Chapter 009
Chapter 9: Clever Tricks Don’t Work
Duan Yi Chen straightened his back and scanned the area on guard: “What is it? Is someone following us?”
Xia Meng Yan shared her guess: “If this place really is the Huo Family Army’s hideout, they will never let us leave alive.”
The famous Huo Family Army secretly robbing people would shake the realm. If this gets out, the Court will fall into chaos, and the people near the Northern Fortress Pass will suffer.
She added, thinking it through: “The Huo Family Army has been at the Northern Fortress Pass for years. If someone inside is secretly working with foreign enemies…”
Duan Yi Chen shivered. Xia Meng Yan did not finish, but both of them understood.
The Huo Family Army has rooted itself at the Northern Fortress Pass for many years. In the early days, they had only sixty thousand troops. After Marquis Xuan Ping stepped back from front-line command, Marshal Huo took more and more power. If he dares to collude with foreign foes, the whole country will be thrown into disorder.
Duan Yi Chen dropped his usual grin and said to her solemnly: “Before I left the capital, Mother sent the Shadow Guard to follow me. Don’t worry, I will keep you safe.”
Xia Meng Yan smiled: “Relax. Right now the Huo Family Army has no time to deal with us.”
Wang Mang looked rough, but he was very careful. If he dared to bring his sister out, he had already made full plans.
This touches Huo Ying Zi’s name and honor. Lin Ye Lan and Marshal Huo will investigate hard. They will not care about something dozens of miles away.
Duan Yi Chen still shook his head: “No. We should get out of this dangerous place as soon as we can.” Thinking of the Huo Family Army made cold sweat run down his back. The two of them against twenty thousand soldiers was like ground meat thrown into hot oil. There would be nothing left.
He rushed to pack. Xia Meng Yan called for Guard Song: “Wang Mang’s sister will likely arrive tonight. Once she is here, we leave at once.”
“Subordinate understands,” said Guard Song, taking the order and going downstairs.
Chun Yue packed their things and told the inn waiter to buy food for the road.
Xia Meng Yan took the chance to rest. [This trip will not be peaceful. Save strength and get back to the Capital safely.]
Night fell. Wang Mang brought Wang Yue’er over, and a second girl came too, around ten years old.
Wang Mang explained in a low voice: “Yue’er’s mind is not clear. This is the brothers’ little sister, Li Hua. With her here, Miss Xia will have one less worry.”
Xia Meng Yan did not dig into Wang Mang’s hidden reasons. She nodded: “How are things at the Northern Fortress Pass?”
“When I left, villagers were still gathered at the camp gates. Marshal Huo promised them an answer. I have people inside. If things go bad, they will find a reason to lead the villagers away. But,” Wang Mang rested his hand on his sister’s head and stroked it gently, “with the way things look now, they will find scapegoats for sure. What happens later depends on Marshal Huo’s conscience.”
Qiao Sheng was dead, and his sister’s blood debt was paid. As for the rot inside the Huo Family Army, whether to clean it out or not was the Huo Family’s problem to solve.
Xia Meng Yan understood: “Our goal is to damage the Huo Family Army’s name. There’s no need to make your brothers throw away their lives.”
The Huo Family Army is rooted deep at the Northern Fortress Pass. It will not fall easily.
Wang Mang bowed and stepped back: “Understood. From now on, Yue’er will be in your care, Miss Xia. Please look after her.”
Xia Meng Yan dropped a curtsy in return: “We have not known each other long, but I can tell Bandit Chief values loyalty and feelings. I am willing to be your friend. With me, Yue’er will be safe. Please rest easy.”
“Thank you,” said Wang Mang, truly grateful.
He spoke a few words to Li Hua and then left.
Li Hua helped Wang Yue’er stand in the doorway and peered at Xia Meng Yan with timid eyes.
Xia Meng Yan softened her voice: “Don’t be afraid. You will live at my house from now on. When Yue’er gets better, the Bandit Chief will come and take you away.”
Li Hua nodded: “The Bandit Chief said we must listen to Miss Xia.”
Chun Yue led the two girls next door to rest, then came back to keep packing.
Suddenly, there was a knock. Chun Yue thought the Bandit Chief had returned and opened the door. Lin Ye Lan stood outside with a face full of anger.
“Marquis…” Chun Yue began, but Lin Ye Lan pushed past her. Cold air seemed to come in with him as he strode inside: “Come back with me to apologize. Right now Ying Zi has been demoted because of you. People around her are dead or hurt. You must explain in front of the whole army that it was all your doing.”
He had never thought a “joke” would blow up like this.
Now villagers were gathered at the camp gates. They could neither kill them nor drive them off. If this kept going, Ying Zi’s good name would be ruined.
Xia Meng Yan did not expect Lin Ye Lan to chase her down again. At his words, surprise flashed across her face, then turned into disbelief.
Huo Ying Zi had pushed him to kidnap her and ruin her reputation, yet Lin Ye Lan now felt it was his own fault?
Huo Ying Zi’s honor must not be stained, but was Xia Meng Yan’s honor worth less than grass?
She lowered her head and let out a short laugh. Her voice was cold: “So I told her to kidnap me. I told Qiao Sheng to harm villagers. I told her soldiers to bully men and women. If I say that, will you be satisfied, Marquis?”
“Don’t be so sour. This has nothing to do with Ying Zi,” Lin Ye Lan said with full confidence. “Nanny Cheng only worried about me and suggested I curb your temper. Ying Zi knew nothing from start to finish. As for what her men did, she was even more in the dark.”
“What a fine ‘didn’t know.’” Looking at the face she had admired in her last life, Xia Meng Yan suddenly felt sick. She wanted to slap him awake. “So the Huo Family Army keeps double standards. If she cannot even control her own men, why claim she is as capable as any man? Or is every officer in the Huo Family Army like this?”
“You…” he said, brow darkening.
Chun Yue could not hold back and spoke up for her lady: “Marquis, the great miss is your wife. You cannot take the Xia Family’s money in one hand and speak up for someone else with the other. If the Master learns this, you can forget about getting another coin.”
“What did you say?” Xia Meng Yan froze.
Money? Why would Father give Lin Ye Lan money?
Chun Yue regretted her words the moment they slipped out. Her eyes darted aside: “Great miss, you misheard. This maid said nothing.”
Xia Meng Yan’s gaze moved between the two of them. The arrogant fire in Lin Ye Lan cooled. He took a step back and said bluntly: “Don’t look at me like that. You were the one who liked me. Your father wanted me to agree to the marriage, so he promised me two hundred thousand taels.”
“So you married me not because the Emperor forced you, but because my father paid you enough silver?” Xia Meng Yan spoke in a flat voice.
Her tone was low and calm, without any extra feeling, but it still made Lin Ye Lan’s heart tremble.
“You could have told me you didn’t want to marry me. Why humiliate me like this?”
“You said I clung to you. But didn’t you string me along?”
“I gave you gifts and you took every one. Whenever you had trouble, I asked Father to help you with all his strength. Back then, why didn’t you say I was clingy?”
“Let me guess why you came here now. Your sweetheart wants to keep even more men. Two hundred thousand taels is not enough. So you two put on a show and want the Xia Family to pay another two hundred thousand.”
She raised her hand and slapped him hard: “Lin Ye Lan, you are disgusting.”
Lin Ye Lan covered his cheek, staring in disbelief: “The money was a gift from your father. Don’t make it sound so ugly. You are just jealous that Ying Zi wins people’s hearts, so you keep picking at her. Fine. I will pay back the silver.”
“Will you? Are you sure you will?” she asked.
Lin Ye Lan choked and said nothing.
Xia Meng Yan wiped her hand and laughed under her breath.
He snapped: “What are you laughing at?”
“I am laughing at how foolish you are. You think you are some precious lord. You are only the Huo Family Army’s ‘patron’,” said Xia Meng Yan, the mockery open in her eyes. “Marshal Huo can fix the army’s pay with one daughter. That is a very good bargain. Oh right, Marquis, have you and Huo Ying Zi slept together yet? Don’t tell me you only held hands. For two hundred thousand taels, what can’t be done?”
“Xia Meng Yan, what nonsense are you talking?” Lin Ye Lan roared. To him, Xia Meng Yan had gone mad.
“You and I both know whether it is nonsense.”
He tried to argue back, but pain shot through his neck and darkness took him. He fainted.
“Idiot,” said Xia Meng Yan. She stepped over him and walked out.