Chapter 57: Your Highness, You Are Not Dead

Yan Ze nodded, agreeing with Yan Ning's words: "We should still do what we need to do; if anyone comes over, we will use the explosives."

Thus, Yan Ning acted as if she did not know what had happened, continuing to sell Glazed Glass as usual, and also continuing to find people to build the Watchtowers and construct individual rooms.

They prepared to bring over the remaining seventy garrison soldiers from Shawan County as well.

Including the later-built Watchtowers, there were a total of five Watchtowers, and the team was divided into ten squads, totaling 11 squads; they took turns guarding every day, and if the situation looked bad, they would directly use the Crossbows or Explosive Packages.

Yan Ze even wanted to build a city wall, but Yan Ning felt that a city wall was not needed for the time being, as the commotion of building it would be too great.

They had not yet developed enough; they had to wait a while longer.

In just ten days' time, ten Embroidered Uniform Guards had arrived in Shawan County.

They went straight to the mining site, searched all around, but did not find the First Prince's corpse.

Steward Chen took advantage of his superior talking to the Embroidered Uniform Guards and hurried to find Laifu.

Steward Chen ran all the way over, "Fu, Eunuch Fu, the Embroidered Uniform Guards have come and are looking for His Highness; do you think we should..."

Laifu's expression changed; he tossed a bag of silver to him and said, "You stall them first, I will go find someone; for now, don't let them come to this residence."

After saying this, Laifu went to the wharf to find Yan Ze's family.

It took only a little over half an hour for Laifu to reach Yan Ning. Seeing him come over, Yan Ning hurried to greet him, "Eunuch Fu, why have you come today? Have the people from the Capital arrived?"

Laifu nodded and sighed, "The ones who came are the Embroidered Uniform Guards, saying they want to take the First Prince's corpse back."

Yan Ning thought it over and decided, "Eunuch Fu, we will first stay in the residence in Shawan County, and go to Chaoyang Village only after they leave; we cannot let people discover Chaoyang Village."

If they did not go to Shawan County, those people would surely search everywhere and might just find Chaoyang Village; it would be better to intercept them in Shawan County.

Eunuch Fu had everything prepared; Yan Ning and the others only needed to take a boat over and did not need to consider anything else.

Yan Ning and the others had been staying in the Shawan County residence for these past few days, and the Embroidered Uniform Guards were searching for people until they were nearly driven mad.

The Emperor had spoken: see the person if they are alive, see the corpse if they are dead; if they could not find Yan Ze's corpse, their heads would likely be on the line.

For these many days, they had only learned that the Empress Dowager had sent people to Shawan County, so they had been searching for that person's whereabouts.

The First Prince was dead, so that Eunuch would certainly be collecting the body for someone.

It was just that they never expected that they wouldn't find Laifu, but would instead run into Yan Ze at a teahouse.

Yan Ze was currently taking Yan Ning to listen to a storyteller tell stories; when they reached the most exciting part, the old storyteller stopped telling it.

Yan Ning began scattering Silver Melon Seeds below, "Tell it, tell it quickly! If you tell it well, there is a reward!"

Having received the money, the storyteller immediately smiled and worked overtime.

At this moment, several Embroidered Uniform Guards wearing flying-fish robes and embroidered-spring blades at their waists rushed directly to the second floor; they could not believe that Yan Ze was actually still alive.

Didn't the Emperor send people to search last time, and didn't they say they hadn't found him and that he was most likely dead?

They went up and said to Yan Ze, "Your Highness, may we speak in private?"

Yan Ze waved his hand, "Wait, let us finish listening first."

The few men were hesitant to speak.

The First Prince still carried some weight in the Emperor's heart, so they did not dare to offend him too much.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards actually accompanied them until they finished listening to the story; the leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, Commander Deng Chong, cupped his hands toward Yan Ze, "Your Highness, may we speak in private?"

Yan Ze nodded and pulled Yan Ning along with him.

Finally, they arrived at Wanhelou and wound their way into a private room.

Only then did Deng Chong ask the question he had been wanting to ask, "Your Highness, you are not dead; the Capital all says you are dead."

Yan Ning slapped the table, "Who is spreading rumors that my father is dead?"

Deng Chong was stunned.

How was he supposed to respond to that?

Deng Chong hurriedly said, "Princess, please calm your anger; it was spread from the Third Prince's side, and the Emperor is heartbroken, so he sent us here."

Yan Ning had previously forced those assassins to write letters saying that their family had already been dealt with, just to have some peace for a while.

Who knew the Third Prince was such a good-for-nothing that he actually let the news slip.

But it was not a big problem; she and her father would just play dumb together, and if asked, they would say they didn't know.

Deng Chong felt somewhat helpless, so he asked, "Why could we not find you at the Cai Shi Chang?"

Yan Ze was righteous and confident, "Do you think everyone who comes here works obediently?"

Deng Chong:...

He really had nothing to say.

Deng Chong thought for a moment, "Since Your Highness is unharmed, then we shall return to the Capital to report."

Yan Ze nodded, "Go."

Saying this, the few men left; they had ordered a table full of dishes that no one had even eaten.

It would be a waste not to eat it, so Yan Ning and Yan Ze began to feast.

Deng Chong and his men did not stay long and whipped their horses to return to the Capital.

By the time they reached the Capital, it was already ten days later.

Imperial Study.

The Emperor was furious, "What did you say? The person is not dead?!"

Deng Chong's body trembled, and he hurriedly said, "He is indeed not dead; the subject saw the First Prince and the little Princess with his own eyes..."

Never mind, the part about drinking tea and listening to the storyteller could be omitted.

The Emperor confirmed once more, "Previously, I sent people to look for him, and they said they searched the entire mining site and found nothing; are you certain the person you met was the First Prince?"

Deng Chong hesitated for a moment and said to him, "The Empress Dowager sent a trusted aide to go and protect the First Prince, and the Cai Shi Chang side had already been taken care of, so it is normal that he was not there."

The Emperor slapped the table again, "This rebellious son actually dared to engage in trickery!"

Deng Chong reminded him again, "Perhaps it was the Empress Dowager's imperial decree..."

The Emperor smashed his teacup on the ground; after all, she was his mother, and since she had already been exiled, if he were to force her to carry stones every day, the Empress Dowager would likely stir up trouble in the inner palace again.

Thinking of the exiled Wan Family only made him more displeased.

Since they had already been exiled, they could not be summoned back.

Moreover, it was Wan Hongzhe who had people find assassins to target the First Prince, all just to pave the way for the Third Prince.

He was not dead yet, and already someone was eyeing his Dragon Throne.

It was not unjust for Wan Hongzhe to be exiled.

It was just that the Emperor felt dissatisfied at having been played for a fool; he had originally intended to let Yan Ze return to the Capital, but now, out of displaced anger, he couldn't be bothered with him and would just let him fend for himself in Lingnan.

On the other side, in Shawan County.

Yan Ning stayed in Shawan County for a few more days this time, and after purchasing some supplies, she took the remaining seventy garrison soldiers with her to Chaoyang Village.

The villagers had helped build quite a few houses, so the seventy men had a place to stay; even if they didn't, they could temporarily make do in tents for a couple of nights.

Before setting off, Yan Ning asked, "Is there anyone who does not wish to go?"

The seventy men shouted in unison, "No!"

They were joking; they had heard from those in Shawan County that the living conditions were gradually improving, there was good food every day, and more importantly, the Eldest Miss was extremely generous with money.

In their hearts, Yan Ning was a veritable God of Wealth.

If she was in a good mood, a reward!

If it rained, a reward!

If the weather was too hot, a reward again!

Her silver seemed as if it cost her nothing.

Working for anyone was the same, so they might as well choose a master who was generous with money and easy to talk to.

One by one, they collected their money and began to fantasize about their bright future.