Chapter 162 Leaving the Capital (Forty-Six) ​​Between betraying his uncle and betraying his own father...

Yu Qi was afraid he wouldn't ask this question. Currently, of the Prince Zhao's trusted confidants skilled in martial arts, only a few guards remained in the capital. Escaping the capital would inevitably involve bloodshed. Although Zhang Da wasn't very bright, his skills were quite good; one more of him would provide extra strength.

In the silence, only the rustling of the wind outside the door could be heard. Yu Qi sighed along with the wind, "I'm afraid Yu'er and I won't be able to leave easily."

"Why can't we leave?" Zhang Da's eyes darted around. "You have no connection with Prince Zhao! If we're talking about connections, it's Second Master Qi who has a connection with him. Does that mean everyone you know has to be implicated?"

"That's not what I meant. Do you know why the Emperor assigned the fish to the Marquis of Yan'an's residence?"

Zhang Da thought for a moment, then suddenly shook his head.

"Lord Lu Hechun of Yan'an was originally the General of Sichuan. When Prince Zhao rebelled, he planned to start his rebellion in Guizhou, and the pass was in Sichuan. The Emperor wanted a high-ranking official whom he had once demoted to serve him, so he had to offer him some enormous benefits. Yu'er is one of those benefits, so this marriage is one that Yu'er cannot refuse. That's the first point. Secondly, do you know why I sent you to Wangfeng Temple but not Yu'er, and why I told you to keep it a secret from her?"

He shook his head again.

“The Emperor’s shadow guards have been watching Yu’er for a long time. If Yu’er goes, the Emperor will find out. I’m not telling Yu’er because I’m afraid she’ll let the news slip in her haste. These people will probably take my life soon.”

"Why?"

Yu Qi sat up abruptly and sighed, “Yu’er’s mother, Quan Shanheng, died under very suspicious circumstances. When I returned to the Quan family mansion, she hadn’t been burned to death, but she had suffered severe knife wounds. That fire was just someone trying to destroy the evidence. Moreover, I fought with several highly skilled martial artists, and it was only by killing them that I was able to escape from the Quan family mansion with Yu’er. You are also a martial artist. Tell me, under what kind of people do highly skilled martial artists work?”

Zhang Da was terrified and hurriedly walked behind his shoulder, "You mean, the Emperor sent someone to assassinate this Aunt Quan?"

Just as Yu Qi was about to nod, the door creaked open from the outside. The two quickly turned to look, and saw the north wind lifting the curtain, revealing Jiu Li's skirt through the shadows. She immediately closed the door and came in, casually draping a large fur coat over her shoulders. Her hair was disheveled, falling in a clump that was being tossed about by the wind. Her nose was red, her eyes were wide open, and tears streamed down her face.

Zhang Da was about to try and dodge the question when Jiu Li grabbed Yu Qi's arm. "What you just said was true?!"

Having seen that she had overheard, Yu Qi could no longer hide it and had no choice but to tell the truth: "The Emperor assassinated your mother because she secretly discovered that the Emperor had plotted against Prince Ping. The person who shot the poisoned arrow at Prince Ping was Qingque's father. Your mother took Qingque in at home back then, but later, probably because she was afraid that her conspiracy with Prince Feng to tamper with the imperial edict would not succeed, she sent Qingque out of the mansion first and entrusted you to me."

Jiuli was stunned for a long time, finding it hard to believe. "You mean, my father killed my mother?"

Yu Qi's tone was coldly calm, "He not only killed your mother, he also killed his brothers, and soon he will kill me too."

"Kill you?" Tears welled in her eyes. "Why?"

"The Emperor knows that I saved you back then, and he also knows that I killed those shadow guards sent to the entire mansion. That makes me the only person who knows about the massacre of the entire mansion. Given the Emperor's personality, how could he possibly spare my life?"

Tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. She murmured, "Then what do we do?"

Yu Qi turned around and grasped her arms. "I've thought it over carefully. Your future is essentially one of three possibilities: First, you are the Emperor's own flesh and blood, and he won't kill you. As long as you obey him and marry Lü Jing, you will become the Lady of the Marquis of Yan'an's household and live a life of luxury."

Jiuli immediately shook her head, "I don't want to!"

"Listen to me. The second option is for us to escape the capital, but we will inevitably be hunted down by the Emperor, and we will never have peace for the rest of our lives."

That's not good either. Who wants to live in constant fear for the rest of their life? Jiu Li quickly wiped away her tears. "What about the third option?"

He released his grip, a resolute look gradually appearing on his face. "Help Prince Zhao escape from the capital. As long as he can fight his way back and seize the throne, we will be able to live in peace in the future."

Rebellion against the Emperor? Jiu Li had only ever heard of such things on the stage; where would one see bloodshed? But if it happened to her, she feared there would be no shortage of swords and bloodshed. She lowered her head in silence, her heart pounding with uncertainty.

Zhang Da, standing nearby, also thought of this. He was just a minor constable in Nanjing and shouldn't have gotten involved in this disaster. If Prince Zhao succeeded, all would be well, but if he failed, wouldn't he lose his entire family? But then again, what if he succeeded? He, an unknown nobody, might have the chance to become famous for all time.

What man doesn't yearn for fame and fortune? He suddenly made up his mind, stamped his foot, and said, "That's it!"

Yu Qi turned to look at him, "Officer Zhang, have you thought it through?"

"I've thought it through! Since ancient times, achieving fame and success has been arduous. A grown man should make a difference in this world; how can he be afraid of death and cling to life!"

Yu Qi nodded with a slight smile, then turned back to look at Jiu Li. She had already turned away, her head bowed, filled with hesitation. Yu Qi looked into her ear and whispered, "Yu'er, I know the Emperor is your biological father. If you help others rebel against him, what do you feel—"

"No! I have nothing in my heart!" Jiuli suddenly turned around, the tears in her eyes had dried up, leaving only empty, red circles. She shook her head, "Since he is my father, he should act like one. I've never seen a father kill his mother. He is so cold-blooded and vicious, so cunning and hypocritical. No wonder my mother didn't want him! No wonder my mother gave birth to me but didn't like me, and didn't even give me a name."

Yu Qi grasped her shoulders. "Your mother loves you, otherwise she wouldn't have begged me to take you away. You're not a child anymore, so why are you always complaining? Over the past ten years, who hasn't loved you? Don't be foolish."

If you don't coax her, things will be fine, but if you do, she'll just mutter and complain, "Anyway, I'm someone who's neither loved by my father nor my mother."

Zhang Da interjected, "Oh dear, this isn't the time for sentimentalism, Mr. Yu. Do you have any ideas on how to help Prince Zhao leave the capital?"

Yu Qi said, "We still need to discuss this matter with Qi Xubai."

It just so happens that Xu Bai is still awake, preoccupied with the day's events. Although the Emperor demoted the Consort to a life of seclusion, he made no decree concerning the rest of the Chen family, even Chen Jia, who held no official position, escaped unscathed. Moreover, Prince Zhao's confinement remains unresolved. It seems Zou Chang's guess was correct; the Emperor intends to use the Shu Qiang case to eliminate Prince Zhao this time.

Given this intention, Prince Zhao, confined to his palace for so long, is likely in mortal danger. Moreover, I heard from Lord Zou that the Emperor suddenly summoned the Imperial Medical Bureau the morning before last to inquire about smallpox. This disease is notoriously difficult to treat, and it hasn't even ravaged the capital this year, so it shouldn't be a topic of discussion at this time. I am deeply concerned; could the Emperor's sudden inquiry be a deliberate attempt to create a narrative, making it seem as if Prince Zhao's death was "natural"? Given the Emperor's ruthless and cunning nature, this must be guarded against.

Hearing a knock at the door, Xu Bai snapped out of his thoughts and went to open it. He saw Yu Qi, Jiu Li, and Zhang Da carrying lanterns under the eaves, where the snow outside shimmered silver. He put on a smile and invited the three of them into the house. There weren't many servants in the mansion, and since it was late at night and everyone was resting, he had to make tea for his guests himself. So he went to add some charcoal from the brazier to the tea stove.

Jiuli stepped forward and took the pliers. "Uncle has something to discuss with you. I'll do it."

Xu Bai's eyelids twitched, and he turned his head to smile at Yu Qi, "Oh? I wonder what urgent matter you have that makes you come all this way in the middle of the night?"

Zhang Da didn't mince words and immediately said, "It's about rescuing Prince Zhao from the capital!"

Xu Bai's expression froze for a moment, then he smiled, "Why are you rescuing Prince Zhao from the capital?"

"Second Master Qi, stop hiding it from us. Didn't you come to the capital to rescue Prince Zhao and head to Guizhou?"

Xu Bai stared at the three of them, but Yu Qi asked, "Is your steward, Manager Yang, here?"

"Steward Yang?" Xu Bai was taken aback. "He asked for leave to go home today and won't return until tomorrow morning. Why did you suddenly ask about him, sir?"

"I'm afraid you, Steward Yang, have long been the Chen family's spy."

Xu Bai lowered his eyelids and thought about it. This was quite possible. Yang Qingnian always looked after houses in Beijing and was not with the owners for most of the year. It was not surprising that he would betray his owners for money. However, he did not have any great abilities. He probably just told the Chen family what he heard and saw in this house. Fortunately, they had not said anything important in front of him.

He smiled and said, "Sir, you are very thoughtful."

"Now that he's not here, it's easier to talk. Please have a seat, Master Qi, and let's discuss this further."

Xu Bai hesitated for a moment, then suddenly lifted his robe, knelt before Yu Qi, and bowed solemnly. “Since you are willing to go to such lengths, sir, no matter the outcome, I thank you on behalf of the Prince for your courage and righteousness!”

Startled, Jiu Li turned to look at him. She had known him for a year and had never seen him speak with such sincerity and earnestness. Remembering his past declarations of liking her, it all seemed insignificant. A mix of emotions welled up inside her, all turning into a sigh.

Yu Qi raised his hand slightly, "I cannot accept such a grand gesture from Second Master Qi. Please sit down and let's get down to business."

The conversation lasted until after midnight. Jiu Li's emotions had been in turmoil all night, and having cried, she felt extremely tired as soon as she returned to her room and fell asleep immediately. In her dream, she saw Zhou Hao sitting high on the dragon throne at the head of the hall. The hall was vast, but there was no one there. The wind was blowing around, but he remained unmoved, only staring coldly at Jiu Li. His face was also icy cold, and even without touching it, it seemed as if his body was also cold.

She woke up with a start, only to see Yu Qi sitting by the bedside looking at her with a relaxed and gentle expression. "Awake?"

She glanced over his shoulder and saw that it was already getting light outside the window, so she sat up and asked, "When did you get up?"

"At the hour of Mao (5-7 AM)." He bent down and pulled out the charcoal brazier from under the bed, adding charcoal to it. "I didn't say anything last night because I saw you were sleepy, but I came in specifically to tell you that your relationship with Lü Jing is just for show for the Emperor. Don't be so ungrateful."

Jiuli leaned close to his eyelids, "What do you mean by 'not knowing your place'? When have I ever been 'not knowing my place'?"

Yu Qi gave her a cold look. "Hmph, when did you ever learn to be more discreet with Qi Xubai and Wei Hong? Change your temper, and expect all the men in the world to love you? That's impossible!"

He got up and moved aside, taking the charcoal brazier to the outer room. Jiuli chuckled to herself on the bed for a while before stretching and getting up. Then, Li Mama brought in water, and Yu Qi just watched her wash up quietly from the couch.

After washing up, she found a dressing mirror and sat on the couch to comb her hair. Seeing that Yu Qi was staring at her in the mirror, she laughed and said, "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Yu Qi sighed softly, "Aren't you really troubled by siding with outsiders and opposing your father?"

Jiuli pouted. "If I had grown up by his side, no matter how bad he was, I would be in a difficult position. If I hadn't grown up by his side, but he was a good husband, a good father, and a good emperor, I would still be in a difficult position. Unfortunately, I didn't grow up by his side, and he wasn't a wise ruler, let alone a good person, so I don't have any difficult position. I grew up in the countryside with my uncle and know how hard it is for ordinary people. I can't protect him just because he's my father."

"I'm relieved that you can understand it."

Jiuli tilted her head and squinted her eyes. "If you don't understand, then you'll have to marry Lü Jing, and you'll probably die. Just consider me ungrateful. Between my uncle and my father, I choose my uncle! If my mother were alive, she would have rebelled against him too."

Yu Qi nodded, and seeing her take out some rouge and powder from her vanity case, he frowned and said, "Don't make it too pretty, lest Lu Jing get the wrong idea."

She chuckled, holding the box of rouge, "You do like being jealous, don't you?"

He stood up and took away her makeup and cosmetics. "I'm not jealous, I'm just worried about your safety."

After speaking, he left, and immediately heard a clanging and banging sound, as if the things had been smashed to pieces in the courtyard. Jiu Li had no choice but to tie up her hair, pick out a bright set of clothes to change into, and hire a sedan chair to go to the Marquis of Yan'an's residence.

She had just left when Yang Qingnian returned from home. Xu Bai called him into the house and deliberately let him know some things. Sure enough, Yang Qingnian turned around and went out to Emerald Garden to look for Chen Jia, only to be told by the servant that Chen Jia had stayed at home the night before and was not at Emerald Garden.

Yang Qingnian was naturally anxious, but then he saw a sedan chair being carried to the gate from afar, and it was Chen Jia who got out of the sedan chair. He hurriedly stepped forward, bowed and greeted him. As soon as Chen Jia saw the smile on his face, he knew that he had come to "sell information". Without saying a word, he waved his hand towards the gate and led the man into the garden.

Upon entering the house, Yang Qingnian said, "Judging from our Second Master's words, there is already a suspect in that case, but the evidence is still insufficient, and we need to investigate for a few more days. However, he sounds very confident, saying that he can ask the Emperor to release Prince Zhao soon."

Chen Jia turned his back and glanced sideways at the back of his shoulder, "What else did he say?"

"Nothing else, just very happy. They said that the Emperor punished the Consort to practice at Minghua Temple for half a year, which shows that the Emperor has lost trust in the Chen family. As long as Prince Zhao comes out, and within half a year, he and the other officials do their best to find evidence of the two Imperial Uncles' crimes of harming the court, the Emperor will no longer favor the Chen family. At that time, the Chen clan can be eradicated."

Chen Jia smiled slightly, his face grim. He thought that while Prince Zhao's plan was good, he feared he wouldn't live to see that day. He walked to a chair and, as was customary, had someone bring fifty taels of silver to send Yang Qingnian away.

As soon as Yang Qingnian left, Qingque came in with a fawning smile. "Look, I told you long ago that they could find the real culprit and even find evidence that you framed Prince Zhao. I told you to inform the Empress in advance, but you wouldn't believe me. If you had believed me, the Empress would have been on guard, and you wouldn't have been punished and sent to Minghua Temple yesterday."

Chen Jiagang picked up his teacup, but had to put it down. He sighed and laughed, “It’s not that I don’t believe you. I sent someone to the palace yesterday. But you don’t know my aunt’s personality. She has been favored for many years and is used to being arrogant. She won’t back down in front of the Emperor. She thinks that she is the birth mother of the Fourth Prince and the Emperor only has one son. As long as my father and uncle are still in court, she is not afraid of not being able to return to the palace one day.”

Qingque pondered for a moment, then walked over and sat down on the chair next to him. She then smiled knowingly, “Actually, Your Majesty’s thinking is correct. As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn. Your Majesty took all the blame in front of the Emperor, and sure enough, the two Imperial Brothers were not implicated. This not only shows Your Majesty’s wisdom, but also that the Emperor still regards your Chen family as before.”

Chen Jia outwardly showed no helplessness, but inwardly he thought that whether the Chen family could still be treated as before depended on whether the task entrusted to him by the Emperor last night could be handled properly. In truth, the Emperor couldn't do without the Chen family; those dirty deeds that betrayed his ancestors and shamed his subjects ultimately needed someone to do them for him, and who else but the Chen family could do it?

He finished half a bowl of tea in one gulp, glanced at Qingque with a smile, and said, "I have something for you to do. If you do it well, I will build you a house, find you a good marriage, and ensure you live a peaceful life for the rest of your days."

Qingque gave a flirtatious look and said, "You don't need to promise me all that. Just promise me ten thousand taels of gold."

"No problem."

Chen Jia readily agreed and beckoned to her. Qingque gracefully walked over and sat on his lap, leaning close to listen to his instructions.

Meanwhile, Jiuli arrived at the Marquis of Yan'an's residence in a sedan chair. When the gatekeeper saw that she had come alone, he hurriedly led her to the small hall. He sent someone to the inner courtyard to inform Lü Jing, while he summoned three old women to bring several incense burners and make them burn brightly. He also served her tea and fruit, being very hospitable.

Not long after they sat down, Lü Jing hurried over, having specially changed into a brand-new ivory-white robe and wearing a golden crown. Before even reaching them, he greeted them with a smile and a bow, saying, "I heard that you wanted to see me, Miss? I am truly flattered. Has Mother had breakfast yet? Perhaps I should have someone set out a meal. If you have anything to say, Miss, please give your instructions while we eat."

Jiuli put down her teacup, stood up, and walked towards him with her hands behind her back. "Young master, there's no need to trouble yourself. It's already this late, so I've naturally had breakfast. I've come today to ask for your help. I wonder if you find it troublesome?"

Lu Jing bent down and saw her peach-colored skirt swaying, and his heart fluttered. He raised a smiling face and said, "As you wish, Miss."

"You are the host, please sit down and talk."

It turned out that after discussing it last night, the four of them realized that Jiu Li was being watched by two shadow guards, which made it difficult for her to do many things. Yu Qi then suggested that she use the investigation of Shu Qiang's case as an excuse to lure the shadow guards away, and deliberately associate with Lü Jing to bewitch the Emperor so that he could act more easily with Xu Bai and Zhang Da in private.

Jiuli, still with her hands behind her back, turned around, sat back down on the chair, and smiled at the person opposite her. "There's a suspect we need to investigate right now, but we don't want to alert him, so I'd like to ask you to help me divert that person away so I can search his house. Actually, it's not like I absolutely have to trouble you with this, but... but let's get to know each other first, so we won't be blind to his presence later, what do you say?"

Seeing the implied meaning in her words, Lü Jing quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "I will certainly serve you, Miss!"

“Yes, it is to serve the Emperor.” Jiuli stood up and pressed his hands down, then turned around and said, “By the way, you haven’t met my uncle yet. When my uncle recovers, you can go and see him. He ate the meal your family sent yesterday and kept asking me about your condition.”

Lu Jing had long heard that Yu Qi had raised her, and hearing this made her even happier, but her face was full of worry. "Why is Mr. Yu ill?"

“My uncle isn’t used to the cold in the capital, and he’s getting old. He couldn’t stand it and fell ill after running around outside for a few days. Fortunately, he’s a doctor himself and knows how to use medicine, so you don’t need to worry. It’s just that he’s not in good health right now, so I’ll have to handle this case.”

Lü Jing said, “You’ve been living in Jiangnan all year round, so you’re not used to this place. You should take good care of yourselves. I think it would be better if I personally delivered a fine ginseng to Mr. Yu in my household tomorrow.”

Jiuli nodded casually. "It's rare that you have this kind of intention. Let's not delay any longer, let's go now, and I'll discuss it with you slowly on the way."

After the two finished their tea, they strolled out of the Marquis's residence. Lü Jing had already ordered two carriages to be prepared in front of the gate, with about a dozen male and female servants surrounding them. Jiu Li disliked pomp and circumstance and was naturally displeased, so he had Lü Jing dismiss them all, leaving only the carriage driver.

He added, "There's no need for that. We can just ride in the same car and sit together to discuss things."

Overjoyed, Lü Jing immediately began to attend to Jiu Li as he boarded the carriage.

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Author's note: Thank you for reading.