There is a god in the sky

Chapter 419 Bad News

Late at night, a fast horse set off from Tongzhou, heading straight for the capital.

Shen Lan got up early in the morning and saw the officials packing their belongings.

They handed over the grain and other supplies they purchased along the way to the government, and the accompanying vehicles were also sent out.

Shen Lan saw Xiao Ji leading the horses over and said, "Let's ride away."

The horses they brought were not enough for everyone to ride.

Xiao Ji noticed her concerns and said in a low voice, "We'll lead the Imperial Guards ahead, and the rest of you can proceed at your own pace."

Shen Lan saw anxiety in his eyes, and wondered if he was eager to return home.

She took the reins and nodded. "I'm not a very good rider, so you don't need to wait for me. I know the way myself."

Xiao Ji didn't speak, but jumped onto his horse and shouted to the crowd behind him, "Let's go! We must enter the city before midnight tonight!"

"Here!"

Everyone was homesick and not afraid to travel quickly that day.

When it was time to set off, Shen Lan realized that Sui Ying was not in the group.

She assumed that Suiying had been left behind to handle unfinished business and didn't ask any further questions.

Along the way, the snow fell heavier and heavier, and the road became increasingly difficult to travel. Shen Lan was almost thrown off her horse several times.

"Lord Xiao, there are falling rocks ahead. A group of merchants' carriages can't pass and are blocking the road."

Xiao Ji ordered in a deep voice, "Send some people to help them clear the road, don't waste time."

With the help of the Imperial Guards, the fallen rocks on the road were quickly cleared to the side of the road, and the caravan leader came over to express his gratitude.

Xiao Ji had no interest in flattery and simply said, "Bring your carriage to the side of the road so that our horses can pass first."

"Of course, of course, I'll take care of it right away."

As soon as the leader agreed, a servant ran up to report.

"Master, something terrible has happened! My concubine is about to give birth, and her stomach is hurting terribly right now."

"What...what should we do? We're in the middle of nowhere, and there's no midwife available. How are we supposed to give birth? Weren't we supposed to have ten more days until delivery?"

"I don't know. Maybe the carriage was bumpy and the young master came out early."

The merchant had a gentle face, and even though he was anxious, he didn't lose his composure. He first ordered someone to move the carriage, and then climbed into his aunt's carriage.

As Shen Lan passed by, she heard the woman crying.

Although she had never experienced the pain of childbirth, she had witnessed it.

In this desolate wilderness, even if the child is born safely, it's uncertain whether it will survive.

"Ah...Master...I'm dying..."

"My aunt bled a lot."

"What should we do? Where can we find a doctor?"

Shen Lan stopped and said to Xiao Ji, "My lord, shall I go and take a look? You go first."

Xiao Ji sighed inwardly, "Go ahead, we'll wait for you up there."

They couldn't bring themselves to stand by and watch someone die.

Shen Lan instructed the woman on how to exert force and then told the maid to prepare things.

Although their conditions were limited, they had everything they needed in their luggage, so they weren't completely unprepared.

About an hour later, the baby was born; it was a healthy girl.

The merchant was overjoyed and said that all he needed was a daughter, so he took out a large sum of silver and distributed it to his servants.

Shen Lan also received a generous reward; the other party gave her a red envelope containing fifty taels of silver.

The red bag was heavy, drawing envy from many people.

"Thank you so much, young lady. If the location weren't so inconvenient, I would definitely invite you to my home."

"No need, it was no trouble at all. Goodbye."

Seeing that it was getting late, Shen Lan knew she couldn't delay any longer and quickened her pace to hurry back.

It was already late at night when they arrived at Qianjia Village outside the city gate.

It was past midnight, the weather was freezing cold, and the roads were slippery, making it unsuitable for traveling.

“My lord, even if we reach the city gate, it will be closed. Why don’t we enter the city tomorrow morning?” Sui Feng suggested.

Xiao Ji had no choice but to agree. He glanced at Shen Lan with concern and asked, "What do you think?"

"It's fine for you to decide."

After everyone entered the village and settled down, Shen Lan found Xiao Ji.

"Would you like to go into town, sir?"

"No, I'm exhausted after a long day. Even if I went into the city now, there's nothing I could do."

Shen Lan asked suspiciously, "Has something happened in the city?"

"No, don't worry about it. I'll be home by tomorrow morning."

Shen Lan observed his expression. Xiao Ji's disguise was very good, but the anxiety that occasionally leaked out made Shen Lan very concerned.

He is not a homebody.

Moreover, this trip was for official business, so it's understandable that he couldn't get home on New Year's Eve.

Why is he in such a hurry?

Shen Lan cut to the chase: "Is something you're hiding from me, sir? Is it related to me?"

Xiao Ji thought for a moment, and finally handed her the letter.

"Take a look for yourself, but don't be impatient."

After reading it, Shen Lan remained silent, and her expression did not change much.

But Xiao Ji could clearly feel the coldness emanating from her.

"Thank you." She returned the letter to Xiao Ji and turned to call Li Ye out.

Li Ye had just taken off his coat and was about to lie down when he noticed her strange expression and quickly asked, "What happened?"

Xiao Ji walked behind Shen Lan and answered for her, "Five days ago, Steward Li was imprisoned. The court officials listed more than a dozen of his crimes, half of the ministers knelt outside the Imperial Study for a long time, and hundreds of students stood outside the palace gates to support him. The situation was so large that it was unavoidable."

Shen Lan didn't believe that such a big move hadn't been prepared beforehand.

They had only been away from Beijing for seven or eight days, so Li Ge must have known about this long ago.

But he didn't resist; was he seeking death?

If Shen Lan were in someone else's shoes, she would probably think he deserved what he got.

But that's Li Ge, her family member. How could she bear to watch him die?

"This news came four days ago. We don't know what might happen in those four days, so we must get to Beijing as soon as possible."

Li Ye asked curiously, "Such a major case must take time from verification to sentencing, right? The criminal will be executed later in the autumn."

Shen Lan shook her head. "Li Ge is different. Too many people want him dead. He's in prison, and we don't even know if he'll live to see his sentence."

Xiao Ji rationally reminded them: "Even if you get into the city, what can you do?"

This is a heavily guarded prison; a prison break is impossible for you. If you reveal your connections, they will uproot you all.

Xiao Ji hesitated; he wondered if he should have brought Shen Lan back.

It would be very dangerous for her to return to Beijing at this time.

“I know, but we can’t just stand outside the city and watch helplessly. Even if we can’t make it in time, someone has to collect his body.”

Shen Lan draped a thick cloak over herself and said to Xiao Ji, "My lord, we'll go ahead first. You... take care."

"Shen Lan!" Xiao Ji called out to her.

Shen Lan turned around and smiled at him, "Don't worry, we won't do anything reckless, and please act rationally as well."

The two disappeared into the night in the blink of an eye, leaving Xiao Ji standing alone.

He clutched the letter and slammed his fist against the wall.

Hearing the sound, Sui Feng came out and asked worriedly, "Master, should we help?"

They all knew that helping Li Ge at this moment was tantamount to making an enemy of the entire court.

"There must be some of those Imperial Guards who have left their posts. We must plan carefully and not act rashly."