Chapter 67: Will He Still Be Able to Write Poetry After Escaping?
"You!" The Empress Dowager trembled with rage, a ferocious look appearing on her well-maintained face, yet she indeed dared not do anything to her.
Fangru saw this and her sneer intensified.
She even deliberately straightened her back slightly, letting the Empress Dowager see her still flat stomach, where Zhou Ling was carrying the most valuable asset.
"Very well, very well." The Empress Dowager suppressed her anger. "Since you are not of royal blood, I will spare your life. At midnight three days from now, your personal maid and the guards at the west gate will make things convenient for you; your carriage and money will be prepared. The farther you go, the better, and never come back. Are you willing?"
Fangru nodded hurriedly, feigning gratitude: "I'm willing! I'm willing!" But in her heart, she was sneering at the Empress Dowager's foolishness.
Does she really think she'll believe this explanation? She'll probably encounter an "accident" as soon as she leaves the headquarters.
The Empress Dowager coldly scrutinized her: "If you covet power, you dare to reveal this matter to the Emperor..."
"Your Majesty, I dare not!" Fangru quickly pledged her loyalty. Of course, she wouldn't tell Zhou Ling, but it wasn't because she was afraid of the Empress Dowager; rather, she genuinely wanted to leave.
However, she would not follow the path arranged by the Empress Dowager.
After Fangru left the room, she gently stroked her still-flat stomach, a meaningful smile playing on her lips.
The Empress Dowager thought she was in control, but little did she know that Fangru also needed to use others' strength against her. First, she would use the Empress Dowager's power to escape Zhou Ling's control, and then find a way to get rid of the Empress Dowager's pursuit. Although this was dangerous, it was worth the risk compared to being trapped in a gilded cage forever.
After returning from the Empress Dowager's place, Fangru had already made up her mind.
The escape plan had to be implemented as soon as possible, but a key question lingered in her mind: if she left, how would Zhou Ling, in his rage, treat her father, Shen Wenzheng, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices?
Fangru felt uneasy, thinking that her father might be implicated because of her.
After a moment's thought, she came up with a plan.
When Zhou Ling arrived that evening, Fangru, unusually, took the initiative to greet him, nestling obediently into his arms, her voice carrying a hint of coquetry: "Your Majesty, I suddenly miss my father very much today. It has been a long time since I last saw him since I came to the imperial camp."
Zhou Ling raised an eyebrow in surprise, and seeing the rare display of girlishness in her, his heart softened: "What's so difficult about that? I will issue an edict tomorrow to summon Shen Qing to the headquarters to reunite with you."
Fangru was secretly delighted, but feigned concern: "Father is getting old, and the journey from the capital to the headquarters is long..."
"Rest assured, my beloved consort," Zhou Ling gently stroked her hair, "I will send the best imperial physicians to accompany you and ensure your safe journey."
Two days later, Shen Wenzheng indeed arrived at the headquarters.
To Fangru's surprise, Prince Cheng was also traveling with her.
"Cheng'er!" Fangru knelt down in surprise and opened her arms.
The three-year-old boy immediately broke free from his wet nurse's hand, toddled into her arms with his short legs, and softly called out, "Fang Niangniang!"
Fangru hugged the child tightly, a wave of sorrow washing over her.
Prince Cheng is the illegitimate son of her fiancé Gu Zhou and Consort Zhi. Previously, Consort Zhi had repeatedly harmed her own flesh and blood because she was afraid that the secret would be exposed.
It was Fangru who orchestrated Consort Zhi's downfall and banishment to the Cold Palace, thus saving this poor child.
Since then, Cheng'er has been particularly attached to her, and she has long regarded this child with a troubled past as her own.
Zhou Ling stood aside, watching Fangru and Cheng'er's intimate interaction, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He naturally knew Cheng'er's background, but because of Fangru's affection for him, he tacitly allowed the child to stay by her side.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Fangru rose and bowed gracefully to Zhou Ling, her eyes filled with sincere gratitude.
At this moment, her plan became clearer. She wanted to leave with her father and Cheng'er, to stay away from the palace intrigues and live a simple but peaceful life.
In the evening, Fangru was exceptionally gentle and affectionate.
When Zhou Ling embraced her, she not only did not resist at all, but actively responded.
In moments of passion, she even allowed herself to temporarily immerse herself in the warmth of that embrace.
"Why are you so passionate today?" Zhou Ling whispered in her ear, his voice hoarse with desire.
Fangru did not answer, but sealed his lips with an even deeper kiss.
Between breaths, she silently thought to herself, this might be the last time. After she takes her father and Cheng'er and flies away, all of this will become a thing of the past.
Just as the emotions were running high, the commander's anxious voice rang out from outside the palace: "Your Majesty, there is an urgent military situation!"
Zhou Ling paused, his rationality returning instantly.
He propped himself up, wanting to get off the bed, but Fangru, unusually willful, tightened her arms around him, her voice soft and tender with emotion: "Don't go..."
Zhou Ling lightly pecked her lips, his voice hoarse: "Be good, I'll be right back." Then he called out, "What's the matter that's so urgent?"
"Your Majesty, the traitors of the Baiyang Society have incited a riot among the people in Linshan Town, and several hundred have already gathered! The rioters are taking advantage of the situation to loot and plunder, shops are being looted, people are fleeing, and public order is out of control. The situation is extremely critical!"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ling's expression changed drastically, and the warmth he had shown earlier vanished instantly.
He stood up without hesitation and deftly straightened his robes. Fangru reached out to grab his sleeve, but he gently brushed her hand away.
"Your Majesty!" Fangru propped herself up, the brocade quilt slipping off her shoulders, revealing mottled hickeys.
Zhou Ling glanced back at her, his gaze deep: "The military situation is urgent, I must handle it personally." With that, he strode away without a trace of regret.
As Fangru watched his resolute back, a wave of indescribable disappointment washed over her.
The tenderness just now seemed to be just an illusion; when it came to matters of state, she was always the one left behind.
Outside, Zhou Ling had regained his imperial majesty and solemnly ordered: "Immediately muster five hundred elite soldiers, and you will personally lead them to Linshan Town. Remember, the primary task is to control the situation, disperse the crowd, and capture the ringleader. If there is any resistance, kill them without mercy!"
"Your subordinate obeys!" the battalion commander replied, bowing.
After a moment's thought, Zhou Ling added, "Send people to secretly investigate the true purpose of the Baiyang Society's actions. A mere few hundred people causing trouble is not worth such a large-scale mobilization. I suspect there is another scheme behind this."
"Your Majesty is wise!"
After the battalion commander left, Zhou Ling went to his study.
He longed to continue their tender moment, but as an emperor, the fate of his country always came first.
Not long after, a palace maid quietly approached Fangru and whispered, "The Empress Dowager instructed me to convey that at midnight tonight, the Imperial Guards will open a gap in the western defense line, and carriages are prepared under the large banyan tree on the outer perimeter. Miss, you must leave on time."
Fangru's heart skipped a beat, knowing that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and she immediately nodded: "Go back and report to the Empress Dowager that I will definitely arrive on time."
After the palace maid left, Fangru immediately went to find her father, Shenfu.
She dismissed everyone around her and lowered her voice, saying, "Father, we can leave here tonight. Would you like to come with me?"
Upon hearing this, Father Shen was first taken aback, then revealed a loving smile: "I have long said that as long as my son is happy, it is fine if he does not take this official post. It is fine for the two of us, father and daughter, to go wherever we want."
Fangru's eyes welled up with tears as she held her father's hand tightly.
The third watch of the night will be the moment they regain their freedom.
As dusk settled, Fangru sat restlessly in the palace.
The thought of leaving tonight filled her with mixed feelings, and she even felt a little reluctant to part.
She specially instructed the palace servants to prepare several dishes that Zhou Ling liked, hoping to share this last dinner with him. However, Zhou Ling still did not return even after the food had gone cold.
"Father, please have Cheng'er's meal first," Fangru said, forcing a smile. "I...I'll wait for His Majesty a little longer."
Father Shen looked at his daughter knowingly, sighed softly, and took Cheng'er's hand as they left.
In the empty hall, Fangru sat alone at the table, gazing absently at the flickering candlelight.
Time ticked by, and her heart sank deeper and deeper. Just when she was about to give up waiting, familiar footsteps finally came from outside the palace.
Zhou Ling walked in, covered in night dew, his brows furrowed with exhaustion.
Fangru almost immediately got up and threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest and greedily breathing in his scent.
"Why haven't you rested yet?" Zhou Ling was a little surprised, but he still naturally put his arm around her.
"I've been waiting for you." Fangru looked up and kissed his lips.
However, just as the two were lost in their passion, the commander's voice rang out again from outside the hall at an inopportune moment: "Your Majesty, there is an urgent military situation in Linshan Town!"
Zhou Ling stopped moving immediately.
Fangru frowned in displeasure, wrapping her arms tightly around him: "Don't leave this time..."
Zhou Ling planted a kiss on her lips, his voice hoarse: "I'll be back soon." He then got up.
Fangru stubbornly refused to let go, and Zhou Ling had no choice but to call out, "Come in and talk."
The battalion commander bowed his head and entered the outer room, reporting through the screen: "Your Majesty, a conflict broke out between the suppression and the people in Linshan Town, resulting in the deaths of two civilians, including a child of five or six years old. Now the crowd is in a state of high anger, and the situation is about to spiral out of control. Please instruct Your Majesty on how to handle this?"
Zhou Ling's expression hardened, and he said in a deep voice, "Continue the suppression, impose a curfew if necessary, and make sure the situation is under control..."
Fangru was startled upon hearing this.
Linshan Town was her only way to travel south to Jiangnan. If a curfew was imposed, tonight's plans would be ruined.
She immediately raised her tearful eyes and gently tugged at Zhou Ling's sleeve: "Your Majesty, one child has already died, and the people are so pitiful. Can you... please stop the suppression?"
Zhou Ling frowned as he looked at her. Seeing the tears welling up in her eyes, he remembered that she was pregnant and should not be frightened like this.
He pondered for a moment, then changed his words to the battalion commander: "Issue my decree that the soldiers should maintain order instead of suppressing the enemy, and the curfew should be temporarily suspended."
"But Your Majesty..." The battalion commander wanted to persuade him again.
"Do as I say," Zhou Ling said firmly.
After the battalion commander withdrew, Fangru secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The chaos in Linshan Town actually made it easier for her to escape in the confusion, which was exactly what she wanted.
After the battalion commander withdrew, Zhou Ling was about to continue their intimate moment when the newly appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel requested an audience.
Those who had previously suggested that Fangru identify the rebels of the Baiyang Society, including Grand Secretary Li, Grand Secretary Zhang, and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, were all demoted, with Grand Secretary Li, the leader, being forced to retire.
The newly appointed official was clearly not expecting to witness His Majesty's intimate moment with his concubines, and stood there at a loss for what to do.
Seeing this, Zhou Ling could only say gently to Fangru, "I'll be right back." Then he and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel walked out of the palace.
Fangru watched his departing figure, a wave of sorrow washing over her.
Zhou Ling, you've abandoned me again for political reasons. Don't regret it when you come back and find me gone.
She got up and began packing her things. When she got to Cheng'er's toys, Cheng'er rubbed his sleepy eyes and came over: "Why is Your Highness packing up Cheng'er's toys?"
Fangru squatted down and whispered, "Because we're leaving here and will never come back."
Cheng'er's face immediately fell: "Is Consort Fang going to take Cheng'er away from Father Emperor? But Cheng'er doesn't want to leave Father Emperor..."
Fangru felt a sharp pain in her heart.
Zhou Ling was usually busy with government affairs and didn't spend much time with Cheng'er. He never expected that the child would be so attached to him.
But she had to take Cheng'er with her. This child was Bai Yanghui and Gu Zhou's flesh and blood. If he stayed in the palace, the Empress Dowager and the Empress would never treat him well.
No matter how much Zhou Ling outwardly protects him, he can't possibly genuinely love the son of a traitor.
"Go to sleep, sweetie." Fangru coaxed Cheng'er softly. After he fell asleep, she continued packing her things.
The water clock indicates the second watch of the night, and the appointed time is drawing ever closer.
However, Cheng'er was not actually asleep. He took advantage of Fangru's inattention and quietly slipped out of the house, squatting under the eaves to wait.
Upon seeing Zhou Ling, he immediately rushed towards him, his little face streaked with tears: "Father! Consort Shen said she wants to take Cheng'er away from Father, but Cheng'er doesn't want to leave Father!"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ling's expression changed drastically. He strode towards Fangru's room, his eyes blazing with anger as he pushed open the door: "You're leaving me again! And you're taking Cheng'er with you?!"
Fangru hurriedly stuffed the half-packed bundle under the bed, forcing herself to remain calm as she turned around: "Why is Your Majesty back again? Cheng'er was being naughty just now, and I scolded him a bit, threatening to take him away. How can you take a child's words seriously?"
As she spoke, she nestled into Zhou Ling's arms, her fingertips gently tracing his chest.
Zhou Ling stared at her, his gaze deep: "You really won't leave me? Prove it to me."
Fangru was anxious. If she became entangled with Zhou Ling at this moment, it would definitely delay their escape.
In a moment of quick thinking, she suddenly covered her mouth and made a gagging motion, leaning palely on Zhou Ling's shoulder: "Your Majesty, I suddenly feel unwell..."
Zhou Ling immediately understood, and remembering that she was pregnant, his doubts lessened.
He gently embraced her and helped her rest against the couch: "Since you're not feeling well, you should rest properly." He stroked her hair, his tone carrying a barely perceptible worry.
Just then, the battalion commander requested an audience once again. Zhou Ling frowned and tucked the blanket around Fangru, saying, "I'll be right back."
After Zhou Ling left, Fangru immediately got up from the bed.
I glanced at the water clock; it was already past midnight.
She quickly took the bundle from under the bed, gently shook Cheng'er awake, and then called Shen's father.
As Fangru was leaving, she noticed that her maid, who was always by her side, was nowhere to be seen—she must have deliberately avoided her at the Empress Dowager's behest.
The three of them moved silently toward the western defensive line.
Under the moonlight, Fangru's heart was pounding, and every step she took felt like walking on thin ice.
Sure enough, there was a gap in the defense line, and no guards were to be seen.
Just as they were about to pass through the gap, Fangru suddenly noticed a gaze.
She looked up abruptly and saw Li Zuozheng, the commander of the Imperial Guards, standing in the shadows not far away, silently watching them.
Fangru froze on the spot, her back soaked with cold sweat.
If Li Zuo were to speak up now, everything would be over.
However, Li Zuo simply stared at her silently for a moment.
The moonlight shone on his resolute face, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes—worry and disapproval—but ultimately it all turned into a silent sigh.
He recalled how His Majesty had repeatedly made exceptions for this woman, and also the pain she had caused His Majesty. Perhaps... letting her go would be better for everyone.
Li Zuo finally looked away, turned his back to them, and acted as if he hadn't seen anything.
Fangru immediately understood and quickly pulled her father and Cheng'er through the gap.
The moment she stepped out of the camp, she couldn't help but glance back. Li Zuo still had his back to them, his tall figure appearing particularly lonely in the moonlight.
At this moment, Fangru understood that this loyal commander of the Imperial Guards had chosen to turn a blind eye for the sake of his emperor.
Fangru was secretly delighted and quickly led her father and Cheng'er through the outer defenses.
Upon arriving under the large banyan tree, they indeed saw a carriage waiting there. The driver, seeing them, whispered, "Sir, Miss, the men the Empress Dowager sent have been knocked unconscious. Get in the carriage quickly!"
Shen's father and Fangru quickly boarded the carriage with Cheng'er, who was half asleep.
With a flick of the whip, the coachman sent the carriage speeding off toward Linshan Town.
Upon reaching the outskirts of Linshan Town, Cheng'er was awakened by the jolting and, rubbing his eyes, said he needed to urinate.
The coachman stopped the carriage by the roadside woods, and Fangru and Cheng'er got out. Just as they entered the woods, several ragged thugs suddenly rushed out from the shadows.
"Oh, this young lady is really beautiful!" The leader of the thugs leered as he approached.
Shen's father and the coachman immediately stepped forward to stop them, but were surrounded and attacked by other thugs.
Fists and kicks rained down, and the elderly and frail father was quickly knocked to the ground with a muffled groan.
Although the driver was younger, he was outnumbered and was beaten to the ground by two thugs, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
Cheng'er was so frightened by the violent scene that he burst into tears. A thug kicked him impatiently and said, "You little brat, you're so noisy!"
Cheng'er's small body was kicked and rolled to the ground, her cries becoming even more piercing.
Fangru looked at the mob in horror, her heart filled with remorse. She remembered that not long ago she had nestled in Zhou Ling's arms, pleading for these rioters.
"Your Majesty, those people are so pitiful."
Only then did she truly understand the terrible consequences of her casual plea.
If she hadn't intervened to stop the crackdown, how dare these rioters be so rampant? If she hadn't insisted on "mercy," how could her father have fallen and struggled in a pool of blood? How could Cheng'er have been kicked away like a stray dog?
Now, the soldiers who were restrained by her request and could only barely maintain order have clearly lost control of the escalating chaos.
She was both shocked and angry, and forced herself to calm down.
She scanned the group of thugs and noticed that one of them, a tall, muscular man with a scar on his face, seemed to be the leader.
"Hero!" Fangru suddenly raised her voice and bowed gracefully to the scarred man. "My family is quite wealthy and lives in Linshan Town. If you are willing to let us pass, I am willing to offer you all the gold and silver in my family."
The scarred man looked her over suspiciously: "Young lady, are you perhaps up to something?"
"You flatter me, sir." Fangru feigned weakness, pointing to Shen's father and the coachman lying on the ground. "My father and servants are injured, and the child is too frightened. How could a weak woman like me escape your grasp?"
As she spoke, she took a pearl hairpin from her hair and handed it over: "This is the deposit. There are also a hundred taels of gold in the house, all hidden in a secret compartment in the bedroom."
The scarred man took the beaded flower and examined it closely in the moonlight. Its quality was excellent, and he immediately believed it to be true.
He grinned and said, "Young lady, you're so straightforward! Please get in the carriage then."
"Wait a minute." Fangru looked at the other thugs with feigned concern. "The fewer people who know about the money, the better. It would be better if one of you drove me to get it, so that... the others might be tempted by the money and turn it against me."
These words struck a chord with the scarred man. He immediately yelled at the other thugs, "You stay here and watch these people until I get back!"
Fangru boarded the carriage alone. The moment she sat down, she quickly spotted the hilt of a dagger protruding from a hidden compartment in the seat—the one she had placed there earlier. Without making a sound, she concealed the dagger with her sleeve and quietly took it out, hiding it inside.
The carriage sped through the night, and Fangru's heart pounded like a drum.
The scarred man drove the car, glancing back lewdly every now and then: "Little lady, you're quite sensible. After we get the money, why don't you come with me..."
Fangru feigned agreement, her hand gripping the dagger tightly. When the carriage reached a steep slope, she seized the opportunity and swiftly plunged the dagger into the rogue's back!
"Ah!" the rogue cried out in pain, instinctively pulling hard on the reins. The startled horse neighed and veered off the road, the carriage lurching violently toward the edge of the hillside.
Fangru only managed to grab the window frame before she felt the world spinning around her.
The carriage tumbled down the hillside, and her head slammed heavily against the carriage wall.
In her final moments of blurred consciousness, Fangru thought in despair that without the protection of the Buddhist prayer beads, she was likely to die here.
Falling from such a high slope, the body would surely be mangled and gruesome.
Would Zhou Ling, who kept saying he would possess her even after she died, actually have desires for such a broken corpse?
This absurd thought became her last thought.
However, the anticipated eternal darkness did not descend.
When Fangru opened her eyes again, she found herself standing at the entrance of the familiar Xuanji Banquet.
As dusk settles and the sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments fill the air, mirroring the countless beginnings of her rebirths.
She subconsciously touched her wrist, but it was empty; the Buddhist prayer beads bracelet that could give her a new life was not there.
How could she be reborn?
She opened her palm and froze.
Clutching tightly in her hand was the warm, smooth jade pendant, the one Zhou Ling had given her, which she had then resolutely discarded.
This rebirth seems different from the past.
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