Chapter 2: Cried from Anger
Incense smoke wafted through the study. Li Jianyu sat upright at his desk, writing neat rows of characters on a manuscript.
When his young advisor, Meng Qingshu, brought in a cup of tea, he noticed the icy aura surrounding Li Jianyu and asked curiously, “Lord City Lord, what are you writing?”
Li Jianyu quickly hid the manuscript.
“Nothing.”
I was just getting to the good part, Li Jianyu thought to himself. His mind was completely filled with the image of a man who was a toad from the waist up, croaking with sexual frustration.
Meng Qingshu nervously placed the teacup to the side. “I’ve already sent people out to look for Pockmarked Zhang.”
Meng Qingshu couldn’t for the life of him figure it out. A few days ago, a messenger from the imperial capital had arrived to inform the City Lord to prepare for the Emperor’s arrival. After the two of them had a chat, the City Lord’s mood had soured, as if nursing some deep-seated hatred.
“Mm,” Li Jianyu snorted. They had clearly come to an agreement. Had that woman just been using him, running off as soon as she escaped her enemies?
But only Meng Qingshu, who had been by his side for a long time, could tell that Li Jianyu had been angry for the past few days. After all, Li Jianyu normally wore a cold and haughty expression at all times.
“Advisor.”
“Ah?”
“Have the livestock sent from Baihua City been settled?”
Although he didn’t understand why the City Lord was suddenly asking about this, Meng Qingshu still answered obediently, “They’re still tied up outside the city. We were planning to send them to the slaughterhouse today.”
Luoye City’s harvest festival was fast approaching. As a gesture of friendship, the neighboring Baihua City (“Hundred Flowers City”) would send livestock every year to add to the festivities.
“Go and fetch General Zheng for me.” General Zheng’s family had served the Li family for generations, and he was in charge of all the soldiers under the command of the Lord of Luoye City.
Meng Qingshu blinked. “Yes, my lord.”
Li Jianyu raised an eyebrow slightly. The imperial carriage was said to be arriving in Luoye City soon. If he didn’t set a few tripwires for the Emperor, he would write his name backwards!
After Meng Qingshu left, Li Jianyu also got up and returned to his room to grab a cloak and a veil.
He probably wouldn’t be able to get away once the Emperor arrived, as he would have to accompany the imperial retinue. Therefore, he had to make another trip outside the city before then.
Luoye City was not only scenic but also a strategic military location, easy to defend and difficult to attack, all thanks to the Misty Forest just outside its walls.
The Misty Forest, true to its name, was shrouded in a thick fog year-round. Most who entered never came out. It wasn’t just because of the fog; the forest was eerily bewitching. Those who went in seemed to lose their minds, wandering in circles, completely unable to find their way out.
The dense fog in the forest made it impossible to see the trees clearly, virtually robbing anyone who entered of their sight.
At this moment, a series of long, clear cries echoed through the air. Li Jianyu carried a pack on his back and held a basket full of fresh fruit in one hand.
“Dabao?”
(T/N:Dabao : “Big Treasure.” A very common and affectionate pet name)
Hearing the cry, a hint of warmth appeared in Li Jianyu’s eyes, and his expression was no longer as unapproachable as usual.
The long cries grew closer. Li Jianyu felt a dark shadow envelop his surroundings, and when he looked up, his eyes were met with a dazzling, brilliant gold.
A massive phoenix circled in the air, flying in loops above Li Jianyu’s head.
The enormous bird was covered in shimmering golden feathers, each adorned with intricate patterns.
The forest was too dense for the great bird to land, so one of its kind slowly settled on the branch of a large tree. Seeing this, Li Jianyu hooked the basket onto his arm, hugged the tree, and slowly climbed up, crawling onto the great bird’s back.
“Take me to Erbao and Xiaobao.”
(T/N: Erbao and Xiaobao : “Second Treasure” and “Little Treasure.”)
The phoenix raised its neck and took flight with a beat of its wings. The phoenixes dwelled in the Mountain God Forest outside the city. The forest was dense and hidden, difficult for outsiders to notice. Although the Misty Forest wasn’t suitable for the noble phoenixes to live in permanently, it became the meeting place for Li Jianyu and the birds because outsiders didn’t dare to set foot in it.
Li Jianyu didn’t know where these phoenixes came from or what connection they had to him, only that they were uniquely intimate with him. When he transmigrated into this body, its original owner was already thirteen years old.
Swoosh—
Li Jianyu looked down. They were about to leave the Misty Forest.
…Wait a minute.
Li Jianyu patted the phoenix’s back.
“Dabao, turn back and take a look.”
Had he just seen a flash of bright color below, different from the trees and the fog? If it was one of Luoye City’s citizens, he couldn’t just leave them be.
Dabao grumbled in dissatisfaction but slowly circled back.
Li Jianyu leaned over and squinted.
Dabao reluctantly lowered itself. Now Li Jianyu could see clearly. A man and a woman were resting against a tree, both looking rather disheveled.
Li Jianyu knew at a glance that they were trapped in the forest and couldn’t get out.
Phoenixes were precious and rare creatures. If they were discovered, they would surely be coveted by outsiders. Therefore, Dabao set Li Jianyu down a short distance away from the pair.
“Someone’s here…!” the woman exclaimed as she saw Li Jianyu walking toward them.
The man pushed himself up from the ground and stood in front of the woman. “May I ask who you are, brother?”
It wasn’t surprising that the man was on guard. The forest was already strange, and Li Jianyu was currently clad in a black cloak with most of his face hidden by a veil.
Because of this, neither of them could see Li Jianyu’s subtle expression.
…Isn’t that Pockmarked Zhang?
Li Jianyu hadn’t expected to see the woman who had “played with his emotions” and her lover, Huang Dazhuang, in the middle of the forest.
Li Jianyu sneered inwardly.
However…
Li Jianyu frowned slightly. Why did this Pockmarked Zhang look different from the first time he saw her?
The pockmarks on her face were now completely gone. Once the grime was washed away, her features were revealed to be neat and lovely, and her clean clothes made her skin look smooth and delicate.
Suppressing his confusion and dissatisfaction, Li Jianyu lowered his voice and asked, “Are you trapped in here, unable to get out?”
The woman nodded lightly.
“I can lead you out.”
“How do we get out?!” The woman’s eyes lit up.
“Walk out.”
After saying this, Li Jianyu turned and started walking.
After being carried through by the phoenixes a few times, this Misty Forest was no different to him than his own backyard.
The man and woman exchanged a puzzled glance, but after a moment of hesitation, they chose to follow him. After all, they had no other options. It was worth a try.
Just as the group stepped out of the Misty Forest, and before the woman could marvel and ask Li Jianyu how he had found the way so easily, several men stepped forward and surrounded them.
“General, look! Her Highness is over there!”
“Your Highness the Princess, please return to the city with us! His Majesty is very worried about you!”
The woman was startled at first, then stomped her foot in frustration.
“Why are you people like vengeful ghosts, haunting me everywhere!”
Li Jianyu’s eyes widened as he stared at the woman.
Princess? Your Highness?
Pockmarked Zhang… or rather, the Great Gong’s little princess, Zhao Jiangxue, pouted and said angrily, “I’m not going back! Not even if you beat me to death! Chen Zhishu, you have to help me!”
General Chen Zhishu looked troubled. “Your Highness… please forgive this subordinate, but I cannot defy His Majesty’s orders.”
The man beside Zhao Jiangxue also tried to persuade her. “Your Highness… shouldn’t we go back? Please, just take pity on this subordinate. Impersonating a Prince Consort and helping you escape this far… this subordinate cannot bear the punishment for these crimes…”
Zhao Jiangxue’s eyes reddened with anger.
Chen Zhishu shook his head and gave an order. “Men!”
Zhao Jiangxue was half-escorted, half-dragged onto a carriage by two men. Chen Zhishu had likely been traumatized by Zhao Jiangxue’s various clever escape tactics—smoke bombs one moment, disguises the next—and was unable to use force due to her noble status. Thus, he had received a decree from Zhao Linxu in advance. After muttering an “excuse my offense,” he immediately had Zhao Jiangxue tied up.
Li Jianyu and the other man had it even worse. Not only were they tied up hand and foot, but they were also blindfolded with a strip of cloth stuffed in their mouths. Now, forget about pulling any tricks, Li Jianyu didn’t even have a chance to explain himself. If the cloth hadn’t been clean, he would have lost his composure long ago.
Next, Chen Zhishu fired a signal flare into the sky. A moment later, Li Jianyu heard the sound of urgent footsteps. It seemed another group had arrived.
Chen Zhishu said to the newcomer, “We have found Her Highness and wish to return to His Majesty’s side immediately.”
“But we still haven’t found Pockmarked Zhang…”
Hearing that soft, sweet voice, Li Jianyu felt a wave of complicated emotions.
The newcomers were Meng Qingshu and his own soldiers.
When did Luoye City start cooperating with the Emperor’s men? Was it after he left?
Chen Zhishu frowned. “The Princess’s safety is our top priority.”
Watching the two of them trying to figure out a plan, Li Jianyu sneered in his heart.
What Pockmarked Zhang are you looking for! Open your eyes and see, your City Lord is tied up right here!
Chen Zhishu thought for a moment and said, “How about this: I will escort Her Highness and these two accomplices back first. I can leave you some men as support?”
With that, Chen Zhishu patted his deputy’s shoulder. “You stay here and help Advisor Meng.”
Meng Qingshu nodded and unfurled the portrait of Pockmarked Zhang that he had been holding. He showed it to the deputy.
“The woman looks like this.”
“…”
“…”
A sudden silence fell over the area.
“Are we leaving or not! Stop dawdling.” Zhao Jiangxue impatiently kicked open the carriage curtain.
Meng Qingshu’s eyes widened.
Huh?
Huh?????
“We’ve found her,” Chen Zhishu said with a world-weary expression, patting the shoulder of Meng Qingshu, who was still trying to rebuild his worldview. “Let’s go. We’ll all head back together.”
“Oh…” Meng Qingshu’s face was still a complete blank.
Li Jianyu was escorted back, so angry he was speechless.
But Zhao Jiangxue wasn’t ready to give up. As Li Jianyu walked beside the carriage, he heard her shouting from inside, “You, the masked one! Aren’t you really skilled? Help me knock them all out!”
Li Jianyu: “…”
Heh. Why don’t you just ascend to the heavens, Your Highness, and fly shoulder-to-shoulder with Dabao?
