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Chapter 60
On an early morning in early July, the hustle and bustle of the dock began anew. Vendors with their wares, farmers coming and going, and travelers preparing to board the boats. A light mist floated over the river, and the first southbound passenger boat to Zizhou had already started to set sail.
Pei Yinniang, dressed in mourning clothes, held a dark brown bundle tightly in her hands, containing her husband’s memorial tablet. The small passenger boat carried Qiu Yuanming’s coffin. Today, she was taking him and their children back to their hometown, likely never to return.
With tears in her eyes, this gentle woman bowed deeply, “Shenxing, thank you.”
Her husband had some conflict with the Sixth Prince, ultimately leading to his suicide in the prince’s residence. Without Yang Yanzong’s help, she feared she wouldn’t have even been able to retrieve his body.
Yang Yanzong, dressed in plain clothes, held the reins of his horse with Su Ci by his side. After a moment of silence, he asked, “Shall I send someone to escort you?”
Pei Yinniang forced a smile and shook her head, “No need. It’s enough that you came to see us off.”
The Sixth Prince’s residence was in turmoil, and Yang Yanzong needed to use his men wisely. It was enough that he came. Although dressed plainly, it was clear he was not an ordinary person. The horse he held was strong and well-groomed, a mount only high-ranking military officers could own. The experienced boatmen ensured that Pei Yinniang and her children would be safely sent back to their hometown. The boatman respectfully greeted them and invited Pei Yinniang and her children into the cabin. The boat’s bell rang, and the anchor was lifted.
Pei Yinniang staggered to the cabin, placing her hand on the black coffin. Her children couldn’t hold back their sobs. The passenger boat set sail, leaving the dock and drifting downstream.
Pei Yinniang waved, holding back her tears, as the black coffin behind her gradually faded from view.
Yang Yanzong watched in silence. After a long time, he sighed. It was a fair trade. He had betrayed Qiu Yuanming, and he had retaliated without mercy. He had given Pei Yinniang money for the journey. This farewell at the dock marked the end of a once-genuine friendship.
— Letting Pei Yinniang and her children go was a repayment for the many times Qiu Yuanming had risked his life to send him information.
Yang Yanzong felt he had let the other side off lightly, but his heart felt much lighter.
The passenger boat grew smaller and smaller, eventually becoming a tiny dot, disappearing from view. Yang Yanzong smiled self-deprecatingly and turned his gaze back, only to find Su Ci looking at him with great interest. Her beautiful eyes sparkled in the morning light.
“What’s up? What are you looking at?” The dock was windy and cool in the early morning. He reached out to adjust her light blue cloak and raised an eyebrow.
Su Ci laughed, her eyes instantly lively. She pursed her lips, “Nothing.”
She had just felt a bit sentimental seeing the complex emotions in Yang Yanzong’s eyes. He wasn’t as cold and heartless as he seemed. Letting Pei Yinniang go was a good thing. If he had killed them all, he would have remembered it for the rest of his life.
Letting them go made it easier for him to move on. It was a good decision.
Of course, Su Ci couldn’t tell him about her thoughts on his “cold and heartless” demeanor. She clasped her hands behind her back, gave a sly smile, and playfully said, “Nothing.”
Yang Yanzong snorted lightly, glanced at her, and flicked her forehead with his finger. “Let’s go.” He helped her onto the horse, leaving the passenger boat far behind.
Yang Yanzong and Su Ci left the dock, but they met a fast rider before they could return to their residence in Yangdu. One of Ji Yuanhao’s men delivered a message between them.
The rider, panting heavily, said, “General Yang, there’s a change in the situation at the Fourth Prince’s residence!”
“I can’t reach my master anymore!”
Yang Yanzong frowned. If he couldn’t join forces with Ji Yuanhao, his original plan might not succeed. “I’ll have A Zhao escort you back.” He lifted Su Ci onto another horse.
“No need,” Su Ci quickly said. “Let A Zhao stay with you. I’ll return with A Zheng and the others.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you at the residence.”
Alright. “Fine,” Yang Yanzong said. “Be careful.” With that, he whipped his horse, and the group of fast riders sped past.
The horses galloped swiftly towards the Fourth Prince’s residence, seventy miles north of Yangdu.
The Fourth Prince was indeed stronger, more vigilant, and more cautious than the Sixth Prince. At the time of the incident, he hadn’t even entered Yangdu, stopping and starting along the way, finally staying at a villa in Lianshan, about seventy miles north of Yangdu. His cautious approach proved to be correct.
The Lianshan villa was not only located in a scenic area by the mountains and water but also had a hidden tunnel over ten miles long.
Yang Yanzong already knew what had happened. The emperor’s imperial guards had arrived too late, and the Fourth Prince had escaped. The villa was empty, with only clueless servants left behind.
Tong Jien quickly turned back to the Fourth Prince’s residence but was still a step too late. The Fourth Prince’s consort and her five young children, all born to the consort, were already gone. Also missing were the wives and children of key figures in the Fourth Prince’s circle, including Ji Yuanhao. In short, everyone who should have been captured had escaped.
When Yang Yanzong arrived at the Lianshan villa, the imperial guards surrounded the place. After a thorough search, the escape tunnel had been found, and Yang Yanzong followed it, discovering that it led directly to a major river. The river was busy with traffic, and the fugitives were long gone.
Tong Jien was anxiously discussing something, but Yang Yanzong, with his sharp eyes, noticed something near the boarding marks. He quickly found a newly carved code on a large rock left by Ji Yuanhao. After searching for a moment, he found a small copper artifact, a miniature version of a general’s long sword, only about a finger’s length. He picked up the token left by Ji Yuanhao, his heart sinking. “This is bad. We need to hurry! The Fourth Prince is going to raise an army!”
Tong Jien gasped, his eyes wide.
They were in a race against time. The Fourth Prince’s fief was in Ansuizhou, on the eastern coast, thousands of miles from Yangdu. However, traveling downstream along the major river, they could reach it in about ten days.
The Fourth Prince was indeed a remarkable figure. Unlike the Sixth Prince, he didn’t have ancestral protection but relied on his own management. His fief flourished, and he had been involved in the succession struggle for nearly twenty years, maintaining a stable position, even slightly better than the Sixth Prince’s residence.
The Fourth Prince was a decisive person. Given the strength of his residence, he could have resisted for a while, but knowing the emperor’s determination, he chose to flee and raise an army instead.
Such a person would have been well-prepared for rebellion. If he succeeded in returning to Ansuizhou, the situation could spiral out of control.
The emperor issued a strict order, commanding Tong Jien, Yang Yanzong, and others to intercept and capture the Fourth Prince or face execution.
Huang Dewei exhaled deeply, frowning. “What do you all think? Water route or land route?”
They knew they had to pursue them quickly, but first, they needed to choose a direction. Would the Fourth Prince sail south along the river or take the more concealed land route? Or would he use a diversion, taking the land route while pretending to use the water route?
Last night, orders were sent out by both water and land routes, with ships and horses setting up checkpoints. The entire area within hundreds of miles around Yangdu came to a standstill. Some clues were found, suggesting the Fourth Prince might have taken the water route, but was it true?
Everyone talked at once, debating water and land routes until their heads spun.
Tong Jien was sweating profusely and constantly wiping his brow. Huang Dewei was also deeply frowning. After listening for a while, he shook his head and finally looked at Yang Yanzong. “General Yang, what do you think?”
Despite their strained relationship, in such critical moments, Huang Dewei trusted Yang Yanzong, a seasoned warrior who had faced life and death countless times on the battlefield. Yang Yanzong’s instincts had become a natural talent.
Yang Yanzong pondered for a long time and said, “If I were the Fourth Prince, I would head downstream along the river immediately, aiming to reach Ansuizhou as quickly as possible.”
Delays could lead to complications. Time was of the essence!
It was known that the emperor’s decree and urgent orders to mobilize the Qinghuai and Liangjiang garrisons had already been issued.
Huang Dewei nodded, agreeing. He had the same thought.
“Alright, let’s board the ships immediately and head east. Search both river banks for clues and find the Fourth Prince’s trail as quickly as possible. Move!”
Immediately, they split into two groups, focusing on the water route. They hurriedly boarded the ship and quickly sailed downstream.
The river wind was brisk and particularly chilly, making their clothes flutter. Yang Yanzong, dressed in black soft armor with a long sword at his waist, stood at the bow of the ship. He pressed his sword and stared at the vast river and bustling riverbanks, pondering. If Ji Yuanhao didn’t manage to escape smoothly, things could get tricky. He had held back some information earlier. He was waiting for Ji Yuanhao. If Ji Yuanhao could escape successfully, intercepting the Fourth Prince would be much more feasible. Otherwise, the success rate would be, at best, fifty-fifty.
Having dealt with the Fourth Prince’s residence for many years, Yang Yanzong knew the Fourth Prince was unfathomable and never underestimated him.
Yang Yanzong’s guess was spot on. Ji Yuanhao was indeed in a precarious situation. Last night, they escaped through the tunnel, boarded the ship, and sailed east. By morning, they had merged with the Fourth Prince’s entourage, leaving no trace of the royal journey.
Ji Yuanhao now realized that the “Qu’s Trading Company,” one of the country’s top ten wealthy businesses, was owned by the Fourth Prince. They traveled south on Qu’s merchant ships, smoothly passing through checkpoint after checkpoint, quickly breaking out of the blockade around Yangdu.
Impressive preparation, indeed worthy of his godfather.
Ji Yuanhao lowered his gaze, knowing he was likely already suspected. The Fourth Prince had never truly trusted him, had he?
The Fourth Prince was sharp-minded. It was hard to determine who forged the treasonous letter, but analyzing those who went to the northern border, those with the time, opportunity, and motive, the list wasn’t long.
One of them was Ji Yuanhao. The Fourth Prince’s suspicion of him was always the greatest. Even without evidence, capturing him first to ensure no mistakes was the safest move in this situation.
Ji Yuanhao’s mind raced. His demeanor affected the children, with the eldest son tightly holding his younger siblings’ hands, leaning against their mother.
Mrs. Ren was very nervous. She knew something was wrong, her nerves taut since last night, but she didn’t dare ask, fearing eavesdroppers.
At this moment, footsteps sounded on the gangway. This was a two-story merchant ship, with people from the trading company and the prince’s residence mixed on each level. The Fourth Prince, the Heir Ji Lin, and the Fourth Princess were at the top level, while Ji Yuanhao was at the second level, the deck level.
Now, someone was coming down from the second level. The sound of hard-soled boots, deliberately lightened, as if afraid of alarming something, but there were many of them. Ji Yuanhao listened carefully—eleven people.
Mrs. Ren heard it too. The footsteps descended the gangway, paused, and quickly walked down the corridor.
Their family was in the last large cabin at the end of the corridor. Step by step, the footsteps approached their room without hesitation.
Ji Yuanhao’s peripheral vision kept scanning the riverbanks. The ship was sailing in the middle of the river, and he noticed occasional small disturbances on the east bank caused by searchers.
The disturbances grew closer, and the footsteps in the corridor approached. As the ship made a slight turn, the river narrowed. At the closest point to the disturbance, Ji Yuanhao suddenly stood up and shouted, “Jump!”
“Into the water!!!”
The family had been staying close to the window. Mrs. Ren’s heart pounded like a drum. Upon hearing Ji Yuanhao’s low command, she quickly stood up, climbed onto the ship’s railing, and, without hesitation, jumped into the river with the children!
“Splash!” “Splash!” Two consecutive splashes drew everyone’s attention to the river and the shore!
Ji Yuanhao stood up, kicked over the round table and large cabinet, blocked the door, and leaped into the water. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed Mrs. Ren and the children and quickly dived into the water. As expected, there were people on the second deck, and soon, they jumped down, throwing darts into the water!
Ji Yuanhao swiftly blocked the darts and shouted, “Head to the shore!” He pushed his family towards the shore and turned to face the pursuers.
The water resistance made it easier to deflect the darts, but the dozen or so pursuers were not easy to deal with—they were all top fighters from the Fourth Prince’s entourage. Blood quickly stained the river, and Ji Yuanhao’s face was cut, narrowly escaping death. But in the end, he won his gamble!
The commotion alerted the officials on the shore, who immediately shouted for the merchant ship to stop. Some rowed small boats towards them, while others fired signal arrows into the sky, creating a red flare.
Ji Yuanhao’s luck held. In addition to the officials, state troops were patrolling nearby. The sound of galloping horses soon followed.
“Stop that ship immediately!” The sound of bowstrings being drawn tight filled the air. Treating it as a major threat, the captain ordered the archers to fire without hesitation. Their orders were clear: better to kill than let anyone escape!
The Fourth Prince had no choice but to flee. If they didn’t leave now, they wouldn’t be able to escape. With their cover blown, the Heir Ji Lin was furious, “That traitorous dog!!”
As calm as water, the Fourth Prince made a decisive call, “Go! Order everyone back, charge through, quickly!!”
The sound of water splashing as the merchant ship suddenly accelerated, shooting forward like an arrow. Amidst the huge waves and undercurrents, Ji Yuanhao tightened his grip, killing the two men left to finish him off, finally escaping the predicament. He nearly collapsed from exhaustion, clutching his abdominal wound before kicking off and surfacing.
Yang Yanzong arrived quickly. The water route wasn’t the only one. Shortly after heading east, the group split into seven or eight teams, each following different trails in pursuit. They were only half a day behind the Fourth Prince.
When Yang Yanzong arrived in a hurry, Ji Yuanhao had already bandaged his wound. He held up a small bottle given to him by Su Ci, “Luckily, I had this.”
Without it, a stab wound to the abdomen would have been fatal.
Ji Yuanhao, shaped by his experiences, always believed in mastering his own survival skills. He had learned to administer intravenous injections himself and always carried a syringe and medication. This proved to be the right decision, as he had just given himself an injection.
“Not dead? Then get up.” Yang Yanzong glanced at him.
Ji Yuanhao cursed at him but stood up immediately, “Where are your men? Send a message to Tong Jien and Huang Dewe to chase them! They can’t have gone far!!”
Ji Yuanhao’s face was pale, but his eyes shone with a strange light. Born into the royal family, he had lost his parents and fallen into despair, only to be taken in by the Fourth Prince as an adopted son. Young Ji Yuanhao was thrilled at the time, thinking his luck had turned. But reality proved him naive. Seeing the courtyard full of “adopted sons,” his heart turned cold. He was not yet ten years old but had already been stripped of all childhood innocence. Surviving was hard enough, and standing out in the Fourth Prince’s residence was even harder. For over twenty years, he had been under the Fourth Prince’s control, but today, he finally broke free.
A fine godfather indeed. Today, he would personally end him. It would also be revenge for his “brothers” in the courtyard, wouldn’t it?
With Ji Yuanhao, who knew the Fourth Prince well, the pursuit quickly made significant progress.
The Fourth Prince had already abandoned the ship and landed. The merchant ship was left by the water, but Ji Yuanhao was certain: “No need to go ashore. Follow the water route, chase! The Fourth Prince must be taking the water route!!”
Ji Yuanhao knew more than the Fourth Prince imagined. He quickly deduced several medium-sized trading companies possibly linked to the Fourth Prince from Qu’s Trading Company and some old information he had gathered. He immediately cut off the Fourth Prince’s backup routes.
The group coordinated with local garrisons, continuously searching and encircling, narrowing the range until they finally pinpointed the Fourth Prince in the Mi County section of the Gusui River’s tributary.
After a long ride, Ji Yuanhao felt more exhilarated than exhausted. Watching the waterway ahead, he suddenly asked, “Do you think the emperor will reward us if we capture or kill the Fourth Prince?”
Yang Yanzong smiled but said nothing. Ji Yuanhao found it amusing too and laughed.
“Alright, let’s go.”
With a systematic approach, Yang Yanzong, Ji Yuanhao, Huang Dewei, and others, all experts in their fields, finally converged at the large dock where three rivers met.
Ahead, boxes of goods and warehouses stretched for seven or eight miles, but they were already surrounded.
State troops, imperial guards, and the Left Guard Camp soldiers formed small teams and started their search. Armed companions followed, advancing step by step.
Yang Yanzong personally oversaw the search. He knocked on the bottom of the ship’s hull, “Search the lower deck too, and underwater. Send divers in, and make sure to count the number of people going in and out.” He remembered that some large ships had small air compartments at the bottom to increase buoyancy, which the search teams might overlook.
Yang Yanzong’s thoroughness effectively blocked all escape routes for the Fourth Prince’s group.
The Fourth Prince and the Heir Ji Lin, several skilled fighters, the Fourth Princess, and a few young children had already been forced to abandon their journey.
Hearing the search soldiers’ movements and Ji Yuanhao’s voice calling out, “Godfather, are you there?”
“Come out, godfather. I know you’re here.” The familiar voice, rich and magnetic, still pleasing to the ear but lacking its former respect, grew closer.
The Fourth Prince closed his eyes in frustration. His plans had failed. Confident in his ability to navigate life, he never expected to raise a tiger that would turn on him!
The Fourth Prince no longer hesitated. He knew there was no escape. He quickly calmed down, instructed Ji Lin to blend into the crowd, and pointed out seven or eight of his best men to protect Ji Lin and escape via the water route.
The soldiers split into two groups, charging with all their might. The Fourth Prince knew the focus would be on him and the decoy Ji Lin, giving the real Ji Lin a chance to escape.
Ji Lin called out, “Father!”
“Don’t return to Ansuizhou. Go to Binzhou,” the Fourth Prince said. Binzhou had 80,000 private soldiers hidden in the mountains, cultivated over many years. He patted Ji Lin’s hand, unable to say more. The footsteps were already within tens of feet.
The Fourth Prince drew his long sword with a swish, “Today, we live and die together!”
A fierce battle ensued. The Fourth Prince fell, dying under a barrage of arrows, the final arrow being shot at his neck by Yang Yanzong.
Ji Yuanhao couldn’t help but complain, “Your arrow was too fast.”
Yang Yanzong replied calmly, “Quick battle, quick decision.”
If an arrow could be used, why use a sword? He had been out long enough; it was time to return.
Throughout July, the court was in turmoil. The old emperor successfully killed the Fourth and Sixth Princes, severely weakening the Seventh Prince’s residence, which never recovered its former glory. However, the subsequent purge of the faction encountered some resistance.
Over the years, too many people have been involved in factional struggles. The old emperor couldn’t eliminate everyone, and even before he acted, the core members of the faction were already on edge. Even if the emperor decided to be lenient, they were still doomed. This crisis prompted them to band together, and in their negotiations with the emperor, Yang Yanzong repeatedly devised plans to help them escape.
Eventually, Yang Yanzong took the opportunity to systematically remove those who were immovable and suspicious of him.
The Sixth Prince’s residence hadn’t completely fallen. Unlike the Fourth Prince’s residence, the old emperor had to acknowledge the golden decree. Apart from the main culprits, the Sixth Prince’s residence was demoted by one rank, and the Seventeenth Prince inherited the title.
Having the decree helped strengthen the core.
There were those who were truly loyal to the Sixth Prince’s residence and those who chose to continue their allegiance due to the situation. Yang Yanzong’s strategy of promoting the young master was very successful. In the end, due to the Sixth Princess’s trust and his outstanding performance during this period, everyone was willing to follow his lead!
After spending so many years and effort, Yang Yanzong finally achieved what he wanted.
Over the past month, Yang Yanzong had not been absent from the residence, but he was so busy that he didn’t even have time to visit the back courtyard.
Su Ci was very considerate and didn’t disturb him, handling the tasks he entrusted her in an orderly manner. By mid-August, Yang Yanzong finally had some leisure time to return home. As he passed through the moon gate in the front courtyard, he saw the soft light from the main house, casting a warm glow on the porch. For the first time, he felt that the once-empty courtyard was now full of life. He couldn’t help but smile.
After the storm, he was greeted by the tranquility and peace of the courtyard. At some point, she had become the harbor where his soul anchored. He cherished every smile and frown of hers. No matter how many things ended, returning to her side was always the final destination.
Unbelievable, yet natural. Thinking of her, his mood brightened.
“Master, master…”
A Zheng and the other guards saw him and bowed in greeting. Yang Yanzong raised his hand to stop them. He stood outside the courtyard gate, watching the person who was calculating his private accounts, occasionally pouting and scratching her head. After a moment, he walked into the courtyard.
He was home.