Chapter 414: Persuading the Three Brothers, Qingwu Appears Again

Zhao Mingyan glanced at him and said, "The leaders, the Hu Family’s Three Brothers, are descendants of Old General Hu, the defender of Yue City."

Wei Ting was taken aback for a moment.

This Old General Hu was a legend on the battlefield. It was only because the hero had fallen on hard times and encountered the fatuous and tyrannical King Liang that he met a tragic end.

For these bandit leaders to be Old General Hu’s descendants... Truly, the twists of fate were unpredictable and deeply lamentable.

Zhao Mingyan said, "It would be best to persuade these three brothers to surrender. I’ll leave this matter to you."

Wei Ting’s brow furrowed slightly as he said with concern, "But General Wei Chi has gone to the Nanchu border, leaving only Your Majesty here in the Northern Border. If Xijin were to launch a surprise attack now, would it not be dangerous?"

Zhao Mingyan said, "It’s fine. Just go."

Wei Ting clasped his hands in salute again and said in a low voice, "I will depart at once." After speaking, he rose and walked out of the tent.

Li Yuzong lifted the tent flap for him from outside. Just as Wei Ting took a step, Emperor Wu Su’s cold, deep voice came from behind him.

"One more thing."

Wei Ting turned, awaiting his orders.

Emperor Wu Su’s face showed clear hesitation, but in the end, he just waved his hand and said, "Go on."

*

「Black Wind Village.」

Ji Qingwu and Si Hai were led by soldiers to the rear courtyard, back to Qi Peiyao’s room.

A soldier reported to the person who entered last, "Lord Li, the woman entered the secret passage from here. My men haven’t found the trigger for the mechanism."

Li Chengxun nodded, circled the room once, and stated, "This is not where she usually lives."

Ji Qingwu’s heart skipped a beat. She finally understood where the strange feeling she’d had upon first seeing the room came from.

The place was too tidy, as if no one lived there. It had no signs of life, almost like a model home.

Li Chengxun said, "The place she truly lives is likely behind this hidden door."

He walked into the inner room, his gaze sweeping over the ornaments by the bed curtains. "These bandits really do love her. Only her room has this extra layer of protection."

Li Chengxun turned and asked, "Did either of you see how the woman opened the mechanism?"

Ji Qingwu hadn’t gotten a clear look at how Qi Peiyao triggered the mechanism either. By the time she walked into the inner room, the secret passage was already open.

Si Hai said, "Sir, we didn’t see either."

Li Chengxun stared at the round-faced peasant woman. "And you? What did you see?"

Ji Qingwu shrank back, her voice small and weak. "I didn’t see anything."

The soldiers had already searched the area, tapping and feeling around, but they found nothing suspicious.

Li Chengxun came to look himself, but also came up empty.

He ordered, "Let’s go. Post men to guard this room. No one is to enter or exit. There can be no mistakes."

"Yes, Lord Li," the soldiers answered in unison.

Then, a soldier asked for instructions, "As for these two, should I take them to Huang Er?"

Li Chengxun nodded. "Take them."

Ji Qingwu’s heart relaxed; she had finally been waiting for those words. She and Si Hai exchanged a look, a flicker of relief passing through their eyes. ’Thank goodness our identities haven’t been exposed.’

Once outside the room, Ji Qingwu followed the soldiers, her steps much lighter.

The sky outside had long since turned pitch-black. She had no idea what hour it was.

After just a few steps, she saw several people walking toward them in the distance.

Ji Qingwu’s pace faltered for a beat. The way the leader walked seemed a bit familiar, and she took a few more glances.

His stride was swift and powerful, as if his feet had wings, and every step seemed to carry a sense of purpose.

Si Hai recognized the man before Ji Qingwu did and nudged her with his elbow.

He whispered, "It’s General Wei."

Ji Qingwu instantly retracted her gaze, her heart tightening. ’How did Wei Ting end up in this bandit den too?’

’It seems Qi Peiyao wasn’t lying. This isn’t an ordinary stockade; it’s a "gathering place for big shots."’

Ji Qingwu kept her head down, stuck close behind the soldier, and successfully brushed past Wei Ting.

She didn’t lift her head until she had walked all the way to the caravan, where she let out a long sigh of relief.

Chunhua and Jiao Zhengfeng, each holding an infant, saw Ji Qingwu appear and immediately came forward.

"Sister-in-law! You’re out!" they called out, their faces beaming with joy.

Ji Qingwu walked over. The babies in their arms were sound asleep with their eyes closed.

She smiled and said, "We’re out."

Jiao Zhengfeng said hurriedly, "Benefactor, they just handed out rations. I saved some for you."

Chunhua said, "Hurry and get them, so they can fill their stomachs."

Ji Qingwu said, "Here, give me the baby."

She took the soft little infant, and Jiao Zhengfeng trotted over to a nearby carriage to find the food.

Chunhua gently patted the baby and asked in a low voice, "Sister-in-law, did you see the high-ranking official who came this time?"

Ji Qingwu said, "I just saw him for a moment, but I didn’t dare look up."

Chunhua said excitedly, "I heard he’s the Princess’s Prince Consort! He’s so dashing. I’ve never seen anyone so handsome."

Ji Qingwu played along with a smile. "Is that so?"

Chunhua added, "Sister-in-law, another high-ranking general just arrived. I didn’t see his face, only his back, but just looking at his arms and legs, you can tell he’s a fine man, one in ten thousand."

Ji Qingwu just smiled and said nothing.

Suddenly, her brow furrowed as she realized someone was missing.

"Chunhua, have you seen my little sister? The tall, thin girl with two braids."

Chunhua thought back carefully. "I haven’t seen her since we got out."

Lan Ling was gone.

Ji Qingwu said to Si Hai, "Go find Lan Ling."

"But I have to..."

Ji Qingwu said, "The bandits are all locked up now, so there’s no danger. Go find her first. If something happened to Lan Ling, we’ll be in trouble."

Si Hai hesitated for a moment, but under Ji Qingwu’s urging gaze, he left to search for Lan Ling.

Jiao Zhengfeng hadn’t returned with the flatbreads yet when two more soldiers came to the front of the carriage.

After staring at Ji Qingwu for a moment, one of them suddenly said, "That’s her!"

They pointed at Ji Qingwu with grave expressions and said, "You’re coming with us!"

Chunhua said fearfully, "Officers, what’s the matter? My sister-in-law has already been screened."

Ji Qingwu recognized their uniforms; they had to be soldiers from the Northern Border.

She said calmly, "Lord Li ordered me to be brought back here. I don’t know Mrs. Hu’s whereabouts."

The soldier was tight-lipped and didn’t want to waste words with her. "Enough nonsense! Come with us, now!"

Without another word, the two soldiers seized Ji Qingwu by the arms and started to drag her away.

Ji Qingwu’s feet left the ground. She said quickly, "Be careful with the baby! This baby is Chunhua’s, you have to give it back to her."

The soldier said, "The General has ordered that the baby must be brought along too!"

Ji Qingwu was speechless. ’Wei Ting won’t even spare an infant? Is he going to interrogate a newborn baby?’

This time, Ji Qingwu wasn’t taken to Qi Peiyao’s room, but was escorted to a damp, dark dungeon.

Ji Qingwu was hauled into the center of everyone’s view, still holding the baby in her arms.