A clerk ran up to Qi Yuanjun in a flurry.
The heart of Song Wanchu, which had just calmed down, instantly leaped up wildly.
Suyue was even more nervous than Song Wanchu. She grabbed Song Wanchu's arm tightly, as if she was afraid that her young lady would be snatched away by someone.
Nanzhi remained relatively calm. "Don't be afraid. Our carriage looks no different from the cargo - carrying carriages, and it's hidden in the middle of the convoy. Even if the Second Master comes looking, it won't be easy for him to find us right away.
Moreover, Young Master Shi is guarding outside. He's highly skilled in martial arts, so the young lady is safe."
Shi Luohan rode his horse closely behind Song Wanchu's carriage, guarding her every step of the way. Hearing that someone was blocking the road ahead, he gripped his sword warily.
"It's not Liang Yuzhou," Song Wanchu said. After a moment of panic, she gradually calmed down.
If Liang Yuzhou had known that she had obtained the letter of divorce, he wouldn't have let her leave the Duke's Mansion this morning.
He probably still didn't know about the existence of that letter.
A moment later, another clerk reported, "Master, it's the Crown Prince's entourage. The Crown Prince is on an inspection tour in the outskirts of the capital and has just encountered us. The eunuch from the Eastern Palace asks us to make way and kneel to see the Crown Prince enter the city."
Song Wanchu let out a sigh of relief.
It was just a false alarm.
Outside the carriage, Shi Luohan gently tapped on the carriage wall and said to Song Wanchu, "Wanchu, stay quiet inside. The Crown Prince should not know that you've left the Duke's Mansion."
Shi Luohan knew exactly what the Crown Prince had in mind for Wanchu.
If the Crown Prince found out that Wanchu was already a free woman, he would surely try every means to force her into the Eastern Palace.
Qi Yuanjun dismounted and led more than two hundred clerks to kneel by the roadside.
Song Wanchu heard the orderly footsteps of the Crown Prince's entourage. She held her breath lightly.
The footsteps seemed to stop.
The Crown Prince's voice reached her ears.
"Where is Master Qi headed?"
(Just to explain: 'Master' here is just a general term of respect, showing that the Crown Prince is polite. Uncle Qi doesn't hold any official position.)
The Crown Prince actually knew Uncle?
Song Wanchu was a bit surprised.
Qi Yuanjun replied respectfully, "Your Highness, I'm leading a caravan to the south of the Yangtze River."
"The south of the Yangtze River is a wonderful place," the Crown Prince said. There seemed to be a hidden meaning in his tone. His sharp eyes scanned the carriages one by one.
"I won't delay Master Qi from making his fortune. You may all rise and continue on your journey."
Although the Crown Prince appeared magnanimous, Qi Yuanjun was very cautious. He didn't remount his horse until the Crown Prince's entourage had completely passed the caravan.
The caravan continued moving forward.
The Crown Prince's sedan chair stopped behind the caravan.
He turned the sedan chair around to face the caravan in front.
In his sight, Shi Luohan, who had originally been following behind Qi Yuanjun, didn't continue closely but instead retreated to the middle of the convoy.
It seemed that he was protecting a carriage.
Just by looking at Shi Luohan's back, the Crown Prince could sense his vigilance.
What treasure was worth his constant protection?
"Xiao Anzi," the Crown Prince called.
Xiao Anzi, who was following behind the sedan chair, quickly trotted forward and knelt in front of it. "Your Highness, please give your orders."
"Send two people with good light - footed skills to follow the Qi family's caravan with me," the Crown Prince said.
He wanted to find out for himself if Song Wanchu was hidden in that carriage.
The caravan continued moving forward. Not far ahead was the Duke's Mansion's country estate on the outskirts of the capital.
Song Wanchu's dowry was still there.
"Wanchu, you'd better stay in the carriage. I'll call a few clerks to fetch your things," Shi Luohan said.
Although it was already the end of summer, the weather was still hot, and it was the stuffiest time of the afternoon. Shi Luohan was worried that Song Wanchu's body wouldn't be able to bear it.
Song Wanchu had been exhausted by Liang Yuzhou last night and her body ached all over. But she endured her tiredness and got out of the carriage.
"Brother, I have to go. Steward Yang is very cautious. He won't trust others," she said.
Accompanied by Shi Luohan, Song Wanchu walked openly into the village of the country estate.
Hearing the news, Steward Yang quickly led several village stewards to greet them.
These people were all strangers to Shi Luohan. He scanned them warily one by one.
"Thank you, Steward Yang, for keeping my things for me. I'm here today to take them away," Song Wanchu said.
As soon as she finished speaking, Suyue stuffed a stack of silver notes into Steward Yang's hands.
She had recognized Steward Yang as her godfather. Thanks to this relationship, Steward Yang was loyal to Song Wanchu.
"Godfather, you don't need to say anything. We'll just take the things away. If anyone asks later where we've taken them, just say you don't know," Song Wanchu said.
Steward Yang nodded carefully.
The whole country estate had received the kindness of the young lady. Whatever the young lady said, he would do.
On the way to the warehouse, Shi Luohan asked Song Wanchu in a low voice, "These people are all from the Duke's Mansion. Can they really be trusted? What if someone sends a message to Liang Yuzhou?"
Song Wanchu smiled. "Brother, the country estate is fifty li away from the Duke's Mansion. Even if someone goes to report the news now, we'll be long gone by the time they return."
They had already discussed that after moving this batch of dowry, Shi Luohan would take Song Wanchu and a few servants on a light - packed journey.
It was too slow to follow the main caravan.
Shi Luohan couldn't wait to take Wanchu to the mountain villa he had carefully prepared.
Steward Yang walked in front and was about to unlock the warehouse when a pebble flew out of nowhere and knocked the key out of his hand.
Song Wanchu only felt a dark shadow flash in front of her eyes. It was so fast that she only saw a black mass, and then her wrist was grabbed.
"Miss!" Suyue and Nanzhi exclaimed.
Her body briefly lifted into the air and landed in a broad and solid embrace. Her face pressed against the man's chest. At the familiar scent, her face paled and her whole body froze.
"Liang Yuzhou, let her go!" Shi Luohan's angry shout rang in her ears. There were four or five sword - drawing sounds in succession, and the clashing sounds of swords never stopped.
The man's body nimbly dodged and turned, but Song Wanchu was still tightly held in his arms, as if she was a part of his body.
Liang Yuzhou exchanged a few moves with Shi Luohan, and neither of them gained the upper hand. Yaoguang and Zhou Sheng joined the battle. Although Shi Luohan didn't lose, it gave Liang Yuzhou a chance to break away.
Liang Yuzhou's arms were as strong as iron. Song Wanchu struggled but couldn't break free.
Even when snatching someone in broad daylight, he still exuded an air of nobility. His jet - black eyes were like a cold pool, looking down at her unfathomably.
Song Wanchu felt as if she had stepped into thin air and fallen into a bottomless abyss.
And Liang Yuzhou was that abyss. His scent was everywhere.
"Where is the lady going with her dowry?" Liang Yuzhou asked.
Song Wanchu's face was bloodless.
Under the scorching sun, she felt cold all over.
It turned out that Liang Yuzhou had known for a long time that she had secretly transported her dowry to the country estate.
Maybe he hadn't managed to get the letter of divorce from the old lady, but she suddenly remembered that when Liang Yuzhou broke into the Princess Chang's bedroom at night to rescue her, Yaoguang had been following behind him.
Yaoguang had followed her to the Duke's Mansion that night. Whether someone had let her in or she had sneaked in by herself, in any case, Yaoguang must have heard all the conversations between her and the Princess Chang in the bedroom.
At that time, all her energy and thoughts had been focused on how to rescue Uncle from prison, and she had overlooked this crucial detail.
Looking at Liang Yuzhou's slightly angry face, Song Wanchu suddenly felt that she was like a silly rabbit, while Liang Yuzhou was the cunning hunter.
She thought she had escaped his control, but she didn't know that she had always been at his mercy.
Yaoguang and Zhou Sheng were very measured and didn't fight Shi Luohan to the death. At a glance from Liang Yuzhou, they both sheathed their swords and stood on either side of him to protect him.
Shi Luohan had consumed a lot of energy in the fight with them.
His eyes were blazing with anger. He pointed his sword at Liang Yuzhou's chest and said coldly, "Liang Yuzhou, you shameless scoundrel. Let go of my sister!"