Chapter 95 – Lord Su is missing

When Su Yan woke up, the sky was already bright.

After sufficient sleep, he felt refreshed, and even the bruises all over his body didn’t hurt as much. It was the clothes on his body that had been soaked in water and baked by fire and pressed on the stone bed for the whole night that had been wrinkled beyond recognition, and he thought that he must be describing himself in a sorry state at this time.

He was the only one in the cave. Su Yan rubbed his face and was just about to jump off the stone bed when Jing Hong chased him in with a bowl of leaves, and at the first sight of him, his cheeks flushed slightly as he lowered his head and said, “My lord, drink some water, and we’ll set out.”

Today’s sky is clear, the previous night’s rain has evaporated, and the clear water must not be easy to find. Su Yan drank some water, examined Jing Hongchu’s color, a little worried: “Your injury ……”

“It’s not a problem, I still have the strength to take your lordship out of the valley.”

Su Yan insisted on unwrapping the cloth wrapped around his waist to check the wound, and found that the inflammation symptoms had become more pronounced, and even began to ooze yellow-brown pus.

“Let’s go, hurry up and find a doctor, and if you can’t, find some sterilizing tools and herbs as well.”

The two walked out of the cave, following the route Jing Hongchou had just explored, to the valley: “Perhaps the guards border troops came in time to save Chu Yuan and others. But there is a possibility ……”

He did not say more, but Su Yan understood the implication: there is a possibility that Chu Yuan and others died under the Tartar cavalry, the carriage was also robbed. The border troops came a step late, only had time to collect the corpses everywhere, so as to avoid the outbreak of plague.

The two men fell silent in unison, neither wanting the latter possibility to be the truth.

“What’s next, my lord?” Jing Hong pursued.

Su Yan thought briefly, his eyes brightened at first: “There is something that can indirectly confirm whether Chu Yuan and the others are still alive! Go, go to where I fell into the valley two days ago.”

On the way, he explained his thoughts to Jing Hongchou – if the border troops arrived in time and Chu Yuan and the others escaped from death, they would inevitably try to search for his whereabouts, and would inevitably have to explore the steep slope where the two had rolled down.

The bundle Jing Hongchou carried was lost there. Inside were important items such as the imperial decree, the Shangfang sword, the official seal, and the appointment papers, and Chu Yuan knew that if he found the baggage while searching in the neighborhood, he would surely pick it up and keep it in a safe place.

If the package is missing, it is likely to be picked up by Chu Yuan. Of course, it is also possible that the bag rolled to the river bank, was swept away by the rising river water.

But it was always a clue. And things like the holy decree were too important for them to find anyway.

The two men hurried to the bank of the river where the water had fallen.

Jing Hongchu left Su Yan on his horse and went down the steep slope himself, returning after nearly half an hour, saying to Su Yan, “I didn’t find the baggage, but I found a strip of cloth tied to a conspicuous tree branch.”

Su Yan took the palm-width strip of dark reddish-red cloth, and after looking it over, found that it matched the fabric of the tunic that Chu Yuan had worn on his body two days ago.

There were some black stains on the cloth, and he sniffed them, suspecting charcoal dust.

“This should be the mark left by Chu Yuan. I guess he wrote on the cloth to inform them where they were going, and perhaps agreed on a place to meet, hoping that we would see it when we turned back to look for the bundle. But there was a torrential downpour that night, which washed away the writing.” Suyan said.

Jing Hong chased took the cloth, turned it over and over for a long time, and could not recognize what the original handwriting was, so he followed his thoughts and continued, “If Chu Yuan was rescued by the border guards of the guards, and was able to persuade them to come and look for the lord with the Jinyiwei’s token, and didn’t find anyone down this steep slope, he should be able to take into account that the lord might have been swept away by the river, and would look downstream along the riverbank. “

“But that night heavy rain, the river surged, they could not find these two days, may also mistakenly think that we have been buried in the flood. Alas, they went downstream and we went upstream, and we didn’t even meet, and I don’t know if we brushed shoulders at any of the forks.”

“These days, remote communication is too inconvenient.” Su Yan sighed and said with affection, “I really miss my old te 8 that I’ve used for years. a machine in my hand, the world I have.”

Without wireless signal coverage, however, it would be futile to have all the cell phones in the entire electronic city cross over together.

Lord Su was saying words he couldn’t understand again, but it didn’t matter, he could guess about two or three points of meaning. It is said that the longer they get along, the more they can be in touch with each other, and their knitted brows and smiles can all convey the spirit, and one day, he and Lord Su will have a heart-to-heart, Jing Hong thought posthumously.

He suggested, “Your Excellency can go to Yan’an City first, after all, only Governor Zhou has seen your Excellency, the other prefectural officials have not seen the seal and are afraid that they will not dare to trust it easily. When you arrive in Yan’an, then send someone to pass the message to the prefectures to look for Chu Yuan.”

“But such a long distance round trip is too much of a delay, it might take two or three months to see Chu Yuan, I’m afraid I’ll miss the errand that the emperor delivered.” Su Yan frowned and pondered, and after a moment made a decision, “We won’t return to Yan’an, we will go to Ling Zhou.”

“Lingzhou? Continuing towards the northwest frontier?”

“Right. I had explained the route of the trip to the brocade guards, and the last stop on the expedition was the Clearwater Camp in Lingzhou. If Chu Yuan still remembers me, he would have found his way there if he still had a little faith in my chances of surviving. Moreover, Gao Shuo had told me that there was a secret outpost of the Northern Zhenfu Division in Lingzhou, and that flying pigeons were faster than postal deliveries. The only thing I’m worried about when I go to Lingzhou is the injury you’re carrying.”

“Your Excellency also thinks too little of my subordinate’s martial arts. With the recovery of internal strength, the wound will soon heal.” Jing Hongchu raised his eyebrows and made a rare joke in order to ease Su Yan’s mood, “Instead of worrying about my injuries, my lord should worry about the issue of traveling expenses. Even if you are willing to take short-term jobs, such as washing dishes in a restaurant or grinding beans for a carriage store, there isn’t much money to be made in this poor countryside.”

Sue? No money? Drawing a cake to feed your hunger? Yann: “…… Working part-time is impossible to work part-time in this life.”

Su Yan made a gesture to show his hands, “Doing business and no capital, it seems that the only way to maintain a life this way is to sell the personal guards by weighing and wheeling them.”

Jing Hongchou was amused by him and laughed out loud as he leapt onto the horse, pulling Su Yan onto the horse lightly as well, his arms reaching forward from under his ribs and holding the reins, almost encircling his entire body in his chest, “Don’t worry, with me here, I will not cause your lordship to suffer.”

–

“Your Honor, there is nothing to be found.”

“No sign of man-made traces were found.”

“Not on the north bank of the river.”

“Neither does the South Shore.”

“……”

In these two days, as the soldiers report back, Chu Yuan’s frown gets tighter and tighter, and his dark charcoal face is even harder to see.

Thinking about the traces he found on the steep slope at that time, crashing and breaking a lot of trees along the way, and the blood spilled on the river bank extending all the way into the water, he had to consider the worst possibility – Lord Su rolling down the steep slope together with Jing Hongchou, falling into the river in a stupor, and being swept away by the turbulent current and buried at the bottom of the river.

Although Jing Hong chasing strong martial arts, but before and Tartar cavalry battle, consumption is very huge, fell down the river valley may also have suffered minor injuries, may not be able to protect Su adults all around. Moreover, that night and torrential rain flooding, the entire river valley was flooded half, how to see is a lot of bad luck.

Chu Yuan gripped the bag he found tightly in his hand, holding the hard Shangfang sword through the fabric, thinking that if Lord Su had any shortcomings, he could not make up for his faults even if he had to die in front of the Emperor.

Seeing his face of sorrow and despair, Sheng Qianxing consoled him, “Imperial Magistrate Su’s good fortune has been recognized by heaven, I’m sure he’ll be fine. Let’s keep looking again.”

Chu Yuan nodded silently.

Sheng Qianxing is the Commanding Commander of the Shaanxi Commanding General’s Department, by the order of the governor Wei Quan, with a thousand elite cavalry came to protect Su Yan. Unfortunately, this person’s luck is not good, rushed to Yan’an, learned that Su Yan to go to the various prisons; all the way to ask the post rushed to Pingliang, and inquired about a similar shape of the person has just left Lingwu Supervision, I do not know where to go; he would like to go to the nearest Qingping Court to take his chances, but who would expect that still back and forth feet missed.

In the end, there was nothing to do, ready to turn back and look for more, but in the middle of the road, he mistakenly saved Chu Yuan and others who were surrounded by Tartar cavalry.

Chu Yuan showed the Jinyiwei token, and Sheng Qianxing realized that this should be the party of Royal Secretary Su that he was trying to protect. As it turned out, Imperial Secretary Su had just been chased by the Tartars and disappeared into the valley, and he was always one step too slow to catch up.

Frustrated, he could only search downstream with Chu Yuan along both sides of the river, and in the end still found nothing.

Chu Yuan said, “If we can’t find Lord Su again today, we’ll have to send the news back to the capital and report it to Heaven.”

Sheng Qianxing was afraid of being punished and wanted to delay some more time, advising him, “Why don’t you look for two more days, and then report it if you really can’t find it?”

“There can be no more delay, or the crime will be compounded!” Chu Yuan instructed him, “You continue to look, I’ll take my men to the nearest Jinyiwei station and fly a pigeon to report. Lord Su’s two young boys, will be left in your care, in case someone impersonates them, they will be able to recognize the authenticity.”

After he finished his explanation, he led the remaining eight brocade guards and galloped away.

Sheng Qianxing hopelessly sighed, and thought that he was also unlucky to be on this errand. Originally thought it was a fat job, heard that Su Royal Secretary quite a holy favor, if the other party to take care of the comfort and satisfaction, back in the folders for him to say a few words of praise, maybe promotion is expected. Now people have not seen, lost track of, in case of the saint’s face is not happy, angry at him, how to be good?

Chu Yuan’s secret fold and Gao Shuo’s small note arrived at the capital four days later, around the same time with carrier pigeons.

At that time, Emperor Jinglong was listening to politics at the Royal Gate. Under the jade steps, two officials of the Ministry of Public Works were arguing about different methods of governing the Yellow River.

JinYiWei sends urgent and confidential folders have their own channel, can at any time directly to the imperial court. Blue happy to receive a special person to submit the secret fold, do not dare to delay for a moment, immediately submitted.

The emperor received the secret fold, opened before sweeping a glance, the expression suddenly changed, Huo Ran rose.

The two officials under the scene is arguing to the intense place, one of them pointed at the other unceremoniously scolded: “Cultivate the body and family, rule the country and the world, you Pan Kyauk his own family home is not yet Qi, was his wife cuckolded, so that the whole capital is known to all, what face in the courtroom boasts about it? You want to argue with me about the way of river management? Good ah, first your wife that flooded the river to cure it!”

The official named Pan Kyauk was as green as iron and was about to swing his fist recklessly when he heard a bang on the jade steps!

Other courtiers are watching the play, were startled by the sound, could not help but turn their heads to look, only to see Jinglong emperor violently got up and left the seat, demeanor completely lost the usual graceful, robe sleeve actually will be in front of the jade case to bring over.

The two officials who were quarreling, thinking that they had been rude in front of the imperial court, triggering the dragon’s wrath, immediately crouched on the ground to apologize.

The civil and military officials were shocked and knelt down, saying, “Your Majesty, calm your anger and take care of your dragon body.”

The square was filled with the sound of “Rest in Peace”.

Who expects the emperor simply do not care to reprimand, even look at them more than a glance are not served, only dropped a sentence “retreat”, and hurriedly left the door of Taihe.

Lan Xi lifted the corners of his robe and trotted behind him, hearing the emperor say in an unprecedentedly anxious voice, “Immediately pass on the decree to call the head of the Brocade Guards to come to the Hall of Imperial Harmony.”

“Which chieftain is the Emperor referring to?” Lan Xi asked with deliberation.

“Shen …… No, call the commanding officer Xin Zhenhai over.”

Was awarded the title of Commander of Jin Yi Wei three people, but none of them are not the seal of the official. One of the Xin Zhenhai is the oldest one, had in the pacification of the King’s rebellion neutral merit, acting quite calm, but Emperor Jinglong always felt that he was more than calm, sharpness is not enough to deal with tricky matters when the means is not flexible enough, so did not put the management of the Brocade Guards real power to him. The other two are from the hands of the father’s shade to the false title, more is not in the eyes of the emperor.

Lan Xi led the order, immediately ordered people to do. Chasing the emperor into the Hall of Imperial Harmony, he wiped off his sweat, presented freshly brewed fragrant tea, and carefully asked, “Your Imperial Highness, is something wrong?”

The emperor did not take the teacup and threw him the secret folders clutched in his hand.

After Lan Xi browsed, he lost his voice: “Su Yan – Su Imperial Secretary was besieged by Tartar cavalry, fell into the river valley and disappeared, and still has not been found? Didn’t the Imperial Master issue a secret decree before, allowing Governor Wei Quan to dispatch a thousand elite soldiers from the Department of Capital Command to protect him?”

The emperor said in a deep voice: “I sent it, but it turned out that I didn’t even see Su Yan’s face and lost him. These local guards and commanding divisions, they are all wastes, I still have to send the Brocade Guards over there, and turn over the entire Shaanxi division to find him!”