Inside the room.
The shopkeeper looked deeply troubled as he handed over a bank draft. “Madam, it is clear at a glance that you possess extraordinary skills and knowledge. I have a sworn brother who also makes his living raising and trading horses. Unfortunately, he has fallen victim to a malicious scheme and now faces the loss of his entire family’s livelihood and property. I can only hope that you might be willing to lend him your assistance.”
He then presented a letter to her with both hands.
When Shen Ying unfolded the letter, she saw that the handwriting was neat and elegant. After reading through the contents quickly, she shook her head gently. “Shopkeeper, the truth is, I only happened to come across a useful formula by chance. But as for your brother’s situation, I am afraid there is nothing I can do to help.”
The letter had been written to ask for aid. It stated that all the horses belonging to the shopkeeper’s brother had suddenly begun suffering from severe vomiting and diarrhea, and when blood was drawn from the animals for examination, it was discovered to be dark and discolored—clear signs of poisoning.
Shen Ying did have some basic understanding of how to care for and treat horses, but when it came to matters involving poisons and antidotes, her knowledge was limited and she was powerless to offer a solution.
While she had encountered many different types of poisons during her time in the imperial palace and knew how to counteract some of them, all those remedies had been developed exclusively for human use.
Beads of sweat formed on the shopkeeper’s forehead as he spoke anxiously, “What on earth are we going to do? This business is the only source of income and security my brother and his family have left.”
Shen Ying spread her hands helplessly. “I truly wish I could help you, but I really have no way of resolving this matter.”
Seeing that Shen Ying was genuinely unable to provide the assistance he sought, the shopkeeper had no choice but to formally hand over the horses and the completed carriage to them with courtesy, before sending them on their way.
When they returned to the small courtyard, everyone immediately gathered around the carriage, eager to examine it closely.
From the outside, the small vehicle appeared worn out and dilapidated, giving no hint of its true nature. But inside, every part had been designed with great ingenuity and meticulous attention to detail.
Iron plates had been installed within the walls to block and deflect the blows of sharp weapons, while hidden defensive devices had been placed all around the interior. If a small concealed button was pressed, countless poisoned silver needles would shoot out instantly, a single measure that could easily overpower any attackers, should they ever be set upon by bandits or robbers.
The wheels of the carriage had also been specially constructed. Concealed compartments had been built into their edges, as well as both above and below the wheel structures, providing extra storage space that was almost impossible for ordinary people to detect or access.
Chunya and Tudou had never ridden in such a carriage before, and once they climbed inside, they were so captivated by everything they saw that they could hardly bring themselves to step out again.
Wei Jinhu, meanwhile, automatically took his place on the driver’s seat at the front of the vehicle. “From now on, the job of driving this carriage belongs to me.”
Tudou poked his head out from inside the carriage and said, “I can help too, so that Brother Wei doesn’t have to do all the work and get exhausted.”
“I can also help,” Chunya added, sticking her small head out as well.
Seeing how happy and excited they all were, Shen Ying felt a great weight lift from her heart. “Having two such fine carriages would draw far too much unwanted attention, so we will only use this one. The interior is spacious enough that you can sit comfortably, or lie down and rest when you feel tired. Of course, you are also free to walk alongside the carriage whenever you wish, if sitting inside becomes too tedious.”
To be honest, although carriages in this ancient era saved people from the effort of walking long distances, they were far from comfortable. The roads were rough and uneven, causing constant jolting and shaking, and sitting inside for long periods could be quite uncomfortable and exhausting. If given the choice, most people would have preferred to ride horses or travel on foot instead.
Wei Jinhu had taken an immediate liking to the horses that would pull the carriage, and he treated them with great care and affection. “What about their feed and hay? Should we buy extra supplies? These horses need to be well fed and nourished to keep up their strength.”
Shen Ying could not help but laugh at his concern. “Of course we will make sure they are properly fed and cared for. By the way, later we should go to the market and see if we can find any animal hides or furs. Buy several good quality pieces. We will lay them down as padding inside the carriage, and if we have to spend the night out in the open countryside, they can also be used as blankets and bedding.”
As early autumn was approaching, the weather was gradually turning cooler, and they would need suitable items to keep warm during their travels.
At the mention of buying furs and hides, Wei Jinhu’s eyes lit up with enthusiasm. “Leave this task to me! I know exactly how to pick out the best quality materials.”
He had spent many years hunting in the mountains and forests, so he was very familiar with how to identify good hides and tell them apart from inferior ones.
The group divided their tasks and went their separate ways. Wei Jinhu took Tudou with him to purchase the necessary supplies, while Shen Ying and Chunya stayed behind at the courtyard to take care of various preparations and arrangements.
Inside the house.
Looking at the rough, coarse cloth Shen Ying had bought, Chunya wore a look of confusion. “What are we planning to do with all this material?”
“You silly girl, think about it. If we use fine, high-quality furs and hides openly, what would happen if other people noticed them? We need to keep a low profile and avoid attracting attention. We will rub this coarse cloth repeatedly to make it look old and worn, then we will sew it into outer covers for our bedding and cushions, and tuck the valuable furs safely inside where they cannot be seen.”
Chunya nodded her head vigorously in understanding. “That makes perfect sense. If we don’t take these precautions, someone might try to steal them from us.”
Several hours later, the cloth covers were completed.
When Wei Jinhu and Tudou returned with the furs they had purchased, Shen Ying immediately set to work. She used some of the material to make thick blankets and padded bedding, while the rest was fashioned into clothing.
Of course, even the clothes they made were covered with the same worn and ragged outer layers, making them look no different from the simple garments worn by displaced and impoverished people.
As night fell, the whole group gathered around the table, eating their meal heartily.
“We have been working hard all day, and I am absolutely starving,” Wei Jinhu said, lowering his voice slightly as he continued. “But I have heard that security and surveillance in the county town have been getting stricter these past few days. It seems the authorities are searching for some kind of wanted fugitive.”
Shen Ying shook her head calmly. “There is nothing to worry about. Even if they are hunting down criminals, this matter has nothing to do with us.”
As far as the powerful figures in the imperial capital were concerned, they believed the young prince had been taken in the opposite direction, and it would never occur to them that Shen Ying would choose to travel the exact opposite way to what they expected.
After they had finished eating, Shen Ying spoke to them in a serious and solemn tone. “We will continue our journey tomorrow. I have a few important instructions to give you all today. Get a good night’s sleep, because we will set out very early tomorrow morning. Also, take these items and keep them safe. If for any reason we become separated from one another along the way, you must leave these specific marks and signs to indicate your whereabouts…”
Shen Ying had prepared different types of markers and signals for each person, so that if anyone got lost or separated from the group, their location and identity could still be easily identified by the others.
…
The night passed without incident.
As morning came, the sun rose slowly into the sky.
Shen Ying carried the young prince and climbed into the carriage. Chunya and Tudou, worried that the horses might become exhausted if they pulled the heavy vehicle for too long, insisted on walking alongside for a while to lighten the load.
Wei Jinhu sat at the front edge of the carriage to take charge of driving. “You two are such thoughtful and sensible young people. But actually, it is good that you are out here with me. You can watch closely and learn how to handle and drive a carriage—it is a very useful and practical skill to master.”
Although he had never driven a horse-drawn carriage before, he had experience driving ox carts, so he quickly picked up the necessary techniques and within a short time, he was handling the carriage with confidence and skill.
Before long, they arrived at the city gates.
“Good heavens, what is going on here? There are far too many people gathered here this early in the morning.”
Shen Ying lifted the carriage curtain and looked out to see a dense crowd stretching as far as the eye could see, and a feeling of unease rose in her chest. “You are right, there really are an extraordinary number of people here.”
Normally, people entering or leaving the city had to line up and wait for inspection, but the lines had never stretched this far or become this long. At a rough estimate, there must have been at least several hundred people queuing up.
Shen Ying told Chunya to climb back into the carriage and placed the young prince safely in her care. “You all stay here and wait in the line. I will go and find out exactly what is happening.”
Wei Jinhu frowned with concern. “Sister Ying, let me go and check instead.”
“There is no need. You stay here and wait as I told you. Tudou, you should also get into the carriage and stay safe.”
After giving them clear instructions, Shen Ying wrapped a headscarf around her hair and made her way over to a small stall selling wonton soup.
The shopkeeper was busy serving customers, yet he could not stop himself from muttering to himself, “It’s actually quite good for business that they are hunting fugitives these days. My wonton stall has never been so busy and profitable.”
Shen Ying walked over with a friendly smile. “Please give me a few tea eggs. This weather is already unbearably hot, and look how people are struggling to catch their breath in this heat, yet they still have to wait in such long lines. It is really too much to endure. Can you tell me what is going on here? Has something serious happened?”
Tea eggs were sold for one copper coin each, and Shen Ying, acting very generously, bought ten of them all at once.
The shopkeeper beamed with delight at the large sale. “You probably haven’t heard the news yet. The imperial court has issued orders to capture a high-priority criminal wanted by the emperor himself.”