escape
The next day, Yanjing City
Zhou Xiangfu Side Gate
Granny Lin took the medicine bowl that the maid hurriedly handed over and immediately delivered it to Mei Sheng.
She pressed her lips down, feeling annoyed. Was this fifth young lady out of her mind? She had insisted on drinking that medicine before leaving, saying she was afraid she would forget it if she came back late.
This wasn't surprising. Usually, she wasn't afraid of the bitter taste and had even urged her to eat it. She secretly guessed that the girl must have known that she could climb up to the Pei family, which was why she was so anxious.
But this medicine, humph, do you think it's some kind of good medicine?
Mei Sheng took a deep breath and drank it down.
Seeing that she had finished drinking, Granny Lin helped her onto the carriage. Once the carriage curtain concealed the Fifth Sister's figure, she looked at the medicine bowl, her rough fingers lightly scraping it before tentatively taking a sip.
Her expression suddenly changed, and she gagged a few times before glancing at the carriage in the distance with a mocking look.
They certainly endured hardship in order to curry favor with the powerful and wealthy.
Surrounded by onlookers, the Crown Princess led her maids and guards through the streets, the long procession moving slowly towards the Wanfo Temple outside the city.
The head of the guards led the way, with the Crown Princess's carriage in the center. It was magnificent and splendid, with palace maids in crimson palace dresses waiting on both sides, and palace guards holding knives protecting it heavily.
Mei Sheng and his group were positioned at the very back of the procession, almost out of the guards' protection.
However, Granny Lin had previously assigned several strong guards to protect the carriage tightly, leaving no room for escape.
After walking for a short while, Mei Sheng gently lifted her hand and carefully lifted a corner of the multi-layered curtains. A warm breeze blew in, and the jasmine sachets hanging inside the car swayed in the wind.
The entire street was paved with bluestone slabs, and the horse-drawn carriages followed the caravan ahead along the main road without stopping. The streets outside were bustling with people.
Mei Sheng glanced at the short stretch of street and the brightly lit houses, and with a quick thought, she had already formed a rough idea of what was going on.
Before she could take a closer look, a burly old woman next to the car noticed Mei Sheng's actions and whispered a warning: "It's hot outside, young lady, you should rest properly in the car."
Undeterred by the uncertainty, Mei Sheng picked up a calligraphy brush from the nanmu coffee table, dipped it in ink, and continued scribbling on the paper.
Several sheets of hastily written paper were laid out on a low table inside the carriage, covered with scribbles and not a single proper character.
"How is it, Chuntao?" She had only made two strokes when she eagerly showed it off to Chuntao, who was peeking at her from the side.
Her slender, delicate hand gripped the edge of the Xuan paper, and on her fair, jade-white wrist, a pair of affectionate eyes smiled warmly as she gazed at Chuntao.
From leaving the manor to leaving the city, in just a short time, the girl had already shown it to her more than ten times. Chun Tao, with a long face, ground the ink and casually agreed, "Miss, your painting is naturally the best."
This morning, her mother deliberately took her to a secluded place to warn her not to go too far and give herself away.
She pursed her lips, outwardly agreeing but inwardly still resentful.
This person is illiterate and can't draw. I don't know what got into him today, but he seems to want to be praised and flattered every time he makes a stroke.
“I think so too. Look, I brought all these fun things with me, so the journey will definitely not be boring.”
People are also more active than usual.
Chun Tao glanced sideways at the wooden box she was pointing to. Inside were a jumble of odds and ends: yesterday's embroidery, the precious gems and trinkets bestowed by the Prime Minister the day before, some hair ornaments and earrings given by Aunt Lin, pastries from the kitchen, storybooks bought a few days ago, rouge from the south of the city...
Chun Tao felt a pang of jealousy, and she almost couldn't suppress it.
Aunt Lin really dotes on this fake daughter. She gives her whatever she wants, and with so much gold and silver jewelry, she could use it for years.
If she were a young lady from a wealthy family, then all these days of luxury and wealth would be hers.
What's infuriating is that the gifts bestowed upon Mei Sheng by the mansion are all limited in number. The last maid who stole them and tried to resell them was beaten to death on the orders of Aunt Lin.
The sound of those wailing and screaming still gives her goosebumps when she thinks about it.
However, perhaps the heavens heard her heart, for a butterfly-shaped gold and silver hairpin suddenly appeared before her eyes. She was stunned and stammered, "Miss...?"
"Don't want it?" Mei Sheng feigned disappointment, making a gesture as if to retract her hand.
Chuntao quickly grabbed the hairpin, her eyes burning with desire: "Thank you for your generous gift, Miss."
"Are you a little bored, young lady? How about I tell you some interesting things that have happened in the city recently?" Chun Tao seemed to have gained some insight and tentatively suggested.
Sure enough, the girl seemed to take a liking to it: "If you make me happy with what you say, there will be a reward."
If she were at home, Chun Tao would never dare to say such things. Perhaps she was so captivated by the gold and silver that she seemed to lose her mind and blurted out a few unfounded rumors.
It's nothing more than a young master and young lady being engaged, only to have the young master's cousin sleep with them, causing the engagement to fall through; or a nobleman's mansion's courtyard or private residence catching fire, forcing the nobleman's wife to dare to sign a divorce agreement on the spot, drawing ridicule from everyone...
Mei Sheng frowned, agreed a few times, and then casually suggested, "These are all mundane stories, too boring. Tell me again about the strange tale of the Pingjiang River outside the city last time."
“This…” Chun Tao pretended to be embarrassed.
Mei Sheng then handed over a ruby and jade hairpin, which Chun Tao accepted with a silly grin.
"The Pingjiang River, connecting to Wanfo Temple and linking directly to the Grand Canal, was originally a beautiful place with clear waters and lush mountains, but one day..."
Upon hearing about the road conditions she wanted, Mei Sheng carefully sketched the terrain in her mind to deepen her memory.
"Miss, have you finished telling this? Would you like to hear some more stories?" Chun Tao swallowed her dry throat and turned her gaze to the gold and silver.
Mei Sheng rested her chin on her hand and shook her head, then took out a pair of gold bracelets and gave them to her.
This habit of listening to storybooks was originally fabricated to send her messages; now that she's finally going out, she doesn't need to listen to that monstrous sound anymore. Most storybooks these days are written by down-on-their-luck scholars, filled with vulgar, sentimental fantasies.
This time, Chun Tao was all smiles. She bit the gold bracelet and, seeing that it was solid, was in a great mood and paid little attention to Mei Sheng.
Mei Sheng sketched a rough outline of what she had in mind onto a piece of paper, letting it fall into a corner without batting an eye.
On the official road leading to Wanfo Temple, a large bamboo forest is passed along the way. The forest is quiet and dark, with the branches and leaves rustling.
"What is that?"
A sudden exclamation startled Mei Sheng, causing her hand to tremble slightly. It turned out that there was a commotion outside the carriage, with some people shouting something passionately.
Mei Sheng frowned, lifted the carriage curtain, and followed the old woman's gaze toward the noisy area.
The road was quite winding when a rapid sound of iron hooves suddenly came, and a chilling atmosphere rushed towards us.
Through the blazing sun, Mei Sheng gazed at the disciplined and orderly army. The ranks were impeccably orderly, the only sound the clanging of armor against armor, a sound that seemed to send a chilling wind and snowstorm through the air.
A luxurious yet understated carriage was at the head of the procession, with cavalrymen on the side and rear gripping black and gold banners tightly, making a whooshing sound that stirred up bamboo leaves that hovered in the air before just managing to fall back down.
The character “Pei” was written in large letters on the flag.
Excited and mesmerized, Chun Tao flung open the curtain and called out, "It's...it's Governor Pei's carriage returning to the capital!"
Mei Sheng was stunned for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said, "What a coincidence."
While everyone was focused on the carriage, Mei Sheng quickly observed the scenery around her. This bamboo forest matched the strange tale from earlier. All she had to do was follow the westward path and circle half a mountain to reach the Pingjiang River ferry.
This road is too arduous to travel. If we continue along this official road and reach Wanfo Temple, we can find an opportunity to escape and then follow the stream path...
The leaves in the bamboo grove suddenly rustled loudly, making her heart skip a beat and feel inexplicably flustered.
not good.
A loud shout suddenly erupted from the dense forest, and dozens of dark figures emerged from the depths of the woods. They were all masked, carrying blades and crossbows, exuding a ruthless and fearless aura.
"Kill the traitor Pei!"
Upon witnessing this sudden assassination attempt, the Crown Princess's guards surrounded the entire group, maintaining a tight defense.
Panic gripped everyone's hearts in an instant.
Under the rain of arrows, the guards cautiously parried with their swords, but some arrows still pierced the walls of the carriage where Mei Sheng was, leaving only the trembling tails of the arrows.
The crowd outside the car became agitated. Chun Tao's face turned pale, her expression filled with terror, and she huddled in a ball.
Mei Sheng had never seen such a scene in her life, and she couldn't help but feel flustered and her hands trembled.
In the Eastern Mu Dynasty, those who wield swords, bows, and crossbows are either soldiers or elite warriors from powerful families.
It's obvious at a glance who this game is set up for!
However, with Pei's guards here, there shouldn't be any major problems, Mei Sheng reassured herself.
Just as they calmed down, the horse suddenly neighed, and a sharp arrow unexpectedly pierced its belly, causing blood to gush out. The carriage was about to tip over.
At the rear of the procession, where the guards were fewest, the horse, in pain, charged wildly in one direction. The guards, seeing that it was not an important person, dared not risk their lives to stop it.
The carriage was swaying violently. Chun Tao was too close to the carriage door and lost her grip, causing half of her body to tilt. Before falling, she deliberately grabbed at Mei Sheng.
But he could only grab half a sleeve before falling down.
Mei Sheng breathed a sigh of relief, focusing her attention entirely on the present moment and trying to regain her balance. Fortunately, Aunt Lin's daily dance practice did have some benefits.
For an unknown amount of time, the coachman was still trying his best to control the direction. The sounds of hooves and swords grew increasingly faint until they disappeared completely. After a period of upheaval, the carriage finally returned to calm.
Mei Sheng's wrist scraped against a large wooden splinter, and blood stained her green silk robe like fallen plum blossoms.
She winced in pain and let out a soft breath. Since there was no medicine available, she could only rummage through the wooden box scattered on the ground and find a piece of embroidered cloth, which she tightly wrapped around the wound and carefully pressed.
When Mei Sheng staggered off the carriage, she found the coachman lying unconscious on the grass.
The surrounding area was a vast forest, and in the distance was a winding river, which should be a tributary of the Pingjiang River.
Mei Sheng took a deep breath, suppressing her wildly beating heart. Although this wasn't the best way to escape, if she missed this opportunity, she might not have another chance like this.
Without hesitation, she quickly lifted the bottom panel of the wooden box, took out a men's robe that she had spent several nights embroidering, and changed out of her outer garment.
The appropriate thickness was sewn into the inner waist of the robe in advance to increase the waist circumference.
She pulled a piece of silk cloth from the sleeve of her outer garment and quickly stuffed it into a hidden pocket in her robe. It was covered in dark, murky medicine, which she had vomited out when Chun Tao wasn't looking.
Mei Sheng decided not to take the hairpins and other items scattered on the ground, but only kept a few pearls as travel expenses for her journey south.
She tossed the hairpin in her hair to the roadside, left messy footprints, threw her embroidered shoes and clothes into the water, then messed up her hair, changed into special men's shoes, and pulled out the map she had drawn herself from the corner and put it away.
Mei Sheng also scooped up some damp yellow mud and smeared it on his face as he ran. Only when the footprints disappeared into the dry downstream area did Mei Sheng detour and run upstream.
Even if they realize she didn't fall into the water, they will still search downstream to buy her more time to escape.
Mei Sheng was panting heavily, but she didn't feel tired at all. Instead, she continued to style her hair into a man's hairstyle and casually grabbed a dead branch from the road and stuck it in place.
Overwhelmed with emotion, she headed towards the Pingjiang River ferry.
—
It was the height of the osmanthus season, with osmanthus trees dotting the towering peaks. The petals drifted into the mountain streams, enveloping the entire forest in a cool fragrance, and even the shadows cast beneath the trees were hard to avoid.
The man stood with his hands behind his back under the osmanthus tree, his back to the stream. Tall and elegant, he possessed a refined and understated air. He wore a plain blue robe with a white jade pendant hanging from his waist. His face was like jade, his nose like a hanging gall bladder, and he had the air of someone with a bright pearl by his side.
Behind him were several men with long blades at their waists, all dressed in gray, with cloths covering their faces, their eyes and brows revealing sharpness.
The man unfastened the long blade at his waist with one hand, poured water over it to wash it, and as the blood faded, the cold gleam deepened, adding to his sinister aura.
A moment later, a man rushed out of the jungle, knelt down and bowed: "Sir, the remaining man has fled to the mountains near Pingjiang River to hide."
He hesitated for a moment: "In addition, Your Majesty's carriage on the way back to the capital was indeed ambushed by several people. Those assassins showed no mercy when they encountered the Crown Princess's carriage."
Before the leader could react, one of them jumped down from the tree, threw the flower branch he was holding to the ground, and said urgently, "Then let's hurry and chase after him. He's seriously injured. If he dies on the way, we won't be able to find what we're looking for."
The young man was dressed in a red robe with stiff cloth straps tied around his wrists, and he was full of youthful vigor.
He then plucked a few weeds from his hair, casually broke off a tender grass root from the stream, and put it in his mouth, exuding a sense of ruggedness and adventure.
The man in plain clothes remained unmoved by the urging, merely shaking the water droplets in his hand, exuding an imposing aura.
His eyes were like deep pools as he lowered his gaze and wiped the cold blade, seemingly with ease and complete control.
Qingyao chewed the grass in her mouth, spat it out, and teased recklessly, "Why don't you go protect your sweetheart whom you haven't seen for many years? Even if you don't find him this time, what is there to fear about Pei Jue?"
The people behind him seemed not to hear.
The man in plain clothes remained silent. He gently stroked the hilt of his sword, the tassel of which was simple and worn, yet he had never replaced it, showing how much he cared for it.
As one handles this object, the oppressive aura emanating from it intensifies, sending chills down one's spine.
Once the long blade is drawn, blood must be drawn.
The man in plain clothes finally raised his eyes and spoke, his eyes as cold as stars, his voice devoid of any emotion.
"Everyone, listen up! Search the mountain!"
"You, go and bring Han Zhou over."
The boy who was called out hung his head and patted his mouth as a form of punishment.
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