The Counterfeit Madam Hou Chapter 41

The sky to the north have start to turn white as Xue Mu gaze at the horizon, his brows slowly crunching up .

In the end, he agreed to Liu Qinghuan’s plan and allowed her to follow Tang Zhibo . But right now, he is really regretting that decision . He shouldn’t have buck under her unrelentlessness pleas and allowed her to wander into a place where he can’t control .

Nian Tang glances at Xue Mu’s expression out of the corner of her eye and subconsciously bite her lips . Yesterday night, someone delivered a piece of map all of a sudden and Xue Mu, without a bit of hesitation, brought Li Mo and his troops to search for the place on it . Only at that time, did she realized that he is actually working with Du Juan on this .

But she can’t fully agreed with it either . Although she does have some pity for Du Juan, she doesn’t think that she is a good collaborator . In her eyes, Du Juan is just a untrustworthy swindler and no one would be at ease working with this kind of people .

Following Xue Mu line of sight, she speaks worriedly .

” Marquise, is Du Juan trustworthy? What if she betrays you at the critical moment? ”

She believes when it comes to a life or death situation, Du Juan would unhesitatingly take this choice .

Xue Mu eyes gleams a little before speaking up .

” If betraying me means she could live, I would gladly give my life up . ”

He just wishes for her to be safe .

Nian Tang freeze on the spot . Although previously she does feel like something is going on with them but his eyes has always been on Liu Qinghuan all the time . When did he and Du Juan…

She bit her lips and stand at a side, staying silent .

Only till the morning bell finish ringing in Chang-An city, does a group of soldiers arrive, kneeling before Xue Mu .

” Marquise, we found the item and General Bravo is on his way to the palace . ”

It shouldn’t take this long but the item was found at a place that is slightly off from the map, which is why they wasted so much time .

Xue Mu’s eyes gleams and orders Nuo Yan and Peng Peng, who are standing behind him .

” Gather the troops and head to the temple . ”
Advertis.e.m.e.nt” Yes! ”

Peng Peng answer excitedly . After bearing with it for so long, the Marquise is finally going to tear one onto Tang Zhibo! So excited!

Under Xue Mu’s lead, the whole group fly over to temple, while Duke Ling Nan is in the forest outside the city, throwing a tantrum .

” Send news to Tang Zhibo to kill off Du Juan, now! Immediately! ”

The one dressed like the priest see him not even bothering with his disguise, hurriedly obey .

” Y-yes sir! ”

Staring at his quickly retreating back, Duke Ling Nan’s eyes dim . The map on him had, as he told Du Juan, already been imprinted in his mind and burned, so how did she figure out the place?

Liu Qinghuan’s method is simple, actually . She simply backtracked .

These few years, the Emperor have been keeping tabs on the Duke and the moment he took that fake map and sneakily left Ling Nan, the Emperor and Xue Mu got news of it . Spies had followed him all the way to the fake treasure point .

Using a real and fake map together to point out a fake treasure point, then if one knew the fake map and fake treasure point, wouldn’t they be able to piece the real map out?

This is the idea, under these circ.u.mstances, thought up by Liu Qinghuan .

Only she can’t guarantee that the map she deduces would be the same as the real map . She went back to her room to draw the map out, hide it into the little bug that knocked Feng Zhi out and released it .

That little thing is something she got from her teacher in the west market . It’s called a Poloshen, and will released gas when there’s danger . But the special thing about it is, it recognizes it’s owner . No matter how far away, it could fly all the way back to it’s owner . But this thing is very difficult to raise and out of the millions her teacher raises, only 1 survives, which is then cared for deeply by her teacher .

Looking at the time, she guess the Duke had already found the note and can’t wait to tear her apart . It sure is a pity that she can’t see the image of the Duke jumping about .

Looking outside, the guards immediately glared at her, and even raises their long swords as a threat .

She frown . If the Duke found out that treasure had been taken, he would definitely order her death . She wanted to go run away by barging through, but after triggering a trap yesterday, she can’t move that easily today . After getting the treasure, Xue Mu would head over to save her but this place is too hidden for him to find it easily .

As she continue to come up with a plan, Tang Zhibo stroll in . After giving him a look, she proceed to ignore him . Tang Zhibo doesn’t care either, and sit down opposite of her .

The 2 stay silent, and it is a panicky priest with a mask that rushes in, whispering something into Tang Zhibo’s ears .

His face changes and even his gaze turn sharper . Liu Qinghuan guess the priest is here to convey the Duke’s orders, and silently touch her sleeve .

Seeing him walking towards her, she stand up from her bed and just at this movement, the guards outside pull out their swords and point it at her .

” I belittled you . I didn’t expect you to convince Xue Mu to work with you . ”

His turn turns darker and cold, as if h.e.l.l have frozen over .

” Then you should know, what consequences it would bring . ”

At the moment he pull his sword out, she grab the thing in her sleeve and smash it on the floor . Smoke immediately fill the room and everyone’s vision, and sounds of coughing can be heard all around .

Covering his mouth and nose, Tang Zhibo grit his teeth and shout .

” Get her! Don’t let her run away! ”

But no one could even see where she went, and could only do their best in dispersing the smoke in front of them . While the smoke is still around, Liu Qinghuan sneak out of the room . If she’s Tang Zhibo, she would have imprisoned her and searched her thoroughly .

Soon, footsteps can be heard behind her and, not having the time to think, she simply follow her instinct on where the way out is . She remember all the twist and turns Feng Zhi did, but she’s just afraid of triggering any traps .

Tang Zhibo is very familiar with this route and know that Du Juan could only go back the way she came, so he unhesitatingly chase after her . But the moment he’s out of the room, another servant comes running .

” Master, bad news! ”
” What now! ”
” X-Xue Mu is leading an army on the way over! ”

The one bearing news is deathly pale . Although he had never been on the battlefield, he now understand the how the enemy feels when faced with Xue Mu .

It’s too frightening!

Tang Zhibo’s face grows darker, he haven’t expected Xue Mu to arrive that quick . Glancing at the direction Du Juan ran off to, he purse his lips and order .

” Activate all the traps and bring a group after Du Juan . Once caught, knock her out and lock her up . ”
” Y-yes, then Xu-Xue Mu… ”

Just these 2 words make him tremble . Although he only had a glance, but the imposing manner Xue Mu have is like wanting to level them all!

” Hmpt, here is not a battlefield . Even if he’s a general, he can’t do as he wishes here! ”

Xue Mu get his troops to surround the temple, angering all the devotees as well as attracting all the attention of the surrounding folks . All who heard left their business untended and gather around to see what is going on .

Although Xue Mu moniker as the Great General is widely known, but normal citizens are unlikely able to witness the grandeur of him in battle . Now that Xue Mu is personally leading a troop to surround the temple, how can they miss this scene!

In the short time to drink a tea, this news have travel all the way to the west and back again .

By time Tang Zhibo arrive at the front gate, a bunch of priests are still arguing in Mongolian with Peng Peng . While Xue Mu had a extremely impatient face . Tang Zhibo can bet that in another minute, Xue Mu would just rush straight in .

With him not even fully out of the door, Xue Mu have already recognize him .

” Tang Zhibo . ”

Tang Zhibo next step freezes a bit as he trudge on .

” Marquise . ”

Xue Mu stare unblinkingly at him, his black eyes deep as the ocean .

” Brother Tang is a fire cult devotee too? ”
” I only heard that they are holding a special prayer and only came down in curiosity . But Marquise, what makes you come down with such a big group? ”
” Yesterday the fire cult devotees came over to my mansion to make a ruckus and took my wife away . ”

Once that was out, the surrounding citizens suddenly see the light . So the Marquise is in fury for his beauty! But the fire cult sure is stupid, to even s.n.a.t.c.h the Marquise’s wife away! Isn’t that just courting death?

At this moment Tang Zhibo also feel like he have tie his feet together . He should have use another reason to go to the Hou Mansion, and not give Xue Mu such a reason!

The priest at the side once again panicky shout something, but without Peng Peng, no one understand what he is talking about… and no one cares either .

Looking up at Xue Mu who is on his horse, he feels like his neck is going to ache soon .

” Marquise, the fire cult have no connections with your madam, so I think there must be mistake . ”
” So Brother Tang is saying I, the Marquise, is unreasonable? ”

Xue Mu growl . Peng Peng s.h.i.+ver . Whenever Xue Mu start referring to himself as the Marquise, that means… something bad is about to happen .

Tang Zhibo open his mouth but before he could talk, Xue Mu have already fly down from his mount . The sword by his side is unsheathe at a moment and Tang Zhibo only saw a flash before that sword is by his throat .

His heart quiver as he apply force on his toes, flying 3 meters away . Xue Mu, while holding his sword, does a in air turn, his clothes fluttering in the momentum within the falling flowers . Before Tang Zhibo can steady himself, Xue Mu is already in front of him, his sword once again by his throat .

The surrounding crowd goes silent, as if the one with the sword by the throat are them, not even daring to breath . Tang Zhibo stare at the person in front of him, his throat burning hot .

To think he can’t even see his movement clearly and have already taken a blow from him .

He know, that how much he wants to kill Xue Mu, that’s also how much Xue Mu wants to kill him .

The two of them stand still at the temple gates, staring silently at each other . The anger burst out from Xue Mu, as if he is not able to contain it any longer .

” Tang Zhibo, if Qing Qing hurt in any way, I’ll skin you alive, I promise you . ”