Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 154: Chariot
Yan Yi was shocked when he heard this and asked anxiously, "Is he dead?"

A rare flicker of annoyance crossed Yin Li's stern face. Zhu Zhi was under his command, and to be stabbed right under his nose was like a slap in the face.

He said in a low voice, "He was hit by a sword in the face and chest. He is seriously injured but not dead. The wound doctor is treating him."

Yan Yi frowned and asked, "Can you save your life?"

Yin Li answered without hesitation, "It depends on whether he can survive tonight."

Yan Yi's face was as gloomy as water. In just three months, he and his men had been assassinated twice, and both attempts had been successful. This made him furious, and he asked coldly, "Have the assassins been apprehended?"

Yin Li lowered his head and said, "There were ten assassins in total, all of them were ready to die. Eight of them were killed on the spot by the defenders, and the other two committed suicide. The insider who helped the assassins approach Zhu Zhi has been captured and is being interrogated."

Yan Yi placed his pen on the table, stood up, and walked out of the room, with Yin Li following closely behind.

Zhu Zhi's mansion covered a vast expanse, its high walls and deep courtyards a majestic spectacle. Exotic flowers and plants clashed in profusion, rockery and flowing water complemented each other, and winding paths led to secluded retreats, each step creating a changing scene. He walked for a full quarter of an hour before finally reaching the mansion's gate.

When he walked out of the mansion, the personal guards were already waiting outside with horses.

Yan Yi mounted his horse and headed eastward under the escort of more than a hundred personal guards. Soon he arrived at the house where Zhu Zhi was imprisoned.

There was a guard post every three steps and a sentry every two steps around the house, and hundreds of soldiers had surrounded it.

Yan Yi walked into the house and met Zhu Zhi in a bedroom next to the main house in the backyard.

The room was filled with the pungent smell of herbs. Zhu Zhi was lying on a carved mattress with his eyes closed and his breathing weak. His face and chest were wrapped in thick silk cloth, and blood and medicine stains were faintly seeping into the white cloth.

Two wound doctors and two maids stood by, with uneasy looks on their faces.

Yan Yi asked the doctor about Zhu Zhi's injuries and received an answer similar to Yin Li's. He stopped asking and thought for a moment before ordering, "Bring Zhu Zhi's wife and concubines to stay in the adjacent wing and take care of him."

After he conquered Qiantang, he captured many of the enemy's families. The most important of these was Zhu Zhi's wife, Zhang. He summoned her wives and concubines now, hoping they might help Zhu Zhi survive this difficult situation. Otherwise, his losses would be incalculable.

The person on the bed is worth at least tens of millions of dollars. It can be said that every inch of flesh is worth an inch of gold. If he dies like this, who can he ask for money?

Zhu Zhi seemed to still have a faint consciousness. As soon as Yan Yi finished speaking, the fingers of his right hand trembled slightly.

Yan Yi looked at his weak and miserable appearance and couldn't help but sigh slightly. No matter how heroic you are or how high your status is, in the face of death, you are just an ordinary person.

He stayed in the bedroom for a while, then got up and left. As he walked out of the door, he happened to see a group of soldiers escorting six women into the backyard.

The first woman, about thirty years old, was graceful and elegant. Her hair was tied high in a bun, adorned with a few delicate silk flowers. Although she did not have any gold or jade hairpins, she exuded an air of nobility. This woman was Zhu Zhi's wife, Zhang, who was said to be from the Zhang clan of Pengcheng.

The Zhang family of Pengcheng was also a large clan, and its representative figure was Zhang Zhao, who historically held the status of "worshipping the orphan when entering the palace and the emperor when leaving the palace" in the Eastern Wu Dynasty.

Behind Zhang were five young women, all of whom were young and beautiful.

One of the young women had a face as bright as the moon, eyes as clear as autumn water, and lips as red as cherry blossoms. As she passed Yan Yi, she seemed to have guessed his identity, slowing her pace and bowing gracefully: "I, your humble concubine Zhao Ru, pay my respects to the Young Master. I have long heard of your great reputation, like thunder in my ears. Today, I am fortunate to meet you and finally understand what a true hero is."

For a married woman to reveal her name in front of a stranger was beyond the norm of etiquette, not to mention that the stranger was a man. As soon as Zhao Ru finished speaking, Zhang and the others were so angry that their faces turned pale and they cast contemptuous glances at her.

Yin Li whispered in Yan Yi's ear: "This is Zhao Rui's daughter."

Yan Yi looked Zhao Ru up and down. Zhao Rui was the fat sheep he wanted to slaughter. This woman was very shrewd and knew how to seize every opportunity to save herself.

Zhao Ru puffed out her chest, showing off her beautiful figure, her eyes flickering with a hint of seduction. She glanced at Yan Yi, half shy and half delighted, and was about to speak when he turned his gaze to Zhang. He said in a chilling tone, "Take good care of Zhu Zhi. If he dies, you will be buried with him."

Zhao Ru's face instantly turned pale, and for the first time, she felt a fear of a man. She stood there in a daze, and when she came to her senses, she realized that Yan Yi had already walked away. Only his back could be seen, looming among a group of guards.

Yan Yi left the house and saw a convoy waiting on the street outside the gate.

In front of the convoy were eight soldiers holding official badges, who were responsible for clearing the way for the convoy.

Behind it was a horse-drawn double-shafted axe cart. In the center of the cart stood a large axe, blade facing outward, symbolizing authority. On either side of the axe sat a royal slave, kneeling solemnly.

Behind the axe cart was a drum and trumpet cart, pulled by two large horses. It had two decks, with drums, halberds, and banners adorned with feathers, and two kneeling drum officials. Four musicians sat at attention on the lower deck, holding flutes, horns, and other instruments.

Further back were six official carriages with white hoods, silver tassels draped from the roof edges, and intricate carvings carved into the sides. In front of the carriages sat two drivers, and behind them sat several officials in official robes with sashes dangling from their waists. They all sat tall and dignified.

In the center of the six official carriages sat a magnificent chariot. Its roof was covered with a black silk canopy, draped with golden tassels. The carriage's interior was carved with cloud patterns and inlaid with jade. On either side of the carriage were two chariot wheels, one of which was painted a vibrant vermilion. Two mounted officials carrying halberds guarded the carriage, front and back, and two lines of cavalrymen flanked it.

It was the first time that Yan Yi saw such a grand and solemn carriage, and a hint of surprise appeared in his eyes.

This motorcade was a gift meticulously prepared by Quan Rou for him, a display of his authority as the ruler of Qiantang. The chariots and ceremonial processions were designed to perfectly emulate the standards of a 2,000-stone prefect, embodying their dignity. However, to avoid the appearance of overreach, Quan Rou deliberately painted only the left axle red, while the prefect's chariot had both axles painted red.

When Yan Yi was in Wucheng, most of his subordinates came from humble backgrounds. Though loyal and brave, they had little experience of the world, so his carriages were quite casual. On his daily outings, he was often accompanied by dozens of guards, a gesture of grandeur. This time, upon entering Qiantang, he finally understood the meaning of urban prosperity and the grandeur of travel.

He had originally not wanted to be so ostentatious, but Quan Rou's words changed his mind: "Officials of this dynasty have their own etiquette and regulations when traveling. Since the young prince has just settled in Qiantang, it is appropriate to use this opportunity to establish his authority and reassure the people."

(End of this chapter)