Chapter 079
Chapter 79: Good Luck
Nanny Cheng came out to meet them, she asked: “Officers, are you here to ask about something?” The men of the Huo Family had been driven from the Capital. Now, besides a few serving lads at the gate, only the women were left. Nanny Cheng’s standing had risen, and she acted like the master of the Huo Family.
The yamen runner returned the courtesy. Before coming, his superiors had warned him that the Huo Family were all women and that he must not act rashly, he said: “Yesterday our lord already seized the murderer who framed Lord Xia, Marquis Ping An. He demands to see the Huo Family’s eldest miss, or he will never confess. Please, eldest miss, come with us.”
Sweat pricked Nanny Cheng’s palm. She cursed Lin Ye Lan for not being a man, but on her face she showed just the right surprise and worry, she said: “Officer, my eldest miss only knows Marquis Ping An. They have not kept contact. Besides, a prison is such a place…”
The runner cut her off and made a gesture of invitation, he said: “Do not waste time. If you delay my lord’s case, no one will be spared.”
With no choice, Nanny Cheng turned into the second gate. Huo Ying Zi was already waiting.
Nanny Cheng explained the situation and, in a low voice, offered a warning, she said: “Eldest miss, or else…” Her eyes flashed with killing intent and she drew a finger across her neck.
Huo Ying Zi answered at once: “No.” She also wanted Lin Ye Lan dead. He knew too much to keep. But Lin Ye Lan was in the Dali Court. The men her father had left to her could kill, but if they killed inside the Dali Court and were caught, the Huo Family could not explain it. She would not risk it.
She asked curtly: “Did you bribe the jailer as I told you?”
Nanny Cheng nodded.
Huo Ying Zi gave a cold smile. To bribe them was enough.
Half a stick of incense earlier, in the Dali Court jail, Lin Ye Lan was kept in a cold, damp cell. The wound in his leg had not been treated. It worsened and hurt so much he could not sleep.
A jailer banged the door and grumbled, he said: “Mealtime. You are lucky. Even in here, someone still looks after you. You eat better than we do.”
He shoved the food in. Because his movement was rough, his foot hit the chicken leg on top; it fell to the ground and was streaked with dry straw.
The jailer did not feel guilty, he said: “You should be glad to eat at all.”
Born soft and pampered, Lin Ye Lan could not take it. He could not even stomach the clean dishes, let alone a chicken leg that had touched the ground.
The prisoner next door stared at the leg, mouth watering, he said: “Brother, if you will not eat it, give it to me. I am still hungry.”
Lin Ye Lan tossed it over. The man caught it with a grin, said thanks, and devoured it.
Lin Ye Lan picked stones out of the rice with his chopsticks and sneered, [So this is someone taking care of me?]
He had only framed an official of The Court. For the sake of his past service, His Majesty would either strip his title and drive him out of the Capital, or demote him and never employ him again. Either way, he would live.
He had told Xia Meng Yan about the Huo Family as a backup.
In his state now, the baby in Xia Meng Yan’s belly was his only hope.
He only wished that, for the sake of his ‘dying’ kindness for mother and child, she would pull him up when he had nowhere to go.
After all, a useless chess piece can be thrown away at any time.
Just as he lifted the bowl, a scream burst from next door; before he could react, the man foamed at the mouth.
Lin Ye Lan dropped his bowl and chopsticks. The man died after eating his chicken leg. Someone wanted him dead.
He hammered the door and shouted: “Help, help, someone has been killed.”
The jailers rushed over. Seeing the corpse on the ground, they froze. When they heard the food had come from Lin Ye Lan’s portion, they understood at once. Someone wanted Marquis Ping An dead.
Orders from above said that Marquis Ping An could die anywhere except inside the Dali Court.
They snapped orders, and the food before Lin Ye Lan was carried away for testing. A jailer tossed him two mantou, he said: “Count yourself lucky. Think who wants you dead.”
“I will see Huo Ying Zi. Otherwise I will not confess,” Lin Ye Lan shouted again and again.
At the Xia Family, Song Mo stood at the second gate, his eyes on the floor of the inner room, he said: “Eldest miss, it is done. It will not be long before Lin Ye Lan strikes back.”
Xia Meng Yan rubbed her rounding belly, half absent-minded, she said: “Post people at the Dali Court. When the body is carried out, save the person.”
Song Mo hesitated and reported that the prisoner next door had gone to jail for killing his wife and children after losing at gambling.
Xia Meng Yan understood. Such a man’s death was no loss.
She straightened her tired body, she said: “For a man like that, living is harder than dying.”
She paused. Her gaze shifted, she said: “Keep eyes on him. He may still be useful.”
Song Mo did not get it, but he obeyed and left.
Nanny Song wedged a broad pillow at her waist, face full of pity, she said: “Your belly is getting bigger. Leave these things to the master.”
Outsiders only saw the eldest miss being favored. They did not know how many troubles she smoothed out for the main branch.
Xia Meng Yan smiled a little, she said: “My good nanny, it is only one or two tasks. I will not tire.”
When she spoke of leaving the Capital last time, she had not been joking. She had planned to cut ties between the child and Lin Ye Lan and give birth elsewhere.
Now there was no need to cut ties. If Lin Ye Lan died, she would decide everything about the child.
But before leaving the Capital, she had to clean out the scum at the Marquis Ping An Manor.
Chun Yue ran in, too excited to hide her smile, she said: “Eldest miss, Huo Ying Zi has been summoned by the Dali Court.”
The scolding on Nanny Song’s lips turned soft at the last moment, she said: “Slow down. Do not disturb the eldest miss’s rest.”
Xia Meng Yan’s lips curved in a faint smile. Her people had long known that Huo Ying Zi bribed the jailers. She met trick with trick and slipped poison into Lin Ye Lan’s meal. This small section is not finished yet. Please click the next page to continue reading the exciting content. The poison looked fierce, but it would not kill.
Now Lin Ye Lan surely hated the Huo Family.
At this moment, Huo Ying Zi would not find anything good waiting at the Dali Court.
She ordered calmly: “Post people at the Dali Court. Report any news at once.”
Chun Yue agreed and skipped away.
At the same time, Lin Ye Lan thought exactly as Xia Meng Yan had guessed. He was sure the Huo Family tried to silence him.
But he was not brainless. The Huo Family’s branches had been driven from the Capital, and the Dali Court was no ordinary Yamen. Bribing people inside was not easy.
After thinking it over, he saw only one answer. Someone powerful had come to the Capital with Huo Ying Zi.
His eyes went blood?red, he growled: [If you want me dead, dream on.]
Footsteps sounded outside.
Lin Ye Lan stepped back into the shadows.
Huo Ying Zi did not know why he wanted to see her. The stink of blood in the cell made her want to gag.
Forcing herself, she trotted to the bars with reddened eyes, she said: “Brother Ye Lan.” She added in a soft, trembling voice: “What is going on? How could they wrong you like this?”
The yamen runner stood behind her and spoke harshly, he said: “Marquis Ping An, we have brought the person you asked for. Speak.” Then he led his men away.
Lin Ye Lan crouched in the dark and looked at the pitiful Huo Ying Zi.
They had met at Northern Fortress Pass. Back then she was a bold young officer, and he was an unknown foot soldier. Many nights he had imagined them holding hands by a mountain stream. Later the wish came true, but many things had changed.
For one thing, he had not noticed that Huo Ying Zi had long put away her armor and become like the noble girls of the Capital, who loved to weep.
He hid the feeling in his eyes and rasped: “I thought you would not want to see me.”
Hearing the joy in his tone, Huo Ying Zi’s eyes lifted with a trace of smugness. The man under her skirt was nothing to fear.
She pinched herself so tears fell, she said: “I told the jailer to take good care of you. How could I not want to see you?”
Lin Ye Lan’s hand trembled.