Yu Jin Chang An (With Jin's Chang'An)

Chapter 20

After the exceptionally lively night, on this day of the Snow Festival, the entire city of Lu began to worship their ancestors. The atmosphere was somewhat solemn compared to the previous day. However, it was on this day that two significant events occurred in Lu City.

One of them was the escape of a prisoner from the dungeons of Lu City.

The dungeons of Lu City were exceptionally fortified due to the frequent imprisonment of the most vicious criminals from the north. The guards were also extremely strict. After Li Shuang entered the city, she directly assigned soldiers from Changfeng Camp to guard the prison cells, to prevent any high-profile prisoners from escaping during the chaos of war.

Yet, amidst such heavy security, a man with disheveled hair, delicate features, and luxurious clothing managed to escape from the dungeons.

Not only did he escape, but he also left behind a letter for Li Shuang to personally read. The gist of it was: "The dungeon is a bit different from what I imagined. It's too dark, and I can't stand it. I'm leaving early. Please forgive any inconvenience caused."

The tone was earnest as if bidding farewell to an old friend...

Li Shuang couldn't help but laugh and cry. The fact that this man left a letter behind indicated that not only did he escape from the dungeon, but he also managed to escape, buy writing materials, write a letter, return to the dungeon, place the letter inside, and then escape again. He broke out of prison twice in one night, indicating that his skills and martial arts were undoubtedly profound.

The man she saw in the alley last night had now been confirmed as the mysterious man in luxurious attire.

In this bitter cold, Li Shuang couldn't fathom the intentions of this man coming to the northern frontier. However, after she ordered the pursuit of this man, another event occurred.

The Crown Prince, Sima Yang, led a large contingent and rushed to Lu City, expected to arrive shortly after noon.

Upon receiving this news, Li Shuang immediately rallied the troops, instructing all the soldiers and guards to await outside the gates of Lu City to respectfully welcome the Crown Prince.

In recent days, Jin'an had been accompanying the guards during the day. Today, as all the guards went out of the city, he followed behind. Being of small stature, he went unnoticed among the crowd. He had no interest in paying attention to others; his gaze only pierced through the crowd and landed on Li Shuang, who stood at the forefront.

Li Shuang gazed at the vast northern sky and land, her expression solemn, her lips slightly pursed as if restraining some emotion. Jin'an was puzzled. Was he unhappy? Why?

As Li Shuang's deputy, Luo Teng, stood two steps behind her alongside Qin Lan. At noon, Luo Teng's stomach growled loudly with hunger. Being a rough man, he rubbed his stomach and complained softly, "Why did the Crown Prince have to come exactly at mealtime..."

Qin Lan scolded him, "You want to lose your head?"

Luo Teng rubbed his neck and sighed, "It's freezing cold out here. I wonder when the Crown Prince will arrive. My feet are starting to freeze standing here for so long." He glanced at Li Shuang, "General, I rushed out without grabbing my cloak. I'm feeling really cold now. Can I go back to get a coat?"

"Go ahead."

"Alright. General, do you want me to bring your cloak back for you as well?"

Li Shuang paused for a moment, then replied, "Bring it back."

Usually, Li Shuang was one to avoid trouble, but today she faintly felt a dull pain in her lower abdomen. Having lived on the frontier for a long time, enduring the cold and frequently engaging in horseback riding and warfare, her menstrual cycle was irregular, often not coming for several months, and when it did, it only lasted for two or three days. During these days, the pain was unbearable, typically starting the day before and persisting until a few days after menstruation ended.