Everyone knew who the other animals referred to, and both Sifeng and Zhang Baotang laughed, but this topic was not to be discussed now.
They also squatted down next to Zhu Zan.
"You don't need to worry about your uncle either, the situation has been controlled," Sifeng said.
"Right, this time it was really unexpected. It's all because of the Yongxing Army's Zhang Dousheng, that reckless hare, who got ambushed by the Jurchen people and gave them an opening," Zhang Baotang said.
Zhu Zan hmphed through his nose.
"What unexpected? This is the reality," he said, "Who cares whose fault it is, defeat is defeat, one man defeated is the whole northern lands defeated."
Sifeng and Zhang Baotang fell silent.
"Zhang Dousheng can't be saved," Zhu Zan said, "Yongxing Army won't be able to hold either, definitely to be taken over by others."
The ones to take over would naturally not be Duke of Chengguo's people.
"Damn it all," Zhang Baotang cursed, "each and every one of them is not here to help, but to gnaw at the flesh. Before outsiders get to it, it's our own people biting us to death first."
"That's how things are," Sifeng said with a bitter smile, "nothing goes the way you want it to be."
Zhu Zan spat the grass he was chewing out of his mouth.
"I want to go back," he said.
Zhang Baotang and Sifeng subconsciously glanced around them again.
"The emperor won't agree," Zhang Baotang said in a low voice, "My father and the others have tried, but it can't even be brought up, just hinting at it got them sent away."
"Who asked for their agreement?" Zhu Zan raised an eyebrow and said, "Just like how I got here, that's how I'll return."
Zhang Baotang let out an 'oh' and laughed.
"I had forgotten," he said.
Sifeng did not smile but frowned instead.
"It's not easy, not as relaxed as when you came," he said, "And this time someone will definitely be after your life on the way."
After all, when he came, the emperor's order was to capture and interrogate Zhu Zan, without the intent of taking his life, but if Zhu Zan leaves the capital now, still bearing the identity of a suspect, he could be defined as a fugitive.
For a fugitive, the order can be to kill without mercy.
"Better wait for your father to come and get you," Sifeng continued, patting his shoulder, "you really don't need to worry, your uncle is certainly fine."
Zhu Zan didn't say a word; a series of heavy coughs came from outside the stable, the prearranged signal, and upon hearing it, Zhang Baotang and Sifeng stood up.
"One more thing," Zhu Zan raised his head and said, frowning slightly, "Keep an eye on that woman."
That woman... naturally referred to Miss Jun.
Zhang Baotang immediately patted his chest.
"Don't worry, big brother, I'll take good care of her," he said.
"She is very capable, can handle ordinary situations, and it's no problem even if caught by a few Jinyiwei, what you need to do is to prevent her from falling into Lu Yunqi's hands," Zhu Zan said.
Lu Yunqi, that beast, is capable of doing anything.
Zhang Baotang immediately patted his chest again.
"I'll definitely keep an eye on Lu Yunqi," he said.
But Zhu Zan frowned.
"Why watch Lu Yunqi? Keeping her safe is the most important," he said, "If she ends up killing Lu Yunqi, not even gods could save her."
Who's killing who? Sifeng and Zhang Baotang were both stunned.
So, what you're worried about is not Lu Yunqi being harmful to Miss Jun, but Miss Jun being harmful to Lu Yunqi? Why does that sound so strange?
"What's so strange about that? If she kills Lu Yunqi, it brings her no benefit at all, naturally, it's to her disadvantage," Zhu Zan said irritably.
Sifeng coughed lightly.
"She, can kill Lu Yunqi?" he said.
That frail, quiet girl?
Of course, a frail, quiet girl could still kill Lord Huang, but Lu Yunqi was no useless worm like Lord Huang.
Even though it seems like Lu Yunqi is infatuated with the girl's beauty, after all, Lu Yunqi is still Lu Yunqi.
Zhu Zan snorted.
"That woman is crazy too," he muttered.
You haven't seen the things that surround her when she sleeps, on her hands, on her body, every single one capable of taking a life.
A woman who never parts with hidden and poison weapons, killing formations—killing someone is no big deal to her.
It's just that she's not yet at the point where she wants to kill someone; if she did...
I don't know how many people would be out of luck.
The coughing from outside continued, and neither Zhang Baotang nor Sifeng dared to linger any longer.
"We will remember this, rest assured and raise your horses here," they said, and hurriedly left.
Quiet returned to the stable, and Zhu Zan was still squatting in front of the manger, casually pulling a blade of hay from the nearby stack.
"What I'm worried about, of course, is not my father," he said to himself, chewing the hay bit by bit, "What I'm worried about is the land, hard-won inch by inch; losing it is so easy, and I can't bear that."
...........................
Meanwhile, Eighteenth Jin who had stood up from the bushes spat out a chewed piece of hay.
Not a single person could be seen on the mountain road ahead.
This was already within the boundaries of Qingyuan Prefecture in the western route of Hebei, less populated than the places they had passed through before.
Especially now within the vicinity of the Taihang Mountain.
They had been lying in wait here for close to a day; they had not seen a caravan, nor even a ghost's shadow.
"This Miss really is quite something," he remarked, "Is it possible that even being a cultured bureaucrat in Funing, part of the northern lands, could raise a daughter as formidable as a scout?"
Those guards and escorts were all checked by Eighteenth Jin and found to be nothing special; so this was the only conclusion he could draw.
"She was clearly heading in this direction, but now she's disappeared," another man beside him said with a frown, a hint of embarrassment in his eyes.
Being ditched by a young lady was rather unpleasant.
Of course, being outmaneuvered by men, like Zhu Zan before, wasn't a pleasant experience either.
"It looks like they've entered Qingyuan Prefecture," another man with a scholarly presence said in a low voice.
"What exactly does Miss Jun want to do? Could it be that she's not planning to return to Yangcheng?" Compared to the composure of these two men, two other burly men showed some impatience.
"She's taking a detour on her way back to Yangcheng," said Eighteenth Jin.
"But this detour seems way too far; we're nearing Zhending Prefecture," the man said.
"To throw us off, Miss Jun really has the patience and audacity," Eighteenth Jin laughed and said, "No wonder the one-thousand man commander is so fond of her."
After speaking, he gave a dismissive wave, his manner both stern and chilling.
"As it happens, we have no other skills but patience, and this time, you won't escape even if you grow wings."
....................
"We've shaken them off," Lei Zhonglian said with some excitement.
"No," Miss Jun said, "They know where we are and will follow us. This doesn't count as shaking them off."
Lei Zhonglian looked somewhat dejected.
"Those bastards," he muttered, looking ahead, "Are we almost at Qingyuan Prefecture?"
Although the city was not yet in sight, there were more people on the road, bustling with travelers and merchants on foot or carrying goods, indicating a prosperous community.
"Qingyuan Prefecture is also part of the western route of Hebei, so since it's part of the western route, we've come," Miss Jun said.
Liu'er held out a token to Lei Zhonglian.
Appointed to assist with the smallpox vaccine affairs in the western route of Hebei.
Lei Zhonglian smiled and took it.
"The people of Qingyuan Prefecture will surely be overjoyed," he said.
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Thank you to EM Zhenwu, Jing Sanshao, Nino's Ark, MAX Stone, ? The Last Shot ?, Ice from the South for rewarding He's Bi, (*^__^*) hehe...
Have a great weekend, everyone.