Chapter 144 Xu Chumian fakes her death and leaves
Soon it was time for the Flower Festival.
Since yesterday, there have been more people in Beijing.
This is even worse today.
Even while taking a walk in the mansion, Xu Chumian could hear the sounds of vendors and stalls outside.
Xiao Tao couldn't help but ask, "Princess, Lord Zhao isn't here today. Shall we go out for a stroll?"
Xu Chumian shook her head and chuckled, "Xiao Tao, you go with Qiu Yu."
Xiao Tao immediately shook her head, "This servant will not go. Wherever you go, Miss, I will be there."
Xiao Tao has been with Xu Chumian and her sister for many years, and Xu Chumian has long regarded her as her own family.
However, her journey was fraught with danger, and she was destined not to be able to take Xiao Tao with her.
If she were discovered halfway through, she would have unnecessarily implicated Xiao Tao.
Everything began with her, and everything will end with her.
Xu Chumian nodded, "Okay, since we're not going out, let's have dinner together in the front yard tonight."
Xu Chumian hadn't felt so light and joyful in a long time.
Xiao Tao couldn't help but laugh too.
"Yes, Princess."
Xu Chumian's eyes suddenly stung. "Let's go back first."
Xu Chumian returned to the house, closed the doors and windows tightly, checked the contents of the package again, and then put them back in their original places. She closed her eyes to rest and recuperate so that she would have the energy to escape at night.
Night is falling.
The noise outside grew even louder.
The front yard was bustling with activity.
Xu Chumian released all the maids in the manor who wanted to go see the lantern festival.
Those who didn't want to go out stayed in the front yard.
Zhao Nai also sat down to eat.
Xu Chumian sat at the head of the table. "Is everyone from the manor here?"
Zhao Nai and Xiao Tao both nodded.
"Everyone from the backyard came too."
Xu Chumian was relieved.
Soon, one by one, the people in the front yard collapsed...
Xu Chumian also stood up, slightly drunk.
"You guys keep drinking, I'm going back to rest now."
Xiao Tao: "Princess, I'll go with you."
Xu Chumian shook her head, "You guys continue drinking."
Xu Chumian staggered towards the backyard.
Xiao Tao and the others tried to get up, but they collapsed limply to the ground.
Zhao Nai quickly sensed something was wrong. He was about to get up when his internal energy surged chaotically, and he collapsed onto the table in an instant.
Xu Chumian returned to the backyard, quickly took out the bundle she had hidden, opened the side door, and pretended to be drunk before leaving the princess's residence...
...
Xu Chumian arrived at a secluded riverbank.
There were few people around, and she had specially worn white tonight. From the bridge not far away, one could see the figure in white slowly stepping into the river.
"Help! Someone come quick!"
"Someone has fallen into the water in a moment of despair!"
But when those people arrived at the riverbank, Xu Chumian was nowhere to be found.
Meanwhile, a small, swaying boat was drifting downstream along the river.
...
Xu Chumian, soaked to the bone, huddled in the cabin, shivering.
The person who rowed the boat was someone Xu Chumian had arranged long ago.
"Girl, what are you doing going into the river in the middle of the night?"
Xu Chumian said softly, "I want to test the water temperature..."
Boatman: "..."
Where is that girl going?
Xu Chumian: "Going to visit a relative outside the city..."
The boatman didn't say anything more.
Xu Chumian took a deep breath and gazed at the boundless black river.
Tonight, there isn't even moonlight.
Xu Chumian held a dagger in her hand the whole time, and she disembarked at the nearest ferry.
There are several teahouses and inns near that ferry crossing.
Xu Chumian quietly slipped away, and when merchant ships returned to the ferry crossing, she boarded an even larger one.
Continuing downstream from this ferry crossing, one heads south.
As soon as Xu Chumian went up, several pairs of eyes fell on her.
Xu Chumian's face was unnaturally pale, and she kept coughing...
The waiter on the boat couldn't help but ask, "Young lady, are you alright?"
Xu Chumian: "I have tuberculosis, and it's incurable."
Xu Chumian entered a cabin on the ship, where the conditions were quite good.
Xu Chumian changed into a black outfit and then used rouge to apply many red dots to the back of her hands and neck.
Besides tuberculosis, she also had other illnesses.
Xu Chumian huddled warily in the corner by the bed, remaining cautious and sleepless all night.
She was worried that a thief might suddenly break in from the outside.
She was also worried that Zhao Yu might suddenly approach her.
Xu Chumian disembarked when the merchant ship reached the next ferry crossing.
Merchants on the boat, seeing Xu Chuming's beauty, wanted to make advances, but when they saw the red marks on her neck and hands, they all took a few steps back.
Xu Chumian, in particular, kept coughing.
He seemed like a toxic person spreading illness everywhere.
Xu Chumian achieved her goal.
She bent down and disembarked from the merchant ship, quickly found an inn, changed her clothes again, and bought some coarse cloth clothes from the landlady.
They continued on to the next location.
Throughout the journey, Xu Chumian dared not relax her vigilance in the slightest.
Fortunately, she had traveled all over the country when she took Mumu to seek medical treatment in her early years.
Although she is now a single woman, she is not naive.
On the third day after she left the capital, Xu Chumian finally arrived in Chenzhou.
Only then did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.
She moved around to many places and changed her identity many times.
No matter how far Zhao Yu stretches his reach, there's no way he could find her in such a short time.
The second floor of an inconspicuous inn in Chenzhou.
The woman in the mirror looked haggard. Her face, now clean of dirt, stood out in the crowd, but weariness still lingered between her brows.
The waiter brought hot water and food.
After taking a bath, Xu Chumian sat down at the table to eat.
After traveling for three days, Xu Chumian ate mostly dry steamed buns with water each day.
Having used some, Xu Chumian was full.
After making sure all the doors and windows were closed, Xu Chumian leaned against the bed and closed her eyes to doze off.
She dared not sleep too soundly, remaining constantly alert.
Xu Chumian woke up in the middle of the night.
She opened the window, and the night breeze caressed her face.
Xu Chumian's expression momentarily relaxed.
She left the capital.
They left Zhao Yu.
Xu Chumian gazed at the pitch-black night.
She felt a mix of joy and exhilaration, only worry and lingering fear of being discovered by Zhao Yu.
As dawn approached, Xu Chumian changed her clothes, quickly washed up with cold water, and then checked out of the room.
It wasn't fully light yet.
Xu Chumian set off for Sichuan.
Chenzhou was just a temporary stopover.
Chenzhou is located between Sichuan and Jiangnan. Although it is not as wealthy as Jiangnan, it is a large place with a large population. Most of the common people in Chenzhou make a living by farming.
The dock in Chenzhou was not far outside the city. Before leaving the city, Xu Chumian went to the escort agency first.
The mission is to safely deliver Xu Chumian to Sichuan.
The escort agency happened to have a shipment to Jiaozhou in Sichuan, so they readily accepted Xu Chumian's request.
Sichuan is a mountainous region with treacherous roads, so even escort agencies relied on boats to reach Sichuan.
The head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) was a burly man with a square face. "Young lady, what brings you to Shu?"
Along the way, countless people asked Xu Chumian this question.
She had many red spots on her hands, was coughing incessantly, had a sallow complexion, and wore a dirty veiled hat.
Everyone who sees it thinks it's awful.
"Seeking a miracle doctor to cure the illness."
It's truly pitiful that someone so young has contracted this disease.
Xu Chumian sat quietly at the bow of the boat, waiting for everyone to arrive before setting off.
However, the boatman and the other caravans were late in arriving, which gradually made Xu Chuming feel uneasy.
Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves came from ahead.
Xu Chumian's palms were sweaty. She hurriedly raised her eyes and immediately saw the person at the very front of the line...
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