would take at least two days for any message to be relayed to the Imperial Capital . Even if you manage to respond in time with new arrangements and plans, you will still a total of four days, which is enough time for him to go into hiding . When the road branches from Lu Province, he will have many alternative routes to choose from to reach Gan Province . You won’t be able to keep an eye on him no matter how many men you have . ”
“Is Yan Liqiang that cunning?” Gu Chunyi said in disbelief . His impression of Yan Liqiang had always been nothing but a simple-minded tough rebel . Little did he expect that rebel to have such a cunning side .
“Perhaps we have underestimated that young man . He is indeed quite capable to be able to make a name for himself in the Imperial Capital in just a short period of time!”
Gu Chunyi was enraged and spat vehemently, “How dare Yan Liqiang lay a finger on the people from the Ministry of Justice! Just this alone is enough to make him lose his head! Is he not afraid that I will issue an arrest warrant on him?!”
“The thing is, you have no evidence . On what basis can you claim that Yan Liqiang killed the missing three law enforcers from the Ministry of Justice? How will you answer that if the one in the palace asks you this? It is a serious crime for law enforcers put bureaucrats under surveillance without explicit approval . If you wish to accuse Yan Liqiang for his crime, you have to admit to this crime first!”
“T-Then… What should I do, my lord? Without any information on Yan Liqiang’s whereabouts, it’ll be difficult for Shi Minzhang and Lord Lin to meet Yan Liqiang even if they are in the northwestern region . Not only that, they also have no men to carry out the original plan…”
“What do you think of this?” Lin Qingtian lifted his brush and interrupted Gu Chunyi with a question . He was admiring the thing he painted over the ink blotch on the crabapple flower in satisfaction .
“Ah!” Gu Chunyi looked at Lin Qingtian’s painting and immediately discovered that the latter had turned the ink blotch into an adorable bee on the crabapple flower . The bee was so vivid and lively . It didn’t look like it was something Lin Qingtian had painted over an ink blotch at all .
“My lord, your painting skill is simply exquisite and unique! With this bee, this painting of a crabapple flower seems to have suddenly come to life!” Gu Chunyi flattered him .
“Just as water retains no constant shape, there are no constant conditions in warfare . Therefore I shall adapt to my opponent . There is no need for us to stick to the previous arrangements . Since Yan Liqiang realized that he was being followed, he wouldn’t fall into our trap so easily . Shi Minzhang and Lin Zhe’s previous plan definitely won’t work either . If we let them proceed with the plans of killing Yan Liqiang despite being discovered already, we might end up losing more than winning, and it’ll also risk ruining my grand plan . Let’s have Shi Minzhang return . Meanwhile, Lin Zhe will be grounded upon his return, do not allow him to wander outside!”
“My lord, we’re just going to let Yan Liqiang off like that?” Gu Chunyi asked rather reluctantly .
A frosty expression flashed across Lin Qingtian’s face . “Of course not . Hasn’t he been appointed as the Qiyun Protectorate General? We’ll notify the Shatu Seven Tribes . After all, it sounds perfectly logical to have them deal with him as the Blackwind Bandits . Who said he would be perfectly safe as long as he stays inside the White Stone Pass? If the Shatu Seven Tribes cannot even get rid of a brat inside Gan Province, then they don’t have the rights to bargain with us in the future!”
“Understood…”
“You are the Minister of Justice . Do not let your emotions control you so much that you only know how to watch a brat all day long . The matter involving Zheng Huaian is more important . Make sure it is taken care of properly without any slip-ups…”
“Rest assured, my lord . I definitely won’t disappoint you…”