TNIBFT -Chapter 186 Impersonation

A subordinate raised a warning.

The soldier captain turned his head and saw the flap of the leather tent lift from inside. A young man dressed in black stepped out.

The young man wore a sleek black outfit and carried a sword, exuding an extraordinary air of valor.

On his shoulder was a long-haired person in a cyan robe—looking like a woman. At this moment, the person was motionless, life or death unknown.

Who was this person he had never seen before?

The soldier captain frowned. After a moment’s thought, he stepped forward and shouted, “Stop!”

Nanfeng paused in his steps.

Snowflakes drifted onto his hair. With one hand he carried the person on his shoulder, the other subtly resting on his sword, ready to deal with whoever stood before him at any moment.

“Who are you?”

“And what’s going on with this woman?” The soldier captain drew his sword, keeping a meter’s distance from Nanfeng, his expression serious, eyes sharp with vigilance.

Nanfeng bowed his head and said, “I am the lord’s secret guard. This woman scratched Lord Meng’s face and has already been killed by him.”

What?

Killed?

The soldiers, frozen in the cold, flushed red in the face, exchanging startled glances.

Meng Yuquan was mercurial. To people like them without status, he regarded them as nothing more than pigs and dogs. This peasant girl probably resisted, and then Meng Yuquan killed her to vent his anger.

Nanfeng continued, “Step aside!”

“Do you wish to die by disturbing the lord?”

The soldiers immediately made way, their faces full of fear, glancing at the enormous, luxurious leather tent. Shadows moved inside: clatter! clatter!

Inside, the sound of smashing porcelain kept coming. The shadowed figure was tall, wrapped in a thick fox-fur coat—this was clearly Meng Yuquan. Sensing Meng Yuquan’s anger, the soldier captain quickly sheathed his sword: “Apologies, brother, carry on with your business.”

Only then did Nanfeng stride away.

The soldiers who had rushed over arrived belatedly. One by one, they cautiously glanced toward the tent. The captain looked at the approaching squad leaders and said, “Lord Meng killed the peasant girl.”

“She’s already been carried away.”

They nodded. Such occurrences seemed routine. They returned to their posts, and the camp regained its calm.

Inside the tent:

The candlelight flickered, and the charcoal fire burned brightly.

Watching the intermittent glow of the coals, Qin Fengyi furrowed her brows. She unrolled a cloth-wrapped scroll from a wooden box. Her delicate brows knitted further: Why is this a deployment map of the Daliang army?

Why would the Left Chancellor have it?

Moreover, whom did the Left Chancellor intend to hand this over to?

Before his death, Meng Yuquan mentioned the Grand Eunuch Gao Defu. How had the Left Chancellor contacted Gao Defu? What was his objective?

It seemed the only way to know was to meet Gao Defu in person.

Half a stick of incense later, Nanfeng returned to the tent, drenched in wind and snow.

“Boss, Meng Yuquan has taken care of it.”

“And our people have already infiltrated the troops, flawlessly,” Nanfeng reported.

Qin Fengyi nodded. “Killing is easy, but understanding the old fox’s intentions is far harder. We must remain disguised along the way. I want to see Gao Defu myself, and find out who he serves. Once we catch the old fox’s weakness, he will surely die.”

A shadow of gloom flashed across Qin Fengyi’s eyes.

Nanfeng kept his head down, saying nothing. During the five years the emperor was comatose, Qin Fengyi’s trusted aides had either been hunted or killed, never able to find the true mastermind.

Qin Fengyi suspected the Left Chancellor.

Since the emperor awoke, the old fox had feigned illness, never attending court. In the rivalry with the Right Chancellor, the Left Chancellor remained inconspicuous. When the Right Chancellor died, he preserved himself, leaving no trace of fault to exploit.

Seeing that Qin Fengyi gave no further orders, Nanfeng bowed to leave.

“Send word down,” she instructed.

Qin Fengyi suddenly spoke again: “Have the team set off punctually at the first hour tomorrow. We need to reach Sifang City as soon as possible.”

“Yes!”

Nanfeng cupped his fists and withdrew. The tent was left empty except for Qin Fengyi, who sat at the desk, her fingers tapping lightly on the surface, wondering what the three children were doing right now.

Did they know their mother would come for them soon?

At five years old, they should be about the height of her thighs.

Would her daughter look more like her?

A faint smile played on Qin Fengyi’s lips as her gaze remained fixed on the carved brazier in front of her.

…

In Sifang City, in a secluded courtyard.

The courtyard was silent, with only a tall locust tree left with bare branches. Shangguan Ning stood beneath it, hands clasped behind her back.

“Lord Shangguan.”

Zhao Mingyuan’s face lit up when he saw Shangguan Ning’s back. He hurried over.

Shangguan Ning turned to face him.

Zhao Mingyuan smiled: “A few days ago, hadn’t you already left Sifang City?”

“Just now, my men reported that Lord Shangguan had arrived. I thought they had made a mistake.”

“So, your visit this time is…”

Before Zhao Mingyuan could finish, Shangguan Ning looked around and said, “I need you to check something for me.”

She reached into her chest and pulled out a yellowed sheet of Xuan paper. On it were exquisite patterns, with a yellow gem embedded in the center. Zhao Mingyuan glanced at it, surprised, and looked back at Shangguan Ning.

“You’ve seen this before?” Shangguan Ning asked, noticing his expression.

Zhao Mingyuan nodded: “Over the years, we’ve been constantly at war with Daliang. I’ve seen this a few times—it should be a royal gift from the Daliang Imperial Palace.”

The Daliang Imperial Palace?

Shangguan Ning frowned slightly.

The person trying to kill Ye Tian clearly wasn’t ordinary.

These patterns matched those on Meng Qing’s sword. They seemed familiar, but she hadn’t expected them to be items from the Daliang Imperial Palace.

“I understand now.” Shangguan Ning folded the Xuan paper and returned it to her chest.

“Lord, when will His Majesty arrive in Sifang City?” Zhao Mingyuan asked, eyes burning with anticipation.

Shangguan Ning replied: “That’s not something you need to concern yourself with.”

“For the time being, I will stay in Sifang City to protect the safety of the little prince. If there’s any issue, you can send someone to the hotpot restaurant to find me,” she said coldly.

Zhao Mingyuan cupped his fists: “The city hasn’t been safe lately. It’s good that you’re staying.”

“By the way, Ye Tian’s hotpot restaurant is hiring. I’ve already sent someone to blend in; it might prove useful in the future.”

“Understood.”

Shangguan Ning nodded. After a few perfunctory words, she left, remaining vigilant.

Since it was an item from the Daliang Imperial Palace, it meant that Meng Qing’s backer had an even higher status. Who could this person be?

If left unchecked, they would inevitably pose a threat to the three children.

…

At the hotpot restaurant.

Outside, the restaurant buzzed with people. The recruitment was complete; the two hundred new employees followed Yuan Heipang to the new workshop to spend their first day getting accustomed to the production line and the environment.

Watching the bustling workforce, Ye Tian felt a surge of nostalgia.

In his past life, he had been part of the army carrying buckets into factories. Now, in this life, he had become the boss—how the tides had turned.

“Boss.”

Hearing the voice, Ye Tian turned and saw Old Yang standing behind him, his slightly disheveled hair dusted with snow, face serious.

Ye Tian squinted. Old Yang scanned the surroundings before taking a step forward and quietly said: “This woman is too cunning. I followed her for several streets, and still, I lost her in the end…”