Normally speaking, buying medicine was not something that should be done by Fu Ya. With the situation at its apex, she should have done her best to avoid going out where she could be seen. However, by sheer coincidence, master Fu stepped on some ice and lost his balance, twisting his ankle. Not only did Fu Ya need to go out to fetch medicine for Jiang shi, she also needed to get medicine for her father’s twisted ankle. That is the reason that she had no choice but to go out.
She did her best to take preventative measures; however, she was still unlucky. Normally speaking, this small blunder would not have caused anyone to have become suspicious, but most unfortunately, the two girls were none other than the two girls that had been at the side of the Qi family’s daughter. The two had been kicked out of the Illusory Hall because they had failed to reach their standards. They were already feeling unreconciled, and they had a deep impression of the girl named Fu Ya because of the death of the Qi family’s daughter. It was to the point that just a passing glance on the street allowed one of the girls to take notice of her, even though she had rapidly put the bamboo hat back in place.
Once the girl asked this, the girl at her side immediately stopped and stared wide-eyed, asking back: “You also saw it?”
“Is it really her?” The two could not help but be extremely shocked. At the same time, they looked all around, and one of them said: “It does not seem like her Highness Prince Lian has come out, but since she has gone with Prince Lian, why has she come out on her own?”
With these doubts given voice, the two followed behind her. They followed her to a medicine shop then followed her back to her residence from the medicine shop. Only after Fu Ya entered the Fu family residence did the two realize that something was not quite right.
However, Fu Ya did not know about any of this.
The misfortune unraveled that night. Before the disaster arrived, Fu Ya was speaking to Jiang shi about why there would be a girl that looked so similar to her. The mother and daughter were still analyzing what sort of person that girl was. At this time, the main gate of the Fu residence was kicked open, and countless people entered carrying torches, swords and spears.
This time, Duan Mu An Guo had personally made the trip. When the guards had brought Fu Ya to him, Duan Mu An Guo was given a start then immediately understood the situation at hand. Waving his hand, he gave the order: “Go to the posthouse! Search for Da Shun’s imperial daughter Ji An!”
The words imperial daughter Ji An gave the people of the Fu family a scare. They never could have expected that the girl that looked like Fu Ya to be of such a noble background, but at the same time, they also understood that this crisis where the family would be broken up would be inevitable.
However, when Jiang shi asked Duan Mu An Guo about how the Fu family would be taken care of, Duan Mu An Guo told her: “Sent into the Winter Palace and secretly imprisoned.”
In Qian Zhou’s posthouse, Feng Yu Heng was seated beside Prince Lian’s bed, her head drooping from sleepiness. Prince Lian sat cross-legged on the bed and began to chat full of vigor: “I thought about it yesterday. Although ghost stories are scary, they’re better than not hearing anything. That’s why, Ya Ya, tell me a few ghost stories today!”
Feng Yu Heng glared at her then coldly said: “Your hair is scattered, your lips are red, you have dark bags under your eyes, and your stare is blank. You yourself look like a ghost. Who are you really wanting to listen to?”
Prince Lian raised a hand and felt her own face, smiling slightly awkwardly, “Isn’t this the result of not getting enough sleep yesterday! I have been fighting with myself this entire time. I have been analyzing whether or not I could handle a ghost story. Hah, how about you use me to make up a ghost story. Should I be a long-lived ghost or a headless ghost or would a ghost that is neither man nor woman be good? If those are still no good, how about something being changed by a fox spirit? How about you make one about a beautiful ghost based on my beauty.”
Bang!
As the two spoke, the door was suddenly knocked open by someone from the outside. A figure in black clothes entered and grabbed Feng Yu Heng’s hand, “Come with me.”
She recognized that this person was Ban Zou, thus she was not too flustered, but Prince Lian was different! She did not know Ban Zou! When he came in, she leaped up in bed. There was not much fear in her expression, as she just pointed at Ban Zou and said in a daze: “Like you, for example, you should be considered an assassin, right?”
Ban Zou rolled his eyes at the woman and did not speak to her. He just said to Feng Yu Heng: “Duan Mu An Guo went to the Fu residence. Your identity has been exposed. People under his command are already coming in this direction. If we don’t leave now, it will be too late.”
As he spoke, the two maids that held the ice lanterns ran in with two guards following behind them. One of them said: “Your Highness, it’s not good. Soldiers from the North have begun heading toward the posthouse. There are a large number of people.”
Feng Yu Heng furrowed her brow. The first thing that she asked was: “What is the situation at the Fu residence?”
Ban Zou shook his head, “The situation is not too good. Although Duan Mu An Guo did not give the order to kill them, that family of three has been detained. I don’t know what the purpose is for now.”
Her heart sank. Back when she had made this decision, she had been feeling anxious. In addition to her being in the North, she was on her own and was lacking in power. She did not have the power to properly take care of the Fu family. As a result, she had already expected long ago that the family would be put under house arrest by Duan Mu An Guo. For there to be a person that looked like her without the need for transformation ability, as long as Duan Mu An Guo did not kill her, she would have a good use for her.
Feng Yu Heng stood up and asked Ban Zou: “Is there any way out of the city?”
Ban Zou shook his head, “Is forcing our way out an option? Since Duan Mu An Guo has already moved, it’s impossible that he would leave a crack for us to escape through. A few days ago, I told you to leave, but you did not want to. Are you regretting it now?” Ban Zou angrily gritted his teeth.
Prince Lian stood on the bed, looking at the two in a daze. After looking for a while, she asked in a puzzled voice: “What sort of combination are you two?” While saying this, she pointed at Ban Zou, “If you’re wearing a full set of black clothes, you should be a hidden guard, but is there any hidden guard that speaks this way to their master?” After thinking a bit, she asked Feng Yu Heng: “What is going on? Based on what I’ve heard you say… you aren’t Fu Ya? Then who are you?”
She reached out to touch Feng Yu Heng’s face and had her hand slapped away, “Don’t touch me.”
“Hah, why are you so unreasonable?” Prince Lian became unhappy, “Did you hold back when touching me? Not only did you touch me, but you also ate my fish. Also, we nearly slept in the same bed. What is there to feel bashful about. I just want to see if you’re wearing a mask made of human skin. I’m just curious.”
The two maids that held ice lanterns had angry expressions while glaring at Feng Yu Heng. They asked: “Who exactly are you? Getting close to her Highness Prince Lian, what is your goal?”
“Fuck!” Feng Yu Heng lost it, “This should be something that I asked you! What exactly is Prince Lian’s goal in getting close to me? Is she insane? I just wanted to curry favor with Duan Mu An Guo and get into the Winter Palace. As a result, your Prince went and forced me to come over here. I haven’t even had a chance to settle this debt with you. Instead, you’re the ones that turned around and bit me first?”
The two maids were feeling pretty sad after hearing her say this. They both turned their gaze on Prince Lian, their gazes clearly carrying the message: “Your Highness, why exactly did you want to bring her back?
Prince Lian shrugged: “This great one desired it.” After saying this, she moved closer and reached out to slap Feng Yu Heng’s shoulder, loudly saying: “Don’t fear! That old thing, Duan Mu An Guo, will not be able to catch you so easily with this prince here. In the worst-case scenario, we’ll just run!”
“Run where?” Feng Yu Heng truly could not understand, “What do you mean, we’ll just run? I will definitely need to run, but why are you joining in on this? Also, since I am not Fu Ya, shouldn’t you be wanting to capture me too?”
Prince Lian waved her hand: “Why capture you! You are someone that Duan Mu An Guo wishes to capture, not someone that I want to capture. Also, I hate that old thing the most. The enemy of an enemy is my friend. Us comrades must know loyalty!” After saying this, she leaped out of bed and began to put her clothes on. While putting them on, she ordered the two maids: “Call people to set up the battle arrays in the posthouse. That Duan Mu An Guo wants to forcefully break into Qian Zhou’s posthouse, right. In any case, he will need to leave a few lives behind as a blood sacrifice to this prince!”
The two maids heeded her orders. Without another word, they turned around and set to work. Ban Zou still held Feng Yu Heng’s wrist and used his eyes to ask: “Are we still running?”
Feng Yu Heng thought a bit then shook her head, “Since her Highness Prince Lian wants to help us, to continue refusing would be improper. It would be better for us to accept these feelings, but…” She stared at Prince Lian, saying one word at a time: “This imperial daughter has never been one to remember favors, nor have I been one to keep my word. I hope that your Highness Prince Lian will not go too overboard in the future in asking this imperial daughter for repayment. I will not accept it.”
Her saying “this imperial daughter” caused a light to flit through Prince Lian’s eyes; however, it was still seen by Feng Yu Heng, but she did not expose it. She just thought that there was indeed some sort of plot at hand, but she did not know what this plot was.
“Speaking like this, as long as it’s not too egregious, I can still get some benefits from you?” Prince Lian put on an incomparably beautiful smile, “I, Feng Zhao Lian, would not go so far as to ask for Da Shun or even the entirety of the North for this bit of a favor. As for what exactly I want… I’ll think a little more!” That rascally look appeared once more, “I need to think about it carefully. This is Da Shun’s imperial daughter Ji An! Someone that is known through the entire world. This benefit cannot be wasted.”
“Hmph!” Ban Zou snorted coldly and rolled his eyes at her, “Don’t rush to speak about conditions. Get us out first before we talk.”
The woman smiled even more beautifully, moving a hand to Ban Zou’s shoulder; however, this was slapped back by Ban Zou. She smirked and said: “Is everyone from Da Shun a monk? This prince is so beautiful, so why is it that I failed to get either one of you?”
Outside the window, the sounds of the army maintaining the peace could be heard. The soldiers of the North were all very fierce. While walking, the sound was far louder than the people of Da Shun. In addition to this, the snow was thicker, and the crunching sound of the snow was very shocking.
Feng Yu Heng was very helpless: “In regards to your beauty, can we discuss this at a later date? The current pressing matter is to get us out of the city. Don’t worry. I already said it before, as long as your request at a later date is not too excessive, I can promise you anything.”
“Good!” Prince Lian finally became happy. Rolling up her sleeves, she moved to take care of making her bed.
Ban Zou was on the verge of collapse, “What are you doing? We’re people that need to escape, yet you’re still making your bed?” However, just as these words were said, he saw Prince Lian suddenly lift the sheets. The bed board was lifted, revealing a hole in the ground.
Prince Lian was the first to hop in before waving to Feng Yu Heng: “Come along!”
Feng Yu Heng and Ban Zou immediately followed after her. Just after the three hopped down, who knew what Prince Lian pressed, as the hole in the ground was immediately closed tight. There seemed to be faint sounds that could be heard from above, and Feng Yu Heng analyzed that it was the sound of the sheets being put back in place.
She facepalmed: “This is such an important room, yet you had me sleep in it?”
“Good comrades must know loyalty!” She repeated it once more.
Ban Zou pulled out some flint and lit a torch that had been placed on the wall. When the flames illuminated the face of the matchless beauty, Feng Yu Heng suddenly remembered something…