Yun Duoduo walked back to her bedroom with a sigh, lay on the bed and looked out the window.
[Waaaaah, Brother Jinzhi, she didn't even get to see him one last time before he left!]
Yun Duoduo suddenly burst into tears, which surprised even herself. Tears streamed down her face.
【It's all Xijing's fault!】
Why does that madman from Western Chu insist on marrying her?
[Just because the Grand Preceptor of Western Chu said she was a celestial maiden?]
[She's completely out of her mind; she believes everything she hears and keeps her from having a moment's peace.]
No, I can't let Sumire-nii-san be in such a dangerous situation. This whole thing started because of me, I have to go and see what's going on.
Yun Duoduo wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, sniffed with a handkerchief, got out of bed, and began to quietly pack her things.
Since we're heading to Western Chu, the journey is bound to be bumpy.
She needs to bring silver, clothes, and poison.
As for medicine to heal injuries, Yun Duoduo doesn't need to worry. She has a medicine box, and if she is really injured and needs medicine, she can just take it from the medicine box.
While Ah Xiang and Granny Liu were busy outside, Yun Duoduo tidied everything up.
She placed a long-sleeved shirt and trousers on the bedside table; when going on a long trip, she needed to wear clothes that allowed her to move around easily.
"Princess, lunch is ready!"
"good!"
Yun Duoduo hid the things and went to the front hall for lunch.
...
In the afternoon, Yun Duoduo massaged her grandmother's shoulders, then went to the Zichen Palace to help Yun Beiye read two memorials. After dinner, she returned to her own palace.
...
At night, seeing that there was no movement outside, Yun Duoduo quietly got up.
After packing her things, she quietly left the palace, intending to go find Zheng Ningxiang.
[This journey is too far, and I've never been to Western Chu before.]
We need to find someone to help us.
They scaled walls and rooftops, eventually arriving at Granny Xue's house. The candles had already been blown out, and it seemed she was already asleep.
Just as Yun Duoduo was hesitating whether to knock on the door, the candles inside suddenly lit up again.
"Come in!"
Yun Duoduo looked inside in surprise and pushed the door open to go in.
"Grandma Xue, did I wake you up?"
Yun Duoduo was very surprised. She was also a martial artist and moved very lightly. She didn't expect that even though she was being so careful, Granny Xue would still notice her.
"Duoduo, are we going to Western Chu?"
Grandma Xue didn't answer her question, but looked at her with a smile.
"Grandma Xue, you already know?"
"Yes, let Ningxiang go with you. That way, you can look out for each other."
Yun Duoduo looked at Granny Xue with gratitude, but also with some worry: "If Ningxiang leaves with me and doesn't come back for a while, what will you do, Granny Xue?"
Yun Duoduo knew that Zheng Ningxiang usually did the laundry and cooking. If Zheng Ningxiang was taken away by her, there would be no one to serve Granny Xue.
"You don't need to worry about that. There are plenty of people in the Plum Blossom Pavilion. It's not difficult to find one or two to serve me."
Grandma Xue shook her head: "Besides, I am old, but not useless. I can still do my own laundry and cooking."
Yun Duoduo looked at Granny Xue and smiled shyly.
"I've heard that the defense map of Western Chu is kept in the imperial palace in the capital of Western Chu."
After exchanging a few casual words, Granny Xue's expression turned serious, and she began to speak about serious matters.
"A map of the Western Chu's defenses?" Yun Duoduo had never heard of this map before.
Granny Xue nodded: "As long as we get the defense map of this capital, we can send troops to destroy it in one fell swoop."
"Grandma Xue, what a brilliant plan!"
Yun Duoduo nodded.
Originally, Yun Duoduo wanted to confront Xi Jing, but going directly to him would be a reckless and foolish act, tantamount to throwing her life away.
However, after hearing what Granny Xue said, she decided that she and Zheng Ningxiang would go straight to Xi Jing's stronghold in the capital, steal the defense map, and threaten him.
At this moment, Xi Jing has led his troops to fight in the Western Sea and is certainly not in the palace.
This is the best time to seize (steal) the defense map.
"Thank you, Granny Xue!"
If this defense map could be found before the two countries went to war, it would be possible to threaten Xijing into withdrawing its troops.
The people of both countries will no longer have to die tragically on the battlefield for no reason.
...
The next morning, inside the Fushuang Palace, Ah Xiang was the first to discover that Yun Duoduo was missing.
"Princess! The princess is missing!"
Ah Xiang searched everywhere but couldn't find Yun Duoduo. She was so anxious that she broke out in a cold sweat, her eyes were red, and her hands were tightly clasped together.
Granny Liu and Xiao Liu were also very anxious, but Xiao Liu was the calmest.
He knew Yun Duoduo well; he knew that the princess often left the palace on her own, and that if she did leave, she would always leave a message.
He carefully observed his surroundings.
Suddenly, several letters were found on the table.
"Look, that must be a letter left by the princess!"
The group quickly walked to the table and saw several letters.
The letters were written in hasty handwriting, with names and titles, some addressed to the Empress Dowager and Yun Beiye, and others to the eldest prince, second prince, and third prince.
"This is for His Majesty and the Empress Dowager..."
Ah Xiang, Granny Liu, and Xiao Liuzi didn't dare to delay and quickly set off separately to deliver the letters to their respective places.
The gist of the letter was that she was going out for a while and would be back soon, and that they shouldn't worry.
However, the person who received the letter immediately guessed that she must have gone to Western Chu.
Inside the Zichen Palace, Yun Beiye went mad the moment he saw the letter: "Zhao Zhongquan, convey my decree, send men to search for Duoduo's whereabouts along the road to Western Chu!"
"We must protect Duoduo's safety!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Seeing Yun Beiye's anxious, panicked, and frightened appearance, Zhao Zhongquan was afraid that he might faint and not survive, so he quickly ordered the imperial physicians to guard outside the Zichen Palace and the Jinluan Palace day and night.
...
After reading the letter, the Second Prince Yun Yizhong was filled with deep remorse. He regretted that he had been busy with floods and locust plagues every day and had not devoted more time and care to his younger sister.
"Duoduo, it's all my brother's fault."
The Second Prince's birth mother, Consort Chen, didn't care. She never liked that little girl Yun Duoduo anyway, so it was better that she left; out of sight, out of mind.
"You don't need to blame yourself. That girl always attracts bad suitors, and it has nothing to do with you."
"If you ask me, we should just ignore her," Consort Chen said sarcastically from the side, but Yun Yizhong ignored her.
He clenched his fists and strode out of the palace.
He was to meet with the governors of various regions and instruct the post stations along the routes that if they met the princess, they must provide her with food and silver. If she was willing to return to the palace, he was to arrange for carriages and horses to send her back to the capital and to send a message to the palace by fast horse.
At the same time, he summoned the court painters to send Yun Duoduo's portrait to the post stations along the way.
...
Inside the Prince Rui's mansion, after learning that Yun Duoduo had left Nanyang, Yun Yibo swayed and almost fell to the ground.
"Royal sister, royal sister went to Western Chu all alone?!"
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