Chapter Forty-Five: Mount Taiyi and Zhongnan—Winds Stir Across Eight Directions (Part Eight)

Zhang Bangyan walked anxiously down the bustling street.
He was truly afraid now. Spreading rumors was not such a big deal—even the matter at the Hongwen Academy was manageable—but kidnapping the Crown Princess, then returning to the manor, that was another matter entirely. Was it really going to be alright?
If the situation spiraled out of control, the fate of these advisors would be easy to imagine.
He wandered aimlessly, when suddenly a loud shout rang out: "Make way! Make way!"
Liu Rengui, accompanied by several guards, had returned to the capital. After a night of hurried travel, he needed to find a few officials to resolve the issue before he could finally rest. But today was the Cold Food Festival; Mount Zhongnan was crowded, and the city of Chang'an was equally packed. Normally unnoticed, but now, with over a million people pouring out onto the streets, what a spectacle it was. He could only shout his way through.
Liu Rengui—Zhang Bangyan's eyes brightened. Perhaps it had nothing to do with the Crown Prince, but Liu Rengui always spoke highly of him, praising him in every situation. That fawning air, one could almost smell it all the way in Luoyang.
He rushed forward and called out, "General Liu."
Liu Rengui was not the sort to be unreasonable like Helan Minzhi. Moreover, he was of common birth. Though his many battles had made him rough, his literary talent was considerable. Though displeased, he reined in his horse. "Who are you, and why do you block my way?"
Zhang Bangyan dared not speak outright; many eyes were upon him. If word reached Helan Minzhi, it would not bode well. He must deliver the message, then hide away for a few months. In a low voice, he said, "General Liu, this is about the Crown Prince—a matter of great importance."
At the mention of the Crown Prince, Liu Rengui's fatigue vanished. Grain was important, but could be endured; the Crown Prince was the future of the nation, and where else could one find such a prince? If he ascended the throne, how crucial would a good emperor be? The previous emperor was a divine sovereign, but what of Emperor Yang of Sui?
He immediately dismounted. "What about the Crown Prince?"
"Not the Crown Prince," Zhang Bangyan meant to say it was the Crown Princess, but his nerves tangled his words.
"Not the Crown Prince? Why try to amuse me, Liu?" His tone was gentle, but another might have thrown Zhang Bangyan aside immediately.
"It's the Crown Princess."
"The Crown Princess? What has happened?"
Zhang Bangyan steadied himself and explained everything in detail.
Liu Rengui was no fool like Li Wei; he listened, then pondered deeply. He had never heard of Lady Rongguo, but he knew Lady Han and Lady Wei well. He knew, but who would dare speak? Ultimately, it was a matter of the Empress's family. Just look at Empress Wang and Consort Xiao!
He quickly understood: this was Helan Minzhi venting her resentment against the Empress onto the Crown Prince. But this was a serious matter. If Helan Minzhi succeeded, and the Crown Prince did nothing, people would see him as weak, and his path to the throne would become thorny instead of smooth. If he intervened, the scandal would grow, the Empress would exile her brother and cousin to Lingnan, and Helan Minzhi would be left as the sole pillar of the Empress's natal family. How would the Empress cope then?
This must be stopped immediately. He thought for a moment and made his decision. He could not mobilize the magistrates, lest he amplify the Empress's disgrace. If the matter ended badly, he would be blamed for worsening it. Therefore, he must deploy the Imperial Guards, specifically those protecting the Eastern Palace. And he must find the Crown Prince. Helan Minzhi was mad; if she failed, she might lash out in fury—especially since the Prince was out of the city with few attendants. If she struck at him directly...
With this thought, Liu Rengui quickly mounted his horse. "What is your name?"
"My name is not important. The key is to prevent this from happening. And I must leave Chang'an."
Liu Rengui understood immediately. As an advisor in Helan Minzhi's household, this was tantamount to betraying his master. Informing on her was not necessarily meritorious; the Empress might seek a scapegoat, and he would be first to suffer. Not only him—several scoundrels were involved, and Chang'an would see a cleansing.
He whispered, "If you have nowhere else to go, head for Longzhou."
"Thank you," Zhang Bangyan's eyes sparkled with delight. Who was Liu Rengui? Years ago, Li Yifu tried to get rid of him, but failed.
Liu Rengui, having spoken, hurried off with his guards. It was nearly afternoon; any further delay and all would be lost!
...
Not only did Li Wei sense trouble, but Xu Yue and the other four did as well. How could a hunter be so fierce, loosing arrows to kill?
The arrows flew.
Li Wei had seen similar scenes in films before; it was much like what he saw now. Though somewhat distant, he could see the cold gleam of arrows slicing through the green bamboo and fir, flying toward Xu Yue and the others like lightning.
It was not that Xu Yue and his companions lacked skill; they were simply caught off guard. A volley of arrows rained down, three guards fell, while Xu Yue and another guard were quick-witted enough to hide behind trees and escape.
This was murder in cold blood. Li Wei felt nauseous.
But his mind remained clear: these men were not here for the guards, but for him! The deep mountains and forests provided the perfect setting for murder—better than any dark night.
He glanced back. Over the past days, he had considered escape routes; yesterday, he had studied the map, starting with the areas around Chang'an and Luoyang. Though he had not fled, it now proved useful. Several routes existed, or none at all. One was to return the way they came, but that would be unrealistic; the road was secluded, easy for pursuers to catch up. Another was to cut east toward the main road, crossing two or three hills to reach safety. But Li Wei dismissed that.
He was the Crown Prince! Helan Minzhi, for all her madness, was still clear-headed. Once intent on murder, she would not let any of them escape. Having chased them this far, would she let them flee east? Thus, only the western route remained—more remote, with treacherous hills. Crossing a few peaks would lead out of the forest. Once out of Mount Zhongnan, they would be among crowds of travelers, and as long as he announced his identity, would these men dare continue?
With this in mind, he shouted, "Retreat!"
He left Xu Yue behind; there was no choice. Even if he recovered, this was not a brawl—it was murder. Who could stand and let themselves be killed?
He fled ignominiously.
It was, in fact, his only option. As a man of his era and status, such action was normal—like Liu Bang abandoning his wife, pushing his children from the cart. He told the remaining guards, "Shout! Use my title!"
Though the area was remote, the hills echoed. The guards cried out, "Someone is assassinating the Crown Prince!"
"Someone wants to murder the Crown Prince!"
Their voices echoed through the valley as they fled westward.
They stumbled and scrambled, the four young ladies holding up better due to their upbringing, but the maids were terrified and weeping. After crossing two hills, Li Wei looked back. The sight startled him: a dozen hunters had become twenty, and another guard had vanished; only Xu Yue remained ahead, fleeing desperately with an arrow in him. Li Wei's group, burdened by the young girls, was sweating and exhausted. If not for recent exercise and improved health, he would have collapsed already. Their pace slowed, and the hunters gained on them.
"Hurry!" For the first time, Li Wei barked harshly, dragging Pei Yuhe along. Of the group, she was the youngest, rarely outdoors, so her speed lagged.
The little girl admired Li Wei, never dreaming he would hold her hand. Yet now, there was no room for such thoughts; her large eyes brimmed with tears, barely holding back sobs.
The farther they fled, the greater their chance of survival. Though they shouted as they ran, no travelers heard them. They were nearly at the mountain pass.
Suddenly, a cry rang out. Xu Li was on the ground, clutching her ankle and crying in pain.
They had to stop. Li Wei asked, "What happened?"
"Twisted it," she replied.
It was not a twist, but a cramp. Li Wei was at a loss. The maids, used to rough work, were not a concern—but the young ladies, unused to hardship, posed problems. Among the four, he worried most about Pei Yuhe—the youngest, her name only half known to him. Least worried was Xu Li, the "little pepper," anything but weak.
But the little pepper was the one in trouble.
There was no time to treat her. It was only a cramp; she would recover soon. He turned to the largest guard, named Xie. "Guard Xie, carry her."
Of the five guards who kept up, Xie was the burliest and had fared the best. Though reluctant, he replied, "Yes!"
He was frustrated. With preparation, their ten men could have used the terrain to fight; the enemy outnumbered them by only a factor of two. But the battle was secondary—protecting the Crown Prince was paramount. As he bent to lift Xu Li, she objected, "I won't let you carry me."
She was embarrassed. Li Wei urged, "Lady Xu, now is not the time—please bear with it."
Xu Li did not respond, her gaze fixed on Li Wei's back.
Yang Min, annoyed, forgot all friendship and said, "Sister Li, don't look at the Crown Prince. He's not strong enough to carry you."
"Hmph!"
Again. Yang Min was so angry she nearly drew a sword from a guard's waist to challenge her.
Li Wei did not know whether to laugh or scold her, but time was pressing. He saw that only two hills remained—one larger, one small. The key was that the two hills they had just crossed were steep, filled with thorns; almost everyone's robes or skirts were torn. Besides, it was only a cramp; as long as she stopped walking, she would soon recover. He gritted his teeth and said, "Come here, I will carry you."
"Your Highness, this isn't proper," she said, though her eyes were full of hope.
"Get on," Li Wei said impatiently, pulling her onto his back. He had no idea what she truly felt; she acted indignant whenever he was mentioned, yet now, lying on his back, she seemed to savor the moment, pressing tightly against him like a beautiful, enormous leech, leaving not a bit of space. Her nose sounded another "hmph!"
But this "hmph" was clearly different from the previous ones.
If not for their desperate escape, Yang Min would have drawn her sword and challenged her, propriety be damned.
PS: Yesterday I asked for some votes for Sanjiang, and my brothers were incredibly supportive. But after nine-thirty last night, when the city was quiet, the numbers surged relentlessly—from 1,300 to 3,800. At two in the morning, I was stylishly kicked out of first place. That super cheat really is unbeatable.
It’s frustrating, but I still thank all my brothers for their powerful support. Once again, I ask for your favorites and recommendations.