A pure heart in a jade pot

Chapter 142

"There weren't many people; I only saw about five or six."

Where did they go?

"It seems they went north."

Yelü Pusa Nu pondered for a moment, then stepped towards the door, saying, "I'll be right back." Before he finished speaking, he was gone.

Zhan Zhao, who was inside the house, heard their conversation clearly. He knew Mo Yan's temperament all too well, and from the hint of reservation in her words, he guessed that she had some concerns. He immediately called her into the house and asked her about the matter.

"Brother, those people look like government officials." This was something Mo Yan dared not tell Yelü Pusa Nu earlier, after all, the situation between the two countries was delicate, and the Song Dynasty soldiers entering Liao territory without authorization could be a major event that could trigger a war between the two countries.

Zhan Zhao's heart tightened: "They're actually government officials." He had no doubt about Mo Yan's observational skills and wouldn't ask her how she figured it out.

"Why do you think the government sent people disguised to come here?" Mo Yan couldn't understand.

Instead of answering, Zhan Zhao asked, "What do you think of their kung fu?"

"His kung fu is ordinary; judging from his footwork and physique, he is not a master."

Zhan Zhao's mind raced: there weren't many government officials, only five or six. They were ordinary people, disguised as Liao people, heading north. Five or six people, with ordinary skills, weren't enough to accomplish anything significant, so it couldn't be an assassination attempt. If it was to gather information, that would be too many people. But if it was to find someone or something, that was a possibility.

Which government official could this person be? The closest prefecture to the Liao border is Hejian Prefecture. Could it be someone sent by Li Qigao, the prefect of Hejian Prefecture?

If you were looking for someone, who would you be looking for?

If it were a lost item, what would it be?

His mind was filled with a thousand thoughts, and he didn't know where to start or what clues to follow.

"Brother, your injuries haven't healed yet, don't worry about it."

Seeing his brows furrowing deeper and deeper, Mo Yan immediately regretted telling him the news.

"I'm fine." Zhan Zhao patted the back of her hand to comfort her, but his gaze was fixed on the courtyard gate through the window. Although he was worried, he felt powerless to help. Perhaps when Hai Dongqing returned, there would be an answer.

They waited for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and then they saw Yelü Pusa Nu slip in.

"Pack your things. I've already hired a carriage outside. Let's go." He said hurriedly as he walked in, pointing to Mo Yan, who was about to ask a question, "You, don't ask anything. Go and pack the princess's things quickly."

"But..." Mo Yan hesitated, unsure of what to do.

Zhan Zhao nodded to her: "Xiao Qi, go quickly."

Even Zhan Zhao looked very serious. Mo Yan nodded and ran out in a flash.

At this moment, Zhan Zhao turned to Yelü Pusa Nu and asked in a low voice, "Brother, what exactly happened?"

“I was too careless,” Yelü Pusa Nu frowned. “We should have gone back to the camp earlier instead of staying in this town for so long. I suspect these people are most likely looking for you. They didn’t find your body and are afraid you’re still alive, so they’ve started searching for you everywhere.”

"They're here to see me!?" Zhan Zhao exclaimed in surprise, then quickly said, "Xiao Qi said they're government officials."

"A government official."

The two men exchanged glances, their thoughts echoing the same idea: if these people truly came to find Zhan Zhao, then by investigating their origins, they could discover who was behind it all.

Chapter Seventy-Four

"What happened?"

Zhao Yu looked at Mo Yan, who was busy tidying up beside her, and said somewhat nervously.

Mo Yan kept working and said, "I don't quite understand either, but some strange people have come to town. Lord Yelü went out for a walk and said that he had already hired a carriage and that we should leave quickly."

"Who are they?"

Mo Yan hesitated for a moment: "They seem to be soldiers from the Song Dynasty in disguise."

Zhao Yu asked in surprise, "How could the soldiers of the Great Song Dynasty appear here?" Her first thought was that her father had heard about her disappearance and sent troops to search for her. But then she realized that it was not right. Even if someone from the Liao Kingdom sent a fast horse back to the capital, there would be no time to do so.

Mo Yan tightened the bundle, tied a knot, and then shook her head: "I don't know either."

"Although we are in distress here, I am still a princess of the Great Song Dynasty. Since they are soldiers of the Great Song Dynasty, why should we flee?"

Mo Yan shook her head again, indicating that she didn't know.

Seeing her clueless expression, Zhao Yu was slightly annoyed: "You don't know anything? Does that mean we have to leave just because he tells us to? Even if I'm not the best, I'm still a princess of the Song Dynasty. Since they are Song people, what's there to be afraid of?"

“But Brother Zhan meant the same thing,” Mo Yan said.

Zhao Yu grew increasingly suspicious. Seeing Mo Yan's continued activity, he ordered in a deep voice, "Go and summon Lord Yelü."

"oh."

Mo Yan was carrying two bundles, intending to put them on the carriage outside the door. She casually agreed and quickly went out.

A moment later, Yelü Pusa Nu strode in. Seeing that Mo Yan had almost finished tidying up the room, he didn't even listen to Zhao Yu's series of urgent questions. He bent down, picked her up, and walked out.

"Put me down."

"Princess, your wound hasn't fully healed yet. It's best not to move around too much, otherwise you'll have to set the bone again, which will be troublesome for both of us." Yelü Pusa Nu had something on her mind at the moment and just hoped that she would calm down quickly and not cause any more trouble.

"you……"

Before Zhao Yu could react, he had already placed her on the soft mattress in the carriage. He threw down the curtain, leaving her alone inside. She grew increasingly angry, but then suddenly remembered his words from earlier, "...otherwise, setting the bones again would be troublesome for both of us." She froze for a moment, then felt both ashamed and angry.

After a while, Mo Yan helped Zhan Zhao into the carriage and let him sit down against the side of the carriage. She was about to turn around and drive the carriage when Zhao Yu stopped her.

"Xiao Qi, tell me the truth, my injury... did you actually set the bones for me?" Zhao Yu stared intently at her.