“Second Young Master, this place is not suitable for lingering. Let’s hurry and leave.” Regarding Duan Zhihong’s words, Li Shimin nodded and said to Yunyi beside him: “Princess, please mount your horse.”

Yunyi said with a complex expression: “Many thanks to Second Young Master for saving my life!”

Li Shimin said nothing, only having Duan Zhihong help her mount, then immediately led the two thousand soldiers who had come to rescue her to quickly leave the city gate. To avoid Yuwen Zhiji pursuing them, they didn’t stop along the way, running for a full day and night until they were nearly a hundred li away from Jiangdu before finally making camp to rest.

Yunyi sat in the tent lost in thought. Although she was extremely tired, she still had no sleepiness, her mind constantly flashing with scenes of Li Shimin appearing before her, and him saving her life under Cui Guangde’s arrow.

She knew it must have been Du Ruhui who had requested Li Shimin to come, but the latter… shouldn’t he hate her to the bone? Why would he still risk his life to save her?

“Are you thinking about Second Young Master?” The sudden voice startled Yunyi. Looking carefully, she saw Du Ruhui had somehow sat down across from her.

Yunyi pressed her chest and said: “When did you come in? How are you as quiet as a thief, without making any sound?”

“It’s not that I made no sound, but that the princess was lost in thought.” Du Ruhui took the tea cup that Ruyi handed over, pouring a cup each for himself and Yunyi. “How about it, am I right?”

Yunyi picked up the tea and took a sip, saying: “I haven’t asked you yet – since you left Jiangdu, why didn’t you live your peaceful days well, but went to request Li Shimin instead?”

Du Ruhui smiled slightly, “The princess helped me so much, how could I abandon the princess and ignore her? Fortunately, everything is well now.”

“Well?” Yunyi smiled bitterly: “You should understand, if I had really wanted to escape alone back then, I would have been living a reclusive life by now.”

Du Ruhui sighed softly: “I understand. The princess is worried about Her Majesty the Empress, but I believe what Her Majesty the Empress most wants to see is the princess’s safety, just like Pei Qiantong.”

Mentioning Pei Qiantong, Yunyi said: “By the way, how is Pei Qiancheng? Is he well?”

“Princess, rest assured. Brother Pei has calmed down now and won’t act rashly again. Just before coming here, I accompanied him to see Second Young Master. In the future, he will serve under Second Young Master’s command.”

“That’s good.” Saying this, Yunyi said worriedly: “With my departure, I wonder if it will implicate Mother Empress?”

“Princess, rest assured. Her Majesty the Empress has Yuwen Huaji protecting her, so she should be safe. After all, currently in Jiangdu city, the Yuwen clan has the greatest power, especially with both the Pei and Cui clans destroyed, no one can contend with them. Later we’ll find a way to rescue the Empress.”

Although Yunyi was anxious, she understood this was the only way for now. After a moment of silence, she said softly: “How did you persuade him?”

Du Ruhui naturally understood who the “him” in Yunyi’s words referred to, saying: “I told Second Young Master about how the princess once saved their father and son from danger. Second Young Master distinguishes clearly between gratitude and grudges, and immediately decided to bring troops to save the princess. Duke Li also agreed.”

As expected…

Yunyi’s thoughts stirred slightly, and she raised her eyes: “Second Young Master doesn’t actually have fifty thousand troops in hand, does he?” Earlier during the march, she had carefully observed. Although it looked like a vast black mass, there weren’t actually many people – at most only several thousand.

Du Ruhui smiled: “Correct. Although Duke Li has over a hundred thousand troops, since he must contend with Qu Tutong and also attack Chang’an, how could he deploy fifty thousand troops for Second Young Master? But if we didn’t say so, how could we intimidate Pei Qiantong into cooperating with us, and later Yuwen Huaji as well?” After saying this, he continued: “Fortunately we came in time. If we had been one or two days later, I’m afraid we couldn’t have rescued the princess.”

“You mean the matter with Cui Ji?” Yunyi smiled indifferently and stood up: “When his courtship failed, he wanted to assault me, so I killed him. Actually, I was already prepared to die at that time, but ended up being saved by you all. Is this what they call ‘fate decreed I shouldn’t die’?”

“The princess is of imperial noble blood, with countless blessings ahead. How could you perish so early?” Faced with Du Ruhui’s words, Yunyi smiled bitterly: “Imperial noble blood? It would be more appropriate to say ‘daughter of a fallen kingdom.’ Jiangdu has already fallen into the hands of the Yuwen clan, and Chang’an will soon belong to Duke Tang as well. I… don’t even know where I can go.”

Du Ruhui was silent for a moment before saying: “After this matter is concluded, I will go to Taiyuan to reunite with Xianyue and my parents. If the princess doesn’t mind, why not come to Taiyuan with me? Although it can’t compare to your previous life of luxury in the palace, at least you can stay away from trouble.”

Yunyi laughed: “I’m afraid as soon as I enter the door, Madam Du will chase me out with a broom.”

Du Ruhui laughed helplessly: “Where is the princess going with this? The matter with Meixue has long passed. How would mother still treat the princess that way?”

“The matter with Meixue may have passed, but you risked your life to save me. Madam Du loves you so much – wouldn’t she see me as a thorn in her eye?”

Du Ruhui smiled awkwardly: “If the princess is unwilling to see my mother, I’ll choose another garden for the princess to live in. Would that be acceptable?”

“No rush, we’ll talk about it then.” Saying this, Yunyi smoothed her sleeves: “Since it’s still not too late, accompany me for a walk outside. Being confined in Feixiang Palace earlier without being allowed to step out even once was quite stifling.”

The two had just lifted the tent flap to go out when they unexpectedly saw Li Shimin outside, his expression hesitant, as if pondering whether to enter. Now suddenly meeting face to face, neither knew what to say. Du Ruhui was the first to react, saying: “Second Young Master, perfect timing. I just remembered I have some matters to attend to. Why don’t you accompany the princess for a walk nearby?”

Li Shimin nodded stiffly. After Du Ruhui left, he and Yunyi walked one in front of the other in silence. Withered yellow weeds made faint sounds under their feet. Occasionally autumn wind swept by, stirring up several fallen leaves that spun in the air. Yunyi secretly raised her eyes – the golden sunset glow enveloped him like a heavenly god descended to the mortal world. Indeed, to her, he was truly like a heavenly god. Every time she was in trouble, he would come to her rescue. It was so in Honghua Prefecture, and likewise in Jiangdu city.

When they reached a winding stream, Li Shimin stopped and broke the long-lasting silence: “This journey has been arduous. Are you well?”

“I’m well.” After a brief silence, Yunyi curtsied: “Many thanks to Second Young Master for saving my life.”

Li Shimin said with a complex expression: “Princess need not thank me. I was merely repaying your life-saving grace from the past. If not for the princess’s rescue that day, my father and I might have already died in Luoyang city.”

Listening to the babbling sound of flowing water, Yunyi suddenly said: “Your coming here to save me – does this mean you have already forgiven what happened back then?”