CHAPTER 90: CHAPTER 88: LOOKS LIKE SHE’LL HAVE TO START PLANNING TO MOVE OUT SOONER

"Did you finish sealing off that entrance outside? A new batch of refugees recently arrived at the camp, and I’m worried they’ll wander in without permission."

"Rest assured, no one knows about this place. That group of refugees is mostly women; none of them have the guts! Besides, word is that the second master among them is somehow related to the Governor. Once we’ve got the silver, we’ll go and smooth things over with him and have some fun with those women."

At the mention of this, the two immediately became excited, cackling salaciously.

Ruan Mian realized that behind the reception camp was a fairly sizable clay coal field.

A place where so much clay coal has accumulated implies a higher risk factor for their cellar.

No wonder those government officers don’t live in the cellar. The refugees are afraid of the dead inside, but they are afraid of becoming the dead themselves.

The soil here is loose, and with their secret mining, there might be a risk of the cellar collapsing.

It seems she needs to start planning her move out.

Moreover, from the two men’s conversation, Ruan Mian also learned they were using the illegally mined clay coal for trading with an enemy nation, and the manager was none other than the Governor at the border military camp.

They were lining their own pockets, evading commercial taxes.

Furthermore, Li Mao’s confidant was also that Military Governor.

Ruan Mian pondered for a moment, then turned and led Little Deer down another path.

Inside, the paths branched out in all directions, and she didn’t know where they would lead.

Luckily, with Little Deer leading the way, it would be alerted if anyone was around, and if not, they just followed the path.

When she finally emerged, she found herself on a hill outside the prison cell.

To avoid being mistaken for a runaway, Ruan Mian quickened her pace back to the reception camp.

Heading towards the direction of the cellar.

But unexpectedly, she ran into that bastard Li Mao midway.

His face flushed, he called out to Ruan Mian from behind, "Stop right there!"

Reeking of alcohol, he hiccupped while pointing at Little Deer, scolding.

"You’re a mere refugee, and you still keep an animal?! Ruan Mian, you really don’t take this exile seriously, do you?!"

"Since ancient times, which refugee could live as lavishly as you, making others green with envy?! But! I am no longer envious."

"Let me tell you, Ruan Mian, the Governor came to see me today. I’ll soon leave this damned place, and you! You and that pup you brought back messed up my foot, and I’ll definitely settle this with you."

With the smell of alcohol, he suddenly grabbed Little Deer’s neck, stomping it to the ground!

Little Deer let out a painful whimper.

He laughed heartily, "In my eyes, you’re no different from this beast! Sooner or later, you’ll be trampled underfoot by me."

Seeing this, Ruan Mian immediately drew her dagger and lunged at him, unwilling to hear him prattle on.

But Li Mao dodged her attack, smashed a wine jar, and picked up a shard of porcelain, pressing it against Little Deer’s carotid artery.

"You dare hurt me? I’ll kill your little beast!"

Just as he spoke, Ruan Mian suddenly touched the jade bracelet, releasing the White Tiger.

Li Mao’s eyes widened in disbelief, thinking he was hallucinating.

How did a fierce beast suddenly fall from the sky?!

Before he could react, the White Tiger pounced.

He fainted on the spot from fright. Just then, patrolling government officers heard the commotion and approached.

Ruan Mian quickly put both the White Tiger and Little Deer back into her space and turned to leave the scene.

Once in a secluded spot, she hurriedly entered the space to check on Little Deer’s injuries.

But as she entered, she saw Little Deer energetically leaping around the White Tiger, gulping down the spiritual spring water.

Another creature leisurely basked in the sun, guarding the clay coal Ruan Mian had been drying over the days.

Only then did the burden on her heart finally ease.

The sunlight in the space was indeed extraordinary. The clay coal, drying for just a few days, was already parched and almost ready for use.

Since she knew about the Governor’s illegal clay coal mining, she might as well take down this reception camp!

Her family could finally move out of the cellar, build a house, install a heated kang, and each have a room. It would be much better than being crammed in a stifling cellar.

With her mind made up, Ruan Mian took Little Deer back to the cellar.

She called Yun Xiu over, "Tomorrow I’ll send you out, go to the post station to check if Mr. Xie has arrived there, and pass on a message if you see him."

She told Yun Xiu about the clay coal situation, planning to have him follow Little Deer out of the reception camp from the cellar.

They secretly mined clay coal and transported it to the edge of the Linfen River on the border between the two countries, which meant there must be a tunnel leading out of the reception camp.

As Little Deer understood her words, it wasn’t a problem for it to lead Yun Xiu out.

But things didn’t go as she expected, for the next day, before she and Yun Xiu could set out, the gatekeeper personally led his subordinates to find Ruan Mian.

"Are you Ruan Mian?"

The gatekeeper, recognizing her as the woman from yesterday, asked gruffly.

Everyone else was puzzled, with Mrs. Zhang particularly worried.

Ruan Mian nodded calmly, "Yes, sir, this humble woman is."

"Come with me, the Border Guard General wants to see you."

Upon hearing that the Border Guard General was looking for her, everyone was shocked.

In truth, even the gatekeeper was puzzled; he hadn’t heard of any connection between the Ruan family and the General. In any case, they had been here for quite a while. If there were any ties, the General would have sent word sooner.

Ruan Mian quickly whispered to Yun Xiu, "Wait till I return, there’s no rush."

Without her, Little Deer wouldn’t understand Yun Xiu’s words.

Thus, she followed the gatekeeper out of the reception camp, where a military carriage awaited at the entrance.

Ruan Mian hesitated about getting in when Vice Minister Dong suddenly appeared from the carriage.

"Miss Ruan."

"Vice Minister Dong?"

Seeing him surprised Ruan Mian, thinking Xie Huai’an must have safely arrived in Wuheng.

She took a seat opposite Vice Minister Dong.

When questioned, Ruan Mian realized that the one wanting to see her was not the Border Guard General, but Mr. Xie.

Vice Minister Dong informed her, "Mr. Xie hasn’t yet recovered from his cold. General Huo is on good terms with him, so following Mr. Xie’s instructions, he brought you over from the reception camp."

"General Huo? So I was invited by him?"

At this moment, Ruan Mian realized belatedly that the General in charge of the border was Huo Zong.

In the original book, Huo Zong and Xie Huai’an were very close friends, having studied together in their youth, though they later went separate ways with one in civil service and the other in military.

During King Yan’s rebellion, Huo Zong quelled the unrest along the border and discreetly sent reinforcements to the Capital City, remaining in communication with Xie Huai’an.

Unfortunately, Ruan Mian hadn’t finished reading the original book in its entirety.

But what’s certain now is that Huo Zong is not a villain.

Along the way, Vice Minister Dong shared stories of their thrilling experiences since they last parted, luckily, each danger was resolved thanks to the cleverness of their master.

Mentioning the position of post station manager, Vice Minister Dong expressed his grievance for their master.

"I’ve truly experienced what it means to keep company with a monarch, as if accompanying a tiger."