FBC – Chapter 147 The Woman Who Dared to Kill the Duke Yong!

“Chiyan! Chiyu!”

Gu Hua’s face lit up with both surprise and anxiety when she saw them.

Chiyan and Chiyu dismounted and saluted her with clasped fists.

Before either could speak, Gu Hua rushed straight up to Chiyu. “Why did you come back? Why didn’t you stay by his side?”

The Madam’s aggressive approach startled Chiyu so badly he instinctively stepped back, overwhelmed and unsure of what to do.

Zhou Zhilian sighed and gently pulled Gu Hua back a bit. “You scared him.”

Gu Hua’s eyes widened. “I scared him?”

She was so delicate!

She looked at Chiyu again and, sure enough, his face was a bit pale.

Realizing she’d spoken too harshly, Gu Hua quickly softened her tone and asked again gently,  “Why did you come back? Why didn’t you stay with him?”

The Madam’s face was harmless, but her eyes looked like they wanted to eat him alive.

Chiyu: “…”

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to stay—it was that he wasn’t allowed to.

“It was an order from the Lord. I dared not disobey.”

“But…”

Gu Hua wanted to argue but couldn’t find the words. After all, it was a military order. Who was she to question it?

Seeing her eyes redden, Chiyu sighed inwardly and carefully explained, “My lady, our Lord heard that the bandits hadn’t been cleared, so he ordered me to return with men to oversee the Inspection Division’s clean-up.”

Wasn’t this still all for the Madam’s safety?

Gu Hua’s voice rose sharply. “You brought men back with you? Isn’t Chiyan already here? Why go to such lengths?”

Was that really the point?

Chiyu glanced at Chiyan, silently begging him to say something.

Their Lord had sent Chiyu back precisely because Chiyan was busy protecting the Madam and might not be able to handle everything alone.

Chiyan, however, remained expressionless. He neither spoke nor looked at him.

Frustrated, Gu Hua muttered, “Fine. It’s not my place to meddle in his affairs.”

Zhou Zhilian, Chiyan, and Chiyu exchanged looks, unsure what to say.

Chiyan changed the subject. “Madam, the winter supplies submitted by the Pei family were swapped out the very night they were put into storage. We’ve secured both the fakes and the guards who oversaw the switch. They’ve been silenced, so the young lord and his men are unaware.”

Gu Hua lit up with joy. “That’s great!”

Just then, the sound of chaos approached from the distance. Gu Hua looked over to see several people stumbling their way toward them, being chased by Xiaqijun soldiers from the direction of the military camp.

Gu Hua cried, “Quick, help them!”

Chiyan and Chiyu mounted their horses and charged over with their men.

It was the first time Gu Hua had witnessed such a large-scale fight. The shouts, the screams, the blood flying through the air…

The Mu Family soldiers were all veterans of war. Facing the Xiaqijun and Longmengqi units, both made up of pampered noble sons, it was like wild beasts battling fancy roosters.

In just a couple of rounds, the pursuers were routed, dropping weapons and fleeing in all directions. Chiyan and his men chased them relentlessly, catching any they could alive.

Zhou Zhilian quickly pulled Gu Hua close. “Get in the carriage—you’ll get scared.”

Gu Hua, pale-faced, shook her head and forced herself to keep her eyes open.

Mu Junyan must’ve faced battles far bloodier than this.

He’d once told her he had charged into enemy lines alone—against thousands of men.

She didn’t realize she was trembling, only silently urging herself to stay strong.

She was the War God’s woman. She couldn’t afford to be afraid!

As the fleeing men got closer, Gu Hua saw their faces clearly.

Pei Yi was supporting the Ministry of Revenue’s Assistant Minister, Cao Liyu. Several disheveled officials and soldiers who had come with Zuo Fengtian followed behind.

Gu Hua gathered her skirts and ran over.

“Gentlemen, are you hurt?”

“Don’t worry, Sister Hua. The Silver Spear and Imperial Dragon Divisions have already entered the camp. Those counterfeit goods will be recovered.”

Pei Yi’s clothes were torn, his face scratched, his hat missing, and blood streaming from a cut on his forehead.

He looked a complete mess.

Gu Hua anxiously stepped forward. “Brother Pei, you’re hurt.”

“It’s nothing. The others are injured too.”

“Everyone, please get in the carriage and head to the Duke Yong’s manor to get treated.”

Fearing the Prince Jiang might come after them again, the officials didn’t hesitate and climbed aboard, helping each other squeeze in.

The group returned to the Duke Yong’s manor, where the Sun family doctor treated their wounds.

Zhou Chunyu arranged lunch for everyone.

Meanwhile, Gu Hua spoke quietly with Chiyan and Chiyu.

“Chiyan, you said earlier that only part of the winter clothes were found. What do you mean?”

Chiyan replied, “Three days ago, when Chiyu returned to the capital, he encountered a group of strange merchants using the Prince Jiang’s seal. He noticed official court marks on the packages and investigated. That’s when we discovered they were transporting the stolen winter clothes—headed for the northern border and the Yuan Family army. We’ve detained both the goods and the people.”

“The Yuan family at the northern border? You mean the family of Prince Jiang’s mother?”

Gu Hua wasn’t too familiar with the court and its factions.

But everyone knew the Jiang and Yuan families—they were Empress Dowager’s maternal relatives, used to throwing their weight around.

“Exactly. Both armies’ winter clothes are funded by the court. If the Yuan army is using the Mu army’s supplies, then the funds meant for the Yuan army’s gear are highly suspect.”

Gu Hua was shocked.

This ran that deep?

“No, we need to tell the three officials right away!”

Cao Liyu, Zuo Fengtian, and Jin Guyong exchanged looks.

Zuo Fengtian slammed the table. “They’re that bold?”

Cao Liyu frowned. “Do you think this isn’t the first time?”

Jin Guyong slapped his thigh. “I just remembered—in the year before last, a shipment of one million arrows and fifty thousand bows bound for the southern border was supposedly stolen by bandits. Half the escorts were killed. That batch was never found. Could it have ended up in the north?”

Zuo Fengtian glared. “Highly likely! Send someone to the north to quietly check the batch numbers and seals.”

Gu Hua’s eyes widened.

What about Mu Junyan?

With so much missing gear, how could the court replace it in time?

“No! We must go to the palace immediately!” Jin Guyong was so anxious he lifted his robes and rushed out.

Cao Liyu stood up too. “Yes! We have to report this to His Majesty. And we don’t even know if the Silver Spear and Dragon Divisions recovered the real winter clothes. If they were burned, all the evidence is gone.”

Zuo Fengtian stopped Gu Hua, who was about to follow.

“Madam Mu, Prince Jiang has killed court officials. This is no small matter. You should stay inside. Things are chaotic outside—you could get hurt.”

Zhou Chunyu rushed in. “We’re surrounded!”

Zuo Fengtian’s face darkened. “Who dares surround the Duke Yong’s manor?!”

Gu Hua was stunned. “How bold!”

Cao Liyu scoffed. “Not surprising. They dared try to kill us in broad daylight. What do they have to fear? Claim they’re arresting fugitives, kill us, and with no witnesses—who’s going to stop them?”

Gu Hua was dumbfounded. “Would they really dare kill people from the Duke Yong’s house?”

Cao Liyu explained, “They just need to get us out and kill us elsewhere. The Duke isn’t home. They assume you won’t resist. But if you do, they might turn violent.”

Gu Hua’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

This was insane.

Zuo Fengtian asked, “Who are they?”

“Judging by their uniforms, they’re from the Palace’s Elite Guard.”

The three officials all looked grim.

The Palace Elite Guard was the highest-ranking royal security force. Even the Duke Yong’s household couldn’t stop them.

“My lady.” Zhou Chunyu gestured for Gu Hua to step aside.

He whispered, “I can take them out through the secret tunnel. As long as the Elite Guard can’t find them, they won’t dare act rashly. Will that be alright?”

Gu Hua was surprised and lowered her voice. “A secret tunnel?”

Zhou Chunyu nodded.

Gu Hua hesitated for a moment.

Letting outsiders know about the manor’s secret passage wasn’t ideal—but Pei Yi was a key figure, and the three officials had been entrusted to her by Mu Junyan. They should be trustworthy.

Right now, they were in danger because of her.

More importantly, if they were trapped in the Duke’s manor, not only would it be impossible to save them, but it would give the Jiang faction an excuse to implicate the Duke’s household.

At this point, success was critical. If they lost now, the consequences could be dire—and she must not become a burden to Mu Junyan or the Old Madam in the south.

Gu Hua steeled herself. “Fine. Take them.”

“My lady!” A servant ran up, panicked. “Th-they’re breaking down the door! They want to search the manor!”

Gu Hua’s face went pale. She gritted her teeth. “I’ll stop them. You get them out.”

Zhou Chunyu hesitated. “Madam! They’re determined. They may give you trouble.”

“I’m not afraid. I don’t believe they’d really dare kill Duke Yong’s wife!”

Without another word, Gu Hua turned and strode resolutely toward the front courtyard.