Chapter 241 Please bring Mr. Shen out!
"Pass on my order!" Sima Changfeng said coldly.
"Surround the courtyard where Shen Yulou is staying, three layers deep inside and out!"
"Tell the men below that this Marquis fears neglecting such a distinguished guest, so I have specially sent extra men for protection!"
He had already made up his mind.
First, he would put Shen Yulou under house arrest!
Even if he pushed him too far, he would simply go all the way and kill him!
As long as Shen Yulou died, this batch of emergency kits in his hands would become an exclusive, discontinued item!
A one-of-a-kind!
At that time, relying on these divine objects, plus the monumental scandal involving Princess Na Xing, he could still legitimately launch a campaign and sweep across the entire Yan State!
Thinking of this, a cruel smile appeared on Sima Changfeng's face.
To distance himself and leave a path of retreat, he added.
"Tomorrow morning, this Marquis will pretend to leave the city to inspect the military camps."
"The matters within the manor will be left to you."
"Remember, only monitor; do not harm anyone."
"In case... I mean, in the unlikely event that the distinguished guest suffers an accident, it will be due to his own carelessness, and this Marquis will have absolutely nothing to do with it."
A chill ran through the hearts of the advisors, and they bowed in unison.
"We understand!"
Sima Changfeng also kept a backup plan.
Taking ten thousand steps back, if things went awry.
He could still recover by claiming it was done by his subordinates and that he had no involvement... As the night deepened, the atmosphere throughout the Marquis's manor subtly changed.
The visible guards remained the same, but secretly, dozens of ghostly figures appeared.
Each one was a top expert under Sima Changfeng's command, silently lurking in the shadows surrounding Shen Yulou's courtyard.
On the rooftops, there were more than a dozen archers holding powerful crossbows, their cold arrowheads gleaming faintly under the moonlight.
Their eyes were fixed intently on Shen Yulou's room.
If the person inside dared to make any sudden move, they could instantly shoot him into a hedgehog.
Meanwhile, Madam Li, lying on the roof beam, naturally noticed this scene.
She narrowed her eyes, and a few small nails appeared in her hand... Early the next morning.
Sima Changfeng donned a magnificent set of armor and, surrounded by his personal guards, prepared to leave the manor in a grand procession for inspection.
Riding on his tall steed, he had already made his calculations.
After he left, he would first have his subordinates severely interrogate Shen Yulou.
To see if he had any stock left.
If not, he would let him conduct research within the manor.
Once the time was right, he could proceed with his great plan.
However, just as he reached the main gate of the manor, before his horse's hooves had even crossed the high threshold.
"Whoa—!"
A burst of rapid hoofbeats approached from afar, and a detachment of several hundred elite cavalry directly blocked the entrance of the Military Marquis's manor!
The general leading them wore silver armor, held a long spear, and his face showed unconcealed arrogance.
Behind him, a banner embroidered with the large character "Chen" flapped fiercely in the morning breeze!
Sima Changfeng's pupils instantly contracted, his face filled with fury!
"Chen Qingzhi! What the hell do you mean?!"
Sima Changfeng was furious, pointing at the other man's nose and shouting.
"Bringing soldiers to block my gate first thing in the morning, are you trying to rebel?"
This Chen Qingzhi was the nephew of his mortal enemy, Military Marquis Chen, and also his top fierce general.
Currently, all factions were holding their positions, maintaining a fragile balance. Did this old dog Chen swallow the guts of a bear and a leopard to dare make the first move?
Chen Qingzhi sat on his horse, looking down at Sima Changfeng, a mocking sneer playing on his lips.
"Marquis Sima, don't get so worked up."
He stroked the whip in his hand and smiled faintly.
"I didn't come to fight; I came to pick someone up."
"Pick someone up?"
Sima Changfeng was so angry he nearly stood up on his horse, narrowing his eyes and forcibly suppressing his rage.
"Chen Qingzhi, are you out of your damn mind?
Coming to my manor to pick someone up? Are you picking up your ancestor's ashes!"
However, from the cavalry behind Chen Qingzhi, a middle-aged man dressed in brocade robes slowly walked out.
The man had a refined appearance, but his eyes seemed to hide knives.
This was Chen Qingzhi's uncle, the other Military Marquis, Chen Xuan.
One of the three Great Military Marquises of Yan State, and Sima Changfeng's greatest rival!
Chen Xuan unhurriedly pulled out a scroll of bright yellow silk from his bosom and slowly unfurled it in front of Sima Changfeng.
"Brother Sima, calm your anger."
Chen Xuan's face showed triumph, looking completely confident.
"This Marquis is merely acting on orders."
"I have been commanded by the Princess of Yan State to welcome the distinguished guest from Great Hun, Mr. Shen Yulou!"
An imperial edict?!
Sima Changfeng's expression instantly became complicated; his tiger-like eyes were fixed intently on the imperial edict.
The bright yellow silk, the vibrant red seal of the Empress—they could not be faked!
Now that the Emperor of Yan State had passed away, the Princess was governing the state. Her decree was an imperial edict!
How could this be?
Sima Changfeng's face instantly changed colors like a dye house, going from flushed red to ashen green, and finally turning so dark it looked like ink could drip from it.
His mind was buzzing, and his thoughts raced.
Holy crap!
How did the news leak out?!
I only detained him yesterday, so how did this Chen fellow know, as if he had clairvoyance, and show up first thing this morning?
If it were just that little girl Na Xing wanting to see Shen Yulou, it would be manageable.
The area outside the palace was full of his men; she couldn't stir up trouble.
But now, the old fox Chen Xuan had personally come to retrieve him!
If Shen Yulou, that goose who lays golden eggs, fell into his hands.
Then he would be in danger.
If Shen Yulou fell into his hands, he would certainly gain the formula for the emergency kit.
Even if he didn't have the finished product now, once he manufactured it in bulk later, Sima Changfeng's slight advantage would vanish.
But now, the opponent had legitimate grounds, with an imperial edict backing him.
Although Sima Changfeng harbored rebellious intentions, it was not yet time to drop the facade.
To openly defy the imperial edict now would be treason!
Then the other two Military Marquises, along with the Forbidden Army under Princess Na Xing's control, could legitimately hammer him to death!
Damn it!
This is an overt plot!
How exactly did Shen Yulou manage to pass the message out?
Sima Changfeng felt his back molars were about to shatter; a mouthful of old blood was stuck in his throat, neither swallowable nor spit-outable.
He could only squeeze out a few words through gritted teeth.
"...Open the gates! Invite Mr. Shen out!"
A moment later.
Shen Yulou and Madam Li swaggered out under the murderous gazes of Sima's personal guards.
From beginning to end, Shen Yulou maintained that composed smile, showing no sign of the panic expected from someone held captive.
It was as if he had known all along that he would escape safely.
Shen Yulou walked up to Sima Changfeng's horse, his face adorned with a warm, spring-like smile, and politely cupped his hands in greeting.
"Ah, thank you, Marquis, for your hospitality last night."
"Especially that courtesan girl, she was truly passionate, attentive, and utterly soul-stirring."
As he spoke, he smacked his lips, savoring the memory.
*Pfft!*
Sima Changfeng narrowed his eyes, and a sudden chill ran through his heart.
Could it be that the courtesan passed the message to him?
But the courtesan was his woman, and she had only met Shen Yulou for the first time yesterday.
How could she possibly help him