"Remember, if you see any suspicious men, you must report it to us, otherwise our weapons have no eyes," the leader threatened, his gaze fierce.
Wu San nodded frantically, feigning terror and playing the part of a humble merchant.
The leader nodded in satisfaction and led his men away. They were to search the next house. As they walked towards the front courtyard, they suddenly saw two women standing in a corner.
Judging by the back of one of the women, she must be an exceptionally beautiful lady. He paused, his tone unconsciously softening. "You, turn around."
Wu San quickly stepped in front of him, flustered. "Sir, these are my family members, not the people you are searching for."
"You know who we are searching for? You're being so evasive, it makes me doubt your motives. Is it true that those two are hiding in this courtyard?" Hearing someone dare to challenge his authority, the leader immediately branded them. He was determined to see this beauty's true face today.
"S-Sir, please do not trouble my husband. I am of humble appearance and shy away from public view. How could I possibly be connected to the fugitives the authorities are pursuing?" Wu Caiwei came from behind Wu San, gently pushing him aside, revealing herself. He wanted to see her face, so be it. If he had any improper thoughts, he would regret being born.
The leader's eyes widened unconsciously, and he stared. Her appearance was only slightly better than that of ordinary women. He had seen more beautiful women, but none possessed her bearing, her presence that was so pleasing to the eye. She was truly someone unforgettable after a single meeting.
Wu Caiwei frowned with displeasure. She hadn't expected this man to be so vulgar. Didn't he see she already had a husband? From his determined gaze, she knew that if she didn't leave, there would be trouble.
Wu San once again stepped in front of the strategist. The leader's eyes narrowed unconsciously. He quickly reminded him, "Sir, the people you are looking for are not in my courtyard. If we delay any longer, might the criminals escape?"
The leader looked at him meaningfully. This time, Wu San did not back down. After a while, he burst into laughter and left, saying in a voice only they could hear, "I will be back."
When the courtyard finally quieted down, Li Dahhu released his clenched fists. If Wu San hadn't stepped in front, and if Wu Caiwei hadn't subtly tugged his hand, he would have lunged forward and punched the leader. What kind of person was he? To covet another man's wife after meeting her once, even if the wife was fake.
"Master, when are we leaving? If we stay here any longer, I can't help but cause some trouble," Li Dahhu said indignantly.
"We aim to leave the day after tomorrow. Wu San, quickly buy a batch of goods. We need to transport them to another region for business," Wu Caiwei said, looking at the equally furious Wu San.
"Yes, subordinate will arrange it immediately." With that, he turned and left, not even stopping for breakfast.
At the Prince of Qin's mansion, the Prince of Qin was throwing teacups and books in anger. Had those two important individuals grown wings and flown away?
"Go and beat the men who were monitoring that courtyard, along with the servants. See if any details were missed. I know those two are highly skilled in martial arts, so it's not surprising they could scale the courtyard walls. But their silent departure from the city was beyond my expectations. We have guards on the city walls, changing shifts to prevent enemy attacks. There must be a loophole we overlooked."
He had dealt with the strategist for two years. During that time, the strategist had helped him greatly. Although their interactions weren't extensive, he could tell that the man was brave, wise, and skilled in martial arts. Such a person, even if not used for his own purposes, should not be allowed to leave.
Her original plan was well thought out. She had decided not to act against the strategist for the time being, not wanting to antagonize Binzhou. She had thought they would leave at least after the Grand Governor of Binzhou had conquered another prefecture, not this early.
However, she had reviewed all incoming and outgoing correspondence. Where had the oversight occurred? They had communicated without her knowledge. Otherwise, without the Grand Governor's order, he would not have left.
Suddenly, something occurred to her. She immediately stood up. Could it be because she hadn't received any letters from Binzhou recently? Thinking of this, the Prince of Qin couldn't help but hit his head hard. He had been trying to find out what was happening in Binzhou. Perhaps they had made an agreement: if they didn't receive a letter within a month, it would mean that the other side was ready. He quickly opened the map and looked at the prefectures. Where would Binzhou attack next?
He pondered for a long time without any clarity. He had been confined here for several years. Even if the other side truly wanted to advance further, he would be powerless to stop them. If he wrote to the governors of the prefectures bordering Binzhou to warn them, it would likely be too late. Although he understood this, he decided to try his luck and wrote several letters, urging them to send them out with all haste.
After searching for two days and practically turning the city upside down, there was still no trace of the strategist. Although everyone continued to search, they knew in their hearts that the target had long since departed.
Just as they were letting down their guard, Wu San arrived at the city gate with carts laden with goods.
The leader of the day's search was the same one who had visited their home. Originally, the leader was sitting aside, drinking tea, but upon seeing Wu San, he immediately stood up, intending to cause trouble.
"Where are you going? What are you doing?" he asked, feigning ignorance.
"I didn't expect us to meet again. I am a merchant. I have purchased some cloth and cotton to take to Xuzhou, and then I will exchange them for grain. I'll make a small profit from the price difference." Wu San seemed to have forgotten the previous day's events, fully embodying the humble, fawning demeanor of a small businessman.
"Why are you, a merchant, bringing this cart? We are currently apprehending two suspects. As per protocol, we must search the cart," the leader said in a businesslike manner. If not for the occasional fierce glint in his eyes, Wu San would have thought they had reconciled.
Wu San found these people utterly unreasonable. He had coveted the strategist first, yet they seemed to resent him instead.
As he aggressively opened the curtain, he saw an unexpected person, and his voice unconsciously softened. "Madam, are you also going out to do business with him?"
"N-no, not exactly. My maiden home is in a county below. His caravan happens to be passing by, so I'm going with him to visit my family for a while," Wu Caiwei said, lowering her head shyly, feeling she shouldn't be talking to an unrelated man for so long.
The leader reluctantly lowered the curtain, saying pompously, "It's not far. Allow me to escort you. I happen to be going to the county town to inquire about the whereabouts of the two criminals."