Tie Ci strolled leisurely back to the palace.

She wasn’t worried at all about Dan Ye pursuing her.

She had confidence in the brothels on that street.

And in the two grand maids’ view, the Imperial Princess could feel confident about all the brothels in the Great Qian.

This certainly wasn’t because the Imperial Princess was the behind-the-scenes owner of all the brothels, but purely because several years ago, the Empress Dowager suddenly had the whim to ban all brothels under heaven. This was originally a good thing, but the method of banning wasn’t wonderful. The Empress Dowager believed prostitutes used beauty to seduce people and corrupted moral principles, so she ordered all prostitutes to have their faces tattooed and be exiled to various barbarous lands.

Those places were either extremely hot or perpetually snowy. Once these pampered women went there, the journey alone could kill them. And the face-tattooing punishment would also eliminate any possibility of receiving care.

When this decree was issued, all the beauties wept in sorrow. But their status was lowly, and though they knew countless high officials and nobles, at critical moments, those high officials and nobles were unwilling to acknowledge knowing them.

Later, a bold woman, left with no choice, blocked the Imperial Princess’s carriage on her way back to the palace from Qingjing Temple, begging the Imperial Princess to save them for the sake of being fellow women.

These words were actually extremely offensive, yet the Imperial Princess at the time didn’t get angry, though she also didn’t promise on the spot. She only said she would try to mediate, which sounded completely like an excuse. The women watched the phoenix carriage depart in despair, already preparing for collective suicide.

After Tie Ci returned to the palace, she invited Minister Gu through Gu Xiaoxiao.

The next day, Minister Gu submitted a memorial proposing that while banning brothels certainly accorded with human ethics, having so many prostitutes throughout the realm all escorted to the frontiers would consume military strength and grain. Even after escorting them there, they couldn’t do labor, only adding to the roadside bones and harming heavenly harmony, which would also damage the Empress Dowager’s virtuous reputation. It would be better to have them atone through merit, ban private prostitution, convert to official prostitutes, take turns doing labor one month each year, donate labor earnings to charity halls, and increase taxes on brothels and music halls and other pleasure establishments, etc.

In plain terms, this meant utilizing these women, having them work more and pay more taxes to increase national fiscal revenue and make some contribution to the people.

Tie Ci knew that among the civil and military officials in court, quite a few had extraordinary relationships with certain famous courtesans and were reluctant to part with them, but couldn’t easily take the lead.

Only Minister Gu was an upright man who didn’t like getting involved in such matters, only caring about how to extract enough silver from the limited national treasury to satisfy various parties’ demands. As long as you told him something could make money, he would definitely be willing to take the lead.

Sure enough, once Minister Gu spoke up, people stood out with various reasons to tactfully plead for these prostitutes. All civil officials had silver tongues. The Empress Dowager finally relented and adopted Minister Gu’s suggestion, and the capital’s prostitutes escaped with their lives.

Later, when people understood the inside story, every prostitute in the capital secretly enshrined the Imperial Princess’s longevity tablet in her boudoir.

That year, the Imperial Princess was eleven years old.

So never mind fooling a Western Rong little wolf king—even if they had to skin and debone this wolf, the prostitutes would roll up their sleeves and do it!

As for spreading rumors and creating jokes throughout court and countryside, if Tie Ci wanted something spread at the third watch, she absolutely wouldn’t delay until the fifth watch.

Tie Ci was also the behind-the-scenes boss of the capital’s trending topics.

After Tie Ci returned to the palace, the first thing she did was hurriedly pack and begin sealing the palace.

It was already late—time to get moving quickly.

While Chi Xue and Dan Shuang were being directed around by her, they asked in puzzlement, “Your Highness, when the Imperial Princess leaves the palace for training, it requires the Ministry of Rites to specially arrange ceremonial processions and announce it to the world, with all officials escorting her ten li out of the capital. Even at fastest, it would take half a month to complete all these arrangements. Why are you in such a rush?”

“What? Do you want the whole world to know when I’m leaving the capital, how many people I’m bringing, where I’m going, so they can arrange robberies and assassinations?” Tie Ci raised her eyebrows. “Or do you think those capital noble sons who were implicated by me and forced to leave the capital to suffer hardships have high moral character and broad minds, and definitely won’t think of using the opportunity of leaving the capital together with me to unite and scheme against me?”

A moment of silence.

Chi Xue turned and went out: “Sisters, find my Perfect Tonic Hundred Treasures Pouch and the Complete Gossip Guide to Capital Sons!”

Dan Shuang silently took out a pair of gloves studded with copper nails and put them on.

“Little Bug, you stay to watch the house. All the sisters in this palace, the flowers and plants, cats and dogs—from my hairband down to Little Apricot’s undergarment—if even one is missing, I’ll hold you responsible.”

“Rest assured, when you return to count, I guarantee there will only be extras, definitely nothing missing.”

“…That’s not necessary either. Also, not everyone in this palace is necessarily trustworthy. While I’m away, lock the palace doors, decline visitors, and don’t easily allow people to go out and make contacts.”

“Rest assured. While you’re away, even the bell on Xue Qiu’er’s neck won’t ring once!”

“…That’s not necessary either.”

Half an hour later, after everyone else had extinguished their lights and gone to sleep, Tie Ci quietly left the palace with her two grand maids.

She didn’t leave immediately but circled around to Jingren Palace. The palace gates were already closed and the Emperor had retired. The Baize Guards responsible for palace defense patrolled like weaving flowers. Tie Ci nimbly took advantage of when two shifts were changing, flashed to a corner, pushed aside the bushes by the wall, where there was a round hole that looked like a dog hole.

The noble Imperial Princess stuck her bottom up and crawled through.

Only she and the Emperor knew about this hole—it was the secret weapon for their childhood hide-and-seek games. It had been neglected for many years but now came in handy again.

Without disturbing a speck of dust, she entered the sleeping quarters. Tie Ci placed a letter on the desk and casually put a long rectangular cushion on the desk.

This was something she had made after hearing her teacher mention something called a mouse pad. Father Emperor spent years reviewing memorials until his wrists had developed calluses—having such a cushion to rest on should help somewhat.

She turned around and looked at the Emperor sleeping on the bed. A line of moonlight swept across his brows, which were tightly furrowed.

Tie Ci stood silently in the moonlight.

Father Emperor always showed her a cheerful face during the day. This was the first time she discovered that when Father Emperor slept, his brows were so tightly furrowed.

This puppet throne, these turbulent mountains and rivers, this cold palace, these mountain-like restraints—ultimately they had taken away the spirited young emperor from her memories, replacing him with today’s weathered middle age.

If she could never awaken the imperial bloodline, then what kind of cold moon and harsh sounds, what kind of smoky imperial city would this weathered middle-aged man face?

After a long while, she stepped forward and tucked the quilt corner tightly around her father.

Then she turned and left.

The spring night’s moonlight was soft and hazy. Peach and apricot blossoms had closed their buds, branches slanting against the pale blue sky. Those touches of light red and delicate beauty looked like colorful stars on the horizon.

Tie Ci took one last distant look at the peach blossoms from Dianfang Palace that were more numerous than elsewhere, extending beyond the palace walls, then quietly stepped out of the inner palace gates.

Palace gates couldn’t be opened at night, but she had spent many years in the palace and still had a few people she could use.

After exiting through the slightly opened palace gate and crossing the moonlit palace gate plaza, the carriage arranged by her teacher was already waiting at the plaza’s edge. The driver was a deaf-mute, also sent by her teacher.

By not using palace guards or mobilizing the Imperial Princess’s Nine Guards, Empress Dowager Xiao wouldn’t receive news so quickly.

Tie Ci hung an Eastern Palace executive token outside the carriage, thus avoiding nighttime curfew inspections along the way.

The carriage left the city directly for the ferry outside town.

Tie Ci had never left the capital since birth, yet now she sat straight in the carriage, absolutely refusing to look back.

The carriage passed Gu Residence. This entire area was filled with ministers’ and noble families’ mansions. As they drove past stone lions and red lanterns of each household, there seemed to be movement from within various gates. Tie Ci’s heart stirred and she lifted the carriage curtain, but just then heard a commotion inside. With a bang, the main gate opened halfway, a boot had just poked out, then was instantly dragged back in. Tie Ci saw that boot being dragged backward in a straight line, while Gu Xiaoxiao’s screams came from inside: “Ahhhh don’t touch me!”

Vaguely there was also Minister Gu from the Ministry of Revenue roaring: “Drag her back! What is she trying to do in the middle of the night with a bundle! Eloping with someone!”

The elopement target sat in the carriage and let out a short laugh.

Suddenly from inside Gu Residence, whoosh, a huge bundle was thrown out, with Gu Xiaoxiao’s pitiful wails from within: “Keep this for me, I’ll come find—”

Tie Ci shouted: “Dan Shuang!”

Dan Shuang raised her hand, silk ribbons flew out, catching the bundle.

When pulled back to the carriage, the entire carriage shook.

Tie Ci held her forehead.

Was Gu Xiaoxiao trying to move house?

The huge bundle squeezed her with no place to sit. Tie Ci momentarily wanted to throw it back, but first opened the bundle to see what was inside. A moment later, she held up a pair of underwear with straight arms and roared: “Gu Xiaoxiao, you’re ruining my maiden reputation!!!”

…

The episode at Gu Residence’s gate didn’t slow Tie Ci’s pace. Half an hour later, she reached Xingfeng Ferry.

This was the capital’s largest ferry, connecting north-south waterways and transportation. The ferry was lined with huge ships, with some small boats swaying in the shadows of the large vessels.

Another deaf-mute person was there to meet her, gesturing to tell Tie Ci that Master Buci had already prepared a medium-sized boat for her.

This was why Tie Ci wanted to see her teacher—to leave the capital without alerting the palace or court, her teacher could help.

Tie Ci was about to board the ship with him when she suddenly heard music from the shore.

It was qin music, mournful and lingering, reflecting the half-river bright moon and half-river flowers, making the spring night’s flourishing scene seem somewhat desolate.

Tie Ci listened for a while and said in amazement: “Who’s playing funeral music in the middle of the night?”

The “funeral music” stopped abruptly, followed by urgent coughing.

Upon hearing this cough, the usually composed person immediately changed color and took off running.

But it was already too late.

A voice behind her wailed mournfully:

“Your Highness—”

Upon hearing this undulating call, Tie Ci’s entire body automatically broke into goosebumps, shaking uncontrollably.

She turned around and indeed saw her pale former fiancé leaning weakly against a crooked willow tree, with two young servants behind him—one holding a towel, one holding a basin.

Every time Tie Ci saw these two standard accessories, she couldn’t help thinking maliciously whether these two were ready at all times in case their young master coughed up blood, to wipe his mouth and rinse.

Unfortunately, she was always disappointed and never got to see it.

Looking at that guy’s resentful wife expression made Tie Ci wonder if she wasn’t the one who had actively broken off the engagement.

Since they’d run into each other, there was no need to pretend not to know him. Tie Ci greeted him graciously: “Young Master Qi, hello there.”

This was fine before she spoke, but once she did, Qi Muxiao’s expression became even worse. He straightened up, took a deep breath, and said quietly: “Your Highness, you’re resenting me.”

Tie Ci smiled.

She’d heard this phrase for the second time in recent days.

One after another, they all made her feel like she was the one who had wronged people.

She said gently: “Where does Young Master Qi get this idea? In marriage between men and women, if incompatible, they separate. The depth of fate isn’t determined by people.”

Qi Muxiao stared at her and said softly: “Your Highness… this was Grandfather’s idea. I didn’t know beforehand…”

But you also had no intention of trying to salvage it.

Tie Ci smiled again.

Though she didn’t care about being rejected in marriage, it was ultimately a humiliation for her as Imperial Princess. This white lotus tea still wanted to pretend and entangle endlessly—what, having broken the engagement, now afraid of offending people, so he came to make amends?

Just as she was thinking what method to use to deal with him, she heard the white lotus tea say quietly: “Ever since learning Your Highness would be going on training, I’ve been waiting at this ferry. If Your Highness wanted to leave, you’d definitely take the fastest route. Having been engaged for many years, no one understands Your Highness better than I…”

You understand me, so you dare to block me here after breaking the engagement?

Tie Ci blinked and said meaningfully: “Is that so? But I feel you still don’t understand me well enough.”

Qi Muxiao looked up in amazement, only to see the usually noble and dignified Imperial Princess smile and reach out to grasp his hand: “Xiaoxiao, you’ve been engaged to me for many years. I was thinking you’ve always been deeply affectionate and righteous, and would never be so heartless as to actively seek separation. Now that you’ve explained, I understand—you indeed still have feelings for me and didn’t hesitate to break with your family for this. This couldn’t be better. Tonight, you’ll come with me to leave the capital for training!”

Qi Muxiao: “…!!!”

Author’s Note: No comments—you’re all saving up chapters, you don’t love me anymore, wahhh, rolling around on the floor.