Chapter 115 |
In the Zichen Hall.
"Why did the embankment suddenly burst?!"
Emperor Chongzhao threw the memorial onto the floor, furious. "The levees were reinforced just a year ago, and they couldn't withstand a single surge?! Minister of Works, you explain this!"
The Minister of Works bowed with clasped hands. "Your Majesty, this matter is not largely our Great Zhou's fault. It was the Nanning embankment, located on the border between the two countries, that was breached first. The floodwaters surged down towards Great Zhou's territory. Even if the Xiang River embankment were sturdier, it certainly could not have held."
Xie Jingshan frowned deeply. "That is indeed the case. The sudden impact of the released floodwaters, with the pressure increasing violently in an instant, greatly increases the likelihood of the embankment being destroyed."
Grand Tutor Fang closed the memorial, his expression grave. "Both embankments have been completely destroyed. According to the reports from Great Zhou so far, three prefectures have been afflicted. The Nanning embankment is also ruined. Judging by the flow of the water, many Nanning commoners should have been swept into Great Zhou territory. This is a matter concerning both nations."
As they were deliberating, Eunuch Bao entered from outside. "Your Majesty, the Seventh Prince has arrived."
As soon as the words fell, Qu Dubian strode in with large steps. Without a single unnecessary word, he bowed and spoke immediately. "Father! I request to go to the Xiang River!"
Grand Tutor Fang: "Absolutely not!"
He slammed the table. "What the situation is like in the three prefectures near the Xiang River now, one can easily imagine. Going there would be no different from seeking death!"
Qu Dubian raised his eyes. "My mother is currently at the Xiang River. There has been no news from her so far. Father, how can I not go?"
Emperor Chongzhao's heart trembled. After a few seconds, he said, "In any case, it is not permitted! This matter is not open for discussion. I will send others to the Xiang River. You must stay in the palace and behave yourself!"
Qu Dubian: "Father!"
"With your physical condition, how can you possibly go?! Traveling day and night without rest, how many lives do you have?"
Emperor Chongzhao's voice turned stern. He beckoned. "Calling me father is useless. Guards, take the Seventh Prince into custody at the Princes' Quarters. Without my command, he is not to leave!"
Two guards led Qu Dubian away.
His 'frail and sickly' body, which had allowed him to avoid much strife, had now become the biggest obstacle preventing him from going to the Xiang River.
No matter how anxious he felt in his heart, Qu Dubian maintained a calm expression on the surface.
Emperor Chongzhao clearly knew how troublesome his youngest son could be. Fearing he might secretly run off, he specifically sent four guards to watch over Pinggui Courtyard.
Qu Dubian stood in his small courtyard. Ye Xiaoyuan walked silently to his side. "Your Highness..."
Qu Dubian said softly, "Can you contact Xiao Chun?"
Ye Xiaoyuan nodded.
Qu Dubian: "He should still have acquaintances in the Inspection and Transport Office. Tell him I will be leaving the palace from the North City Gate tonight, departing the capital."
He looked at Ye Xiaoyuan seriously. "Banban, don't try to stop me."
Ye Xiaoyuan shook his head. "I won't. But I'm going with you."
"Good," Qu Dubian patted his hand. "They are watching me, but they won't stop you. Later, leave the palace to find my uncle. Have him send a message to Uncle Letian in the south, asking him to secretly transport a batch of medicinal herbs, fine wines, and grain to Xiang River Prefecture."
Ye Xiaoyuan noted each item down.
Qu Dubian: "On your way back, pass by the Imperial Hospital. Summon Physician Yang and Physician Qiu. Tell them I am ill and need them to come for a diagnosis."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Using the excuse that Qu Dubian was hungry and wanted some pastries, Ye Xiaoyuan left Pinggui Courtyard.
-
Hostage Residence.
Yu Ruo had also received news of the two embankments bursting and that some Nanning commoners had been swept into Great Zhou territory.
Gu Xin, looking at her master's cold and stern expression, was rather puzzled. "Your Highness, Nanning's disaster is minor. The greater loss should be suffered by Great Zhou, right? Why are you so anxious?"
Yu Ruo: "The embankments are destroyed, both nations suffer. They should negotiate on how to resolve this. Do you think my father is the kind of benevolent ruler who would spend silver to support that small portion of commoners swept into Great Zhou?"
He was probably more likely to simply abandon those afflicted commoners.
Gu Xin curled her lip. "Anyway, if we don't handle it, Great Zhou will manage the disaster relief. Weakening them is strengthening us."
Yu Ruo suddenly turned her head coldly.
Gu Xin shivered. "S-sorry, Your Highness! This subordinate spoke out of turn."
Yu Ruo said slowly, "I am going to the Xiang River."
Gu Xin: "The Great Zhou Emperor will not permit it."
Yu Ruo: "Wuying."
A figure appeared in the room.
Wuying and Gu Xin were the two guards who had followed from Nanning.
Yu Ruo: "Wuying will impersonate me. Gu Xin, you stay by his side. After I disguise myself as a servant and leave, you find an opportunity to come out and meet me."
Wuying: "There are Great Zhou spies outside the residence. Within a day, they will discover Your Highness has left."
Yu Ruo: "Act first, report later. After they discover it, you present a memorial saying I was uneasy about the Nanning commoners swept into Great Zhou by the flood. The Great Zhou Emperor will turn a blind eye."
Gu Xin, still annoyed with herself over her earlier words, quickly said, "Then I'll go get you some clothes!"
Wuying: "Which city gate does Your Highness plan to use?"
Yu Ruo pondered for a moment, then narrowed her eyes. "I suspect I am not the only one who will secretly leave the capital. If I were him, I would seize every moment to rush to the Xiang River as early as possible. Wait at the city gate closest to the Xiang River."
"Wait?"
"Lie in wait for the prey."
-
Dusk descended.
The curtain of rain lightened.
Ye Xiaoyuan, stepping through puddles, his body carrying the dampness of the rain, brought Physician Yang and Physician Qiu to the Princes' Quarters.
The Seventh Prince often fell ill; the four guards at the door knew this well. They were even thinking to themselves that it was good the Seventh Prince wasn't going to the Xiang River, otherwise he might truly end up as the Emperor said, dying in Xiang River Prefecture.
Qu Dubian was dressed in dark-colored martial attire, which he often wore for practice. At this moment, he sat upright at the table in the room.
Physician Yang was puzzled. "Your Highness doesn't look ill."
Ye Xiaoyuan closed the door to the room.
Qu Dubian smiled slightly, stood up, and walked to the two physicians' side. Under their confused and unguarded gazes, he suddenly struck each with a chop to the neck.
Thump.
The two men fell to the floor.
"Liuliu."
Yi Shier appeared. "Your Highness, aside from the four guards outside the courtyard, there are no hidden observers. We just need to avoid the patrols."
Qu Dubian raised his hand. "Go ahead. The four outside are yours. Make sure they stay unconscious for a long time."
Yi Shier nodded and went out.
Ye Xiaoyuan: "Your Highness, the cart for transporting people is ready. In a quarter of an hour, the shift changes at the North City Gate Inspection and Transport Office. Our time is very short."
"Mm."
Soon, Yi Shier returned. He had dragged the four unconscious guards outside into the small courtyard, leaving them in Yidianbai's care.
Yi Shier carried the two unconscious physicians and stuffed them into the transport cart. Qu Dubian also hid inside.
Ye Xiaoyuan pulled the cart towards the North City Gate.
The current Martial Chief in charge of the North City Gate gave them a slight smile. "Going to exchange vegetables?"
Ye Xiaoyuan kept his head lowered. "Yes. Even with the rain, we dare not delay the fresh vegetables for the noble ones in the palace. The roads are difficult, so we have to leave early."
"Be careful on the road."
"Naturally, we understand," Ye Xiaoyuan said, pulling the cart out of the palace gate.
A young eunuch whispered to the Martial Chief, "Sir, aren't you going to inspect it?"
Chief Steward Wu glanced at him. "Consider today's events unseen. If you delay the masters' affairs, be careful you don't see the sun tomorrow."
The young eunuch rubbed his arms.
"Don't you worry."
-
The vegetable barrel cart was exchanged for a carriage.
Qu Dubian settled the two imperial physicians inside and had Ye Xiaoyuan disguise himself as a woman, also in the carriage.
He himself wore a bamboo hat and drove from the outside.
When they reached the southern gate of the capital, the carriage was stopped for a routine inspection.
A guard asked, "Leaving the city so late?"
Relying on the fact the guards wouldn't recognize him, Qu Dubian lowered his voice to sound older. He said mournfully, "My father and uncle are gravely ill, on the brink of death. We don't know if it's some evil influence."
"I heard a venerable high monk has come to the Miaokong Temple outside the city and is stranded there due to the heavy rain. I wished to take my wife, father, and uncle to visit him."
Hearing there was a woman inside, the guard didn't rudely enter to inspect but lifted the curtain for a quick look.
Upon seeing two bald middle-aged men and a veiled woman, he lowered the curtain.
The guard advised, "If you're sick, see a doctor. A high monk might not help."
Qu Dubian sighed heavily. "If doctors were useful, we wouldn't need to beg at a temple."
The guard was momentarily speechless. "Well, off you go."
Qu Dubian clasped his hands. "My thanks."
Fortunately, the capital wasn't under strict martial law, inspections were lax, and he could slip through easily. If his cheap father discovered he had escaped and ordered a lockdown, he'd probably have no way out, even with wings.
The carriage traveled to a pavilion twenty li outside the capital.
Qu Dubian saw a figure in the pavilion; Xu Tingfeng was waiting for him.
"Whoa—"
The carriage stopped.
Xu Tingfeng wheeled himself over. Beside him were five hired hands and four swift horses.
"Xiao Qi."
Qu Dubian jumped down from the carriage. "Uncle."
Xu Tingfeng acknowledged him. "Since you've made your decision, I won't stop you. But you must have people with you."
Qu Dubian: "I have someone."
Xu Tingfeng: "The one in the shadows?" He shook his head. "One isn't enough."
He tossed Qu Dubian a bronze command token engraved with a bird.
"Xue Letian has a team of guards with him. This token can command them. By the time you reach Xianghe, he should be there too. If you're in a hurry, ride ahead on the fast horses. The men with me will guard the people in the carriage."
Holding the token, Qu Dubian felt complex emotions. "I thought you'd try to persuade me to go back."
Xu Tingfeng leaned forward and patted his arm. "Consort Xuan raised you for many years. The debt of upbringing is greater than that of birth. If I didn't let you go and something happened to Consort Xuan, you might regret it for life."
"You carry the blood of my Xu family. It's a good thing for a son of the Xu family to be loyal and righteous. How could I stop you? It's just that you..."
Qu Dubian: "Uncle, rest assured. I am quite well."
Xu Tingfeng looked at him. When they first met, this child was just a toddler, but now he had grown into a youth, his eyes bright and resolute.
"Come back safely."
Qu Dubian: "I will."
Ye Xiaoyuan came out, having changed his clothes.
Yi Shier appeared. He and Qu Dubian each took a horse, with two spare horses following them to switch to when the mounts tired.
The two men mounted up.
Qu Dubian looked at Ye Xiaoyuan and said, "Banban, follow with the carriage. When the two physicians wake, just tell them the truth. Be sure to bring them to Xianghe County."
These two men's medical skills were among the best in the Imperial Hospital. Although kidnapping them was highly improper, the situation in Xianghe County was unclear, and physicians were needed for the journey.
Once they reached Xianghe, he would formally apologize and make amends.
Ye Xiaoyuan nodded. "We won't be far behind you. Lord Liuliu, please take good care of His Highness. If he shows any discomfort, stop and rest immediately."
Yi Shier nodded in agreement.
With instructions given, Qu Dubian and Yi Shier spurred their horses and rode away.
They headed south.
Not far away, on a low cliff.
Yu Ruo watched the two figures speeding past on horseback below, not at all surprised.
He turned. "Let's go. Catch up to them."
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