Chapter 203: Hello Chang’an
Chapter 203: No Retreat, No Escape
2023-05-30
Once everything was ready, just as Chang Suining was about to leave, she suddenly heard from her servant that Lord Yu had arrived.
Though there were guards outside the Chang residence, they had no authority to interfere with or block visitors. Furthermore, the guest was the Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Palace.
Chang Suining had already left her courtyard when she heard the news and went directly to the side hall to meet Yu Zeng.
Upon seeing her attire, Yu Zeng motioned for the others to leave.
"You're going out?" Yu Zeng frowned and asked, "What are you planning to do?"
He was usually not kind toward others, but now, in such a critical situation, his narrow eyes seemed even colder and more oppressive.
Chang Suining did not sit down but briefly replied, "I have some matters to attend to."
"What danger are you planning to face again?" Yu Zeng’s eyes were filled with disapproval as he scolded, "Do you still not understand the current situation? Do you have to risk your own safety before you give up?"
Chang Suining understood that his harsh words came from the concern of an elder, or at least most of them did.
So, she didn’t argue but didn’t answer his question either. Instead, she asked, "Lord Yu, you entered through the main door today and didn’t try to hide your presence, so you must be here on the holy Emperor's orders?"
Looking at the sharp and clear-eyed girl, Yu Zeng paused for a moment before responding, "Half of it is true."
Recently, he had tested the holy Emperor's attitude, trying to secure a chance for Sui'an through the holy Emperor's influence. However, the holy Emperor had made it clear that there was no room for negotiation, and he knew that some paths were simply impossible to walk.
That was why he came today to see this stubborn girl in person.
It seemed the holy Emperor had expected him to make this visit and had even given him a message to convey:
"That day, outside the Minister of Justice, you said you had found the true culprit. The Emperor has sent me to ask you: Do you know who the true culprit is? Do you have any evidence? If you do, you can accompany me to the palace and present it before the holy Emperor today." Yu Zeng delivered the message word for word.
But he didn’t understand the holy Emperor’s intentions.
Both sides already knew who the true culprit was. Since the holy Emperor’s decision had been made, why still need to hear it from this child’s mouth? Or perhaps there was something about this child that the holy Emperor cared about or feared?
The sound of rain echoed outside the hall as Chang Suining lowered her gaze for a moment, hiding the emotions in her eyes.
Was this her chance to prove her brother’s innocence?
Both sides knew the truth, but how was she supposed to "prove" it? What kind of sincerity did she need to "move" the holy Emperor? For example, admitting that she was Li Shang?
But even if she showed this "sincerity" and knelt to beg, what could she gain? Could she clear her brother’s name?
Of course not.
The best she could hope for from the holy Emperor was that they might show mercy and secretly grant her brother a way out, though his crime would still stand. He would die in front of everyone, but at least he might live on under another identity—
And after that, the holy Emperor could use this small favor to control the people and things she cared about, as well as the natural constraints of their mother-daughter relationship, and gradually regain control over everything in her life.
When Chang Suining raised her eyes again, she said to Yu Zeng, "I won’t go."
If she had to choose, she would rather go to Li Lu; at least there would be no need to kneel and beg, wouldn’t there?
Though it was still like walking into a trap, compared to the holy Emperor, Li Lu offered a better chance of escape.
Yu Zeng looked at her.
Chang Suining said, "Please tell the holy Emperor that I have no real evidence to present. What I said outside the Minister of Justice was just a lie to deceive people."
Yu Zeng asked, "Is the Feng family woman still in your custody?"
"Whether she is or not, it no longer matters," Chang Suining replied. "In any case, I won’t go to the palace. I fear I would either be detained or silenced."
Hearing such direct words, Yu Zeng fell silent for a moment before saying, "Though I don’t understand the holy Emperor’s intentions, it’s probably best you don’t go."
"What is the other half of your visit, then?" Chang Suining asked.
"I went to the Minister of Justice before I came here," Yu Zeng's voice lowered. "After adding another 'witness,' Sui'an has been subjected to severe punishment in prison."
Chang Suining clenched her fingers.
Previously, the case had only involved "physical evidence," and since the case was being judged by Yao Yi, there hadn’t been any torture or forced confessions. But now...
They were going to use severe torture to force her brother to confess.
"Has my brother confessed?"
Yu Zeng shook his head.
Thinking of the young man’s bloodstained prison clothes, Yu Zeng said, "Sui'an’s nature is too straightforward... But if this continues, it will only cause him more suffering, and in the end, the crime will still fall on him."
He looked at the young girl who had been standing there all along. "Sui Ning, the only person who might be able to persuade him now is you."
"So, Lord Yu wants me to convince my brother to confess?" she asked.
"This is a temporary measure," Yu Zeng lowered his voice even more. "Afterward, I will do everything I can to try to save Sui'an—"
"Is this one of those fake-death escape plans?" Chang Suining asked. "But the holy Emperor must have already taken precautions; this plan is most likely futile."
Besides the holy Emperor, there was also Li Lu, who could not be allowed to escape if they couldn’t control him.
She didn’t even know how much power Li Lu had in the capital, or where it was all hidden. In such a case, how could there be any chance of escaping?
It was a bigger net beyond the net.
"Yes, there’s no guarantee this plan will succeed," Yu Zeng did not try to deceive her, but rather told her plainly, "But this is the only way for Sui'an to survive."
The only way to survive was to retreat first, then escape?
Chang Suining remained silent for a moment.
"Whether it’s the battlefield or the court, wherever there’s a struggle for power, wherever the holy Emperor’s will points, those involved can only try to survive amidst the blades," Yu Zeng said. "Sui'an is so innocent. I know you feel unwilling, but before life and death, everything else is useless. When something must be sacrificed, it must be done in time, in order to preserve a chance of survival."
The girl’s face didn’t show if she was convinced or not. Instead, she asked, "Has Lord Yu ever sacrificed such ‘useless’ things?"
"I’ve sacrificed many things," Yu Zeng looked out through the hall’s window, his gaze slightly distant. "And it’s not just ‘useless’ things."
Chang Suining silently gripped the short sword scabbard hidden beneath her cloak, and after a moment, calmly let go.
The noise of the rain made the hall unusually quiet.
After a while, Chang Suining spoke, agreeing to Yu Zeng’s suggestion. "Alright, I’ll go."
Yu Zeng looked at her, as if trying to confirm the truth of her words.
Their eyes met, and the girl said, "I want my brother to live."
...
Not long after Yu Zeng left, Chang Suining, along with Chang Ren and the others, exited through the secret passage of the Chang residence.
This secret passage had been there for many years but had been abandoned for a long time. It was only recently that Chang Suining had had it reopened, in case the Chang residence was being monitored and they needed to act without being noticed.
Once they exited Xingning Alley, the rain started to lessen.
Listening to the patter of rain outside the carriage, Chang Suining’s mind suddenly flashed back to that rainy night when Chang Sui'an was practicing with a spear under the corridor.
At that time, Ah Dian had been by his side, and he had been preparing to join the Xuanzhe Army's elite unit.
Back then, she hadn’t felt particularly moved by the scene.
Sometimes, when something happens or an image appears, people can’t immediately assess its significance. It’s only later, when it reappears as a memory, that its true value becomes clear—
At this moment, Chang Suining realized how precious that scene had been. What made it precious was the young man’s fervor, his hopes, his vibrant spirit, his determination, and his courage.
Now, all the injustices and wrongs were consuming and corrupting everything. One hand after another was trying to drag that young man, who had been prepared to fight on the battlefield, protect the people, and build a great cause, into the abyss.
...
"Two days have passed; it’s already been two days," Li Lu stood by the window, sighed softly, and muttered to himself. "It seems she has chosen another person to cooperate with..."
Could it be the Chang family?
It was rumored that the guards had failed to find the Feng family woman at the Chang residence… Had she been sent to the Changsun family?
Li Lu sighed again.
The Changsun family, who valued their own interests above all and regarded others as insignificant, was certainly not a group of kind-hearted and soft-hearted people.
They likely preferred to see Chang Sui'an wrongfully killed, so they could later use it to accuse the holy Emperor. If they could pass up on this opportunity for future gains just to save someone unrelated, they surely wouldn’t do it.
If the Changsun family had chosen them and discarded him, then the Chang lady was truly confused.
At least he truly wanted to save someone.
Li Lu gazed out at the misty rain, the scene of Chang Suining’s visit the other day flashing before his eyes. He couldn't help but feel that a woman like her wouldn't be so naïve or foolish.
Could it be that the cooperation with the Changsun family was a lie, a ploy to mislead him and confuse his attention?
But what exactly was she trying to do?
Thinking about the young woman’s consistently bold ways of acting, Li Lu couldn't help but wonder—was she planning a jailbreak?
This idea had crossed Chang Suining’s mind before.
She had come up with many different plans, but the idea of a jailbreak was the first one to be rejected.
Such an action, akin to admitting guilt in advance, was the most reckless and desperate of strategies.
"Miss." As the carriage reached an intersection, Chang Ren, who was driving, spoke through the curtain, his tone questioning. "Are we going to the Minister of Justice?"
"No," Chang Suining replied.
Her brother hadn’t yet agreed, so she couldn’t persuade him to yield or act in his stead.
Everyone thought that at this moment, she and her brother should surrender, retreat, and escape—but perhaps, this was actually the perfect time to strike back.
Who said that, when faced with the holy Emperor's manipulation, one could only accept it, retreating with all their efforts, and not retaliate?
She and her brother were indeed at a disadvantage, and even with all available support, they lacked the strength to confront the holy Emperor head-on. However, where strength failed, strategy could prevail—by avoiding his strength, attacking his weaknesses, and catching him off guard.
Therefore, she would not retreat, nor escape. She would fight, she would strike.
Chang Suining opened her hand and looked at the half token in her palm. "Take me to Dengtai Tower."
She intended to use this token to strike a deal with Meng Lie.
Years ago, she had set up the precursor to Dengtai Tower in secret, as a means to transmit information covertly. This "information" wasn’t just for internal communication; it also involved investigating the private matters of the powerful families and officials in the capital.
In any power struggle, having sharp ears and eyes was essential to gaining an advantage.
Dengtai Tower had secret agents spread throughout the capital, with the importance of each agent classified. Though the Ming family wasn’t of the highest priority, in the spirit of fairness, two people had been placed there.
Without a doubt, Meng Lie had continued running his network, so the Ming family likely still had useful agents.
Now, she needed to borrow one of them.
To be cautious, she didn’t plan to meet Meng Lie directly; instead, she would show him the token and arrange for him to assist after the matter was settled. She would explain everything to him afterward—how things would go depended on the situation.
Meng Lie's intelligence network was independent of the Xuanzhe Mansion. To protect its secrecy, she had explicitly forbidden any identity exposure without her permission, and no one was allowed to intervene in any disputes.
Over the years, Meng Lie seemed to have adhered to this.
However, times had changed, and she had to be prepared for the possibility that Meng Lie’s loyalty had shifted. If he didn’t recognize the token, she would have a knife as a backup.
In any case, today she had to make use of the Ming family’s agents.
Only then could she smoothly carry out her plans.
As the carriage passed through a long street, Chang Ren’s alert voice came through to Chang Suining. "Miss, it seems someone is following us!"
Without lifting the curtain to look, she immediately ordered, "Change direction, head west."
She couldn’t afford to expose the Dengtai Tower or Meng Lie.
The carriage rumbled on, heading west. As they left the crowded residential area, a wide river appeared before them.
Chang Ren drove the carriage up the bridge when suddenly, two shadowy figures appeared—one on the left and one on the right. In the blink of an eye, they threw a horse entangling rope and secured it tightly at both ends of the bridge.
Chang Ren immediately reined in the horse, and it neighed as its front hooves reared up. The wet stone surface of the bridge was too slippery, and the carriage, uncontrollably, tilted backward.
At the same time, the young woman, with her dark hair pulled up, leapt out of the carriage, her short sword unsheathed. She landed on the bridge and swung the blade behind her, striking the black-clad man who had attempted to ambush her.
The razor-sharp blade pierced the man’s chest as easily as piercing paper. As Chang Suining pulled the sword back, warm blood spurted out.
Soon, more black-clad figures appeared.
Chang Suining hadn’t brought just Chang Ren with her; the guards who had been following them in secret also revealed themselves, and a battle broke out.
Chang Ren and the others were top-notch fighters, but there were only a dozen of them. On the other side, there were nearly a hundred men, skilled in combat, using deadly moves, clearly intending to kill Chang Suining.
"Protect the Miss!"
Chang Ren kicked a wounded black-clad man into the river, but immediately more men surrounded him, preventing his escape. He could only shout, "Hurry, escort the Miss away from here!"
Their deaths and injuries didn’t matter, but the Miss couldn’t be harmed!
Though Chang Suining was skilled in martial arts, she lacked the experience needed to deal with such ruthless opponents. A single misstep could lead to disaster!
Chang Suining was covered in blood. She didn’t seem to hear Chang Ren’s words and never retreated behind her guards.
When a black-clad man wielding a knife came at her, she didn’t step back. Instead, she kicked the weapon from his hand and tackled him to the ground. With her knee pinning him, she simultaneously slashed his throat with her short sword.
With blood staining her face, she raised her gaze and looked toward the leader of the black-clad men.
She had been observing for a while and knew that this man was their leader. Outnumbered and at a disadvantage, she needed to capture him.
The black-clad man quickly sensed her gaze. Their eyes met, and in an instant, he lunged at her.
Chang Suining grabbed a long knife from the ground, wielding both a short and long blade.
As they closed in on each other, a hidden arrow suddenly shot through the air from the side!
Chang Suining’s heart instantly became alert—was there a third party involved?
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