Transmigrated into the Villain's Cannon Fodder Ex-Wife (Transmigrated into a Book) - Chapter 16

Doctor Hu noticed something was off. Leaning against the wall and gripping his medical kit, he turned to Lin Chu. 

“Mrs. Yan, where’s that rascal Yan Mingge?”

Lin Chu’s mind was in turmoil. She crouched helplessly by the bloodstain. 

“I… I don’t know.”

“What… you don’t know?” Doctor Hu’s words faltered. He quickly realized that something terrible might have happened to Yan Mingge. He wanted to console Lin Chu, but at this moment, words would be futile.

“He was here before I left…” Lin Chu raked her fingers through her hair in frustration. Suddenly, a thought struck her. When she had gone to fetch a doctor, the pursuers had mysteriously stopped chasing her. Could it be… they had found Yan Mingge’s hiding spot and abandoned the chase?

This possibility made Lin Chu spring to her feet abruptly.

Her sudden movement startled Doctor Hu, who stepped back, stammering, 

“Mrs… Mrs. Yan, are you alright?”

Lin Chu scanned the alley floor, her brows deeply furrowed. 

“There’s no sign of a struggle here, and no trail of blood on the ground… How could he just vanish into thin air?”

Suddenly, the clanking of armored footsteps echoed from outside the alley.

Lin Chu turned warily to see a team of armored soldiers blocking the entrance.

“That’s the master’s horse!” The leader, a man in plain clothes, grabbed the reins of the chestnut horse. His steady gait and calm breathing betrayed his expertise in martial arts.

The remaining soldiers sealed off the alley’s exit tightly.

Lin Chu cursed inwardly. The nobleman whose horse she had taken must have significant backing. Why did it have to happen at this critical moment?

The plainclothes guard entered the alley, and the soldiers parted to make way for him.

He glanced at Lin Chu, his brow subtly furrowing, as if surprised that the horse thief turned out to be a strikingly beautiful woman who looked utterly defenseless.

Doctor Hu had spent many years in Qiang City and knew plenty of people in the military. Yet, he had no impression of these men.

Turning to Lin Chu, Doctor Hu asked, “Mrs. Yan, what’s going on here?”

The situation had clearly escalated, and it seemed serious.

Lin Chu felt a bit sheepish. “I was in a hurry to find a doctor for my husband… and, well, I took someone else’s horse.”

Doctor Hu glanced at Lin Chu’s slender frame, pausing for a moment of stunned silence.

It seemed that being close to Yan Mingge had rubbed off on her. Even a delicate woman like her now had the nerve to ride a horse.

Realizing that Lin Chu was just a helpless young woman, Doctor Hu stepped forward to shield her. Bowing to the plainclothes guard, he pleaded, “Sir, please have mercy. This young lady’s husband is gravely ill. She acted out of desperation to save him and meant no offense to your master.”

The guard raised an eyebrow, surprised, and glanced at Lin Chu again. 

“The person who was lying here earlier—is he your husband?”

Hearing this, Lin Chu’s face lit up with a hint of relief, though her wariness remained. 

“Yes, he’s my husband.”

She didn’t know if these people were allied with Qiang City’s commander. If they were… this could be trouble.

“Is my husband in your custody?” Lin Chu pressed, determined to find out Yan Mingge’s whereabouts.

The guard merely gave her a sidelong glance and then ordered, “Take them!”

The soldiers immediately stepped forward to seize Lin Chu and Doctor Hu.

As a woman and an elderly man, they were no match for the soldiers. In moments, their arms were locked, and they were restrained.

As Lin Chu was being led away, she called out to the guard. “I’m the one who took your master’s horse! This has nothing to do with the doctor. If you have to arrest someone, arrest me alone. Let the doctor go!”

The guard remained impassive. Lin Chu added quickly, “There’s a war at the border. Military doctors are already scarce, and there are many injured soldiers still in need of treatment.”

The guard hesitated briefly before gesturing for the soldiers to release Doctor Hu.

Watching Lin Chu being taken away, and with Yan Mingge’s whereabouts still unknown, Doctor Hu grew increasingly anxious. Lin Chu’s delicate beauty was sure to invite trouble. Quickening his pace, he hurried toward the military camp.

No matter what, Yan Mingge’s subordinates were loyal and capable. Perhaps they could turn things around.

As Lin Chu was escorted by the soldiers, she soon realized they weren’t heading to the military camp or the commander’s residence.

Could this group be unaffiliated with Qiang City’s forces?

Lin Chu observed the soldiers discreetly. Their faces, while weathered, lacked the coarse, sand-beaten look of those stationed long-term in the area.

Perhaps the commotion from the earlier search had caused people to bolt their doors, and as night fell, the streets were eerily empty, adding to the desolation.

The soldiers stopped outside an inn, which was clearly reserved for private use, with over a dozen guards stationed outside.

Lin Chu’s heart sank as she recalled the nobleman’s earlier cry of “Bold peasant!”

In the original novel, the emperor had sent the Sixth Prince to the border as a supervisor. Apparently there to oversee the war effort, his true purpose was to seize credit. The Qiang City commander, eager to curry favor, indulged the prince with endless feasts and entertainment.

The barbarians took advantage of the distraction to attack, leading to a devastating defeat and a citywide massacre. Yan Mingge, with unparalleled bravery, carved a path through the enemy ranks, rescuing the Sixth Prince.

From then on, the prince held Yan Mingge in high regard, making him a key figure in his rise to power.

When the old emperor passed, Yan Mingge helped the prince seize the throne, earning a position of unparalleled authority.

Reflecting on this, Lin Chu suddenly felt her chest tighten. Of all the horses she could’ve taken, why did it have to be the future emperor’s?!

Was the universe toying with her?!

Lost in thought, she stumbled forward when someone pushed her, prompting her to climb the inn’s steps.

The guard threw her into the first-floor hall before heading upstairs, likely to report to the Sixth Prince.

The soldiers guarding her stayed outside, apparently confident she couldn’t escape.

And they were right—she couldn’t.

Tired of standing, Lin Chu found a stool to sit on.

There were coarse pastries on the table, but she didn’t touch them.

A bored innkeeper poured her a pot of tea, his eagerness betraying his idleness.

Before long, the guard returned and addressed Lin Chu. 

“The master wishes to see you.”

Lin Chu’s eyelid twitched. In the original novel, this Sixth Prince was known for his unpredictability. She could already envision her miserable fate.

The guard led Lin Chu up to the second floor, taking just a turn to reach their destination.

The guard raised his hand and knocked on the door twice. 

“Young Master, I’ve brought her.”

“Come in.” The voice carried a faint trace of youthful inexperience, but the chill and noble demeanor were palpable even through the door.

Lin Chu silently lit a candle for herself in her heart. Serves you right for not recognizing who you were dealing with earlier!

The guard stayed at the door, showing no intention of entering.

Lin Chu’s heart thumped anxiously. As a modern woman, she wouldn’t normally think much of being alone with a man in a room. But for the people of this era, such a situation was a serious matter affecting a woman’s reputation. She didn’t believe the Sixth Prince wouldn’t know this.

Uncertain about what game the Sixth Prince was playing, Lin Chu hesitated briefly before opening the door.

At first glance, the room didn’t contain just the Sixth Prince, and she finally let out a sigh of relief.

On the bed lay someone—judging by the figure, it was none other than Yan Mingge! An elderly doctor at his side was taking his pulse, making Lin Chu’s heart clench again.

“Husband!” She quickly entered the room, her worry and unease erupting into an overwhelming wave of emotions that made her eyes sting with unshed tears.

“Quiet, Do not make noise in the presence of the Young Master!” a plump steward scolded her softly. His doughy face held an air of pretentious pride that somehow appeared comical rather than threatening.

Lin Chu hurriedly wiped her damp eyes with her sleeve. After another glance at the pale and unconscious Yan Mingge, she turned and bowed respectfully to the Sixth Prince, seated in a grand armchair. 

“This humble woman acted rashly earlier in an attempt to save my husband. I borrowed your horse in a moment of desperation and even caused you to fall…”

“Enough!” Mentioning the horse made Shen Chen’s face darken instantly, and he interrupted her with a wave. With a slight nod toward the bed, he asked,

“The man lying there is your husband?”

Earlier on the street, Shen Chen had been dressed in a simple white robe. Now he wore a cobalt blue straight-collared gown, with a jade-embedded black belt around his waist and a jade fish pendant hanging at his side. His attire exuded elegance and authority beyond mere words.

It was evident he had changed clothes after returning to the inn.

Does this mean he’s letting the horse incident slide?

Lin Chu felt a flicker of relief. She quickly nodded in response to Shen Chen’s question. 

“Yes, he is my husband.”

Shen Chen rubbed his chin thoughtfully with two fingers, his gaze lazily sweeping over Lin Chu. Although his expression seemed indifferent, the scrutiny in his eyes was unmistakable.

“He got married, did he?” Shen Chen finally murmured, his words carrying an inexplicable undertone.

Under Shen Chen’s penetrating gaze, Lin Chu’s hands nervously twisted the hem of her clothing, pretending to be uneasy while curiosity clawed at her insides.

The Sixth Prince’s words… It was clear he and Yan Mingge were acquaintances, and he seemed to know him quite well…

Her mind couldn’t help but wander to the novel’s account of the Sixth Prince’s indulgence toward Yan Mingge after his ascension to the throne.

One was a scheming tyrant with a disarming smile. The other was a domineering courtier with unrivaled influence…

One kept only a single empress in the harem. The other never remarried after his cannon-fodder first wife died…

Oh my, how intriguing!

The more Lin Chu looked at Shen Chen, the more convinced she became that there was something going on between him and Yan Mingge.

The originally nonchalant Shen Chen was suddenly unnerved by Lin Chu’s gaze. What kind of look was that?

He coughed twice and was about to speak when a guard’s voice came from outside the door. “Young Master, there’s a group of scattered soldiers outside the inn.”

Shen Chen’s lips curled into a cold smile. “Feng Yan couldn’t hold back, could he?”

The guard hesitated before responding, “They don’t appear to be under General Feng’s command…”

Before he could finish, a loud crash came from downstairs, followed by a booming voice. 

“Damn it, who dares kidnap Brother Yan?!”