Chapter 222: Hello Chang’an
Chapter 222: The Light Boat Has Passed Through a Myriad of Mountains
The girl’s sudden and unexpected actions made her still useful to the Heir Apparent—she could not be killed, but she must be stopped at once!
He struck from the side. Just as the poisoned dart in his hand was about to graze the girl’s arm, she seemed to sense it. She yanked the Heir Apparent backward to evade, and at the same moment, the hand that had been gripping his arm slid upward and pressed down firmly on his shoulder—
In the instant she pushed down on his shoulder, the girl borrowed the force to lift herself out of the water. Rainy spray flew up with her sudden rise; her body twisted in mid-air, her skirts scattering droplets like cold pearls, before her foot lashed heavily against his jaw.
Fan Ou cried out in pain, spitting blood as his body lost balance and crashed sideways into the water.
“Cough, cough…” Dragged underwater by Chang Suining, Li Lu finally surfaced, choking violently, flailing in panic. Chang Suining caught the back of his collar just in time to keep him from drowning outright.
“Your Highness!” Fan Ou struggled to steady himself in the water and lunged again at Chang Suining to rescue Li Lu.
“What are you afraid of? I told you, I’ve no intention of making enemies. Do you really think I would kill him?” Chang Suining said calmly, shoving Li Lu forward—straight toward the two Prince Rong’s guards who had just swum over.
Seeing her return their young master unharmed, Fan Ou was briefly dumbstruck. She even instructed the two guards: “Take him back, and make sure he drinks a bowl of ginger soup.”
The guards hurriedly pulled Li Lu out, one on either side supporting him. Yet hearing her words, they found it absurd—were they supposed to thank her for her ‘kindness’?
If she had no intention of kidnapping the Heir Apparent, then why drag him into the lake at all?!
This very question echoed in Fan Ou’s mind. But soon he understood the answer.
Amid their struggle in the water, a small boat had silently approached from afar.
They had accomplices prepared in advance. The girl had calculated the timing precisely before making her move!
“You two, get His Highness back to the boat—quickly!” Unable to fathom Chang Suining’s full intent, Fan Ou feared for Li Lu’s safety and urged anxiously, then struck at her again.
She knew the secret. At any cost, she must not be allowed to leave alive!
“No…” Li Lu, still coughing weakly, forced out in a hoarse voice, “Don’t kill her…”
As it turned out, his words were unnecessary.
Before Fan Ou’s fist could reach her face, the girl suddenly slipped under the water, vanishing.
Fan Ou immediately tensed, scanning the lake in vigilance. The next moment, a splash sounded behind him—an arm locked tight around his neck.
Startled, he tried to stab her with a hidden weapon, but she twisted his shoulder sharply—crack!—and dislocated it. The weapon fell uselessly into the water.
Completely subdued, Fan Ou groaned through clenched teeth. “What is it you’re after!”
Chang Suining glanced at Li Lu, who was being held back by his guards, and said: “Your Highness, return with them. I will be taking the witness.”
“From this moment forth, should my father suffer the slightest harm, I will compose a proclamation no less damning than Luo Guanlin’s, and reveal Prince Rong’s deeds to all under heaven.
“Hereafter, Your Highness be cautious in action, I cautious in speech—each of us walking our separate roads.”
At last Fan Ou understood her true intent. His expression darkened. “You…”
“It’s not your turn to speak.” With an elbow strike, she knocked him unconscious.
By then, the small boat had arrived. Ah Dian reached out his strong hand: “Xiao Ah Li, quick, come aboard!”
Chang Suining shoved Fan Ou toward him, then vaulted lightly onto the boat herself.
“Are you injured, young lady?” asked Chang Ren, steadying the oar.
“Uncle Ren, be at ease. I’m fine.” She told Ah Dian, “Drag him into the cabin and bind him.”
“Got it!”
Ah Dian hauled the limp Fan Ou easily inside—crack!—his other shoulder was dislocated as well.
Chang Suining stood and watched as the two guards helped Li Lu onto his painted barge.
“Quick, bring His Highness inside to change!”
Li Lu, still weak, stopped his men. “Wait…”
One guard rubbed his back to help expel the lake water, the other wrapped a heavy fox fur around him.
When his breath finally steadied, Li Lu fixed his gaze on the departing boat.
So this was her compromise—turning her leverage back upon him.
He had suspected she agreed to this boat outing for ulterior motives, perhaps to probe secrets of Prince Rong’s faction. Indeed, she had.
But he had believed he’d revealed nothing critical.
Now he realized—it was all a façade.
From the beginning, she had intended to seize Fan Ou before his very eyes!
She must already have suspected Prince Rong’s hand in King Huainan’s death. So when Li Lu suggested letting Fan Ou answer her questions, she seized the chance to play along.
Watching her figure upon the small boat, Li Lu suddenly laughed.
Who would have thought, after merely a pot of tea, their positions had reversed so completely—he had become the passive one.
What a clever stratagem.
He had been outmatched.
“Your Highness, shall we signal our men to give chase?” a guard asked urgently.
“Chase? Do you think she will submit quietly?” Li Lu sneered. “And if palace eyes see my servants stir up commotion here, will I ever return safely to Yizhou? The Holy Emperor would need no more than the charge of harboring private soldiers to detain me forever.”
Losing Fan Ou was trouble enough—greater scandal could not be risked.
The guards fell silent, but soon realized another flaw. If she dared abduct one of Prince Rong’s men, could they not simply go to General Chang’s mansion later and demand him back?
Li Lu gave a cold laugh. “So that’s it…”
Abducting Fan Ou was only half of it. Using this night’s boat ride as cover—she was leaving the capital entirely.
Her talk of marriage had only been a diversion.
And the one she meant to mislead was none other than the Holy Emperor.
So she had surely leaked their temple conversation to the palace, making it seem she would remain in the capital until the matter of marriage was decided. Thus the Emperor relaxed her guard briefly. But in truth—she left this very night, at a time and in a manner none could expect.
Supported by his men, Li Lu stood shakily.
On the small boat, she wore pale blue robes, her cloak the color of the moon. Drenched and moonlit, she gleamed faintly like some lake spirit, cold and ethereal.
Yet her deeds were infuriating.
Now she raised a bow, drew an arrow, and aimed at his barge.
“Your Highness, beware!”
The guards moved to shield him, but he said coldly, “Do not meddle.”
The arrow flew, lodging two steps before his feet on the deck.
He looked down. Attached to the shaft was the very betrothal letter he had given her earlier.
He gave a mirthless laugh—half anger, half disbelief.
He rarely lost his composure. But now—he had been angered.
Raising his gaze, he saw her smile faintly, wave twice at him, then lower the bow.
He laughed again, softly.
As the distance widened, the lake slowly stilled again.
On the small boat, Chang Suining grew tired of standing and sat down. When sitting tired her, she reclined with one knee bent, gazing up at the moon and stars.
The night sky glittered, mountain ridges slumbered in shadow, insects and birds sang faintly as if disturbed by the lone drifting skiff.
Breathing deeply, she whispered, “The light boat has passed through a myriad of mountains…”
Now that the mountains were behind her, the path ahead was hers to choose.
The farther they went, the brighter the stars. As she stared dreamily, a pair of shining eyes appeared above her.
“You’ll catch cold like this!”
Ah Dian draped his outer robe over her.
It was warm, carrying the faint sweetness of tea and pastries. She rested her arm under her head and invited, “Want to watch the stars with me?”
Ah Dian winked at her and lay down too. “Will the stars look brighter this way?”
Her lips curved. “I think so.”
He widened his eyes. “It really does!”
She smiled deeper.
“Xiao Ah Li, will they chase us?” Ah Dian asked, then quickly added, “Don’t worry, if they do, I’ll beat them all away!”
She chuckled. “No need. He won’t chase.”
He was Li Lu.
“And as for Her Majesty… by now, it’s too late to chase.” Her tone was relaxed.
The Holy Emperor would be preoccupied with stopping her marriage to Li Lu.
But if she wished to keep her, she should have acted earlier. Now, it was too late.
For children of officials, leaving the capital required no special approval. With her excuse of seeking treatment for her brother, who could object?
Even if pursuers came, she had ways to lose them.
So yes—the light boat had passed through a myriad of mountains.
…
Dawn came, moon and stars fading.
After morning court, word reached the Holy Emperor.
“She has left?”
“Yes…”
The eunuch reported all that had been heard.
“And the one at Dayun Temple?”
“The monks say Lord Chang left at dawn, accompanying his sister to seek a physician. She left a note…”
The note was presented. Its calligraphy resembled Li Shang’s hand.
The Holy Emperor fell briefly into thought, then murmured, “She used Li Lu to mislead Us… Not to choose him, but to use him.”
Should she be relieved—that the girl had not turned to Prince Rong?
“Shall we pursue?”
“She will not linger, waiting for Us to pursue.” The Holy Emperor studied the handwriting. “Failing to find that physician, she will only go farther afield.”
The eunuch hesitated. “Along the way, there will be traces to follow…”
After a pause, the Holy Emperor said, “Then try to follow. Say this: We are concerned for Lord Chang’s health and wish to provide an escort.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
But then: “Forget it.”
The Holy Emperor spoke softly. “Do not waste effort. Let her go.”
Was this the meaning of the word release that the National Preceptor bade her contemplate?
“Let her go… But send orders. Outside the capital, all posts are to watch for her. Any tidings, however small, are to be reported to Us.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
When the eunuch withdrew, the Holy Emperor’s gaze fell upon the incense burner.
Was this truly release?
“No. It is not that We released her… She has escaped Us.”
And once escaped—where would she go?
If it were Shang, she would surely go where injustice was greatest.
Incense smoke rose in silence.
…
The news of the Chang siblings’ departure soon spread through the capital.
When it came to Chang Suining, Wei Miaoqing was always the first to know.
“A hundred li outside the city… Not far. When they return, Mother, let’s invite Lady Chang to view the plum blossoms at our estate?”
The Wei estate boasted flowers in every season, blooming early and abundantly.
Duan Shi did not reply, glancing instead at her son.
Wei Shuyi sipped his tea and said with a smile, “I wonder how many times the plum trees will bloom before she returns.”
Wei Miaoqing blinked, not understanding.
At that moment, the eunuch b ear ing the imperial edict arrived at the Duke of Zheng’s gates.
Soon, the entire Wei household assembled to receive the decree.
…
When the eunuch departed, Wei Miaoqing clutched the imperial marriage edict in stunned silence.
So this time, misfortune had fallen on her head?!
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