But everything was going too smoothly. He had a vague feeling that something was wrong. Maybe he was just being paranoid. Ximen smiled bitterly. This morning, several ministers advised against the punishment of pigs, which was against the emperor's virtue. As a result, the emperor was furious and sent these ministers back to the capital in prison. Gao Qing was so anxious that his throat was hoarse. He repeatedly told him, Hengchong, Zheng Song, and Liu Chuang not to overlook any suspicious signs. The emperor was becoming more and more dangerous. The imperial concubine had to be found. This made him nervous too.
He beckoned to his trusted subordinate: "Take a few men and go after the merchant's manager. Ask around along the way and see if there's anything suspicious."
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Not long after Wei Yu landed, she saw a troop of cavalry heading straight for the dock. Leading them was none other than Ximen Yixiao. She and the steward stood by the roadside, heads bowed, waiting for the cavalry to pass before Wei Yu set off alone. The steward had insisted on escorting her to the trading city, but Wei Yu said that Ximen Yixiao might send people to investigate, and for their safety, they should part ways as soon as possible. The steward didn't know her true identity, only that she was an important person the master wanted to protect, and that the master had instructed them beforehand to simply cover her safe escape. He followed her advice, and seeing that her reasoning made sense, he didn't insist. After pointing out the land route to Qinghe Ferry, they bid each other farewell and went their separate ways.
Wei Yu slowly walked along another official road. The summer sun was scorching hot, and soon Wei Yu felt sweat pouring down her face. Although the makeup on her face was not affected by the sweat, the stickiness made her pores unable to open, which was quite uncomfortable. When she saw a tea pavilion ahead, her eyes lit up, and she quickened her pace and entered the tea pavilion.
The tea pavilion is built against the tree canopy, with dense branches forming a thick net overhead that blocks out the sun. Behind it is a lush forest, which is very cool. There are only a few guests, and not many passersby are out at this time.
Wei Yu ordered a pot of tea. It was astringent and bitter, but it was very refreshing and thirst-quenching. She mocked herself for being so used to a life of luxury that she had probably lost all her instinct for independent living. She thought to herself that being pregnant made long-distance travel inconvenient. In the next day or two, Tianchi's search would likely focus on passing ships on the sea or along the shore. They wouldn't notice anything coming from inland for a while. She thought it best to find a place to stay first. As the saying goes, true hermits live in the city. Tianchi would never think that she had left but hadn't gone far. Thinking of this, she felt a pang of sadness. She was really awkward and conflicted. In the palace, she often wanted to break free from the cage, but now that she was out, she was thinking of Tianchi.
Besides her, there were only two small vendors in the tea pavilion. Because of the heat, they had piled up their goods all over the floor. After the two had eaten and drunk their fill, they were talking to the tea owner, which greatly surprised her.
"Have you heard? The Summer Palace was heavily guarded this morning because something happened."
"That's right. I heard that a villain in the palace caused the Imperial Concubine to fall into the sea, and she even had a dragon's seed. What a terrible sin! The Imperial Concubine was so virtuous. My small business was started only because the Emperor listened to her advice. Ah, what a good person she was. May the Sea God protect her." In common parlance, the Emperor is called a saint.
"Me too. We even started cultivating the land in the spring, and the summer harvest is just around the corner. It's all thanks to the Empress. That villain deserves to be torn to pieces."
"Even so, some people still pleaded for them, which angered the emperor, who then imprisoned them all."
"Serves you right."
The three of them chatted amongst themselves, and when they got angry, they even banged on the table. Wei Yu turned to look at the woods, pretending to admire the scenery, but as she listened, her nose tingled, and tears almost streamed down her face.
Such kind and simple people! She only said a few words, and they loved her so much. She felt so ashamed and rejected this time and space from the bottom of her heart, considering herself just a passerby.
Seeing that she seemed unmoved, the innkeeper asked, "Scholar, have you heard anything on your journey? Has the Imperial Concubine been rescued?"
Without apologizing, he said, "I was just passing through this area, and what I heard was similar to what you three heard."
Judging from his accent, he was indeed from the South. The shopkeeper sighed and said, "You scholars are so pedantic. The sages are benevolent and have bestowed favors upon you scholars the most. If it weren't for those donations, how would I, who run this teahouse, have the money to send my child to an official school? You are scholars, so you understand the importance of gratitude better than us ordinary people."
Wei Yu was deeply moved and ashamed of her own insignificance. What did she do to deserve such praise?
"Tianchi," she cried out in her heart, "No, I can't just leave like this. I can't let Tianchi fall into pain and despair. I'm so selfish. I'm so preoccupied with my own gains and losses, yet I've driven Tianchi to rage. He's disregarded imperial virtue for her sake, even wanting to punish officials who dared to speak out. I've read imperial history; this is unprecedented. Even during the Zhou dynasty's reign, they didn't dare to openly imprison officials who dared to speak out. Compared to these simple people, her freedom is so insignificant. Her freedom is even hypocritical. Ziyi, Chengyi, Gaoqing, Rong Shanggong... I'm so selfish. So many people love me and protect me." People, yet she defended herself for the sake of so-called freedom within reach, clinging to time and space, refusing to turn back, deliberately avoiding them. She even wanted to take away their hope, even to forcibly separate the father and son from Tianchi. How much he longed for the child! She thought with horror: she had already been cruel to them. Not being able to go back was regrettable, and she owed her uncle a debt, failing to repay his kindness in raising her. But if she insisted on going back, she would be abandoning her husband, friends, and sisters. Tianchi had disbanded its harem for her; if she hesitated or doubted again, she would not only be cold-hearted but also heartless, unworthy of having them. She shook her head. How could she? How could she bear to?
We cannot reject life because of death, nor can we reject this beauty to protect ourselves from emotional harm. Isn't the love of parents the best example? Since she has already decided to let the future take its course, she cannot go back on her word. Her selfishness has already hurt Tianchi.
She couldn't control her tears, and the three of them panicked. The shopkeeper, thinking he had spoken too harshly, kept apologizing, wiping away her tears without saying a word. "Thank you, sir," she said, "your words are truly enlightening." She then took out a silver ingot and placed it on the table. "Thank you." After the shopkeeper went inside, she bowed deeply and left on her own.
The shopkeeper held up a handful of loose silver, but she didn't respond when he called her. The three of them thought it was strange; it was rare to see a grown man crying with such bright eyes.
Two days later, a gentle and beautiful young woman came to the pawnshop in Ningcheng. Although she was dressed in coarse cloth, her elegance and nobility were undeniable. She claimed that she wanted to visit relatives in Maocheng, but because she lacked travel expenses, she had no choice but to pawn a beautifully embroidered soft silk robe. The pawnshop clerk immediately recognized it as a fine piece from the Liuli Fang in the capital and accepted it without asking its origin. Ningcheng was not a large city, and the news spread quickly. Gentry and respectable families rushed to buy it, and the pawnshop made a considerable profit.
By this time, the Imperial Guards had already dispatched scouts everywhere and immediately discovered the unusual activity. They promptly sent men to extort the clothes at a high price and through intimidation, which were then sent back to the Summer Palace. They also learned that the woman had taken a carriage to Maocheng that day. They immediately notified the Tiger Guards and Dragon Cavalry Captains to set up checkpoints along the route, searching passing vehicles and comparing pedestrians, but all their efforts were in vain. Upon further investigation, they learned that a young scholar had gone to Fancheng. The Imperial Guards dared not delay, sent someone to report back, and continued their pursuit.
Meanwhile, Wei Yu wandered around the parking lot for a while, then disguised herself as a scholar and took another car to Fancheng, a large town. She settled down in a temple in the town, living a secluded life and recuperating. There were many scholars like her who stayed there, and the monks were used to it. As long as they paid money, they wouldn't investigate who came from or what.
She let go of her worries. The landscape was picturesque, and it was a rare treat to be away from a large crowd. Her hidden playfulness was unleashed. Let's play hide-and-seek! In the palace, she had once seen a painting called "Mount Taibai." The painting depicted rolling mountains, pine trees lining the paths, streams and bridges appearing and disappearing, red trees dotting the landscape, monks coming and going, pilgrims resting and walking, green mountains and clear waters, and multi-story buildings with flying eaves. She was amazed by it at the time and asked to consult the map. It was Fancheng in Bohai Prefecture. Now that she was out, she might as well have some fun. She might as well take advantage of her favor and be willful to the end. Tianchi would be angry, but the clothes should be delivered to him on time, hopefully extinguishing his anger. Besides, she still had some excellent treasures, didn't she? Wei Yu smiled quietly.
Ying Tianchi nearly crumpled the shirt in his hands. After reading the report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, his eyes blazed with fury, his face tense. He maintained this posture for the time it takes to burn an incense stick. Everyone in the hall looked at each other, unsure whether to be happy or worried.
Ying Tianchi rubbed his clothes, deep in thought, when suddenly he saw something, and his expression softened instantly, and he smiled.
Everyone held their breath, except for Ying Tianfang, who had rushed to the Summer Palace a few days earlier, who asked worriedly, "Brother, are you alright?" Has Brother gone mad? He was a fire dragon just now, and now he's a lurking lion. The nature of dragons is truly unpredictable.
"Issue the decree: I and the Imperial Concubine will be on an inspection tour. State affairs will be temporarily handled by Prince Rui, with Zheng Song assisting. Gao Qing, Heng Chong, and Xi Men will prepare to ride the chariot and accompany me tomorrow. Also, I will be hosting a banquet for meritorious soldiers at Qingyan Pavilion in Danshui tonight. The Imperial Concubine will not be attending tomorrow as she will be accompanying me. Ladies, please prepare a separate imperial meal." Ying Tianchi stepped down from the Sumeru Throne, clutching his robe.
"Wait, are you really crazy?" Ying Tianfang said anxiously. "Brother, there's no need to rush. The fact that there are clothes means that the Consort is alright. We can find her. You don't need to run away from the palace." He was still talking nonsense about the Consort. Was he having a fit of hysteria?
Gao Qing, with his sharp eyes, had already noticed where Ying Tianchi's gaze was directed. After a moment's thought, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty is overjoyed."
Ying Tianfang noticed something amiss with the hem of the garment: "Brother, don't keep me in suspense. I've been with you through thick and thin for days, so tell me quickly." Ying Tianchi thought for a moment and handed him the garment, "It won't hurt to let you take a look."
Ying Tianfang took it, lifted the corner of his shirt, and saw that the lake-blue shirt originally only had a few curved willow leaves, but now there was a fist-sized, green fruit covered with dense triangular thorns on the corner of the shirt. The color was slightly darker, clearly added later, and it was not easy to notice without careful attention.
“This is a durian.” Ying Tianfang immediately understood: “Durian, lingering, so that’s it.”
The ministers, who were still confused, finally understood and their faces lit up with joy, relieved that they had escaped danger.
Ying Tianchi took the shirt. "Gao Qing, order the Imperial Guards not to disturb the Consort. They must carefully follow and protect her. Under no circumstances can anything go wrong. As for what the Consort wants to do, let her do as she pleases. Also, Liu Chuang, return to the Northeast Prefecture after the banquet today to handle government affairs. Tianfang, give him your instructions."
"No, no, why should I handle state affairs while you go out to play? This is outrageous! I want to go too, I..." Ying Tianfang chased after Ying Tianchi, yelling as they left the Qin Zheng Hall.
The crowd followed, looking sympathetically at the prince's erratic figure. Gao Qing breathed a sigh of relief: "Finally, the storm has passed."
Zheng Song said, "A report came from the capital that Lin Shuren went mad after entering the imperial prison."
"She got off easy. I'll make sure to report back to those two officials. As for the Consort, I'll have to give them a few more instructions, telling them to be very careful. This lady is precious; I wonder how she's doing? She's always running around like this. If she's safe, I'm at peace. She should have told me sooner, making me worry so much." Gao Qing's voice trembled slightly, making everyone laugh.
Ximen thought to himself, "It must have been the merchants who saved the empress."
The slow tolling of bells and drums heralds the start of the long night; the fireflies in the vermilion palace reflect quiet thoughts; the moonlit night urges on the night watch, and the clear dust gathers the dew.
"Your Majesty, it's late." Gao Qing walked to Ying Tianchi's side.
"Imperial Consort, is there any news?" he asked.
"The Embroidered Uniform Guard has reported that they have found out that the Empress has entered the North Pagoda Temple and is under protection," Gao Qing reported, having just received a call from Ye Ge.
"A gaze as clear as water, a tender feeling like orchids—such a sight is rarely seen in my life. Gao Qing, do you know what it means?"
"This servant is ignorant."
"That refers to a woman with bright, sparkling eyes and an elegant, orchid-like temperament—a rare find in a lifetime. The ministers may not say it, but they always feel that I favor the Consort too much, that my favor is too excessive. But in the Consort's eyes, she has always been a carefree and wealthy woman, while my favor was a result of poisoning and a fall into the sea. I only feel guilty because I forced her to accept it." This was the first time Ying Tianchi had revealed his feelings to Gao Qing.