The Double-Chapter 636 - 192: Unexpected Encounter

The man got off the carriage first, followed by the woman helping Jiang Li down. Jiang Li’s body was limp and weak, lacking any strength. Even walking seemed impossible without someone to support her, or else she would have fallen.

As the three of them entered the tavern, the patrons instinctively turned their gaze toward Jiang Li. The woman gently adjusted Jiang Li’s veil, and then Jiang Li started coughing. With each cough, the veil lifted slightly, revealing a face covered with red blotches that was terrifying to behold. At once, everyone in the tavern shrank back, afraid of being contaminated by Jiang Li.

The woman then displayed an apologetic smile and said, "My younger sister has fallen ill, so sorry for the inconvenience."

"If you’re sick, go sit inside; don’t infect us," a guest at the neighboring table said rudely.

Jiang Li was led by the two to the farthest corner inside.

This tavern was likely the closest one within a ten-mile radius, filled with many patrons. The chatter among them reached Jiang Li’s ears.

"Hey, have you heard? Prince Cheng is plotting a rebellion!"

"I heard. That Prince Cheng isn’t a good person. Before, he even had a secret affair with Consort Li. That’s just asking for trouble."

"Speaking of which, why would Consort Li have an affair with Prince Cheng? Consort Li is highly favored in the palace, isn’t she? I’ve heard that the Ji family has risen to the skies because of her."

"Haha, now they really have ’ascended to the skies.’ Brother, don’t you know? The Ji family has been raided. Consort Li too, greedy beyond measure, wasn’t content with the Emperor’s favor and had to meddle with Prince Cheng. Now look what happened; she brought disaster upon herself and even implicated her family."

"Do you think with Prince Cheng rebelling, it might affect us here? Are we going to war?"

"Hopefully not; there’s been no sign of that yet. Besides, even if there is a war, what’s it got to do with us common folk? We’re better off not getting involved."

The man and woman by Jiang Li’s side looked on as usual, the woman even feeding Jiang Li, unfazed by the conversations. Jiang Li realized that they must have known about these matters already. She was surprised in her heart; had Emperor Hongxiao acted so swiftly? It was truly unexpected. Prince Cheng must have been caught off guard by Emperor Hongxiao’s sudden move and was likely in a state of frantic anger by now.

But what the common people guessed wrong was that the battle was inevitable. Although Jiang Li knew that Emperor Hongxiao was not a simple monarch, going to battle wasn’t just about the wisdom of the emperor; it also depended on the strength of the soldiers. Prince Cheng, having conserved strength for so many years, was probably not to be underestimated. If a war did break out, it was uncertain who would suffer more.

As she pondered this, she heard voices talking outside the tavern. One said, "It’s too crowded in this tavern; I’m not keen on squeezing in with others."

The other replied, "I didn’t ask you to eat here; we’ll leave after feeding the horses."

The moment Jiang Li heard these two voices, she was first stunned, then immediately became excited. She hadn’t misheard; the two men were unmistakably Zhao Ke and Wen Ji!

They were here!

A boundless hope sprang up in Jiang Li’s heart. If Zhao Ke and Wen Ji were here, did that mean Jih Heng was here too? If so, there might be a chance for her to break free from these people. Otherwise, if she continued southward until she was delivered into Prince Cheng’s hands, she would never have an opportunity to escape.

I’m here! Jiang Li screamed silently in her heart, but she couldn’t make a sound verbally. She wanted to blow the whistle, but it was left in her residence, and even if she had it with her, she was too weak to use it, and the woman beside her would take it away the moment she tried.

Zhao Ke’s voice rose again, "They’re fed, let’s go."

The light in Jiang Li’s eyes extinguished.

The sounds of horse hooves came from outside; Zhao Ke and Wen Ji’s voices gradually faded away. Immobilized, Jiang Li was unable to go outside to see if Jih Heng was there. But it was not just about walking; if she could only shout out, she would not have to sit here helplessly unable to do anything.

The woman continued to patiently feed Jiang Li as any observer would believe they were truly sisters. Only a true sister would care for a frighteningly ill person without disdain. What they didn’t know was that Jiang Li’s illness was fake, and that was why the woman felt comfortable being so close to her.

Jiang Li obediently swallowed the food in her mouth. She could feel that the food served at the inn during the day was not drugged. The drug, taken once, could leave one weak and powerless for 24 hours, so the woman only drugged the evening meal. With the food being fed bit by bit, Jiang Li had no way to refuse; if she spat it out, the woman would find a way to force it down with tea instead. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm