Not Your Typical Villianess

Chapter 113: A double edged sword 1

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".

Su Liya rolled her eyes as soon as the three Ah's were mentioned, those three were annoying. She couldn't just dismiss them, "You can send them out of here, who doesn't know what they are here to achieve. Have Rong Rong keep guard and send them on a task that would keep them occupied. Idle hands cause a lot of trouble".

"Yes, I will inform the head of the General's secret guards to send out a team".

"Okay"

Yu Tao ran out to make the necessary arrangements while Su Liya and her maid began their show.

******

At Deputy Sun's study

Deputy Sun ordered two of his reliable men to keep an eye on the progress of his plan. He had begun to carry out his plan as soon as he got Minister Sheng and Prine minister Shi's support. For his plan to be effective he needed to have their support. 

He had put on a show of following his father's suggestions to keep old master Sun from getting suspicious. He already arranged to have an assistant working under him send the governor a secret message. As expected Governor Lu fell into his trap and arranged a meeting with his man.

He had suspected that the general had eyes on him and made sure not to be seen with the assistant. Deputy Sun was informed of the kick start of his plan a few hours earlier and sent a small team to attack the general. 

He ordered his men to surround the meeting place while the exchange was in process and attack the governor. He had woken up to good news, his men had succeeded. They attacked the governor only giving him a slim chance to escape, as planned before the attack the assistant handed the take records to him.

The successful operation that the first half of his plan was successfully carried out, now to see if the governor took a bite.

*******

The governor's mansion 

Two hours later the small team She had sent out returned with the governor. Su Liya was standing by the window overlooking the garden at the surrounding the pavilion when she heard a noise at the window behind her. She turned around to see expecting to see Lu Yaozhu but was surprised to see him held up by two guards in black. The guards greeted her and brought him to the bed.

He looked worse to wear with blood dripping down the side of his face, she covered her open mouth with her hands and whispered "General!" She rushed to the door and whispered for Baozhai to bring in some medicine and warm water and send for Yu Tao immediately. 

While Baozhai arranged that she instructed the two guards to lie him down on the bed. Yu Tao rushed in a few seconds later, he has been informed by Baozhai that the general was back. The general's condition shocked him but there was no time to worry. Boaz hai came in with a warm basin of water and clean clothes, she placed them by the side of the bed. 

Su Liya orders the guards to shift away a give her some space. She cleaned up the cover most face and apart from a cut on the side of his face there weren't any more serious injuries but as she tore his shirt open there was a long gash at his side. She cleaned up the wound and applied the medicine to his injuries.

Next was a cut on his arm and his laps by the time she was done applying the medicine Lu Yaozhu was unconscious. She treated his injuries as best as she could that by the time the doctor arrived there wasn't much to do. The doctor prescribed some pain medications and left. 

Su Liya sat by the bed keeping watch of Lu Yaozhu until he woke up. She let out a breath of relief when he woke up. She didn't know what happened but was glad he came back alive.

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