Anjiu said quietly: “Young Master Du, have you really thought this through?”
Du Ruhui said with firm resolve: “I’ve thought it through very clearly. Doing this is good for both Brother Pei and the Princess.”
“This servant knows this too, but you…” He sighed and said: “The Second Young Master endured so much suffering yet refused to reveal your hiding place. If you leave now, won’t all his painstaking efforts be wasted?”
“But if I don’t take this step, who knows how much more Brother Pei will have to suffer, or even…” He shook his head. “By then, even if I luckily escape with my life, I’ll live in unease for the rest of my life. And there’s the Princess—I absolutely cannot stand by and watch something happen to her.”
Anjiu said hesitantly: “Princess Jinyang is, after all, the current dynasty’s princess. Young Master Cui might just be trying to frighten you to force you to appear, and might not really harm Princess Jinyang. Perhaps…”
Du Ruhui patted his shoulder and shook his head: “Having reached this point, I can no longer turn back. Otherwise, besides Brother Pei and the Princess, I’d be implicating you as well. In any case, proceed according to plan. I’m leaving now.”
“Wait.” Anjiu grabbed him, then quickly rubbed some dirt from the ground and smeared it on Du Ruhui’s face a few times. “Though this can’t completely hide Young Master Du’s features, at least it can provide some disguise so you won’t be easily recognized.”
“Thank you.” After thanking Anjiu, Du Ruhui quickly departed. The reason Anjiu had forced those two guards to go to the city gates to report to Pei Qiantong was to create an opportunity for Du Ruhui to leave. Otherwise, he would have been caught before even stepping out the main gate.
Watching Du Ruhui’s departing figure, Anjiu sighed. Though he didn’t hold much hope for Du Ruhui’s mission, he still hoped he could rescue Princess Jinyang and escape unharmed.
At Longchong Gate, a soldier quickly approached Pei Qiantong, who was standing on the city tower, and bowed: “Reporting to the General, two guards from your residence are below the city, saying urgent matters at the residence require an audience with the General.”
“Guards from my residence?” Pei Qiantong frowned, then showed alarm. Could something have happened to Qiancheng? Thinking this, he urgently said: “Bring them up immediately.”
“Yes.” The soldier went down as ordered. Before long, the two guards came before Pei Qiantong. Before they could bow, he urgently asked: “What happened at the residence? Is it related to Qiancheng?”
“Reporting to the General, it’s not related to the Second Young Master.” Hearing this, Pei Qiantong breathed a sigh of relief and said with relief: “Speak then. What exactly is the matter?”
“General, the servant Anjiu who follows the Second Young Master came to see us, saying he has information about Du Ruhui’s whereabouts and requests the General to return to the residence immediately.” Upon hearing this, not only Pei Qiantong, but Cuiji and Yunyi beside him also turned their gazes over. Cuiji even asked: “Where is Du Ruhui?”
“Anjiu insists on reporting directly to the General, but from his appearance, it doesn’t seem like he’s speaking nonsense.” Before the guard finished speaking, Pei Qiantong was already walking quickly down the city tower. Reaching the bottom, he grabbed a horse and rode swiftly toward the Pei residence.
Watching Pei Qiantong’s urgent departure, Cuiji looked at Yunyi with a half-smile: “It seems the Princess is going to lose!”
Yunyi secretly wrung her fingers and said coldly: “It’s just a slight lead. Whether it’s true or false is still unknown. If I were you, I definitely wouldn’t be happy so early. Be careful that extreme joy leads to sorrow!”
Hearing her cutting words, Cuiji snorted coldly: “You needn’t show off your sharp tongue here. In any case, this time Du Ruhui absolutely cannot escape from my grasp!”
Speaking of Pei Qiantong, he rode urgently all the way, taking only half the usual time to return to his residence. Anjiu was standing outside the vermillion gate. Seeing him dismount, he quickly trotted over: “General, you’ve finally returned.”
Before Pei Qiantong’s feet touched the ground, he urgently asked: “You said you have information about Du Ruhui. Where is he? Speak quickly!”
“Reporting to the General, Du Ruhui never left the Pei residence at all. He’s been hiding in the Second Young Master’s room all along.” Hearing Anjiu’s words, Pei Qiantong’s expression showed great shock as he said in amazement: “What do you mean by this?”
Anjiu repeated the words he had prepared early that morning: “The Second Young Master was locked in the woodshed by the General. This servant felt bad but couldn’t do anything about it, so I thought to enter the Second Young Master’s room to clean it. Usually the Second Young Master can’t stand any dust in his room. Who knew that when this servant entered, I actually saw someone in the room—it was Du Ruhui, whom the General has been pursuing. This servant tried to catch him, but was instead struck unconscious by a palm to the back of my neck. When this servant woke up, Du Ruhui was no longer in the room. But both the front and back gates of the residence have people guarding them. This servant asked around, and no suspicious persons had left. I reckon Du Ruhui is still in the residence. As long as we search carefully, we can definitely find him. Because the matter was urgent, this servant took the liberty of having the guards request the General’s return. Please forgive this transgression, General.”
Pei Qiantong glanced at the back of his neck and indeed found marks from a hand chop. After reviewing his words, he frowned: “You’re saying Du Ruhui has been hiding in Qiancheng’s room all these days?”
“It should be so. This servant saw some leftover steamed buns in the wardrobe. After Du Ruhui escaped, the Second Young Master must have guessed that you, General, would definitely set up an inescapable net to pursue him. With the city gates sealed on all sides and nowhere to escape, he placed Du Ruhui in his own room. As they say, the most dangerous place is the safest place. No one would think he was actually hiding in the Du residence. If this servant hadn’t had a sudden impulse to go in and clean, we still wouldn’t know he was hiding there!”
“This Qiancheng has played me for such a fool.” Saying this, Pei Qiantong ordered: “Pass down the order—seal the residence and search room by room. We must find Du Ruhui.”
As the guards who came with him went to seal the residence as ordered, Anjiu knelt down: “General, now that we know Du Ruhui’s whereabouts, why don’t you release the Second Young Master? If this continues, the Second Young Master will really die of thirst and starvation. You and the Second Young Master have deep brotherly affection—surely you wouldn’t want to watch him die. Please show mercy, General.”
Pei Qiantong had spoken in anger that day about forbidding Pei Qiancheng water and food, and had regretted it afterward. But first, his words had been spoken; second, what Pei Qiancheng had done truly hurt him, so he had never retracted his order. Now that he had a stepping stone, he naturally took the opportunity to climb down: “Very well, release him from the woodshed.”
Hearing this, Anjiu repeatedly expressed thanks, then immediately went to the woodshed to see the extremely weak Pei Qiancheng. Supporting him joyfully, he said: “It’s alright now. The Second Young Master is safe. This servant will help you back.”
Pei Qiancheng opened his severely cracked lips and said hoarsely: “Big brother… he’s willing to let me out?”
“Of course the General gave the order. Otherwise, how could they let this servant in?” Anjiu said while supporting Pei Qiancheng. “This servant will help you back to your room. Come, take it slowly.” Unfortunately, Pei Qiancheng hadn’t had water or food for several days and was completely weak and powerless. Anjiu alone couldn’t support him. At this moment, the guard watching the woodshed brought in a bowl of water. Pei Qiancheng’s eyes immediately lit up upon seeing the water. He quickly took it—for someone who had been thirsty for days, this bowl of water was like nectar and ambrosia. He drank it without leaving a single drop.