“Junior Sister, I will go to Jizhou City to rescue Eldest Sister. You stay here to help find Sister Hongyu,” Shen Ziyan said to Huang Ying, her tone very firm.
Huang Ying shook her head slightly. “No, we’ll go into the city together tonight and rescue Eldest Sister, then we’ll look for Sister Hongyu together.”
Shen Ziyan hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. “Okay, it’s settled then. By the way, let’s go find Sister Liu Rumei to understand the detailed situation.”
When the two returned to Liu Rumei’s tent, Liu Rumei was already ordering lunch to be prepared and was delighted to see them.
“I knew you two would be back soon, so I quickly ordered lunch to be prepared. After lunch, you two can rest well.”
The two bowed to Liu Rumei together. “Miss Liu, we have one more request, and we hope you will grant it.”
Liu Rumei looked at them and instantly understood. They must have learned something when they went to find Princess Zhaoning.
“You two sisters, sit down and eat first. We’ll talk as we eat.”
As she spoke, Liu Rumei even picked up the wine pot and began to pour wine for them.
Neither of them had any appetite for drinking. They hadn’t even picked up their chopsticks yet when Shen Ziyan anxiously asked, “Miss Liu, what’s going on with my Senior Sister? Why was she captured?”
Upon hearing this, Liu Rumei sighed deeply. “This is a long story. Princess Zhaoning was eager to claim credit and secretly ordered your Eldest Sister to take the young maid and Chu Han into Jizhou overnight.”
“But I didn’t expect Jizhou’s defenses to be so strict, and they were immediately captured. Oh, and yesterday morning they even led troops to the camp to provoke us, saying they would exchange one of the three for Ge Cun’s head.”
Hearing this, Huang Ying instinctively said, “How despicable! It seems we were a bit late. People like that should have been killed long ago.”
Liu Rumei sighed. “We have repeatedly verified with the army. Besides the three of them, no one else from our side entered the city. Therefore, I suspect that Ge Cun was killed by their own people to incite hostility between Jizhou’s forces and the Crown Prince.”
After hearing this, Shen Ziyan and Huang Ying also nodded in agreement. But their agreement was useless. The critical issue now was that the sentiment in the city had been stirred up.
The three of them analyzed the current situation carefully, and finally, Shen Ziyan spoke.
“Miss Liu, please arrange for us to enter the city tonight. We will definitely rescue my Eldest Sister.”
Liu Rumei shook her head. “What we can do, the other side can also guess. Especially after killing Ge Cun, they will definitely guard strictly. If three days pass and they kill the three of them, there will be no possibility of reconciliation between us and Ge Cun’s forces.”
Hearing this, Huang Ying became a little anxious. “Then we must enter the city tonight even more.”
Just then, Shen Ziyan suddenly said, “Is there a possibility that we can sneak into the city?”
“Sneak in?” Liu Rumei frowned.
“Yes, as far as I know, many people surrendered to His Highness the Crown Prince in Qingniu County. If we select some of them…”
Hearing Shen Ziyan’s words, Liu Rumei’s eyes lit up. She immediately thought of someone, Shen Qiang.
Shen Qiang was considered Zhu Meng’s direct subordinate. Moreover, after he surrendered to the Crown Prince, his unit was disbanded, and he rarely appeared in the army.
Liu Rumei thought of this and immediately ordered someone to find Shen Qiang.
Soon, the Shen Qiang and Shen Hao brothers arrived. Shen Hao’s leg injury had greatly improved, and he could move around on his own.
After Shen Qiang arrived, he respectfully saluted Liu Rumei, then looked at Shen Ziyan and Huang Ying.
“So it’s Miss Huang Ying.”
When he looked at Shen Ziyan, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. Shen Ziyan also looked at Shen Qiang with a slight surprise. “Are you from Shen Family Fort?”
Shen Qiang nodded. “My name is Shen Qiang, and this is my brother Shen Hao.”
Chen Ziyan exclaimed, “Oh my, I thought you looked familiar. I’m Ziyan.”
“The second daughter of Shen Qingshan’s family.”
Hearing this, Shen Qiang couldn’t help but exclaim, “Oh, you are Ziyan sister! You were only this tall when we left to join the army.” Shen Qiang gestured with his hand to his waist, and the three of them looked at each other and laughed.
Seeing this, Liu Rumei secretly sighed. It seemed fate favored them. As long as Shen Qiang agreed to enter the city, this matter would surely be successful.
Shen Qiang and Shen Ziyan exchanged a few more pleasantries, then his expression turned serious. He turned to Liu Rumei. “Miss Liu, you called me here, what are your orders?”
“I want you to feign defection and take Ziyan and the others into the city to rescue the Lotus Sect Leader and the others.”
Hearing this, Shen Qiang’s brows furrowed, and he looked hesitant. “Miss Liu, it’s not that I don’t want to help. Although the Commander is straightforward, he has a strategist named Zhang Liao next to him. This person is meticulous and cunning. I’m afraid I won’t be able to deceive him.”
Liu Rumei smiled faintly. “What’s so difficult about this? Why don’t you just tell him directly that His Highness the Crown Prince sent you into the city as a spy? He will naturally let you in.”
“This.” Shen Qiang was stunned. “If I tell him my purpose directly, won’t he chop me down with a single sword?”
At this moment, Shen Ziyan beside him chuckled and gave Liu Rumei a thumbs up. “Miss Liu’s strategy is truly brilliant. By revealing her hand directly, he will find it hard to refuse.”
Liu Rumei nodded. “Yes, moreover, the Crown Prince has tens of thousands of surrendered troops under him. To win their hearts, Zhu Meng will also let you into the city and even promote you.”
Hearing this, Shen Qiang exchanged a look with Shen Hao. The two of them said to Shen Ziyan together, “Alright, Ziyan sister, for you, Qiangzi and I will risk our lives. Our Shen Family Fort has no cowards.”
“I will prepare immediately, and at the third watch tonight, I will take you two into the city.”
As the sun set, Chen Xiaobei, along with Liu Tie, Yang Chun, Yang Zhi, and others, also arrived within a hundred li of the military camp.
The group grandly stopped at a bun shop by the roadside, intending to eat something and rest. Just then, Liu Tie suddenly lowered his voice and said to Chen Xiaobei, “Do you see those two people at the noodle stall over there? They’ve been looking around constantly, looking like scouts.”
Before Chen Xiaobei could speak, Liu Tie had already signaled. Yang Chun and Yang Zhi, who were beside him, immediately got up and walked towards the noodle shop opposite.
The two people eating noodles at the moment saw this, suddenly stood up together, and walked out. They were indeed suspicious. Liu Tie waved again, and the group immediately surrounded them.
The two youngsters saw this and took off running, but they were quickly apprehended before they could get far.
Liu Tie strode forward, stepped on one of them, and asked in a deep voice, “Speak, what exactly are you two doing?” Su Dan Novel Network
“Spare us, kind sirs, we are from the official army.”
Hearing this, Liu Tie frowned. He lifted his foot and then squatted down.