Chapter 393: Do Not Implicate the Villagers

After Ceng Popo left, Bai Wei immediately looked at Zhou Yanli.

"Zhou Yanli, what on earth is going on? How did you become my elder brother again?"

"I was washed onto the beach, then I found you. Ceng Popo came to fish and brought us back to the village." Zhou Yanli walked to her side.

"Where is this?"

"This is a small fishing village in Donghai Prefecture, under the jurisdiction of Yang Tianhu," Zhou Yanli said. "There are government soldiers all around, so for the sake of safety, I said you were my younger sister, and that we were waylaid by water bandits on the road, which is why we ended up here."

"Donghai Prefecture?" Bai Wei was startled.

She had not expected to be washed up on the seashore, several hundred miles away from Beijiang.

Regaining her senses, she asked anxiously, "What about Xiao Moting? Where is he?"

Zhou Yanli was silent for a moment, then shook his head.

"Only you were found on the beach. As for Xiao Moting, I have been asking around the village these past few days, and no one has discovered any trace of him."

"What? Xiao Moting wasn't found?" Bai Wei's heart tightened instantly.

Ignoring the injury on her foot, she struggled to climb up.

"No, I have to go find him."

Xiao Moting had jumped into the dark river to save her, and all along the way, he had been battered by reefs and covered in wounds to protect her.

"Wait, your ankle was injured. I just applied medicine for you; you cannot move about recklessly." Zhou Yanli pressed down on her shoulder, forcibly making her sit back on the bed. "I have already asked the villagers to help inquire about news of Xiao Moting. Do not run around."

"I have to find him..."

Zhou Yanli interrupted, "We have already become wanted criminals. You should stay here; I will inquire about news of Xiao Moting."

Bai Wei's pupils constricted. "What wanted criminals..."

Before she could finish speaking, the sound of an argument came from outside the window.

Ceng Popo's voice drifted into the room.

"Village Chief, why have you come?"

"Ceng Popo, I heard from the villagers that you have taken in two people of unknown origin?"

"They are brother and sister..."

"There hasn't been an outsider in the village for how many years? You should let them leave. The government issued a notice this morning saying that Beijiang has rebelled, that the Prince of Zhenbei and the National Preceptor have colluded to commit treason, and that they fled together after the incident! The government is currently hunting down the rebels. You must get these two people out quickly, lest they implicate the people in the village."

Bai Wei held her breath.

What?

Beijiang has rebelled?

At this moment, the Village Chief's dissatisfied voice came over again.

"Within two days, make these two outsiders leave immediately. Do not bring trouble to the village."

Bai Wei looked at Zhou Yanli anxiously. "What are they saying?"

Compared to her urgency, Zhou Yanli appeared quite calm.

"I fell into the river, and Xiao Moting fell in as well; his life or death is unknown. The Northern Frontier Army currently has no Chief Commander, so Yuan Canghai took the opportunity to incite the Emperor, claiming that the Northern Frontier Army led troops to sneak into Yannan City with the intent to rebel."

"The Emperor has long been wary of Xiao Moting but dared not act due to the strength of the Northern Frontier Army. Now that he is missing, the Emperor naturally pushed the boat with the current, slapped a charge of 'rebellion' on Xiao Moting, and ordered Yuan Canghai to lead troops to attack Beijiang, wanting to pull out this thorn in his side."

Bai Wei felt a chill run through her entire body.

The royal father and son were actually scheming against each other to such an extent.

The moment Xiao Moting went missing, the Emperor could not wait to eliminate Beijiang; it was truly chilling.

Seeing Bai Wei's anxiety, Zhou Yanli said, "Although Beijiang does not have Xiao Moting, there is still the Old General holding the fort. It will not be that easy for the Emperor to send troops to attack." She sat in the room, her heart hanging in the balance.

As the two were talking, the door was suddenly pushed open with a 'bang'.

Outside the door stood a middle-aged woman with a sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked face.

The woman stood with her hands on her hips, looking them up and down.

"So you are the outsiders that Old Lady Ceng brought back to the village? The government is currently arresting rebels; whoever harbors a rebel will have their home confiscated. You get out quickly, don't implicate the people in our village."

Zhou Yanli blocked in front of Bai Wei and asked coldly, "Who are you?"

"My husband is the Village Chief. He manages all the affairs in the village, big and small." The woman looked fierce. "You leave quickly, don't bring trouble to the village."

If it were any other time, Zhou Yanli would certainly not have spared her.

But now, he glanced at Bai Wei's foot, suppressed his anger, and said coldly.

"My sister's foot is injured. We will leave once her injury heals."

"What does her being injured have to do with us?" The Village Chief's wife was relentless. "If you stay here, and the government searches the village and finds something amiss, not only will Old Lady Ceng be arrested, but my husband will also be punished..."

Before she could finish, Zhou Yanli took out a fan and handed it to her.

"Take this. We will leave in two days."

"What is this?" The Village Chief's wife took the fan, glanced at it, and her eyes lit up instantly. "Yo, what an exquisite fan, and it's satin-faced. Look at this pendant, it's green jade, it must be very expensive!"

Zhou Yanli said coldly, "Take it and leave quickly. We will leave immediately once my sister's injury heals."

"This..." The Village Chief's wife hurriedly put away the fan and revealed a fawning smile. "Then I will come back in a few days."

After speaking, she clutched the fan as if she had found a treasure and left, mincing on her small feet.

Zhou Yanli turned around and said indifferently.

"She just wanted to take advantage of us; it was enough to send her away."

"But your fan..." A flash of guilt crossed Bai Wei's heart. This was his weapon, which he never left his side.

"Things are trivial; people are what matter most." Zhou Yanli squatted down as if nothing had happened. "How is your foot? Does it still hurt?"

Bai Wei looked down. "A little better. Also, thank you."

"No need to thank me." Zhou Yanli remained indifferent. "You have also saved my life; I never like to owe people anything. You should rest well these few days. As for Xiao Moting, I will help you inquire."

Bai Wei's foot could not move, and although she was anxious, she could only agree.

"Right, Zhou Yanli, my half of the Jade Pendant is lost. When you ask the villagers about Xiao Moting, could you please help me inquire if anyone has picked up this Jade Pendant?" Bai Wei's eyes were urgent, "This half of the Jade Pendant is very important to me, please help me ask around."

Zhou Yanli paused for a moment, "Alright, I understand."

After saying this, he turned and walked out.

The surroundings grew quiet again.

Bai Wei sat on the kang, but her mood was heavy.

Xiao Moting's whereabouts were unknown, and the Jade Pendant was also missing.

She did not know what his situation was right now.

The worst-case scenario was that he had already...

Thinking of this, Bai Wei could not help but shake her head vigorously.

She dared not think about it!

She only prayed silently in her heart to the heavens, hoping that Xiao Moting would return safely.

Bai Wei could not move her foot and sat on the bed to recover from her injury.

In a flash, several days passed.

During these few days, there was still no news of Xiao Moting, and the Jade Pendant had not been found either.

Every day, Zhou Yanli changed her dressing using medicinal herbs gathered from the mountains.

It had to be said that his medical skills were quite good; Bai Wei's foot injury was getting better day by day, but she was also becoming increasingly anxious.

So many days had passed, where exactly was Xiao Moting?

Was he dead, or was he alive?