Chapter 64: Information Gatekeeper?

Upon hearing the maidservant's report, Zhao Mang cast a suspicious glance at Jiang Wan beside him.

The displeasure in his heart was plastered plainly across his face.

"Who on earth is this Young Master Xie?"

"Coming to see you in the middle of the night?"

Seeing Zhao Mang's jealous expression, Jiang Wan chuckled instantly. She turned her head away and spoke with her back to him.

"What business is it of yours who he is? It has nothing to do with you!"

Hearing this, Zhao Mang grew rather angry.

"What on earth could you possibly have to discuss that you need to keep from me?"

With that, he grabbed Jiang Wan's chin and turned her head back to force her to look at him.

"Tell me right now!"

Noticing that Zhao Mang was genuinely upset, Jiang Wan let out a coy giggle and gave his chest a symbolic, light slap. "Look at you! Who could it possibly be? It's just the person arranged for the intelligence network you wanted to set up."

Hearing her explanation, Zhao Mang felt a bit awkward. He gave Jiang Wan a playful swat on her backside and said, "What time is it, and you're still joking around with me!"

"Don't you ever pull a stunt like that again!"

Jiang Wan replied, "Got it! Got it! Look how scared you are—do I look like that kind of casual woman?"

Zhao Mang turned his head away, scratched the back of his head, and said with a guilty conscience, "Of course I trust you!"

Just then, the maidservant's voice rang out from outside once more: "My lady, how shall I reply to Young Master Xie?"

Jiang Wan's expression turned serious. "Tell him to come into the main hall to meet us."

With that, she cast a flirtatious sideways glance at Zhao Mang. "You bad man, hurry up and get dressed so you can come with me to meet him."

Coming to his senses, Zhao Mang quickly threw on his garments.

Then, taking advantage of the moment while helping Jiang Wan adjust her dress, he stole a couple of fondles and a pat before finally letting her go.

Inside the main hall.

Xie Hu sat upright, sipping his tea without the slightest trace of impatience.

Before long, Zhao Mang and Jiang Wan emerged together.

The moment he caught sight of Zhao Mang, Xie Hu froze slightly in surprise.

Noticing that Zhao Mang was holding Jiang Wan's hand, he immediately understood that Zhao Mang was staking his claim in front of him. "I never expected to encounter the General here as well. Truly an honor!"

He certainly hadn't anticipated that Jiang Wan would be a close confidante of Zhao Mang.

He then bowed toward Jiang Wan and said, "Lady Jiang!"

Seeing Xie Hu, Zhao Mang was equally taken aback for a moment. Recovering his composure, he cupped his hands in greeting. "I certainly didn't expect it to be you either!"

The two men exchanged a look as if they had met too late in life.

This left Jiang Wan somewhat bewildered, though she still said gently, "Since you two already know each other, I won't bother with formal introductions."

After the three of them exchanged pleasantries, Xie Hu brought up the reason for his visit to the Fragrance Pavilion: "Before I came, I happened to run into the Zhang family moving out in full force. By now, they have likely already cleared the city gates and are heading west."

"Didn't Lady Jiang ask me to keep an eye on the Zhang family's movements? I am wondering now whether we should pursue them or not."

Hearing Xie Hu's report, Zhao Mang finally understood why Jiang Wan had spoken the way she did earlier.

As it turned out, the intelligence operative she had mentioned was actually the military officer guarding the city gates.

This choice of candidate caught Zhao Mang somewhat off guard, making him realize just how immense the influence of these aristocratic clans truly was.

A mere gate guard was willing to serve as Jiang Wan's intelligence asset of his own free will.

He had even come to deliver the message in person. One had to admit, this intelligence agent was doing a rather commendable job.

Only, running back and forth in person lacked the tense, thrilling atmosphere often portrayed in television dramas.

Handled this way, it looked far too unprofessional.

Jiang Wan, who had been about to speak, saw that Zhao Mang had beaten her to it, so she closed her mouth and sat quietly behind him.

Zhao Mang asked, "When did the Zhang family pass through the city gates?"

Xie Hu was momentarily stunned. Seeing Jiang Wan sitting obediently beside Zhao Mang without chiming in, he instantly understood that Zhao Mang was the one calling the shots here. He replied earnestly, "At the Tzu hour tonight, which was right around the time I hurried back."

Zhao Mang rubbed his chin, a decision forming in his mind instantly.

"In that case, I will take my men and set out at once."

With that, Zhao Mang turned his gaze to Jiang Wan. "You are to notify your younger brother immediately. Take all your existing estate guards and turn the Zhang residence upside down."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wan nodded in swift agreement.

She then looked over at Xie Hu and instructed, "Xie Hu, I'm afraid I must trouble you to make another trip to the city gates to clear the way for us."

Hearing Zhao Mang's unspoken dismissal, Xie Hu stood up and took his leave without delay.

After Xie Hu departed, Zhao Mang discussed the matter thoroughly with Jiang Wan.

"Wan'er, your intelligence network shouldn't be operated so openly."

"Since he is a member of the intelligence network and holds such a conspicuous position, you must not allow him to contact you directly."

"There needs to be an intermediary to pass messages between you. An intelligence network must be kept hidden; otherwise, if everyone knows he is your informant, your cover will be blown."

Jiang Wan felt a slight pang of awkwardness at his words, yet she replied with patient affection, "I only recruited him into the fold today, so I hadn't had the chance to go over these rules with him yet. It was indeed my oversight."

As if recalling something, she looked at Zhao Mang with a mischievous smile and teased, "You're still jealous, aren't you?"

With a serious expression, Zhao Mang replied earnestly, "I am worried about your safety. If you want to run a covert espionage network, you must leave zero traces and expose no vulnerabilities. Otherwise, I genuinely fear for your life."

"Don't ever do this again! Do you understand?"

With that, Zhao Mang gently stroked Jiang Wan's head, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and strode out swiftly.

By the time Zhao Mang left the room, Jiang Wan remained immersed in his tender affection, thinking that choosing him was truly the greatest fortune of her life.

The three of them parted ways and immediately set their respective plans into motion.

Meanwhile.

About ten miles outside the city, the caravan of the Zhang family had halted by a small river to rest for the night.

Gazing up at the chilly, starry night sky of the northern frontier, Zhang Shirong felt a biting coldness in the air.

Having lingered in Shashan City for over a decade, he had finally managed to carve out a decent life for himself.

Never had he imagined he would be reduced to this state by a rustic upstart whom he had never once deigned to look down upon.

A profound sense of helplessness welled up inside him.

Though they called themselves an aristocratic clan, they were, in reality, merely a branch family surviving under the patronage of the local gentry.

They were hardly figures of any great consequence.

He realized he had been far too careless, failing to keep his subordinates in check and celebrating his triumph far too soon.

Once he returned to the Western Regions, he would have to nurse his strength and bide his time before coming back to finish that brat off.

Now that defeat was certain, he had no other option than to swallow his pride and yield.

This ordeal had taught him a harsh lesson: underhanded schemes were ultimately no substitute for decisive strength.

With this thought, he groped inside his robe, drew out the letter, and scanned its contents once more, still unable to make sense of it.

It had been agreed that he would wait for Li Shiguan here so they could travel to the Western Regions together.

Why was it that after waiting for nearly an hour, there was still no sign of Li Shiguan?

Initially, he had felt rather fortunate that his entire household had managed to slip out of Shashan City so easily.

Yet now,

having waited here for so long, he was beginning to grow restless.

The news of their clandestine overnight flight bound to be discovered sooner or later.

If Zhao Mang and his men were to catch up with them, the consequences would be far from simple.

Even as this thought crossed his mind,

a servant hurried up to his side, breathless with panic. "This is terrible, this is terrible, Master! The sound of horse hooves is approaching from the east! And the numbers seem quite large!"

Hearing this, Zhang Shirong jolted to his feet!

The pupils in his eyes contracted sharply.