Chapter 641

Early the next morning, Old Master Zhang was released from the tent of Guan Jianxi.

He spent a restless night; after Zuo Feichen was taken away by that fierce-looking commander yesterday, there has been no word.

He couldn't put his mind at ease, thinking that these grain merchants had again transported grain into Ying Prefecture City; if the Azure Dragon Army found out, they would surely blame him.

He had been in business for most of his life; he never expected to encounter such a change in his old age, and thinking of it left him feeling depressed.

This time he was also worried about Zuo Feichen's safety; he had originally owed a life to Doctor Zuo, but now he had even implicated him in this situation.

Soon after, Old Master Zhang followed the soldiers to the front of the Azure Dragon Army's main tent; just seeing the imposing appearance outside made his legs feel weak.

Although he had never seen Xiao Yin in person, who doesn't know the name of the Southern Qi's war god, Prince Rui?

Ling Feng lifted the flap of the military tent, and Old Master Zhang stepped in carefully, head lowered, not daring to look around.

He was just a small grain merchant; today he had opened his eyes, even managing to enter the commander's tent of the Azure Dragon Army, though he didn't know if he would make it out alive.

"Commoner pays respects to the Prince!" Old Master Zhang bowed, then looked up at the one seated in the place of honor, Xiao Yin, and his face instantly changed.

It turned out to be the very commander who had angrily taken Zuo Feichen away yesterday; could he actually be the renowned Prince Rui?

Upon closer look, he was indeed handsome and graceful, with an outstanding appearance.

Old Master Zhang's gaze then fell on Zuo Feichen sitting on the other side, and he froze there.

He had thought Zuo Feichen would surely suffer misfortune, but instead he sat unharmed at Prince Rui's right hand, though his eyes and lips were bruised as if he'd been beaten, and not lightly.

Old Master Zhang stood there stunned, actually not knowing why this was so.

Sitting opposite Zuo Feichen was a young official wearing a mask and a crimson-purple official robe; although half his face was covered, one could sense a strong aura of danger from him.

Could this be the infamous harsh official of Southern Qi, the one now second only to the ruler and above all others, the Little Minister Gu?

Old Master Zhang had never seen such high-ranking nobles before; he had always thought Zuo Feichen was just a doctor, yet now he sat alongside those two, composed and calm, even smiling to soothe his nerves.

That smile, set against his injuries, looked especially comical, yet no one dared to mock him for it.

Xiao Yin raised his hand and gestured to Ling Feng, who turned and left, closing the tent gate tightly behind him, then personally stood guard outside.

Only then did Xiao Yin look at Old Master Zhang before him and say slowly, "Sit down and speak! There's goat milk in front of you; have a bowl."

Old Master Zhang hurriedly thanked him, then sat carefully at the low table; just as he was about to lift the bowl of goat milk, his hand froze.

Ever since the Duan clan drugged him into unconsciousness at Yanbei Pass, causing endless trouble, he now fears anything that goes into his mouth.

Zuo Feichen leaned over, bringing the bowl of goat milk and the steaming snacks to Old Master Zhang's side, and whispered with a smile, "You can eat at ease; if the Prince wanted to kill you, he wouldn't need poison—he'd just drag you out and behead you."

Old Master Zhang couldn't help but wryly laugh; indeed, that was true.

"Eat first; when you're full, the Prince has questions for you."

Old Master Zhang took the goat milk and snacks and began eating heartily.

Xiao Yin's face darkened severely; that gaze made Old Master Zhang feel uneasy sitting or standing.

"Did Xiao Wu go to Ying Prefecture?"

Old Master Zhang startled, then instinctively looked at Zuo Feichen; Xiao Wu wasn't someone brought by Doctor Zuo, was he?

A spoiled youngster from Jiangnan, though after some prior dealings he proved to be a loyal and righteous child.

He spoke, eyes slightly red and voice trembling: "In reply to the Prince, that child is a good one; originally the elder of the Duan clan wanted our Zhang family's sons and nephews to go to Ying Prefecture to transport grain."

"Doctor Zuo also knows this; the child had entrusted me, an old man, through Doctor Zuo to do business and earn some silver, never expecting to run into such a frustrating situation."

"He had originally been taken in as my nephew; back then…… there really was nothing else to do."

Old Master Zhang thought of that foolish child and felt a pang of sorrow, actually choking up and unable to continue.

Xiao Yin's voice grew colder: "When he went to Ying Prefecture to transport grain, was he alone, or were there other members of the Zhang family with him?"

Old Master Zhang felt even more guilty: "In reply to the Prince, the Duan clan selected one person from each household, with no one else accompanying them."

Xiao Yin clenched the hand resting on his knee into a fist, meaning that she had entered Ying Prefecture City alone.

If anything goes wrong, there probably won't even be a corpse left, let alone someone to bring news and collect the body.

Xiao Yin couldn't go on asking that.

Gu Kang beside him picked up Xiao Yin's thread and asked a few questions.

Old Master Zhang actually didn't know much either, but he told everything he knew, holding nothing back.

Originally Zuo Feichen also knew this news, but Xiao Yin was overly suspicious, worried that Zuo Feichen was deceiving him.

Now the reports from both sides agree, and he feels even more tormented.

Gu Jiu Ling has probably already entered Yingzhou City by now, and the only way to rescue her is to swiftly take Yingzhou.

This will be a fight to the death!

Xiao Yin commanded Ling Feng to take Old Master Zhang down to attend to him properly, though he still couldn't allow him to return to Yanbei Pass.

By now Yanbei Pass already harbored the power of the eight great clans, and when it came to the affair of Gu Jiu Ling, Xiao Yin dared not be the slightest bit careless.

Only Xiao Yin, Zuo Feichen, and Gu Kang remained in the commander's tent.

Xiao Yin rose, stood again before the sand table, raised his hand and pulled out the Azure Dragon Army flag of Hengzhou City, then directly planted it in Yingzhou.

Gu Kang coughed and then reminded: "Your Highness, the news brought back by Master Zuo indicates that north of Yanbei Pass there is still a camp of one of the eight great clans; shouldn't we uproot it before attacking Yingzhou?"

Xiao Yin's brows furrowed into a river-like shape, yet his expression was unusually calm.

"We cannot uproot it now; if we uproot that stronghold of the eight great clans, the Duan family's old foxes might suspect these grain merchants, and then your sister would be in danger."

Gu Kang paused, actually not knowing how to continue.

Actually, when they were captured in that small town, it wasn't just his elder sister; anyone could have leaked the news.

Even if we captured that small town, the chance of his elder sister being suspected is not great; even the slightest possibility, Xiao Yin would avoid it.

For a moment, Gu Kang actually felt that his elder sister might truly possess the quality of a beauty who brings disaster.

Zuo Feichen beside him said slowly: "Your Highness, if we are to attack Yingzhou, if we don't clear up what's behind us, we will likely fail."

Xiao Yin stared fixedly at the sand table, uttering each word with a pause: "Let's use their scheme against them!"

He raised his hand and with a slap knocked down the flag previously planted near Yanbei Pass.

Pass the order down! Depart for Yingzhou at dawn!