The Traitor Crown Princess (Transmigration) - Chapter 10

Shen Yi sat up suddenly in the midst of a deathly illness, threw off the quilt, and sprang up.

Sure enough, there were three or four men in black standing in the room. Each of them held a sharp blade and stared at him with ferocious, murderous intent; it was clear they did not come with good intentions.

No way. He had only stolen a peek at Chu Yun bathing; did they really need to send so many people to take his life?

Are they not even going to pretend anymore?

Seeing Shen Yi stand up, the men in black didn’t bother with small talk and lunged forward with a flurry of slashes. Shen Yi retreated to dodge the blades, reached out to grab a nearby umbrella, and, using a clever flick of force, struck the wrists of the men in black heavily, knocking their long swords flying.

Seeing this, the other men in black surrounded him. Shen Yi couldn’t hold off so many people alone, so he opened the window, stepped onto the sill, and leaped onto the roof. The men in black followed closely behind, and one of them threw a black hidden weapon.

Shen Yi flicked his wrist; the oil-paper umbrella snapped open, channeling his inner energy onto the surface of the canopy. He spun it around his body, deflecting the hidden weapon, which sent the men in black scrambling backward in fright.

Shen Yi reprimanded them: “I have no grudge against you; why do you want to kill me?”

The leader among them said: “Aren’t you Tie Zhu?”

Shen Yi looked puzzled: “You’ve got the wrong person.”

The men in black exchanged glances and asked: “Don’t you work at the coal mine?”

Shen Yi was speechless: “No!”

At this point, the men in black fell into a long silence. Soon, they came up with a countermeasure.

“Since you already know, we might as well take your life while we’re at it.”

Shen Yi made an “old man on the subway” expression: You guys are really something, huh?

“Enough talk.” The men in black swarmed Shen Yi again. Shen Yi closed the umbrella, struck the leader in the chest, quickly crouched to dodge two long swords, and with a sweeping kick, knocked three of the men to the ground.

Seeing that a direct assault wasn’t working, the men in black took out a bag of powder and tossed it directly into the air.

The white powder drifted toward Shen Yi on the wind.

Shen Yi’s heart sank. He turned and ran, but the next second, he stepped into thin air and, with a bang, his foot plunged deep into the roof.

The men in black behind him did not pass up the opportunity and attacked in a group.

Shen Yi grew anxious. Before he could pull his foot out, his other foot also stepped into thin air.

His center of gravity shifted. With a boom, Shen Yi fell straight through, crashing onto the Eight Immortals table.

Countless tiles fell, accompanied by swirling dust. The moonlight shone through the hole, illuminating Shen Yi’s pale face.

He stood up with difficulty, clutching his waist, as the men in black leaped down from the roof. Shen Yi rolled aside as a steel saber plunged straight into the spot where he had just been lying, burying itself halfway into the table.

“Damn it.” Shen Yi retreated again and again, but in such a small space, where was there left to hide?

One of the men in black caught Shen Yi off guard, throwing out a whip that tightly coiled around his arm, binding him a few times.

Shen Yi gasped in pain. This was the first time he had tried to use his inner energy, which caused the energy in his body to become chaotic and blocked in his Dantian, rendering him unable to wield it.

A long sword was swung straight down toward Shen Yi’s forehead.

Shen Yi couldn’t dodge in time and could only close his eyes instinctively.

After a moment, the expected pain did not arrive. He opened his eyes and saw a hand firmly gripping the wrist of the man in black, followed by a kick that sent the man flying into the wall with a heavy thud, falling to the ground.

Seeing that Chu Yun appeared quite young, the other men in black raised their blades and rushed forward.

Chu Yun slammed his fist into the abdomen of one man, and with a twist of one hand, decapitated him. He used the body to block two long swords, then snatched the whip from the dead man’s hand and lashed it out, coiling it around the necks of two others and pulling hard.

“Ah” The two screamed, flailing their arms and legs to pull at the rope, but it was useless. In an instant, they went still; their heads and hands hung limply, their expressions looking terrifyingly horrified.

The remaining men in black were so frightened by the two corpses that they dared not move forward. Exchanging a look, they used their long swords to cut the whip, hoisted the bodies onto their backs, and jumped out the window to flee.

Chu Yun wiped the blood from his face, his expression numb, and flicked two willow-leaf blades, which pierced the throats of the two fleeing men. Blood sprayed out instantly, and the two bodies convulsed a few times before falling to the ground, silenced.

Shen Yi was struck with admiration. If he were a woman, he would surely offer himself in marriage.

Chu Yun: “How long do you intend to stay tied up with that rope?”

Shen Yi gave an awkward laugh while untying the whip: “I was just momentarily distracted.”

He shook the dust off his body and asked: “Do you know who these people were?”

Chu Yun: “Not sure.”

The clothing and style of these men were different from the assassins dispatched by the Empress, but he could not be certain they weren’t sent by some other sect.

Shen Yi nodded: “They captured the wrong person just now; they said they were trying to catch someone named Tie Zhu.”

At this moment, the door was opened, and Leng Feng walked in: “Master, are you alright?”

Chu Yun: “I am fine. How are the others?”

Leng Feng: “The others are fine, too. The miner we met last night was terrified.”

Shen Yi suggested: “The person they were trying to capture is likely him. This flood must be inextricably linked to the mine.”

Chu Yun’s eyes were ice-cold: “Since they left, they won’t return. We can make do for the night and go to the town tomorrow to take a look.”

“Yes.” Leng Feng bowed respectfully and left the room.

Chu Yun walked toward the window. After closing it, he noticed Shen Yi was still standing in the same spot and asked: “What is it?”

Shen Yi guiltily touched the tip of his nose, and his earlobes turned bright red: “Your roof has a hole in it. If it rains and you catch a cold, what will you do? Would Your Highness like to come to my room and make do for the night?”

Chu Yun didn’t think much of it: “Very well.”

He walked out of the room, but seeing Shen Yi following behind him, he couldn’t help asking: “What is it?”

Shen Yi rested his hands behind his head, feigning relaxation: “Nothing, I’m just going back to my room to sleep.”

Chu Yun: “Didn’t you give your room to me?”

Shen Yi: “Yes.”

Chu Yun was silent for a long time, then walked into Shen Yi’s room and closed the door: “I have always preferred to sleep alone. If you dare come over and disturb me, I will make you sleep here forever.”

Shen Yi rubbed the back of his neck and returned to his room, feeling somewhat disappointed.

In the middle of the night, it did indeed start to rain. The drizzle rained impartially on every corner of the room, and the downpour showed signs of getting heavier.

Shen Yi: …………………….

Early the next morning, Chu Yun asked about the mine matter regarding Tie Zhu, while Leng Feng went upstairs to call the others. A while later, Leng Feng came downstairs, his face full of confusion: “Master, Su Qing is not in the guest room.”

Chu Yun drank the tea in his hand with a cold face, contemplating.

Could it be that the thieves from last night kidnapped him?

Or is he throwing a tantrum like a child, refusing to travel with them?

Either way, it was quite troublesome, but he didn’t take it to heart: “Forget it. Let the shadow guards investigate.”

“Two guests.” The waiter walked over, his face filled with fear: “That guest who was traveling with you yesterday is sleeping in the chicken coop now. You should go take a look quickly.”

Chu Yun and Leng Feng exchanged a look, stood up, and walked toward the back door.

The chicken coop was spacious and bright. Several hens were walking around outside, constantly clucking. Shen Yi was lying on the straw, his sleeping face peaceful, with a small yellow chick curled up on his chest asleep.

Suddenly, Shen Yi felt his neck itch. He reached out to press down on the chick, rolled over, and continued to sleep.

“Shen Yi.”

Shen Yi smacked his lips, ignoring the call.

It wasn’t until the quilt on his waist was pulled away that he woke up. As spring had just begun, the air was still quite cool. Once the quilt disappeared, the cold air pressed against his skin, freezing him awake instantly.

Shen Yi sat up, eyes bleary with sleep. As he turned his head, he saw Chu Yun and Leng Feng standing outside looking at him. He was stunned for a moment and scrambled out of the chicken coop: “You’re awake?”

Leng Feng asked in confusion: “Why are you sleeping here?”

Shen Yi: “There was no place to sleep, so I slept here.”

He plucked the chicken feather from his head and laughed: “Wait for me a moment, I’m going to brush my teeth and wash my face.”

After saying this, Shen Yi walked back to his room, completed his morning routine of brushing his teeth, washing his face, and combing his hair in one go, and then changed into a clean red pullover.

When he went downstairs, Chu Yun and the other were already waiting at the door. Shen Yi hurriedly bought two vegetable buns to eat on the road.

The carriage wheels rolled on, and the scenery outside the window quickly changed from a bustling market to the wilderness.

Before the carriage reached its destination, wails could be heard entering the carriage.

Shen Yi lifted the curtain, and the scene outside made his hair stand on end.

Several refugees were lining up in front of a porridge stall; all of them were skin and bones, their faces blackened. There were children who had been thinned down to skeletal frames. In front to the left, there was a withered tree filled with vultures, their empty, hollow eyes staring at the people on the ground as if urging the victims to die faster.

The carriage stopped in front of the local county government office. Seeing the three people enter, the guard at the door immediately looked ferocious: “Who are you! Why are you entering without reporting!”

Shen Yi looked at the guard who was shorter than him, and the corner of his mouth twitched: “We are people sent from the palace to investigate the flood.”

Shen Yi then displayed the jade pendant distributed to them during the morning court session. A dragon was carved onto it, representing the Imperial family.

The man stared in shock and hurried inside: “I’ll go call the Master now. You wait here for a while.”

After a time, a man wearing red robes walked out. His figure was like a pine tree, his brows possessed extraordinary heroic spirit. He walked up to the three, cupped his hands in a salute: “This lower official, Hao Tian, pays respects to the three lords.”

Shen Yi saluted: “Lord Hao, you are too kind.”

Hao Tian: “I have already ordered people to prepare tea. You lords have traveled a long way and must be tired. Please come inside and rest.”

Shen Yi: “Very well.”

The three followed him into the main hall, passing through the corridor to reach a backyard.

The backyard was surrounded by rockeries. It lacked the water pavilions and high-rise buildings of the wealthy, but it was quiet and elegant.

A servant brought over three cups of tea. Hao Tian smiled: “The tea is not very good. Please do not blame me, three lords.”

Shen Yi: “Lord Hao, do not be so formal.”

Chu Yun picked up a tea cup and took a sip. Although the tea leaves were last year’s Cloud Mist green tea, having such tea in a disaster area was quite rare, enough to show his sincerity.

He set down the tea cup and got straight to the point: “When did the flood occur, and how many people were affected?”

Hao Tian recalled: “It happened during the New Year. Several hundred people in the village were killed, and there are more than twenty thousand people remaining… The money in the government coffers has been spent during this disaster relief period. I reported it to the imperial court, but the court delayed allocating the funds. The porridge shop the disaster victims are currently eating from was only built after I pawned my family’s belongings; I fear it won’t last much longer.”

The three fell silent. Shen Yi knew that this matter was inseparable from the Empress.

The Ministry of Revenue was controlled by the Empress’s distant relatives. The monthly salary for the Empress alone was five hundred taels of silver, not to mention the large amounts from graft and bribery.

Now that the Ministry of Revenue would not release funds, their investigation would be useless; the refugees would starve to death regardless. They had to think of other methods.

Chu Yun immediately unfastened the jade pendant from his waist, threw it to Leng Feng, and said: “Leng Feng, take my jade pendant and go to the nearest county magistrate to get some silver.”

Leng Feng: “Yes.”

Leng Feng stood up immediately, pocketed the jade pendant, and left the way he came.

Shen Yi suddenly thought of another thing: “Are there any mining areas near the disaster area?”

“This is not false. This mining area was spontaneously opened by a wealthy family nearby. At midnight, one can often hear the sounds of excavation.”

Shen Yi glanced at Chu Yun and pondered: “Let’s go to the site of the flood now. I ask Lord Hao to send someone to lead the way.”

Hao Tian: “Naturally. Shall I go with you?”

Shen Yi: “No need. It is better for Lord Hao to be in the government office; otherwise, if anything happens in the disaster area, there will be no one to help.”

Hao Tian: “Very well.”

The mud and sand on the ground followed an irregular path, and the surroundings were desolate and bleak. Several black crows circled overhead, emitting eerie caws. The sky was gray; even at noon, there was not a ray of sunlight, and the atmosphere was low and oppressive.

“Two lords, this is the flood-affected area.” The servant pointed it out to the two of them.

Shen Yi nodded, waved his hand, and said: “Understood. You may go back first; we will study it ourselves.”

“Yes.” The servant cupped his hands in a salute and strode away.

Shen Yi walked toward the end of the sandbar. Here, it had been razed to the ground by the flood. Within a radius of ten miles, no plants or houses could be seen—only the soft soil under their feet, as if it would sink if one stepped on it.

To prevent himself from falling into quicksand, Shen Yi stepped specifically on rocks.

He observed the terrain and couldn’t help but click his tongue.

The village was located in a basin terrain. Under such circumstances, if the water from the river at a higher elevation overflowed or if there were heavy storms, water would flow out and naturally form a flood.

However, this situation was rare. The terrain had largely been set in stone; generally speaking, water would not flow down easily.

Shen Yi muttered to himself: “How strange.”

Chu Yun’s expression was indifferent: “Unless it was man-made. I asked the miner yesterday morning; he said that the flood happened shortly after the mining began. Furthermore, he had no grudges against those people, nor did he provoke any enemies; he was also unclear as to why those people were chasing him.”

Chu Yun took a fire starter from his embrace, opened the lid, and as the wind blew, several wisps of white smoke drifted out; a red flame licked at the top.

Chu Yun threw the fire starter. It fell to the ground, and the ground instantly ignited with wisps of white smoke, followed by a “pop” the soil jumped, and then all was still.

Chu Yun bent down, pinching the black powder from the ground with his fingertips, and pondered: “It is gunpowder.”

Shen Yi was stunned: “It is related to the mine.”

“Indeed.” Chu Yun stood up. “You go back first. I will go to the mine to take a look.”

Shen Yi replied immediately: “No, I am going with you!”

Chu Yun looked at him speechlessly. Shen Yi knew what Chu Yun meant, patted his chest, and promised: “I will not hold you back! Rest assured!”

Chu Yun’s gaze scanned his flushed face inch by inch, then landed on his bright red earlobes, and he asked as if unintentionally: “Why? Do you like me?”