The Western Palace Gate was closed from the inside, causing the guard captain stationed there to furrow his brows in suspicion.
“Military intelligence arrived and the Noon Gate was sealed? Why does this sound so strange?” the guard captain muttered to himself before asking, “Did any of you recognize those people who just passed?”
Everyone around him shook their heads. Though they all served in the palace under different divisions and commanders, those who had worked in the palace long enough usually recognized each other. It was quite unusual not to recognize a single person among the group of twenty that had just passed.
The guard captain beckoned to one of his men. “You, go toward Chongzheng Hall and see if there’s any disturbance. If there is, so be it. If not, immediately inform Eunuch Yuan about the Princess leaving the palace.”
With palace gate security being a serious matter, the guard captain dared not be careless.
The dispatched imperial guard also took his duty seriously. The Western Palace Gate was somewhat remote, and before he reached Chongzheng Hall, he saw many imperial guards returning to the palace. He approached a familiar face to inquire, who responded gravely, “We were originally stationed in the east of the city, but suddenly received orders to return to the palace. Not just us, but Commander Lin’s men were also called back. I heard something major has happened.”
The guard felt relieved upon hearing this, as it confirmed Princess Yongci’s story, but he still asked, “Do you know what happened?”
“Seems like soldiers from the northern garrison arrived with a Golden Feather Arrow to report military intelligence, apparently people from Yingzhou.”
Though this person didn’t know the details, his account matched Bai Feng’s explanation for leaving the palace. The Western Gate guard felt reassured, but the person he questioned asked curiously, “Why aren’t you at your post? Things are chaotic tonight, be careful of making mistakes. The Noon Gate is already in disarray.”
“Is the Noon Gate only allowing entry but not exit?”
The questioned guard nodded, “When we returned to the palace, there was a long queue at the gate, all military officers waiting for an imperial audience. Ah, looks like real trouble is brewing. The Empress and Crown Prince are nowhere to be seen, they’ve likely already joined the rebel forces…”
The Empress and Crown Prince’s departure from the palace was an open secret, and these imperial guards who had been searching for days knew this particularly well. Both men’s faces showed concern at this mention. The questioned guard continued, “But we needn’t worry. We’re palace staff – unless the rebels reach the palace gates, we won’t need to fight…”
The Western Gate guard’s heart jumped at these words. Seeing an officer approaching, he hurriedly took his leave. Having confirmed Bai Feng’s story through this conversation, he was now convinced of its truth. However, since the guard captain had ordered him to check Chongzheng Hall, he walked a few more steps in that direction. Before he got very close, a young eunuch from Chongzheng Hall spotted him and stopped him. “Which unit are you from? What brings you here?”
The Western Gate guard was startled, “I came to…”
Seeing the guard merely looking around without explaining clearly and showing no urgency, the young eunuch’s expression immediately changed. “No entry without urgent business today! Return to your post immediately! Currently, only the two Commander Lins may have an audience with His Majesty!”
“Then Eunuch Yuan…”
“Chief Steward Yuan is too busy to see you! Leave quickly! His Majesty has urgent matters to attend to! Can’t you see we’re all keeping our distance?!”
The young eunuch showed clear impatience, but the Western Gate guard dared not talk back.
These young eunuchs, though low in rank and physically impaired, served directly under the Emperor’s supervision and thus commanded greater respect. The Western Gate guard, though displeased, held his tongue and departed with a cupped-hand salute. Upon returning to the Western Gate, he reported what he had seen and heard, finally putting the guard captain’s mind at ease.
In the speeding carriage, Fu Ling’s heart remained suspended with anxiety.
“Oh dear, oh dear, what’s happening? Tonight was supposed to be the wedding night of the Prince and Princess, how could His Majesty… I thought Young Miss would have a good life after marrying the Prince, but… where are we going? Young Miss, please don’t abandon this servant. I’ll follow you even unto death.”
Fu Ling’s heart was filled with panic and fear. The current situation with Yan Chi and Qin Wan seemed like refugees fleeing, yet a hundred times more dangerous than that. Fu Ling, being just a young maid, had never experienced anything like this. Qin Wan found her words both pitiful and amusing. “How could I abandon you? Though we have a long journey ahead and will face many hardships.”
Fu Ling clung to Qin Wan’s arm, unwilling to let go. “This servant doesn’t fear hardship, only fears being left behind by Young Miss.”
When Fu Ling left the Prince’s mansion, she saw clearly that Yan Chi had decided to abandon the entire estate, let alone a mere servant like herself. During past plagues and disasters, which noble household hadn’t abandoned or dismissed their servants? Though Qin Wan wasn’t the type to disregard servants, she might very well arrange for Fu Ling to stay somewhere safe – exactly what Fu Ling dreaded most. “This servant would do anything for the Princess, especially following Young Miss in flight.”
Qin Wan couldn’t help but laugh – they were like refugees now.
Thinking this, Qin Wan lifted the carriage curtain to look outside. At the front of the procession, Yan Chi sat straight-backed on his horse, his broad shoulders and straight posture inspiring confidence. Qin Wan lowered the curtain, feeling warmth gradually return to her limbs.
The imperial capital was quite chaotic in the deep night. The palace had issued its first wave of orders to deploy the guard forces. The patrol division received the news first, and the remaining soldiers were all roused from sleep. These people, awakening in the middle of the night, were particularly frightened and afraid. Over a thousand imperial guards had left the palace, scattered throughout the imperial city, and it would naturally take time to recall them all. Along the ten-mile Imperial Street, official carriages still traveled toward the palace gates…
With more than an hour until dawn, the entire capital had awakened prematurely.
Yan Chi led everyone along small roads toward the south of the city. The closer they got to the south, the quieter it became. The South was the first to receive the news, and from the moment the guard carrying the Golden Feather Arrow entered the city, everyone had been on edge. After receiving the first imperial decree, half the forces had returned to the patrol division’s main camp in the southwest, while the remaining men, worn down by the wind and snow and frightened by the battle report, had caused the southern garrison to relax from within.
By the time Yan Chi reached the south of the city, the entire area was silent. Dozens of men in patrol division uniforms stood at the city gate. Upon seeing Yan Chi, their expressions immediately changed. One man stepped forward to bow to Yan Chi, then turned to order the others to open the gate. Qin Wan had expected a fierce battle at the city gate, but surprisingly, though the carriage stopped, all was quiet outside. She lifted the curtain to look out, seeing only unusual stillness above and below the gate tower.
The South Gate was the main exit of Lin’an’s outer city, used by both nobility and commoners alike. Now, however, the entire South Gate had fallen under Yan Chi’s control. Though this control might be temporary, this was still a gateway to the imperial capital! Yet it had been seized so easily!
Qin Wan didn’t know how serious the military situation was, but seeing such gate defenses, she couldn’t help but wonder: if the Northern Manor’s army reached the capital’s gates, how would the city’s garrison defend Lin’an? These garrison troops, composed of sons from noble and humble families who had never seen battle, might wear military uniforms and carry weapons and armor, but to true veterans, they appeared too inexperienced and rash…
The city gate opened easily and smoothly. Soon, Yan Chi led the way on horseback toward the gate.
As the carriages creaked into motion, amidst the howling wind and snow, Qin Wan instinctively looked back. Lin’an city was just a blur in the night, and thinking of her year since returning to the capital, Qin Wan felt a wave of melancholy. Back then, the Shen clan had tried to flee but was slaughtered outside the imperial city. Now, where would her and Yan Chi’s departure lead them?
As the carriage slowly passed through the gate tunnel, the snowstorm seemed somewhat lighter outside the city than within. Qin Wan’s heart eased slightly. Looking south, she saw thousands of black-clad riders waiting in the snowy field outside the city. Seeing Yan Chi leading people out of the city, everyone dismounted, and a middle-aged man at the front approached.
“Greetings, Your Highness! Your Highness has safely left the city!”
Yan Chi sat high on his horse, yanked off the imperial guard helmet and threw it to the ground, then tore off his military uniform. “The situation has changed. General Mu, thank you for your hard work!”
The man on the ground hurriedly replied, “We have waited long for this day! From this moment on, I swear to follow Your Highness unto death!”
Yan Chi nodded, looking at the thousands of black riders on a snowy night. “You are all my father’s former subordinates. The Rui Prince Manor will not disappoint you!”
With several clanging sounds, all the black-armored riders knelt.
“We swear to follow Your Highness unto death! We swear to follow Your Highness unto death!”
The thunderous voices were soul-stirring, even drowning out the sound of wind and snow. Yan Chi waved his hand. “Time is urgent. We must reach Cloud Ridge tonight. Let’s move out!”
Everyone rose and mounted their horses. As General Mu was directing the soldiers to head south, suddenly the sound of hoofbeats came from inside the city gate behind Yan Chi. Yan Chi seemed to sense something and looked back, seeing a single rider galloping toward them.
The arrival called out, “Seventh Brother, wait—”