Chapter 459 My Name
A few hours later, as night fell, Yan Shijiu brought Yun Chen to the gate of Kyoto.
Because of the current law that women cannot go out in public at will, he has tried his best to let Yun Chen dress up as a maid, wearing a hat and a veil when going out, but he can only stand at the city gate to see her off.
Yun Chen looked from afar and saw a dozen imperial guards escorting Yun Wang and Zhu, who were wearing linen clothes and had shackles on their feet, out of the city gate.
When he saw that even the little Yunliancheng's feet were locked with heavy iron chains, almost dragging his little feet so that he could not walk.
Thinking about the long journey of thousands of miles through the mountains and rivers, the bitter cold and more than a hundred days of walking, the torture and humiliation, before reaching Youzhou on foot, and whether Yun Liancheng's little body could survive, Yun Chen felt heartbroken, and tears gradually wet his veil.
Yan Shijiu gently lifted her veil, just like at the spring banquet many years ago, lowered his head and came in, shrouded in the veil with her.
He wiped her tears and comforted her softly:
"Don't worry. I told you I've made arrangements along the way, and I'll take care of everything. I've already privately paid the yamen runners enough gold. As soon as we leave Kyoto, I'll have Yun Wang and the others take a carriage, and as long as they're out of sight, I'll remove their shackles. They'll be well fed and well-drinked along the way, with no beatings or scolding. I'll protect them perfectly. Don't worry."
"Yeah." Yun Chen responded with a heavy nasal tone, feeling more and more grateful to Yan Shijiu.
She adjusted her veil and looked in Yunwang's direction again. She was surprised to find that the leader of the team that came to escort them out of the city was actually the censor Wu Huaian.
It was rare for such a high-ranking and powerful official to personally go out of the city to escort the exiles. Yun Chen asked curiously.
Yan Shijiu only said: "It is like this when a villain is in power. He is bound to laugh at the jokes of his seniors. Let's go. If you stay out for too long, it will easily attract attention. It will be bad if the emperor finds out." Then he pulled Yun Chen away.
At the city gate, the imperial guards handed Yun Wang's family over to the four yamen runners in charge of escort, then saluted Wu Huaian and withdrew.
After the imperial guards had gone far away, Wu Huaian took out a heavy bag of silver from his bosom, handed it to the leading yamen runner, and said earnestly:
"Excuse me, gentlemen."
This meant that they were asked to take better care of Yun Wang's family. The yamen runners looked at each other in confusion.
Before the exiled prisoners left, their family and friends who had the means would come to ask the yamen runners for help and ask for their care. This was very common.
But this was the first time that the yamen runners had to escort Yun Wang down from his high position as prime minister.
Not to mention, three payments have been received in succession, and the amount is unprecedentedly huge.
The four yamen runners knew that the Yun family should not be underestimated, so they handed over money and promised to take good care of them. Then they tactfully made an excuse to pack their bags and horses, stepped back a little, and let Wu Huaian talk to Yun Wang.
Yun Wang's expression remained calm and composed. Everything that was happening was already within his expectations. He had also decided to withdraw from this treacherous Kyoto.
So, he was not sad.
Wu Huaian's eyes were red, and he looked sad yet relieved. He said:
"Lord Yun, I'm afraid we'll never meet again. Please take care of yourself. I wish you peace and success."
Yun Wang nodded, but did not respond with polite words. Instead, he asked:
"Why?"
Since the army returned to the capital, Yun Wang had seen Huo Gannian's arrogance and recklessness, the blood-spattered scene at the palace banquet, the conspiracy of Nan Lijun and Yan Shijiu, and the inevitable outcome of Yun Chen handing over his military power. He also knew that the Yun family's fate was already doomed.
But the only thing he couldn't understand was why Wu Huaian, a peaceful little eunuch, would get involved in this life and death situation and embark on a path that would lead to his death.
Wu Huaian moved his mouth, but didn't know how to answer for a moment.
He wanted to say that one evening half a year ago, at this hour of You, when he went to deliver plum soup to Nan Lijun, he accidentally left the key to the lunch box in Feng Yutian Palace.
When he returned to get it, he saw Nan Lijun nestled in Yan Shijiu's arms, saying something happily:
"Why not support Yun Wang and make him the 'great traitor'? Using the lives of his wife and children to force him to impeach Huo Gannian and Yun Chen, what a riot between brother and sister! Then, under the pretext of 'cleansing the imperial court', I can justifiably kill Yun Wang's entire family. This way, I can appease public anger and make everyone think I was deceived by the treacherous ministers. Secondly, the Yun family will be extinct, with only women remaining, and they will never be able to cause any trouble again."
Hearing this, Wu Huaian was stunned and felt cold all over.
He was not afraid of hearing this huge secret, but was deeply worried about Yun Wang who was about to fall into hell.
After only a moment's consideration, Wu Huaian made the most important, terrifying, and unrepentant decision of his life:
He rushed out to confess his crime, saying that he had accidentally overheard the emperor discussing important matters. Since he had already heard it, he might as well be the "traitor".
Nan Lijun thought for a moment and asked Wu Huaian to act like a treacherous minister.
Wu Huaian dealt with ministers who were arrogant and looked down on others every day, so he learned it very realistically and naturally, which made Nan Lijun laugh and agree.
Wu Huaian knew that he would die sooner or later, and for the sake of Quan Nanlijun's reputation.
But he is not afraid and does not regret it. When he thinks about it carefully, why?
He looked into Yunwang's eyes——
Perhaps it was because, after twenty years of working humbly in the hall of the Censorate, Yun Wang was the only one who did not ignore him like the others, and only Yun Wang would say "thank you" to him every time he came to refill his plum soup.
Maybe it’s because for twenty years, everyone has called him “Hey,” “Little Eunuch,” and “Eunuch Wu.”
Only Yun Wang would smile and call him "Huaian" and say:
"'Humility and Peace in All Seasons' is a good name. Your father and mother must love you very much."
Wu Huaian wanted to say, what about "Ruogu" and "Ping'an", they were children from poor families, their parents hired someone to castrate them and sold them to old eunuchs, just to make a living, there was no such thing as pain.
Wu Huaian resented this androgynous life as a slave, but he never hated his parents. After all, his grandmother was dying and his parents needed money to buy a coffin.
I still remember that year, my grandmother held his hand, not wanting him to be taken away by the old eunuch, crying, "No! Just wrap me in a straw mat! Don't ruin the child! Huai'an can become an official! Don't ruin him!"
At that time, the whole family thought that grandma was dying and was talking nonsense. They didn’t expect that Wu Huaian is now a real official.
Although he was dying and still held a powerless and empty position, at least Wu Huaian finally knew what it felt like to speak to people with his back straight.
All of this came to Wu Huaian's mind, but he didn't want to tell Yun Wang about it. He smiled and said:
"Who doesn't like high positions and generous salaries?"
Yun Wang naturally wouldn't believe this. He guessed that Wu Huaian must have his own difficulties, so he bowed to him sincerely, then dragged his shackles and slowly walked away with his wife and children.
Looking at Yun Wang's receding figure, Wu Huaian smiled with tears in his eyes and murmured:
"Lord Yunwang, it is my honor to die for you..."
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