On a cold night, the dew was heavy, and the water in the dark river was icy and bone-chilling.

Qin Zheng struggled to swim in the water, her teeth chattering from the cold.

Occasionally, the footsteps of the rebel army could be heard overhead: “Search carefully! All the main palace gates are locked. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess can’t escape underground, can they!”

Her hands and feet were numb from the cold, but Qin Zheng dared not stop.

In the darkness, she could only discern the Crown Prince’s position from the sound of the water and the strap tied to her wrist.

The strap on her wrist was tied before she entered the water, one end tied to her wrist and the other end to the Crown Prince’s wrist, leaving nearly a meter in between for convenience in the dark water.

She didn’t know how long she had been swimming.

She could no longer hear the footsteps above her head.

In the distance, she could vaguely see a hazy arched gap.

It was the junction of the underground river and the moat!

Entering the moat meant they had left the palace!

Qin Zheng was overjoyed.

Just as she was about to follow the underground river into the moat, she felt a pull on the strap in her hand.

The Crown Prince’s voice was low: “Wait.”

Qin Zheng didn’t understand.

She steadied herself against the city wall beside the underground river.

On the other side of the moat, a team of rebels patrolled with torches.

The moat outside the palace was more than three yards wide, and the rebels with torches could clearly see any movement on the water’s surface.

They were a short distance from the exit of the underground river, and they were close to the city wall, so they were not discovered.

After the rebels left, Qin Zheng slowly exhaled a sigh of relief.

That was close!

Swimming across the moat, they finally reached the shore.

Their clothes were soaked, clinging tightly to their bodies.

When the night wind blew, it was even colder than when they were in the water, and Qin Zheng shivered uncontrollably from the cold.

After soaking in the water for so long, the Crown Prince’s body no longer reeked of blood as much, but under the moonlight, his lips were almost as pale as his face.

Qin Zheng could see that his condition was not good.

She helped him up and walked towards the nearest market: “Your wound has been soaked in water. You must find a medical clinic to reapply the medicine and bandage it.”

It was late at night, and with the rebel army entering the city, every household along the street was tightly closed.

Qin Zheng knocked on the doors of several medical clinics, but no one answered.

Just as she was at a loss, the Crown Prince directly used his sword to pick open the latch of a medical clinic and walked in.

Qin Zheng was taken aback.

She was about to follow when she heard a muffled sound from inside, followed by the sound of something heavy falling.

Someone… killed someone?

Although she knew they were at the end of their rope, Qin Zheng, as a modern person, still found it hard to accept that they would kill the owner of the medical clinic just for medicine.

As she stood at the door, struggling with her thoughts, she suddenly heard the Crown Prince’s cold voice from inside: “What are you doing outside?”

Qin Zheng had no choice but to steel herself and go in.

As soon as she entered, she saw a person lying on the floor, and the Crown Prince holding a dimly lit oil lamp, searching through some bottles and jars in a medicine cabinet.

Qin Zheng saw that the person on the floor was not bleeding.

She walked over carefully, trying to feel the person’s breath.

When the Crown Prince saw her movements, he instantly guessed what she was thinking and said coldly, “Don’t worry, the person isn’t dead.”

There was indeed a faint breath at the fingertips, indicating that the person was just knocked unconscious.

Qin Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and awkwardly withdrew her hand.

After all, she had lived in a society governed by laws for more than twenty years, and many concepts were not something that could be changed overnight.

Such blatant robbery and violence made Qin Zheng feel a bit guilty.

Turning her head, she saw the Crown Prince take out many bottles from the medicine cabinet and put them into his pocket.

She hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly took out a golden hairpin from his pocket and placed it next to the owner of the medical clinic.

Although there were no exquisite patterns carved on the hairpin, it was heavy enough. Buying all the herbs in this medicine shop would be enough.

The Crown Prince saw her gesture, raised an eyebrow, said nothing, and put the jade ring he had just taken off back into his pocket.

Having paid, Qin Zheng felt a little more confident.

After leaving the palace, they attracted attention wherever they went in eunuch attire.

She found two outer robes from a doctor to change herself and the Crown Prince.

While changing the Crown Prince’s bandages, she noticed that the arrow wound on his chest had turned white from soaking in water, and the wound was swollen to the size of a copper coin.

Just looking at it was painful.

She sprinkled some potent wound powder on it, but the Crown Prince didn’t even furrow his brow.

Qin Zheng said, “The wound must not be soaked in water again.”

After leaving the palace, to avoid attracting attention, she no longer addressed him as “Your Highness.”

The Crown Prince didn’t respond.

After wrapping the wound with gauze, he didn’t wear the wet clothes anymore, only the outer robe Qin Zheng had found.

He looked at the night outside and said, “We must leave Bianjing City tonight.”

When the rebel army sealed off the city gates at dawn and began to search every inch of the city, they would be like birds with their wings clipped.

Qin Zheng worried, “After nightfall, with the four city gates tightly closed, how do we leave the city?”

The Crown Prince calmly said three words, “Go by the water route.”

The moat outside Bianjing City was diverted from the canal, which connected five states and seven counties.

South of Wu County belonged to the Huaiyang King, and the rebel army’s influence had not yet reached that far.

Although the capital of Chu was occupied by the rebel army, the Huaiyang King had established his own regime to the south, while the ambitious Marquis of Lianqin was gaining power to the north.

Overall, these three forces held sway, with countless other powers in various states and counties.

Qin Zheng was about to ask where they would go after leaving Bianjing, but the Crown Prince suddenly blew out the oil lamp, signaling her to keep quiet.

Faint sounds of horse hooves could be heard in the distance.

In moments, the chaotic clatter of hooves reached the nearby streets and alleys, accompanied by the clanking of infantry armor.

“Immediately surround the Duke of Qin’s mansion, the rest of you follow me to the Duke’s mansion!”

The commander’s commanding voice on horseback was particularly clear in the night.

The Duke of Qin’s mansion was Qin Zheng’s maiden family’s home.

The rebels were besieging the mansions overnight, obviously suspecting that they were hiding there after not finding them in the palace.

Qin Zheng’s heart sank, realizing even more clearly that she could not stay in Bianjing.

Even though she was from the Qin family, marrying into the imperial family made her the Crown Princess.

Regardless of whether the Qin family was willing to risk being executed for harboring her, in the current situation, she could not seek refuge with the Qin family.

She could not rely on Shen Yanzhi either.

He was not the regent who wielded power over the court as described in the book.

At this time, he was still constrained, with the noble families scorning him for associating with the rebels, while the rebels were wary of him as a scion of a noble family.

If it was just her, Shen Yanzhi might have a way to save her.

However, with the Crown Prince fleeing as well, the rebels would never let her go to get to the Crown Prince.

Her fate was now tied to the Crown Prince’s.

After the rebel troops left, the Crown Prince opened the door and walked out, saying, “There’s no time to lose, let’s go now.”

Qin Zheng nodded and followed.

She had almost stepped out of the medical clinic, but then she turned back and took two pieces of silver and a few copper coins from a drawer under the counter, stuffing them into her pocket.

Facing the Crown Prince’s difficult-to-express gaze, she pursed her lips and whispered, “I’m just getting change for myself. That golden hairpin is quite valuable.”

They had to flee in a hurry, and her only possessions were the three golden hairpins in her pocket.

She had already used one here, but on the upcoming escape, they would undoubtedly need money, and she couldn’t use a hairpin to pay every time.

Having a few pieces of silver on her would be handy in case of emergencies.

The Crown Prince didn’t say much more on this issue.

He stepped into the moonlight, and Qin Zheng quickly closed the door of the medical clinic and followed.

---

When they reached the canal dock, the pieces of silver that Qin Zheng had just put in her pocket came in handy.

Many boats were docked at the pier.

The wealthy families who hadn’t had time to escape before the city fell were planning to flee south by water under the cover of night.

However, there were only two large boats, and the rest were small boats.

The pier was crowded with people carrying large and small bags.

The Crown Prince was injured, so Qin Zheng asked him to wait on the outskirts while she squeezed into the crowd to inquire about the cost of boarding a boat.

She was petite and agile, like an eel. She squeezed into the crowd and soon emerged.

A man was pushed by the crowd and spoke unkindly to Qin Zheng.

The Crown Prince’s eyes narrowed, fearing that Qin Zheng would suffer, and he was about to draw his sword.

However, Qin Zheng smiled apologetically and said a few words to the man, seemingly apologizing.

The man’s expression remained unfriendly, but at least he didn’t erupt again.

Qin Zheng ran back to the Crown Prince and wiped the sweat from her forehead, saying, “I found out. These boats are all headed to Wu County. The small boats cost one hundred wen per person, and the large boats cost three hundred wen per person. I heard that the water route is not very safe, often plagued by river bandits. I think it’s safer on the large boat, so I bought tickets for the large boat.”

She raised two small wooden plaques in her hand.

The plaques were inscribed with faded characters, probably the surname of the boat owner.

This was equivalent to ancient boat tickets.

The Crown Prince looked at her smiling eyes and remembered the scene where she had apologized to the man in a low voice.

His heart was filled with mixed emotions, and he said hoarsely, “I’m sorry.”

She suffered a lot following him in their escape.

Which pampered noblewoman would ever stoop to squeezing into a crowd, being scolded and even apologizing to someone like she did?

Qin Zheng obviously wasn’t on the same wavelength as him and didn’t even bother about squeezing into the crowd or apologizing to that man.

After all, who hadn’t experienced squeezing on the subway in their past life?

She was completely puzzled by the Crown Prince’s words. “What?”

But the Crown Prince didn’t say more, only saying, “Let’s go.”

After they boarded the ship, they were told that they could only squeeze together with others who paid for the boat in a small storage cabin in the bottom hold, and were not allowed on the deck to avoid disturbing the nobles onboard.

More than a dozen people crammed into the cramped cabin, and the smell was indescribable.

Qin Zheng noticed that the man who had shouted at her earlier was also on this large boat.

He glanced at her from time to time, making her uncomfortable.

She was afraid that the Crown Prince would be squeezed and his wound would be aggravated.

She wanted him to sit against the cabin wall while she sat on the other side to help separate him from the others.

But the Crown Prince pulled her over and made her sit against the cabin wall.

His imposing manner and the long sword in his hand made it clear that he was not someone to be trifled with.

The other people in the cabin automatically kept their distance from him, even the man who had shouted at Qin Zheng earlier, who saw the sword in the Crown Prince’s hand and became much more reserved, not daring to look at Qin Zheng again.

As the boat set sail, Qin Zheng felt a lot more at ease.

She had been on edge all day, and now, leaning against the cabin wall, feeling the gentle swaying of the boat on the river, she couldn’t help but feel drowsy.

The other passengers also seemed to relax, and someone started discussing the events of the day when the city fell.

“Those peasants are really something. They came into the city and started burning, killing, and looting. They’re worse than bandits!”

“They were just a bunch of poor farmers who made their way to Bianjing. When they saw merchants, they treated them like mortal enemies. Take the Chen family on this boat for example,” the speaker pointed to the cabin above their heads and lowered his voice,

“The leader of the rebels seized his mansion. His concubines and his fifteen-year-old daughter were all violated. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have left the capital by water in the middle of the night.”

The others sighed and then began discussing the palace.

“Those concubines and princesses in the palace are really suffering in the hands of the rebels!”

Qin Zheng thought to herself that news from the palace hadn’t spread yet, so these people didn’t know that the concubines and princesses had already been put to death by Emperor Chuyang.

She was not interested in listening further, but unexpectedly, they started discussing her.

“I heard that the Crown Princess is a stunning beauty who can enchant a whole country. Shen conspired with the rebels just for her. I wonder if the Crown Princess will become the mistress of the Shen family.”

Immediately, someone refuted, “The Shen family is a prestigious family. How could they marry a woman who has lost her chastity as their mistress? Even if Young Master Shen wants to marry her, I’m afraid the old lady of the Shen family would not agree.”

Another voice chimed in, “You guys don’t know. That Crown Princess is probably still a virgin!”

This comment piqued everyone’s interest and woke Qin Zheng up from her drowsiness.

The book didn’t clearly state whether the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince had a harmonious relationship, and Qin Zheng didn’t have the memories of the original owner, so she really didn’t know how far their relationship had progressed.

Immediately, someone asked, “How do you know?”

The person who spoke earlier looked quite pleased with himself.

He beckoned with his finger, and everyone couldn’t help but move closer to hear him speak.

He mysteriously said, “I have a relative who used to work in the Imperial Hospital. It is said that the Crown Prince is impotent! He deliberately created a reputation for lechery to cover up.

The Emperor summoned alchemists to make elixirs, claiming it was for longevity, but in fact, it was secretly for the Crown Prince to seek a cure!”

There was a gasp of cold air in the cabin.

Qin Zheng was also stunned for a moment, subconsciously looking at the Crown Prince.

The man continued, “I think this is probably some hereditary disease. I’ve seen a grandfather and grandson with the same condition.

When the Founding Emperor Wujiadi of the Great Chu Dynasty was in power, there were no concubines in the palace. Maybe he was also impotent!”

The Crown Prince seemed to be resting with his eyes closed, but his mouth twitched slightly.