Before leaving the Prime Minister’s mansion, Taohua kept looking back. However, once she had truly departed, Jiang Taohua ran faster than Qingtai!
“My lady,” Qingtai chased after her, torn between laughter and tears. “Weren’t you reluctant to leave just moments ago?”
“Being reluctant is one thing, but now it’s a matter of escaping with our lives,” Taohua replied calmly as she quickly jumped into the carriage. She instructed Qingtai, “Don’t worry about anything else, just rush towards the North Gate!”
“Yes, my lady.” Qingtai drove the carriage, whip raised high. Within half an hour, they reached the North Gate. Li Jin had been waiting anxiously. Seeing her finally arrive, his expression relaxed, and he stepped forward to speak.
Taohua didn’t give them a chance. She immediately alighted from her carriage and boarded theirs, bringing people and luggage along. She urged Qingtai to continue driving at full speed.
“Why such hurry?” Yang Wanqing was startled. “Is someone chasing us?”
“No,” Taohua replied, clutching her chest. “But we should go as fast as possible. Don’t take the main road; use small paths to cut through. We have food and drink in my bundle. We’ll rest after we’ve left the capital’s territory.”
Li Jin frowned. “We left at midnight. Even if he discovers our absence, he might not be able to catch up.”
“Are you stupid?” Taohua fumed. “This is still Wei territory. Many cities ahead are on our only possible route. Once he discovers we’re gone, won’t he send people to intercept us? We must move faster than his messengers.”
Yang Wanqing paled. “Isn’t this risking our lives?”
“Staying there means certain death, while this journey is only half as dangerous. Which do you choose?” Taohua raised an eyebrow.
Yang Wanqing fell silent. The three of them clung tightly to the carriage, feeling as if it were flying through the air.
When they saw the boundary marker of the capital, Jiang Taohua let out a small sigh of relief, but she couldn’t help looking back once more.
By now, Shen Zaiye must have returned to the mansion, she thought.
Earlier, remnants of the Chu Shan faction had broken into the palace, holding the Empress Dowager hostage to force Shen Zaiye to commit suicide to atone for the world. Shen Zaiye had looked at them for a long time as if they were fools, then directly ordered his men to seize them.
“Aren’t… aren’t you afraid we’ll kill the Empress Dowager?” Those men held a knife to the Empress Dowager’s throat, panicking.
Shen Zaiye looked at the Empress Dowager with a pained expression. “This subject must certainly attempt to save Your Majesty, but if these villains are so heartless, this subject can do nothing.”
The Empress Dowager smiled bitterly. “This grieving one is neither the new Emperor’s birth mother nor his adoptive mother, and has never had much of a relationship with the Prime Minister. This grieving one can understand the Prime Minister making such a decision.”
The assailants were frightened and confused, unsure of what to do. Shen Zaiye drew his flexible sword, quickly disarming them and pushing the Empress Dowager behind him. His long sword then struck down the rebels. The palace was instantly filled with splattered blood and screams.
By the time he had quelled this palace disturbance, night had fallen completely. As he left the palace with furrowed brows, Shen Zaiye wondered if that little girl would be anxiously waiting for him, perhaps even throwing a tantrum.
Foregoing his sedan chair, Shen Zaiye rode his horse at full gallop back to the mansion, heading straight for Zhengchun Pavilion.
The Prime Minister’s mansion was unusually quiet tonight, without a sound. As Shen Zaiye walked, he suddenly felt something was amiss.
Zhengchun Pavilion was just ahead. This time the door wasn’t closed; the main gate was wide open, allowing a direct view into the main hall. The door to the main hall was also open, with lights still burning. The table seemed to be full of dishes, but their aroma had long since faded.
“Hanlu,” Shen Zaiye felt a bit uneasy and turned to ask, “Has anyone left the mansion?”
Hanlu shook his head. “As per your instructions, my lord, we would have been informed if anyone had left the mansion recently. But this slave hasn’t heard any such news today.”
Slightly relieved, Shen Zaiye stepped inside.
Eight large dishes were laid out on the table, looking quite exquisite. She must have truly put in effort. However, the small stove keeping the wine warm had already gone out. Shen Zaiye looked around for a moment before calling out, “Taohua?”
The room was completely silent, with no movement from the inner chambers either.
Sighing, he walked over and lifted the curtain to the inner room, chuckling softly, “Don’t be angry with me…”
His words trailed off as he was struck by the empty inner chamber. Shen Zaiye frowned, searching every corner of Zhengchun Pavilion before grabbing a maid to question, “Where is your mistress?”
Huadeng trembled as she handed him a letter. “The mistress… she said that after waiting for you for half a day and you didn’t return, she decided to go back to her family home.”
Go back to her family home?
His pupils constricted as Shen Zaiye snatched the letter and opened it to read.
“My lord, I humbly address you: It has been a year since I left home. As Changjue has returned victorious, I have decided to go back for a visit. I had intended to tell you in person, but as you are busy with state affairs, I can only act first and seek forgiveness later. Please do not take offense.”
His hand slowly tightened, crumpling the letter. With a dark expression, Shen Zaiye tore it to shreds. In his rage, he kicked a large vase nearby, sending it crashing down the steps.
The sound of shattering porcelain echoed throughout Zhengchun Pavilion. Huadeng fled in terror, while Hanlu frowned and called out, “My lord?”
“Send people to chase after her towards Zhao immediately,” Shen Zaiye said with a cold smile. “Send orders to the cities at the Zhao-Wei border. If they discover any trace of Jiang Taohua, detain her at once and wait for my arrival!”
The lady has run away? Hanlu was stunned. Seeing his master already furious beyond measure, he hurried to carry out the orders.
What a fine “returning to her family home,” what a fine “act first and seek forgiveness later”! She had planned all along to return to Zhao, knowing he wouldn’t agree, so she decided to flee in secret. By returning to Zhao at this critical moment, she was blatantly opposing him. He had foolishly lowered his guard with her, truly believing she would stay contentedly in Wei!
Dizzy with anger, Shen Zaiye leaned against the doorframe, taking a long while to regain his composure.
There’s still time, he thought. As long as we intercept her before she reaches Zhao, there’s still time! But damn it, doesn’t she know getting involved in this muddy water will put her life at risk? How can she be so foolish! Her health isn’t even fully recovered – where did she find the courage to travel such a long distance? If something happens on the road, who will protect her?
Irritably waving his sleeve, Shen Zaiye turned to leave, but just as he reached the door, Hanlu returned. “I’ve carried out your orders, my lord… Where are you going?”
Shen Zaiye was holding the horse’s reins, momentarily unsure of what he was doing. His mind went blank for a long while before he came to his senses. He let go of the reins and dismounted, saying, “Nowhere. The capital can’t be without me. We’ll wait for news.”
Hanlu was taken aback. Observing his master’s expression, he sighed deeply. “There’s one more piece of news. Do you still want to hear it?”
“Speak.”
“The two main envoys from Zhao are also missing,” Hanlu reported. “Someone just came to inform us that Li Jin and Yang Wanqing’s rooms are empty.”
Shen Zaiye punched the main gate, laughing bitterly in his extreme anger. “She’s done it this time, taking those two with her. Now she has travel documents too. Well done indeed!”
Hanlu lowered his head. “This slave thinks that since she’s traveling with companions, you needn’t worry too much, my lord. At least she’ll have people to look after her on the journey, and their speed won’t be too fast.”
“Who cares if anyone’s looking after her!” Shen Zaiye said sternly. “By daring to run away without telling me, she’s made it clear she doesn’t care about me at all! Why should I care about the life or death of such a woman?”
Hanlu glanced at him. “Then why is my lord so angry? The lady certainly won’t be able to escape Wei territory.”
“I…” Shen Zaiye narrowed his eyes, looking at Hanlu sharply. “Why are you so talkative?”
Hanlu replied helplessly, “Because this slave hasn’t seen my lord so agitated in a long time. Would you react this way for anyone else?”
Shen Zaiye paused, then irritably swept his sleeve and walked back into the mansion.
He was just angry, feeling as if he had been deceived. These past two days, he had foolishly thought she cared for him and knew how to treat him well. In reality, it was all to mislead him so she could leave smoothly!
This woman, did she ever have any true feelings?
Returning to Linwu Hall, Shen Zaiye grabbed the new robe Jiang Taohua had made for him from the bed, intending to throw it away. But on second thought, it was made of fine brocade and would be a waste to discard, so he put it back down. Turning to look at the pillow on the bed, he picked it up, also wanting to throw it away. But then he realized he had grown accustomed to sleeping on it and might have trouble sleeping without it, so he set it down as well.
“What are you doing?” Xu Yangui, who had been watching from the shadows, couldn’t bear it any longer and spoke up. “If you truly hate her so much, just throw everything away cleanly. Why are you being so indecisive?”
Shen Zaiye gave him a cold glance and said icily, “These are all useful items. It would be a waste to throw them away.”
“Then why not throw away that new white jade hairpin on your head?” Xu Yangui said gleefully. “After all, you have many hairpins.”
“Get out!” Shen Zaiye exploded in rage, grabbing Xu Yangui by the collar and throwing him far out the window before slamming it shut with a loud “bang.”
Such a temper, Xu Yangui thought, sighing and shaking his head as he hung from a tree branch. Although he had anticipated these two would reach this point someday, Jiang Taohua was truly ruthless. If she was going to leave, she shouldn’t have been so kind to Shen Zaiye. This man, though he seemed difficult to get along with and spoke harshly, had a heart that was easy to win over. Once he truly cared for someone, he could be a fool who would be heartbroken.
“Achoo!”
Jiang Taohua sneezed in the carriage, frowning as she looked back.
“What’s wrong?” Li Jin asked with concern. “You’ve looked unwell for a while now. Are you feeling ill? Should we rest a bit before continuing?”
“No need,” Taohua waved her hand. “We’ll discuss it after passing the next town.”
She had a feeling that Shen Zaiye must be angry now, but there was nothing to be done about it. She had already chosen the gentlest words possible. If he truly couldn’t understand and wanted to blame her, she had nothing more to say. After all, they each had their loyalties.
Both she and he were people with a sense of national duty. He wanted Wei to unify the world, while she wanted her own country to be independent and prosperous. At this fork in the road, the two of them would have to part ways no matter what. She was already content to have spent these last three peaceful months with him. With little time left, she had to do what she wanted and needed to do.
(End of Chapter)