Phi-Fic Chapter 102 Jingzhou Seizure and Investigation
Chapter 102 Jingzhou Seizure and Investigation
Xie Wanru, on the other hand, chased after him all night and found some clues, but in the end, she still came up empty-handed.
Because the messy hoofprints disappeared when they reached the riverbank.
Xie Wanru asked the name of the river and immediately felt somewhat discouraged.
This river leads downstream to Xuancheng. It's much harder to leave traces on water than on land, making it very easy to hide someone.
"Don't worry, Miss Xie. Even if they travel by water, my people will notify me when they arrive at the dock."
The mysterious man's mask was still on his face, and Xie Wanru didn't seem to care what he looked like.
"And then what? We'll just be made a fool of like monkeys? We missed the best time to rescue you because we didn't stop you at the border. Now we've been chasing you for so long and we're so close. I won't let you succeed."
Xie Wanru's patience had almost run out.
She left Xuancheng quietly, because the Xie family held considerable military power, and her departure as their only daughter inevitably gave others an excuse to make trouble.
But now she has no choice but to reveal her identity.
She was promoted to Princess Yongchang by the Emperor through exceptional promotion, a title that carried some power. Moreover, her third brother was a young general, so local officials certainly wouldn't dare to delay her.
"Eldest brother, tie him up and send him to my eldest brother in Guhuang City. Third brother, we'll travel day and night by fast boat. I need to seal off the transportation and conduct investigations."
Xie Wanru's tone left no room for negotiation.
Xu Ning wanted to persuade her, but then thought it best not to. They had other people with them who could follow Xie Wanru closely. He could send her back first and then go find them.
The mysterious man then realized just how extraordinary Xie Wanru was.
She had too many guards around her. Luckily, he didn't want to confront her head-on in the first place, otherwise he would be dead by now.
"Ms. Xie..."
The mysterious man was about to explain further when he saw Xie Wanru turn around and her gaze was filled with cold, murderous intent.
Yes, murderous intent.
At this moment, Xie Wanru believed that both the mysterious man and Xiao Yan were involved in kidnapping her third brother. In her mind, these people were traitors who had colluded with the enemy to achieve their goals. Without these people, how could the border be in such a state?
She coldly interrupted his unspoken words, her voice low and resolute: "You don't need to waste your breath. I will find out who your superiors are sooner or later. You are all selfish and shameless scoundrels. If it is found that you have colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country, I wouldn't mind personally going to see your head chopped off."
After speaking, Xie Wanru turned around, her cloak fluttering gently in the morning breeze. She walked quickly toward the speedboat moored by the river, followed closely by her third senior brother. The two of them quickly boarded the boat, leaving only the bound mysterious man and the eldest senior brother on the shore.
"sail!"
At Xie Wanru's command, the speedboat broke through the waves and sped down the river, heading straight for Xuancheng.
She knew that time was of the essence, and every minute and every second could determine her third brother's safety; she could not afford to be negligent in the slightest.
As dawn broke over the river, the water rippled, and the fast boat, like an arrow, cut through the tranquil surface, leaving behind long, thin ripples.
Xie Wanru stood at the bow of the boat, her eyes fixed on the front, her heart filled with both anxiety and determination.
She knew that there might be many obstacles along the way, but she was no longer afraid and was determined to find her third brother.
Inside the cabin, Xu Yang was busy arranging the route to ensure they could begin their investigation as soon as they arrived at the front.
His eyes revealed his unwavering support for Xie Wanru; he knew that once his junior sister made up her mind, no one could stop her.
The mysterious man and the senior disciple, who remained on the shore, watched the speedboat gradually disappear into the distance, each with their own distinct feelings.
The mysterious man's eyes flickered beneath his mask; he was both shocked by Xie Wanru's determination and helpless in the face of his predicament.
He knew this would be difficult, but he didn't expect that Xie Wanru would disrupt his plans so quickly, even after he had only delayed for half a day.
"Xiao Yan, you can't beat Xie Wanru, hehe."
The mysterious man murmured, "I have witnessed Xie Wanru's abilities all along the way. She is calm and clear-headed in the face of adversity."
The speedboat continued to cut through the waves, and as it ventured deeper into the sea, the outline of Jingzhou gradually became clearer, and dawn was approaching.
Xie Wanru secretly plotted how to use her power to mobilize all available resources for a thorough search and investigation.
She believed that as long as there was even the slightest clue, she could follow the trail and find her third brother's whereabouts.
After disembarking, Xie Wanru went straight to the local government office.
The people in the government office were all busy with their own affairs and did not know Xie Wanru.
Xie Wanru was even stopped and told to beat the drum outside the door if she had a grievance.
Xie Wanru's eyes sharpened, and she took out an exquisite gold medal from her bosom, engraved with the four characters "Princess Yongchang," which gleamed in the sunlight.
Upon seeing this, the guards' expressions changed drastically. Although they didn't know if it was true or not, they were certain that someone who possessed such a thing was no ordinary person, so they immediately knelt down and paid their respects.
"I was blind and did not recognize Your Highness. I was unaware that Your Highness had arrived. Please forgive me!"
The yamen runners all knelt down. Whether this person was really the prefect or not would be determined by the yamen runners. If they, as lowly soldiers, did not know how to be respectful, they would be finished.
Xie Wanru snorted coldly, bypassed the yamen runners, and strode into the government office.
She went straight to the main hall, where a middle-aged man in official robes was sitting; he was the prefect of Jingzhou.
"Your Excellency, I have important matters to discuss with you. Please summon all the constables immediately. I have an important task to assign you."
Xie Wanru was still holding up her waist sign.
Upon seeing that it was Princess Yongchang, the prefect dared not be negligent and immediately rose to greet her, and then ordered all the constables to be summoned.
He had seen the pattern on the waist tag before. Impersonating a princess was a capital offense, and he didn't think the person in front of him would dare to do such a foolish thing.
Xie Wanru succinctly explained her purpose, requesting the prefect to fully cooperate in investigating all possible hiding places between Jingzhou and Guhuangcheng, and to mobilize ships for sealing off the area.
The prefect dared not slack off in the slightest, and immediately arranged manpower and acted according to Xie Wanru's instructions.
“Princess, you may not know this, but Jingzhou relies on water transportation. A closure of waterways for a day or two can be barely managed, but if it goes on for too long, the merchants’ association may become uneasy.”
The prefect appeared rather obsequious.
Jingzhou, as a major city, was established thanks to this river.
It is a major commercial center with well-developed water transport. If the water transport is blocked for a long time, it will indeed have a significant impact on the economy and may cause dissatisfaction and unrest among merchants.
The prefect was not lying.
“Your Excellency, I understand the impact of the ban on transporting goods, but I have been chasing them for five or six days. If I cannot stop them in Jingzhou, it will only become more and more difficult to find them.”
After arriving in Xuancheng, it became even more difficult for Xie Wanru to find the person.
Upon hearing this, the prefect looked troubled, but seeing Xie Wanru's resolute attitude and the fact that Xie Wanru had a waist token that gave her an edge in status, he had no choice but to nod in agreement.