The Third Scholar of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 43

"It's me!"

"girl!"

When the door opened, Yinzi's surprised and smiling face appeared: "You're so fast."

Li Yuxuan bit her lower lip and walked into the house. She and Yinzi had lived in this house for five years, but Prince Xin knew about it. "Yinzi, is there anything else we need to pack? If not, let's go. Prince Xin came here when he was investigating my background. As soon as they know I'm gone, this place will be the first place they search."

Yinzi took out two bundles and slung them over her shoulder: "I know, that's why I didn't take off my clothes to sleep." She led her horse out of the yard: "Where are we going?"

The two mounted their horses: "Whatever, we'll go wherever it takes us."

There weren't many people on the road, and their galloping horses seemed a bit out of place. Li Yuxuan suddenly remembered something she had overlooked: Xu Zhu and his Lingjiu Palace. If he and Li Xinyun were also involved, and a large-scale manhunt was launched, her hasty journey would be tantamount to automatically exposing her as a target.

She turned and spurred her horse towards the nearby woods. The two ate some dry rations in the woods, and Yinzi, somewhat discouraged, asked, "Miss, do you really think we can escape?"

"I've made up my mind. We won't ride horses for the next couple of days. We'll head back to a relatively prosperous area outside Bianliang City and stay there. They probably won't suspect we'll stay nearby. People tend to have fixed mindsets, thinking that leaving means going as far away as possible."

After releasing the horses, the two walked back along the main road. More and more people were riding horses on the road. Li Yuxuan looked at the clothes of the people on horseback and knew that Zhan Zhao already knew that she had left.

As expected, those people didn't even glance at Li Yuxuan, the pedestrian, and rode their horses forward at breakneck speed.

The speed difference between walking and riding a horse is too great. What Li Yuxuan and his companions covered in half a day on horseback would take them at least two days to cover on foot.

That night, she and Yinzi stayed at separate inns, which was safe. The journey wasn't far from the capital, and there were merchants from all over traveling to and from the capital everywhere; no one paid any attention to the two of them.

The next day, gossip began to circulate on the streets, saying that Zhan, the guard of Kaifeng Prefecture, had run off with someone else's wife, and that he had sent people everywhere to look for her.

Yinzi laughed and said, "This Guard Zhan is so wronged, he'll probably never find a wife in his life. Is he being used as a scapegoat for someone?"

Around noon, they arrived at Qiaotou Town, the most bustling town outside Bianliang City. Although called Qiaotou Town, it was actually just outside the moat of Bianliang, facing the city across the river. The town was just as prosperous as the city, especially its teahouses and brothels, which had a unique and refreshing charm compared to those in the city, making them a favorite pastime for the city's literati.

Li Yuxuan and Yinzi chose the most luxurious brothel to stay in.

The brothels of that time were not what we imagine. Many were used as inns, just more comfortable and more expensive than regular inns.

With beautiful women by your side and the sounds of music filling the air, business is booming. People from all walks of life like to stay in brothels in order to appear cultured.

Moreover, this is also a good place to listen to news and gossip from the outside world.

Outside, all was in turmoil; inside, it was a riot of color. Li Yuxuan and Yinzi had been staying here for five days, spending their days drinking tea in the teahouse and listening to the young lady play the pipa. The days passed quickly.

That day, Li Yuxuan was sitting in his room reminiscing about the past when Yinzi rushed in, saying in a panic, "Young Master, something terrible has happened! Prince Xin is here!"

Li Yuxuan's heart suddenly stopped beating. He stood up and almost fell. Seeing Yinzi quickly close the door, he clutched his chest and asked, "Where did you see that?"

“I just saw him in the lobby. He came with another man and went into a private room, but it didn’t seem like he was looking for us. It seemed like a coincidence.”

Li Yuxuan calmed his racing heart, sighed softly, and walked to the window: "Yinzi, it's been seven days, hasn't it? Apart from the gossip we heard about Brother Zhan at first, we haven't heard anything else from them, have we? I think they've given up. It's too dangerous here after all. Let's leave and go back to Jiangnan tomorrow!"

Aren't you going back to Luoyang?

Li Yuxuan shook his head: "I won't go back there for now. Let's wait a year or two."

Hearing that Prince Xin was in the courtyard, Li Yuxuan's suppressed emotions were stirred up again. Loneliness and longing had been her nightly torment during this period. She could pretend not to care, but she couldn't control her heartache or her longing. Those days and those tender moments couldn't be forgotten so easily.

I wonder how he is now? I wonder how he got out? I wonder if he agreed to that marriage? I wonder if he will be sad because I left?

have no idea……

"Yinzi, is the prince in that room? I want to sneak a peek. Has he lost weight?" All her uncertainty turned into an eagerness to see him.

"Girl, isn't this a bad idea? If we get caught, all the suffering you've endured these past few days will have been for nothing." Yinzi hesitated and disagreed.

Li Yuxuan patted Yinzi on the shoulder: "I know, I'll just take a look from afar and leave tomorrow."

Yinzi lowered her head helplessly: "Okay, it's in the third private room on the left on the first floor. We can stand on the stairs to the second floor and peek out. We can see him when he comes out."

Li Yuxuan picked up a folding fan: "Let's go!"

There was a pillar on the far left of the stairs on the second floor, so the two of them stood behind the pillar.

The door to the third private room on the left side of the first floor was tightly closed, and no one could be seen inside. After a while, a woman carrying a zither walked in.

After an unknown amount of time, the door finally opened, and two men came out of the room. One was Prince Xin, and the other was her second brother, Su Shi.

Prince Xin's haggard appearance stung her eyes. Was this man with sunken eyes and a unkempt beard really the Prince Xin who was always clean, tidy, and even slightly obsessive about cleanliness?

She clenched her fists and turned around: "Yinzi, let's go back."

Chapter 72

The next day at noon, Li Yuxuan was in the lobby settling her bill with the madam and preparing to leave when four men entered. They seemed to be talking about Li Yuxuan's name. Li Yuxuan turned her head and saw their faces; they were her four colleagues from the same examination.

The four people obviously didn't recognize Li Yuxuan, who had been disguised, and continued their conversation as they went inside.

"I never expected that Li Yuxuan was actually a Khitan woman!"

"Yes, now Prince Xin, Lord Xu, and Lord Zhan are all in trouble."

“I’ve met this Miss Haitang before. How does she know about Li Yuxuan’s background?”

"Yes, isn't she just a girl from Yipinju? How did she end up getting Imperial Censor Wang to expose this matter?"

"Everyone knows that Imperial Censor Wang is the Crown Prince's man. No one can deny that Haitang is the Crown Prince's pawn—"

"Stop talking!"

...

Li Yuxuan froze on the spot and took back the silver note: "We won't pay the bill, we're staying for a few more days."

What's going on? Did Haitang come to the capital to expose her true parentage? And incidentally, she also accused Prince Xin, Xu Qingzhi, and Zhan Zhao?

She watched the four men go up to the second floor and into a room. She followed them inside. Seeing the surprised looks on their faces, she laughed and clasped her hands in a fist and palm salute: "I have a personal relationship with Master Zhan. I overheard you four gentlemen talking about him, and out of concern, I followed you in. I hope you will forgive me." Then, she said to the maid standing by the door, "Bring up your best dishes and wine. Today, it's my treat for you four gentlemen; we won't leave until we're all drunk."

The four men exchanged a glance and immediately burst into laughter: "Brother, you're too kind. Please have a seat."

After the meal, Li Yuxuan basically understood the situation. News had come from the court that day that the censor Wang Gui had submitted a memorial to Prince Xin, accusing him of secretly releasing the Khitan woman, who was none other than Li Yuxuan, the third-ranked scholar in this imperial examination, and of deceiving the emperor with a false memorial. His intentions were despicable and his crimes were unforgivable. Incidentally, Xu Qingzhi and Zhan Zhao, who were with them, were also impeached.

"Damn it!" Li Yuxuan threw down his wine cup. "Wasn't Li Yuxuan killed by the Khitans on the way? How come this situation has emerged saying she's a Khitan? Aren't they deliberately targeting Prince Xin? And taking care of Prince Xin's entire faction in the process?"

One person made a shushing gesture: "Keep your voice down. We think so too. Using a dead person to make a case means there's no way to prove it. But we'd better be careful. We can't afford to offend either side. Just listen to what we have to say here, and don't forget it when you leave."

"Didn't you say there was another crabapple tree? What's going on?"

"It is said that it was Miss Haitang from Yipinju who reported this to Lord Wang. She has evidence that Lord Li is a Khitan and also a woman."

The farmer should have killed the snake.

Li Yuxuan had forgotten such a simple truth.

Those who do evil will not live long.

Could it be that Prince Xin and Su Shi came here yesterday for this very reason? She remembered the case file... There was room for manipulation... The only true confidants were Zhan Zhao, Judge Bao, or perhaps the current leader?

"So, how does Your Majesty intend to handle this matter?"

"I don't know. It is said that the court was divided into two factions and they were locked in a stalemate. One faction was the censor Wang Gui, and the other was the Grand Academician Ouyang."

Wang Gui? A sudden thought flashed through Li Yuxuan's mind: the character "Wang" that Prefect Li had kept hidden under his hand. Could it be Wang Gui? Was it him who betrayed the people to the Khitans during that tragic incident?

This idea was so bold and unexpected that Li Yuxuan trembled involuntarily.

If Wang Gui is indeed the Khitan spy, and if Wang Gui is connected to the First Manor...

He dared not think any further and immediately stood up: "Please enjoy your drinks. If you need anything, just ask the maid to bring it up, and I'll have the counter put it on my tab. I won't keep you company any longer; I just remembered there's something important I haven't done yet."

He went straight to his apartment after leaving the private room. Yinzi was still there packing her things. When she saw him, she pouted and said, "Why are you so late? I've been waiting for you for ages."

"Go quickly to the post station and see if Princess Xinyun is still there. If she is, call her here immediately."

"What happened again?" Seeing Li Yuxuan's exasperated expression, Yinzi also became anxious.

"I'll tell you later. Go to the post station and find Princess Xinyun. If she's gone, don't say anything. If she's there, be sure to call her over. Go now!"

"Yes, miss!" Silver went without saying a word.

Li Yuxuan was left alone in the room, pacing around in a state of utter confusion. This had all happened so fast that it had caught her completely off guard.

What should she do?

Why does everything she foresees always come true? God, please have mercy on me! All I want is to be an ordinary woman, why is this wish so difficult to fulfill?

Yinzi didn't return until evening: "Princess Xinyun and her husband left Bianliang two days ago. Brother Xu was appointed as the Imperial Inspector of the Five Southern Provinces and also left to protect the princess on her journey. I didn't see Brother Zhan or Prince Xin." She glanced at her and lowered her voice: "I heard that they are involved in Li Yuxuan's case and are staying at home reflecting on their actions."

"The Emperor hasn't convicted them?"

"Not yet. I heard the evidence isn't enough to establish a case." He glanced at her again: "Girl, you really are a jinx; whatever you say comes true. What do we do now?"

"I don't know." Li Yuxuan slumped back in his chair, dejected. "I can't think of a good solution."

"I heard that the Emperor only believes Li Yuxuan is truly dead when Prince Xin hands over her body. He wants to see her alive or dead. The same applies to the other side."

"Who told you that?"

"I overheard it while chatting with a servant in the Prince Xin's mansion."

Li Yuxuan curled his lips: "It seems that the Emperor is still quite kind to Prince Xin. It's much easier to see the body when he's dead than to see him alive."

Yinzi looked at her, puzzled: "But you're perfectly fine, miss."

Li Yuxuan patted her hand: "Don't worry, Master Zhan will definitely be able to handle this. Where did Princess Xinyun and Brother Xu go? Let's go find them tomorrow."

"You finally escaped, and now you're going back to them?" What's wrong with her daughter?

"I need Xiaolei's transformation magic. As long as I don't show up, they won't be able to find me. If they can't find me, Prince Xin and the others will be safe." They don't even understand such a simple principle.

"Haven't you become unrecognizable now?" Yinzi still asked, puzzled.

"The mask I'm wearing was made of pine resin by Xiaolei. It won't last long before we have to ask her for a more durable one."

"Young lady, this is not a solution, but only a temporary measure."

Li Yuxuan sighed, "I know, but I can only take it one step at a time. I hope that things will work out in the end and that I won't be abandoned by fate."

The master and servant chatted about the crabapple blossoms for half the night. The next morning, they settled the bill, bought two fine horses, and headed towards Li Xinyun and the others.

Li Xinyun traveled slowly, enjoying the scenery along the way. On the third day at noon, Li Yuxuan arrived in Daming, Hebei, and learned that Li Xinyun was staying in the government office of Daming Prefecture.

Daming was a secondary capital during the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, and its prosperity rivaled that of Bianliang. The famous Bronze Sparrow Terrace was located here, and the line "The Bronze Sparrow Terrace locks up the two Qiao beauties in the depths of spring" has made countless people sigh throughout the ages.

She dismounted at a teahouse next to Daming Prefecture and found a seat facing the prefectural gate. She couldn't rashly go looking for Li Xinyun; she could only wait for them to appear.

Since we're already here, there's no rush.