There is a god in the sky

Chapter 434 Escape

In the early morning, thick fog blanketed the mountains.

They couldn't see anything below the cliff, and the officials were too frightened to go any further after climbing down only a few meters.

Xiao Ji personally interrogated the captured people and also learned that the mine originally belonged to the Zheng Prince's Mansion.

When King Zheng obtained the gold mine, he wanted to deceive everyone, so he married the beloved daughter of the old Qin general as his daughter-in-law.

Over the years, the Qin family has indeed protected this gold mine, and most of the profits have flowed into the Zheng Prince's Mansion.

King Zheng was determined to start a rebellion, but he needed money to raise an army and to bribe his court officials. Even with a gold mine in hand, he was still short of funds.

Moreover, he dared not mine too much in a year, lest the emperor find out.

All the residents of Muyun Village are people who moved there later; the original inhabitants were moved away long ago.

Thanks to this natural terrain, the gold mine remained undiscovered.

During his five years in office, Prefect Liu did notice some unusual things, but he didn't dare to investigate further until this time when multiple corpses were discovered.

King Zheng's reign lasted only a few months from his ascension to his imprisonment. After the news spread, the Qin family was too busy with their own affairs to manage matters here.

The village chief's son of Muyun Village was violent and liked to beat miners whenever he was unhappy. Too many people died and there was a shortage of manpower, so he came up with the idea of ​​using mentally challenged people as miners.

Even if a fool dies, no one will look for him, and the price is cheap.

But he certainly didn't expect that this place would be exposed precisely because of these dead miners.

Before descending the mountain, Xiao Ji handed all the signed confessions to Sui Ying, then took another route down the mountain to bring them back to the capital.

When the white mist dissipated, he personally led his men down to the bottom of the cliff, only to find that there was a river at the bottom.

Several mangled corpses lay on the riverbank, their faces unrecognizable, along with fragments of Shen Lan and the others' clothing.

"The river is swift; if you fall in, you'll probably be swept away long ago."

Xiao Ji sent some people to search downstream along the riverbank, but they searched for three days without finding anything.

Everyone was certain that the two officials were in grave danger.

Xiao Ji went to the Qin residence and learned that General Qin was terminally ill and that his sons knew nothing about the gold mine.

Before General Qin passed away, he only asked Xiao Ji for one thing: that this case not implicate his family.

All the villagers of Muyun Village were arrested and imprisoned; the lightest sentence they could receive was exile.

"My lord, this is the list of those who died in this battle. Thirteen people died in the Provincial Judicial Commission, nine people died in the Jiangling Prefecture, and five people died in General Cheng's subordinates."

The casualties weren't too high, but if you include Shen Lan and Li Ye, it was too tragic.

"Miss Shen's martial arts skills are not weak, and her lightness skill is first-rate. How could she have disappeared without a trace?"

Xiao Ji looked haggard and said, holding his forehead, "Keep sending people to search. We need to find him alive or dead."

“This… The special envoy sent by the Emperor is already on his way. Once he arrives in Jiangling, he will definitely take over the gold mine. It’s not appropriate for us to stay here after we finish our case.”

That makes sense. Gold mines are a sensitive issue, and it's best not to get involved.

Moreover, if the case is successfully solved, there will be no shortage of rewards and recognition for those who have made contributions upon returning to the capital.

Officer Xing had been following Xiao Ji for a year and was extremely loyal to him, which was why he dared to say such a thing.

Of course, he could also understand Lord Xiao's feelings at this moment.

They were about to become husband and wife when he suffered the pain of losing his wife. No one could accept that.

In contrast, Prefect Liu seemed much happier.

"I didn't expect it to go so smoothly. This young Lord Xiao is really lucky."

If General Qin hadn't been seriously ill, this matter would never have ended so easily.

"Perhaps it's your good fortune; after all these years of hard work, it's time for you to move up a rank."

Prefect Liu was also thinking about getting promoted. Although Jiangling was a good place, it was far from the capital. Now that the new emperor had just ascended the throne, there was a shortage of talented people in the court. If he could be transferred back to the capital in time, he might have a chance to become a prime minister.

With this in mind, Prefect Liu sent numerous letters to the capital, hoping to secure a good position.

As for Xiao Ji, he also wanted to curry favor with him, but Xiao Ji was disheartened and rejected his invitations every time.

Prefect Liu was puzzled. "No matter how outstanding Shen Lan is, she is still an orphan. She is not a good match for Xiao Ji in terms of status. Why does the Xiao family let her run wild?"

“That lord is the one who has the final say at home, and I’m afraid his clansmen can’t object to his decisions.”

"Perhaps it's a good thing for him that Shen Lan is dead."

The advisors strongly agreed, saying that for someone of Xiao Ji's status, finding a wife of equal social standing would be a great help to his career.

When the news reached the capital, those families who wanted to form marriage alliances with the Xiao family cheered and their minds began to wander.

On a cargo ship heading south, a woman in plain clothes was taking her blind brother south to seek medical treatment.

"The girl is beautiful and the brother is handsome. Why don't they find a good family in the county town? This constant running around is exhausting."

The boatwoman was in charge of the meals for the people on the boat. Every time she brought food to the brother and sister, she would pull them aside and say a few words to them.

She really liked the brother and sister; they were so good-looking.

It's a pity that such a beautiful girl couldn't be kept by my family, otherwise I would definitely ask for her to marry my son.

The girl's pleasant voice came from inside: "My brother and I depend on each other for survival. I only hope that his eyes can be cured. Nothing else matters."

"If it can't be cured, wouldn't that be a waste of money and time? Aren't you going to get married?"

"If he can't be cured, I'll take care of my brother for the rest of my life. How could I dare to get married?"

"Sigh, what's the point of all this?"

The boatwoman looked at the blind man with pity. Not only was he blind, but he also seemed to be in poor health. He was a real burden, despite having such a handsome face.

The door closed, and Shen Lan smiled as she handed the food to Li Ge.

"Eat up, don't worry about her."

After they met up in a county town near Tanzhou, Shen Lan took Li Ge by boat and headed south, separating from Li Ye and the others.

In this way, with fewer people, the goals are also smaller.

Li Ge had a cloth blindfold over his eyes, so he could only see the outlines of things. He took a few bites and then vomited.

"It tastes awful, it has a muddy, earthy flavor."

The food on the boat was simple, often consisting of fish soup or a mixed stew of river delicacies, with no particular emphasis on cooking methods.

Shen Lan also had a poor appetite, but when you're hungry, you can endure anything.

She shouldn't show her face too much; even when she does go out, she'll put on makeup to make herself look dark and unfashionable.

Even so, in the eyes of the boat girl and others, she was still a beauty.

"Just bear with it a little longer. Once the ship docks, I'll go ashore and buy you some dry food."

Li Ge's body needs nutrition, and although this fish soup is unpalatable, it is still sufficient to replenish his nutrients.

Shen Lan didn't have much of an appetite either, and only ate about three-tenths of her fullness before cleaning up the food.

As she carried the food out, Li Ge said from behind, "When we get to Hongdu, you should go back."

Shen Lan turned around. "Why do you keep urging me to go back? Are you afraid I'll regret it?"

"The capital offers high-ranking officials and prestigious families, and it also allows you to utilize your talents. The status of Lord Shen is something that ordinary women could never achieve in their entire lives."

He was indeed afraid that Shen Lan would regret it in the future.

He was already dead, and would spend the rest of his life in seclusion, while Shen Lan should have had a brighter future.

"You don't need to feel burdened. Giving up your identity and leaving the capital is not for your own sake, but to escape the strife."

I truly hate to leave Xiao Ji, but I'm not really suited to marry into the Xiao family. All the rules and conventions of the world will ultimately become shackles binding me.

Xiao Ji could give her the greatest freedom, but once she became Madam Xiao, she could no longer be Lord Shen and would have to take off her official robes.