A relative’s nephew?

The Jiang family had been a single lineage since her grandfather’s generation, and Jiang Hanyuan had no direct uncles. As for distant relatives, they had retreated with Jiang Zuwang to Yanmen in the early years and had long since lost contact, with no further correspondence.

There were no such relatives in Yunluo City either.

Seeing the female general’s bewildered expression, Yang Hu nodded: “If there’s no such person, and with warfare ongoing, running to such a place while making wild claims, there must be deception. I’ll go interrogate him again!” He turned to leave when Jiang Hanyuan said, “I’ll go take a look.”

Since he specifically named her as the person he sought refuge with, perhaps he truly was some distant relative she didn’t know about. A spy wouldn’t likely be so foolish.

The granary had previously been destroyed by fire and was now temporarily housed in a stone fortress that had earlier served as barracks within the city. Jiang Hanyuan entered the fortress and saw many soldiers coming and going, busy moving provisions inside. Xiao Lixian was also there, working busily with a Wei army deputy named Duan, who was responsible for escorting the provisions.

Seeing her arrive, both immediately came forward to pay their respects.

Xiao Lixian’s attitude toward her was extremely respectful. After paying respects, he added: “I just heard General Duan mention that Prefect Chen has also agreed to General Jiang’s request and will find ways to raise another ten thousand dan of grain to help my father and me survive this winter’s difficulties. On behalf of Father King and the people under the Eight Tribes, I thank the General, thank General Changning, and thank Prefect Chen!”

Xiao Lixian’s face showed joy, his gratitude evident.

The Prefect Chen he mentioned was the current Bingzhou Prefect Chen Heng. Jiang Hanyuan had no dealings with this man and had never met him, but she knew of him. His life experience was somewhat similar to her father’s—both were born to prominent aristocratic families, later left the capital and never returned, remaining in frontier regions for many years.

Chen Heng now controlled Bingzhou, an important granary that Great Wei had operated in the north for many years. Most of the provisions for Yanmen’s border troops came from Bingzhou. Since Chen Heng had agreed, the grain would likely arrive soon.

Jiang Hanyuan smiled and agreed, exchanging a few words with Xiao Lixian before turning to Deputy Duan to ask about conditions on the road. The man smiled and replied: “Thank you for the General’s concern. The entire journey was protected by troops, and all obstacles were cleared by General Zhou and his men ahead of us. All was peaceful—”

As he spoke, sudden banging sounds came from a corner in the distance, as if someone was hitting the walls, followed by muffled groaning sounds.

Jiang Hanyuan turned to look. Deputy Duan remembered and quickly said, “Earlier, I mentioned to Deputy General Yang that we caught a little beggar following behind us on the road. He claimed to be a nephew of the General’s relatives, but I don’t think so—more like a spy. With things being busy earlier, we just placed him here upon arrival. General, please take a look!” He led Jiang Hanyuan over, ordered the guards to unlock the door, and pushed it open.

Jiang Hanyuan looked inside.

It was a small storage room holding a youth. Indeed, as Deputy Duan had said, ragged clothes like a beggar, face and limbs covered in grime, who knew how long since he’d last washed.

His mouth was gagged, his hands bound behind his back, and he was lifting his feet to forcefully kick the locked door, looking extremely angry. Seeing the door open, he raised his head with eyes wide, groaning twice from his mouth as if cursing. Suddenly meeting Jiang Hanyuan’s gaze, he froze and quieted down.

This beggar’s face was truly too dirty, and with no windows in the storage room and dim lighting, Jiang Hanyuan initially couldn’t see clearly. She only felt he looked familiar and was still pondering where she’d seen him when Deputy Duan beside her misunderstood. His expression immediately darkened as he pointed at the youth and shouted: “You’re still defiant? Daring to curse in front of the General? I knew it—where would the General have such a relative nephew! You must be a spy. If you don’t confess, we’ll drag you out and behead you!”

“Wait!”

Jiang Hanyuan met the youth’s darting eyes and suddenly thought of someone.

To say she was utterly shocked would be no exaggeration.

The youth before her was Young Emperor Shu Jian!

“Your Maj—”

She instinctively blurted out, seeing him desperately shake his head while groaning from his mouth. She paused, understanding, closed her mouth, quickly stepped inside, pulled out the gag from his mouth, and hurriedly untied his ropes, seeing purple bruises around his wrists from being bound by hemp rope.

Shu Jian, freed, rubbed his numb wrists and glared at Deputy Duan.

Deputy Duan was dumbfounded.

Though the General said nothing, her manner clearly showed that this youth was indeed her relative.

Initially, when he had bound and gagged this youth for the journey, the youth had resisted briefly, then, presumably knowing resistance was useless, accepted it and remained compliant without causing further trouble.

Now, seeing this youth’s gaze fixed darkly on him with unfriendly expression, suddenly seeming like a different person with an intimidating manner, his heart began to race. He hastily explained to Jiang Hanyuan: “General, forgive me! This humble officer was blind. It’s just that these provisions are important. I feared he might harbor ill intentions toward the grain, so to be safe, I had to bind and gag him on the road. I meant no deliberate offense…”

Jiang Hanyuan reassured him it was fine and looked toward Shu Jian.

His face immediately showed a smile as he magnanimously waved at Deputy Duan: “Forget it, ignorance is no crime. You have no business here now—go!”

Deputy Duan listened in bewilderment, feeling this youth’s behavior and speech were all strange after seeing General Changning, not knowing how to respond, so he looked toward her.

Jiang Hanyuan nodded: “Border regions are special, and the current situation is tense with ongoing warfare. No amount of caution is excessive. Moreover, I must thank the General for safely bringing him here. General Duan, you’ve worked hard. I’ll take charge of him now—you may go about your business.”

Hearing her sincere tone, Deputy Duan finally relaxed, secretly grateful he hadn’t killed the youth immediately. He mumbled acknowledgments and hurriedly withdrew.

With no outsiders nearby, Shu Jian saw her face lose its smile as if appraising him, saying nothing.

How could he not know that with his status, doing such a thing and running to her was utterly absurd.

He worried she was displeased, blaming him for doing wrong and causing her trouble. After waiting a moment, he called out carefully: “Third Imperial Aunt! What are you… thinking…”

“Third Imperial Aunt, please help—don’t let anyone know who I am…”

He pleaded haltingly.

Jiang Hanyuan came to her senses, her gaze moving from his body to his feet.

He was truly in rags, wearing straw sandals with a large hole in the toe revealing a dirty big toe. His heels were swollen and bleeding from wear, covered in wounds.

Shu Jian noticed her looking at him, followed her gaze downward, and curled his toes back into the straw sandals.

“Third Imperial Aunt, looking like this, no wonder people don’t believe I know you… One night, I stayed in a ruined temple and met some beggars. Seeing I had nothing to eat, they shared some food they’d begged with me. I had no spare money, so before leaving, I gave them my clothes and shoes. If they couldn’t wear them, at least they could sell them for a few coins. I just didn’t expect straw sandals to be so uncomfortable. If I’d known… I wouldn’t have given them away…”

As he sheepishly explained, he suddenly heard her ask: “Besides your feet, are you injured anywhere else?”

Her tone was unexpectedly gentle.

Shu Jian was startled, then relaxed, saying happily: “I’m fine! Just sore feet. Later, I didn’t want to walk anymore, so I lay on the ground and wouldn’t get up. Deputy Duan had no choice but to throw me on the grain cart. The last few days, I rode here.”

Jiang Hanyuan smiled: “Come with me first.”

She led Shu Jian to a residence in the city, had water brought, prepared clean clothes for him, and after he bathed and emerged, served him food.

Shu Jian ate like a starving ghost, wolfing down three bowls of rice in one breath. Eating too quickly, he choked a bit. Jiang Hanyuan quickly handed him water. He took it, drank several mouthfuls, rubbed his chest, and sighed: “It’s like I’ve never eaten such delicious rice!” Then turning to her: “Thank you, Third Imperial Aunt!”

Jiang Hanyuan handed him medicine for healing bruises and generating new flesh, indicating he should apply it to his foot wounds himself, then asked the question troubling her: “What exactly happened? Why did you leave the palace alone in secret?”

An emperor running out of the palace alone had only two reasons: either others drove him out, or he came out himself.

She could already determine it wasn’t some palace coup, but that Shu Jian had secretly escaped the palace himself.

Indeed, after asking, she saw his smile disappear. He stopped applying medicine to his feet, dropped it, sat up straight, and said with resentment: “The Empress Dowager wants to establish an empress for me. Third Imperial Aunt, guess who? Lan Rong’s daughter! I refused, so she used filial piety to pressure me and even hit me! Fine, let her establish whoever she wants! I can’t stay in that palace anymore!”

Jiang Hanyuan was inevitably surprised. So this was the reason.

“You came to find me—does your Third Imperial Uncle know?” She immediately thought of Shu Shenhui and asked.

He shook his head: “He hadn’t returned yet then. He must know by now.”

“If you didn’t want to accept the Empress Dowager’s arrangement, why didn’t you seek his help instead of just running away like this? Even if he wasn’t back, you could have written to him!”

“I did write! He doesn’t care about me! Just said I needn’t rush, to wait until he returned to discuss!”

Shu Jian looked somewhat agitated: “Third Imperial Aunt, Third Imperial Uncle is just that kind of person. I know him too well! When he married you earlier, wasn’t he also…”

He paused, apparently realizing he’d misspoken, sneaking a glance at Jiang Hanyuan, coughed, and changed his words: “Anyway, as long as he thinks it benefits Great Wei, never mind establishing the Lan family daughter—he’d make me agree to anyone! Who told me I’m the Emperor! In this matter, I fear he’s unreliable. Regardless, I absolutely won’t marry her!”

Jiang Hanyuan fell silent for a moment, vaguely feeling that Shu Jian’s words weren’t entirely unreasonable.

After venting his anger and dissatisfaction, Shu Jian saw her silent again with a somewhat serious expression. Fearing she was displeased again, he watched her face, suddenly cried out in pain, picked up the medicine he’d dropped, and began applying it to himself.

Jiang Hanyuan looked at his feet covered in blood blisters: “It hurts, doesn’t it? You’ve never walked such a long distance before.”

Shu Jian nodded. Feeling her gaze seemed to hold more pity, he became more animated: “When I reached Yanmen, I planned to find you directly. I happened to meet the grain convoy and followed behind them, but was discovered, and they took me for a spy. All along this journey, except for relieving myself and eating, I was constantly bound and gagged. No matter what I said, Deputy Duan wouldn’t listen. Not only did he give me the worst food, but when nearing our destination, he forgot about me in his rush. Third Imperial Aunt, I’d been hungry for a whole day!”

“But Third Imperial Aunt, don’t worry—I really won’t hold it against him. Being cautious is appropriate.”

The anger he’d shown when discussing his reasons for leaving had long disappeared. Using a somewhat wheedling and ingratiating tone, he said: “Third Imperial Aunt, aren’t you going to ask how I got out of the palace and how I traveled here?”

He seemed quite proud of himself. Without waiting for Jiang Hanyuan to ask, he described vividly: “The palace has different passwords each night. Sometimes when I’m interested, I set them myself. That night, I pretended to sleep early, ordering no one to disturb me. After dark, I changed into eunuch clothes, climbed out the window carrying a waste bucket to the privy. When patrols questioned me, I gave the password, saying it wasn’t cleaned properly and I was going to change it immediately. I kept my head down and spoke in a pinched voice—no one noticed me. I went all the way to the privy. The eunuchs working there normally aren’t allowed near the inner palace and have never seen me. I showed them a document I’d written with the inner palace seal, saying I’d committed an offense and was punished to work there. They all believed it. After going in, when no one was watching, I hid in a cart and left the palace!”

Speaking of this, apparently recalling the scene, he touched his nose with a disgusted expression, then continued excitedly: “Then guess what? They could never imagine I’d come to Yanmen. Not finding me, they’d only think I went to find Third Imperial Uncle. So I wasn’t afraid of their investigation. After leaving Jingzhao, I entered the post stations, showed my edict, saying I was going north on secret official business. Those people seemed skeptical, but I had the edict, and they dared not question much. They immediately arranged the fastest horses for me. I traveled along the official road like this. Reaching Yanmen, I didn’t want to alarm your father. Knowing you were here and happening to meet the grain convoy, I followed them. Unexpectedly, I was discovered—Third Imperial Aunt, you know the rest!”

Without waiting for Jiang Hanyuan to speak, he continued: “Third Imperial Aunt, I know what you’re thinking. But previously, whenever I did anything, people around me suffered the blame. They knew what I wanted to do but dared not report it, so they were guilty. Third Imperial Uncle said this wasn’t good. So this time, I left the palace myself with no one knowing! Besides, I didn’t want to bring anyone!”

After listening, Jiang Hanyuan understood the whole story clearly. She said no more, sat with him a while longer, then rose: “You just arrived and must be tired. Rest well here. I’ll go now.” She stood up.

Shu Jian was startled and got up too. His feet touching the ground hurt, making him wince: “Third Imperial Aunt, you’re not staying here?”

Jiang Hanyuan said, “I stay in the barracks near the city gate.”

“I’ll stay there too!” he immediately said.

Jiang Hanyuan shook her head: “It’s too chaotic there with all kinds of people—you can’t stay there. The city had fires earlier that burned many buildings, but fortunately, this place was undamaged. It’s one of the Great He King’s residences. Naturally, it can’t compare to the palace, but it’s clean enough. Your Majesty can temporarily settle here. There’s also a garden behind—when your feet heal, you can stroll there. For any needs, send someone to tell me.”

Her tone was gentle but her meaning quite firm—non-negotiable. Shu Jian was helpless. After a pause, he suddenly remembered and said: “Then don’t tell anyone about my being here right away! I don’t want to go back yet!”

Jiang Hanyuan firmly refused: “No. At minimum, I must tell my father you’re with me.”

“Third Imperial Aunt!” Shu Jian showed anxiety, raising his voice.

“Your Majesty!” This was the first time Jiang Hanyuan used this form of address since meeting him.

“Since Your Majesty came to find me, forgive my presumption in boldly asking—has Your Majesty truly resolved never to return to the palace for life?”

Shu Jian was immediately speechless, unable to respond.

Jiang Hanyuan observed him for a moment, smiled, and comforted: “Your Majesty has been away quite a while already. Moreover, after my father sends news to Chang’an and they dispatch someone to fetch you, that’s at least two months away. Two months—isn’t that enough for Your Majesty to clear your mind?”

Shu Jian remained speechless.

“As for others, that’s one thing, but Your Majesty leaving without a word—how anxious your Third Imperial Uncle must be now, I needn’t say. Your Majesty should know. He’s probably suffering sleepless nights and loss of appetite, worrying sick about your whereabouts.”

“Your Majesty, your Third Imperial Uncle values you more than his own life. If anything happened to you, he’d feel guilty for life.”

Shu Jian said listlessly in a low voice: “Third Imperial Aunt, send your letter…” His voice sounded deflated.

Jiang Hanyuan smiled: “Then it’s settled. Rest well. I’ll visit when I have time.”

Jiang Hanyuan went out, and her first task was to summon Fan Jing, having him take charge of watching over Shu Jian. Naturally, she didn’t reveal his identity, only saying the youth inside was extremely important and asking for extra care. He could move about the city, but must not be allowed to leave freely. If he wanted to go out, Fan Jing should notify her.

Fan Jing agreed.

She always trusted Uncle Fan’s work. After arranging this, she immediately wrote a letter, sending it as urgent confidential correspondence to Yanmen for the Grand General’s attention.