Chapter 49: The Last Shift

He gestured in confusion, bewilderment and eagerness, but halfway through, Chu Ran held his hand.

Chu Ran pursed his lips.

"I don't know how to explain this to you, but you must tell His Majesty the Fourth Prince about this. If he trusts me, he will do as I say."

Xing Ji looked at Chu Ran, and his gaze calmed down at a speed visible to the naked eye. He nodded at Chu Ran.

That night, Xing Ji personally conveyed these words to Li Fu.

"He said that there were spies hidden in the Dingbei Palace and asked my uncle to be careful? Did he say this himself?"

Xing Ji nodded and gestured, "That's exactly what he said."

"How did he know about this?" Li Fu asked with a frown on his face.

Xing Ji shook his head.

Li Fu was silent for a while, "I understand."

After Xing Ji left, Li Fu sat quietly on the chair alone for a while, then got up and went to Qin Yuxiao's room.

There was a knock on the door, followed by Li Fu's voice, "Uncle, it's me."

Qin Yuxiao was just about to undress and go to bed, but when he heard the words he walked to the door and opened it.

"Fuer, it's so late, what do you want to talk to your uncle about?"

Li Fu hesitated for a moment and said, "Uncle, I have something to tell you."

The two sat down facing each other. Qin Yuxiao was silent for a long time and said, "You mean, there are spies in the palace."

Li Fu nodded.

According to Chu Ran's original words, the emperor had always been worried that Prince Dingbei would be more powerful than him, so he had placed spies from the imperial court in the prince's palace many years ago.

What Chu Ran did not dare to say clearly was that King Dingbei would die suddenly in Yunzhou in three years. He did not die of illness or accident, but was poisoned to death by the spy who was planted in the city.

"How did you know this?" Qin Yuxiao laughed when he said this. "The Dingbei Palace is heavily guarded. How could such a thing happen? You must be mistaken."

Li Fu said: "There is no way it can be wrong."

Seeing Li Fu's determined expression, the smile on Qin Yuxiao's face gradually faded. He nodded with a heavy face, "Uncle knows. When we return to Yunzhou, uncle will check the people in the mansion carefully. If there is a spy, he will be found out."

Li Fu nodded, "Okay."

"But how do you know about this?" Qin Yuxiao asked curiously.

Li Fu thought for a moment and said, "Uncle, I know a young eunuch in the palace. He accidentally learned about this matter and took the risk to tell me about it."

"So this is what he told you? And you believed him?"

"I believe it." Li Fu said with a firm and resolute expression: "I believe everything he says."

Qin Yuxiao was silent for a while, then he put his big hand on Li Fu's shoulder, patted it gently, and smiled with some relief: "Except for Xing Ji, it's rare to see you trust someone so much. Since you believe in him, then your uncle also believes in him. By the way, you told me before that you wanted me to help you get a little eunuch out of the palace to go to Yunzhou with you. You were talking about him, right?"

Li Fu said "hmm".

The eunuch he wanted to get out of the palace was Chu Ran.

"Okay." Qin Yuxiao said solemnly, "Since you are the one you want to take away, your uncle will definitely help you achieve your wish."

Li Fu said: "Thank you, uncle."

"We don't talk about this among family members. Now that the Qianqiu Festival has passed, we will be able to leave Beijing in a few days. You should go back and make preparations, and then leave with your uncle."

Li Fu stood up. Qin Yuxiao reached his hand behind Li Fu's head, patted him gently, and walked him out the door.

A few days passed in a flash.

Even if you count with your ten fingers, you will always count to the last finger.

Yesterday, someone sent a message to Chu Ran, asking him to be prepared. They said that the Dingbei King would leave the capital before dinner tomorrow, and Li Fu would personally pick him up at the palace gate, so he was asked to take everything with him.

So yesterday, Chu Ran packed all the gold, silver and jewelry he had collected over the past year into a package and put it away carefully. These were his lifeblood. With these things, he thought, even if he went to another place, these alone would allow him to have no worries about food and clothing for many years.

As for the future, although no one knows what Li Fu’s plans are, as long as he leaves the capital and this huge imperial palace, how he lives next will depend entirely on Chu Ran’s own wishes.

Moreover, based on his friendship with Li Fu, even if he encounters any trouble in Yunzhou in the future, Li Fu will probably be willing to help him.

Of course, Chu Ran did not completely count on Li Fu to help him, but with this idea, Chu Ran would be more confident in the future. Although he is a salty fish, he will work hard in order to live a good life.

Adhering to the spirit of guarding the last shift, Chu Ran went to Qiluan Palace to take up duty on the morning of his departure.

He told Li Dingning a completely new story today.

Li Dingning listened with great interest. Even after Chu Ran had finished speaking, Li Dingning still felt a little unsatisfied.

Chu Ran looked at Li Dingning who was immersed in it and unable to extricate himself, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart: Cherish this last story, you will never hear such an interesting story again in the future.

Chu Ran still felt some emotion and sighs in his heart, but after the emotion and sighs, no one could stop his heart from growing wings and flying out of the palace walls.

Afterwards, he went to see Zhao Zhongyi again and played a game of chess with him.

Chu Ran had only learned the basics of Go after years of training from Zhao Zhongyi and Li Fu, but he only knew the basic rules. So when playing the game with Zhao Zhongyi, Chu Ran played in a mess and was completely defeated.

After only one game, Zhao Zhongyi gave up.

"Just figure it out. Get out of here. What the hell is this? It's a piece of shit."

In the past, Chu Ran would have sneered back, but this time, he didn't.

He just stood up, smoothed his wrinkled clothes, and said quietly: "I am not a good chess player, but you will never be able to play with me again in the future."

Zhao Zhongyi looked up at Chu Ran, frowned, and said, "Are you sick? What nonsense are you talking about?"

Chu Ran sighed and shook his head.

He doesn't cherish it at all, he will definitely regret it later.

Chu Ran could already feel his deep regret in advance.

"Where are you going?"

Zhao Zhongyi looked at Chu Ran's leaving back and called out.

Chu Ran turned his head and looked at Zhao Zhongyi deeply, as if he wanted to imprint his appearance deeply in his mind.

"I'm leaving." Chu Ran said.

Zhao Zhongyi frowned, wondering if Chu Ran was really sick today.

Otherwise why is it so inexplicable.