Chapter 352

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Protagonist:

Yan Qianqian

Feng Hong's face had already turned pale; she was trembling all over, frightened by Tang Qi's aura.

Although she was normally known for being shrewish, facing such a formidable figure still filled her with dread. After all, the other party need only move a hand to easily take her life.

Feng Hong did not dare the slightest hesitation; she immediately replied: "No, absolutely not! The last time the two of them came was last month; they haven't come since." Her voice trembled slightly, clearly due to the fear in her heart.

Tang Qi pondered for a moment, seemingly considering whether Feng Hong's answer was credible. After a while, he slowly said: "Since that's the case, then surround this place too; no one is allowed to enter, and no one is allowed to leave.

Once any suspicious person is discovered, seize them immediately." His tone was firm and decisive; no one dared to object.

A squad of well-trained soldiers was left behind; they swiftly and orderly surrounded the courtyard tightly, forming an impenetrable line of defense.

Although Lin Shuo had temporarily lost his freedom, he still held certain value to Tang Qi, so Tang Qi decided to bring him back. After all, Lin Shuo was Lin Shu's only son; at a critical moment, he could completely become a powerful bargaining chip to threaten Lin Shu.

Feng Hong stood to the side, watching helplessly as Lin Shuo was taken away by Tang Qi; her heart was full of fear and helplessness, yet she did not dare utter a single word.

Tang Qi brought Lin Shuo back to the garrison, heading straight for Yan Wang's tent. He reported to Yan Wang that despite their best efforts, they had ultimately failed to capture those two people.

Yan Wang showed no particular disappointment upon hearing this, because he had only held a try-it-out attitude to begin with. After all, Lin Shu had either already fled to other prefectures to hide, or had most likely completely defected to Nan Liang.

Just as Yan Wang fell into deep thought, he suddenly heard a "Report!" A soldier ran up to Yan Wang's tent panting heavily and shouted loudly: "General Yan, two people have been discovered at the camp gate!"

Yan Wang couldn't help but feel doubt; in the middle of the night, why would anyone run to the camp gate? And two people at that — what on earth was going on?

At that moment, Ai Jiao at his side suddenly interjected: "Wang, come on, let's go take a look; maybe that person is Lin Shu!" Hearing this, Tang Qi immediately retorted: "What kind of joke is that? Do you think Wang is a wish-granting turtle? Can wishes just come true?"

Ai Jiao rolled her eyes at him and muttered: "What if? Dreams are meant to be had, A Ren't they?" Yan Wang watched the two bicker endlessly, feeling a bit helpless but not knowing what to say; he just silently shook his head.

In the end, the three of them still walked out of the tent together. The moment they emerged, they saw a group of soldiers dragging two tightly bound people over. Both had a cloth stuffed in their mouths and could only make "wu wu wu" sounds, as if shouting something desperately.

Yan Wang fixed his gaze and saw that the two bound people were actually a patched-up little old man and a woman. He couldn't help but stare wide-eyed, because that little old man — wasn't he precisely the Lin Shu he had been searching for all along?

Ai Jiao and Tang Qi at his side were equally surprised, mouths agape; Ai Jiao even rubbed her eyes and said in disbelief: "Wang, your wish came true!" Tang Qi also rubbed his eyes and murmured: "Wang, you really are a wish-granting turtle..."

Hearing this, Yan Wang raised his hand and gave Tang Qi a flick on the forehead, saying irritably: "Wish granted is wish granted, what turtle and not turtle!" Tang Qi was hit hard enough to hurt, but he didn't get angry; he just chuckled and said: "Wang, you really are amazing!"

Yan Wang said with a stern face: "Stop with the glib tongue, quickly take the rags out; I have questions for them!" Upon hearing the order, the soldiers didn't dare delay and swiftly removed the rags from the two people's mouths.

The rags, having been held in their mouths for a long time, were already soaked with saliva, wet and dripping, and gave off a foul stench. The soldiers showed disgusted expressions and casually tossed them on the ground.

Seeing this, the woman was so frightened she trembled all over and immediately began sobbing and begging: "My lord, I was wrong! Please don't kill me!" Her voice was filled with fear and despair.

This woman was precisely Lin Shu's wife, Lin Shuo's mother — Song Shanshan. At this moment, her face was haggard, her clothes tattered; compared to her former glamorous appearance, she was simply a different person.

Lin Shu at the side was no better off; he likewise wore a patched-up set of clothes, constantly kowtowing and muttering: "My lord, spare my life! My lord, spare my life!"

Yan Wang looked at Lin Shu's utterly wretched appearance and couldn't help recalling the scene of their first meeting.

At that time, Lin Shu, though plainly dressed, was still fairly neat, and his every gesture carried quite a bit of grace. Yet the current him was so wretched that it was truly hard to connect the two.

Yan Wang secretly sighed in his heart: people — you know the face but not the heart; on the surface they look like decent people, but behind the scenes they are so utterly conscienceless.

He steadied himself and said in a stern voice: "Not killing you is possible, but you must confess truthfully!" Lin Shu hurriedly nodded: "Yes yes yes, this lowly one will definitely hold nothing back and tell all!"

Yan Wang immediately asked: "Speak — do you have any connection with Yale or not?" Lin Shu's body violently shuddered; beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, but he still forced himself to reply calmly: "My lord, we really have no connection with Yale!"

Yan Wang was clearly unsatisfied with this answer; his brows knitted tightly as he continued pressing: "Then why, when he was burning, killing, and looting in a small village in Yifeng City, did you turn a blind eye?"

Lin Shu said with a helpless face: "My lord, this matter I really cannot control! They are many and powerful, while I am alone and weak; even if I memorialized the throne multiple times it was to no avail! I truly was at my wit's end!"

Seeing that Lin Shu still refused to speak the truth at this juncture, Yan Wang's anger surged even higher; he shouted angrily: "Good, you Lin Shu, at death's door and still stubborn! Men, go bring that person to me!"

Lin Shu was startled by Yan Wang's sudden roar; he had absolutely no idea who the "that person" Yan Wang spoke of was. Though uneasy in his heart, he didn't dare ask further and could only close his mouth and wait quietly.

Time passed minute by second; the entire camp was permeated with a tense atmosphere. Finally, after a while, two soldiers escorted a person in.

Lin Shu fixed his gaze and his face instantly turned gloomy to the extreme, as if struck by lightning.