Chapter 113: A double edged sword 1 (1/2)
The Next day, At the governor's mansion.
Su Liya woke up in high spirits, everything was going as planned. She had finally received a response from the Wu family, it came in with her new wardrobe delivered from the local weaving. shop at Ningzhuo.
The letter was a pleasant surprise, she had all but given up when arrived. The patriarch of the Wu family had ignored her letters until now, while it wasn't surprising, it was quite irritating for her. Everything was going as planned, or so she thought until Baozhai rushed in and whispered in her ear.
”We have a problem, your highness. The General isn't back yet!”
”What!” She said then in lower tones, ”are you sure?”
”Yes, Your Highness. It was reported by Yu Tao himself. He returned to the General's rooms at daybreak under the pretence of getting fresh clothes but he didn't find the general” Baozhai replied
Baozhai's reply drove her into action. Luckily it was very cold outside and she had the maids shut the bedroom doo leaving only the side mirror so they were relatively safe from prying eyes.
Lu Yaozhu left the mansion in secret, the fact that he wasn't back yet couldn't be announced since it would draw unnecessary attention to his affairs. She could only take preemptive measures to keep the servants from finding out he was missing.
Su Liya paced around the room silently and paused ”Baozhai, please call Yu Tao in. Be careful not to attract any negative attention”.
”Yes,” Baozhai bowed and left the room. She ran to her room to call Rong Rong over to guard the door before going out to get Yu Tao. Rong Rong's presence at the door prevented the servants from getting closer. She stood guard by the door and only Stepped aside for Yu Tao and Baozhai.
Su Liya was seated on a seat by the tea table while holding a hand warmer close when the pair came in. She draped a fur coat on her shoulders, as she came in, she placed the hand warmer on the table and pursed her lips. ”Yu Tao has there been any sign of the general?”
”No, your highness. I asked around and no one from the small team he left with is back” Yu Tao replied.
Su Liya hadn't spoken a lot with Lu Yaozhu's trusty assistant but she had a good impression of him. Yu Tao was a loyal and efficient assistant, it was one of the reasons Lu Yaozhu kept him close. Yu Tao and Rong Rong are the children of madam Lu's oldest dowry maid. Yu Tao grew up with Lu Yaozhu, they were as close as brothers.
Yu Tao usually accompanied Lu Yaozhu everywhere but to avoid getting steward Meng and the other spies placed in the residence from getting suspicious, he stayed back. Yu Tao didn't argue with his master when the decision was made since the mission was meant to be a quick job.
However the quick job was turning into something else, Yu Tao's face was full of worry. He feared for the General's safety, Lu Yaozhu not returning as planned without sending any message was unlike him.
A lot went through her mind but Su Liya tried to stay focused, someone had to. It wouldn't help them if she let the dark overshadow her thoughts. She stood and paced around the room while muttering silently ”The general left to meet an assistant at the accounts bureau of Ningzhuo”. she paused her pacing for a few minutes and turning to Yu Tao quickly she asked, ”did he tell you who and where they were meeting the witness?”
Yu Tao rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully, Lu Yaozhu didn't inform him of the exact location he was meeting the assistant but he was aware that it was somewhere around the night market. ”I wasn't informed of the exact location but I am aware that, the young master was meeting the witness somewhere at the night market”.
”Then send a few trusted guards to look for the general, discretely. I don't know what is keeping him from coming back but he might just be injured. While the guards to after the lead, we will cover up for him, luckily everyone assumed that he spent the night here. We can keep it like that, you got. I will just lock off the rooms and inform everyone that the general felt a little fainted when he got up this morning and is resting.
”luckily we are in winter right now so no one would question the shut doors, we will maintain appearance by having the kitchen send down some food. No one would dare open the door without permission” This was the only way she felt they could safely go through this without drawing attention to the fact that the Governor wasn't in the mansion.
Baozhai and Yu Tao nodded but Baozhai remembered the three new inner chamber maids assigned to her and asked ”what are we going to do about Ah Mei and the rest, they might start getting suspicious when they don't hear the general voice”.