Chapter 476 - 483: It Has Come To This
Chapter 476: Chapter 483: It Has Come To This
“Indeed, this…” Su Wenyue’s gaze held a certain determination, though she appeared quite hesitant on the surface. Father and Mother made sense, yet the children couldn’t be without her. On one hand were her own children, on the other, her parents. Such a decision was truly difficult to make, leaving her somewhat indecisive.
“Daughter, Father knows you’re worried about your mother and me, and you want to lure the enemies away by yourself. But you must also trust your father. I’ve been in trade for so many years, braving dangers everywhere. What kind of peril haven’t I encountered? And haven’t I always turned danger into safety? I have my ways to deal with those people and ensure your mother and I escape safely. You just need to take good care of yourself and the children, and not cause us any distractions,” Father said.
Master Su spoke with an ease that suggested he truly had an escape plan in mind, but in reality, he had already prepared himself for a desperate struggle. While trading did indeed come with its dangers, they paled in comparison to their current predicament. This time, it was the Imperial Court’s men they were up against, opponents beyond his match. Should luck be on their side and they escape, that would be ideal, but if not…
Master Su gave a subtle glance to his wife by his side. In their youth, filled with passion, they had pledged to weather hardships together, to share life and death. Today’s circumstances seemed to fulfill that vow. Actually, Master Su had considered disguising his wife and daughter to leave together, but worried such a plan might not escape the notice of the people secretly following them. Moreover, his daughter would surely detect something amiss from his actions and likely disagree with such a plan. Besides, he understood his wife’s mindset.
Madam Su exchanged a look with Master Su. Over the many years, the couple had developed an unspoken understanding. She followed suit, persuading their daughter, “Yes, Lady Yue, you’re right to listen to your father. He’s overcome so many dangers outside; this little difficulty is nothing. The main concern is your and the children’s safety. As long as you and the children are well, we can deal with those people without worries, which increases our chances of success.”
Su Wenyue was still worried, looking at Mr. and Mrs. Su with a trace of helplessness, “But Father, Mother, I…”
“Alright, Lady Yue, be obedient. Now isn’t the time to be stubborn. Follow your mother’s and my advice. I’ve made these arrangements as a precaution. The Feng family’s men are already on their way and might arrive before those people make a move. You don’t need to worry too much; just follow the plan I’ve laid out,” Master Su said, his tone carrying a sense of finality.
Seeing Mr. and Mrs. Su so resolute, Su Wenyue had no choice but to nod reluctantly, and she admonished with concern, “Father, Mother, you must be cautious for your safety. We all need to be okay.”
“Don’t worry; we will all be fine. Take good care of yourself and the children,” Madam Su said, knowing full well the danger of their position, which might be their last farewell. With thousands of unspoken words in her heart, she couldn’t let her daughter perceive anything amiss and ended up with that simple reassurance, echoing a mother’s profound love.
Teardrops shimmered in Su Wenyue’s eyes. Although Madam Su left many words unsaid, Su Wenyue understood. But she said no more, merely nodding. Her gaze toward Madam Su also carried much unspoken emotion, further solidifying her own resolve.
If her parents treated her so, how could she let misfortune befall them? Although this course of action might separate mother from child, leaving the children without their mother, she had to do it. Knowing full well the nature of the path ahead, she felt not a trace of fear or hesitation, simply because it was her duty. For the first time, she discovered she could be brave, unafraid of death.
The horse carriage followed the original route, but along the way, it seemed to encounter some malfunction, causing a brief delay before continuing on without apparent anomaly.
The secret followers were still unaware that Master Su and his family had noticed them, and so didn’t dare to get too close. Though they questioned the slight deviation, after some investigation that revealed nothing, they didn’t dwell on the matter, their primary focus being the occupants of the horse carriage, waiting to strike once reinforcements arrived.
“Has there been any message from above? When will they arrive? We’re getting closer and closer to the Feng family’s territory; we need to make our move before reaching them. Otherwise, if the Feng family gets wind of us, things won’t be so easy,” the leader of the pursuers said with concern, wary of the Feng family’s influence. Their group was substantial, but even a powerful dragon couldn’t beat a local serpent. The news from above had come too late; it had taken days after Madam Han and her children left before they were tasked with pursuit. Master Su was sly and had been hiding their tracks, they had finally located them, and it was nearly too late. Failure would be imminent if they were any later.
Over at Han Yu’s side, he had been feeling uneasy these past days, unable to pinpoint the cause. After querying the secret guard for news and learning that his wife and children were safe, a portion of his worries subsided.
“Master, the latest news just received; they seem to be aware that the madam and Young Master and Miss have left. Miss Chen encountered Liu Zuoling while she was seeking an audience with My Lord to discuss matters, and he tricked her into revealing information,” the secret guard reported with some shame to Han Yu. They hadn’t anticipated encountering such a situation, and regardless of the circumstances, failing their duty was negligence. Han Yu had expected it, yet his expression darkened slightly.
“This foolish woman couldn’t be any more stupid,” Han Yu’s opinion of Chen Li had improved somewhat, only for such an incident to occur. This woman truly couldn’t be rated too highly.
Seeing their master grinding his teeth in frustration, the secret guard bowed his head. They were all too familiar with Miss Chen’s reputation.
Han Yu of course wouldn’t let Chen Li in on this information, but since she often visited Liu Xiu, it was inevitable she would learn something. Liu Xiu was increasingly trusting towards Chen Li, not deliberately keeping her in the dark.
Regarding the arrangements for his daughter-in-law and son’s departure, Han Yu couldn’t keep Liu Xiu uninformed. Although he knew Chen Li was also aware and thought it would not be a big deal, he had overestimated this foolish woman’s intellect. She had so easily given away information to Liu Kuan, a well-known spy even she was aware of. He was at a loss for words!
Nevertheless, the situation being what it was, Han Yu could not afford to confront Chen Li over this at such a time. Despite her occasional foolishness, she proved useful in some areas, with her unorthodox behavior and unconventional ideas occasionally providing Han Yu with inspiration. Whether out of consideration for Liu Xiu or other reasons, he had no choice but to swallow his frustration. Even so, even though Han Yu had reasoned it out, he couldn’t help but curse the foolish woman again.
“This information couldn’t have been kept secret for long. Without the madam and children appearing for a prolonged period, suspicions must have arisen, leading to today’s events. Liu Kuan’s intention to prompt Miss Chen speaks volumes. Right now, what I most want to know is how Liu Kuan managed to send out the message?”