Even women who travel through time can become prime ministers and nobles.

Chapter 442 Miscalculation

Wang Qinian was so anxious that he stamped his feet, but his eyes suddenly darted around the hall like an arrow that had lost its aim.

From the carved screen to the side room in the corner, even the shadow under the desk was not spared. The voice suddenly trembled slightly, "My lord, where is Wan'er? Where is my sister Wan'er? I told her to wait for me in the side room before I left, why is she gone now?"

Yuan Xiaomiao then remembered Wang Wan'er.

A few days ago, Wang Qinian was afraid that his sister would be implicated in their affairs, so he specially sent her to Chu City. However, he was so overcome with lust that he ordered someone to bring her to his residence and put her in a side room in the back hall.

Reminded by Wang Qinian, he panicked and turned to look at the side room: the half-closed curtain was not moving at all, and it was so quiet inside that even breathing could not be heard.

"Wan'er? Wan'er!"

Wang Qinian broke free from Yuan Xiaomiao's hand, stumbled towards the side room, and flung open the curtain.

The side room was empty except for a bed covered with a blue cloth, a half-cup of cold tea on the table, and a light purple dress draped over the edge of the bed.

Those were the new clothes Wang Qinian had brought for his sister; they were all wrinkled now, as if they had been hastily discarded.

"Wan'er! Where are you!"

Wang Qinian rushed to the bedside, grabbed the dress, his fingertips trembling violently.

He turned to look at Yuan Xiaomiao, his eyes full of questioning.

"My lord! What have you done to my sister? Did...did the Crown Prince's men kidnap her?"

Yuan Xiaomiao was speechless at the question, his mind a complete mess. He suddenly remembered Zhou Lin's departure.

He once mentioned that "there are brothers in the granary who are injured and need someone who knows medicine to take care of them."

He didn't pay attention at the time, but now that he thinks about it, could it be that Zhou Lin took away Wan'er, who knew some medical skills?

"Don't worry,"

Yuan Xiaomiao suppressed her panic and reached out to support Wang Qinian, who was about to collapse.

"Perhaps Zhou Lin took her to the granary—Wan'er knows medicine, and Zhou Lin said he would have her treat the brothers' injuries."

"granary?"

The hope that had just ignited in Wang Qinian's eyes was instantly extinguished by despair.

"But Zhou Lin has already been captured by the Crown Prince! If Wan'er is in the granary, wouldn't she also..."

Before he could finish speaking, his legs gave way and he slammed heavily against the door frame with a dull thud.

Just then, hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the back hall, accompanied by shouts from the yamen runners: "Sir! Something bad has happened! A lot of imperial guards have arrived outside, saying they are here on the orders of His Highness the Crown Prince to search the yamen!"

Yuan Xiaomiao's heart skipped a beat, as if it had been gripped tightly by a hand.

It's over, they have nowhere to retreat.

He shoved Wang Qinian aside, rushed to the table, and grabbed a black iron tiger tally from the corner of the table.

That was given to him by the Prince of Rongyang; it allowed him to mobilize his old troops outside Chuzhou City.

"Can't wait any longer!"

Yuan Xiaomiao's eyes turned fierce. "I'll leave through the back door immediately and take the rest of the brothers to the dilapidated temple outside the city to meet up! You go to the granary to rescue Zhou Lin and Wan'er, and then bring the old troops to meet you!"

Wang Qinian leaned against the wall, barely managing to stand upright. Looking at the tiger tally in Yuan Xiaomiao's hand, and remembering his missing sister, he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! You go first, sir! I'll wait for you in the ruined temple!"

Yuan Xiaomiao nodded and turned to rush out, but then heard a steady voice from outside the courtyard, carrying an unquestionable authority: "Prefect, Magistrate Wang, His Highness the Crown Prince has ordered—surrender immediately, or you will be killed without mercy!"

Yuan Xiaomiao stopped in her tracks, as if the blood in her body had frozen instantly.

He turned around abruptly and looked out of the courtyard: in the afterglow of the sunlight, a group of imperial guards had surrounded the back hall. Their silver armor gleamed coldly in the twilight, and the man in the lead was wearing the armor of an imperial guard commander and holding a long sword. It was Cui Zhihao.

Cui Zhihao's gaze swept across the hall, and when it landed on Yuan Xiaomiao, it was as cold as if it had been tempered with frost: "Yuan Xiaomiao, do you think you can hide the gunpowder and weapons hidden in the granary from us?"

"We have also presented Your Majesty with your secret letter to Prince Rongyang."

"If you surrender now, you might at least leave with a whole corpse."

Yuan Xiaomiao's hand holding the tiger tally trembled uncontrollably, her nails almost digging into her palm.

He had been planning for so long, and it seemed he was about to help Prince Rongyang reclaim his throne, but it was all ruined by Shi Wanxia and Cui Zhihao.

Those arrangements he thought were flawless had actually been seen through long ago.

“Yuan Xiaomiao,”

Choi Ji-ho's voice came again, tinged with sarcasm.

"We have found Wang Wan'er, who you hid in the granary and woodshed."

"She is not injured and is currently waiting at the official post station. As long as you cooperate, His Highness the Crown Prince will consider the matter and be lenient with her."

"Wan'er!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Qinian suddenly rushed out of the courtyard like a madman, but was stopped by the Imperial Guards.

He clung to the Imperial Guard's spear, tears streaming down his face.

"I'll cooperate! I'll confess to anything! Please don't hurt Wan'er!"

Yuan Xiaomiao looked at Wang Qinian's appearance, then at the densely packed Imperial Guards outside the courtyard, and suddenly let out a bitter laugh.

He slammed the tiger tally to the ground—the black iron tiger tally clattered to the ground and shattered into two pieces.

"Fine... Heaven isn't on my side, I accept my fate!"

The imperial guards stepped forward, took out iron chains, and with two "clicks," locked the wrists of Yuan Xiaomiao and Wang Qinian respectively.

The cold iron chains pressed against his skin. Yuan Xiaomiao closed his eyes, his face filled with despair: his career and his ambition had ultimately come to nothing.

The door to the back hall was pushed open completely, and Shi Wanxia followed the Imperial Guards in.

She was dressed in a light blue dress, holding a scroll of documents in her hand, and looked calmly at the two men who had been detained: "Prefect Yuan, Lord Wang, by order of His Highness the Crown Prince, you are hereby escorted to the capital to await His Majesty's judgment."

Wang Qinian, being supported by the Imperial Guards, was still muttering, "Wan'er...can I go see Wan'er? Just for a moment..."

Seeing his anxious expression, Shi Wanxia said softly, "Don't worry, Lord Wang, Wang Wan'er is safe at the official post station."

"His Highness will grant you a meeting before you are escorted to the capital."

Upon hearing this, Wang Qinian finally stopped struggling, though tears continued to flow.

As Yuan Xiaomiao was being escorted out by the Imperial Guards, he suddenly stopped beside Shi Wanxia, ​​looking at her with a complicated expression: "Shi Wanxia, ​​you were born a commoner. If you had followed Prince Rongyang, you would surely have been able to become a marquis and prime minister in the future. Why are you helping the Crown Prince?"

Shi Wanxia raised her eyes, her gaze clear and firm: "Yuan Xiaomiao, what I want is not to be made a marquis or a prime minister, but for the people of Cangling to live and work in peace and no longer suffer from the ravages of war."

"If the Prince of Rongyang were to truly reclaim the throne, it would only plunge the world into strife once again, which is not what I want to see."

Yuan Xiaomiao was stunned for a moment, then gave a bitter smile and stopped talking, letting the Imperial Guards escort him out of the yamen.

Dusk completely enveloped the Chuzhou Prefectural Government Office. The copper bells on the eaves were still ringing, but the previous sluggishness had disappeared.

Cui Zhihao walked to Shi Wanxia's side, looked at her solemn expression, and said softly, "Don't worry, with Yuan Xiaomiao and Wang Qinian captured, the old subordinates in Chuzhou are leaderless and will be cleaned up soon."

Shi Wanxia nodded and turned to look in the direction of the official post station: "Let's go see Wang Wan'er, she must be terrified."

The two walked out side by side, a gentle evening breeze carrying the fresh scent of the rain.

Looking at Cui Zhihao's composed profile beside her, Shi Wanxia suddenly felt a little more at ease—they had temporarily won this contest with their old subordinates.

However, as long as the Prince of Rongyang is still alive, this battle is not over.

In the distance, lights have already been lit in the direction of the official post station, like stars in the night, reflecting the tranquility of Chuzhou City.

Shi Wanxia gripped the document in her hand, secretly making up her mind: no matter how difficult the future may be, she would work with the Crown Prince and Cui Zhihao to protect the peace of Cangling.