Chapter 40

The kidnapping of the Prince of Yongning was merely a topic of conversation for the people of the capital, a subject to discuss over tea and after meals. Those who sympathized sighed, while others simply laughed it off and moved on.

Life always goes on, especially in the bustling Bianliang.

Beyond the green mountains and outside the towers, the songs and dances by the West Lake never cease. The warm wind intoxicates the tourists, making them mistake Hangzhou for Bianzhou. These poetic lines are remembered by later generations, but isn't the situation today the same? The Southern Song Dynasty was preoccupied with the beauty of nature and the arts, unaware of the fierce Mongols in the north. Today, the Northern Song Dynasty is even more focused on the arts and beauty, forgetting the iron hooves of the Liao and Jin in the north.

The red candles burn lonely, a song of wind and flowers intoxicates, and the night in Bianliang is filled with the clamor of people. The Xiefang Tower remains bustling. With the Prince of Yongning gone, the gambling agreement has lost its meaning, so Mother Wu has already started thinking about how to make another fortune.

In the boudoir, Nian Nu'er changed into a purple gauze dress, the pink undergarment sitting low, barely covering the expanse of soft, white skin. She had intended to wear this outfit to serve the young prince, but then this incident happened. Everyone thought that Zhao Yougong would not return alive, as the female thief was determined to kill him, and he had no martial skills at all. How could he survive?

But Nian Nu'er was not an ordinary person; she believed that Zhao Yougong would definitely return. If the young prince couldn't get through this, he wouldn't be worth her waiting for.

Having spent a long time in the Xiefang Tower, Nian Nu'er had seen too many ups and downs in the world and understood too much. Men, for the most part, were just playing games, and finding someone to rely on was extremely difficult. She had thought that all men were the same, but then she met the young Prince Zhao. Was it curiosity or affection? Was he worth entrusting her life to?

Xiao Tan stood at the door, observing for a while, then frowned and ran over, "Sister Cui, Mother Wu is here again, probably for that matter!"

Even if Xiao Tan didn't say anything, Nian Nu'er could guess. With the young prince gone, Mother Wu would certainly try to make some money. After all, Nian Nu'er was a top courtesan, not inferior to Li Shishi, and there were plenty of men willing to pay.

Pushing the door open, Mother Wu put on a smiling face and said in a somewhat fawning tone, "My dear, Gao Yanei, Wang Yanei, and others have been urging many times. What do you think about this...?"

"No problem, just let Mother decide!" Nian Nu'er seemed unaffected, smiling and speaking. Mother Wu was about to say "good" when Nian Nu'er changed her tone and whispered, "But... I'm afraid I might harm Mother. If the young prince returns to the capital and makes a fuss, it will have nothing to do with me!"

Mother Wu's mouth opened in a bitter smile. If the young prince really didn't die, with his temper, it would be unimaginable if he didn't tear down the Xiefang Tower. If Sister Cui then pushed all the blame onto Mother Wu, the consequences would be clear. With the young prince's temper, he wouldn't stop until he had tortured her to death.

Forget it, forget it, just bear with it for now. Wait until there's news about the young prince before making a decision.

Mother Wu loved money, but she loved her life more. After a few words, she left in a huff.

Hearing the door close, Nian Nu'er smiled. Mother Wu was so obsessed with money that she didn't even think about the consequences of forcing the issue. The high-ranking officials like Gao Yanei and Wang Yanei would be fine, but would the young prince, who was already angry, not vent his anger on her?

Picking up a cup of tea, Xiao Tan pouted and hesitated, "Sister Cui, do you think the young prince will be alright?"

"Who knows? If he has the ability, he'll be fine. If he's incompetent, it's better for him to die than to live!"

Nian Nu'er's words left Xiao Tan confused. What did it mean to say it's better to die than to live? Could there really be people who think death is better than life?

In the southern part of the city, there was a unique courtyard. At first glance, it didn't seem remarkable, perhaps reflecting the owner's personality. In the hall of the courtyard, a man in black sat. He was dressed entirely in black, even wearing a black veil over his head. The wide black robe covered his body completely, making it impossible to tell if he was male or female.

The courtyard gate opened, and a young man in a gray robe walked in, stopping before a pavilion. He clasped his hands and said, "Master, the Prince of Yongning has left Mangshan. What should we do next?"

"Continue to monitor him. If anything unexpected happens, follow the previously planned course of action!"

The voice was rough and powerful, but it had a somewhat sinister tone.

"Yes!" He clasped his hands in response and immediately left the courtyard.

With no one else around, the man in black slowly sipped his tea, a light smile on his face. "Zhao Yougong, are you truly foolish or just pretending?"

At the Xishi Moon Arch Bridge, Tuoba Qingyun strolled leisurely, buying things she found interesting. In just two days, she had already bought a whole cart of items. A middle-aged man followed her like a shadow, his face covered in a beard, and his eyes fierce, giving him a fierce appearance. After buying another porcelain vase, the middle-aged man paid and grumbled, "Qingyun, what's wrong with you? We should have gone back long ago. Why are you wasting time in Bianliang?"

The bearded man was named Tuoba Man, Tuoba Qingyun's clan uncle. So when he grumbled, Tuoba Qingyun could only listen.

"Is Uncle Man worried about money? When we return to Yinzhou, I'll pay you back!"

"You little girl, you're always teasing people. Is Uncle Man worried about a little money? It's just that things in Yinzhou are urgent. Is it good for us to linger here?"

Tuoba Man couldn't understand what Tuoba Qingyun was doing. His niece was extremely intelligent and rarely did foolish things.

Tuoba Qingyun raised her right hand and opened a fan, fanning it playfully. "Hehe, Uncle Man, you're taking it seriously. I was just joking with you!"

"Ah, you little girl, stop teasing people. Tell Uncle Man, what are you really doing?"

"Nothing much, just waiting for some news. When the news comes, we'll leave!"

"News? What kind of news? Why are you being so mysterious? Tell me, how long will you wait?"

"Maybe a day, maybe three days, but no more than half a month. Don't worry, Uncle Man!"

Tuoba Qingyun looked relaxed, but Tuoba Man was full of frustration. If it really took half a month, who knew when they would leave, but at least it wasn't six months, or they would be waiting forever.

To the southeast of Mangshan, there was a small city called Taipingzhou. The only road from Taipingzhou to Wuxi was a busy one, with teahouses and taverns lining both sides. It was not yet noon, and the teahouses and taverns were very quiet. A few men in hats and martial attire rushed into the largest Yunxiang Inn in Taipingzhou. The innkeeper was surprised; who would come to stay so early in the morning? Curious, but he couldn't turn away customers, so he greeted them with a smile, "Gentlemen, are you here to stay or to drink?"

"Two upper rooms, and bring some wine and dishes to the room!" The leader, who was holding a saber, said in a deep voice.

"Sure thing! There are two upper rooms on the second floor. Gentlemen, please follow me!"

After leading the men to their rooms, the innkeeper withdrew. The men then removed their hats, and upon closer inspection, two of them were Lu Qian and Yao Cheng.

Pouring a cup of tea, Yao Cheng drank it heartily, but his face showed no smile. The failure to kill Zhao Yougong on Mangshan was truly frustrating.

"Lu Yuhou, does Yao Cheng have your support for what I plan to do tonight?"

What Yao Cheng planned to do was, of course, to kill. On Mangshan, only he and Lu Qian were there, and they didn't dare act rashly. Now that he had brought in several experts from the Hundred Knives Sect, he had nothing to fear. No matter how skilled the black-clothed woman was, could she withstand the combined attack of several experts from the Hundred Knives Sect?

Acting on his own to deal with Zhao Yougong was not ordered by Grand Marshal Gao, so Lu Qian dared not participate. He felt that Yao Cheng's actions would anger Grand Marshal Gao. If Zhao Yougong could be killed at will, Grand Marshal Gao wouldn't have ordered the action to take place on Mangshan, and he wouldn't have hired the Mangshan bandits.

"Yao Zhizhi, can you listen to my advice? We should consult Grand Marshal Gao first!"

"Hmph, you coward! If you don't want to, go back to the capital immediately and stop being a nuisance to me!" Yao Cheng was not at all polite. Lu Qian was just a Yuhou, and besides, eliminating Zhao Yougong was a good opportunity for him to gain merit. He couldn't give it up just because of Lu Qian's words.

Yao Cheng's words were mocking, and Lu Qian couldn't help but get angry. He stood up, clasped his hands, and said coldly, "We have different paths. I hope you know what you're doing, Yao Zhizhi. I'm leaving!"

Lu Qian left without hesitation, and Yao Cheng didn't stop him. He was glad to be rid of this troublesome person.

Although it was a warm spring, after dusk, the sky had already darkened. A carriage was slowly moving, and by nightfall, it had arrived at the foot of Pingling Mountain. This place was still some distance from Wuxi, and to find a place to stay, they would have to go to nearby Liyang or Jintan, which was quite inconvenient. So the owner of the carriage decided to spend the night at the foot of Pingling Mountain.

After a day of travel, Zhao Yougong was quite comfortable, lying on the soft bedding and sleeping soundly several times.

Lifting the curtain, Mu Wanqing threw her sword into the carriage. She glanced at the drowsy Zhao Yougong and sneered, "You're quite comfortable. Wait a moment, I'll go get some food!"

"Um!"

Zhao Yougong didn't open his eyes and waved his hand indifferently.

Going to Wuxi was entirely Mu Wanqing's idea. As a severely injured person, he couldn't resist even if he wanted to. But going to Wuxi was not bad; it could be considered a scenic tour.

Thinking of some pleasant things, a smile appeared on his face. However, no matter how smart Zhao Yougong was, he couldn't have imagined how dangerous this night would be.

The night was hazy, and a deadly trap was being set, but Zhao Yougong and Mu Wanqing were completely unaware.