Chapter 90: The long journey to Ningzhuo 6 (2/2)

Lu Yaozhu looked around the room but he didn't catch even the intruder's shadow, ”he escaped”.

Su Liya pulled away from him and looked down at her foot she said ”I am sorry, you lost him because of me. I should have been a lot more careful”.

Lu Yaozhu shook his head ”nonsense, how is this your fault, did you push yourself down? Please, I should thank you for kicking the knife away from him or who knows how the story would have ended”

The noise from the intruder's falls alerted the attention of the guards stationed outside the inn. Three guards ran after the intruder while the commander in charge of the guards led four guards into the inn.

The inn was quiet as they ran up the step to the room, with the window where the intruder jumped down from. They rushed into the open room door, the room was untidy. The window was wide open and it looked like there was a struggle.

They saw their master standing by the bed and hugging his wife closer. They immediately turned around ”General Lu! We apologize for coming late”

Lu Yaozhu pulled away and pushed her behind him when he gears their footsteps. He turned to the guards and replied ”there is no need to stand on ceremony, did you see or hear anyone jump down from the window?”

The commander a short muscular man in black and blue armour came forward, bowed his head and clamped his right hands in his left palm, ”Yea General, three of my men chased after him”. He glanced as the flustered woman standing behind the general and bowing his head once more continued ”we failed to perform our duties and put her highness in danger, please punish us as you see fit”.

Lu Yaozhu led Su Liya to seat on the bed and walked to the open window, he looked out the window and didn't find anyone but he saw that the window of the room next to his was wide open. ”There is no need for that, you were only following orders, the problem isn't from you since the intruder was already inside the inn. The window of the room before this one is wide open, he must have been hiding in there”.

He glanced at Su Liya and asked ”When did you dismiss your maids for the night?”

Su Liya pulled a blanket over her shoulders and walked forward, ”not long ago”.

Lu Yaozhu nodded, ”he must have been listening in, the walls of the inn are not thick. He waited for your maids to go and for you to fall asleep before sneaking in”

He turned to the commander and instructed ”position some guards around the inn both inside and out. Then have a few guards comb the area for the intruder, he would be was injured on his hand so keep an eye for anyone like that”

”Yes,” the commander bowed and left the room with his men.

Lu Yaozhu held Su Liya's hand and led her out of the room ”you can't stay here anymore, you will stay in my room”.