We Must Have Seen It Wrong

After being thrown into the Yunzhou prison,

Yang An had half of his clothes stripped off, and all his belongings confiscated. Now, snatching his clothes back from the jailer’s hands, he reinserted the dagger that Princess Anle had given him back into his waistband.

Yang An and Li Yan had just stepped out of the Yunzhou dungeon.

They had only been locked up for half a day.

Once he saw the blue sky and white clouds again, Yang An felt even the biting cold air was unusually refreshing.

Keke, Wu Zhe, and the others had not yet left.

Yang An walked up to Wu Zhe and sincerely expressed his gratitude: “Many thanks to Lord Wu for stepping in to help me this time. I will forever remember this great kindness and will surely repay it in the future!”

“Haha, Young Master Yang, there’s no need for such formalities! You are a man of merit who has suffered injustice. It is my duty to clear your name,” Wu Zhe replied warmly.

“Lord Wu’s noble character commands my utmost respect.”

After a few polite exchanges,

Wu Zhe silently pondered in his mind: Lin Yeping is the Military Governor of Yunzhou, and Cui Wanzhou is the Prefect of Yunzhou. After their two families united through marriage, Yunzhou has become firmly under their control.

Without external forces,

I, a mere fourth-rank assistant magistrate, will forever be beneath them.

This Young Master Yang has the favor of the princess.

Flattering him is really flattering the princess. If I can build a good relationship with him, maybe one day I can trade my fourth-rank crimson official robe for a third-rank purple one!

Going to serve in Chang’an won’t be just a dream!

With these thoughts, Wu Zhe rubbed his hands eagerly and said, “Young Master Yang, it’s already noon, the perfect time for a meal. The food and wine at Yunhe Tower are quite decent. Allow me to host a banquet in your honor to welcome you back!”

Under normal circumstances,

Yang An might have accepted. Making friends with a high-ranking official like Assistant Magistrate Wu would be beneficial both socially and politically.

But not today.

The accusation from Wang Gou’er’s wife felt too suspicious, especially the unsettling sense that someone was plotting against him. This feeling made Yang An extremely uneasy.

Sun Ming was just a pawn.

He had too little useful information.

To get to the bottom of this, the only option was to visit Wang Gou’er’s household—preferably catching his wife off guard and questioning her thoroughly!

This matter could not wait!

Best to go now!

Catch Wang Gou’er’s wife completely unprepared!

With this in mind, Yang An clasped his fists and said, “Apologies, Lord Wu, please forgive me! I have urgent business today and cannot attend the banquet. Perhaps another day I will host a feast in your honor.”

Wu Zhe thought Yang An was heading to the princess’s residence.

Not daring to waste his time, he quickly said, “Then we shall wait for your convenience, Young Master Yang!”

“Please do honor me with your presence when the time comes.”

“Hahaha, I look forward to your grand banquet, Young Master Yang. I’ll take my leave for now.” With that, Wu Zhe and his entourage of silver-armored soldiers departed without lingering.

After they left,

Li Yan quietly asked, “Second Young Master, are you planning to go to the Wang family’s money house? I’ll go with you.”

Yang Ning was alone at home.

Although Manman was there to protect her,

that little one was a bit dull-witted. Fearing another incident like when Wang Gou’er came to harass them, Yang An shook his head and said, “Sister is still at home. Brother-in-law will return to look after her.”

Since Yang An was taken away, Yang Ning’s condition had worsened.

Not only did she develop a high fever, but her head also throbbed unbearably.

Li Yan couldn’t help but worry. He thought that since Erlang held Chief Jiang’s jade token, nothing should go wrong. After hesitating for a moment, he warned, “Erlang, you mustn’t act rashly. If you sense anything off, run away immediately.”

“Don’t worry, brother-in-law. Who in this world values their life more than I do?” Yang An grinned broadly.

Li Yan mounted his horse but still felt uneasy. After walking a few steps, he turned back and added, “You really must be careful!”

Yang An waved his hand, signaling him to rest assured.

Before the Yunzhou prison, only Keke and Yang An remained.

Clinging to Yang An’s side, Keke was also preparing to leave.

Her big, watery eyes blinked innocently as she said, “Big Brother, Keke will leave first. If you have time in the future, could you come to the Imperial Academy to play with Keke?”

Beside the little girl stood a bronze carriage.

It was pulled by a towering white deer, its head crowned with antlers that radiated a chilling aura, resembling a Fangtian Huaji halberd. Beneath it, four hooves trod on drifting clouds that looked like snowy mist.

This majestic sight was even more imposing than Lin Hao’s fiery lion!

Although Yang An was bold by nature,

he wasn’t truly fearless. Charging blindly into the Wang family’s territory made him uneasy—who knew if some deadly trap awaited him there?

That was why he never intended to go alone.

Casting a glance at the bronze carriage drawn by the divine deer, Yang An planned to bluff his way through. He turned to Keke and asked, “Miss Keke, are you in a hurry to leave?”

“No, Keke’s not in a hurry,” she replied.

The thought of returning to the Imperial Academy and having to accompany the young lady in the attic, flipping through piles of headache-inducing poems, already gave Keke a headache.

She wished she could delay going back a little longer.

Yang An smiled and said, “Then, Miss Keke, would you accompany me somewhere?”

He was naturally handsome and heroic, and with his smile spreading across his face, his charm soared to an extraordinary level—

even reaching an almost impossible fifteen points on the scale!

In Keke’s eyes, every corner of Yang An’s eyes and brows seemed to shimmer with light. Her little face visibly flushed.

She shyly clenched the jade flute in her small hands, twisting them nervously.

Too bashful to meet his gaze, Keke lowered her head and nodded twice.

After a moment,

Yang An climbed into Chief Jiang’s bronze carriage. As the white deer’s hooves stirred the flowing clouds beneath, they set off toward Golden Wind Alley, where Wang Gou’er resided.

……

The whole morning passed.

Bad news travels fast.

The news of Yang An’s arrest for killing Wang Gou’er of the Wang money house, Zheng Huaiyi, and twelve other members of the Wang money house had begun to spread through the streets and alleys of Yunzhou.

On Yunzhou’s main street,

inside a private room on the third floor of Yunxiang Pavilion,

Yang An’s fiancée, Zhao Guizhen, listened intently as her maid Cui’er excitedly recounted, “Miss, I just heard the most shocking news! Yang An has been captured by the Wuhou Guard and thrown into Yunzhou prison!”

Zhao Guizhen frowned, puzzled. “Why would the Wuhou Guard arrest him?”

“Do you still remember the big case at the Wang money house the day before yesterday? Fourteen people died overnight.”

The incident had caused a huge stir.

Almost everyone in Yunzhou City knew about it.

Zhao Guizhen, naturally, was no exception. She exclaimed in surprise, “Could Yang An be involved? The Wuhou Guard arrested him because of this?”

“More than just related! Many people say it was him who did it! This Yang An is truly ruthless—fourteen lives taken, not a single one left alive! I heard that the ground was covered in blood and entrails. Even someone as cruel as Yang An isn’t afraid of vengeful spirits coming after him!”

As she spoke, Cui'er shrank her neck in fright.

Zhao Guizhen’s face also paled noticeably.

Being pampered and delicate, she couldn’t bear to hear such chilling talk and quickly fanned Cui’er’s shoulder, saying, “Stop saying such things!” Hastily, she poured herself a cup of warm fragrant tea to calm her nerves.

She also poured a cup for Cui’er.

After drinking, Cui’er let out a long breath and then smiled brightly again. “Miss, you truly have a keen eye. You saw long ago that Yang An was no good and kept your distance! Such a vicious murderer—if the lady were to marry him, her whole life would be ruined!”

Zhao Guizhen, still uneasy, replied, “Ah, enough. Let’s not speak of him anymore. He’s already locked up in Yunzhou’s great prison. After killing so many, he probably won’t ever get out—might not even keep his head. That’s for the best. And as for our engagement, I won’t need to take the initiative to break it off. Once a person is dead, debts are cleared; everything ends.”

“Yes, no more talking about him!”

Cui’er winked mischievously. “Young Master Cui will be here soon. It wouldn’t do to spoil the lady’s mood over such a villain.”

“Dare to tease me?” Zhao Guizhen blushed with embarrassment and grabbed her fan, trying to swat Cui’er.

Cui’er laughed and dodged quickly, “Not daring, not daring!”

The two were playfully bantering when suddenly—

Knock, knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door, a voice calling from outside, “Miss Zhao, are you there?”

Zhao Guizhen and Cui’er both brightened instantly.

“It’s Young Master Cui!”

Zhao Guizhen hurriedly tidied her dress. Once ready, she sent Cui’er to open the door. Cui’er dashed out in two quick steps.

She opened the door and was about to sweetly call, “Young Master Cui,” but outside stood only a boy of about fourteen or fifteen, dressed in plain blue clothes. He was no stranger—one of Young Master Cui’s attendants.

“Why are you alone? Where’s your master?” Cui’er asked.

The boy bowed with a forced smile. “My master had an urgent matter and sent me to inform Miss Zhao that he cannot come to the appointment today. Please forgive him.”

Hearing “cannot come to the appointment today,”

Zhao Guizhen’s delicate brows immediately knitted together.

She rose and walked to the door, softly asking, “My dear husband has always been punctual and would inform me in advance if something came up. Why this sudden change? Is this something you can share?”

The young attendant replied, “Miss Zhao, you ask such questions—my master’s affairs are not for me to know.”

Zhao Guizhen glanced at Cui’er.

Seeing this, Cui’er sensibly pulled out a hefty silver ingot from her purse and pressed it into the boy’s hand.

Feeling the weight in his palm,

The boy grimaced and repeatedly declined, “Miss Zhao, I truly don’t know anything. If I did, I wouldn’t dare keep it from you!”

His demeanor didn’t seem fake.

It appeared he genuinely didn’t know.

Zhao Guizhen smiled gently. “Since you’ve made the trip for nothing, this silver is just for you to buy some tea or snacks during your daily errands.”

“Thank you, Miss Zhao! Miss Zhao is truly gentle and virtuous!”

She had just received dozens of taels of silver.

The little book boy was very happy, clasped his fists in thanks, and then did not linger any longer.

After he left,

the smile on Zhao Guizhen’s face gradually faded, replaced by a trace of melancholy as she sighed, “In the past half month, we’ve only met once or twice in a rush. I looked forward to today with all my heart, but it ended in vain. Counting it all, we haven’t even met a handful of times this entire month.”

“Sigh, I wonder if he truly has feelings for me at all.”

Feeling so neglected,

Zhao Guizhen couldn’t help but think of Yang An, of how he was always by her side, circling around her.

When she was close to Yang An,

whether they went on outings, to the academy, or anywhere else, he would always be waiting for her early.

No matter how long she made him wait,

the moment she arrived, she would see his warm smile first.

Seeing the slight gloom on Zhao Guizhen’s face,

Xiaocui comforted her, “Don’t worry, Miss. Young Master Cui surely holds you dear in his heart.”

“Miss, why don’t you sit for a while? Or should I have someone bring some food up for you?” Xiaocui suggested.

Thinking of Yang An’s kindness,

Zhao Guizhen shook her head restlessly, “He hasn’t even come yet. What’s the point of eating? Let’s go back.” Saying this, she put on her wide-brimmed hat that concealed her face.

The two of them left the teahouse in a dull, joyless manner.

Stepping outside,

the sun was high in the sky. The ice that had lingered on the streets these past few days had mostly melted, leaving behind patches of grimy puddles on the road.

Because she was supposed to meet someone secretly today,

Zhao Guizhen had avoided taking the family carriage for fear of being recognized. Now, looking at the muddy ground,

she didn’t know where to step.

“Don’t worry, Miss. The carriage rental isn’t far from here. I’ll go rent one and bring it back,” Xiaocui said.

Zhao Guizhen nodded.

Just as Xiaocui lifted her skirt to step into the mud to rent a carriage, a dazzling light suddenly flashed from afar.

“In broad daylight, what could be shining so brightly?”

The two of them looked toward the light in curiosity, and to their surprise, it was a white deer about a zhang tall (roughly ten feet).

It was pulling a carriage cast entirely from bronze!

The white deer radiated an imposing aura.

Its hooves seemed to flow with clouds of brilliance!

Even as it walked on the muddy road,

the white deer and the bronze carriage remained spotless, the white clouds beneath its hooves completely shielding the mud, exuding supreme elegance.

Xiaocui’s eyes sparkled with admiration, “What a magnificent white deer! Such an exquisite bronze carriage! Judging by its style, it seems made especially for a lady. I wonder which noble family’s wife is sitting inside.”

Though Zhao Guizhen came from a wealthy household,

her father was only a seventh-rank official.

Compared to true aristocrats, they were far behind. Seeing such a lavish carriage now, she couldn’t help but feel envious. “Yes, I wonder whose wife it could be.”

Hearing the envy in Zhao Guizhen’s voice,

ever skilled at flattery, Xiaocui smiled, “Miss, there’s no need to envy others. Once you marry Young Master Cui, becoming the daughter-in-law of the Governor of Yun Prefecture, you’ll naturally be able to ride in such splendid carriages!”

Zhao Guizhen’s beautiful eyes flickered with a mix of hope and longing.

Xin Dao thought: Xiao Cui is right. Only by marrying Lord Cui can I become powerful and live the life I desire. No matter how good Yang An is, what use is that? Can he put me in such a splendid carriage?

Besides, he’s locked up in the Yunzhou prison now.

Whether he can even keep his life is uncertain!

Zhao Guizhen’s face, once marked by desolation, gradually gave way to burning desire as she fixed her gaze on the bronze carriage, as if it were already hers.

Just as the white deer, stepping on flowing clouds, brushed past her—

The deer pulling the carriage sneezed.

The gust stirred the hem of Zhao Guizhen’s skirt by the roadside, and the veil covering her face fluttered lightly.

At the same moment,

The curtains that had been drawn tight on the bronze carriage were slightly blown open by the wind. Zhao Guizhen and Xiao Cui, both watching the carriage, caught sight through the window of a side profile that was unbearably familiar.

Both women shuddered.

Zhao Guizhen’s small, pale hand clenched tightly, turning blue at the fingertips, while Xiao Cui was so shocked she lost her footing and fell into the muddy water!

Yang An!

The person sitting inside the carriage was Yang An!?

The two couldn’t believe their eyes and hurriedly looked again toward the carriage window.

But as the curtain snapped shut,

and the bronze carriage rolled away, they could no longer see who was inside.

Xiao Cui, soaked and bedraggled from falling into the mud,

scrambled up in a panic, ignoring the dirt on her clothes, and said to Zhao Guizhen, “Miss, we must have been mistaken just now!”

“Yang An is still in prison!”

“Besides, he’s gone into the mountains to become a hunter. He can’t even afford books anymore. How could he possibly be riding in such a magnificent bronze carriage?!”

Zhao Guizhen also felt it was impossible to be Yang An.

They must have seen wrong.

She unclenched her fingers and nodded slowly, “Yes, maybe we were mistaken.”

Then, with renewed conviction, she repeated, “We definitely saw wrong.”

……

On the carriage,

Yang An was deeply engaged in polite conversation with Keke, completely unaware of his so-called fiancée’s presence.

Soon, from Keke’s words, he learned that her lady’s name was Jiang Chunxi, the head of the National Academy’s three institutes of Military, Law, and Alchemy, and that she was still unmarried.

Just as he was about to probe further,

the bronze carriage suddenly stopped—it had arrived at Wang Gou’er’s residence.

Yang An said no more and jumped down from the bronze carriage. It was midday, yet the gates of the Wang family compound were tightly shut.

Wang Gou’er had only passed away two days ago.

This should have been the time when relatives and friends came to pay their respects, yet there wasn’t even a single greeter outside. Closing the gates like this—what was the meaning? Was it to turn away mourners?

It made no sense!

When things are out of the ordinary, there must be something fishy.

Knowing that Keke was not good at confrontation, Yang An instructed, “Keke, stay in the carriage. Don’t come down. I’ll go check things out.”

Keke knew she was useless.

She wouldn’t cause trouble.

From her small bag, she pulled out a blue talisman and slipped it into Yang An’s hand. “Big brother, if there’s danger, throw this out!”

Yang An glanced at the talisman.

It was finely made.

The blue surface bore a simple yet elegant character meaning “Cold,” likely a life-saving charm given to Keke by Chief Jiang.

He thanked her quietly.

Yang An pressed the blue talisman paper upside down against his wrist, so that in times of danger, he could throw it out at lightning speed.

Then, wearing the Thousand Illusions Mask, he disguised himself as a yellow-faced man.

Only then did he cautiously approach the Wang family’s doorstep.

……

……

……

Please, I beg you!

Brothers and sisters, don’t abandon the story!

I’m writing over four thousand words in one big chapter! It’s basically like two chapters combined! I’m just too lazy to split them up!

Please, I beg you!

Finally, please support me!!

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