“I just came back from the capital, and the place is in total chaos. Her Imperial Highness the Noble Consort is dead, and another imperial consort has also passed away. Oh my goodness, the whole city is awash in blood…”
“Is that really true? Don’t just make things up and talk nonsense.”
“What does a young whippersnapper like you know? I saw it all with my own eyes. I heard it was Her Highness Consort Wan…”
Consort Wan.
Could it be that she too suffered because of her association with the Noble Consort?
Consort Wan was known for her innocent and lively nature, and she had only entered the imperial palace less than a year earlier. Because she had won the emperor’s favor shortly after arriving, she had faced constant exclusion and hostility from others. On one occasion, the Noble Consort had helped her quite by chance, and from that moment on, Consort Wan had become her most devoted and loyal companion.
It was almost impossible to believe that such a bright and innocent young woman had also lost her life.
In that instant, Shen Ying felt a cold chill seep up from the soles of her feet and spread through her whole body. Hearing that the conversation was still focused on events within the palace, she ordered another bowl of wonton soup, sat down again, and listened closely to every word being spoken.
Shortly after finishing her meal, Shen Ying returned to the carriage, her mind still reeling and her thoughts scattered.
Seeing that her face had turned slightly pale, Wei Jinhu looked at her with deep concern. “Sister Ying, has something gone wrong? You can rest assured that even if I have to risk my own life, I will get you safely out of this city.”
Shen Ying pulled herself back from her troubled thoughts and shook her head. “It is nothing to worry about. This matter has nothing to do with us.”
She climbed into the carriage and held the young prince tightly in her arms.
The child, completely unaware of the troubles unfolding around them, was fast asleep with a rosy, round face.
With his delicate, fine features, the young prince looked as though he had been carved from jade and painted with the most beautiful colors—truly an adorable sight. Yet as soon as Shen Ying thought of what had happened within the palace, tears welled up in her eyes.
Only a short period of time had passed, and already such catastrophic events had shaken the imperial court.
Consort Wan was gone, and one by one, everyone who had been close to or allied with the Noble Consort had also met their end.
When she closed her eyes, all she could see was a vision of blood-red chaos.
Shen Ying’s body trembled uncontrollably. “It will be all right. Even if I have to give up my own life, I will protect you and make sure you are reunited with your family.”
It was unclear whether the young prince could understand her words, but just as she spoke, he woke up. He stared around with wide, confused eyes and waved his small arms and legs about in innocent excitement.
A soft smile touched the corners of Shen Ying’s lips. “Our young prince is blessed with great fortune and will surely live a long and prosperous life.”
Chunya and Tudou, having no idea what had occurred, sat quietly to the side, keeping out of the way and making as little noise as possible.
The sun blazed high in the sky, and the air inside the carriage grew hot and stifling.
Shen Ying lifted the carriage curtain and caught sight of a figure darting past in the distance. Her expression changed instantly. “Was that him?”
No, it could not be.
The capital was thousands of miles away from this place, and there was no way he would have traveled all this distance to come here.
Before long, they finally reached the city gates.
Following Shen Ying’s earlier instructions, Wei Jinhu acted with deliberate generosity and slipped a gold nugget into the hand of the guard on duty. “Sir, as you can see, my family consists only of women and children. If we are delayed any longer, we will be forced to travel through the night. I beg you to show us some mercy and let us pass.”
Having received the valuable gift, the guard’s attitude immediately became much more accommodating. “Very well. It is clear enough that you are not fugitives or criminals. Hurry along and be on your way.”
“Thank you so much, Sir. We are truly grateful.”
Wei Jinhu bowed and nodded repeatedly, wearing an obsequious smile on his face.
At last, the carriage passed through the gates and left the city behind.
However, as soon as they came into view of the displaced people gathered outside, their eyes gleaming with hunger and greed like those of wild beasts, even Wei Jinhu—who had learned martial arts and possessed some fighting skills—could not help but feel a sense of unease and anxiety.
He pulled back the curtain and called out, “Chunya, Tudou, come out here and take hold of these weapons.”
In such troubled and dangerous times, they had no choice but to make their strength and determination clear. If they appeared defenseless, they would be no better than fish laid out on a chopping block, waiting to be taken advantage of.
Chunya picked up a large butcher’s knife, jumped down from the carriage, and looked around with sharp, watchful eyes that served as a clear warning to anyone who might have had ill intentions.
Tudou followed her example exactly. Though he was clearly terrified and his legs were shaking so badly he could barely stand, he still stood firmly at the other side of the carriage, refusing to show weakness.
Wei Jinhu watched them and felt a deep sense of satisfaction and pride in their courage.
Inside the carriage, Shen Ying held the young prince close in her arms. She lifted the curtain slightly to observe the situation outside, and her palms grew damp with nervous sweat.
The world had truly fallen into disorder and chaos.
Outside the city walls, these displaced people had been denied entry and were forced to remain in the open. Their clothes were tattered and ragged, and hunger had left them weak and light-headed.
How much longer could these people endure such suffering?
Desperation drives people to do desperate things.
If their hunger became too severe and they truly believed they were facing death by starvation, it was highly likely they would stop at nothing and risk their lives to rush forward and seize whatever food and supplies they could find.
As if sensing the tension and fear building up inside Shen Ying, the young prince nestled in her arms began to make soft, babbling sounds.
Shen Ying held him even tighter and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.
With Wei Jinhu and the others standing guard and presenting a formidable front, the displaced people, though clearly filled with greed and longing, did not have the courage to step forward and attack or rob them.
The carriage passed safely through the crowd and soon reached the main official road. Only then did Shen Ying and her companions let out long sighs of relief.
“We must move faster and try to reach the next village before nightfall so we can find a place to stay.”
Since they were traveling with several young children, it was far safer and more comfortable to spend the night in a village than to camp out in the open countryside.
Wei Jinhu acknowledged her words with a nod, cracked his whip lightly, and the horses immediately broke into a swift gallop.
As darkness fell, Shen Ying and her group still had not managed to find a suitable village to stop at. Left with no other choice, they decided to spend the night in an old, abandoned temple.
However, when they arrived, they found that others had already occupied the best and most sheltered spots within the building.
Shen Ying stepped inside, looked around briefly, and frowned slightly. “Let’s go and rest over there instead.”
Although the temple was quite large, nearly all the most convenient and comfortable areas had already been taken. With no other options available, Shen Ying and her companions made their way to a corner of the building near the windows. The wind blew strongly outside, and even inside the temple, there was still a constant draft, though they were fortunate to have two solid walls providing some protection.
To ensure that no one caught a chill during the night, Shen Ying immediately asked the others to bring out the fur-lined bedding they had prepared and disguised, and spread it out on the ground.
Chunya, Tudou, and the others looked on with obvious reluctance and distress, clearly unwilling to use such valuable items and what they considered a waste of precious resources.
Shen Ying spoke with firm determination. “That is enough. Do not waste any more time. Hurry and get everything ready so we can all rest properly.”
There were many people around them, including displaced travelers and merchants passing through the area, and the crowd was a mix of all kinds of individuals. To guard against any possible danger or unexpected trouble during the night, Shen Ying arranged for everyone to take turns keeping watch.
In addition, they set up a small stove nearby and brewed a medicinal soup known to strengthen the body and improve health.
For their evening meal, they ate simple cornmeal buns along with the medicinal soup, making do with what they had.
As the night grew deeper and darker, Shen Ying lay down surrounded by her companions, holding the young prince securely in her arms, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
The duty of keeping watch was shared among them, and the hours just before dawn were always the longest and most difficult to endure. To ensure maximum safety, Wei Jinhu had arranged for Chunya and Tudou to stand guard during the first half of the night, while he would take over responsibility for the second half.
Just as everyone was fast asleep, the sound of wolves howling suddenly echoed through the night air.
“Owwoo…”
In an instant, every person in the temple was jolted awake, their eyes wide with shock and alarm.
Wei Jinhu, Chunya, Tudou, and the others reacted with lightning speed. They immediately drew their weapons and gathered around Shen Ying, forming a protective barrier around her.
Shen Ying acted quickly and decisively. “What are you waiting for? Light torches right away—wolves are terrified of fire.”
Everyone responded immediately, taking out the torches they had prepared in advance, lighting them quickly, and holding them high, with weapons firmly gripped in their other hands.
After waiting and listening carefully for some time, they confirmed that the pack of wolves had not yet drawn close to the temple. Shen Ying stepped out from behind the others and walked over to the window. “Someone among you is carrying a substance that attracts wolves.”
She spoke slowly and clearly, her gaze moving from one person to another as she studied each face closely.
“Who is it that wants to harm us? How heartless and cruel can you be? The world is already in such a terrible state, and yet you still want to feed us to the wolves just to cause trouble?”
“Who among you has this substance on your person? Step forward right now. If you bring disaster and danger upon me, I will make sure you pay dearly for it.”
The people in the temple began looking suspiciously at one another, each person doubting and accusing those around them.
Before long, Shen Ying’s attention was drawn to a delicate young woman standing among the crowd. She looked at her intently and asked, “Miss, do you happen to be wearing a scented pouch?”