Liu Yu Ru had people load the grain while sending others to keep watch on the city gates. As soon as Luo Zishang's men left the city, Liu Yu Ru received the news. She ordered everyone to halt and returned to stay inside the house, pretending as if nothing had happened.
Luo Zishang led his men to search the inns.
Their residence wasn’t far from the area being searched. Most inns outside the city were clustered together, divided into several districts. Their house was tucked away at the very edge. Yin Hong, listening to the commotion outside, said to Liu Yu Ru, "Madam, will they find us?"
"What if they do?" Liu Yu Ru’s expression remained calm. "We’re merely travelers from afar looking for relatives. What can they do even if they find us?"
Hearing this, Yin Hong took a deep breath and gradually calmed down.
She pestered Liu Yu Ru to rehearse their cover story once more—a background tale Liu Yu Ru had repeated to her many times:
Liu Yu Ru was originally a wealthy young lady from Yangzhou. A few years ago, her family moved to Cangzhou, but due to a disaster, her family fell into misfortune. She then returned to Yangzhou to seek out the lover she had met in Cangzhou. Back then, she and that lover had pledged themselves to each other, with him promising to come to Cangzhou to marry her. However, after returning to Yangzhou, he never came back. Now, facing hardship, she had come in person to search for him but had been unable to find him. Since lodging in the city was expensive, they stayed outside the city, traveling into town daily to look for him.
Liu Yu Ru had described every detail, and everyone had memorized it thoroughly. For anything Liu Yu Ru hadn’t covered, Yin Hong had only three words: "I don’t know."
But Liu Yu Ru still wasn’t entirely at ease and said to Yin Hong, "If they separate us, just pretend to faint."
The noise outside grew quieter. Yin Hong peered out the window and saw Luo Zishang’s men arresting many people and escorting them toward the city.
Luo Zishang stood at the forefront, scrutinizing each passing merchant.
He scanned the crowd, casually engaging them in conversation, asking a few questions before letting them pass. He didn’t seem particularly difficult to deal with.
He had five merchants arrested. His attendant followed him and asked, "Young Master, shall we interrogate them back at headquarters or here?"
Luo Zishang didn’t answer. He gazed at the vast cluster of inns, and after a long while, he suddenly said, "Tell me, if someone is this clever and I’m guessing what they would do, wouldn’t they also be thinking about what I would do? If they figured it out, would they still stay in a good inn?"
The attendant looked bewildered. Luo Zishang suddenly smiled and said, "Let’s take a stroll."
Luo Zishang mounted his horse and began leading his men to inspect the inns one by one throughout the district.
Watching Luo Zishang and his men return, Yin Hong grew extremely anxious. Liu Yu Ru reached out and grasped her hand, saying calmly, "Don’t panic."
With that, she gave Shen Ming a meaningful glance. "If the situation turns bad, cut them down and force our way onto the ship."
Shen Ming nodded, leading his men to withdraw and lie in ambush.
Luo Zishang observed the houses along the way, randomly selecting some to knock on and enter.
He appeared polite and didn’t provoke annoyance. Those whose doors he knocked on would hurriedly kneel, but he would chat casually for a moment before moving on to the next household.When they reached Liu Yuru's residence, Yin Hong was trembling slightly. Liu Yuru took a deep breath, held her hand, and said, "If he knocks, go out and tell him I'm taking a nap and it's inconvenient to receive male visitors. If he insists on seeing me, say you need to ask for my instructions. Remember," Liu Yuru looked up at her, "I am just a well-bred lady from Cangzhou, nothing more. We must act exactly like ordinary girls seeking refuge with relatives."
Yin Hong gritted her teeth and nodded. Just then, there came a knock from outside.
Yin Hong stood up and went out. Liu Yuru lay down on the bed, closed her eyes, and forced herself to calm down.
For some reason, she didn't feel afraid at this moment. Instead, she felt a faint surge of excitement, as if meeting a worthy opponent made her even more exhilarated.
Yin Hong opened the door in the front courtyard. Luo Zishang stood at the doorstep, smiling as he said, "Miss, I am an official from Yangzhou government, ordered to apprehend an important fugitive. Could you inform your mistress and allow me to enter for a cup of hot tea?"
"My mistress is still napping. Please wait a moment."
Yin Hong spoke, closed the door, and went inside.
Liu Yuru rose from the bed, straightened her clothes and makeup, and only then instructed Yin Hong to invite him in. Then, holding a round fan to cover half of her face, she went out.
Luo Zishang waited in the room for a while. When he saw Liu Yuru, his eyes darkened slightly.
Liu Yuru gave a graceful bow and said softly, "Greetings, sir."
Luo Zishang smiled and remarked, "From outside, this residence appears humble, yet I never expected it to conceal such a pearl. Your demeanor is elegant, and you don't seem to come from an ordinary family. Why are you staying in such a place?"
"You flatter me, sir."
Liu Yuru lowered her eyes, not daring to look at him, and spoke as if somewhat fearful, "I came from Cangzhou, and my travel funds are nearly exhausted, so I had to rest in such a place."
"Traveling from Cangzhou to Yangzhou is quite a journey," Luo Zishang glanced at the two of them, "Did you two young ladies make the trip alone?"
"With the ongoing war, how could two young women travel alone?" Liu Yuru sighed, "I hired escorts for the journey and dismissed them only after reaching Yangzhou."
Luo Zishang fell silent, studying the fan and Liu Yuru.
Liu Yuru's speech and demeanor appeared to be that of an ordinary well-bred lady—timid, even avoiding eye contact. Yet, for some reason, Luo Zishang felt something was off. He always trusted his intuition and pressed further, "Since you've come to Yangzhou, why are you staying outside the city?"
"The cost of living in the city is high," Liu Yuru lowered her gaze, as if somewhat embarrassed, "I have limited funds and can only afford to stay outside the city."
"What brings you to Yangzhou?"
"To find someone."
"Have you found them?"
"Not yet."
"I see," Luo Zishang nodded, "What are the characteristics of this person? Perhaps I can help you search."
"If that were the case, it would be wonderful." Liu Yuru showed a pleased expression, "The person I'm looking for is a scholar, extremely handsome, named Ye Xiao Zhi. Do you know him, sir?"
"I do know someone with the surname Ye who is exceptionally good-looking," Luo Zishang fanned himself and smiled, "But he is not merely a scholar, nor is his name Ye Xiao Zhi. How about this—why don't you come into the city with me? I'll help you look for him."Hearing this, Liu Yuru was momentarily stunned. Luo Zishang glanced at her with a faint, ambiguous smile. "What's the matter? Is the young lady unwilling?"
"Young master," Liu Yuru said softly, "although I have fallen into hardship, I still understand the boundaries between men and women. If I were to leave with you today, what would that imply? How do you intend to arrange for me?"
As she spoke, she cast a glance at Luo Zishang, her eyes filled with unease and a hint of scrutiny. "Surely you don’t mean to take me to your residence?"
That glance sent a shiver down Luo Zishang’s spine. He suddenly realized that if he were to bring a woman back with him, not only would this woman, but everyone else, would inevitably draw their own conclusions.
Without evidence, he couldn’t arrest someone arbitrarily. Yangzhou had only just stabilized, and if he were to act recklessly again, it would likely deter merchants from coming to the city. Since commerce was Yangzhou’s primary source of income, Wang Shanquan would surely be furious if he learned of such actions.
Especially arresting a woman like this—given Wang Shanquan’s lustful nature, he would likely assume it was for personal desires.
Luo Zishang pondered for a moment, then questioned Liu Yuru further about details of Cangzhou. Liu Yuru answered fluently, leaving no room for doubt in her words. After a moment of silence, he couldn’t help but feel that he was being overly suspicious. What trouble could such a delicate woman possibly stir up?
He smiled gently and said, "My apologies for the impropriety."
Rising to his feet, he added, "I shall take my leave."
Liu Yuru nodded, her face flushed, and Yin Hong escorted Luo Zishang out.
After Luo Zishang had left, Yin Hong returned to the room and collapsed onto a seat. "That scared me to death, madam. Is everything all right now?"
Liu Yuru remained seated, her hands trembling slightly.
Confronting Luo Zishang had frightened her as well, but she had to stand her ground. With so many people watching her inside and out, if she showed any sign of weakness, everyone would lose their pillar of support.
Shen Ming emerged from the shadows. Taking a deep breath, she addressed everyone, "Let’s rest for a while. Shen Ming, go check if there are any spies outside. Once night falls, we’ll leave."
Shen Ming acknowledged and went to investigate.
Liu Yuru began calculating their gains from this venture.
Yangzhou was far more prosperous than Qingzhou and Cangzhou, with a thriving trade industry. In just a few days here, their earnings had already matched the combined totals from the two other states.
With this money and grain, Gu Jiusi would no longer have to worry about Wangdu. The loss of these resources, however, wouldn’t immediately affect Yangzhou, but by next year, signs would begin to show. By then, it would also serve as a form of pressure on Wang Shanquan.
Shen Ming returned after making his rounds, but he was dragging someone along with him.
Liu Yuru first put on her veil before allowing the person to enter. Shen Ming threw the man in front of Liu Yuru and leaned against the wall, saying, "I didn’t see any spies, but I caught this fellow lurking suspiciously near our doorstep."
Liu Yuru looked up at the man scrambling to his feet.
Through her veil, she found him somewhat familiar. Then, she heard him speak respectfully, "Young lady, I am a servant of the Ye Family, sent by my young master to invite you for a cup of tea."
Upon hearing this, Liu Yuru recalled that this was the same attendant who had previously served by Ye Shi’an’s side.
After a moment of contemplation, she replied, "It’s inconvenient for me to enter the city. I wonder if the young master would be able to meet outside the city?""My young master cannot leave the city," the other party said seriously. "The young master mentioned that he heard you were inquiring about Luo Zishang, and that it concerns the eldest son of the Gu Family. He has important matters regarding the Gu Family to report. If you are willing, you may enter the city for a discussion."
Upon hearing this, Liu Yu Ru pursed her lips.
With the ship about to depart, entering the city at this moment would significantly increase the risks.
However, since Ye Shi'an had specifically mentioned that the matter concerned the Gu Family, it must indeed be of great importance.
After a moment of contemplation, she said, "May I send someone into the city to discuss the matter in detail with the young master?"
"The young master said this matter is of utmost importance and cannot be disclosed to anyone but you in person."
This put Liu Yu Ru in a difficult position. Shen Ming immediately sneered, "Insisting that someone must enter the city—isn't this a trap?"
"Young Master Ye is not that kind of person," Liu Yu Ru interjected.
She glanced at the sky, calculating the time it would take to send and receive messages back and forth. After some thought, she finally said, "I will follow you into the city to meet your young master, but we only have two hours."
With that, she turned to Shen Ming and instructed, "Send a few people to the vicinity of the granary and armory. Prepare oil and firecrackers. Then, lead a team yourself and ambush near the city gate. If the city is locked down, have them set fire to the granary and armory. Make as much commotion as possible—the bigger, the better. Once chaos erupts in the city, force your way out through the gate."
"Understood."
Shen Ming acknowledged.
They had rehearsed such preparations many times before.
No local government in any province would tolerate their actions. If discovered, the city would inevitably be locked down for pursuit. They had long since devised contingency plans for such crises.
After arranging everything, Liu Yu Ru instructed Yin Hong to prepare to set sail depending on the situation. Then, she put on her veiled hat and followed the servant into the city.
"The young master is under close surveillance," the servant said as they reached the city gate. "I can no longer stay with you. The young master is at the Peony Pavilion in the Lakeside Teahouse. Please reserve a room in the Crabapple Pavilion."
Liu Yu Ru nodded, and the servant departed.
She entered the city and, following the instructions, went to the Lakeside Teahouse to reserve the Crabapple Pavilion.
The Lakeside Teahouse was situated next to the lake, its greatest advantage being the scenic view. As soon as Liu Yu Ru pushed the door open, she saw Ye Shi'an seated inside.
She paused in surprise but quickly composed herself and closed the door. Ye Shi'an stood up and bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, miss."
Liu Yu Ru understood—he had not recognized her.
After all, she was wearing such a large veiled hat. Even if her own father were there, he might not have recognized her.
She couldn't help but smile, removing the hat to reveal her delicate and gentle features. Gazing at Ye Shi'an, she said softly, "Brother Ye, it's been a long time."
Ye Shi'an stared at Liu Yu Ru in astonishment. After a moment, he exclaimed in surprise, "Sister Yu Ru?!"
"It's me."
Liu Yu Ru looked at Ye Shi'an. He appeared much thinner, still carrying the gentle and refined demeanor of a gentleman from the past, but his brows were tinged with an undeniable weariness.
"Let's keep it brief," Liu Yu Ru said immediately. "I must leave tonight. I can spare at most two hours. You specifically sent for me—is there something you need my help with?"
Hearing this, Ye Shi'an grew serious and promptly replied, "Master Gu is still alive."
Liu Yu Ru gasped in shock. "What did you say?!"
Ye Shi'an repeated his words."Master Gu is still alive, right here in the Ye residence," Ye Shi'an looked at Liu Yuru. "I originally thought you were one of Gu Jiusi's subordinates, never expecting you to come personally. But since you're here, I can rest assured handing him over to you. Arrange your people immediately - we'll leave together tonight."
Author's Note:
Gu Jiusi: Mo Shu Bai, cross out that "we" right now! Immediately!
Liu Yuru: Do you have any problem with my studious and virtuous Shi'an gege?
Master Gu: Do you have any problem with the studious and virtuous Young Master Ye?
Gu Jiusi: Do you think I'd dare to have any problem?
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