But Miantang doesn’t have time to be the nice and beautiful daughter-in-law. At this moment, they are still on the way to escape the pursuit.
At the checkpoint just now, the bodyguard she sent to inquire came back and said that all the rich families who fled with their families were detained, and those bandits checked the elderly women and young beautiful women one by one.
It is said that those who were holding portraits caught all those who are alike in their carriage.
This further confirmed Miantang’s guesses that those who pretended to be the peasants of the uprising really came for Prince Huaiyang’s mother and fiancee.
She previously told Fan Hu to escort the rest of the people without rushing through the checkpoint and find a place to stay. So they won’t let the Old Princess Consort take risks.
Because she once visited the craftsmen and porcelain workshops in four villages and eight fields, Miantang was familiar with the surrounding counties and villages and found a thatched shop where she once stopped according to her memory.
This place is backed by a ridge, not far from the official road, but it is not easy to be found. But if soldiers and horses are coming, they will be able to hear the sound of hooves first, and they will have enough time to escape along the ridge and take refuge in the mountains.
Because of the large number of people and the large target, Miantang took only four bodyguards with her except for two personal servant girls.
She asked the four bodyguards to take turns in the middle of the night and then asked them to cook some porridge for the Old Princess Consort in the thatched house.
Even though she has been left out by her husband for so many years, Old Consort Princess Chu has never been in such a panic. She saw that Miantang seemed less eager to escape from the mess and asked, “Why don’t we leave? What if we are chased by bandits?”
Miantang handed a bowl of cooked porridge to Old Princess Consort Chu and said, “The thieves must have thought we were going to break out of the siege to intensify the investigation at the checkpoint. If we were anxious at this time, we would have gone into their trap. It would be better to wait at this position waiting for the enemy attack.”
The Old Princess Consort was still a little uneasy and only murmured to find her son.
Miantang is not in a hurry now. Instead, she picked up what a lady in the boudoir should look like and smiled to comfort the Old Princess Consort. The Prince should be safe.
Miantang is not trying to coax the Old Princess Consort to relax. She also thought that the post road to the State of Dong was cut off, only to prevent Prince Huaiyang from looking for help. But now, it seems to be blocking the opportunity for the State of Zhen to ask for help.
If there is no accident, the State of Zhen is now isolated, like an island.
However, the fall of the State of Zhen could not be concealed for a long time with the refugees fleeing around. The surrounding counties would have to send reinforcements even if they pretended not to know.
At that time, this group of fake peasant volunteers will not fight against those reinforcements at all, so they will naturally disperse.
Liu Miantang calculated the time. It would take about four days to do it.
As long as they get through the four days, they can survive this matter!
With this in mind, Miantang smile more sincerely, which makes people feel at ease after seeing it.
When she finished feeding her bowl of porridge, she let her sleep on a mattress made of hay. She wanted to cover her with a quilt, but she held her hand and said timidly, “Miantang, sleep next to me, or I’m afraid…”
Miantang looked at the person who used to carry her mother-in-law’s manner in front of her, but now she feels funny that she was being stuck with herself like a three-year-old child.
However, for the sake of her future mother-in-law’s face, she tried not to laugh, but said in a soft voice, “Sure, I’ll sleep next to you. This mountain is full of red mangoes at this time of year, which are sweet for boiling water and drinking. I will pick them for you tomorrow, and I’m sure you like them…”
The Old Princess Consort calmed down in her sweet words. At this time, there was a sudden storm outside the house. However, there seemed to be no big deal around the lady.
Old Princess Consort Chu has then only understood slowly. Why does her son, who always has eyes above the top and disdains women, fall in love with this woman of humble origin?
She is like a miscellaneous flower beaten in the shower. She has a certain tenacity and wildness that is unyielding to those famous flowers. Once it is picked out, it is difficult to move their eyes away…
Not to mention the mother and daughter-in-law sleeping in the hut.
Besides, the study of Prince Sui’s Residence was filled with a sense of silence.
“Didn’t I say to act secretly without any mistakes? Why are all the masters in the Prince Huaiyang Residence missing in the State of Zhen?”
For two days in a row, he sent soldiers and horses who pretended to be the bandit army in the State of Dong to send people back. But none of the old ladies and girls in the cart were Princess Consort Chu and the Mayor of Huaisang County.
Prince Sui planned for so long that he make use of Prince Huaiyang being out of the State, bribe his subordinates, and sank his island ship, trapping him on an island. He then cut off the post road and sent a team to kidnap the family of Prince Huaiyang disguised as a rebel army.
Prince Huaiyang is known for his filial piety, as long as he holds Cui Xingzhou’s mother and the little bandit-like lady in hand, he is not afraid of Cui Xingzhou’s disobedience, writes down a memorial to resign the position of Commander, and then transfers his military power to him.
However, the well-planned strategy deviated from its implementation. Old Princess Consort Chu, who should have been waiting for this disaster, disappeared completely. After only one night and she’s nowhere to be found.
Seeing that Cui Xingzhou had escaped from the island, the good opportunity would be fleeting. How could Prince Sui not worry?
At this time, another person in the study reported, “Report to Prince Sui. Someone arrested Lian Hanshan, the uncle of Prince Huaiyang.”
Prince Sui could not help but brighten his eyes. He stood up from his desk and said, “Is that the Lian family who ran with Old Princess Consort Chu? Have they been tortured to find out whether they escaped with Old Princess Consort Chu? Where did they escape?”
The servant hurriedly said, “After capturing, they were tortured immediately, and not long after, the master and the servants confessed. They said that it was the Mayor of Huaisang County who sent people to take Old Princess Consort Chu and them out of the State of Zhen.”
Then the man repeated how Liu Miantang left the residence ahead of time and found the disguised army in Lingquan Town. She then dived into the water cave in the mountain and rescued the Old Princess Consort and cheated the people who searched the mountain by luring the tiger away from the mountain.
The fox’s eyes of Prince Sui narrowed and squinted. Finally, he couldn’t help sneering, “What a scheming Lu Wen, I looked down on you before.”
Although he had known for a long time that Liu Miantang was Lu Wen with amnesia. But after seeing Liu Miantang’s delicate and beautiful appearance, she still looked down upon her. He always thought that her reputation for being clever and skillful in tactics is just eye-catching.
Who knows that there are many old people from the East Palace on the Mountain of Yang, which ones are not military general who has gone through life and death? She gathered all their strong points, so she could be the commander of her own and ask for the favor of Liu Dan.
After all, his adoptive daughter Sun Yunniang told him the same thing at the beginning. She said that this woman was only excellent in martial arts, and love big achievements. She liked to take other people’s military achievements, so the people on the mountain were not convinced of her.
From the beginning, this woman who has been despised by him and has not taken it seriously lurks under his nose and breaks up his plan for a long time!
A lot of regrets flashed in the heart of Prince Sui for a moment. But if he had valued her more, he would not have let her break away from his palm and go all the way to the northwest to become the virtuous wife of Cui Xingzhou… But now that the matter is over, regret is useless. He sat down slowly and asked, “Since she is so powerful, how can the Lian family still be arrested?”
The man said, “It’s also the help of God. Liu Miantang once told the Lian family to live in a remote village after they separated from the Cui family. Don’t rush through the customs. But the wife of Lian Hanshan couldn’t stand the fleas in the village. After only staying for one night, she shouted to run to their distant relatives in the State of Lin. As a result, several carriages of the family, with gold and silver, were buckled at the checkpoint.”
Prince Sui smiled and said, “Fortunately, Prince Huaiyang has such a delicate aunt. Otherwise, I would end up with nothing this time!”
Since Liu Miantang told the Lian family so, it means that she is not in a hurry to get out of the checkpoint…
Just two days after the closure of the State of Zhen, the checkpoints guarded by bandits were suddenly reduced. And a large number of people began to search the four villages and eight fields in the State of Zhen.
The surrounding countryside was searched day and night like a sieve.
However, Liu Miantang chose the thatched wilderness shop next to the official road and became “black under the light”. Although she always heard the sound of the hoofs of horses coming and going, it was never searched once.
But Old Princess Consort Chu felt that her heart was going to jump out because of the noise of these horses’ hooves day and night. After several times of drilling in the woods, she was already haggard. She unexpectedly suffered from the cold at night and got sick again, with a high fever.
Miantang touched her hot forehead, knowing that she can’t let it continue to burn. Fortunately, she learned some skills of being a doctor. She managed to collect antipyretic herbs in the mountains and decoct them for the Old Princess Consort, which made her fever reduced.
However, Miantang knew that the bandits had suddenly changed their strategies and must have found some clues. Maybe it was the Lian family, or the two concubines were found by the bandits.
So if they have no results in the countryside, they will think of expanding the scope of search.
And this dark place under the light will not be safe for long.
In fact, Miantang was also a little anxious. Why did the reinforcements being so late and not coming until now, and how was Cui Xingzhou this time? Did he really encounter something unexpected?
While Miantang was hesitating, the bodyguard who was watching on guard outside suddenly rushed to report, “County Mayor, there is a suspicious group of people coming here!”
Hearing this, Miantang was shocked and went out to take a look.
It was not far away. A dozen ragged men carrying a stretcher hurried toward the direction of the thatched house.
It seems that they are also interested to rest in this place.
Miantang told the two bodyguards not to panic. Since the gang was in rags and not like the gang of bandits, let’s pretend to be runaway farmers, left this thatched house, and gave it to them.
But when Miantang held the Old Princess Consort and lowered her head to pass by them, the skinny boy in the lead stared at Miantang’s side face with bright eyes.
TL/N: Hello readers, you are halfway through this novel, if you like this novel, you may continue to support me through comments and ko-fi❤️
Ruth Ibale On TSFLIP Chapter 1133