Zhong Li felt a tightness in her chest upon hearing Madam Luo’s final words.
They said even a tiger wouldn't eat its young, but she never imagined Guo Qi would be so shameless towards his own children. Guo Xin was carrying his child.
She slowly closed her eyes, unsure how to comfort Madam Luo.
“Wuwu…” Madam Luo’s sorrowful sobs still echoed in the Buddhist hall. “Since Buddha is blind, then let me be the one to execute this beast! Lin’er is gone, I thought I still had Xin’er, but he even wants to defile her. Don't blame me for showing no mercy!”
...
By the time Zhong Li walked out of the Buddhist hall, it was almost dawn.
No one in the Guo Manor had slept. Even Qing Yuanfang, the woman from Yingzhou, stood with them for the outcome, though her true intentions remained unknown to others.
“Judicial Inspector Zhong, how is it, my wife…”
“Mother!” Steward Liu stepped forward, following Zhong Li, and was about to inquire when Guo Xin rushed out from the side, heading straight for the ancestral hall.
Zhong Li looked up at Ren Wen Shu standing in the crowd and said, “Young Master Ren.”
Ren Wen Shu quickly approached her.
“Let the yamen’s people withdraw. The culprit has been apprehended,” Zhong Li stated.
“Ah?” Ren Wen Shu looked at the situation in the Buddhist hall in surprise. “Judicial Inspector Zhong means Madam Luo… she… she wouldn’t…”
“Guo Xin will not escape before her wedding. You can wait near Guo Xin’s husband’s residence. It’s not too late to act after the ceremony. As for the related evidence and files, I will have someone deliver them to the yamen tomorrow,” Zhong Li said.
Ren Wen Shu scratched his head. Although he didn't know why Zhong Li was doing this, he knew she must have her reasons. He nodded, waved his hand, and all the constables surrounding the Guo Manor retreated.
Zhong Li glanced back at Madam Luo, seeing her holding Guo Xin, weeping with pain and sorrow. She shook her head and left the back courtyard.
Drip, drip.
As Zhong Li stepped out of the Guo Manor’s main gate, she felt a dampness on her nose. Looking up, a raindrop landed on her cheek.
It was raining.
She looked at the overcast sky, sunlight unable to penetrate, casting a somber gloom over Jinzhou.
“Li’er.”
Just as Zhong Li was about to turn back to borrow an oil-paper umbrella from Steward Liu, a fine horse stopped before her.
She looked up at the person.
“Get on quickly. Lan Heng is back and has brought bad news. We need to rush to Jinzhou Port,” Lu Wu Xie, dressed in a black close-fitting outfit, with a cloud-patterned cloak that rippled slightly with his movements, appeared exceptionally composed with his brows furrowed, shedding his usual frivolous demeanor.
This time, Zhong Li did not ask or refuse as she usually would.
She reached out and grasped Lu Wu Xie’s large hand. With his arm pulling, she felt herself lighten and found herself seated on the horse.
“Giddy up!” Lu Wu Xie turned the horse’s head, flicked the reins, and whispered in her ear, “Hold on tight to the reins.” The horse galloped towards Jinzhou Port like lightning.
Zhong Li was familiar with the terrain of Jinzhou. The Guo Manor was not far from Jinzhou Port, and the ride would take about two hours.
“What happened at the port that requires such urgency?” Zhong Li looked back at the man behind her.
Fearing the spring rain would dampen Zhong Li’s clothes, Lu Wu Xie took off his cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. He replied, “The list of spies from the Beichuan Gang that I gave to Lan Heng in Jinzhou and Yongcheng. While investigating and thoroughly checking, he discovered two were missed. After interrogation, it was learned that these two had escaped to a Beichuan Gang ship docked at the port.
Lan Heng suspects these two were informants. So, this afternoon, he sent someone to notify me to investigate thoroughly. The result is that the Beichuan Gang has learned that Governor Guo is dead, and they also know that the Emperor has sent the Hua Family Army to suppress them. Therefore, their new gang leader, Zuo Teng, had already led all the Beichuan Gang members to flee towards the southeast earlier.”
“Southeast direction?” Zhong Li frowned upon hearing the direction. “Doesn’t that mean…”
“Yes, Little Fisher Island!” Lu Wu Xie said, echoing Zhong Li’s guess. “If Little Fisher Island is occupied by Zuo Teng and his men, then the over a thousand fishermen there are likely in danger.”
“Then… is there still time?” Zhong Li asked urgently.
Lu Wu Xie nodded. “The Nanyue Kingdom’s navy is considered the best among these major powers. Now that I have the naval command, it’s still possible to quickly integrate the navy and pursue them eastward.
However, just in case, I have already instructed Lan Heng to lead the Hua Family Army from Yongcheng to outflank and provide cover from the southeast. Although the Hua Family Army is formidable, this is a naval battle, and they are not at an advantage. They can only provide cover for the navy under my command.”
As they spoke, Lu Wu Xie had brought Zhong Li to the port.
At this moment, the port was not filled with merchant ships as it was last time. All the naval warships were gathered, with about ten thousand naval soldiers ready for deployment.
“Young Lord!” A man in armor saw Lu Wu Xie and quickly emerged from the ship’s cabin, kneeling on one knee and cupping his fist in greeting.
Lu Wu Xie nodded and said, “Deputy General Chen, please rise.”
Deputy General Chen obeyed and stood up.
“Are all the soldiers assembled?” Lu Wu Xie asked.
Deputy General Chen nodded. “Reporting to Young Lord, except for a portion of the naval soldiers stationed at important ports, your subordinate has gathered everyone who can be mobilized within half a day. There are approximately… twenty thousand!”
Twenty thousand? Zhong Li dismounted, somewhat stunned by this number. Jinzhou was such a large port, the lifeline of the Nanyue Kingdom’s navy. Even with a shortage of troops and generals, how could there only be twenty thousand?
Lu Wu Xie glanced at General Chen opposite him, pondered for a moment, and then his gaze fell on Lin Jin in the distance. He murmured, “Good.”
Lin Jin received the order, took a set of armor from a soldier carrying a tray, and walked to Lu Wu Xie’s side. With the help of two other soldiers, he quickly donned the armor, took the weapon handed to him by Lin Jin, and turned to look at the woman beside him.
Zhong Li stood still, meeting his gaze. Although he had never said it, seeing how he easily put on armor and led troops into battle today, she guessed that he must have done similar things in his previous life. And back then, was he… injured?
“Young Lord!” The panic that suddenly arose in her heart made her involuntarily whisper.
Lu Wu Xie smiled faintly at her and, with his gloved hand, gently smoothed her temples that had been ruffled by the wind during their ride.
“Li’er, there’s something I might need your help with.”
Zhong Li frowned, somewhat confused.
“By rights, Jinzhou’s navy shouldn’t be this small,” he said, his brows furrowing.
Zhong Li’s heart skipped a beat. She knew that this seemingly simple bandit suppression campaign was more complicated than she had imagined.
“From guarding the passes to the assembled troops, there should be fifty thousand,” Lu Wu Xie said.
Fifty thousand? Zhong Li looked at all the soldiers behind Lu Wu Xie. Excluding the heavy guards at the passes, there were about ten thousand not yet assembled. These people…
“Ten thousand are old subordinates of Guo Qi. When they heard Guo Qi was in trouble and refused to surrender to the court, they all became rebels!
And these rebels might take advantage of the situation when I lead the navy away from the port.
So, Li’er… are you willing…”