Because Su Jin was openly leaving through Chengtian Gate, the guards did not dare to obstruct her.

But after she boarded the carriage and traveled all the way to Tongzi Alley in the northern part of the city, she heard Yao Jiang, who was driving the carriage, say in a low voice: “This is bad!”

Su Jin lifted the carriage curtain and looked. This was a busy marketplace, bustling with people everywhere. If one looked carefully, one could discover that some passersby’s gazes would inadvertently fall upon their carriage.

“They are Zhu Zhaowei’s hidden guards,” Su Jin said.

Yao Jiang said: “It is my failure in planning. I originally thought that by using the carriage of the Five Military Commands to escort you to the Northern Great Camp, even if the Seventh Prince’s people saw it, they would not dare to obstruct us. Now it seems the Seventh Prince disregards even the rules of the Commands.”

“It’s not your fault,” Su Jin said. “Zhu Zhaowei stationed lookouts outside the palace last night. No matter how I hide, I will be watched by him.”

Yao Jiang thought for a moment and said: “There are plain clothes and a bamboo hat in the carriage. Please change into them first, Lord. I will let you descend at the corner ahead. Please remember, as long as you pass through Tongzi Alley, Lord Zhai will be waiting outside the alley to receive you.”

As he spoke, he drove the carriage to a blind spot at the corner. Taking advantage of the watchers in the marketplace being unprepared, he let Su Jin down, then drove the carriage away as if nothing had happened, leading the watchers away.

The hour of wei had passed. The sky hung low with clouds, and long winds gradually rose from all directions.

Su Jin pressed down her bamboo hat and merged into the passing crowd. But after taking only a few steps, she heard a whinny from a fine horse. She looked up to see several Yingyang Guards in black armor approaching the end of the alley ahead to set up a barrier.

Tongzi Alley had crisscrossing lanes, but only one exit. Anyone wanting to leave the alley had to be inspected by the Yingyang Guards.

But she could not simply avoid leaving the alley. Zhu Zhaowei’s people would find her sooner or later.

Su Jin thought that now she could only devise a way to blend in and pass through.

With a muffled thunder, raindrops as large as beans fell down. The pedestrians on the road were disturbed by the sudden rain and unexpected inspection, all rushing about in haste.

Su Jin looked around. Not far away, there happened to be an old man slowly pushing a wooden cart loaded with wine jars. His form was hunched, and he was being jostled left and right by the chaotic crowd. Su Jin conceived a plan. She walked forward and lent a hand to the cart, smiling: “Old uncle, let this young scholar help you push it?”

The Yingyang Guards did not know Su Jin’s whereabouts and were conducting a needle-in-a-haystack operation, so only three or four people were arranged at each alley entrance for inspection.

Su Jin pressed her bamboo hat down lower and squeezed through the crowd with the old man past the checkpoint with the barrier. Those few Yingyang Guards glanced over and only took them for grandfather and grandson.

The rain continued without stopping. The bluestone road became muddy after getting wet. Su Jin pushed the cart for another stretch until the crowd thinned, then returned it to the old man.

Just then, someone hurriedly passed by and bumped into the old man. Unable to stand steady, the old man fell to the ground, and the wine jars on the cart also crashed thunderously to the ground.

The Yingyang Guards behind heard the commotion and looked in this direction.

They had not paid attention earlier and thought it was a grandfather and grandson. Looking again now, that young gentleman supporting the old man had refined and graceful side features and an extraordinary bearing—where was there even half the appearance of a wine vendor?

The Yingyang Guards suddenly realized and shouted: “That person over there—”

Su Jin thought this was bad. No longer concerned about anything else, she left behind a sentence: “My apologies, old uncle.” She went around him and hurried toward the street entrance.

But how could her footsteps be faster than fine horses?

Seeing she was about to flee, several Yingyang Guards had already mounted their horses to pursue her.

Just at this moment, a carriage suddenly parted the fine, dense curtain of rain at the street entrance and came rushing toward her against the fleeing crowd.

Su Jin hastily moved aside. Who would have known that with a whinny, the fine horse stopped right in front of her?

The wind raised by the carriage’s sudden stop blew off the bamboo hat covering her head.

Su Jin’s entire body was immediately drenched by the rainwater. She opened her dazed eyes toward the carriage and saw Liu Chaoming lift the curtain and reach out his hand toward her: “Get in!”

The Yingyang Guards were about to catch up. Without hesitation, Su Jin placed her hand in his palm. The next moment, a strong force pulled her into the carriage. At the same time, Liu Chaoming said: “Go.”

“Yes.”

Su Jin had not sat steadily to begin with. When the carriage suddenly started moving, it caused her entire person to fall forward. Fortunately, Liu Chaoming had not yet released the hand holding hers. He used the leverage to pull her back, and just before she fell into his embrace, he extended his other hand to steady her.

However, in this instant of tugging, the rainwater soaking Su Jin’s entire body splashed entirely onto Liu Chaoming, even getting two drops on his forehead, which slowly slid down his jade-like, flawless face.

His face was extremely close to hers. There was no particular expression on his face, and his eyes were as deep as an ancient well, looking at her quietly and silently.

Outside the carriage was the sound of rainwater pouring down upon heaven and earth. The carriage rolled over the bluestone slabs, making a low, echoing sound.

After a moment, he lowered his eyes and slowly released her hand, saying in a low voice: “Sit properly.”

The carriage was now moving more steadily. Su Jin made an affirmative sound and sat down on the soft bench behind her.

She was actually somewhat embarrassed. She glanced at Liu Chaoming opposite her, pressed her lips together, then said anxiously: “Just now was truly presumptuous and offensive to you, Lord. I sincerely apologize.”

Liu Chaoming was silent for a moment, only replying: “It’s nothing.”

“Young Master Su.” Someone beside her called her.

Su Jin was startled. Looking to her side, she only then discovered that An’ran was also sitting in the carriage.

An’ran held a set of clean clothes and said: “Young Master Su’s clothes are wet. Be careful not to catch a cold. Why not change into these?”

Su Jin shook her head: “No need. I’ll just dry myself off.”

An’ran nodded in acknowledgment and handed her a cloth handkerchief.

Su Jin accepted it but could not help looking at Liu Chaoming sitting opposite her in silence. After thinking, she extended the handkerchief in her hand forward: “Your clothes are also splashed wet, Lord.”

Only then did Liu Chaoming shift his gaze over.

Inside the carriage was dark and dim, yet the cold rain intent made Su Jin’s features appear clear and bright.

Actually, on ordinary days, watching her conduct affairs with swift decisiveness and resolute determination, one did not feel at all that she had a woman’s manner. But now, reflected in this dim light, one discovered that she was actually quite good-looking.

Especially the eyes beneath her long brows—the corners of her eyes traced a gentle, elegant arc, extending into a perfectly proportioned tail that was delicate and clear, as if someone had carefully carved them with a blade, then embroidered lashes and dotted pupils. With the slightest tremor, they could shake one’s heart.

Liu Chaoming took the handkerchief and held it in his hand but made no further movement. He allowed the cold chill of the rainwater on his body to invade his heart and lungs before he spoke: “You nearly lost your life.”

Hearing these words, Su Jin earnestly nodded and said: “Yes. I always trouble you to save me, Lord. Shiyu keeps this in her heart.”

Liu Chaoming fell silent, wanting to say that he was actually not demanding gratitude, but the words did not come out.

After a long while, Su Jin roughly dried off the water droplets on her body, then lifted the carriage curtain to look outside.

By now, the carriage had long passed Tongzi Alley and was turning back toward Liu Manor. Along the way, it was not that there were no Yingyang Guards setting up barriers, but seeing this was the Left Chief Censor’s carriage, they dared not obstruct it.

Su Jin thought for a moment and said: “Commander Yao told me that Qiguang was waiting for me at the entrance of Tongzi Alley. When we passed by just now, why did I not see him?”

“Zhu Zhaowei simultaneously deployed both the Yulin Guard and the Yingyang Guard,” Liu Chaoming said. “Zhai Di had just reached the northern part of the city when he was personally intercepted by Zhu Qiyue.”

Hearing these words, Su Jin fell silent.

For her and Shen Xi now, the only place where they could safely pass this night was the Northern Great Camp. Since Zhu Zhaowei had arranged for the Yingyang Guard to come to the end of the alley to pursue her, where the Yulin Guard had gone was obvious without thinking.

With this thought, Su Jin said: “Could I trouble you, Lord, to take me to the North Gate Post Station? I have people there. I need to borrow a horse to make a trip to the Northern Great Camp.”

Liu Chaoming did not respond to this but only asked: “For Shen Qingyue and Zhu Nanxian, you don’t even want your life?”

Su Jin smiled slightly: “After the Zhaojue Temple incident, how perilous the situation in the Eastern Palace was—you saw it with your own eyes, Lord, and are not unaware. Qingyue, His Highness, and I have been able to reach today only by being cautious at every step and risking death. His Highness escaped from the Eastern Palace with a narrow escape from death, and now he fights through blood for ten thousand li to return. Qingyue secretly altered the horse transport route, placing himself at the tip of the storm—was it not also to secure a lifeline for those of us in the palace waiting for His Highness? They are all fighting with their lives. How can I retreat? If today I were in Qingyue’s position, they would likewise come to save me.”

Su Jin had actually thought about it. With Shen Xi’s unparalleled intelligence and cleverness, Zhu Zhaowei might not have truly grasped evidence of his secret alteration of the horse transport route map until today.

But since Zhu Zhaowei’s killing intent was set and he had even mobilized the Imperial Guards, he must have coerced the Yellow Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud and Director Liu to give false testimony. Without going through the Three Judicial Offices, he would use military orders to kill Shen Xi under the charge of “unauthorized deployment of troops and horses.”

She could only stake the Ministry of Justice’s penal authority to fight once for Shen Xi.

Liu Chaoming looked at her. After a moment, he lifted the carriage curtain and said: “Go to the Northern Great Camp.”

“My lord?” Su Jin did not understand.

Liu Chaoming said silently: “The Ministry of Justice alone cannot save Shen Qingyue.”

The rain continued falling from the hour of wei to the hour of you. There was no dusk at all; the sky simply darkened.

Shen Xi lifted the carriage curtain and looked outside again. The darkness was boundless, filled with unending rain.

Never before had he longed for dawn as he did today—from approaching dusk, he began to long for approaching dawn.

After leaving the palace grounds, Gu Yunjian returned the carriage to the driver and sat inside the carriage himself.

They had left through the south side gate. Fortunately, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief’s plaque hung outside the carriage. At least traveling until now, Gu Yunjian had dealt with all the barriers along the way.

However, the journey to the Northern Great Camp was still long and distant.

“Going like this, it will take at least another hour or two to reach the Northern Great Camp,” Gu Yunjian also lifted the carriage curtain to glance outside and said to Shen Xi.

Shen Xi pondered for a moment and said: “The Commands ahead will be reached soon. If we can pass the Commands, once we leave the northern suburbs, the Northern Great Camp’s patrol guards will begin appearing along the way.”

Gu Yunjian nodded and said to the driver: “Go faster.”

The driver acknowledged and cracked the whip again.

The rain outside continued. The carriage wheels rolled over water stains, making a rumbling sound.

Just as the Five Military Commands were approaching, the carriage’s progress slowed down. Gu Yunjian’s brow furrowed, and he lifted the carriage curtain to ask: “What’s wrong?”

The driver said: “Lord Gu, ahead… ahead it seems someone is blocking the road.”

The rain was fine and dense. In the vast, hazy night, one could only make out several points of firelight and shadowy figures of people and horses, but could not see clearly who they were.

Gu Yunjian was about to have the driver move the carriage closer when he heard Shen Xi behind him say quietly: “They are the Yulin Guard.”

Fighting desperately for a thread of survival, it had ultimately come to this final step.

Then he paused and suddenly smiled: “Today, I thank Lord Gu and Second Miss Zhao. Let us part here.”

In the dark and dim carriage interior, the teardrop mole at the corner of Shen Xi’s eye was clearly dark-colored, yet it seemed to have light.

After saying this, without another word, he lifted the curtain and descended from the carriage.

Zhao Wan looked through the gap in the curtain, staring blankly at that tall, graceful figure in the dark night. Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she opened her mouth but could not speak.

Gu Yunjian glanced at Zhao Wan. After remaining silent for a moment, he suddenly said: “You stay in the carriage.” He also said to the driver: “If there is danger, take—Awan away.”

Then he took an umbrella himself and quickly walked a few steps to catch up: “Lord Shen.”

Shen Xi turned around. Seeing him, his brow lightly furrowed. He glanced at the carriage not far away and said: “Actually, you…”

“No,” Gu Yunjian said. “Not solely for Awan.”

He thought for a moment: “Gu is but a scholar. My entire life has been devoted to studying the Way of Confucius and Mencius. I deeply understand that a gentleman may die but cannot be trapped. How could there be any reason to disregard another’s life and leave them unattended?”

He took two steps forward, looking toward the sword gleam and firelight deep within the curtain of rain. The court’s chaotic situation with factions standing everywhere—he was not ignorant of it. But Jinan Prefecture was outside the disputes. He had originally stayed out of it like Zhao Yan. Unexpectedly, he did not know why, but yesterday everything was still fine, and today he had reached this step.

“I will accompany Young Lord Shen over. If something happens, you and I can look after each other.”

Shen Xi looked at him and did not decline: “A gentleman takes righteousness as his essence, propriety to carry it out, humility to express it, and trustworthiness to complete it.” As he spoke, he bowed deeply to Gu Yunjian in the rain. “Shen thanks Lord Gu for this gentleman’s kindness.”