Li Zan was sentenced to exile by imperial decree and set off for the military camp in Chaoyang County.
At the same time, Shen Hanshan, along with his daughter Yunxuan, Feng Hong (who was impersonating Princess Zhao Chunhua), and other entourage, set off for Chaoyang County in a grand procession.
Behind the princess's carriage, a large and comfortable carriage followed at a distance. The driver was Li Afu, and inside sat Bai Wei, whose health was gradually improving, and Zhao Yun, who was heavily pregnant. Zhao Rou, Yu Ming, and Le Kui sat in the last carriage.
The wheels rumbled as they traveled along the wide official road, while the people inside the carriages had different thoughts.
Inside the princess's carriage, Feng Hong held Yun Xuan in her arms, gazing tenderly at the chubby little dumpling in her embrace. Her innocent expression and adorable face filled her with affection.
She couldn't help but gently pinch Yunxuan's little cheek, which made the little one giggle.
Feng Hong glanced at Shen Hanshan, who was sitting to the side with his eyes closed, out of the corner of his eye.
Although he appeared calm, his slightly weary expression revealed that the prince consort had not been living a peaceful life during this time. She knew that Shen Hanshan had been eagerly awaiting the prince's return.
However, when His Highness sent the message, he instructed Feng Hong to take Yun Xuan to the Princess's residence in Chaoyang County to reunite with her. Thus, the Prince Consort seemingly packed his bags calmly, but inwardly he was extremely anxious, and the next day he embarked on his journey to Chaoyang County.
The day they set off for Chaoyang County was also the day Li Zan was exiled.
Feng Hong suddenly remembered this, reached out and gently lifted the carriage curtain, peering back.
On the wide official road, Li Zan walked with difficulty, a heavy wooden cangue around his neck and heavy shackles on his wrists. His steps were clumsy and labored, each step seemingly requiring all his strength.
Li Zan was supposed to take another route, but Bai Wei had given the guards responsible for escorting him a large sum of money beforehand, instructing them to follow her caravan and travel along the official road. Thus, Li Zan had no choice but to proceed along this route.
High-ranking officials and nobles frequently passed by on the official road, and even a few of Li Zan's former colleagues. What Bai Wei wanted was to humiliate Li Zan.
Li Zan naturally knew that Bai Wei, whom he had imprisoned for so long and whom he had divorced, was sitting in the car in front of him. But what hurt him the most was what had happened an hour earlier.
An hour ago, the man in red rode out of the city and caught up with Li Zan.
"I've come to see you off." The woman in red looked at him, still smiling gently.
"Red dress, I... I'm so sorry." Li Zan was overwhelmed with shame.
"You don't need to feel guilty towards me." The woman in red glanced at Li Afu, who was driving the carriage and looking over from a distance, then looked back at Li Zan.
"The people you have wronged are your wife Bai Wei, your daughter-in-law Zhao Yun, and the child in her womb."
"Red Robe, you—" Li Zan was completely taken aback by Red Robe's words. He was both surprised and furious. "If it weren't for marrying you, for the future of our child in your womb, how could I have done such a despicable thing?!"
The woman in red sneered and said, "You know the bastards you've done! Did I force you to divorce your wife? Did I force you to divorce your wife in place of your son? Did I force you to imprison your wife? Did I force you to sell your wife's dowry?"
Li Zan stared blankly at the woman in red who had completely changed, as if the woman he had once been deeply in love with was no longer her. Looking at her suddenly unfamiliar appearance, he felt as if he had just woken up from a long dream.
His hand trembled as he pointed at the woman in red and said, "You, you came to avenge him." His lips were cracked and aching from the sun, but his heart ached even more.
"The study, the study, it's your group too..." Li Zan's words were incoherent.
The woman in red understood his meaning. She slowly shook her head. "It wasn't me, Li Zan. You've ended up in this situation because you've committed many evil deeds. Heaven couldn't bear to see it anymore, so it allowed the emperor to discover your wickedness!"
"Go then. I hope you live and make it to Chaoyang County." The woman in red sneered, leaped onto her horse, whipped it, and turned to leave.
Li Zan watched the red-clad figure disappear into the distance, trembling with anger.
When this scene unfolded, Bai Wei, sitting in the carriage, lifted the curtain and looked at Li Zan through the window, her eyes filled with indifference.
After the woman in red left, Li Zan's eyes gradually became vacant, as if all his strength had been drained away, and he could only drag his heavy steps forward.
He gazed at the carriage ahead, a wave of regret washing over him. He had been blinded by lust and fallen for the red-clad woman's treacherous scheme.
But now it's too late to turn back the tide, and there's no room for maneuver. Li Zan sighed inwardly, thankful that he was exiled to the army in Chaoyang County, where he was doing hard labor. Although it was tough, Chaoyang County was spring-like all year round, so he didn't have to endure the scorching heat and bitter cold of the north.
Thinking of this, Li Zan felt a little better. But then he remembered what the woman in red had said as she left, "I hope you can make it to Chaoyang County alive," and he became inexplicably afraid again.
Feng Hong withdrew her gaze from Li Zan, gently stroking Yun Xuan's soft hair, feeling a surge of joy in her heart. She had never seen what the young prince looked like before!
Zhao Yun sat in the carriage at the back. Although her body was growing heavier each day, her heart was unusually calm. She stroked her swollen belly, looked ahead, and her heart was filled with anticipation and longing for the future.
Yesterday, Bai Wei told her that her father and mother were safe and sound and had settled down in Chaoyang County.
Thinking that she had found someone to rely on again and no longer needed to depend on her former mother-in-law Bai Wei, and considering that Li Zan had already divorced her on behalf of Li Huai'an, she realized that although being divorced was bad for her reputation, she had escaped the fate of being sold into officialdom and no longer had any connection with Li Huai'an, which was already a very good outcome.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
