The Counterfeit Madam Hou Chapter 29 Part1

*Unedited

Having just lay on his bed, Xue Mu heard some disturbance outside.

” Marquise, a.s.sa.s.sins are seen in the mansion. ”

Nuo Yan low voice comes from outside the door. Xue Mu's eyelashes flutters before he slowly open his eyes. He once thought that after the previous incident, Tang Zhibo would stay low for a while but who knew he is so anxious?

” Have you got them? ”
” No. ”

Thinking about it for a bit, Nuo Yan feels that the entire thing is a little weird.

” It's the guard who saw them. After the guards caught attention of them, they escaped soon after. ”

Xue Mu's eyes move. He knows what the mansion guards are like. If they can't even avoid their detection, how are they going to a.s.sa.s.sinate him?

His heart suddenly jump and he get up from his bed and dash out.

” Is there any problem? ”

Nuo Yan, who is following closely after him, anxiously ask. Xue Mu frowns.

” Just a guess. ”

It better not be what he is thinking.

Realizing that Xue Mu is heading into the direction of the main bedroom, Nuo Yan goes silent.

On the small path inside the garden, Liu Qinghuan appears, dressed in a long yellow dress. Behind her are Ci Tao, Qing Zhi and Nian Tang. Seeing her, he rushes up.

” Why are you here? ”
” I heard there are a.s.sa.s.sins and I am worried about your safety, so I came to take a look. ”

Under the moonlight, Xue Mu gaze is unreadable but Liu Qinghuan meet his eyes straight on, her eyes clear and innocent. After staring at her for a while, Xue Mu smiles.

” I'm alright. The a.s.sa.s.sins are gone, so you don't have to worry. ”

She nods, acting like the worried wife.

” It's late, you should rest soon. ”
” Okay. ”

Xue Mu only head back to his Lotus Chamber when Liu Qinghuan's figure couldn't be seen anymore.

On the second day, he heads into the palace first thing in the morning. Today is the day Aersi is returning to his country and the Emperor had specially made it clear that he would need to carefully escort this amba.s.sador off.

Liu Qinghuan too, wakes up early. After cleaning and dressing up, she goes to give her greetings to Madam Ning and they have breakfast together. As it was the Magpie Festival yesterday, Madam Ning has been talking about which maids had gotten the good graces of the Weaving Maid and who had the clumsiest of hands.

Liu Qinghuan act as the good listener, chipping in once in a while. Come to think of it, the spider Qing Zhi had, did her job and weaved a beautiful web.

Madam Ning is especially excited today and have chatted quite a bit with Liu Qinghuan before letting her go. Once Liu Qinghuan is back in her room, the first thing she does is to take a huge mouthful of water. Maybe it is because of her hurry, she choke and after coughing, she collapse on the floor, hugging her tummy.

” Madam, are you okay? ”

Seeing that, the two maids rush up and help Liu Qinghuan up. She lifts up her deadly pale face and look at them, pain evident in her face. This makes the faces of the two maids pale in succession.

” Madam, where are you feeling uncomfortable? ”
” Is it your stomach? ”

The two of them asks one after another, and Liu Qinghuan feels like a headache is coming as well. She is help to her bed, as her face turns paler by the second. Hearing the commotions, Nian Tang walk into the room and is shock by Liu Qinghuan's pale face.

” What happened? ”
” I don't know! Madam suddenly felt pain in her stomach! Could it be that the poison haven't been cleared out completely? ”

Thinking of this possibility, Ci Tao's face goes even paler.

” Miss Nian Tang, could you please help to get Physician Bai from the North Market side over? ”

Qing Zhi is panicking as well. Thinking that he was the one Xue Mu ‘asked' over the last time, looking for him couldn't go wrong.

This put Nian Tang in a bind. Although she knows that getting Physician Bai herself would be faster but Xue Mu had specifically told her to pay more attention to Liu Qinghuan today. If anything happens, she wouldn't have any excuses for it.

Knowing her hesitations, Liu Qinghuan painfully cries out a few times, before muttering weakly.

” Don't worry. It might not be the poison. It might be the leftover symptoms from not eating properly when I was young. It's okay, I'll be alright in just a while. ”
” What are you saying, Madam! ”

Is she confused from the pain?!

They don't understand Liu Qinghuan, but Nian Tang does. She too, went through the period of not having food to eat so she knows that if one does not take steps in conditioning the body back, there would be lingering problems. Seeing that Liu Qinghuan doesn't look like she is faking it, plus empathizing with her plight, Nian Tang clench her teeth and gives in.

” I'll be back soon, so your guys take care of her! ”

Saying that, Nian Tang flies out of the room. Hearing the footsteps getting further away, Liu Qinghuan sits up on the bed quickly and hits the back of both of the maids' neck, causing them to faint before they can even be surprised.

Taking out a veil, she puts it on before das.h.i.+ng out of the room.

Nuo Yan heard the door open and turn around, seeing Liu Qinghuan das.h.i.+ng out. That face veil on her is just a normal veil, without the delicate embroidery of Du Juan.

” Where did you agree to meet with Aersi? ”
” His mansion. ”

Nuo Yan frowns. Aersi should be at the palace now so there should be someone else who is coming to get her. He nods and says lightly.

” I know a shortcut, follow me. ”

Liu Qinghuan follows his lead, lightly chuckling. Reaching a hidden alleyway, they stop their tracks. She looks at Nuo Yan, confused.

” Why are we stopping? ”

Nuo Yan turns and look at her as he silently pulls out his sword.

” ……. ”

Well, his att.i.tude doesn't seem like he's looking for a fight. It's more like he's looking to just cut her down. Even Nian Tang aren't this ruthless. Her mouth twitches as she dryly laughs.

” You can't have feelings for Marquise as well…. ”

Just as she finishes that sentence, she can see the face of the person standing in front of her turns stone-cold. Liu Qinghuan obediently shut her mouth as Nuo Yan points the sword towards her.

” I said it before, I won't allow a person like you to stand besides the Marquise. ”

There is too many unknown elements about her. And although Xue Mu is insistent in keeping her, he would have to be the one to eliminate anything that would endanger Xue Mu. Even if she runs away now, Xue Mu would most definitely be able to find out where she is. Only by killing her would solve the problem.

Liu Qinghuan guess this would happen ever since Nuo Yan came to her. She takes a step back, look to Nuo Yan's side and call out.

” Marquise. ”

The hand holding the sword freeze.

He had seen this kind of mind tricks on the battlefield a million times, but with the two words coming out of her mouth now, he suddenly don't know what to believe.

Because he can sense that someone is standing behind him.

Should he turn, or not?

” Don't trick me. ”

Nuo Yan takes a step closer, deciding to first finish the person standing in front of him. A killing aura suddenly rush out from behind him, forcing Nuo Yan to turn and defend himself. At the moment he turn, Liu Qinghuan hit the back of his neck, as fast and as swift as she had done to Ci Tao and Qing Zhi.

The person opposite of her whistles, looking at her with surprise.

” Your martial arts is better than I imagined. ”

That person is obviously not Xue Mu. Looking at the tall man in front of her, she remembers the name Aersi told her.

” Li Goudan? ”

She tries calling. The man's face changes before smiling at her.

” I heard this code came from you. ”
” Hmm. Li Goudan is such a elegant and meaningful name, plus it's so easy to say. Not to mention popular too. ”
” Really. ”

The man's mouth twitches as he hits the sleeping acupuncture point on Nuo Yan, just to prevent him from waking up.

” Let's go. ”
” Un. ”

Taking a last look at the sleeping Nuo Yan, she follows ‘Li Guodan' as they escape.

Peng Peng has already been stalking outside of Aersi's mansion for four hours now and there has been no movement. He yawns, feeling like there is one in a hundred chance that Wu Lala can break through both Nian Tang and Nuo Yan's defenses.

Just as when he is giving up, a male and female figures can be seen darting into Aersi's mansion. Immediately, Peng Peng grows alert.

That man is definitely Aersi's subordinate and that woman, although veiled, might be Wu Lala basing on her figure. How did she lose Nian Tang and Nuo Yan? Peng Peng frowns, as he signals for everyone around him to be on alert.

A few moments after they entered the mansion, two figures come from the back door. These two person are dressed in Mongolian dresses and have figures similar to the previous two, the only exception being both of their faces are veiled.

Peng Peng, bits his lip, wondering if they are Wu Lala or not.

” Are we following? ”

Someone behind him ask. Peng Peng nods. Of course! If Wu Lala escape under his watch…. Although there are no more lotuses around, there are still many, many, many, many flowers.

” Wait! There's 2 more coming out! ”

True to his words, the previous two haven't even move a few steps before two more comes out, dressed in the same manner.

Peng Peng's expression grows ugly.

” Who do we follow? ”
” Both! ”
” Wait! There's another 2! And another… and another……. ”
” ………. ”

Looking at everyone coming out of Aersi's mansion, Peng Peng's face turns green.

” Follow everyone! Do not miss even one! ”
” But what if these are all smokescreen and the real ones are still inside the mansion? ”
” ………. ”

He does make sense.

” I'll stay here. If you are lacking in manpower, request for more backup! ”
” Oh wait, I thought of another possibility. What if the 2 who entered are fake and the real one is not even here? ”
” ………. ”

This is the straw that breaks Peng Peng's back.

Marquise, which flowers do you want me to count next?!??!!??!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

As told, Xue Mu is sending Aersi out the city gates when Peng Peng runs towards him tearfully. He whispers something into his ear and immediately Xue Mu's expression turns ugly.

Glancing at Aersi, he has been with him all this way and haven't notice anyone sneaking into his team so she should still be within the city.

Aersi smiles at him, suggesting kindly.

” If the Marquise have something on, you don't have to see me off. ”

Xue Mu purse his lips before leaving with Peng Peng.

Aersi's team trudges along slowly and Aersi slows down his horse's speed to go alongside with a someone of a small statute. He smirks, and ‘speaks to himself'.

” There is no way he would have know that our date for escaping is not today but yesterday. ”

That person lifts up the hat and reveals the face underneath.

The face of Liu Qinghuan.

TN: Li Goudan is a softer way of scolding someone ‘ b.a.s.t.a.r.d ‘.  It can be use as joke and basically, no one really uses it as a way to really curse anyone.