Yan Dao and his entourage followed the tracker bird closely. In fact, part of him were unsure whether he should put his trust in a little bird, but to his relief, Yan Dao instantly knew that the bird was efficient when his men reported back with news of the appearance of Chu YunShang in the area.
“Search this entire zone! I want the WengZhu found right this instant!” At this exact moment, a tiny trace of joy finally entered his previously nervous and stressed-out heart. He could feel his precious sister nearby, and even if he would offend the people here, he would not leave one single house unchecked.
“Report! Second young master, we found a house under the Wang Family’s name.”
Upon hearing his man’s words, Yan Dao rushed towards the said house on his horse without a moment’s hesitation.
Meanwhile on the other side, triggered by Chu YunShang’s sarcastic words, Wang AnZhi finally came to his senses. He would assist his father, but that was only so that he would have all the time in the world to slowly savor the woman of his dreams.
After getting dressed, Wang AnZhi did not forget to dress the woman on his bed but fearing that the drugs he fed her would lose its effects, he resorted to binding her up and tying her against the bed post.
“Wait for me quietly, Luan Er, for when I return, you will be the noblest woman in this country1.” He rasped softly as he caressed her cheeks as gently and lovingly as a madman could.
Yan Luan, who was still limp from being drugged, could not avoid the cold fingers on her cheeks, hence all she could do was to shut her eyes tightly together to avoid staring at his disgusting puke-inducing expressions.
But he did not care, as he was the winner of this game.
“Luan Er2is still so cold towards me, oh, it really saddens me so.” He chuckled softly, “Just you wait, I’ll slaughter your brothers with delight.”
Perhaps his perverted love towards her was truly sincere, as Wang AnZhi proceeded to park layers and layers of his personal guards outside the bedroom, as there was no way he would let anyone take advantage of his precious woman, whom he had finally kidnapped after great difficulties. He would have his men guard this room closely, firstly to prevent her from escaping, and secondly, to prevent his family from using her as a bartering chip.
“I love you, genuinely, which is why I will never let anyone harm you, not even my father.” He swore softly before he left the place with the remaining men.
But as soon as he stepped out of the residence, his words came true, as Chu YunShang instantly arrived outside the building with her men, demanding to retrieve Yan Luan under the orders of Wang Yong.
“Step aside! This is a direct order from the prime minister himself, no one can stop me from taking that woman from this place!”
“We obey only the young master’s orders! There will be no mercy for anyone who dared step into this room!”
Yan Luan, who was still weak on the bed, could hear the commotion outside clearly, but though the drugs were receding slowly, it was still not enough for her strength to return. She knew something was wrong the moment she heard Chu YunShang’s voice.
It must be none other than Wang Yong’s plans, as that old fox probably intended to use her to threaten her elder brother.
Though, to her relief, the men outside quickly started fighting.
Knowing that she could not stay here, as soon as she even felt her strength returning, she began chewing against the cloth ribbons around her wrists. Thankfully, Wang AnZhi was careless in safeguarding her as he was too confident in his abilities, that he had not tied her up too tightly.
And after what felt like forever, Yan Luan finally untied the knot and freed her hands. She knew that she had to be quick as the fighting outside were getting louder and louder. She hastily untied the cloth ribbons around her ankles before moving unsteadily towards the window as her body burned in pain.
Lady luck was probably on her side, as the only window in the room was facing the backyard, and the mess at the front of the house was enough to attract all the guards’ attentions.
Yan Luan struggled desperately to push a chair towards the window, before using all her remaining strengths left to flip herself over the window, only to land heavily on the ground.
“Ugh!” The impact was enough to tear her abused skin once again, causing her to flinch in pain as she bit down on her lips to prevent herself from screaming, though her mouth was already filled with the coppery taste of blood.
She needed to leave before anyone could notice her escape, but before she would stagger out of the residence, the guards finally noticed her disappearance.
“There she is!”
“Get her!”
Before long, Yan Luan once again had her wrists and ankles bounded tightly together, but this time, she was also gagged and was tossed into a dark and moving carriage.
All she could do was to whimper softly, but as soon as she heard what the men outside were saying, she forced herself to calm down and wait patiently.
“The Yan Family’s men are upon us, let’s take the mountain trail, we cannot face them head-on.”
“I think we should follow the main road, as the mountain trail takes too long to reach the capital… We just need to be careful, furthermore, young mistress DID mention that if the plan fails, we are to kill this woman!”
Young mistress?Yan Luan knew that these were not Wang Yong’s men, but after hearing their words clearly, she figured out that the instigator was Chu YunShang… Yan Luan sighed in regret, finally realizing what her own kindness had brought upon herself, she should’ve just disposed of this woman just like Jiang FuYuan suggested earlier on.
But there was nothing she could do now, except pray that her brothers’ men would find her… Otherwise, she would rather commit suicide than to be used as a bargaining chip against Yan Jing…
“Shit! It’s the Yan Family’s army!”
At the exact same moment, Yan Dao, who had rushed to this place instantly as soon as his men found this place, arrived at the scene.
Yan Luan’s voice! Yan Dao’s eye widened as he could vaguely hear his sister’s cries. Hence, though the carriage looked simple and the carriage bodyguards looked nothing like the Wang Family’s men, there was no way he could let it pass without an inspection.
“Stop that carriage!” Yan Dao tightened his legs against his war-horse before chasing after the suspicious carriage with his men in row.
Surprisingly, as soon as his commands landed, the carriage in front picked up speed, while the bodyguards around the carriage began to glance back at Yan Dao’s direction nervously.
“Quickly!” He intuitively knew that he was not wrong, and that his sister was truly inside that carriage!
“What should we do? They’re almost upon us!”
“Shut up! We’ll enter the mountain trail now to kill this woman, then we’ll escape!”
“Shit! It’s a cliff!”
“Jump! Jump off the carriage now!”
The carriage was rushing towards the cliff at full speed, and already dizzy from the bumpy ride, Yan Luan could only watch in horror sudden change of scenery as the carriage flew over the cliff, only to have it pulled downwards the moment later.
“Ah Luan!!!”
All she heard before losing her consciousness was her second brother’s screams of despair.
Unable to believe his eyes, not only did Yan Dao not slow down, instead, under the watchful eyes and screams of his men, Yan Dao picked up speed and jumped into the dark abyss, together with his precious sister.
“Ah Luan, don’t be afraid, second brother will accompany you…”
“Second young master!”
On the other side, Yan Jing was currently facing off Wang Yong in the royal court room, but suddenly, as if a sharp blade had stabbed him through his heart, he winced and inconspicuously covered the area of his heart.
Somehow, the sudden pain was somewhat unnerving.
“Wang Yong, surrender this instant and maybe I would consider keeping your body whole when I kill you.”
“Surrender? Haha!” Wang Yong was already surrounded by Yan Jing’s men, but still he held his son’s lifeless body within his arms, “Yan Jing, how dare you kill my son!? I swear I will bring you down with me even if I were to die here today!”
Though his face was now slightly pale from the unnerving pain from before, Yan Jing blinked slowly at Wang Yong’s words with disinterest, before raising the emperor’s sword into the air.”
“Kill everyone.”
Not once did the archers loosen their bow, and as soon as Yan Jing’s command landed, the arrows all found their target instantly.
326 C.E., Prime Minister Wang Yong started a rebellion against the Emperor QiLing and his queen, intending to murder both of them, but his plan failed due to the interference of Yan Jing.
His punishment was death under a thousand arrows, causing the Wang Family to lose all of their family’s influential and military power in just one single night.
Two days later, Yan Jing ascended the throne and was named Emperor QiWu, and under his reign, he managed to unify the entire continent, hence bestowing his people with many years of peace after that.
Three years later, Emperor QiWu retired from his post and allowing his royal uncle, Liang Wang, to ascend the throne, before disappearing into the unknown. No one knew where he went, for his whereabouts were untraceable.
His actions had caused an uproar and disbelief throughout the entire country, to the point that until today, the mystery was never solved.
Years later, rumors about Emperor QiWu’s incestuous relationship with his late sister began to spread, and was finally recorded down in the historical books, which were preserved and passed down for many centuries to go…