Before long, the sky had completely brightened.
The court assembly was about to begin. Horn sounds echoed throughout the palace grounds—this was the ceremony for seeing off the envoy.
The envoy from Annan was leaving today, so in the coming days, the candidate to be sent as envoy to Annan should also be decided.
Su Jin heard the horn sounds subside and said to Shen Xi: “We’ve been away from the Ministry of Justice all night. Zhu Zhaowei’s side has surely noticed and sent people to the rear palace to search for us. Going out like this, we’ll probably run into the Yulin Guard.”
Shen Xi said: “We’ll adapt as circumstances require.”
Su Jin nodded: “Good.” She then knocked open the main gate of the old site of Yanhe Palace.
The patrolling guard who answered the door saw Su Jin and Shen Xi and said in bewilderment: “How are the two lords inside Yanhe Palace?”
This place had just been sealed by Zhu Zhaowei’s order last night.
Su Jin said coldly: “Last night, this official came here to investigate the case of the Imperial Noble Consort’s sudden death. For some reason, I was locked inside. Even when I knocked on the door at midnight, no one came to open it. What’s this—before this official has held you accountable, you’re going to hold this official accountable instead?”
The patrolling guard quickly said: “Lord Su, forgive me. This lowly one absolutely has no intention of holding you accountable. It’s just…”
“Lord Su, Lord Shen.”
Before the patrolling guard could finish speaking, Wu Yusheng emerged from around the corner at the end of the alley with several Yulin Guards.
Beside him followed a hidden guard dressed in the Seventh Prince’s residence guard uniform with an unfamiliar face—presumably having received Zhu Zhaowei’s orders to come to the rear palace to find Su Jin and Shen Xi.
Wu Yusheng smiled: “As Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Lord Su may investigate cases in the rear palace, but Lord Shen serves in the Court of Imperial Stud. For a mere seventh-rank deputy director to appear in the rear palace—doesn’t that break the rules?” As he spoke, his eyes turned stern, and he ordered the Yulin Guards behind him: “Take him away!”
“Is Lord Wu not curious why this official came to the old site of Yanhe Palace, and what this official discovered inside?” Before the Yulin Guards could act, Su Jin spoke.
As she spoke, she took a worn piece of paper from her sleeve pocket and said slowly: “Yesterday, this official received a secret letter from a maidservant of the late Imperial Noble Consort, saying that inside this old site of Yanhe Palace, an extraordinary incident once occurred. Last night, I came here specifically to investigate, and indeed discovered some clues.”
Wu Yusheng did not know about the affair between Zhu Zhaowei and Consort Qi. Hearing these words, he only felt Su Jin was deliberately mystifying things. However, the hidden guard beside him suddenly froze in expression. He held back Wu Yusheng and bowed to Su Jin, respectfully asking: “May I ask what Lord Su found inside Yanhe Palace?”
Su Jin glanced at him but did not answer.
After all, she was a third-rank Vice Minister. Though this hidden guard relied on Zhu Zhaowei’s power, he could not override her authority.
Shen Xi knew that Su Jin had not actually found evidence. This stratagem was truly a case of deceiving heaven and crossing the sea. He seemingly casually glanced at the secret letter in her hand—it was actually a prescription for treating cold symptoms.
This bore a striking resemblance to how he had used a bank note as a secret letter last year to trick Feng Mengping at the Feng residence.
Shen Xi’s eyes curved: “Actually, there’s nothing worth hiding from this lord. We simply found a token that the Seventh Prince once left in this Yanhe Palace. It’s just that the token is not currently on our persons. Otherwise, we could take it out for you two to examine.”
After saying this, he exchanged a glance with Su Jin. The two of them walked down the stone steps in front of the palace gate, paid no heed to Wu Yusheng and his group, and walked away around the end of the alley.
Wu Yusheng intuitively sensed that Su Jin and Shen Xi’s words concealed sharp intentions, but he did not understand their meaning. After pondering for a while, just as he was about to pursue Shen Xi, unexpectedly the hidden guard beside him held him back, saying: “I trouble Lord Wu to first send people to secretly follow Lord Su and Lord Shen. Do not let those two get away. After I report back to the Seventh Prince, it won’t be too late to pursue them.”
Though Su Jin and Shen Xi had deceived Wu Yusheng, they knew this was only a delaying tactic. In less than half a moment, after the Yulin Guard searched through the old site of Yanhe Palace, they would pursue them.
The urgent matter was to leave the rear palace first.
Yanhe Palace was located deep within the rear palace. To walk to the front palace required many twists and turns.
The sky had already brightened, and palace servants were walking about paying their respects. Just as Su Jin and Shen Xi rounded a corridor, they nearly collided head-on with several guiding maidservants.
The two looked closely and saw that following behind those maidservants was actually the second daughter of the Zhao residence, Zhao Wan.
As a noble daughter of the capital, Zhao Wan would soon be betrothed. This morning, she had come early to the rear palace to pay respects and receive rewards from Consort Yu and Consort Qi.
She wore a light-colored dress, and the red plum blossom hairpin at her temples added several touches of vitality to her entire person, perhaps because of the approaching joyous occasion.
But there was no joy in her eyes. She steadied a palace maid beside her who had not stood firmly, then her gaze fell upon the person beside Su Jin—the one wearing a black cloak with features like a painting.
Shen Xi was also looking at her. Seeing her look over, he nodded slightly in greeting, then said to Su Jin: “Let’s go.”
Su Jin nodded and said: “Pardon the intrusion, Second Miss.” Then she and Shen Xi walked around their group toward the south side gate.
When Shen Xi had stayed at the Zhao family’s villa for two months, Zhao Wan was not unaware of his situation in the palace. Seeing the two of them in such a hurry, they must have encountered trouble again.
Zhao Wan pressed her lips together slightly and called out: “Lord Su, Lord Shen.” She caught up a few steps and curtsied: “Are the two lords leaving the palace?” She lowered her eyes and said: “Awan can lead the two lords. I… came in my father’s carriage today, and I’m just about to leave through the south side gate now.”
“Would that be Lord Zhao’s carriage with the official plaque of the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief?” Su Jin asked.
“Precisely.”
Su Jin made an immediate decision: “Qingyue, you go with Second Miss Zhao.”
Shen Xi looked at Su Jin but did not speak.
He understood Su Jin’s meaning. If both of them left with Zhao Wan, the Yulin Guard would certainly follow closely. They could only hide for a moment. Therefore, one of them had to stay behind to hold off the Yulin Guard following them from afar.
This person could only be Su Jin.
After all, she was the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. In front of so many people in the rear palace, the Yulin Guard would not dare to act against her without cause. But if Shen Xi fell into their hands, he would probably face more misfortune than fortune.
The logic was sound, but… even as close friends, he already owed her too many favors.
Seeing Shen Xi remain silent, Su Jin said: “You need not worry. I’ll leave through Gongxuan Gate. Though Zuo Qian is at the Northern Great Camp, he has already arranged for the Golden Guards to protect me.” As she spoke, she reached out to support Shen Xi’s arm and continued: “You and I have struggled together to reach today. At this moment, we must be even more cautious at every step.” She paused. “His Highness will return soon. Preserving our lives is what matters.”
Zhao Wan called out again: “Lord Shen…”
The teardrop mole at the corner of his eye was darkly luminous. After a moment, Shen Xi made an affirmative sound. Without saying more, he turned and walked away with Zhao Wan.
Perhaps Zhu Zhaowei had already learned of Shen Xi and Su Jin’s nighttime intrusion into Yanhe Palace. By the hour of chen, several additional Yulin Guards had been dispatched to patrol the front and rear palaces.
Shen Xi and Zhao Wan walked to the back alley leading to the south side gate, and the two boarded the carriage together.
However, before the carriage could leave the palace gate, it was stopped by two guards who bowed and said: “We just received orders from the Seventh Prince that there is a thief fleeing from the inner palace. All palace gate guards are commanded to conduct strict inspections. May we ask if the person in the carriage is Lord Zhao Yan from the Imperial Censorate?”
The driver said: “Sirs, the person in the carriage is not Lord Zhao, but Second Miss Zhao from the residence.”
The two guards did not give way but said: “Then please ask Second Miss Zhao to show her face.”
Zhao Wan drew a quiet breath, lifted the carriage curtain, and asked softly: “May I go now?”
The two guards exchanged glances, then both bowed: “We ask Second Miss Zhao to descend from the carriage and allow us to inspect it before you go.”
Hearing these words, Zhao Wan felt timid in her heart. She dared not turn back to look at Shen Xi to let him make the decision, fearing the guards would notice something amiss. She had no choice but to descend from the carriage.
Just as the guard’s hand was about to lift the carriage curtain, Zhao Wan felt both alarmed and frightened. Before she could cry out “Wait,” someone at the palace gate suddenly called: “Awan.”
The person who came was Gu Yunjian.
He approached and smiled warmly: “My teacher said you were in the palace today. I happened to be leaving the palace to… to handle a case, and thought I’d see you off. I didn’t expect to actually catch you.” But after saying this, he inadvertently noticed that Zhao Wan’s expression was unusual. He shifted his gaze to the two guards beside him: “What’s going on?”
The two guards said: “In reply to Lord Gu, we lowly ones received orders from the Seventh Prince to search carriages coming and going.” Then they said to Zhao Wan: “We have been presumptuous with Second Miss Zhao. Please forgive us, Miss.”
Zhao Wan’s face was pale, but her hand pressed firmly against a corner of the carriage curtain.
Gu Yunjian looked at her hand and saw that her fingertips were actually trembling slightly. He could not help but feel surprised.
He fell silent for a moment, then grasped the other corner of the curtain, lifted it to look inside, and his gaze met Shen Xi’s. Then he froze.
The Gu family was a family of poetry and books. His father was the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Jinan Prefecture, who had devoted his life to emphasizing propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame.
In truth, after returning to the capital, Gu Yunjian had heard those rumors in Yingtian City about Zhao Wan and Young Master Shen, but he had thought that these rumors were merely hearsay. He knew very well what kind of person Awan was.
But seeing today’s situation, it turned out he had been deceiving himself.
It was not that he did not trust Zhao Wan’s character, but Awan had been born compliant and well-behaved. For her to so audaciously hide a person in the carriage, she must truly have feelings for Shen Qingyue.
Indeed—Young Master Shen was romantic and carefree, handsome and distinguished. What family’s young lady would not be moved by him?
Gu Yunjian silently lowered the curtain, glanced at the pale-faced Zhao Wan, and a trace of darkness flashed through his eyes. Then he said nothing more.
The two guards, seeing his reaction, intuitively sensed something was amiss with the carriage. After bowing to Zhao Wan again, they stepped forward to inspect the carriage.
“How dare you!”
As soon as the guard’s hand touched the carriage shaft, it was grasped by Gu Yunjian. Anger seemed to show in his eyes as he rebuked: “Second Miss Zhao is at least the daughter of the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief. How can you… how can you casually inspect a young lady’s carriage?”
“But…”
“This official has already inspected this carriage.” Gu Yunjian continued, “If you don’t trust this official, you may go to the Imperial Censorate and lodge a complaint against this official with Lord Liu and Lord Zhao.”
As he spoke, he lowered his eyes. Though his gaze did not fall upon Zhao Wan, he said to her: “Board the carriage. This official will see you off.” Then he sat directly beside the driver. Without waiting for the two guards to react, he cracked the whip and drove the carriage away.
Su Jin maneuvered with Wu Yusheng’s group until noon. Just as she left the rear palace through Gongxuan Gate, she saw Golden Guard Commander Yao Jiang approaching with several Golden Guards. He looked around and lowered his voice to say to her: “Lord Su cannot return to the Ministry of Justice.”
Su Jin was startled: “What?”
“After the Seventh Prince learned that Lord Su and Lord Shen went to Yanhe Palace yesterday, for some reason he flew into a rage. Disregarding the rules of the Imperial Guard, he deployed Yulin Guards and hidden guards at the Ministry of Justice to set up an inescapable net. Once Lord Su returns, I fear you won’t be able to leave.” He paused. “There are also obstacles outside the palace gate, but at least with people coming and going, they dare not act directly. Earlier, I already consulted with Censor Zhai from the Imperial Censorate. We plan to combine the forces of the City Patrol Censors and the Golden Guards to first escort Lord Su to the Northern Great Camp. The Fourth Prince Consort and General Zuo will receive you there, and you can return tomorrow morning.”
In fact, Yao Jiang and Zhai Di’s actions also violated regulations and would be severely punished.
But with the situation so urgent, they could not worry about such matters.
At noon, the summer sun withdrew its sharp edge. The cloud layer at the horizon was thick and heavy—a rain was probably about to fall.
Su Jin nodded: “Good, let’s go.”