The bloody scene of her entire family being executed in her past life, the silent, wide-open eyes of her parents and brothers lying in pools of blood, haunted her like the most terrifying nightmare. Her father's promise, "If the sky falls, Dad will hold it up," was utterly fragile before the imperial sword! She could never repeat that tragedy! This child was her personal calamity, an irreconcilable debt between her and Xiao Chengjing; she could not drag her innocent family into this abyss of no return!

Escape! She must leave the capital immediately! Before her pregnancy becomes visible, before anyone suspects anything, before... before Xiao Chengjing's all-knowing eyes lock onto her again!

A clear and frantic thought, like a lifeline grasped in the mire of despair, instantly seized her entire being—to go to Jiangnan! There, waterways crisscrossed, merchants thronged, far from the power center of the capital, and far from the old ties of the Shen family. More importantly, in her previous life, she had traveled to Suzhou and Hangzhou several times to establish trade routes, familiar with their bustling markets and docks, and had even secretly cultivated several hidden escape routes!

“Chuntao,” Shen Yuewei’s voice suddenly calmed down, carrying a kind of desperate determination, but her eyes were surprisingly bright, as if burning with a cold flame, “Go and get that small sandalwood box under the bed.”

Chun Tao was taken aback, not daring to ask any further questions, and obediently dragged an inconspicuous little box from under the bed. Shen Yuewei took it, and pressed her finger firmly on a very hidden groove at the bottom of the box. With a soft "click," a thin, hidden compartment popped open at the bottom of the box. Inside was a thick stack of brand-new silver notes, several heavy gold ingots, and a few thin pieces of paper with special markings—these were travel permits and household registration documents that she had prepared in advance using her memories from her previous life, through the most secretive "ghost market" channels in the capital. They were so realistic that they could be mistaken for genuine documents. The name on them was "Su Wei," and her identity was that of a merchant's widow who had migrated south.

Chun Tao gasped, her eyes widening in shock.

Shen Yuewei picked up the few sheets of paper that seemed light yet weighed a ton, her fingertips icy cold. "Listen, Chuntao, we have no way out. These are my last resort. Go..." Her voice was even lower, like a whisper, yet it carried an undeniable command as she clearly explained an extremely secret escape route that avoided all official roads and major waterways, as well as several pre-arranged, absolutely safe hiding places.

"Remember! Only prepare the lightest and most valuable items, and do not leave any traces of the family's wealth! Three days later, at the back gate of the Cihang Nunnery in the west of the city, at 3:45 AM, a blue cloth mule cart carrying lamp oil will be waiting for us there. The driver is deaf and mute, and only cares about money, not about anything else. We will get on his cart and exit through the west gate."

Chun Tao was terrified and her face turned deathly pale, but seeing the unwavering determination and unfathomable fear in the young lady's eyes, she bit her lower lip hard and nodded fiercely: "This servant remembers! Don't worry, young lady!"

"Go downstairs and pack your things. We'll leave in three days. I'll talk to Mother."

Chun Tao replied "Yes" and left the room.

Shen Yuewei lay in bed, pondering how to persuade her mother to let her go to Jiangnan. She had an idea. She could first write to her friend and ask her to help find a house. Although the Shen family in Jiangnan also had a house, it was ultimately inconvenient, and she feared it would reach her mother's ears.

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