Chapter 95 Qualification
The wind picked up and the clouds rolled in during the latter half of the night, and the rain continued unabated into the morning.
A guest knocked on the door of the Zheng family, and Granny Zheng opened the door with an umbrella.
A young man in purple robes stood outside the door, carrying a food box.
He smiled gently and said, "Grandma, please inform Madam Zhou that an old friend from Yan is visiting."
His response was a rude rebuff from Granny Zheng: "Get out! What nonsense are you spouting! If you don't leave, I'll chase you away with a big broom!"
*
Li Qu was making clothes for the baby inside the house.
Every stitch and thread is her responsibility.
A shadow fell over the doorway, and she looked up.
Looking at that familiar smiling face.
She put down the basket, her gaze unwavering, and slowly stood up.
Granny Zheng's voice came from behind him: "He forced his way through the door!"
"He just darted over without me noticing, and I couldn't catch him!"
Li Qu: "It's alright, Grandma, we're old friends."
"Then you two chat." Granny Zheng then left, holding up her umbrella.
Looking at the heavily pregnant woman in the room, Wu Xubai's smiling face slowly turned sour.
My chest feels heavy, even more so than the weather before the rain.
He spoke up: "Li San, didn't you say you could escape?"
"How did you get pregnant?"
Li Qu's heart was also stirred.
Her whereabouts have been discovered!
"Young master, are you here to help me?"
"What else?" He went into the room and placed the food box he was carrying on the table.
He casually pulled over a chair, sat down like he had no bones, and slumped into the chair.
"I told you long ago that if you're going to leave, then be ruthless and abandon your family!"
"You won't listen."
"Now look what's happened, thanks to the fact that your stupid second sister has been found!"
Having not seen each other for over a year, they didn't need to exchange pleasantries; they knew each other well.
There's no need to pretend.
We've seen each other at our worst.
"Your Highness's intention is to go to the capital; it is not safe for you there."
"Go back to the south."
"He was willing to forgo the benefits of ten years of river transport north of the Yellow River in order to obtain the official document of your household registration, and he was willing to wait for you with a little sincerity."
"His Highness's affection for you... is not as great as his."
As he spoke, he raised his hand and pressed his temples: "His Highness is in the capital."
You must hurry.
As soon as he finished speaking, chaos erupted in the courtyard outside.
Imperial guards entered.
Wu Xubai's long legs swept across the single door frame, closing the door in time.
The movement was sudden, and a member of the Imperial Guard glanced at it.
Li Qu stood by the window and saw several imperial guards carrying Imperial Censor Zheng to the main room under umbrellas.
A gasp rang out from the main room, and then the Zheng family busied themselves with preparations.
Call the doctor to the emperor, and bribe the imperial guards.
Only after the imperial guards had dispersed did Li Qu open his umbrella to go and see.
Wu Xubai stood by the door with one hand behind his back, watching the woman's back as she held an umbrella, and then spoke.
Why meddle in other people's business?
"For your own sake, you should be ruthless towards your own family."
"Being soft-hearted and kind-hearted will never bring good fortune!"
Li Qu pretended not to hear the voice behind her.
Imperial Censor Zheng supported the Crown Prince's ascension to the throne.
The Gui Party possesses His Majesty's oral decree and imperial seal abdicating the throne to the fourth prince, and intends to support the fourth prince's succession.
With the two parties vying for power, Imperial Censor Zheng went out every day with a proud air and returned with a hoarse voice.
Li Qu asked a question as he entered.
Granny Zheng waved her hand: "It's nothing, it's nothing. The Gui Party used the excuse of my inaction during my trip to Hezhou to give me a beating and sent me home to recuperate."
"It must be that the old man is too noisy and annoying."
The doctor examined the wounds and determined they were all external injuries, with no danger to their lives.
Li Qu donated the only bottle of high-quality wound medicine he had.
As Li Qu left, Imperial Censor Zheng was still shouting:
"The Crown Prince's succession to the throne is legitimate. The Gui Party's usurpation of power has shaken the foundation of our nation, and everyone has the right to punish them!"
"We are the subjects of the late emperor, and we should speak out for him, purge the traitors, support the crown prince, and protect our great cause for lasting peace!"
"You scoundrel Gui, you have the skin of a rat but no manners! What good is a man without manners if he doesn't die?"
"Traitors who bring chaos to the country, execute them! Execute them! Execute them!"
"ah!!!"
Imperial Censor Zheng must have been beaten by Granny Zheng, for he let out a pitiful scream like a pig being slaughtered.
Li Qu returned to her room.
Wu Xubai took the pastries out of the food box and placed them on the table.
"I heard that pregnant women often feel hungry, so these are all your favorite lightly sweet flavors. Try them."
He also took a letter out of the food box.
"His Highness knew I was coming to see you, so he asked me to bring this to you."
He slumped back into his chair.
Li Qu sat down in another chair and opened the letter.
Wu Xubai: "I ruined Your Highness's plans last night and was punished by Your Highness to face the wall all night. I didn't even have time to make any arrangements."
"I'll come pick you up tomorrow morning to head south. Please make sure everything is settled here."
"Young master, are you sure you can help me get away?" Li Qu placed the letter on the table and pushed it in front of Wu Xubai.
Wu Xubai picked it up casually.
The letter contained four words: Wu Liu, seeking humiliation?
Wu Xu jumped up from his chair and swore.
Seeing that Wu Xubai seemed like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Li Qu spoke up: "Last time when I left Yan, Your Highness insulted the young master?"
"We were master and servant, it's normal for him to take his anger out on me since he couldn't catch you."
"These are all harmless, harmless, and reckless methods."
Wu Xubai waved his hand dismissively, stuffed the paper in his hand into his mouth, and chewed it fiercely.
silence.
He remained silent in his chair for a long time.
"I have a plan. If you are willing to help me, I can get away."
Wu Xubai's eyes lit up as he looked at Li Qu with admiration: "I knew it! When it comes to using your brain, you're the only one who can do it, Li San."
"However, I fear that this will lead to Your Highness's wrath on you."
He waved his hand dismissively: "He wants to use me, he won't kill me."
Li Qu smiled.
They didn't hesitate to take advantage of this guy who betrayed them.
*
After Wu Xubai left, Li Qu opened the screen window at the back and called out, "Huaixia?"
Huai Xia, dressed in a straw raincoat, appeared on the wall.
Li Qu smiled and asked, "Can you stop the Crown Prince's people?"
Huaixia climbed down the wall and went to Li Qu's window: "Madam, please calm down."
"Except for Huai Qiu, who is still by your side, the entire Huai group is currently in the capital and will surely be able to protect Madam's safety."
"And Master should have already received the message by carrier pigeon and is rushing to the capital."
"From Hejian to the capital, it will take five days."
Li Qu's expression remained unchanged: "I'm currently pregnant and it's inconvenient for me to travel long distances."
“The prince is coming with great force; I cannot fall into his hands.”
“Young Master Wu is trustworthy. He is willing to help me escape the Crown Prince’s sight. I need your assistance.”
Huai Xia hesitated: "Madam, this place is heavily guarded, and it is safe."
"Moreover, the Crown Prince dares not act openly in the capital."
"If necessary, this servant may also ask the master for help."
Li Qu still spoke gently: "I am terrified whenever I think of the Crown Prince's intentions to harm me and my child."
"It's difficult to eat or sleep here, and it's also not good for the pregnancy."
“When Young Master Wu helped me escape south, you all stood by my side, blocking the prince’s men.”
“Let us go to meet my husband; we should be able to reunite in about two days.”
"Then it will be safe."
“This…” Huaixia hesitated, “If Madam is afraid, why don’t you stay at Master’s residence first?”
“My sister-in-law lives in Hezhou, and there are no women in her household, so it is not appropriate for me to visit her.”
Li Qu didn't give Huai Xia a chance to speak again, and slowly told Huai Xia about her and Wu Xubai's arrangements.
After hearing this, Huai Xia had no choice but to bow and say, "I will obey your orders, Madam!"
After Huaixia left, Li Qu closed the gauze window and turned to find Granny Zheng.
*
Not too fast, not too slow.
*
The rain was intermittent, sometimes heavy and sometimes light, and lasted until evening.
The unassuming carriage drove into Xieliu Hutong.
The young man in purple led his men into Li Qu's room at the Zheng residence.
With a servant holding an umbrella, he carried the pregnant woman, who was dressed in a veil, out the door and into the carriage.
The carriage moved forward slowly.
Huai Xia led her men to follow, protecting them on either side.
Huai Chuan personally went back to the Zheng family and searched the place, but found no trace of Li Qu.
Two people were left to keep an eye on the Zheng family, and they followed.
The sound of rain was deafening, masking all other sounds.
The rain poured down, washing away all traces.
The carriage left Xieliu Hutong and entered another house.
Then four carriages came out of the house and went to different places.
Huai Xia knew something was wrong when she saw this, so she took out a signal flare from her pocket and fired one.
The group split into five groups.
One group stayed behind to search the house, while the other four groups followed the carriages heading in different directions.
*
As night fell, the rain intensified.
A noble young man dressed in a moon-colored brocade robe stood in front of the Zheng family's gate, holding an umbrella.
Xiao Zuo stepped forward, picked up the copper ring, and knocked on the door.
"Who is it!" came Granny Zheng's rough voice from inside the courtyard.
The door was opened.
Xiao Zuo stepped aside from his master.
Granny Zheng shouted sternly, "Who are you...?"
The umbrella, adorned with blooming red plum blossoms, lifted slightly, revealing a face as beautiful as jade and as ethereal as a fairy.
Meeting those calm eyes, Granny Zheng automatically fell silent.
The other person's inviolable aura of authority made her automatically step aside.
Xiao Cong stepped inside, his voice soft and gentle as he said, "Thank you, Grandma."
Xiao Zuo followed Xiao Cong into the room and said, "Thank you, Grandma."
When Zheng Po realized what was happening, she hurriedly went to restrain her family and find Zheng Gong.
*
Xiao Cong went straight to Li Qu's room.
She had been gone for a while, but her scent still lingered in the room.
He casually sat down in the chair and poured himself a glass of water that had already cooled down.
Xiaozuo is inspecting the room.
They knocked on each piece of wood, and each brick.
Xiao Congjing awaited the results.
After checking Li Qu's room, Xiao Zuo personally went to check and search the other rooms.
Two incense sticks later, Xiao Zuo returned and reported: "The Zheng family has no secret room."
"We checked everything, including the wardrobe in Imperial Censor Zheng's room."
"No one was in sight."
Xiao Cong twirled the cup in his hand.
Time passed second by second.
People gradually returned.
"Your Highness, the house is empty!"
"Your Highness, the Third Sister is not in the East Route!"
"Your Highness, the western route is empty!"
"Your Highness, there are two maids in the carriage on the north side!"
Another half incense stick has burned.
Xiaoyou returned carrying Wu Xubai.
*
The rain was pouring down, and a man with a torch stood under the eaves.
Xiao Cong stood inside the door with his hands behind his back, looking down at Wu Xubai, who seemed to have been thrown into the rain like a dead dog.
Along with Wu Xubai, there was also a human-shaped mattress dressed in Li Qu's clothes.
The rain obscured my vision, a large umbrella blocked my view, a veil obscured my vision, and my skirt and clothes blurred my view.
The right time, the right place, and the right people.
Li Qu fled again.
"Hehehe." Wu Xubai sat up awkwardly from the ground.
He braced his hands behind his back, leaned back, tilted his face up to the rain, and laughed louder and louder.
"Hahaha!"
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Xiao Cong asked, "Where is she?"
Wu Xubai was still laughing when he finally sat cross-legged in the rain, spreading his hands: "I want to know too!"
"She had me create a miasma to distract His Highness and Lord Zhou's men."
"You also want me to send someone to distract the spies you left behind while your main force is chasing after the miasma, and then arrange for someone to pick her up."
"Now, the people I arranged to pick her up should have been captured by His Highness."
He clicked his tongue.
"Or, she could stay in this courtyard."
"Or perhaps she left on her own while her spies were distracted and His Highness hadn't arrived yet."
Rain blurred his vision, so he raised his hand to wipe his eyes and looked up at the figure standing inside the doorway, whom he had to look up at.
"Judging from His Highness's expression, it's clear that he didn't find anyone in this courtyard."
He smiled with pride: "As expected of my little page, you have three-tenths of my intelligence!"
Xiao Cong's voice was cold: "Young Master Wu must be more intelligent than your little page."
"Your little page has escaped; let's see if Young Master Wu can escape as well."
Wu Xubai's expression froze.
Supported by his injured body, Imperial Censor Zheng was helped out of the room by Granny Zheng. He stood at the entrance of the main hall opposite and bowed to Xiao Cong through the rain.
"Your Highness Yan's presence is an honor to our humble abode. I am injured and unable to greet you properly. Please forgive me."
Xiao Cong looked up and said, "I have come here to find an old friend. If this has caused any disturbance, please forgive me, Lord Zheng."
"Since we have not yet found him and it is already late at night, we will not disturb Lord Zheng's rest and recovery."
Xiao Zuo handed over an open umbrella and watched Xiao Cong leave.
Xiaoyou followed behind, carrying Wu Xubai.
The others followed.
Xiao Zuo is the last one.
Before leaving, he approached Imperial Censor Zheng, cupped his hands in a respectful bow, and said, "Lord Zheng, don't misuse your sharp tongue."
"To truly establish orthodoxy, we need loyal and righteous ministers like you to assist us."
“My son admires Lord Zheng.”
After saying this, he bowed again, took a step back, and respectfully left.
After Xiao Cong's men had all left the courtyard, Huai Xia approached Granny Zheng and anxiously asked, "Granny, do you know where my mistress is?"
Grandma Zheng said in a serious tone, "After lunch, when I took her back to her room..."
She said it wasn't safe here and she needed to go home first, then flee overnight.
"They also told us to stay in our rooms in the afternoon and not to come out unnecessarily."
“We listened to her and stayed in our rooms all afternoon without coming out.”
"So, we don't know when she left or where she went."
She was very sincere: "You don't need to waste your time here with me."
"I will definitely take good care of her and ensure her safety while she is with me."
"It might not be the same if you go somewhere else."
Huaixia cupped her hands in thanks: "Thank you, Grandma."
The rain was too heavy, making it difficult to find any trace of them.
Huai Chuan left one group of people to monitor Xiao Cong, one person to monitor the Zheng residence, and the rest of the people went out to search for Li Qu's whereabouts.
He was certain that if he lost his wife again, he would chop them up and feed them to the dogs.
Once the courtyard quieted down.
Only then did the Zheng family members wash up and go to bed.
*
The Baoyue Tower was brightly lit on a rainy night.
To avoid the national mourning period, they kept a low profile when receiving guests.
In a quiet, secluded courtyard, the lights were dim and hazy.
Xiao Cong stomped on the back of the young master, who was soaking wet, making him unable to get up.
Wu Xubai lay sprawled on the ground in a disheveled state.
He chuckled softly, "Your Highness, please spare her."
No sooner had he finished speaking than he was kicked into a curled-up shrimp shape.
Xiao Cong squatted down.
"She's worth ten of you!"
"She gave you a great opportunity, and you almost threw it into your elder brother's mouth!"
"All you can do is resort to underhanded and shady methods!"
Wu Xubai retorted, "Your Highness is unaware of the suffering of a commoner."
Xiao Cong changed the subject: "When did you start having feelings for her?"
Wu Xubai closed his eyes: "How could a useless man like me, neither male nor female, be worthy of having feelings for her?"
"I thought you had forgotten what you are."
Wu Xubai smiled indifferently.
Where did she go?
Wu Xubai's eyelashes drooped: "She lied to me."
"She never intended to go with my people."
"I don't know where she went."
Xiao Cong recalled that he had previously revealed on the ship that Wu Xubai had offered her to him.
Then he understood why she didn't believe Wu Xubai.
He stood up: "They're waiting for you in your room. Have a great night."
Wu Xubai slowly got up from the ground, clenching his fist in his sleeve.
He didn't care about himself; he just wanted her to live freely.
He knelt there, and after a long while, he spoke in a calm voice.
"Your Highness, I regret it."
Xiao Cong sat down in the main seat, picked up his cup, and glanced indifferently at Wu Xubai: "This young master also regrets it."
Wu Xubai looked up at him: "Your Highness, let her live the life she wants!"
Xiao Cong took a sip of tea: "I regret not having made her the emperor's favorite sooner."
"She conceives so easily."
"If she had been favored earlier, she would be the mother of my child by now."
Unfortunately, there's no going back.
He put down his cup and looked up at Wu Xubai: "Seeing that you regret it just like me makes me feel a little better."
Wu Xubai continued to persuade him: "She doesn't love His Highness."
"She loves me more than anyone else surnamed Zhou."
"Didn't Your Highness give the official documents regarding her place of residence to that man surnamed Zhou?"
Xiao Cong raised his hand and propped his head up with his fingers: "It won't stop her from having a child for this young master."
"Your Highness!"
Xiao Cong looked at him silently: "Didn't you give this to me to raise as a toy?"
"Wu Liu, is it because I, the young master, have not raised him well?"
"Or is it that your Xianbaozhai is just too greedy and has nothing better to do?"
"Or is it because your Tongbao Money Shop has too many shares that have inflated?"
The color drained from Wu Xubai's face inch by inch.
"Is it any of your business to interfere with the fate of this plaything in my hands?"
No, he shouldn't. What right does he have?
Wu Xubai staggered to his feet, shrugged, bowed to Xiao Cong, and took his leave.
He must have other ways.
Xiao Cong stared at Wu Xubai's back as he dragged his heels, and slowly spoke.
"After all this talk, I haven't heard you say anything about being willing to give up everything you've got in exchange for my freedom."
Wu Xubai paused.
"A hypocritical and belated love."
Xiao Zuo entered the room carrying a stack of documents.
Xiao Cong got up to wash up.
He still had to handle some official business before going to bed.
I've been so busy lately.
*
The storm brought northbound ships to a halt.
In the rain, a group of people wearing straw hats galloped northward.
After a whole night, everyone was exhausted.
Once they emerged from the stormy area, the sun rose, and the group switched to a faster river transport to head north.
After a quick wash, Zhou Jin fell asleep the moment his head hit the bed.
The hawk, bringing new news, landed at the porthole, no matter how much it cried or flapped its wings.
The person on the couch remained completely still.
Extremely tired and exhausted.
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