Tangli Fried Snow

Soldiers stand guard on the high city walls. Jiyue City has a history of over a hundred years, yet it remains as vibrant as ever, giving people a sense of grandeur and prosperity.

The city walls were lined with fully armed Northern Army guards, and many officers in armor with stern faces constantly patrolled the surroundings. Every soldier displayed the strict discipline and bearing of a regular army. Corner towers and observation decks filled the entire city wall's field of vision, and there were countless other observation decks throughout the capital. It was said that an entire company of troops was stationed at each of the city's main gates.

Their uniforms were neat and their discipline was strict. They were wary of everyone entering or leaving the capital, scrutinizing them from head to toe, and paying particular attention to the carriages, luggage, faces, and expressions of all those entering and leaving.

Once an anomaly is detected, a special team will conduct a follow-up inspection, demonstrating the extremely strict control measures in Jiyue City.

They and their carriage underwent a thorough inspection before being allowed to pass, and finally entered the city at dusk.

The buildings throughout the city can only be described as tall and magnificent. Their architectural style is rigid, and the passage of time has given them a sense of vicissitude and weight, which makes people feel awe and respect.

Far from the ravages of war, this place is economically developed and densely populated. A closer look reveals the city's cleanliness, prosperity, and tranquility. Even the faces of the small vendors exude a sense of composure, as if Jiyue City has not been affected by the war and everyone's lives are still the same as before.

After another full hour of travel, the caravan stopped at a street-front shop in the city.

The shops along the way are dazzling and offer a wide variety of goods, making it hard to choose.

The sounds of street vendors calling out their wares filled the air, and the bustling atmosphere of everyday life delighted Shirley in the carriage. She leaned out of the carriage, watching with great interest, and Lin Wanjun smiled gently at her girlish expression.

"Sister, we've arrived. Look." The carriage finally stopped, and Lin Wanjun pointed to a shop and said to Xue Li.

Sherry took a good look around. The shop was small, in a secluded corner, quiet in the midst of the hustle and bustle, and very inconspicuous.

Jin Qingyan was in a great mood when she saw that they had arrived at their destination safely. She lifted the carriage curtain and personally helped the two of them out of the carriage.

"Come, sister, wife, get out of the carriage and take a look." His tone was light and cheerful.

The two got out of the car, stretched their stiff limbs, and went down to the first floor. There was a shopkeeper and two waiters who came out to greet them, respectfully calling out, "Madam, Miss."

Lin Wanjun politely addressed him as Manager Hu.

Lin Wanjun led Xue Li to a boudoir on the second floor so that she could rest. The room was very clean, obviously someone had come to clean it in advance, which showed that besides the people who came, there should be many Duan Jingyu's people in Jiyue City.

It looks like I'll be staying here for a few months.

Here, there is no worry about food or clothing, no danger, no men to serve, and the war is far away. This is good.

One heart, two hands ready.

She familiarized herself with the surrounding terrain; if she could escape, all the better—it would be perfect.

As darkness fell, the maids and servants who had come with them began to do laundry and cook.

After dinner, everyone washed up and went to bed. Unlike usual, Lin Wanjun brought a porcelain bottle and poured it into her bathwater, smiling as she said to her, "This is a secret medicine from the palace, called Jade Beauty Dew. Just use a few drops each time you bathe, and your skin will gradually become smooth and delicate, as silky and smooth as milk."

Those few drops of water seemed to have magic, their unique fragrance filling the air and relaxing all of Sherry's nerves, releasing all the fatigue of the past few days.

"Little sister, don't fall asleep..." Lin Wanjun's voice seemed to come from afar...

Shirley didn't climb out of the water until it got cold, only after being urged by her.

"Come on, little sister, have some honey dew to try." Lin Wanjun brought over a porcelain bottle. The contents were similar to honey, sweet and delicious, and red in color. She sprinkled it into the milk and drank it. Soon after, she fell into a deep sleep. The sleep-inducing effect was comparable to tranquilizers.

She slept soundly that night.

In the middle of the morning, half asleep, she dreamt of Wen Xiangli. He was gently stroking her, kissing her, and thrusting into her. She couldn't help but open her eyes.

This was a sensual dream. It seems I have some feelings for him, otherwise why would I dream about him?

However, many people may never see each other again once they separate.

Especially in ancient times when communication and transportation were underdeveloped, without mobile phones or telephones, perhaps she would never see him again?

…………

Unbeknownst to her, Wen Xiangli was currently in Jiyue City.

Wen Xiangli was with Jiang Qimo, who had come from the capital.

This Lord Jiang was a full head taller than him, with a robust build, a handsome appearance, and a sharp glint in his eyes from time to time; he was clearly no ordinary person.

He rushed from Kyoto, his mission being to rescue the second young master of the Jin family from Duan Jingyu.

This is no easy task.

Duan Jingyu treats Jin Cheng like a precious gem; he captured him simply to use him as a hostage, giving him leverage in negotiations with the court. It's obvious how closely he's watching him.

This task can only be accomplished with the help of a local person who is familiar with the names of the various terrains, and who has a thorough understanding of the terrain, generals, towns, and even languages ​​of each region.

Wen Xiangli fits the bill perfectly in every way: a true local, a soldier who has served here for six or seven years, of noble birth, and with a keen mind.

Reports came from the front lines that Jin Cheng had been staying with Duan Jingyu, following wherever the southern army was.

As for Shirley's whereabouts, we can only ask Jin Cheng.

Knowing that Wen Xiangli was eager to find Xue Li, the eldest uncle received a secret imperial decree and immediately sent Wen Xiangli to contact him, help Jiang Qimo rescue Jin Cheng, and search for Xue Li's whereabouts.

Without much small talk, the two began to integrate the useful information they had.

Wen Xiangli said, "Perfect timing. I have a Southern Army spy in my hands. He's a high-ranking officer, and perhaps he can extract some useful information from him."

Jiang Qimo nodded, indicating that he wanted to go and take a look together.

The two arrived at the back of a secret base and entered a heavily guarded underground prison through a secret entrance in a building. The Southern Army spy was tied to a wooden stake, his face covered in blood and grime, looking dejected, clearly having suffered a lot, and he hung his head in silence.

Jiang Qimo observed the man for a while, then pulled Wen Xiangli aside and said, "This man is clearly fearless of death. Otherwise, the Southern Army would not have sent him to take charge of such an important mission. But everyone's patience is limited. As long as we find a good way, we can destroy his will."

Wen Xiangli asked humbly, "The question is, what's the solution?"

Jiang Qimo said, "I think he's quite good-looking, tall and handsome. People with this kind of pretty boy appearance tend to be more popular with women from a young age. So he's probably a womanizer who likes to play around with women. He risked his life to carry out such a dangerous mission, just for money and military merit. Isn't the point of having money and power to eat, drink, have fun, and enjoy life while playing with women?"

He leaned close to Moon Sang-rye's ear: "You do this... and that..."