She Came to Heal, Stayed to Conquer

”As long as we steal that gun, even if it’s just one, we can escape.”

Cao Xiong squinted his eyes as he spoke, a dangerous gleam flashing in them.

”Mr. Cao, but you said that gun is more powerful than a bow and arrow. How are we supposed to steal it? I don’t even know how to fight!” Zhang Shiyang looked at Cao Xiong with a face full of desperation.

Thinking back now, Zhang Shiyang felt he had been at a great loss. As a Minister of Industry living comfortably in the Capital City, he had no idea why he had insisted on taking his team to Beiguan to assist with building defenses. Wasn’t this just digging his own grave?

Upon hearing Zhang Shiyang’s words, Cao Xiong rolled his eyes at him. ”Hmph! You civil officials are useless. Just because you don’t know martial arts, do you think the two of us are helpless too?”

”Exactly.” Li Gang chimed in, ”That brat Zhao Zun thinks he can break us by dumping us here? Hmph! Dream on. Once we get hold of the gun and escape, it’ll be his nightmare.”

”But... the mine is surrounded by soldiers. How do we escape?” Zhang Shiyang still doubted their plan.

”What’s there to fear?” Cao Xiong sneered, lowering his voice. ”We three—one is Beiguan’s Marshal, one is the garrison commander, and one is the Minister of Industry—can’t handle a bunch of soldiers? Once it gets dark, we’ll take action.”

”Mr. Cao is right.” Li Gang nodded, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes. ”We can’t just resign to fate. That brat Zhao Zun thinks he can win us over by giving us a meal? Hmph, we’ll show him that there’s only one path for traitors.”

”But... what about the others?”

Zhang Shiyang turned his head to look at the others working elsewhere, his brow furrowed tightly.

Among them were the Imperial Army from the Capital City, Cao Xiong’s personal soldiers, and people from the Ministry of Industry. Since they were planning to escape, he wanted everyone to escape together.

Cao Xiong glanced in that direction too, sighing as he spoke with resolve, ”We can’t worry about all that. Only by escaping ourselves can we get His Majesty to send troops to rescue them.”

”Shh, keep it down!” Li Gang suddenly lifted his head warily, eyes sweeping over the patrolling soldiers nearby, lowering his voice as he spoke. ”Don’t let them hear us. We have to be cautious, not alert the snake in the grass.”

The trio instinctively lowered their heads, swinging their shovels a few more times symbolically, putting on an act of working hard.

Once the soldiers moved away, Cao Xiong quietly said, ”When we clock out later, find a chance to hide the tools. We’ll need them when we act tonight.”

”Alright!”

Li Gang and Zhang Shiyang nodded, an excited glow flashing in their eyes.

However, unbeknownst to them, as they whispered to each other, Zhao Zun and Ma Zi were standing quietly on a nearby high ground, observing their every move through binoculars.

Zhao Zun’s lips curled up slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.

”Prince, those three damn people are indeed restless,” Ma Zi said softly, a hint of worry in his voice. ”Should we send people to arrest them now?”

”No rush.” Zhao Zun waved his hand, his gaze still fixed on those three lazy figures. ”Let them jump around a bit more. I want to see what tricks they can pull.”

”But...” Ma Zi furrowed his brow, seemingly wanting to say something else but was interrupted by Zhao Zun.

”It looks like they’ve got their sights on Dog Sheng, but don’t worry, they won’t escape.”

Zhao Zun said blandly, his tone exuding confidence.

”This Yin Mountain Coal Mine isn’t a place they can come and go as they please. Even if they escape the mine, they won’t come near the fortresses of Yong’an City unless they want to head to the Turkic Grasslands.”

Ma Zi smiled and nodded, saying no more.

Zhao Zun was right. On one side of Yin Mountain was the Turkic Grassland, and on the other were Yong’an City and Ling’an City. Even if Zhao Zun let them run, they wouldn’t make it back to the Capital City of Da Jing.

Throwing them into the coal mine was merely due to disfavor, purely to exploit their labor.

Zhao Zun’s gaze remained fixed on the trio, a chill flashing in his eyes.

When Han Lei left Yong’an City, she left behind a lot of materials to be used, and a few prefab huts were set up here for everyone to rest in.

As night fell, the prisoners at the mine gradually clocked out, dragging their exhausted bodies back to the temporary shelters to eat and rest.

Time passed second by second until the moon hung high in the sky. Inside the simple shelters, snores rose and fell, occasionally interspersed with a few low coughs. The only light came from a smattering of solar-powered lamps hanging in the corners, casting a pale glow in the darkness.