Chen Jiayu's subordinates were extremely anxious, using a body double to deceive the people monitoring him.
The others had been searching outside for his whereabouts, almost tearing apart the path from the Prince's Residence to the General's Residence.
"Jifeng, our master must be imprisoned by that old scoundrel Zhao Junqian. If we don't storm in now, our master will be in grave danger."
"Hongluan, we must not panic. Our master is exceptionally intelligent; he will surely find a way to contact us. If this matter escalates, our years of planning will be in vain."
"Is our master's life more important or the mission? We can't delay any longer! If you're too scared to go, I'll go alone."
"Don't be foolish! Our master wouldn't want us to act."
"Coward."
After Hongluan spoke, she left in a huff. In her heart, Chen Jiayu's life was the most important thing, and she couldn't bear to wait passively any longer.
Just thinking about Chen Jiayu suffering now made her heart ache as if being cut by a knife.
...
Chen Jiayu was so tormented by copying that he was barely human. Ever since he started copying, Zhao Jingwan had completely given up.
At first, Chen Jiayu would copy three times while she copied once. Now, she had him copy everything himself, cheering him on from the side.
"Brother Jiayu, Wanwan won't trouble you anymore."
"Brother Jiayu, you're so amazing." Her eyes sparkled.
"Brother Jiayu, it's so good to have met you."
...
Chen Jiayu had to continue to play along with her, fearing that she might betray him impulsively.
"Meeting Wanwan is also my good fortune."
"Heh heh, we are truly destined by heaven."
"Brother Jiayu, I've known you for so long, and you've never told me where you're from. What do you do? Wanwan really wants to know."
"I'm just an ordinary person."
"Brother Jiayu, you're lying. Then why are you at our General's Residence?"
"Wanwan, I have my difficulties. But I am definitely not a bad person; rest assured, I will not harm you."
"Brother Jiayu, I believe you."
Chen Jiayu breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, this girl was a bit slow-witted, or he would have been in trouble.
His face itched terribly, and he couldn't help but scratch it again with force. No new flesh had grown on his face.
The weather was not too hot, and one could smell it if they got close. Zhao Jingwan was quite frightened by his current appearance.
She covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief and took a step back subtly.
"Brother Jiayu, your wound is so serious. If you don't go to a doctor soon, there will definitely be problems. See if you can contact your subordinates; I feel we can't delay any longer."
Chen Jiayu was also anxious. He went out to scout whenever he had the chance, but the guards outside changed their patrol times and locations daily, and he hadn't found a pattern yet.
"Who could I possibly contact? Wanwan, will you help me?"
"Of course, I will."
"General is your father. If you were to plead with him, he would surely soften his heart. As long as the guards outside are withdrawn, I will have a way to get out."
"But I can't even see him. Brother Jiayu, I'm sorry, am I too useless?"
As she spoke, she appeared delicate and pitiable again, making Chen Jiayu want to strangle her. He took a deep breath and taught her, word by word, how to apologize.
He also personally wrote a letter of apology, with every word sincere. He took out a bracelet and gave it to Qiū Hé, asking her to deliver it to Jūn Jiǔlí.
Qiū Hé agreed outwardly, but as soon as she left the courtyard, she tore up the letter. His Lordship had already given his orders, and she didn't want to bring trouble upon herself.
At dinner.
"Qiū Hé, what did my father say?"
"Miss, please be patient. This servant can't even see His Lordship right now. I'll sell that bracelet tomorrow and give something to those who can speak to His Lordship to grease the wheels."
"Why is it so troublesome? Qiū Hé, you must put your heart into it. Once I get out, you will be rewarded handsomely."
"This servant naturally wishes for Miss's well-being."
"You may leave, I'm going to eat now."
"Yes, this servant takes her leave."
Dinner consisted of a small bowl of rice and a bowl of clear soup. Looking at the bland food, Zhao Jingwan felt nauseous.
"Every day it's the same things. Even the young maids eat better than me, the young lady. It must be the First Madam causing trouble; she can't even tolerate me, a mere concubine's daughter."
Chen Jiayu looked at the bowl of rice, his mouth watering incessantly. He hadn't eaten such plain rice in a long time and was starving, his ribs sticking out.
He sat down first and ate all the rice in his bowl. Zhao Jingwan's eyes widened.
Chen Jiayu lowered his head sheepishly, "Wanwan, I'm really too hungry. You won't blame me, will you?"
Zhao Jingwan swallowed and turned her head away, "It's okay, I understand."
Chen Jiayu seized the opportunity to eat half of the dishes, "I knew Wanwan was the best and most kind."
Zhao Jingwan couldn't say anything. Did she have to admit she wasn't kind? She could only quickly sit down and eat the remaining dishes.
Hongluan led a team of ten people to infiltrate the General's Residence.
"Everyone, remember the marked points; these are the most likely places for a dungeon. Do your best to investigate, and before you die, transmit a message. We must find our master's location."
"Yes!"
The group dispersed. As soon as they entered the General's Residence, they were surrounded by guards, caught in a dilemma, and afraid of exposing their identities and implicating Chen Jiayu.
With a gritted teeth, they bit open their poison capsules and died, their souls returning to the heavens. Fuguì ordered them to be dragged to the study door and searched thoroughly, hoping to find their master.
There was no news. Hongluan outside grew impatient. She had the worst-case scenario in mind and mustered her courage to climb over the wall.
She was going to Jun Jiuli's study; the confidential information Chen Jiayu needed was there, and he was most likely there as well.
Fuguì: "My master's foresight is indeed remarkable. These people had nothing to prove their identities. What should we do next?"
"Drag everyone to the mass grave. There should be another wave soon."
"Yes."
Fuguì thought that his master must have his own plans, and he just needed to obey orders.
Hongluan, hidden in the darkness, gnashed her teeth in anger upon seeing the corpses on the ground. These were all elites of Chen Country, yet they were so vulnerable.
"Who's there?"
Fuguì drew his sword and struck towards Hongluan's hiding place. Hongluan quickly dodged and parried with her sword.
Neither of them yielded, and they fought to a draw. The surrounding guards saw that Fuguì was holding his own and merely surrounded them, not interfering.
Seeing that the situation was dire, Hongluan prepared to commit suicide. Fuguì, however, swiftly knocked her sword away, captured her, dislocated her jaw, and pulled off her veil.
"Speak, who sent you?"
Hongluan's heart was filled with despair. She closed her eyes and said nothing.
The surrounding guards were astonished. They hadn't expected that someone who could fight Fuguì to a standstill would be a woman.
Fuguì: "General, we've captured one alive. But she's very stubborn. How should we deal with her?"
"There's no use keeping her. Give her a dignified death."
Hongluan's face finally regained some color. She looked up excitedly at Jun Jiuli, who was above.
"You already know who is behind me, don't you? My master, is he still alive? He must still be alive."
After asking, she stared fixedly at Jun Jiuli, her eyes full of light.
"A little thief who broke into my residence. His corpse might already be stinking."
"Impossible, you're lying to me, aren't you? He's so powerful, how could he have died like this? It's impossible."
She shook her head vigorously in denial, her eyes filled with panic and unease. Jun Jiuli gestured to Fuguì, and Fuguì slit her throat with his sword.
It was so fast that Hongluan left this world without much pain. Her eyes were wide open before she died, clearly filled with extreme unwillingness.