RWNEFE -Chapter 76 You Can’t Catch a Wolf Without Sacrificing a Kid!

“Father, please speak.”

Shen Congwen hesitated for a moment, then said with difficulty, “Your grandmother is ill.”

Shen Lanxi replied, “I already gave the family medicines before—remedies for colds, fever-reducing medicine, and ointments for bruises and injuries. They should all be there.”

At the mention of this, Shen Congwen’s face filled with even deeper shame.

“Those medicines… they’ve all been used up.”

(In truth, his mother had exchanged them for money and sold them, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.)

Shen Lanxi said, “Father, go to Chunxue and take some medicine. Use it sparingly—there isn’t much left.”

Shen Congwen hurriedly nodded and fled to find Chunxue, as if escaping.

After another day of travel, they finally saw signs of people.

Liu Yanhui ran over and said, “Up ahead should be Wanshou Town.”

Shen Lanxi said, “Send someone ahead to scout the road first.”

Liu Yanhui immediately went to report to Liu Laohu, and within seconds the constables set off.

Unexpectedly, nearly an hour passed and the constables still hadn’t returned.

Shen Lanxi said, “Stop. Rest here. I’ll go ahead and take a look.”

“Yes!”

The abnormal situation made the refugees as nervous as startled birds. Watching Shen Lanxi’s retreating figure, they silently prayed that nothing would happen.

Shen Yuanjing didn’t want to rest. He had already mastered the staff techniques he had just learned and wanted to practice them in front of Master Hu, hoping to receive some guidance.
Before long, several of the younger members of the Shen family followed him.

Ahead was indeed Wanshou Town, but entering the city required not only paying a fee—it also meant inspection.

Two guards at the city gate were specifically holding portraits and comparing faces. Shen Lanxi put her horse away, changed into coarse cloth clothing, carried a vegetable basket on her arm, disguised herself with a square face, and joined the line to enter the city.

“Why is it taking so long?” she muttered.

The woman in front of her immediately joined the conversation. “How many days has it been since you last entered the city? It’s only been slow these past few days.”

Shen Lanxi said, “It’s been half a month or even a month since I last came in. I’m going in this time to see my younger sister—she works as a kitchen helper for a wealthy household.”

“I see. Your sister must be very skilled.”

“She is. My father favors her—he taught her cooking but not me!”

“My father favors others too. We’re both people with hard lives…”

After chatting more and growing familiar, Shen Lanxi steered the conversation to the real point. “Why is there blood over there?”

The woman in front lowered her voice without suspicion and said, “Just now at the city gate, a bunch of people were beating one person. They said the county yamen caught a horse thief—he was beaten really badly~”

Shen Lanxi’s gaze darkened, but her expression remained unchanged as she continued chatting casually.

When it was their turn, the guards held up the portraits and began comparing faces.

She tilted her head, pretending to be curious, and glanced at the portraits twice—only to be immediately shouted at.

“What are you looking at? Is this something you’re allowed to see? Get lost, get lost!”

She had seen clearly: the portraits depicted the Shen family—every single member of the Shen family had a portrait.

Laughing and chatting with the woman, she blended into the crowd. Once out of the guards’ sight, she bought a few items, discreetly asked around for the location of the county yamen, and then immediately sprinted toward it.

In the back courtyard of the county yamen

“Nu Bai, is there anyone in the back courtyard?”

“No one!”

Shen Lanxi swiftly slipped inside. Just as she was about to look for the prison area, she heard a familiar voice.

“Sir, that group is extremely vigilant, especially a man called Young Master Lan. His martial arts are formidable—he can kill a wolf with a single strike of his staff. It’s best to prepare precautions in advance!”

“Have you figured out his background?”

“No. At first I thought he was Shen Lanxi, but later realized he isn’t. Shen Lanxi doesn’t know martial arts, nor is she that clever. This Young Master Lan must come from a noble family and have received excellent training…”

“The princess’s meaning is to capture them all in one sweep…”

The voices faded as they moved farther away.

Shen Lanxi had expected spies to be planted within the group, but what she hadn’t expected was that the first to be exposed would be the Third Princess!

You had to know this place was tens of thousands of miles from the capital. From imprisonment to sentencing to exile—how many days had it even been?

How could the Third Princess have learned about the situation in the capital so quickly, and even taken the opportunity to place constables within the exile convoy?

There was only one possibility: the Third Princess had people in the capital—trusted confidants capable of issuing orders on her behalf.

Her reach had already extended into the capital. Could the case of the stolen military provisions of the Wei Army have been a frame-up orchestrated by the Third Princess?

The more Shen Lanxi thought, the more unsettled she became. Every clue related to the grain and provisions was something she had to seize!

Half an hour later, she returned to the group.

“Go call Liu Yanhui, Liu Laohu, and Hu Zhuo. We need to discuss matters.”

Chunxue hurried off to fetch them.

After the three arrived, Shen Lanxi said solemnly, “We’ve been exposed. The constables are dead. In no more than a quarter of an hour, soldiers from Wanshou Town will come searching for us!”

The three of them were shocked to the core.

“Young Master, what do you plan to do?”

A cold, sharp smile rose on Shen Lanxi’s face. “You can’t catch a wolf without sacrificing a kid. I plan to push the Shen family out as bait!”

The three: “……”

“Liu Yanhui, go gather the Shen family and tell them my decision. Whoever steps forward as bait does so voluntarily.”

Liu Yanhui rubbed the goosebumps on his arms and hurried away.

Honestly—why did he feel cold in the middle of summer?

“Liu Laohu, take the rest of the people and detour. On the way, if anyone dares expose our identity—kill them!”

Liu Laohu’s brows jumped. He quickly nodded.

“Hu Zhuo, take your people and follow me. Be ready to provide support at any time!”

Wei Dongzhu replied, “Alright!”

He was now certain—once the Shen family’s identities were exposed, someone wanted them dead!

Could it be connected to the stolen military provisions?

On the Shen family’s side, there was no such thing as “voluntary.”

The people from the Shen family’s main branch were pushed out directly!

“Eldest son, don’t blame your mother for being ruthless. This mess was caused by your main branch. Even if others wanted to take your place, those people wouldn’t acknowledge it.”

“Big Brother, if we could do it, we’d take your place for sure. This isn’t our fault—Lanxi is so capable, she’ll definitely protect your safety!”

“Big Brother, go with peace of mind. Father and Mother—we’ll take care of them!”

“Big Brother…”

“I’m not going! Why should we be pushed out as bait—Second Miss—mmph—!”

Before Zhang Zifen could finish, the Shen family women swiftly covered her mouth and pressed her to the ground.

“You vile concubine—are you trying to get us all killed?”

Grandmother Shen ground her teeth in hatred. “This wretch just wants to shout it out so everyone knows. Hurry, gag her and tie her up!”

“Grandmother, let go of my mother!” Zhang Zifen’s one son and two daughters cried as they tried to rush over and save her.

Grandmother Shen glared furiously. “Whoever screams again will be tied up together with this wretch!”

The Shen family was already facing total annihilation. She didn’t mind sacrificing the lesser to preserve the greater—sacrificing the concubine-born to save the legitimate line.

Seeing their grandmother so enraged, Zhang Zifen’s children were terrified and stood aside, not daring to step forward again.

After arranging his mother and sister, Liu Yanhui returned and saw this scene.

Hadn’t he explained it clearly enough?

“Young Master said it’s entirely voluntary. If you’re unwilling and ruin Young Master’s plan, who among you can bear the responsibility?”

Zhang Zifen’s eyes widened as she began struggling frantically.

She wasn’t willing.

She didn’t want to go die.