Previously, when his master heard rumors that Qiao Gan had failed to commit suicide in Hedong Prefecture and had instead been captured alive and secretly transported to the capital, he laid ambushes everywhere to intercept and kill Qiao Gan on his way back to the capital.

The ambushes went very smoothly.

However, after intercepting four groups, Qiao Gan was not found in any of them; the prison carts were filled with ordinary death row inmates being transported from various places to the capital.

Clearly, this was all a decoy, a deliberate attempt to mislead.

At this point, Qiao Gan’s whereabouts were unknown.

Whether he was already dead and was being lied about by He Yanxiu and others to be alive or whether he had truly been captured and they were trying to pry him out, no one knew.

The more uncertain it was, the more uneasy one felt.

Because of this worry, Third Wei hadn’t slept for several days and knew that his master was also troubled by this matter.

Now, seeing Qiao Gan, Third Wei immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Qiao Gan was alive and had escaped.

But he didn’t know if his mouth was tight enough…

“How did you escape, kid?” Third Wei asked while quickly treating Qiao Gan’s wounds.

“I’ve been behaving myself for many days, pretending to be weak and in pain. They’ve become much more lax with me. Today, I saw they were less vigilant, so I used the steel needle I secretly hid in my mouth a few days ago to open the shackles, killed a few guards, and escaped,” Qiao Gan answered truthfully.

“You’re usually the most tight-lipped, kid, this time…”

“Don’t worry, Third Brother, I haven’t said a word,” Qiao Gan hurriedly replied, his tone frank. “I swear on my life; otherwise, I would have already committed suicide. Why would I bother coming back?”

Most importantly, He Yanxiu hadn’t asked a single question.

But Qiao Gan dared not say that.

Often, the more you say, the less others will believe you.

Qiao Gan was his master’s top-notch bodyguard; if he were to speak, he would have already committed suicide if it were inappropriate and wouldn’t have survived.

“That’s good.” Third Wei breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this, poured all the powder from the porcelain bottle onto Qiao Gan’s wound, and simply bandaged it with gauze. “There’s hot water and food in the room. There are two reliable servants in that room. Have a quick bite, and if anything happens, call them. I’ll go and inform my master.”

“Thank you, Third Brother.” Qiao Gan felt a weight lifted from his heart upon seeing Third Wei’s gentle tone.

For a suicide squad, the worst thing was losing their master’s trust after escaping death.

With Third Wei’s attitude now, he figured his life was half saved.

After calming Qiao Gan down, Third Wei went into the room and called out the two servants. He gave them a brief explanation, changed his clothes, slung a satchel over his shoulder, and carried a live chicken, pretending to be someone returning home from work at night. He then cautiously peeked out the door.

He Yanxiu had already arrived nearby. Seeing Third Wei leave, he instructed Xing’an to lead men to wait there to capture Qiao Gan and the others, while he and Shi Ding, along with several capable men, followed Third Wei.

Third Wei was clearly very astute, walking and stopping frequently. He even bought wine and snacks from a shop along the street, ate a bowl of mutton soup at a small stall, and held a sesame seed cake in his hand, looking quite satisfied as he staggered forward. After walking for about half an hour, seeing that night was falling and the streets were becoming less crowded, Wei San quickened his pace and turned into an alley ahead.

Upon reaching a house, he knocked on the door, and someone answered. Third Wei went inside, slightly disguised, and quietly left through the back door of the house.

This time, he was dressed in a short brown robe and carrying a bamboo basket.

After wandering the streets for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Third Wei entered another house in an alley and changed his clothes again.

Wearing a satin robe, with slicked-back hair and a hint of alcohol on his skin, he looked every bit the shopkeeper, now appearing satisfied after a hearty meal.

Shi Ding couldn’t help but remark, “This guy’s quite the actor.”

If one didn’t know better, they’d think he was carrying some kind of confidential royal document.

“Remember those courtyards; we’ll take them all down later,” He Yanxiu whispered.

These were all the informants’ hideouts behind that person. Since that person had harmed him so much, if they couldn’t kill that person this time, they would at least cripple his wings.

“Yes,” Shi Ding replied, instructing the two men beside him.

Third Wei stumbled forward again, and when he entered a relatively spacious alley with red lanterns hanging high, his expression immediately turned serious, and his back hunched down.

It seemed the person was here.

He Yanxiu narrowed his eyes and raised his hand to signal Shi Ding and the others to be careful.

The group dared not approach any further, only watching from afar as Wei San entered a grand courtyard with servants guarding the entrance.

“Third Brother is here,” the servant said warmly, leading him inside.

“Is Master here?” Third Wei asked.

“Yes, Master has been staying here every night these past few days,” the servant answered truthfully.

Third Wei’s face immediately darkened.

This courtyard was a separate place set up by the Master outside, unknown to both the family and outsiders.

The woman placed here, Bu Jin, was once the top courtesan of the Drunken Spring Pavilion in the capital. She possessed unparalleled beauty and captivating charm; her words alone could steal a man’s soul, and her skills in that area were exceptional.

The master wasn’t usually one to indulge in women, but when troubled, he would come here to relax.

The fact that she’d been here for the past few days indicated that the master was in a bad mood.

It seemed that the matter of He Yanxiu and Qiao Gan was indeed causing him considerable distress.

It seemed he would have to be careful when reporting back later…

Third Wei thought to himself as he went through layers of reporting, finally reaching He Yande.

He Yande was sitting on a futon, his clothes half-undone. Bu Jin, her hair disheveled and her dress light, revealing her slender, white arms and legs, was curled up beside him like a cat, her arms wrapped around his waist. Her slender, white fingers picked up some fruit from a plate and offered it to He Yande’s lips.

He Yande opened his mouth and bit into the fruit. Bu Jin’s hand released him, gliding from his cheek across his throat, then resting on his chest, before clinging to him and glancing at Third Wei with a seductive look.

Third Wei had never witnessed such a sensual scene. His face flushed, and he quickly lowered his head, kneeling to the side. “Master, Qiao Gan is back.”

“Oh?” He Yande immediately sat up straight. “How is he?”

“He lay low for many days, then seized the opportunity to escape. He hasn’t uttered a single word about you, Master.”

“Then…” He Yande narrowed his eyes. “How are his injuries?”

“He has some injuries, not deep. I’ve checked them; they’re all superficial. They’ll heal in a few days. I’ve also checked him; he has no tail. So what he said seems credible.”

Third Wei kowtowed. “If I’ve come to ask you, Master, what should we do with this person…?”

Keep him alive or kill him?

He Yande’s narrowed eyes opened, and he reached out and touched Bu Jin’s body. “Make it clean.”

This meant he was to be killed.

Third Wei bit his lip and, after a moment, hesitantly opened his mouth. “Qiao Gan has served the Master for many years and has been loyal. He certainly acted inappropriately this time, but could Master please show him some mercy and allow him to atone for his crime through meritorious service?”

After speaking, Third Wei kowtowed again.

(End of Chapter)

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