Chapter 410 - 409: Enemy

Chapter 410: Chapter 409: Enemy

Du Yunluo packed the items she needed to bring to Mu Lianxiao and handed them to Shuying to take to Shanyu Pass.

At night the city gates were closed, so Shuying had to wait until dawn the next day to leave the city.

Du Yunluo tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep soundly.

The Liu Family and Jia De were like a thorn in her heart, making her restless and anxious.

Jia De had become a guide, leading General Huang and Mu Lianxiao. In the vast, boundless desert, if Jia De had malicious intentions, he could cause the soldiers to get lost.

This made Du Yunluo extremely uneasy.

In the dark, she sighed softly.

Perhaps it was the influence of her past life’s experiences; in this life, she trusted her family and those with mutual interests, but she found it hard to trust strangers who appeared around her.

Being cautious was good, but occasionally, Du Yunluo felt the pressure was too much.

Yet she had no choice but to bear this pressure.

Du Yunluo simply sat up, clutching the brocade quilt, deep in thought.

If Jia De harbored ill intentions, appearing with another purpose, then who was behind him?

Was it Mu Yuanmou and the Lian Family?

Mu Yuanmou had made many preparations at the Northern Border for the sake of a title, but how did he notice Jia De, who hadn’t been in the Capital for several years, and how did he manage to bring the Liu Family to Xuancheng and put Jia De in front of Mu Lianxiao?

Instinct told Du Yunluo this might not be the Second House’s trick.

But if it wasn’t the Second House, then who would it be...

A thought flashed through her mind, and Du Yunluo’s heart began to race.

"Jin Rui, Jin Rui!" Du Yunluo called out loudly.

Jin Rui woke up startled, slipped on a robe, lit a candle, and brought the lamp inside.

Placing the oil lamp on the bedside table, Jin Rui parted the curtains and asked, "Madam, what’s the matter? Are you thirsty?"

Du Yunluo shook her head, got out of bed, and said, "Go to the study and prepare the brush and ink. I have an urgent letter for the Princely Heir."

Seeing her urgency, Jin Rui didn’t bother asking questions and helped Du Yunluo put on a cloak.

The study was lit up.

Jin Rui ground the ink, the rich fragrance wafting through the night, waking her up completely.

Du Yunluo picked up the brush, carefully considered her words, wrote out her message, and sealed it with fire lacquer.

"Give this to Shuying before he departs, make sure he hands it personally to the Princely Heir," Du Yunluo instructed carefully.

Being cautious, Jin Rui dared not be negligent and nodded, "Rest assured, madam, I understand."

In the latter half of the night, Du Yunluo slept very lightly and only dozed off fitfully as dawn approached.

When she awoke again, daylight had already flooded the outside.

Jin Lan attended to her washing and dressing, and she called for Jin Rui to come in.

Jin Rui said, "Madam, I’ve already given it to Shuying."

Upon hearing this, Du Yunluo sighed with slight relief.

Indeed, concern leads to confusion. Her mind was filled with Second House matters: Mu Yuanmou, the Lian Family, Mu Liancheng. Yet she forgot that in Lindong, they had another enemy.

By the reckoning of her past life, Du Huairang was transferred to Jiangnan in the 24th year of Yong’an, two years later.

Before Du Huairang left Xuancheng, he had already reported to the Holy Emperor about Changping Marquis fostering private soldiers.

In this life, Du Yunluo learned from Mu Lianxiao and the Yang Family’s words that Du Huairang had been keeping an eye on Changping Marquis Mansion for years.

The emperor’s urgent summons for Mu Lianxiao to return to the capital was not only for the matter of Shanyu Pass’s garrison but more so for Changping Marquis Mansion.

Mu Lianxiao and Du Huairang likely already had some clues.

Changping Marquis wouldn’t sit and wait for death, letting Du Huairang and Mu Lianxiao expose his secrets.

But compared to Du Huairang, the civil servant, Changping Marquis was more worried about Mu Lianxiao ruining his major undertakings.

Mu Lianxiao had suddenly been to Lindong in the 18th year of Yong’an and now was assigned to garrison Shanyu Pass. With a little thinking, Changping Marquis would guess that Mu Lianxiao might be coming for him.

Perhaps, just perhaps, fostering private soldiers was a capital crime; Changping Marquis didn’t dare gamble on this possibility.

If discovered, it wouldn’t just bring disaster to his entire family, but also ruin Prince Rui’s grand rebellion plans.

Changping Marquis couldn’t openly confront Mu Lianxiao; he had to deal with him discreetly and efficiently. That’s where Jia De came in handy.

Leading the garrison of Shanyu Pass into the desert, even using private soldiers to ambush and eliminate him, would be a clean break.

In that desolate desert, who could ever prove it was Changping Marquis’s doing?

Before inheriting the title, Changping Marquis walked with Prince Rui Li Xiang in the capital, precisely when Yangwei Escort Agency was at its peak.

And with Changping Marquis’s capabilities, creating a Mr. Liu and Jia De in Xuancheng was a simple matter.

These were all Du Yunluo’s speculations.

Du Yunluo didn’t trust Jia De. Without a way to link him to the Second House, instructing Mu Lianxiao to investigate Changping Marquis Mansion was a precaution.

Two days later, Shuying reached Shanyu Pass.

Upon hearing his return, Mu Lianxiao quickly inquired about the Jiangnan matters.

Shuying answered everything, seeing Mu Lianxiao deep in thought, took out a letter, and said, "This is from Madam to you. Miss Jin Rui repeatedly stressed it must be handed to you personally. The letter is very important."

Mu Lianxiao was slightly taken aback, then reached out to take the envelope.

The fire lacquer seal was tightly set; Mu Lianxiao’s eyes narrowed, and he pressed his lips.

Du Yunluo’s caution indicated the letter’s content was no ordinary matter.

Taking out the letter, Mu Lianxiao looked carefully, his expression growing serious.

The letter was written with difficulty by Du Yunluo, evident from the deliberate handwriting.

Normally, Du Yunluo’s letters to him covered everyday family matters, with a cheerful tone and lively penmanship. But on this letter, while there were no amendments, each stroke was heavy, mirroring her mood at the time.

From what the letter said, Mu Lianxiao did not think it was alarmist.

Changping Marquis had cultivated ties in Lindong for many years; he had his own network of ears and eyes. It was not unlikely he had sensed Mu Lianxiao and Du Huairang watching him.

If he had noticed, he would find ways to stop Mu Lianxiao.

To deal with Mu Lianxiao while clearing Changping Marquis of all associations, the best way was to deliver him into the hands of the Dazi.

As long as the army disappeared in the desert, who could say what happened to the soldiers?

So discreetly, even the Holy Emperor would merely think it was a failed surprise attack.

Mu Lianxiao pondered and then turned to General Huang’s residence.

General Huang and Huang Yun were discussing the training of soldiers when they saw Mu Lianxiao’s serious expression, and they frowned.

"About the Jia De we spoke of before..." Mu Lianxiao lowered his voice and relayed the information Shuying had gathered from Jiangnan, possibly involving Changping Marquis Mansion, to the Huang family father and son.

The possibility of Changping Marquis breeding private soldiers was news to General Huang and Huang Yun, startling them.

Mu Lianxiao took out a secret order from the Holy Emperor from his sleeve and handed it to them.

This order had been given to Mu Lianxiao when he left the capital, instructing the Huang family to participate in the investigation of Changping Marquis Mansion if needed.

General Huang recognized the emperor’s handwriting, and it bore the imperial seal. After reading it, they used a fire stick to burn the secret order.

"Seems like we need a good plan to see if we can catch a big fish," Huang Yun said, eager for action.