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Chapter 468 One is unreasonable and domineering, the other is cunning and treacherous.

Duan Yunfan hadn't gone far after leaving the post station when, after much deliberation, he turned back. Gu Junze frowned slightly when he saw him reappear.

"Young Master Duan, what else do you want?" Gu Junze's voice was as cold as ice.

Duan Yunfan forced a calm demeanor and cupped his hands, saying, "Brother Junze, when I left just now, I saw some unfamiliar faces around the post station, which made me uneasy, so I came to remind you."

Gu Junze picked up his teacup and took a leisurely sip: "Oh? Young Master Duan is so concerned about my safety?"

Duan Yunfan tentatively asked, "Recently, Zheng Guo City has become a melting pot of all sorts of people. I wonder if Brother Junze has encountered any unpleasant events? If anyone has offended you, I am willing to mediate."

“No need.” Gu Junze put down his teacup, his gaze sharp. “Young Master Duan, you should take care of your own brothers first.”

Duan Yunfan's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't show it on his face: "What do you mean by that, Brother Junze?"

"The literal meaning." Gu Junze stood up, indicating that the conversation was over. "If there's nothing else, please leave."

Seeing that he couldn't get any information from him, Duan Yunfan had no choice but to bow and take his leave.

He felt uneasy. Gu Junze's words seemed to have a hidden meaning. Could it be that those people had already been arrested?

Meanwhile, in the Duan family mansion, Duan Yunzhou was pacing back and forth in his courtyard.

Ah San and his men had been gone for a long time, but no news came back. Just as he was getting anxious, a servant rushed over.

"Young Master, something terrible has happened! Ah San and the others have all been captured!"

Duan Yunzhou's face turned deathly pale instantly: "What? How is this possible?"

"It's said that General Gu's shadow guards were prepared, and Ah San and his men were subdued as soon as they entered the courtyard." The servant's voice trembled. "Now they're all locked up in the post station."

Duan Yunzhou's legs went weak, and he almost couldn't stand up: "Has anyone confessed?"

"I...I don't know yet," the servant whispered. "But I heard that General Gu personally interrogated Ah San."

Duan Yunzhou was struck dumb, and slammed his fist on the table: "Damn it! That idiot A-San must have told us everything!"

In his panic, he rushed straight to Xiao Zhou's courtyard, and knelt down as soon as he entered: "Mother, your son has caused trouble!"

While embroidering, Madam Zhou frowned upon seeing her son's state and asked, "What's wrong? Why are you in such a panic? What kind of behavior is this?"

Duan Yunzhou's voice trembled: "Mother, all the men I sent to capture Gu Junze's wife and children have been captured! Ah San was even interrogated separately, and he will definitely confess that I ordered it!"

"What?" The embroidery needle fell to the ground from Madam Zhou's hand. "You really sent someone?"

Duan Yunzhou knelt down and kowtowed: "Son shouldn't have been so impatient. I just wanted to share Mother's burdens, but I didn't expect it to backfire."

Suppressing her anger, Madam Zhou strode to the door, waved away all the maids, and closed the door tightly.

"You insolent fool! I told you to observe, but you acted on your own!" Madam Zhou scolded in a low voice. "Now that things have been exposed, how am I supposed to clean up this mess?"

Duan Yunzhou cried, tears streaming down his face: "Mother, save your son! If Father finds out about this, I will surely die!"

Madam Zhou paced back and forth in the room, then suddenly stopped, a fierce glint flashing in her eyes: "Yunzhou, things have come to this, crying is useless now."

"Then, what should we do?"

Madam Zhou leaned closer to her son and lowered her voice: "We can't wait for Gu Junze to complain to your father; we must strike first."

"Preemptive strike?"

"The wicked accuse first!" Little Zhou's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "I will send people to spread rumors in the city, saying that Gu Junze, as an envoy of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, intends to frame my Duan family's eldest son and tries to provoke trouble between the two countries."

Duan Yunzhou's face lit up with joy: "This plan is brilliant! If the rumors spread, even if Ah San confesses, we can say that Gu Junze forced him to confess and framed him!"

Madam Zhou sneered: "Not only that, I will also send people to all the teahouses and taverns to say that Gu Junze is unwilling to acknowledge his ancestors and return to his clan, but wants to take the opportunity to extort money from the Duan family and demand a huge sum of money."

“In this way, Gu Junze’s reputation will be ruined, and Father will not easily believe his words.”

Duan Yunzhou nodded repeatedly: "Mother is wise!"

Little Zhou waved her hand: "Go back first, stay calm, and don't give anything away. I have my own arrangements for dealing with the rumors."

Duan Yunzhou wiped away his tears and got up to take his leave. Just as he reached the door, Madam Zhou called him back: "Yunzhou, remember, if your father asks, just say you know nothing."

"My son understands."

Madam Zhou watched her son leave, then called her trusted maid: "Go and call Steward Lin here."

A short while later, a middle-aged man with a sinister face quietly arrived. Steward Lin bowed and asked, "What are your orders, Madam?"

After telling the young Zhou about the plan, Steward Lin pondered for a moment and said, "Madam, if you want to spread rumors, why not start with this matter?"

He leaned close to Xiao Zhou's ear and whispered a few words. Xiao Zhou's eyes lit up: "That's a great idea! Do it immediately, make sure the rumor spreads throughout the city first thing tomorrow morning."

Manager Lin accepted the order and left. Little Zhou stood by the window, her eyes flashing with a cold light.

"Gu Junze, you want to acknowledge your ancestors and return to your roots? Dream on! Today I'll let you taste the power of public opinion."

As night fell, the inn was brightly lit. Gu Junze summoned his shadow guards to finalize the evacuation plan.

"We will depart at midnight, escorting Madam and the child in three separate groups," Gu Junze said in a low voice. "If we encounter any obstacles, we will show no mercy."

The shadow guard accepted the order and left. Gu Junze returned to his room and saw Chu Ruohan packing her things.

"Han'er, these are some pills I had prepared. If you encounter danger on the road, you can give them to Xuan-ge'er. They will keep him from feeling hungry or thirsty for three days." Gu Junze handed over a small porcelain bottle.

Chu Ruohan took it, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes: "Will the Duan family let us leave so easily?"

“They can’t keep them here even if they want to.” Gu Junze sneered. “Today, Duan Yunfan returned to test whether I knew the mastermind behind the kidnapping. I deliberately told him to keep an eye on his own brothers, and I’m sure he’s already guessed what’s going on.”

Chu Ruohan sighed, "The Duan brothers, one is unreasonable and the other is treacherous and cunning, they both take after their father."

Gu Junze's gaze was deep: "Duan Yunfan is much more shrewd than his elder brother. If I'm not mistaken, he has already gone back to inform them."

Chu Ruohan asked worriedly, "If we leave the city tonight, will there be an ambush?"

“I have already sent people to scout ahead and prepared fast horses outside the city.” Gu Junze held Chu Ruohan’s hand. “Don’t worry, I will not let you and the child be in any danger.”

Chu Ruohan nodded and leaned on Gu Junze's shoulder: "I don't know when I'll be able to come see Yun-ge again after this departure."

Gu Junze gently stroked her long hair, "There will always be a chance..."

Just then, a shadow guard rushed in to report: "General, we have just received news that someone in the city is spreading rumors that you intend to frame the eldest son of the Duan family and sow discord between the two countries."

Gu Junze sneered: "Just as I thought. It seems that Madam Zhou has already made her move."

"There are even more vicious rumors, saying that you are unwilling to acknowledge your ancestors and are trying to extort a huge sum of money from the Duan family," the shadow guard continued to report.

Chu Ruohan angrily said, "This is a complete distortion of the truth! They were the ones who wanted to kidnap us, but they're framing us for extortion!"

Gu Junze's eyes flashed with a cold light: "No need to get angry, this just gives us a reason to leave."

He turned to the shadow guard: "Pass on my order: depart an hour earlier than usual, and do not wait until midnight."

The shadow guard obeyed and left. Gu Junze looked out the window at the night, his gaze sharp as a sword.

"Since you attacked first, don't blame me for retaliating in kind."