Si Zhan had come out upon hearing the sound, and Mi Yue left when the time seemed right.
As Si Zhan held Ning Wan Wan’s hand, ready to go for a walk, an imperial edict suddenly arrived, and he went to receive it.
Because Si Zhan had been valued by Si Suo recently, it was common for people to come to their residence to deliver edicts. However, after about a quarter of an hour, Yuan Bi suddenly ran towards the Jingshui Liushen room while carrying Si Zhan, shouting, “Uncle Zhou! Uncle Zhou!”
Ning Wanwan hurried forward, seeing Si Zhan with tightly closed eyes and blood still on her lips. She panicked, her voice trembling, “My Lord… what happened?”
Yuan Bi said anxiously, “Someone from the palace came to deliver an edict, saying ‘The Duke of Yi has reached the age of coming of age. The Emperor sympathizes with the Duke’s hard work, but remembering the late Emperor’s will, specially orders the Duke of Yi to set off for the fief of Qian Nan, without delay.’ After hearing this, the master spat out a mouthful of blood and fell into a coma…”
Uncle Zhou rushed over and asked what happened. Yuan Bi repeated the events, and Uncle Zhou had Yuan Bi carry Si Zhan inside for examination. The result was that the cold syndrome had relapsed.
When Si Zhan awoke, her expression was as usual. Ning Wanwan, pregnant, served by her side, hesitating before speaking. But Si Zhan spoke first, “I know what you want to say… Mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Si Suo is deeper than I imagined.”
This time, I was careless… Never mind, going to Qian Nan is fine.” He held Ning Wanwan’s hand, gazing at her swollen belly, saying guiltily, “I’m just afraid it will be hard on you and the child.”
Ning Wanwan understood the key point: Si Suo had used Si Zhan to defeat the Ling family and the Empress Dowager. As Si Zhan prepared to establish his power, Si Suo used a late Emperor’s will to remove him.
Based on Ning Wanwan’s understanding of Si Zhan, he wouldn’t have acted without being certain that Si Suo could not turn the tables. Did this mean Si Suo’s “illness” was feigned?
If the illness was fake, he might have discovered the dove poison Pure Concubine tried to use and deliberately let Si Zhan fight the Ling family to reap the benefits.
Realizing this made Ning Wanwan find Si Suo terrifyingly scary.
Since Si Zhan’s cold syndrome had relapsed, they couldn’t delay. Going to Qian Nan might be their best choice. She covered Si Zhan’s hand and said, “As long as you’re by my side, I and the child won’t feel any hardship.”
The Duke of Yi’s residence was quickly prepared. Servants were dismissed, items sold, and within a day, their luggage for the south was packed.
Early the next morning, Si Zhan took Ning Wanwan and boarded the carriage, heading to Qian Nan.
As they approached Qian Nan’s territory, two groups of horsemen surged out from the sides of the forest, blocking their path. Outside, screams and chaotic horse hooves grew closer, and arrows thudded against the carriage walls.
Ning Wanwan hugged Si Zhan tightly, resigning herself and closing her eyes. Si Zhan held her hand, reassuring her, “Wanwan, don’t be afraid, I’m here.” She opened her eyes and smiled back.
Suddenly, someone shouted, “Kill—” The carriage trembled as horse hooves thundered from behind.
“Master, these are the people rescuing us!” Yuan Zhu exclaimed from outside.
After a tea’s time, the carriage tilted and the curtain was lifted. Mu Rong, wearing light armor and covered in blood, crouched at the front and grinned, “Sorry to have startled you both.”
The carriage stopped under a tree’s shade. Since Si Zhan’s cold syndrome had relapsed, he set up a small table in the carriage with tea utensils to entertain Mu Rong.
Ning Wanwan felt irritated: “But my husband cannot wait that long; he is experiencing a recurrence of his cold syndrome.”
“Master said he will give you a year to prove your usefulness. To show sincerity, this prescription is for you,” the young servant said, handing her a neatly folded piece of paper.
Ning Wanwan frowned and accepted it. Although she had some knowledge of medicine, the prescription was unfamiliar, following a “fighting poison with poison” approach. After some thought, she pretended to agree. Once the servant left, she instructed Yuan Bi to leave several hundred people guarding outside while the rest returned to the stockade, planning to verify the prescription’s effectiveness before recalling the others.
Back at the Yi Wang Mansion, Ning Wanwan had Uncle Zhou study the prescription. He was amazed, stating he had never seen anything like it, but it might actually be effective. They gathered the herbs and boiled a pot of medicine. After feeding Si Zhan one bowl, they noticed his condition improved, and by that night, his chills disappeared.
Although his body was still cold, he could finally sleep through the night, suggesting the prescription was indeed useful.
After taking the medicine for several days, Si Zhan’s condition improved. Wearing a fox fur, he could now walk in the courtyard. After explaining her plan to visit Ghost No Degree, the couple strategized how to govern Qian Nan.
Qian Nan was surrounded by mountains on three sides, with the south facing the sea. The land was barren, resources scarce, and it had always been a remote area beyond imperial control, known for poor mountains and bad waters, unruly people, corrupt officials colluding with gentry, and rampant banditry, making governance extremely difficult.
Though Si Zhan’s fief, it had been exploited by corrupt officials for many years. Many people, oppressed by local officials and gentry, had no choice but to become mountain bandits, resulting in a completely ungovernable area.
To investigate local customs and conditions, Ning Wanwan and Si Zhan changed into ordinary clothes and went out walking with the Yuan Bi siblings. Due to her growing belly, a simple horse-drawn carriage followed at a distance.
The local market was sparse with few merchants and nearly empty streets, creating a particularly desolate atmosphere. The shops’ goods were outdated, and some items were covered in dust.
Compared to Bian Capital’s prosperity, this place seemed primitive.
“Please, have mercy and spare some food,” a skinny old woman cried out, leading a thin little girl.
Upon arrival, the dozens of people who entered were surprised to find no tables or chairs, and no tea. Everyone stood outside the closed second gate, unsure of Si Zhan’s intentions.
Suddenly, the main gate slammed shut, startling the crowd. The second gate then creaked open, but no one greeted them. They glanced at each other, thinking Yi Wang wanted them to enter unaided. Some ventured in, followed by others. Passing through the hall and descending steps, they found only the middle door of the five main halls opened, revealing a throne made of carved huanghuali wood.
Sitting cross-legged on the throne was a jade-like man in a white fox fur coat and a small jade crown. His long blue-black hair hung casually as he warmed his delicate hands over a silver charcoal brazier.
The man’s temperament was ethereal, marked by an elegant laziness and a sharp, sickly demeanor. Unknowingly, everyone gathered in the center of the courtyard.
“Ha! Everyone’s here, perfect,” Si Zhan coldly laughed, his handsome features revealing a hint of evil.
As he spoke, soldiers in armor, wielding knives and crossbows, surged in from the corner gates, surrounding them in layers.
The local governor recognized him and hurriedly led the others in respect: “This official pays respects to Your Highness Yi Wang.”
He thought, “Indeed, he’s sickly, already wearing fur and warming himself by the fire before winter. The rumors must be true—Yi Wang won’t live long.”
He wondered about the fierce soldiers in the mansion, as if they had just emerged from battle.
