Shen Xi said to Su Jin, “You mean we split into three groups. You and Zhai Qiguang take one route with the townspeople of Cuiwei Town, responsible for drawing away the pursuing soldiers. Lin’er and Shuxiang take a side road into Huguang, where Third Sister’s people will send them to Tianjin. The final route is Shisan and me.”
Su Jin said, “Yes. If His Majesty travels with the young prince, the target is too large, making it difficult to pass through checkpoints and easy to attract pursuing soldiers—that’s the first reason. Second, Zhu Yushen may have been willing to release Shiqi and the young prince precisely because they have no power or influence. But Your Majesty, you’re different from them. You are the former emperor who once commanded military authority and imperial power. In this world, there are still many who would willingly follow you. Third, I know Your Majesty is unwilling to leave Great Sui. But if you go to Tianjin with the young prince, and he crosses to Japan, where will you go afterward? Won’t you encounter danger during that time? Even taking a step back and preparing for the worst—if Your Majesty and the young prince travel separately, even if one meets with misfortune, at least the other can survive.”
“Huguang has one hundred thousand troops stationed in Shu, and Zhu Yushen’s personal guards number two hundred thousand. All of Shu is like an airtight iron barrel. Therefore, everyone will think that if Your Majesty wants safety, leaving Shu is the best strategy, so everyone will chase outward. But precisely at this time, the safest place is actually within Shu itself.”
“However, others aren’t fools either. After they instinctively chase for a distance, they’ll quickly realize that Your Majesty vanished without a trace under their noses because you actually returned to Shu.”
“Moreover, if this matter were being coordinated by any one of Zhu Yushen, Liu Yun, or Shu Wenlan, they probably wouldn’t even bother dispatching pursuing soldiers. Instead, they would directly order the sealing of Jianmen Pass and catch us like turtles in a jar.”
“Fortunately, Zhu Yushen and Liu Yun came to Shu to establish the thirteenth circuit and the Southwest Grand Military Commission. Shu Wenlan’s target is Liu Yun, not Your Majesty. Since all three of them have no time to spare, what we can fight for is a time difference.”
“The so-called time difference means that two hours from now, when the pursuing soldiers arrive to intercept my carriage leaving Shu, Your Majesty will already be on the road back to Shu. When the pursuing soldiers discover Your Majesty has disappeared and plan to leave Shu to pursue, you’ll already be within Shu’s borders. One day later, when the pursuing soldiers realize they’ve been deceived and plan to seal Shu to search for people, you’ll have already left Shu.”
Zhu Nanxian thought carefully through Su Jin’s words and said, “I understand. You mean I should disguise myself as Qingyue’s coachman, claiming to have seen off Zhu Yiheng and be rushing back to see Zhu Yushen, and return with him to Jinzhou Prefecture. The soldiers along the way, seeing it’s Duke Shen’s carriage, won’t dare stop or search it.”
Su Jin nodded. “After all, Your Majesty being alive is a secret. Even if pursuing soldiers arrive, they’ll be operating under the name of capturing the criminal minister Su Shiyu. When they see me, even if they want to search the carriage, they won’t have sufficient reason. Moreover, Qiguang will be there. The two of us working together can easily find an excuse to delay them for most of a day. During this time, Your Majesty will have already returned to Jinzhou Prefecture with Qingyue.”
Shen Xi said, “After Shisan and I return to Jinzhou Prefecture, we’ll first go to the Sichuan Regional Military Commission. Under the Commission, Commander Tian You once served under Zuo Qian and is utterly loyal to him. After Shiyu delays them for most of the day, when the pursuing soldiers discover Shisan is missing, their first reaction will definitely be to dispatch people to pursue. But Zhu Yushen’s three hundred thousand troops are needed to establish the Southwest Grand Military Commission and cannot leave Shu, so the additional pursuing soldiers dispatched will definitely come from the Sichuan Regional Military Commission. At that time, we can rely on Tian You to have Shisan blend in with this new group of pursuing soldiers, leaving Shu under the pretext of pursuing ‘Emperor Jin’an.'”
Su Jin said, “Zuo Qian has been leading troops in the northwest these years. Since Tian You is his man, he must have connections to the northwest. It happens that earlier this year, Chili showed unusual movements again, and the northwest is recruiting troops. After Your Majesty leaves Shu, with Tian You’s help, you can head to the northwest under the pretext of recruiting soldiers. Zuo Qian and Mao Zuofeng are guarding there, and beyond the border, Chili eyes us covetously. Even if Zhu Yushen wanted to act, he would have to weigh and consider it carefully. Once Your Majesty arrives there, you’ll be safe.”
Shen Xi said, “I also think this is the best method. Not only can everyone survive, but with the pursuing soldiers focusing most of their energy on Shisan, Lin’er and Shuxiang will also be safer. By the time the pursuing soldiers realize the cause and effect and rush back to seal Shu, Shisan will already be on his way to the northwest.”
But after he finished speaking, Zhu Nanxian made no sound.
Indeed, it was the best method.
However, this also meant that at this very moment, he would have to part from A’Yu.
Having finally reunited, without even giving her a proper wedding ceremony, now they had to be separated again by distance. When would they meet again?
It wasn’t that he couldn’t see through the situation, nor was he mired in romantic sentiment—he simply didn’t want to fail her.
Shen Xi looked at Zhu Nanxian, knowing that throughout his life he valued loyalty deeply, willing to sacrifice his life for those close to his heart, yet unwilling to let others risk themselves for him. So he said, “Though I cannot protect you and Lin’er, I will certainly do everything in my power to protect Shiyu, Qiguang, and Tian You. Now with the capital relocation imminent, the court desperately needs talent. Both Zhai Qiguang and Tian You are people of great ability. Though Zhu Yushen is utterly ruthless, he greatly cherishes talent and will definitely not harbor murderous intent.”
Su Jin seemed to remember something. She reached to her neck and pulled out a red cord. At the other end of the cord hung a jade pendant with the character “Yu” carved in openwork.
This was what Zhu Nanxian had asked Tan Zhaolin to bring back to her before he exchanged his life for another’s.
Su Jin presented this jade pendant to Zhu Nanxian again. “Your Majesty, between you and me, how could it depend on being together morning and evening?”
The character for rain pressed against his palm, having once branded deep marks there.
Zhu Nanxian gripped the jade tightly in his hand, no longer hesitating. He immediately lifted the curtain and said, “Stop the carriage.”
When their carriage stopped, those clearing the way ahead and following behind all stopped as well.
Shen Xi explained the situation to Zhai Di and Tan Zhaolin. The two immediately led the soldiers and townspeople of Cuiwei Town to rest at a bend in the mountain road.
Shuxiang had long known that Shen Xi had come. However, since someone else was driving the carriage, she hadn’t dared lift the curtain to acknowledge him for fear of exposing identities. Now finally able to see him, she pulled Yun Xi forward hastily, calling out tearfully, “Young Master—”
Shen Xi helped her up, saying gently, “I heard from Shisan that you were injured. Don’t forget to apply medicine during all this travel.”
Shuxiang quickly said, “The injury isn’t serious. Thank you for your concern, Young Master.”
Shen Xi then looked at Yun Xi. “Lin’er, come here.”
Yun Xi nodded slightly, released Shuxiang’s hand, and came to Shen Xi’s side.
Born into honor and nobility, raised in hardship, having sought survival from childhood with heavy burdens on his small shoulders—Shen Xi had never treated him as a child. He immediately told him the entire plan in full.
Most of the hour of the Monkey had passed. In the mountains, darkness fell early. The clouds were rimmed with gold, filtering through the gaps in the trees and washing away a layer of harsh color, leaving sunset glow over the mountains and valleys.
After listening to Shen Xi’s words, Yun Xi remained silent for a long while. After a moment, he stepped back, swept aside his robe, and knelt before the three—Zhu Nanxian, Shen Xi, and Su Jin. “Lin’er thanks Thirteenth Uncle, Uncle, and Lord Su for your wholehearted protection along this journey and your life-risking rescue. Lin’er will go to Japan and will certainly be self-disciplined and diligent, treasuring every moment. When one day Lin’er has grown up, he will definitely return to reunite with you all. He will do everything in his power to ensure you live in comfort and ease for the rest of your lives, no longer having to labor and struggle.”
Finished speaking, he meticulously kowtowed three times with resounding thuds.
Watching this scene, Shuxiang somehow inexplicably remembered many years ago when Zhu Lin once mistakenly ate jujube flower cakes, was poisoned and fell unconscious in the front hall of the palace. When he finally awoke, she was carrying him to see Shen Jing. Walking along the road, she suddenly noticed a plum blossom branch blooming magnificently, its flower color brilliant and striking even in the snowy night.
Lin’er was still small then, couldn’t yet speak properly. Seeing the plum blossoms on the branch, he gestured animatedly for someone to pick them.
Shuxiang remembered that she had personally picked that branch of plum blossoms for him.
Lin’er was so delighted to receive the plum blossoms, smiling at her the whole time.
She had thought he would keep the plum blossoms for himself. Who knew that when they reached the front hall, the two-year-old imperial grandson stumbled forward to Shen Jing and carefully broke off the plum blossoms—one petal for Shen Jing, one petal for Zhu Minda, one petal for Shen Xi, one petal for Zhu Nanxian, and the last petal for his wet nurse.
At the time, Shuxiang had thought that the young prince was such a good child. In the future, she would definitely work together with the Crown Princess to devote her entire life to him, to care for him.
What had the Young Master and Thirteenth Prince said when they received the plum petals from the young prince back then?
Shuxiang couldn’t quite remember clearly.
It seemed to be something about wooden peaches and jade jewels, or something about giving and returning gifts.
They had indeed not failed their promise from those years.
With parting imminent, Shuxiang watched Yun Xi, who had safely grown up, kneeling before Zhu Nanxian and Shen Xi. In a trance, it was as if she had returned to the Eastern Palace of many years ago, even the sunset glow over the mountains was gentle.