"I—"
At this mont, Shang Ruyi felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
She suddenly realized that if she saved Shen Shiyan and his wife, she, along with all of them, would have nowhere to go.
Ti was slipping away bit by bit, like the never-ending flow of the river ahead.
Shang Ruyi couldn’t utter a single word.
Driven by passion, she had decided to rescue her uncle and aunt, determined not to let them suffer in Lingnan. But it was only now that she realized that even if she saved them, the days ahead might still be filled with endless suffering.
After all, the court wouldn’t allow exiled criminals to be snatched away. Once the troops were deployed to apprehend them, they would have no place to stand, and peace would forever elude them.
However, she couldn’t not save her uncle and aunt.
At this mont, the feeling of having nowhere to go and the despair of being unable to escape chilled her to the bone, even causing her hands gripping the reins to stiffen slightly.
In a panic, she looked around, desperately trying to find even a glimr of hope, no matter how faint, just to give herself so hope.
Suddenly, she saw Yu Wenye with a stern expression.
Right, his father—Yu Wenquan!
The reason she refused marriage to Yu Wenqian, yet chose to marry him, aside from her ridiculous self-pity, wasn’t it Yu Wenquan? In such chaotic tis, what could be a better guarantee of safety for her and her family than depending on soone like him?
So, as long as Yu Wenquan was around, wouldn’t they be safe?
But in the next mont, an entirely opposite thought involuntarily surfaced in Shang Ruyi’s mind—
Yu Wenquan might succeed, but his success didn’t guarantee complete safety for those around him.
Throughout the ages, how many relatives of those who achieved great deeds, even founded kingdoms and beca emperors, fell during the arduous journey to success, becoming rely a rembrance, a soul worth rembering but ultimately just rembered?
She had to make the right choice at every step to cling to his eventual success and protect herself and her family.
For now, Duke Sheng was clearly not yet at the point where he could challenge the court or the entire world by himself. At this mont, he was supervising the transport of grain in Liaoxi. If they committed the cri of prison break in Luoyang, even if Duke Sheng wasn’t implicated, if they were caught, they would not escape death.
At that ti, wouldn’t Shen Shiyan and Yu end up being implicated by her?
At this mont, Shang Ruyi’s thoughts were like a tangled ss. With her chaotic breaths, another thought arose almost instantly, each one intertwining in her heart, further muddling her mind.
As she was torn with indecision, footsteps ca from ahead.
Mu Xian quickly ran back, stood before Yu Wenye’s horse, and cupped his hands: "Young Master."
Mu Xian said, "Reporting to Young Master, I’ve already investigated clearly. There are only three horses in the stable at the Zhanping River Posthouse, and there should only be three governnt officers escorting Mr. Shen and his wife; the posthouse’s personnel configuration does not exceed four."
Yu Wenye said, "So, counting Mr. Shen and his wife, there are fewer than ten people."
"Yes."
"Good, get on your horse."
Mu Xian obeyed, imdiately mounting his own horse.
The surrounding air grew even tenser.
Everyone knew that the governnt officers escorting exiled criminals couldn’t possibly be excellent warriors. A small posthouse’s posthouse minister was likely even older or infirm. Their group of around ten, all skilled martial artists except for Shang Ruyi, would have no difficulty rescuing Mr. and Mrs. Shen from such a group.
Yu Wenye looked at Shang Ruyi with a cold and steady gaze: "Have you made up your mind?"
"..."
"Now, the decision isn’t whether to act, but which direction to go after leaving that posthouse."
"..."
Shang Ruyi felt as if ants were crawling in her heart, her agitated mood making it impossible for her to think calmly. She said in a low voice: "What do you think?"
Yu Wenye said coldly, "This was your decision, and it is also what you exchanged with ."
"..."
"So, the next arrangent should also be made by you."
At this, his gaze grew even colder: "And the result should be borne by you."
Shang Ruyi bit her lower lip, unable to say a word. Yu Wenye’s words gave her no confidence in deciding; instead, they seed to corner her step by step into a dead end.
At this mont, Mu Xian suddenly said, "Young Master, Young Madam, there’s one more thing I’d like to report."
Both imdiately looked up at him.
Yu Wenye said, "What is it?"
Mu Xian said, "Just while I approached the posthouse to investigate—I found that the shackles on Mr. Shen seed to have been removed."
"...?"
Upon hearing this, the ever-calm Yu Wenye’s eyes flickered for a mont.
Shang Ruyi imdiately said, "Really?"
Mu Xian nodded, "Not only were the shackles removed, but I also saw that the three escorting governnt officers seed to be having a al with Mr. and Mrs. Shen, talking and laughing."
Shang Ruyi took a deep breath.
Though she had no prior experience with family mbers being exiled, she sowhat understood so of the court’s rules. Serious offenders being exiled would not only be shackled along the way, with their hands, feet, and necks rubbed to a bloody pulp, but so governnt officers would also tornt the prisoners, extorting them and often not making it to the place of exile. For minor offenders, although they were shackled during the day when traveling, kind officers might untie their shackles at night for rest, even softening their attitudes a bit to make their days more bearable.
If Shen Shiyan not only had his shackles removed but was also dining with the escorting officers...
Could it be that they weren’t being mistreated?
If that’s the case—
She slowly looked up at the complex expression on Yu Wenye’s face, hesitantly saying, "Yu—Second Brother, I—"
Before she could finish, Yu Wenye suddenly raised his hand: "Don’t speak!"
"...?"
Shang Ruyi was stunned, instinctively closing her mouth, only to see Yu Wenye neither speaking nor moving, rely frowning as if listening intently to sothing.
But apart from the increasingly urgent wind and the distant endless rush of the river, there was nothing else.
Shang Ruyi wanted to ask further but felt it inappropriate to speak lightly.
However, after just a mont, Yu Wenye said in a deep voice, "Soone’s coming."
Upon hearing this, everyone tensed up, hurriedly looking around, but the surroundings were shrouded in deep night, almost impossible to see a single figure.
Shang Ruyi instinctively lowered her voice, "Where is there soone?"
Yu Wenye’s eyes were like torches, sharply looking at the distant posthouse where only a hint of lamp light flickered, suddenly saying, "Soone has entered that posthouse!"
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