Too high to reach

Chapter 373 I Don't Care Anymore
Just now, the one who was watching Shao Ge'er from inside the car was Feng Liniang.

Her journey down the mountain was a brush with death.

Although the car that picked her up had cotton padding and blankets, there was no charcoal brazier, so the temperature was about the same as outside. The driver was also a rough-looking man. The two of them didn't care about any of that; they just threw her into the car, covered her with a blanket, and headed straight for the capital.

On the way, the two men served Feng Liniang a bowl of noodles while they were eating, but she didn't wake up... so they let it go.

They went straight into the city and arrived at the villa of the Prince of Yong'an.

It's warm inside, and there's a doctor there too.

The doctor took one look and shook his head, saying, "That was a close call; the person could have died. Both of their little toes are frostbitten!"

Several doses of strong medicine were administered, barely managing to save her life.

So, while Mo Yi and his men were searching the whole city for her and keeping an eye on Zhou Dong, Feng Liniang was lying in bed recuperating from an illness.

It took her more than half a month to recover. But she was locked up and couldn't leave the house. The person in charge has not shown up, and the situation is unclear.

It was almost Chinese New Year, and she couldn't bear it any longer. She asked her guard to tell his master that she wanted to take a stroll in front of the Mo family's gate to see her son.

It was just a casual remark, but unexpectedly, the master actually agreed, but someone had to accompany him.

Feng Liniang smiled bitterly: "Even if you don't follow me, you won't run away. Where can you run to? If the people from Prince Qi's mansion find and catch you now, it won't be as simple as just locking you up."

So, at the entrance of the Mo family's residence, she saw Shao Ge'er.

He really did go back to Mo Yi's "maternal family" for the New Year, and even called Mo Yi's younger brother "uncle"...

Seeing his cheerful appearance, Feng Liniang felt her heart breaking... She had carried him for ten months and given birth to him, and treated him like a precious jewel, yet he had forgotten her so quickly?
She was practically crying herself to death...

After the New Year, some news gradually came out, but others couldn't understand it.

But the Prince of Yong'an knew it all.

My nightmare actually came true?! That bastard Li Jing, he really came for me?!
He paced frantically around the room, cursing loudly, "What bandit suppression? This bastard! He's infuriating me!"

"Damn it... how did he know?!" Prince Yong'an was extremely puzzled. He threw things on the ground and stomped on them, imagining that this was Li Jing... venting his anger and malice.

How can this be?

Everything was quiet, fine, and perfectly peaceful. How did it all suddenly come to light?

Last time it was the Crown Prince... this time it's Li Jing.

So... I'm the meat on the chopping board, being cut and chopped by the two of them?

"This is outrageous! Fine! Let's see what you'll gain after messing with me!" He had a sinister smile on his face.

……

Feng Liniang was led to a room. There was a chair at the door, and a screen in front of her.

"Sit down," a man's indifferent voice said.

Feng Liniang obediently sat down, striving to maintain her composure, and said gently, "Thank you for saving me from the mountain, and for the subsequent medical treatment. May I ask, sir, what is your purpose in doing this?" She thought to herself: A little back-and-forth conversation will reveal the deeper meaning...

"Does the Qi Prince's mansion have any secret passages or hidden rooms?" The man's voice was devoid of any emotion, only coldness.

Feng Liniang was taken aback. "Does Your Excellency mean a place to store silver, or important letters and account books?"

"That's included. But the main question is whether there's a place where people can hide."

"I wonder what exactly you intend to do, sir..."

“It’s very simple. Li Jing has caught me red-handed, and I want to take his queen hostage.”

Feng Liniang was even more surprised. That was the Prince Qi's mansion. How dare he break in?

Thinking this way, he asked, "But that's the Prince Qi's residence. Not to mention the heavy guards, if there's any chaos there, the soldiers will probably arrive immediately. You're detaining a princess consort. This kind of thing, except for the Emperor, is punishable by confiscation of property and execution. Aren't you afraid, sir?"

"That's none of your concern." The man finished speaking impatiently, his tone laced with sarcasm. "I've heard that the Prince is quite fond of this young wife. He's been heavily promoting her family... Her uncle, who was originally just wasting his life, has actually turned his fortunes around after getting involved with the Prince Qi's mansion. His son's wedding was a grand affair, with many guests and plenty of flattery. He even gave the Princess Qi a considerable amount of property..."

Feng Liniang clenched her fists tightly. Yes, how unwilling she was to accept this.
The person inside sneered again, "You've been working so hard behind the scenes, only to find such a small amount of money, and this is the punishment you get? You've wasted your life raising a son! Now think about it... If you help me, perhaps you'll get some benefits. But if you don't help..."

Feng Liniang stared intently at the screen, waiting for him to continue.

"I went to so much trouble to get you down the mountain. You think you can make me waste my time? If you don't listen to me, if you don't help me, the consequences… Feng Liniang, you can't bear them!" All of this was beyond Feng Liniang's expectations; she had absolutely no room for maneuver…

That evening, Zhou Dong returned home.

I was almost in bed when someone knocked on the door.

The gatekeeper woke Zhou Dong, who put on his clothes and went to the front yard. There were two people opposite him. One was a man with an ordinary face, like a regular follower. The other was petite, wrapped in a large cloak, his hat hanging low, so his face was not visible.

"Who are you?" Zhou Dong asked, puzzled.

"It's me," the petite figure whispered.

Zhou Dong was nearly scared to death upon hearing this. Feng Liniang? How could it be her?

"Come in!" Zhou Dong looked around; the quiet street was deserted.

Feng Liniang entered the house alone and put down her hat.

"Why are you here?!" Zhou Dong asked hurriedly.

Feng Liniang gave a wry smile and plopped down. Zhou Dong then realized that he had been too nervous.

He quickly closed the door leading to the inner quarters and turned to sit down next to Feng Liniang.

Only under the lamplight could one see that Feng Liniang had changed quite a bit.

"Don't even mention it..." Feng Liniang looked at Zhou Dong, "Someone came up the mountain looking for me and rescued me..."

"Who?" Zhou Dong's mind raced, but he didn't leave the people in the Prince's mansion.

"I don't know, they must be the prince's enemies. I've been down the mountain for more than half a month now."

"But why haven't I heard about it?" Zhou Dong wondered.

"Moyi is deliberately hiding it, isn't she? Has no one been following you these past few days?"

Zhou Dong's face turned pale. "Before, someone did follow you. But these past few days... no, right? Why did he save you?"

Feng Liniang was silent for a while before sighing, "Although I don't know who it is or what they really want to do, they've already found me, so I can't leave unscathed. If I don't go with them, I won't survive! Once I'm on this pirate ship, there's no getting off."

"How could this happen? Does this person even acknowledge it?"

"Brother Dong, tell me about your situation first."

Zhou Dong, still shaken, rambled on about the people he had recently made. "You asked me to do it, so I did it. But these people can't really help you."

"It was true before... but now, who knows?"

"how?"

"That man wants to enter the Prince's mansion. He wants to arrest Mo Yi and negotiate with the Prince."

"What?" Zhou Dong looked incredulous. "That's the Prince's mansion! What is he thinking?"

"How would I know?" Feng Liniang smiled bitterly. "I think perhaps what the prince has done recently has affected this person's interests. He's getting anxious."

"Is it the Crown Prince?" Zhou Dong suddenly realized. "Only he has the courage and the strength to do so."

"I don't know, but I can't worry about that now. If I don't help him, I'll die immediately."

"But what can you do to help him? Besides, you know nothing. If he were the prince's enemy, why would he spare you? Why would he spare Shao-ge'er?"

"I don't care anymore, Dong-ge, everything hinges on this. Working for him offers me a sliver of hope. If I don't, I won't live to see tomorrow morning. So Dong-ge, you have to help me!"

"But Li Niang! This is a matter of confiscation of property and execution! We are just small fry, with no power, no connections, and no money. How can we possibly cooperate with such people? They'll eat us alive!"

"Brother Dong..." Feng Liniang wanted to say more.

The door suddenly opened, and the man who had been just a regular follower now had a murderous look on his face, his demeanor completely different from before. "Lord Zhou, don't you understand? Now that we've found you, you have no choice but to agree! Otherwise..."

The man grinned maliciously, his hand reaching for his waist. "I guarantee you, within a quarter of an hour, your entire family will be dead."

Zhou Dong stared at him in surprise, then at Feng Liniang...

Good heavens, what have I gotten myself into?