Chapter 26 Farewell I am leaving, you are not allowed to be sad.
Big Goose Egg had a calm expression on his face. He clasped his hands together and said softly, "Namo Amitabha, Princess, long time no see."
Zhou Xian slammed the window shut and closed his eyes, secretly cursing the bald donkey for being such an antagonist and giving him a fright. Yu Xi, who was outside, heard the noise and asked in a hoarse voice, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, I just saw a big rat!" Zhou Xian raised his voice and lied without changing his expression.
"Rat?" Yu Xi walked in from outside, holding a stick in her hand. She looked around the room, tapping the ground with the stick, but there was no sign of the rat. "Did it run away?"
"He must have run away," Zhou Xian said innocently. He hadn't even planned to tell Aunt Yuxi about his escape, but he had taken the bag full of money with him, as it would come in handy.
Yu Xi knocked again, but the mouse didn't even have a tail. She put the matter aside for the moment and turned to Zhou Xian. "I just took a close look at those maids and servants. They're all from decent families. They're efficient and don't contradict you. Princess, will you stay?"
"Leave them alone." Zhou Xian nodded. "Just don't let them get too close to the inner room. Tell them I don't like strangers around, and tell them to focus on their own business."
"I understand." Yu Xi picked up the stick and walked out of the house. "Princess, do you want to take a bath later? I'll ask someone to bring some hot water."
"Okay." Zhou Xian nodded again.
After Yuxi left, Zhou Xian quietly opened the window, only to see the moon hanging high in the sky, the night still and silent, and the big goose egg vanishing without a trace. He hurriedly called out in a low voice, "Bald... Monk, Monk, you——"
"Please look back, Princess."
A gentle voice suddenly came from behind him. Zhou Xian was so frightened that his hair stood on end and his face turned pale. He didn't even dare to turn around.
Monk Yu smiled and said, "Don't be afraid. I have no intention of harming the princess. Last time at Daxinglong Temple, I saw the princess stray into the temple and had no choice but to do it. I was just afraid that the sword would be merciless and I might hurt her..."
"That's enough. I don't want to hear it." Zhou Xian turned around, his usually bright eyes now dim and unclear, his thick lashes drooping, making him look very sad. He had originally wanted to bring up what happened that day and inquire about the bald donkey's purpose, but time was running out and business was more important. After thinking it over, he pushed it back to the bottom of his heart.
Monk Yu was silent.
"You said you'd take me away, but the prerequisite is five hundred taels of silver." Zhou Xian lowered his head. "But five hundred taels of silver is too conspicuous, and it might be difficult for me to take it. I'll exchange it for treasure notes or sixty-five taels of gold. After the matter is successful, I'll give it to you. Okay?"
"Of course it's possible, but sixty-five taels of gold is not a small amount after all. Princess, are you sure you want to carry it along?" asked Monk Yu.
Zhou Xian glanced at him for a few seconds without saying a word. He walked around the monk and went straight to the bed. In front of the monk, he pulled out a box from under the bed. When he opened it, it was filled with a glittering golden box, each containing one liang of pure gold. He said, "I will pay you thirty liang first as a deposit. The remaining thirty-five liang will be paid after the matter is successful. In addition, I need you to escort me out of Shaanxi. Can you calculate how much gold you need?"
Monk Yu had an expression of detachment, but his eyes were glued to the gold, his gaze lingering on it. He said calmly, "Okay, as long as the princess remembers. As for the bodyguard, it will only take me two or three days to escort the princess out of Shaanxi. Plus, since I bumped into the princess at Daxinglong Temple, as an apology, I'll let him go."
Zhou Xian then counted out thirty ingots from the small box. He felt a pang of pain as he counted out each one, then handed them all to the monk. Monk Yu was also a remarkable man. Seeing the gold coming, his face showed neither joy nor sorrow, but his body was extremely sincere. As soon as his hand touched the gold, it swished like water, flowing into the sleeves of his monk's robe.
Zhou Xian was stunned and closed the lid in a daze.
Monk Yu glanced at the wooden box with a wistful look, clasped his hands together, and said "Namo Amitabha" again, as if the money was nothing but his own. He then asked, "When will the princess leave?"
"Hmm..." Zhou Xian hesitated.
He was holding the cash box and sitting on the edge of the couch. His black hair was like a waterfall and his face was only the size of a palm. Because he had taken strange medicine, his body was thin and he looked very young, about fourteen or fifteen years old.
Monk Yu felt sorry for him when he saw him like this. He sighed secretly and took the initiative to say, "The Tatars are ready to make a move. I'm afraid your husband will set off for Yulinwei tomorrow. Even if he rides fast overnight, it will take him two days to arrive. How about we meet at midnight three days from now? Princess, remember to wear dark clothes that are comfortable for movement and bring gold. I will come and knock on the window when the time comes. What do you think?"
Zhou Xian pondered for a moment and agreed.
At this time, footsteps were heard outside the house, as well as the dull sound of a wooden barrel falling to the ground. It must be Yu Xi and the others bringing hot water. Zhou Xian quickly stood up, pushed the monk towards the window, and whispered hurriedly, "Hurry up, someone is coming!"
The monk chanted a few more Buddhist verses, opened the window, and jumped out, disappearing completely under the moonlight. Even the Jinyiwei patrolling in the yard did not notice him.
Zhou Xian breathed a sigh of relief, quickly closed the window, returned to the couch, hid the wooden box full of gold, and pretended that nothing had happened.
…
As expected, Zhang Jinwei was leaving the next day.
He came back late at night. After taking a bath, it was almost two o'clock in the morning. He got on the bed in the dark. Trying to be careful, he still woke Zhou Shan up.
Zhou Xian couldn't sleep at all.
He couldn't tell whether he was excited or nervous. He didn't dare to trust Baldy completely, but how could he escape from under the noses of the Jinyiwei by himself?
As he was thinking this, Zhou Xian was drowsy and suddenly felt someone lying beside him. As usual, the person's hands were restless. He first touched his head, then his face, and finally hugged him, sighing softly.
Zhou Xian moved a little.
"Aren't you asleep?" Zhang Jinwei smiled in his ear.
Zhou Xian said nothing. She turned over and reached out to push the man's shoulder, pushing him to lie flat on his back. Then she wrapped herself in the quilt and stared at Zhang Jinwei dimly, saying unhappily, "I'm almost asleep, and you're bothering me again!"
Zhang Jinwei smiled, then remained silent for a moment. He then turned sideways and stroked Zhou Shan's face. Zhou Shan tried to hide, burying her face in the quilt, but she couldn't escape Zhang Jinwei's clutches. Her cheeks were gently pinched, one on each side. It didn't hurt, but it made Zhou Shan very uncomfortable.
Pinching was not enough. In order to get more aggressive, seeing that the cat did not stretch out its claws, Zhang Jin changed to his palms, held Zhou Shan's face, and rubbed it hard several times, making Zhou Shan make a grunting sound. Finally, Zhou Shan kicked his calf, and he felt the pain, so he reluctantly let go of his hand and put his forehead against hers in silence.
Zhou Xian kicked his leg again, very lightly, as if to act coquettishly: "You're so annoying."
Zhang Jinwei just smiled, then sighed and said, "I have to go to Yulinwei early tomorrow morning and patrol from Yulinwei to Huamachi. It will take at least a month for me to come back to see you."
"Tomorrow morning?" Zhou Xian was stunned. "So urgent?"
"The Tatars nearly crossed the border wall a few days ago. War is imminent, and time is running out." Zhang Jinwei's eyes were heavy. "I... can't understand why His Majesty is so determined to fight this war. If he wants to make the Tatars, the Oirat, and other countries submit, the treasury must be full and the country peaceful. Only then can this be guaranteed. My teacher and I originally wanted to promote new laws to first enrich the treasury and stabilize the reputation of the court, and then work slowly. Now it seems that..."
Zhang Jinwei was halfway through his speech when he realized he was badmouthing Emperor Yongchang to the princess. He couldn't help but laugh to himself, "Never mind, one step at a time. The teacher has been busy all his life. I'm sure he's enjoying his free time by the Qiantang River, enjoying the moon."
"Things in life are unpredictable, don't be too sad." Zhou Xian suddenly said.
Zhang Jinwei opened his eyes wide, looking surprised. After a moment, he asked, "Are you comforting me?"
Oh, this guy is so annoying!
Zhou Xian decided to retract his earlier compassion and burrowed back into his quilt, adopting a "I'm going to sleep, don't disturb me" attitude and closing his eyes tightly. Halfway through his sleep, he suddenly remembered something and said, "Remember to wake me up tomorrow morning..."
"I have to get up at five o'clock tomorrow morning. Do you have to get up so early too?" Zhang Jinwei asked with a smile.
Zhou Xian felt a little sleepy, and his tone began to become vague: "I... will go and see you off. You will be gone for a long time. I..." I am leaving too, in three days, to a very far place.
"good."
Zhang Jinwei said.
But when Zhou Xian woke up again, it was already daybreak. Bright sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains and fell on his face, a thin line of light, like a tear mark. He asked in a daze, "Aunt, what time is it?"
Seeing that he was awake, Yu Xi tied up the curtains and said with a smile, "It's almost noon. Princess, hurry up and get dressed. The prefect and his wife will be visiting soon."
Zhou Xian was startled and quickly got up from the bed. He grabbed Yu Xi's sleeve and asked, "Where is Zhang Jinwei?"
Yu Xi said, "My master left early this morning and wanted to wake the princess, but seeing that she was sleeping soundly, I gave up. Captain Mu was urging me to leave, so I left in a hurry. I think she must have walked quite far by now."
Zhou Xian asked again, "Is Mu Guang gone too? How many Jinyiwei are left?"
Yu Xi: "There are four people left. They will follow the princess for the next three years."
Zhou Xian nodded, got off the bed silently, walked barefoot to the dressing table, and dressed herself without saying a word. She had lunch with the prefect and his wife, and finally returned to the inner room. In the afternoon sunlight, she spread out the letter paper, ground some ink, and began to write the letter stroke by stroke.
The first letter was to the prefect, Zeng Wenjun. He urged the prefect not to fear losing his official position, saying he was leaving voluntarily. He also asked the prefect to protect his maids and eunuchs, saying the matter had nothing to do with them. At most, they should be locked up, not beaten or scolded, and their fate would be determined upon Zhang Jinwei's return. Attached to the letter was his official seal, engraved with the characters "Jia Yi."
The second letter was written to Zhou Heng, telling his sixth brother that he was living a good life. He said that he didn't like the Forbidden City and felt that the world was so big that he must go and see it. He also brought the medicine given by Zhou Heng, so the brother should not worry, as there was a man with great martial arts skills to protect him.
Halfway through writing, Zhou Xian couldn't help laughing. He felt that Zhou Heng must be mad to death, but he also wanted to cry.
The third letter was addressed to Yuxi and the others. Yuxi had known he was leaving, so there was no need to elaborate. She simply said Zhang Jinwei would protect them. If her aunt could regain her freedom, she would do anything, as long as she was safe and happy. Then there were Qianshan and Muxue. They were young, so they could leave if they wanted. If they didn't want to, they could stay in the Zhuangyuan Mansion and make plans when they were older...
Finally...
Zhou Xian spent two full days writing her last letter.
He revised it over and over again, from just a few sentences to a thick stack, and finally on the night he was leaving, he was still hesitant.
He thought again and again, and finally decided to give Zhang Jinwei some important instructions first, and then told her not to be sad. He thought, Zhang Jinwei could also like other people. One's life doesn't have to be dominated by only one person; that would be so boring. Besides, all good things must come to an end. Maybe in the future, when his emperor father dies and no one remembers her as a princess, he will come back to see everyone.
That's it.
There is no point in talking more.
The moon in the northwest was pale. It was September 1st, crescent-shaped, and the wind blew across vast distances, sending autumn geese flying. Zhou Xian, carrying his bag, followed Monk Yu as they walked southward through the hills outside Yan'an Prefecture. He glanced back, seeing the vast night, the dim lights of the countless homes below.
A tear fell to the ground.
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