Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 666 Anxious

Before Xu Shu could finish speaking, Xue Er knelt down and said, "I am willing to follow Your Majesty to the death."

The other believers around also followed suit and bowed down.

Xu Shu looked at the crowd and felt another pang of sadness. She had led these people down a dead end, yet in the end, they were still willing to serve her.

Xue Er said, "Our leader was tricked and made some mistakes, but he also thought of the people in the sect and wanted everyone to earn a living. Besides, whether it's delivering evidence or handling the subsequent matters, we still need manpower."

"Most of us are being watched too, and we can only hide in the mountains as bandits. Life there is very difficult. Besides, whether it was killing Xie Yisong or robbing the sea merchants, we did it willingly. We can't blame it all on the leader. At this point, we might still be able to do something together."

The followers exclaimed, "The attendant is right! We follow our leader. Who says Manichaeism is a heretical sect? And what good are those officials anyway?"

"Even if we die, we'll drag him down with us."

Everyone responded.

Xu Shu stopped trying to persuade the others and looked at Ding Fang: "I know you still have many things to say, and I have no intention of interrogating you, so I will also hand you over to Xie Yuyan."

"I believe her methods are definitely superior to mine."

Ding Fang suddenly shivered. He had seen too much along the way. The Xie family always had the upper hand. If it weren't for the Xie family's interference, Xu Shu would not have realized the truth.

Once he falls into Xie Yuyan's hands, his mind will be thoroughly emptied.

Ding Fang tried to speak and beg for mercy, but Xue Er, who had come over, covered his mouth. If nothing unexpected happened, the next time he spoke would be in front of Xie Yuyan.

……

Xie Yuyan led the group to the inn to rest before nightfall.

With the documents from Longde Prefecture, the inns along the way would prepare food and lodging for them. As long as they arrived at the next inn on time each day, they could successfully escort the prisoners into Bianjing.

The two days on the road went relatively smoothly, except for the death of a member of the sorcerer's cult.

“From today onwards, I will oversee the preparation of food,” Sang Mo reported to Xie Yuyan. “We will not use the food and drink sent from the post station.”

We prepare our own supplies for both people and horses, which gives us peace of mind.

Xie Yuyan nodded, saying that Su Man and Sang Mo could handle these matters.

Xie Yuyan asked, "Have you spotted any people or horses gathering in the vicinity?"

"Not yet," Sang Mo said, "but there are more and more spies. It's thanks to my wife's last-minute change of plans that we could have stayed at the previous inn without having to sleep tonight."

Xie Yizhi is a Privy Councilor; it would be far too easy for him to do something underhanded.

The lowly servants and minor officials were willing to risk doing "small things" for the Privy Councilor.

Xie Yuyan knew those people would definitely make a move, but before that, he couldn't let himself be defeated by these petty schemes.

Xie Yuyan said, "Take turns resting. The further we go, the more cautious we must be. Don't exhaust your energy before we reach that point."

Sang Mo nodded.

After the two finished speaking, Xie Yuyan was about to go see Tang Xing when she saw Tang Xing walking over with a cane. "Madam," Tang Xing said directly, "let us help with the patrol tonight. I've been resting for several days and my injuries are mostly healed. It's time for me to get some exercise."

Xie Yuyan glanced at Tang Xing's leg: "I already have Guo Xiong under my command, so I don't need another one. In the future, you will still be transporting goods on long journeys, and I will give you more opportunities to contribute. There's no rush."

Tang Xing felt a surge of warmth in his heart, but also felt even more guilty.

Xie Yuyan said in a low voice, "Take good care of yourself. There won't be many more days of peace. I might need your help soon."

Tang Xing smiled and said, "Only two of us are still unable to move around easily. The others, while not fully recovered, can at least be used as adult men."

After saying that, Tang Xing added, "Did our patrol team discover anything unusual?"

“The people haven’t gathered yet, but it’s only a matter of time,” Xie Yuyan led Tang Xing into the house and sat him down. She unfolded the map in her hand. “We’ve deviated a little east from the route we planned.”

Tang Xing knew this because they had discovered a large number of hoofprints in the west and found two garrison generals staying at an inn. So they changed their minds and headed east, stopping at this inn.

"Does Madam mean," Tang Xingdao said, "that someone is deliberately driving us away?"

Xie Yuyan nodded: "Someone has prepared a trap, and they will make their move once we fall into it. As for why it is in the east... I think the people must have come from the sea. It would take several days to travel from the east to this side. If we can get close enough, we will be walking right into their trap."

Tang Xing gasped: "Since Madam thought of that, why didn't you avoid it?"

“Dealing with the Privy Councilor won’t be easy,” Xie Yuyan said. “I don’t want to give him any chance to breathe; I’ll eliminate him completely in one go.”

In court, as long as there is a chance to ease tensions, major cases can be reduced to minor ones and eventually be dropped. Especially after a change of emperor, officials who were previously punished may have their cases overturned and be reinstated by the new ruler.

Even if the Liang court doesn't employ Xie Yizhi, he can still go elsewhere. The money he's accumulated over the past ten years is enough for him to make plans for himself.

Tang Xing continued Xie Yuyan's words, "Now that the Demon Sect is around, they can still be instigated to deal with Xie Yizhi. If the Demon Sect is wiped out, then there will be no way to prove anything..."

This is what Lady Xie is worried about.

Tang Xing frowned again. He really couldn't think of a way to make the court angry with Xie Yizhi and unite the court to kill this Privy Councilor.

“Xie Yizhi is the Privy Councilor. Even if the Emperor wants to investigate him, he will have to think it over carefully and will not easily accuse him of a crime. But it is not so easy for others,” Xie Yuyan said. “Other officials can be arrested and interrogated as long as they are suspected.”

Tang Xing's mind started working slightly; it seemed he had found a clue.

Xie Yuyan said, "When Xie Yizhi was in Fuzhou, he consolidated his power. It was also at that time that the Demon Sect began to acquire ships on a large scale and began to get involved in maritime trade. Xie Yizhi alone could not do all of this well; he must have helpers."

"For example, when he was the prefect, the military commander of Fuzhou did his best to serve him. Now that Xie Yizhi has made a mistake, do you think that military commander will be anxious?"

“If Xie Yizhi’s relationship with the demonic sect is exposed, the imperial court will follow the clues and find him. So even if Xie Yizhi wants to stabilize the situation first and then find an opportunity to escape, he will not agree, because it would be too easy for the imperial court to arrest him.”

Tang Xing understood: "Madam wants to lure that person over here."

Thinking of this, Tang Xing seemed somewhat excited, but he quickly became worried again: "They are secretly mobilizing troops, unlike the Xiang Army which has no scruples. I'm afraid our manpower will be insufficient to resist them."

Xie Yuyan smiled slightly. She could think of this, and others certainly could too. Although they didn't have time to exchange information, she was certain that Wang Yan could guess what she would do.

“I’m worried he’s not deploying enough men,” Xie Yuyan said. “Otherwise, how could he be accused of keeping a private army?”

(End of this chapter)