"My lord, these men are merely my subordinates. They know nothing. Please show them mercy!"
Fen Liyou watched the soldiers of the pass pounce like wolves and tigers, binding everyone, Yang Qing included. His heart burned with anxiety, and he was about to speak when he saw Yang Qing give him a slight shake of the head.
Fen Liyou froze, then lowered his head.
Fen Liyou and his entire party were locked in the dungeon beneath the general's residence at Jade Gate Pass.
Fortunately, though the dungeon was damp and cold, their cells were close together. Yang Qing and Fen Liyou were held in neighboring cells.
"Brother Yang, I am truly sorry. I've dragged all of you into this with me." Only after the soldiers escorting them had left did Fen Liyou speak hurriedly.
Yang Qing waved a hand. "Master Fen, we were traveling together in the first place. Besides, without your help, the four of us could never have made it safely out of that desert. And judging by the way you conduct yourself, I believe there must be more to this affair."
Fen Liyou sighed inwardly. "I simply cannot understand how things came to this."
"Master Fen, why not think carefully?" Yang Qing asked. "Was there anything unusual before or during this journey?"
"Unusual?" Fen Liyou tilted his head and thought, but remained bewildered. "I have been an Imperial Merchant for years. Naturally, I know what business I may undertake and whom I may deal with. There was nothing unusual about this journey compared with any other."
"Wind blows through a hollow for a reason," Yang Qing said. "This cannot be dismissed as ordinary. Judging by the force they brought to bear, those men clearly came prepared."
Came prepared?
Fen Liyou frowned and bowed his head in silence.