Chapter 500: We Will Meet Again Someday |
At the Hour of Hai, Capital City sank into stillness, as if the clamor had been taken away along with the departure of the honor guard.
A group of people and horses galloped out from Taiye Pool, stopping before the doors of the Huitong Relay Station in the eastern river rice alley. The lights in the Huitong Relay Station had been extinguished. It seemed the people had long left and the building was empty.
The leader vaulted off his horse and strode into the relay station: "Your Highness can come out now."
Footsteps sounded on the stairs. Princess Liyang actually walked down the stairs from the darkness. Dressed in men's clothing, she looked at Bai Long below the stairs with a smile: "To think Lord Bai Long would personally see this Palace off. It is the utmost honor."
Bai Long kept his hands tucked inside his sleeves. He said indifferently: "Your Highness possesses a precious body of a thousand pieces of gold. Naturally, it must be somewhat grand. If others came to see you off, this seat would not be at ease."
Princess Liyang asked: "Is it safe now?"
Bai Long said calmly: "Chen Ji has helped Your Highness draw away all gazes. Naturally, it is much safer and more secure."
Princess Liyang suddenly asked: "Will anything happen to him?"
Bai Long looked up and measured up Princess Liyang: "Your Highness is worried about Chen Ji?"
Bai Long casually said: "In that case, why doesn't Your Highness linger for a few more days to help Chen Ji draw the murderous intent back?"
Princess Liyang gave an elegant smile: "Wouldn't that be wasting Lord Chen's painstaking efforts? It's still better to leave tonight... Where is Yuan Cheng?"
Bai Long turned and exited the Huitong Relay Station: "You will know when we arrive at the location."
Princess Liyang walked out of the Huitong Relay Station, only to see over a hundred secret spies sitting on their halted horses. Wooden sticks were hitched in the horses' mouths, and thick cotton cloth was wrapped around their hooves.
In the procession, Jiao Tu, Yun Yang, Xuan She, and Bao Hou were all present. This time, Princess Liyang was truly somewhat worried. She frowned as she looked at Bai Long: "Lord Bai Long, did the secret spies truly not leave any backup plans beside Chen Ji? And who is the person impersonating me?"
Bai Long vaulted onto his horse and said lightly: "Your Highness and Yuan Cheng leaving safely is the most crucial matter. Naturally, we must keep all manpower by your side."
Princess Liyang said gravely: "He can be considered a meritorious minister of your Ning Dynasty. Do you really not care about his life or death in the slightest?"
Xuan She's entire body was concealed within a large black cloak. He said slowly: "Your Highness, he is a member of the Chen Family, while we are the Eunuch Faction. There is no need for us to worry about his life or death; whether he lives or dies has little to do with us. Furthermore, the one wanting to screw him over is the Crown Prince, not us."
Sitting on horseback, Bai Long Looking Down from Above at Princess Liyang: "Is Your Highness leaving or not?"
Princess Liyang gritted her teeth and also vaulted onto a horse: "Let's go."
Bai Long took the lead, heading toward Chaoyang Gate in the east. The group moved like the wind and lightning. Before they even arrived beneath Chaoyang Gate, a secret spy holding the Inner Chancellor's handwritten edict had already ordered the Five Wards Military and Police Department to open the city gate just a crack, allowing this procession of men and horses to pass through the gap.
Immediately afterward, Chaoyang Gate slowly closed again.
It wasn't just Chaoyang Gate. Tonight, none of the nine inner gates of Capital City were permitted to open without the Inner Chancellor's handwritten edict. Even Grand Secretaries were not allowed to enter or exit. Even if someone realized at this point that things on Chen Ji's side were merely a smokescreen, it would be too late to do anything.
...
The Secret Spy Division forces escorted Princess Liyang, galloping all the way toward the southeast without the slightest intention of stopping.
Bracing against the wind on horseback, Princess Liyang asked loudly: "Where are we going?"
But no one answered her.
When the moon rose directly overhead, the Secret Spy Division forces finally arrived at the first Relay Station.
Looking at the Relay Station's plaque, "Langfang Relay Station", Princess Liyang suddenly realized: "You are leading me to Tanggu Port to send me back to the Jing Dynasty by waterway?"
Still, no one answered her.
The secret spies simultaneously dismounted before the Relay Station's doors. A secret spy under Xuan She's command kicked open the closed door panels of the Relay Station: "Everyone roll out here."
The Relay Station Master and the lowly Officials ran out groggily and said angrily: "Where do you wild... various lords!"
Seeing the dark mass of secret spies outside the door, the Relay Station Officials instantly woke up completely, so frightened that their thighs trembled: "Respected lords, what has happened?"
Bai Long led his men through the main hall of the Relay Station, heading toward the stables in the back: "Change horses. Today we are conducting a confidential operation and did not bring the Ministry of War's express warrant. We will make it up to you tomorrow."
The Relay Station Master hurriedly said: "Yes, yes, yes. Please make yourselves at home."
The secret spies led out over a hundred warhorses from the stables. Slipping on the saddles, they set off again, travel-worn and weary.
From Capital City to Tanggu was a total of three hundred miles. There were three Relay Stations along the way. Every time they arrived at a Relay Station, they changed horses, galloping at the speed of a four-hundred-mile urgent dispatch.
Even though Princess Liyang had mentally prepared herself, she still found it somewhat difficult to endure.
When the Secret Spy Division forces arrived at Tanggu Port, the sky had already brightened. The rising sun slowly poked its golden-red silhouette out from the ends of the sea. Looking at the morning sun, Princess Liyang felt like she had experienced an absurd dream.
She looked toward Bai Long: "Where is Yuan Cheng?"
Bai Long dismounted and walked toward the port. Docked at the end of the port was a large twin-masted ship. A chubby figure currently stood on the gunwale looking out, and there was also a young man sitting on the observation deck on the mast, resting with his eyes closed.
Jin Zhu, Tian Ma.
Bai Long approached: "You've worked hard."
Jin Zhu said with a smile: "Finally waited for you to come. If you didn't arrive soon, I fear my body would have been marinated with the smell of seawater."
Bai Long stepped onto a sampan to board the large ship: "Where is Yuan Cheng?"
Jin Zhu said with a beaming smile: "The old fellow is eating breakfast in the cabin. Yesterday he was howling about not wanting to eat fish anymore; he wanted to eat dumplings."
Bai Long asked again: "What about the Jing Dynasty's forces?"
Jin Zhu pointed to the sea surface in the distance: "Didn't let them dock. They are anchored in the coastal waters."
After the Pacify the East Army captured Yuan Cheng alive, they actually never brought him back to Capital City from beginning to end, but instead settled him at Tanggu Port. Setting out to sea from Tanggu, if there was a tailwind, they could arrive at Lüshun in four days and Jinzhou in seven days.
At this time, the Secret Spy Division forces escorted Princess Liyang onto the ship. Someone signaled with flags. The sailors hoisted the sails and set out, slowly sailing into the sea.
Standing amidst the wind on the deck, Bai Long dismissed the others and summoned Jin Zhu alone: "Where is Mister Feng?"
Jin Zhu said softly: "When we were returning, he stayed behind alone in the Jing Dynasty. I asked him why he wasn't returning. He only said there were still things he had to do, but didn't say what he was going to do... I also didn't dare ask more."
Bai Long looked at the golden light shimmering on the sea surface, speechless for a long time.
That man who had given himself the posthumous title 'Wenzheng' in advance had now become a mystery. Who knew how Earth-Shaking it would be when the other party appeared again.
Bai Long waved to Jin Zhu: "Call Princess Liyang over."
When Princess Liyang approached, he instructed her without turning his head: "As far as we know, Lüshun is currently within Lu Jin's control. Do not go there. You must absolutely disembark from Jinzhou."
Princess Liyang smiled: "Lord Bai Long has great ability, knowing even more than this Palace."
Bai Long had no mind to bandy words with her: "Later, only board the ship once you have confirmed that the forces on the opposite ship are your people. Someone gave up their life to help you get here. Do not fall short of success at the last moment due to a failure to see people clearly, wasting the painstaking efforts of others."
Princess Liyang grew thoughtful. Impassively probing, she asked: "Is Lord Bai Long speaking on behalf of Chen Ji? This Palace can hear the concern in your words. Since it is so, why didn't you leave manpower by Chen Ji's side?"
"This seat does not concern myself with him," Bai Long said indifferently. "Over a hundred people leaving the capital last night will definitely fall into the eyes of those who care. They will naturally understand that things on Chen Ji's side are merely a smokescreen. Rest assured, nothing will happen to him."
Princess Liyang smiled: "What a pity we couldn't bait Lu Jin's manpower out."
Bai Long didn't mind it: "It doesn't matter. There will be plenty of opportunities."
Leaning against the hull of the ship, Princess Liyang watched the Jing Dynasty vessels draw increasingly near on the sea, sighing somewhat: "I was extremely unwilling when I came, yet now there is actually some reluctance to part when leaving."
Bai Long turned to look at her: "Why?"
Princess Liyang said with a smile: "While in Upper Capital, I was scheming against people day after day. When others did dirty deeds, this Palace also had to do dirty deeds. This time coming to the Ning Dynasty, following Lord Chen and Second Miss Zhang all the way through Narrow Escapes, it was like characters in a script, actually a rare sense of carefree exhilaration. That day when this Palace crashed through Anding Gate alongside him and watched him drink alcohol before the gates, I only felt that this kind of person ought to have been born in my Jing Dynasty. But it's good that I left..."
Bai Long said calmly: "And why is that?"
Princess Liyang looked at the morning sun: "The sun has its time to rise, and its time to set. Lord Chen has a body full of youthful spirit, but there will be a day when it is entirely worn away. In this world, fame and fortune are the things that wear people away the most. If I were to see this kind of person ultimately competing with others for profit while doddering with age, that would truly be a great regret."
Bai Long said indifferently: "He will not."
Princess Liyang covered her mouth and giggled lightly: "Just now you said you weren't concerned, but a single test brought it right out. From the looks of it, Lord Bai Long is someone very close to Lord Chen."
At this time, the two large ships drew close. Standing upon the opposite ship was a row of officers and soldiers. The person leading in front was clad in black armor, his head adorned with a black tassel. At the very least, he was a senior general of the Jing Dynasty.
Bai Long asked: "Who is this?"
Princess Liyang curled up the corners of her mouth: "Path-Seeking Stage Practitioner under the command of the Eastern Capital Circuit Regional Military Governor, Jiang Pan. He is my person."
Bai Long waved his hand behind him. The secret spies laid out several sampans between the two ships. Supporting Yuan Cheng, whose hair was grizzled and who was utterly wretched, they sent him over to the opposite ship.
Lifting the hem of her clothes, Princess Liyang stepped onto the sampan. Before she even arrived, Jiang Pan extended his hand, using his arm to support her onto the opposite ship.
She turned back to look at Bai Long: "The eight thousand warhorses and two thousand soldiers and civilians will be delivered to Chongli Pass within a month. Lord Bai Long, We Will Meet Again Someday."
No emotion could be heard in Bai Long's words: "We will never meet again."
Princess Liyang smiled: "Don't be so absolute. A person's lifetime is long. Who can say for sure?"
The two large ships gradually separated, growing further and further apart, gazing at each other across the sea.
When they had both become small black dots in each other's eyes, Princess Liyang curbed her smile: "Settle Lord Yuan down well. He still has great use after returning to court."
Jiang Pan whispered: "Lord Yuan has completely lost his spirit. What use is there?"
Princess Liyang said softly: "It's precisely good that he has completely lost his spirit. If his spirit still existed, this Palace would actually worry about being unable to control him... Right, have there been any major events recently?"
Jiang Pan thought for a moment: "The news of the Sword Seed descendant has already spread back to the imperial court and public. Someone in the Martial Temple has let out word that they must definitely ferret out this person... Your Highness, you were also outside Chongli Pass at the time. Do you know who this person is? If we can hand over this person, perhaps we can make the Martial Temple stop supporting Lu Jin and turn to support us instead."
Princess Liyang remained silent for a long time. The sea wind was strong, rolling up the ends of her hair to dance in the air.
Ultimately, she turned around and walked toward the ship's cabin: "I don't know."
(End of this chapter)