The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 142 - Crisis

It was deep into the night when Zhang Run received the news. He threw on some clothes and opened the door for Han Zhi, only to see Han Zhi's bloodshot eyes, which looked murderous, and behind him, the ever-expressionless Wei Yanxi.

Han Zhi rarely showed such a state. Zhang Run remembered studying alongside him for three years, and Han Zhi had only ever lost his composure once—when his mother fell gravely ill. It was said that Han Zhengqing had scoured the country for the best doctors, but she showed no signs of improvement. That night, Han Zhi stood in the academy's courtyard, eyes red, watching over the sky for the entire night.

Thinking of this, Zhang Run realized Han Zhi wasn't entirely without feelings. He smirked but quickly suppressed it, furrowing his brows and asking, "What's going on?"

Han Zhi didn't answer, stumbling as he dragged Zhang Run into the room.

Wei Yanxi stood by the window for a long while and waited outside in the courtyard until the moon had nearly disappeared. Only then did Zhang Run emerge with a pale face. Wei Yanxi opened his mouth to speak but found he had no words, letting out a heavy sigh instead.

Zhang Run, on the other hand, seemed more resigned. After all, his family was already destroyed—being used like a pawn no longer mattered. He was no longer the son of a respected silk merchant but a mere commoner.

Sitting by the stone table, he saw Wei Yanxi's troubled gaze fixed on him. Smiling self-mockingly, he poured himself a drink. "Why are you looking at me like that? I should be grateful just to have a place to survive. I'm not the young master I once was; no one owes me respect."

Wei Yanxi felt a lump in his throat, clenching his fists as he looked at the bruises on Zhang Run's face. "Young Master... why don't you just leave...? Go as far away as you can. At least some of the Zhang family bloodline would survive..."

Zhang Run's hand holding the cup froze, unmoving for a long while. Finally, he looked at Wei Yanxi with bitterness and regret in his voice. "Leave? Where would I go? The Zhang family is beyond redemption. My father is suffering in the Jinyiwei prison, my mother and sister hanged themselves together, and I'm the only one left. What good is it to be alive? Living like this is worse than death!"

He then looked back at Wei Yanxi, a mocking smile forming on his lips. "When I handed the two of you over to Han Zhi, I didn't realize you would become his right-hand men. I underestimated him."

Wei Yanxi hesitated before finally sitting opposite Zhang Run, looking him directly in the eyes. "I never forgot who saved me—who saved my brother and me..."

If it hadn't been for Zhang Run's kindness back then, he and Wei Yanjun, who had lost their parents in a flood, would have perished among the countless starving corpses. He had always remembered that, which was why he had loyally served the Zhang family for so many years.

Zhang Run smiled faintly. "I know you're a man of conscience."

He paused, glancing towards the dark room before lowering his voice to ask, "Why is he in this state?"

Since arriving in the capital, he had never seen Han Zhi so shaken, as if suffering from a severe blow.

Wei Yanxi dipped his finger in the wine and wrote a name on the table, replying quietly, "It's still related to Sixth Miss Song. Two years ago, Young Master was tricked by her, and only recently did he manage to capture the person who killed Yanjun. But when he tried to use him in negotiations with her, that person vanished. Most likely, Sixth Miss Song rescued him."

Han Zhi had once vowed to find a noblewoman to serve as a shield between them, someone who would aid in his promotion, bring him wealth, and carry on his lineage. Zhang Run had heard from Wei Yanxi that this noblewoman was none other than Sixth Miss Song.

Now, hearing Wei Yanxi's explanation, he was even more eager to meet this Sixth Miss Song—a pampered young lady from a powerful family who could manipulate Han Zhi and had wealth and influence. Would she really be content to be a puppet, as Han Zhi claimed? He didn't believe it.

"Find a way to help me meet Sixth Miss Song," Zhang Run said, his gaze firm, leaving no room for refusal. "I'm begging you."

He knew that this Sixth Miss Song was a treasure in the Marquis of Changning's household. He also knew that the Emperor had forced Old Master Song to oversee his father's case, which could potentially work in his favor. Clenching his fists, his face flushed, and he looked like a drunk man consumed by desperate hope.

Wei Yanxi's face showed difficulty. Meeting someone like Song Chuyi was no easy feat. Even Han Zhi rarely saw her outside the flower banquet at his estate or during today's encounter in Tongzhou, let alone a mere servant like him.

Unlike Wei Yanjun, Wei Yanxi preferred to be realistic and rarely made promises he couldn't keep. Zhang Run could see his hesitation and, after thinking it over, knew he was asking too much. But now that he'd finally seen a sliver of hope, he couldn't let it go. Sitting quietly for a moment, he suddenly had an idea and asked, "After such a defeat, Han Zhi wouldn't just do nothing, would he? If I accompany him, will there be a chance to meet Sixth Miss Song?"

Even if he did meet her, saying anything under Han Zhi's watchful eye would be as difficult as scaling the heavens. Wei Yanxi spoke honestly, "Although he lost an important witness, he still holds a valuable bargaining chip. I noticed Sixth Miss Song seems to care deeply for that child, so she likely won't ignore him... In theory, if he allows you to accompany him, you should be able to meet her. But, young master, as you know, that would likely be the extent of it..."

He believed that, with effort, he could find some crack to exploit.

What he needed to worry about now was persuading Han Zhi to take him along to see Sixth Miss Song. Han Zhi had always regarded him as a potential runaway thief, keeping him under tight watch, so getting him to agree would likely require some effort.

The two had barely sat down when a thunderous knock sounded at the door. As Zhang Run entered, Han Zhi was already sitting up. He glanced around the room's furnishings, then finally asked, "Who's here?"

Zhang Run dodged his hand, plopping down on the edge of the bed with a tone laced with faint mockery. "It's Guanshan. I heard the Marchioness has been waiting for you a long time, and Guanshan came urgently to fetch you."

Han Zhi's expression grew darker. He quickly dressed, pressing his lips together as if unsure what to say to Zhang Run. After a moment, he sighed, turned, and left.