Chapter 388 - Feng Yuran's Rescue in Xiuning Workshop
Chapter 388 Feng Yuran’s Rescue in Xiuning Workshop
Now was when Feng Yuran’s plans were in place. She would not have allowed these changes to spoil his plans.
Honestly, she had no faith in these secret guards. If they could have stayed by her mother’s side all this time, Mother would not have died so early. Perhaps they would explain that her mother didn’t give them the order, but there would be no one to guard and protect once she was dead. Furthermore, all of them knew that Auntie Fang was the one who harmed Mother.
However, no one killed Auntie Fang and they all had to wait for the ignorant and weak girl to act before appearing as secret guards. In that aspect, Mo Xuetong did not find them to be particularly loyal. Hence, she would not let these men spoil Feng Yuran’s amazing plan.
Having been exposed by Mo Xuetong about the bodyguard agency, Shopkeeper Xing was stunned as he retreated for two steps, having higher regard for Mo Xuetong now as he became more respectful toward her.
“That’s alright. If my lady requires our assistance, we need…” Shopkeeper Xing hesitated and looked at Mo Xuetong, speechless.
“You require another token?” Having seen the conflicted expression of Shopkeeper Xing, Mo Xuetong understood the situation. As a secret guard, to ensure security purposes, they would only recognize the token and not the person. However, as she did not remember any token left behind by Mother, she frowned.
“It is a jade token. Third Princess must have passed it down to my lady. Please think about it carefully.” Shopkeeper Xing blinked his eyes and replied respectfully, bowing his head.
A jade token? Suddenly, Mo Xuetong remembered the jade flower and the jade token that her second uncle had shown her and asked if she had one as well. Could that be the one? Mo Xuetong rejected the idea once it popped up. Her mother almost never left the house, not even communicating with her own secret guards, and naturally would have nothing to do with the Yuxiao Flower.
The flower was mysterious and secretly bore a murderous intent. In her previous life, Fu General Manor’s downfall was caused by the flower. Even though the devious plan by Sima Lingyun and others had added on to their demise, Yuxiao Flower was the key cause regardless. It was already suspicious how it mysteriously appeared in Fu General Manor.
“Mother sent her people to Xiuning Workshop to meet with your man?” Mo Xuetong nodded and asked casually as if she had just thought of it. She remembered that He Xia reported that the man she saw wore official court clothing. Being the previous officials of King Jin, it was normal for them to have such clothing.
“Yes, even though we do have a proper job in the bodyguard agency, our income is barely enough to sustain our needs. Any essential items will require the Third Princess to privately obtain.” Shopkeeper Xing lamented on his difficulties.
Even though Shopkeeper Xing did not mention what objects they were, Mo Xuetong knew he was talking about swords and weapons. There were many such weapons in the marketplace, but few were sharp. If sharp weapons were sold, they were sold at a high price. Even though the bodyguard agency had its income, not everyone could afford to bear such good weapons.
Furthermore, in order to guarantee the loyalty of the secret guards, spending money was definitely necessary.
Seeing how Mo Xuetong remained quiet, Shopkeeper Xing thought that she was blaming them for their extravagant expenditure, explaining immediately, “Even though we do spend quite some money, it isn’t too much in the grand scheme of things. We just need some help from Xiuning Workshop, just like what Third Princess did.”
“Let’s follow the old rules then!” Mo Xuetong replied calmly. She had been investigating Xiuning Workshop all this time and discovered that the accounts were too perfect, with each sum being extremely clear. However, she found something to be amiss and now she realized that it was because of the unusually high price of purchase of raw materials. Products from the same time period shouldn’t have such a high cost, but Xiuning Workshop bought them using a slightly higher price.
The artificially higher costs meant that money was slowly funneled to the bodyguard agency from Xiuning Workshop.
It was her mother’s shop, and as long as her mother didn’t say anything, it was not apparent at all. At most, people would feel that the shopkeeper was too lax in cost-management, and had a price that’s too high.
“I shall listen to my lady, and follow the rules laid by Third Princess.” Shopkeeper Xing smiled and agreed.
As the two were talking, the woman rushed in. Before she could even say anything to Mo Xuetong, she whispered to Shopkeeper Xing. His face immediately changed as he looked at Mo Xuetong in shock, as he suddenly pulled the woman beside him down to kneel together.
“My lady, the men from King Xuan’s Manor are here. Please go over.”
They could not hide their fright as their existence was as the loyal subordinates of King Jin, the sworn rival of Emperor Zongwen. They hid in the dark in an attempt to protect their past masters and rise. If they were known by the royal family, they would be eliminated.
As the most doted son of Emperor Zongwen, if Feng Yuran knew that these people were present, they would cease being alive. The two powers were sworn rivals and it’s a pity that they met each other here. The power of King Jin’s Manor could not be revealed to the world today. With the lack of manpower, they could only be eliminated.
“Where is this?” As if she did not feel the fright of Shopkeeper Xing, Mo Xuetong raised her eyes and examined the surroundings. The corner of her eyes laid on Shopkeeper Xing’s pale face as she slowly released her smile and asked faintly.
“This is the bodyguard agency, a stronghold where King Jin left behind to protect Third Princess. If King Xuan discovers this place, we will have no strongholds left.” Shopkeeper Xing anxiously answered. King Jin’s force had all been eliminated other than these people who did not appear before the public. If they were really discovered, their lack of manpower would result in their defeat even though there were plenty of experts around.
He was a little regretful now to have listened to the man in his suggestion to abduct the lady, luring the arrogant overlord here.
The man was known to be lawless in terms of reputation.
“Is this place close to Xiuning Workshop?” Mo Xuetong groaned slightly.
She was not worried if Feng Yuran would know about this for he could easily found out her identity if he utilized his hidden power to launch an investigation into her. She was now worried about the loyalty of these men. The matter today seemed mysterious and strange regardless of how she looked at it. It was unnecessary to abduct her just to reveal her identity, as if they wanted this matter to be blown out of proportion.
Furthermore, after more than 30 years, the secret guards had entered into civilian life, could they still be as loyal to her as before? In her previous life, as she died miserably in Fu General manor, those people still did not act, as if they never existed and never had the responsibility to protect her.
If they were really loyal, they only need to send a few people to protect her to prevent her miserable death. That meant that there was a problem within this group of people. She could not believe in them without any precautions. In her previous life, it was informed to her that danger often came from her side.
Being overly gullible would only make her more susceptible to danger. She had much more clarity compared to her previous life.
However, to prepare for her future, it wasn’t appropriate for her to turn against them now.
Mo Xuetong could not feel any blood connections to her maternal grandfather King Jin. Someone who tried to usurp the throne would not be a benevolent person.
Even her sweet and gentle Mother calculated on her, making Nanny Ming swore a vicious oath so she could not understand anything.
That made her heartbroken.
However, no matter what had happened, she still loved her mother. Be it in this life or in her previous life, the love from her mother was the motivation for her to continue in her journey, but that did not include the unconditional trust in the group of secret guards next to her mother.
“Very close, two bends away if we go by the back door.” Shopkeeper Xing understood Mo Xuetong’s hidden intention as he stood up and led Mo Xuetong out of the house. They descended down a flight of secret stairs and turned into a door, walking past a narrow hallway. Mo Xuetong’s Xiuning Workshop was on the other side.
At the narrow pathway, Mo Xuetong turned back.
King Jin’s Manor had retreated to their very end for choosing such a position. Now, the prosperous King Jin Manor only had wilted branches and broken walls left. Other than his family members, no one would remember the previously well-known King Jin. With the passage of time, how many would be as loyal as they were 30 years ago!
Feng Yuran sat at the small living room where Shopkeeper Xing normally met his guests. In front of the door, Feng Yue stood there with his head lowered. Mo Xuetong came over and his eyes lit up, standing upright and whispering respectfully to Mo Xuetong, “My lady, His Highness is inside for a while already. He smashed a teacup just now.”
He then pointed at the broken pieces of the teacup outside the door, signaling the wrath of the man inside.
“Shopkeeper Xing, go and take a look at the goods. I shall tend to His Highness. Tell your men to send a few more pots of tea, as well as the specialty snacks from the restaurant opposite.” Mo Xuetong ordered.
“Yes.” Shopkeeper Xing replied respectfully and retreated, asking his man to prepare.
She pushed the door open and before she had time to examine the interiors of the room, she was tightly hugged by someone inside. The familiar voice made her body soft involuntarily as the door was slammed shut due to his heavy kick, giving off a loud noise.
Outside, Feng Yue’s neck retracted at the loud noise from within. He touched the cold sweat on his forehead and felt like he had revived. His master was really angry!
“Are you alright? Are you injured?” Feng Yuran’s long slender eyes examined Mo Xuetong and only became calm after he realized that she was alright. A simmer of light flashed across his eyes as he secretly lamented those people for touching his woman, as if he became useless after breaking his leg.
“Why did you come out? Isn’t your leg still ‘injured’?” Mo Xuetong pushed him away and pulled him to the chair at one side, asking him with a soft and tender voice. He had excused himself from court using his injury as an excuse so as to retract himself from the conflict between Feng Yuxuan and Feng Yuzhen. If someone realized that his leg was uninjured, his plan would fail.
“How can I still pretend when something happened to my Tong’er. Hmph, those people have been too bored these days.” Feng Yuran snorted as he gave a cold chilly smile. His handsome face wore a devious and bloodthirsty charm, instead of an arrogant demeanor.
She wanted to tell him the truth slowly, but some people did not want him to wait.
“What will you do if I am hiding something from you?” Mo Xuetong blinked her watery eyes carefully and asked.
Her upright body was pulled down into his warm embrace. As she was hugged in front of him, she could not see his body but could hear his cold groan which signaled his unhappiness. Immediately, she pulled his sleeves and explained hurriedly, “I didn’t mean to purposefully hide this from you. I merely do not know how to break it to you.”