Chapter 132: A Twist of Fate, the Assassin’s Origins (Second Update)

Wu Tan merely smiled and remained silent.

Huo Yunhao, however, somewhat understood—

If someone truly intended to harm the Wu family's grandmother and granddaughter, and left a young girl behind here alone, what would she do?

"Do you know who is behind this? Are you certain they are only targeting Madam Wu?" Huo Yunhao asked.

Although Wu Tan had no desire to converse much with her, considering her good intentions, she forced herself to give a perfunctory explanation: "It doesn't matter. Judging by their current arrangements, if they are going to make a move, it will be at night. Both my eldest brother and second brother are at home today, and since they are hurrying down the mountain now, there is still time to send someone back to pick me up."

Naturally, this assumed that everything went smoothly.

If the journey down the mountain did not go smoothly—

If even the Old Madam's safety could not be guaranteed, then there truly would be nothing more that could be done.

It would all come down to luck!

Having said this, Wu Tan suddenly remembered something and instructed Chen Gang: "Right, once you enter the city, remember to send someone to the Huo residence to secretly deliver a message to Madam Huo. Tell her that the Second Young Miss Huo is fine, and instruct her not to listen to the idle gossip of those random people."

As they were speaking, the Old Madam and Cheng Cheng arrived with the others.

Both had changed their clothes. Originally, Cheng Cheng was supporting the Old Madam, but from a distance, it looked almost as if the Old Madam was supporting her instead.

Out of caution, Mother Zhou had not accompanied them.

When the Old Madam arrived, she happened to overhear Wu Tan's words.

Since Wu Tan had previously tipped her off that Huo Yun婳 was plotting against Huo Yunhao, the Old Madam didn't suspect anything amiss and simply asked Wu Tan with a worried expression, "How many guards came with us on this trip? Keep them here with you!"

"The estate sent four, and Eldest Brother assigned me an extra four, making eight in total," Wu Tan replied as she helped the Old Madam into the carriage. "Grandmother, you can rest assured. I am keeping two of Eldest Brother's most capable men here, which is more than enough to handle things. I will be very careful. What kind of person do your granddaughter think I am? The moment I realize I can't win, I'll run away immediately. When have I ever waited around to let myself suffer a loss?"

The Old Madam shot her an annoyed look, but was in no mood to joke with her: "Stop chattering nonsense. I don't know what is wrong with this year; one incident follows right after another, and these past two months especially, there hasn't been a single day of peace. Don't try to act tough. Stay far away from trouble and go home early."

In truth, the Old Madam was rather reluctant to have Wu Tan meddle in the affairs of the Huo family, but assuming Wu Tan was merely still holding a grudge over what Huo Yun婳 had done previously, she didn't feel she could forcibly stop her.

Thinking of Huo Yun婳 once more, her mood soured, and casting a sideways glance at Huo Yunhao, her expression was filled with deep dissatisfaction.

Huo Yunhao said nothing in response.

Wu Tan gave Cheng Cheng a meaningful look. "Hurry along now, and take good care of Grandmother on the road."

Cheng Cheng looked at her with concern. "Then, Young Miss—you must be careful too."

"Mmm!" Wu Tan nodded.

Looking back with every step she took, Cheng Cheng finally climbed into the carriage.

The driver urged the horses out of the courtyard. Still unable to shake off his worry, Chen Gang negotiated once more: "Second Young Miss, why don't I have the others escort the Old Madam while I stay behind with you?"

"Hurry up and go!" Wu Tan rejected him flatly, leaving no room for argument. "If those people truly harbor malicious intent, having you stay behind won't change a thing. Remember what I instructed you earlier: no matter what, you must safely escort Grandmother back to the estate. Eldest Brother went into the palace; barring any unforeseen circumstances, he should be back before dark. Once you return to the estate, do not raise a commotion—go find him first. If by chance he is not there, go find Second Brother. Today is his wife's return visit home, and according to the rules, he must return to the estate before dark."

Though she was inwardly certain that Lady Meng was the one behind this plot, based on her understanding of Wu Qingyu, he should neither have known about it nor participated in it.

Knowing that her Second Young Miss was a person of firm resolve, Chen Gang realized that it was pointless to argue once she had made up her mind.

Besides—

Rather than lingering here in anxious fretting, it would be far better to follow Wu Tan's instructions and rush down the mountain back to the estate to fetch reinforcements.

"Understood! This subordinate will remember! Second Young Miss, please be extremely careful. Once I have escorted the Old Madam back to the estate, I will bring men back to pick you up as quickly as possible." Gritting his teeth, Chen Gang gave a solemn salute.

Earlier, Wu Tan had already had them change into the clothing of the Huo family's servants. Protecting the carriage, the group departed the small courtyard, exited the temple through the side gate, and headed down the mountain.

There was still about an hour or two left before nightfall. Only a handful of scattered pilgrims were making their way down the mountain, while the rest were those staying overnight.

In truth, there were people they knew still on the mountain, such as Madam Chen, who shared a close relationship with the Old Madam—

However, for the sake of caution, Wu Tan still felt that using the carriage and retinue of the Huo family—a family at odds with their own—as a cover would make it easier to deceive prying eyes.

When Huo Yunhao and Nanzhi arrived, they had already changed into Nanzhi's most inconspicuous garments. Watching the Old Madam's departure until the carriage vanished from sight, Wu Tan withdrew her gaze and looked toward the mistress and servant. "If you two wish to leave, you should hurry before dark. Any later, and you won't make it back into the city before nightfall."

Huo Yunhao remained somewhat uneasy about leaving her behind. "Are you truly going to stay here? Or perhaps we should all leave together while it is still broad daylight. Whoever is behind this shouldn't dare to pull anything in broad daylight, should they?"

Wu Tan shook her head. "If she has truly made up her mind to act, she will certainly make her move regardless of whether it is day or night. If I leave now, Grandmother's whereabouts will likely be exposed as well."

"But—" Huo Yunhao opened her mouth as if to persuade her further, but given that she was already overwhelmed by her own mountain of troubles, coupled with the fact that she and Wu Tan shared no deep friendship—giving her no reason to expect Wu Tan to listen to her advice—she ultimately let out a sigh and gave up. "Then take care of yourself. I'll be leaving first."

"Mmm." Wu Tan nodded slightly. Knowing she could not linger here, she turned and walked back inside.

Huo Yunhao also exercised extra caution; rather than following the carriage down the mountain, she led Nanzhi along a detour down the back mountain trail.

Back at the courtyard, Mother Zhou had not dared to step outside. Waiting anxiously inside the room, she had already paced in circles countless times.

As Wu Tan pushed the door open and stepped in, Mother Zhou rushed up to her immediately. "Second Young Miss, has the Old Madam already gone down the mountain? The monks just brought fresh lamp oil again. Are we leaving now? What should we do?"

She wouldn't dare use that lamp oil now under any circumstances; it was still sitting there on the table.

Wu Tan walked over and glanced at it. "We aren't leaving just yet. It's fine, don't be nervous. Rest for a moment; I'll be right back."

With that, she picked up the small bowl containing the lamp oil and walked out.

Without going far, she headed straight into the courtyard diagonally across from theirs.

In Huo Yunhao's former room, the luggage had been completely cleared out, leaving only the coarse-featured servant woman tied up tightly in the corner of the inner room.

Entering the room, Wu Tan first retrieved the two oil lamps from the room, poured the remaining oil out into a cup, and replaced it with the fresh oil from the small bowl.

Seeing her approach, the bound servant woman struggled fiercely on the floor, trying to crawl toward her, but she was tied far too securely to budge an inch.

Acting as though the woman did not exist at all, Wu Tan took both lamps—now refilled with the new oil—into the inner room, used a flint to light them, and then walked out carrying the empty bowl and the cup with the remaining oil, returning to her own quarters.

She placed the bowl back on the table and handed the cup to Mother Zhou. "I brought clean oil back from the opposite courtyard. Top up the lamps with this. When someone comes later to deliver dinner, just hand them the empty bowl to take away. Don't arouse their suspicion."

"Understood!" In her state of panic, Mother Zhou was completely obedient and hurried off to change the oil in the lamps of both rooms.

In truth, the original lamps still contained oil, but having sat for so long, burning it produced a stale odor. Wealthy households with any regard for such details generally abhorred this and would invariably replace it.

Once she had finished replacing the lamp oil, Mother Zhou's sense of unease returned. She asked Wu Tan once more, "Then, Second Young Miss, are we leaving or not? Weren't you suspecting that someone tampered with this lamp oil with ill intentions? Are we seriously just going to sit here and wait for them to make a move?"

Advanced in age as Mother Zhou was, Wu Tan truly did not wish to drag her into taking such risks. However, since Mother Zhou was a close attendant to the Old Madam, the two of them were practically inseparable—

If Mother Zhou were sent away as well, it would be far too easy for their ruse to fall apart.

Although Wu Tan had no wish to frighten her, explaining the situation clearly now was far better than letting her lose her composure when the crisis struck.

Therefore, deciding against further concealment, Wu Tan adopted a slightly solemn tone. "Mother Zhou, I will tell you the truth. Someone tampered with the lamp oil in our rooms—it is clearly meant either to steal or to kill. I cannot be certain whether they are targeting Grandmother, which is why I coaxed her into heading down the mountain first. However, the two of us cannot leave. The moment neither of us is here, the people lurking in the shadows might grow suspicious of Grandmother's whereabouts. Therefore, do not raise an alarm for now. After I have the guards escort Grandmother down the mountain, I will immediately summon Eldest Brother to pick us up. Do not panic; you must remain calm and steady. Do you understand?"

Her gaze was clear, her expression calm, and every single word was articulated with pristine logic and utmost seriousness.

Looking into those youthful yet steady eyes, Mother Zhou felt an overwhelming sense of trust wash over her in that instant. She nodded vigorously. "Understood! This old servant understands everything." Pausing for a second, she grabbed Wu Tan's hand in sudden panic, "Oh! Then Second Young Miss, why didn't you go with the Old Madam? In the event that some villain harbors evil intentions, you here..."

As she spoke, she began to panic again.

"It's fine!" Wu Tan reassured her. "The two of us will keep each other company and look out for one another. In short, Mother Zhou, stay calm and follow my lead. I promise you, neither of us will come to any harm!"

Mother Zhou had genuinely never imagined human hearts could be so treacherous, especially within the serene and sacred grounds of Xiangguo Temple. Stealing a few items here might be one thing, but who would be deranged enough to run in and commit murder and arson?

Since Wu Tan put it this way, she suppressed her worries and replied, "Alright!"

Seeing that Mother Zhou was temporarily pacified, Wu Tan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Since it was still quite early, she decided not to overthink things. After giving Mother Zhou a few more instructions and telling her to rest, Wu Tan returned to her own room to catch a brief nap.

If everything went smoothly, Wu Qinglin should be able to arrive by around nightfall at the earliest, before the perpetrators had a chance to strike. Thus she comforted herself.

Meanwhile, after the Old Madam's carriage descended the mountain, it indeed encountered individuals at the foot of the mountain claiming to be from the Huo residence, who declared their intent to take over the carriage and forcibly drove it away without waiting for consent.

In accordance with Wu Tan's prior instructions, Chen Gang stepped forward to negotiate. Unwilling to waste time on these irrelevant people or resort to violence, he simply opened the carriage door to let them inspect it for themselves, allowing them to confirm with their own eyes that the person they were looking for was not inside. Naturally, the Huo family's men did not dare to openly abduct the Old Madam of the Dingyuan Marquis's estate, and were forced to back down.

Back in the inner city, Wu Qinglin had been summoned by the Emperor. As it turned out, the Emperor indeed wished to inquire about the specific details and proceedings of Jiang Jian's expedition. Coincidentally, a proposal regarding the reform of the horse administration from the Ministry of War had just reached the imperial desk. The Emperor had summoned the Minister of War and several generals currently in the capital to the palace to discuss the matter, keeping Wu Qinglin behind in the Imperial Study to participate in the deliberations as well.

Historically, whenever institutional reforms were undertaken—whether concerning the military system or any other aspect—unanimity was never achieved in the imperial court; instead, the officials split into various factions and argued fiercely.

This time—

Was no exception.

The debate raged on from morning until nearly dusk without producing a unified opinion. Finally, unable to bear it physically any longer, the Emperor dismissed them.

Emerging from the palace, Wu Qinglin mounted his horse and rode back, accompanied by Mushong.

His mind had not truly been on the horse administration all day; the Emperor had kept him primarily to display favor, and unable to politely decline, he had simply endured the long hours. As they rode through the streets, Mushong noticed his absent-mindedness and could not help asking, "My Lord, what is the matter? Ever since you met with Prince Sheng the night before last, you've seemed constantly restless. Did he—did he say something else?"

Wu Qinglin's right hand remained tucked inside his left sleeve, his fingers absentmindedly rubbing the small gourd. Only then, as if finally having made a decision, did he take a deep breath, look toward Mushong, and ask, "Are there any medical halls or pharmacies nearby? Find the closest one; let's stop by."

Remembering how Wu Qinglin had stared blankly at that small gourd on the table the morning before yesterday and mentioned wanting to find Physician Xu, Mushong instantly grew vigilant. Glancing left and right, he raised a hand and pointed. "Make a right at the intersection ahead. I remember there's a medical hall in the alley inside."

"Let's go," Wu Qinglin nodded slightly.

Led by Mushong, the two turned into the alley ahead. Indeed, a medical hall stood there, though because night was falling, the shop assistant was already carrying the wooden door panels out to close up for the evening.

Wu Qinglin directly had Mushong pull out a ten-tael silver ingot, maintaining a courteous demeanor. "We won't take up much of your time. I have a few pills for repelling mosquitoes and insects given to me by someone else, but I'm unsure if they are safe to use casually. Could you please help me examine the ingredients and write down a list of what's inside?"

In an ordinary medical hall, a physician consulting patients all day rarely earned even two taels of silver on their best days. In this world, who had a grudge against silver? Moreover, this young man was exceptionally polite and spoke in such a soothing manner, so the physician agreed immediately and led master and servant into the inner room.

Wu Qinglin produced the small gourd, and the physician poured out a single pill, carefully smelling its scent, observing it closely, and finally crushing it to study it thoroughly.

Medical practitioners were naturally rigorous and meticulous. Having collected the silver, the physician did not slack off in the slightest; after spending nearly half an hour, he wrote out a list of ingredients and handed it to Wu Qinglin.

Expressing his gratitude, Wu Qinglin led Mushong out of the medical hall just as night was falling completely.

Seeming lacking in spirits, he declined to mount his horse, instead walking slowly while leading it by the reins.

Noticing his solemn expression with a tight knot between his brows that refused to smooth out even after a long while, Mushong grew alarmed. "My Lord, is there—is there something wrong with this medicine?"

Without looking back, Wu Qinglin kept his gaze deep and dark, his expression largely masked by the gathering dusk. His tone, however, carried a profound and heavy sorrow. "At this time of year, neither the capital nor the territory of Jiang Jian has reached the point where mosquito-repellent medicine is needed. Yet that assassin carried such medicine on his person. The first time I smelled it, I felt there was a familiar bitter scent mixed within..."

With that, he pulled the slip of paper from his sleeve and handed it over.

Along the street, shops and residences were lighting their lanterns one after another. By the flickering, dim firelight, Mushong took the paper and looked it over. However, completely ignorant of herbal medicine, he stared at it once—

And understood nothing at all.

"Just what is wrong with it?" Mushong, possessing a straightforward personality and recognizing his own ignorance, abandoned any attempt at guessing and asked bluntly.

"The second-to-last and third-to-last ingredients are unique to the miasmatic regions of the south," Wu Qinglin replied.

"What does this mean?" Mushong's expression drained of color upon hearing this. "Could it be—this medicine was brought from the south?"

Thinking a step further, he nearly jumped in place, speaking in disbelief: "Could those assassins have followed us all the way from the south?"

Wu Qinglin did not answer his question. Still speaking in that heavy tone, he continued, "The south is hot and humid, plagued by miasma, venomous snakes, and all manner of insects and rodents. Therefore, many people there routinely carry insect-repellent medicine. Moreover, the insects there are often poisonous, rendering ordinary repellents ineffective; one must use specific local herbs mixed together to achieve results."

So, those assassins had genuinely come from the south?

The thought sent chills running through Mushong's heart. "Are they covert agents sent by Southern Liang who have crossed the border, or is it someone within our own ranks—"

Stopping halfway, he dared not voice the rest.

If they were Southern Liang agents, could they truly grasp his master's movements with such precision? But if there was a traitor within the military—

An internal enemy was the hardest to guard against; that would be entirely too terrifying!

Mushong even began mentally tallying who within the military might hold a grudge against his master and possess the capability to orchestrate such an assassination plot.

When Wu Qinglin had first obtained the medicine from the assassin's body, he had already harbored vague suspicions that the attackers might originate from the south. While it was plausible that someone within the army had turned traitor and sought his assassination, the thought that such a person and incident had surfaced in the very army camp where he had served for three years weighed heavily on him...

Now that it was finally confirmed and inescapable—

The question remained: exactly who wanted him dead? And what was their motive?

Because he had temporarily decided to undertake this mission, when Chen Gang escorted the Old Madam back to the estate and went to report to him, he returned empty-handed. The gatekeeper merely stated that the Marquis had gone to the palace in the morning and had not yet returned. While Chen Gang dispatched little Lingzi to stake out the palace gates and search for him, he himself hurried directly to the Falling Cloud Pavilion.

To his utter astonishment—

Wu Qingyu and his wife had also gone out that morning and had yet to return!