Wang Liang was anxious and hurried to the Xi Mansion with a few yamen runners, wanting to ask for Xi Yu's opinion.
"Can the Prime Minister be in the mansion?" Wang Liang asked anxiously.
The servant at the door responded respectfully: "Mr. County Magistrate, Prime Minister is not at home."
"When will you come back? Is there any news?" Wang Liang asked.
The servant shook his head and said helplessly: "The young one can't tell when the adults will come back."
Wang Liang frowned tightly, and the anxiety in his heart became stronger and stronger.
"What should I do?" he murmured to himself.
A hint of anxiety surged in Wang Liang's heart, but he decided not to give up.
They went to Jia Xu's mansion without stopping, hoping to find some clues there.
However, the servants in the mansion told them that Jia Xu had been out for a day and had not returned yet, and no one knew where he had gone.
Wang Liang frowned, and the worries in his heart became heavier.
He thought about his next move, and was also curious about the secret hidden behind it.
Wang Liang thought about it and decided to let the yamen runners wait near Jia Xu's house.
"You are here to wait. Whenever there is news from Jia Xu, come and report it immediately." Wang Liang ordered seriously.
The yamen runners responded in unison: "Abide by the order!"
After arranging everything, Wang Liang thought to himself: "I also need to take a break and accumulate energy." So he went back first.
It was late at night, and Jia Xu's mansion was still silent. The yamen runners widened their eyes and dared not relax at all.
And at Wang Liang's home, he was lying on the bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
Jia Xu's disappearance made him restless, and various speculations emerged in his mind.
"Where did Jia Xu go?" Wang Liang sighed softly.
After a while, Wang Liang finally fell asleep. At this moment, Jia Xu's fate was still an unknown.
In the morning, Jia Xu stepped into the gate of a temple with a panic expression, and a trace of uneasiness and fear were revealed in his eyes.
After killing, he was at a loss, as if lost in the fog of morality.
He told the old monk the lies that something happened at home, trying to gain sympathy and get a temporary opportunity to live in the temple.
"Old monk, I want to hide from the quiet here, I wonder if it's OK?"
"Amitabha, stay."
The old monk's eyes were deep, as if he could see the secrets in Jia Xu's heart.
He quietly listened to Jia Xu's narrative and frowned slightly.
Despite his doubts, the old monk decided to take him in.
Jia Xu found temporary protection in the temple, but he could not calm down.
At night, he prayed silently in front of the Buddha statue, trying to find a trace of inner comfort.
But the guilt followed him like a shadow, tormenting his soul.
The old monk was secretly observing Jia Xu's every move. With years of practice and wisdom, he gradually noticed Jia Xu's strangeness.
He began to wonder whether the stranger was really as simple as he said.
At night, the old monk found Jia Xu.
The old monk asked softly: "Donor, there seems to be deep pain in your heart. Although I don't know the specific things you have experienced, I can feel that your heart is being tortured. Perhaps, confiding will make you feel a little relaxed."
Jia Xu trembled his lips, tears rolling in his eyes. He finally confessed his crime to the old monk and expressed his regret and fear in his heart.
The old monk listened silently, without any surprise or anger on his face, only pity and tolerance.
He said slowly: "Sin has been committed, but the road to repentance and redemption is always open. You need to go to the government to admit your sins."
But Jia Xu didn't have the courage.
He and the old monk were perfunctory.
"Tomorrow, I'll surrender."
"Since that's the case, the donor should have a good rest."
The next day, the sun shone on the road, and Zhao Qiang continued on his journey to meet Liu Bei.
Tired, he stopped in an inn and decided to take a break.
After entering the inn, he noticed an unusual atmosphere.
When he glanced over, he found that several people were a little different.
It turned out that Wu Guotai, Zhuge Jin and others were also in the inn.
Zhao Qiang thought to himself that these people are of extraordinary temperament and are by no means ordinary people.
Wu Guotai asked Zhuge Jin in a low voice.
"When will we get to Youzhou?"
Zhuge Jin replied softly.
"Arrival in three more days."
Wu Guotai showed a happy smile on her face, and she was looking forward to her reunion with her daughter Sun Shangxiang.
"It's great, I can meet my daughter Sun Shangxiang."
Although their voices were low, Zhao Qiang's ears keenly captured these words.
His heart moved.
Sun Shangxiang, isn’t that Xi Yu’s wife?
He realized that this was an important message.
Perhaps, he can take advantage of this opportunity to obtain more information about Wu Guotai and his group.
Zhao Qiang sat in the corner, silently observing their every move.
He noticed the longing for his daughter in Wu Guotai's eyes and Zhuge Jin's calm and wise expression.
He began to think about how to get close to them.
After a while, Zhao Qiang got up and left the inn.
His pace seemed a little rushed.
Zhao Qiang was secretly grateful for what happened last night.
He happened to meet a group of bandits on the road. After some negotiations, he learned a secret cave, which seemed to be the place where they traded.
Zhao Qiang walked into the cave, and there was a damp breath, and a faint light flashed on the stone wall.
The bandits sat around and looked at him with vigilance.
"I'll trade with you." Zhao Qiang smiled.
"What are you going to do?" asked the bandit leader, his voice with a hint of hoarseness.
"I want you to help me kidnap an old woman in the inn." Zhao Qiang said.
"Why do you want to kidnap her? Who is that?" asked the bandit leader.
Zhao Qiang hesitated for a moment, then said, "This is my business and it has nothing to do with you. As long as you do what I said, I will pay you enough money."
The bandit leader was silent for a moment, and finally nodded. "Okay, we will help you."
Zhao Qiang paid the bandits and quietly left the cave.
Back at the inn, Zhao Qiang secretly observed Wu Guotai's whereabouts. She was still talking to Zhuge Jin and others, not realizing the upcoming danger.
As night fell, the inn fell into tranquility. Zhao Qiang signaled the bandits to take action, and they sneaked into Wu Guotai's room quietly.
Preparing to kidnap her out quickly.
"Who is it?" Wu Guota shouted in surprise.
There was someone outside who protected him, but he had been knocked down by the bandits.
"Old guy, hurry up and go with us."
Wu Guo was too struggling, but the bandits covered her mouth tightly to prevent her from making a sound.
They took Wu Guotai out of the inn and disappeared into the dark night.
Zhuge Jin lay on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
His breathing was steady, as if he had entered a sweet dream.
In the dream, Zhuge Jin came to an elegant courtyard. He saw Zhuge Liang, his younger brother, walking towards him with a smile.
"Brother!" Zhuge Liang shouted excitedly.
Zhuge Jin held his hand and his smile was as warm as the spring breeze. "Brother, long time no see."
The two sat down on the stone bench in the courtyard and began to reminisce about the past. They talked about the little things of the past and recalled the time they spent together.
"Brother, can everything be fine if you are there?" Zhuge Jin asked with concern.
Zhuge Liang nodded and said, "Everything is OK."
They chatted and changed topics, from the world situation to personal ambitions, from military strategy to life insights.
The breeze in the courtyard gently blows by, bringing a refreshing fragrance of flowers.
Wu Guotai was secretly kidnapped by Zhao Qiang and the bandits and left the inn, while Zhuge Jin knew nothing about it.
That night, Xi Yu was lying on the bed. Although his eyes were so sleepy that he couldn't open it, he had a lot of thoughts in his mind and could not fall asleep.
He tossed and turned, trying various ways to relax himself, but to no avail.
Xi Yu's eyelids suddenly pounded, and a strange feeling surged in his heart, as if something was about to happen.
He tossed and turned on the bed and couldn't fall asleep, so he decided to get up and walk around the yard, hoping to calm down his mood.
The yard at night is particularly quiet, and the moonlight sprinkles on the ground like water, illuminating Xi Yu's figure.
He strolled on the bluestone path, but his thoughts were entangled like a mess.
At this time, a patrol soldier came towards him.
When the soldier saw Xi Yu, he immediately stopped and saluted him respectfully.
"Sir, it's so late, why haven't you rested yet?" the soldier asked with concern.
Xi Yu frowned.
"I can't sleep, I always feel like something is going to happen."
The soldier smiled and tried to comfort him.
"Prime Minister, you may be thinking too much. It's safe here and there will be nothing to do. You'd better go back and rest early. There are still many things waiting for you tomorrow."
Xi Yu shook his head slightly.
"No, I can't be wrong. This uneasy feeling has been lingering in my heart, making me unable to rest."
The soldier was silent for a moment, and then said, "Sir, if you are really worried, I can strengthen my patrol and ensure the safety of the surroundings."
"I'm not thinking about my own safety, I always feel that something big will happen."
Xi Yu waved his hand gently and said to the soldier: "You go and do your business, I'll just walk by myself. Don't follow me."
The soldier hesitated for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, but he nodded in the end.
"Yes, Prime Minister. Then I'll patrol other places first. If you have any needs, call me at any time."
The soldier turned and left, his feet disappeared into the darkness with light steps.
Xi Yu stayed alone in the yard, and his figure seemed a little lonely under the moonlight.
Under the moonlight, the flowers, plants and trees were stained with a layer of silver light, like a dreamy scene.
"Maybe I'm really too sensitive." Xi Yu said to himself.
However, the feeling of uneasiness still lingers in his heart, preventing him from fully relaxing.
After a while, he decided to go back to the room and try to fall asleep again.
Wu Guotai was thrown into the cave roughly, her body was put in a sack, and a piece of cloth was stuffed into her mouth, making it impossible for her to make a sound.
After a while, the bandits poured her out of the sack and took off the cloth from her mouth.
Wu Guo looked around in horror, his eyes full of fear and doubt.
Her voice trembled and asked, "Who are you? Why do you catch me? I don't have much money on me, please let me go."
The bandits looked at Wu Guotai coldly.
Wu Guotai prayed secretly in his heart, hoping that the Buddha could bless her with peace and safety.
She said in a trembling voice: "I will definitely ask my family to send a ransom. Please don't hurt me."
"We use people's money to eliminate disasters. We use money to do things. Old lady, don't blame us."
"Who are you doing things for?"
But no one answered her.
Wu Guotai continued to pray to God and Buddha in his heart.
At this moment, a figure hurried in.
Zhao Qiang looked at the bandits and a hint of gratitude flashed in his eyes.
Zhao Qiang said: "Thank you all the heroes!"
The bandit leader waved his hand and signaled him to take Wu Guotai away as soon as possible.
Wu Guotai looked at Zhao Qiang and always felt familiar.
She suddenly remembered that she seemed to have met this person in the inn.
Wu Guotai: "Why did you arrest me? Who are you?"
Zhao Qiang said: "Don't ask anything, otherwise don't blame me for being polite!"
He said as he picked up a piece of cloth, stuffed it into Wu Guotai's mouth, and then quickly put her into a sack.
Zhao Qiang carried the sack and hurriedly left the place, and his figure gradually disappeared into the darkness.
The next morning, Zhuge Jin stretched, got up and prepared to continue his journey after breakfast.
When he opened the door, he was shocked to see many soldiers standing upside down in the corridor.
He was shocked and rushed to Wu Guotai's room, but found that there was no one in the room.
Zhuge Jin's face turned pale, and he immediately realized something was wrong. He came to the counter anxiously and asked the waiter: "Did a gangster come in last night?"
The waiter shook his head and said with a confused look on his face.
"I don't know at all. No one has arrived."
Zhuge Jin stomped his feet, feeling anxious.
"What should I do? Where is Wu Guotai?" he thought.
The waiter suddenly remembered the scene last night, and several bandits entered the inn.
A bandit put a knife around his neck, threatening him not to speak out and close his eyes.
The waiter had no choice but to agree.
Zhuge Jin's eyes were like a torch, staring at the waiter.
"Did you hide something from me?"
The waiter panicked and hesitated and confessed everything.
After hearing what the waiter said, Zhuge Jin was so angry that he raised his hand and slapped him.
Zhuge Jin shouted angrily: "How can you be so greedy for life and fear death!"
The waiter covered his face and apologized repeatedly: "The villain is really afraid of death and dared not refuse to obey at that time."
Zhuge Jin tried hard to calm himself down, but he suddenly realized that the soldiers might be saved.
He hurried back to the corridor and leaned down to check their breath. As he expected, the soldiers just fell into a coma.
Zhuge Jin breathed a little relieved, and he shouted to the waiter: "Go and invite the doctor!"
Then, he turned around and hurried towards the county government, preparing to report the case.
On the way to the county government, Zhuge Jin's heart was filled with pain and anxiety.
He walked quickly while secretly blaming himself in his heart.
"Sun Ce trusted me so much and entrusted his mother to me, but I lost her. How should I explain to him?" Zhuge Jin frowned, and his heart felt like he was pressed by a heavy stone, and he was extremely anxious.
The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became, and his pace accelerated unconsciously. Suddenly, he was tripped by a stone on the road, his body fell forward, and he fell heavily to the ground.
"Ah!" Zhuge Jin couldn't help but exclaim, and severe pain came from his palms and knees.
He struggled to get up, not having to check his injuries on his body, and he had only one thought in his mind.
You must find Wu Guotai as soon as possible and you cannot let her be in any danger.
Zhuge Jin endured the pain and continued to speed up his pace towards the county government.
On the other side, the morning sun shone through the window in the room, and Xi Yu was still asleep.
Xiao Cui and a few maids had already prepared the meal and were waiting quietly.
A maid whispered to Xiao Cui: "You eat first, it's not certain when the Prime Minister wakes up."
Xiao Cui decided to wait for a while, but Xi Yu had not come, so she had to eat first.
An hour passed, and Xi Yu finally woke up slowly. He rubbed his eyes, walked out of the room, and saw Xiao Cui waiting for him in the hall.
"Sir, I was waiting for you to have dinner together, but I couldn't wait, so I ate first."
Xi Yu said with some guilt: "I couldn't sleep last night, so I got up late, so I made you wait for so long."
Xiao Cui smiled and replied: "It's okay, Prime Minister, have a meal quickly."
Xi Yu sat down, looked at the food on the table, suddenly remembered the uneasiness last night, and said self-deprecatingly: "I always thought something was going to happen, but it seemed that I was thinking about it."
So he told Xiao Cui about his psychological situation last night.
Xiao Cui felt very happy. If Xi Yu was able to tell him, it proved that she was favored by Xi Yu.
"Sir, you must be thinking too much."
Xi Yu nodded and went to have a meal.
He also remembered a case in his previous life.
Some people often think about their relatives because they care about their relatives very much.
I always think that something might happen to my loved ones.
But in fact, it's just a worry.
Xi Yu finished eating soon, and several maids came to clean up the tableware.
Xiao Cui asked, "Prime Minister, are we going to Youzhou now?"
Xi Yu nodded and looked at Xiao Cui at the same time.
"I'm going back to Youzhou, but are you sure you want to go back with me? If you regret it now, it's still too late!"
Xiao Cui was stunned and suddenly shed tears.
"Prime Minister, what do you mean? Do you hate Xiao Cui and don't let Xiao Cui follow you?"
Xi Yu knew that Xiao Cui had misunderstood her meaning.
"I don't mean that. Don't think too much. I'm afraid that you will feel restricted after a long time."
Xiao Cui shook her head suddenly.
"No, I will never feel restricted. As long as I can be with the Prime Minister, I will only feel very happy."
Xi Yu could see that the other party would probably be particularly loyal to him.
"Okay, since that's the case, we'll set off in a while."
Next, Xi Yu asked several maids to find Sun Ce and asked Sun Ce to come over. He wanted to say goodbye to Sun Ce.
After hearing the news, Sun Ce immediately came over.
"Sir, don't you stay here for more time?"
"No need. I'll rush back as soon as possible."
Chapter completed!