Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 624 - 622

Chapter 624: 622

Madam Li was mentally cursing. Mrs. Li always did more harm than good! She was so annoyed that she wanted to ignore her, but she couldn’t ignore her. After all, she was still the mother of her grandson.

Madam Li quickly went away with Mrs. Li. The hunters never expected that an old woman could run faster than they could. Those who wanted the 100-tael reward had no choice but to cry out, "Those two are the criminals on the imperial list. Stop them! A reward of 100 taels for their capture!"

People ahead, hearing this, couldn’t help but join the pursuit. 100 taels of silver running on the road. Who wouldn’t want to pick it up?!

Madam Li brandishing the walking stick, swatted down anyone who dared rushed forward to stop them.

The smart ones ran off to find the constable, who soon joined the chase.

"Stop running!" One constable shouted as he pursued.

"Mother, what should we do? We’ve been found out!" Mrs. Li was terrified.

Madam Li was exasperated, she didn’t speak her mind, thinking if you’re so scared now, why didn’t you listen before! She was so stubborn that even ten oxen couldn’t budge her!

Madam Li looked around, not daring to rashly run into the alleys, worried that they might end up dead since they were unfamiliar with the local terrain.

But, not far away, there was a bamboo forest. Once they made it there, they could escape those pursuers. After shaking off those soldiers, they could return to the inn at night to meet up with their servants and then leave by carriage.

As Madam Li ran, she mulled over her escape plan.

At that moment, a carriage approached from behind. As it passed by, the curtain of the carriage was lifted slightly, and a familiar voice came from inside the carriage, "Madam Li, please get in the carriage. Allow me to give you a lift."

The carriage slowed in front of them - a long, handsome hand extended out from inside.

Just as they were about to be caught, Madam Li turned towards Mrs. Li, "Quickly, get in the carriage!"

Mrs. Li promptly nodded, grabbed the hand, and the owner of the hand gripped tight, pulled her up into the carriage.

Madam Li, still strong as ever, lifted her foot onto the footboard, and with both hands holding the edges of the carriage, she boarded.

The moment she got in, the carriage sped off without consideration for pedestrians, bolting away.

Spectators on the street hurriedly dodged the speeding carriage.

The carriage smoothly made its way out.

News of Madam Li and Mrs. Li’s whereabouts soon made its way to the Imperial Capital.

By then, the harvest season was over, and the Emperor was lounging about in Xiao’er’s villa, unwilling to leave.

Shangguan Xuanyi and Shen Chengyao had their own affairs to attend to, hence they couldn’t always be by his side.

Therefore, the task of keeping him company fell to Xiao’er, who conveniently either had a lot or absolutely nothing to do.

Meanwhile, Xi’er and the Seventh Prince came along too, to amuse him.

By far, Shangguan Xuanyi was the most frustrated. Ever since the Emperor feigned illness, he and his brothers had been kept busy, with only late evenings free to meet Xiao’er and occasional dinners with her.

Now, she was keeping her father company at the villa - a place quite a distance away from the Imperial City, taking half a day’s ride on horseback, he hadn’t seen Xiao’er in almost a month now.

This day, news came from the Li family, and he seized the chance to pay a visit.

At the time, they were playing mahjong, with Emperor losing three times in a row.

It wasn’t that the Emperor was deliberately losing. He simply couldn’t win despite his best efforts!

Although Xi’er and the Seventh Prince were young, they had had much experience playing mahjong at the Marquis Shengping’s mansion. The Emperor was the only novice. Losing to three children not only damaged his pride, but he had also lost all his silver, owing a huge gambling debt. Losing this badly made him doubt life!

The game had just started. The Seventh Prince tossed down a disc and said, "Father, you’re missing one."

The Emperor flinched and looked down to see that he indeed, was short of one tile. How could he complete his hand like this!

"You little scoundrel! How come you didn’t say anything earlier, and only now!" The Emperor was angry.

"If I had said it earlier, how could I have one less competitor?" The Seventh Prince matter-of-factly replied.

"I am your father, how can I be your competition? Do you have any sense of respect?!" The Emperor angrily blew out his hair and stared wide-eyed.

"Didn’t father state that ’he’s no kin of mine on the gaming floor’, and that we shouldn’t hold back?"

"Reminding me that I was missing one tile exemplifies sportsmanship, understand? How can you be so thick-headed!" He was infuriated. How could he have produced such a stubborn son!

It was rare for a son not to give concessions to his father, let alone continuously allow the younger kid to win!

"Didn’t father teach me that all’s fair in war?"

Emperor: ...

Just then, Shangguan Xuanyi walked in. Upon seeing him, the Seventh Prince enthusiastically asked, "Big Brother, fair play is crucial in gambling, right?"

The Emperor signaled to Shangguan Xuanyi, with wild eye flutters, trying to hint to him not to give an affirmative answer.

Ignoring the Emperor’s gestures, Shangguan Xuanyi glanced at Xiao’er. Seeing her return a smile, he then turned to the Seventh Prince and affirmed with a firm nod, "Indeed!"

Emperor: He felt winded!

"Big Brother, all’s fair in war, right?" Being encouraged, the Seventh Prince continued his momentum, feeling quite satisfied.

"Yes!" Shangguan Xuanyi encouraged with a smile.

Emperor: He felt like he died!

These two definitely aren’t his true sons!

"And should I immediately inform father about his shortage of one tile?"

"Of course not!" Shangguan Xuanyi glanced in the Emperor’s direction, realising why his eyes had been twitching earlier.

The Emperor felt a sense of humiliation rise up in him!

How could they play honestly anymore? He wasn’t going to play!

"Little rascal, why are you here at this hour? Have the memorials done? Are all the matters settled? You have nothing to do?"

Shangguan Xuanyi, unafraid of him, handed him a letter.

"News came about Madam Li’s whereabouts."

The Emperor rose, deliberately knocking over the table in the process. The mahjong tiles tumbled down. "Ah, the tiles all revealed now. Done playing! Done playing!"

Going on like this, he’d lose his dragon throne!

The Emperor moved away from the mahjong table and opened the letter.

"Do you know who saved them?"

Shangguan Xuanyi shook his head, "I don’t."

The Li family was indeed loyally dedicated. Madam Li and the Empress Dowager had exchanged handkerchiefs before.

The Empress Dowager once said that regardless the Li family would rebel or not, she wished Madam Li could be spared.

Madam Li was elderly, so how many more years could she even live? The Emperor complied.

He never really intended to capture all their old and weak, it’s just that treason was a capital offence, and he had to present a firm stance. If he showed any signs of leniency, wouldn’t people think the Minze Dynasty was so easily bullied? That’s why he arrested suspects so ostentatiously!

He wanted the world to know that any conspiracy was unforgivable!