Xiao Wu emerged from the secret passage in the stable, brushing straw from his clothes as he walked out. “Guest, why are you alone?”

Chen Ji didn’t answer but instead asked, “Where did you go just now?”

Xiao Wu’s gaze flickered. “Me? I went down to see if there were any Jing Dynasty rebels still hiding in the secret passage.”

Chen Ji knew he wasn’t telling the truth but calmly said, “I brought the innkeeper’s body back.”

Xiao Wu paused, then immediately clasped his hands and bowed. “Guest, you are truly benevolent. From now on, I will be the innkeeper of Dragon Gate Inn. Should you ever return to Guyuan, whatever you command, Xiao Wu will go through fire and water for you!”

A thought stirred in Chen Ji’s mind. The change of innkeepers at Dragon Gate Inn was certainly not Xiao Wu’s decision alone, and even Hu Sanye might not have the authority.

He glanced at Xiao Wu and casually remarked, “No need to be polite. I knew the innkeeper, and it wouldn’t be right to see him dragged away on a cart. By the way, did Sanye ask you to give me a message?”

Xiao Wu shook his head. “No, Sanye didn’t mention anything.”

Chen Ji casually asked, “What about the owner?”

Xiao Wu instinctively said, “The owner didn’t either…”

At this point, Xiao Wu alertly shut his mouth.

Chen Ji was now certain that Xiao Wu had slipped out of the city through the secret passage to meet the mysterious owner behind Dragon Gate Inn.

The owner was also in Guyuan!

For a moment, Chen Ji had many questions but didn’t know where to begin.

Just as he was about to try to get more information, he heard footsteps outside the inn.

He turned to look and saw the Crown Prince leading a group back to the inn. Chen family members, Zhang Xia, and others were also among them. Zaobao had returned to Zhang Xia’s side at some point, with Wu Yun perched on his head.

His gaze shifted again, and he saw Madam Liang standing behind Chen Liqin with a gloomy expression. When she noticed Chen Ji looking at her, she immediately turned her head away.

Wang Gui dragged a crude flat cart behind her, carrying Chen Wenxiao wrapped in a straw mat.

Qi Zhenzhu saw Chen Ji and quickly waved. “Master!”

Xiao Man glared at him. “How shameless! Does my young master even acknowledge you as a disciple?”

With that, she scurried over to Chen Ji, holding horse meat wrapped in a palm leaf, and whispered, “Young Master, please eat something. This horse meat was saved for you…”

Chen Ji grunted. He didn’t take the horse meat but looked at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince actually cupped his hands to him and said warmly, “Now that the dust has settled, I finally have the opportunity to thank you, worthy brother Chen Ji. If not for you this time, I would have died several times over.”

Chen Ji silently observed the Crown Prince. There was no anger on the face of this royal heir, who had been treated as a pawn. It was as if nothing had happened; he was still that gentle and refined gentleman.

However, his self-address had changed from “I” to “gu” (a humble self-reference used by emperors/princes).

Chen Ji cupped his hands in return. “Your Highness is too kind. This humble subordinate merely did his duty… What are Your Highness’s plans now?”

The Crown Prince looked at Li Xuan. “What do you think, Lord Li?”

Li Xuan, standing beside him, bowed and said, “Your Highness, the Directorate of Ceremonial disregarded the life of a Crown Prince. This humble subordinate will certainly impeach them upon returning to the capital and demand an explanation for Your Highness.”

The Crown Prince glanced at him, then smiled and said, “What’s wrong with exchanging my life for all the elites of the Heavenly Strategy Army? Lord Li, upon your return, you must never mention this again. If anyone asks, only speak of Lord Li’s achievements in slaying generals and earning merit.”

Li Xuan’s expression froze, and he quickly bowed his head. “This humble subordinate’s achievements are also due to Your Highness’s excellent guidance.”

The Crown Prince smiled, not taking the bait.

Chen Liqin stepped forward and said, “Your Highness, the eunuch faction dared to use the Crown Prince as bait, which is truly treasonous. But more importantly… Your Highness, may I speak with you in private?”

As he spoke, he glanced at the Imperial Guards, indicating that there were too many people here to speak freely.

But the Crown Prince shook his head. “We have shared life and death, and endured hardship together. There is nothing that cannot be said. Please speak, Lord Chen.”

Chen Liqin hesitated for a moment, then finally said in a deep voice, “The matter of using you as bait seems to be the work of the eunuch faction, but in reality, the border army assisted them, and Hu Junxian is certainly not blameless. Perhaps Prince Fu also orchestrated it, aiming for succession. According to their plan, Your Highness should not have survived Guyuan, but now, by a strange turn of events…”

Zhang Xia interjected coolly from the side, “Lord Chen, Chen Ji risked his life to protect Your Highness. By using the phrase ‘strange turn of events,’ aren’t you completely negating his功劳?”

Chen Liqin frowned, looking at Zhang Xia, then changed his wording. “Your Highness, now with Chen Ji as such a variable, it can be considered a disruption to the eunuch faction and Prince Fu’s plans. This humble subordinate worries that someone might try to cover up the truth, or that Prince Fu’s confidants might take desperate measures…”

Only at this moment did Chen Ji realize that Chen Liqin’s true expertise was not in people’s livelihoods but in factional struggles.

Chen Liqin continued, “Your Highness, our top priority is to leave Guyuan as quickly as possible while it’s still early… If we leave now, we can reach Tianshui County by tomorrow night. Then, we can immediately send an urgent message back to the capital, and only then will we be truly out of danger.”

The Crown Prince did not reply, only gently asked, “What does the Right Commander of the Imperial Guard think?”

At these words, Li Xuan, Qi Zhenzhu, and all the Imperial Guards looked at Chen Ji.

Chen Liqin hesitated to speak.

Chen Ji lowered his head and pondered for a moment. “Lord Chen is right. There might still be Jing Dynasty spies hidden among the common people. It’s also good for Your Highness to conceal your movements and quietly leave Guyuan this morning.”

The Crown Prince nodded. He didn’t ask Chen Liqin again, nor Li Xuan or Qi Zhenzhu. He immediately made a decision: “We shall depart immediately, as the Right Commander advises.”

With that, he turned and walked out, without any hesitation.

Madam Liang watched from afar as her husband’s authority in the Eastern Palace vanished, silent for a moment.

When she looked at Chen Ji and Xiao Man again, her eyes were filled with hatred.

Wang Gui was beside her, his face grim. “Madam, if you wish to avenge the Second Young Master, you must not allow Chen Ji to gain the Crown Prince’s trust. If he becomes powerful, the Second Young Master will have died for nothing.”

Madam Liang’s face was expressionless. “Now, with hidden dangers, the Crown Prince doesn’t even know who truly wants to kill him. He must suspect everyone around him. He doesn’t trust Li Xuan, simply because Li Xuan happened to lead troops to Xumi Alley yesterday, emptying his personal guard. He also doesn’t trust master, because master is incapable of protecting him. He can only trust Chen Ji now. After all, if Chen Ji wanted to harm him, he would have died several times already.”

Wang Gui whispered, “Madam, accompanying a ruler is like accompanying a tiger. Ministers in the court have been replaced time and again. Who can guarantee that the Crown Prince won’t one day grow suspicious of Chen Ji? Besides, there’s more than just the Crown Prince among the princes in court; there’s also Prince Fu…”

Madam Liang narrowed her gloomy eyes, glaring at Wang Gui. “Silence! Is this something you can openly discuss?”

Wang Gui lowered his head. “This humble one merely spoke without thinking. Surely, Madam has her own plans. Besides, there’s another matter that needs to be settled quickly.”

Madam Liang said coldly, “Don’t beat around the bush.”

At this moment, Zhang Xia led Zaobao to Chen Ji’s side and whispered to him.

Wang Gui looked at Chen Ji, then at Zhang Xia. “Madam, look at these two.”

Madam Liang calmly asked, “What about them?”

Wang Gui took a deep breath. “Madam, these two appear polite and conduct themselves with propriety, but Chen Ji has saved Miss Zhang Er more than once or twice. At Dragon Gate Inn, they even shared a room… Zhang Zhuo now has imperial favor, and the Xu family is behind her. If Chen Ji gains the Zhang family’s assistance, I fear we will never be able to touch him. Madam, we must separate them first.”

Madam Liang watched Zhang Xia and Chen Ji’s retreating figures. “How do we separate them?”

Wang Gui pondered for a moment. “Chen Ji is already of marriageable age. Previously, his marriage was delayed because he was an apprentice in a medical clinic. Now, he holds an official rank of sixth grade, which is precisely the time for a young man to achieve success and start a family. As his legal mother, from the perspective of familial ethics, you should arrange a marriage for him.”

Madam Liang’s expression shifted, but she said, “I fear he won’t comply.”

Wang Gui lowered his eyes. “With parents’ orders and matchmakers’ words, how can a concubine’s son decide his own marriage? Our dynasty governs with filial piety. Even if Zhang Zhuo takes this matter to His Majesty, His Majesty will say that you should be the one to decide.”

In those days, it was common for couples to be engaged by their parents without ever having met.

This was even more prevalent among aristocratic families and high-ranking officials, where marriages were rarely based on personal preference.

Wang Gui continued to offer advice. “Madam, do not hesitate. If you can find a marriage for him with the legitimate daughter of a prominent family, no one will find fault with you. They will only think you, his legal mother, are deeply righteous.”

Madam Liang shook her head. “If I find him a high-status legitimate daughter, won’t that give him other help?”

Wang Gui sneered. “It won’t let him have his way.”

Madam Liang’s eyes moved slightly. “Do you have someone in mind?”

Wang Gui stated with certainty, “Yes!”

By now, the Crown Prince and others had left the inn. Madam Liang moved to follow, with Wang Gui dragging the cart behind her.

Everyone kept their heads down, hurrying along mixed with the common people, to avoid being noticed by the border army.

Li Xuan looked around, constantly guarding the Crown Prince to prevent any further assassination attempts. Fortunately, the border army infantry was clearing the battlefield, and no one paid them any attention.

Arriving at the city gate, the border army had already cleared away the rubble from the collapsed gate tower, creating a small path. A continuous stream of common people queued to leave the city to seek refuge with relatives. Li Xuan protected the Crown Prince, blending in with the crowd, and managed to escape the city.

Outside Guyuan city, the border army had piled up high stacks of firewood, burning the bodies from the city on the spot to prevent plague.

Passing the pyre, Madam Liang silently gazed at the large fire for a long time, then said to Wang Gui, “Push Wenxiao in.”

Wang Gui’s face changed. “Madam, aren’t we taking the Second Young Master back to the capital? He must be buried in the Chen family ancestral graveyard; wouldn’t he become a lonely ghost if left in Guyuan?”

Madam Liang’s expression flickered in the firelight, and waves of heat from the fire washed over her, making her cheeks flush. “If I take him back to the capital, and someone asks how he died, how should I answer?”

Wang Gui was startled. “But the Crown Prince also knows the truth; it can’t be hidden…”

Madam Liang sneered. “The Crown Prince was captured on the battlefield; would he actively mention this to anyone? He would rather everyone forget everything about Guyuan. Those around him will also keep silent; whoever dares to speak will die.”

Wang Gui still hesitated, reluctant to push Chen Wenxiao into the fire.

Seeing his inaction, Madam Liang immediately pushed the cart herself, gritting her teeth and pushing it into the blazing fire, letting the flames engulf and consume everything.

She suddenly turned back to look at Guyuan city, only wishing that the great fire would burn the entire city.

Madam Liang wiped the corners of her eyes and resolutely turned to leave.

On the dirt road outside Guyuan city, everyone was walking.

The Imperial Guards were exhausted, but no one complained anymore; not even Qi Zhenzhu spoke an extra word.

Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, hoofbeats suddenly sounded from behind them.

Li Xuan’s face changed, and he turned to look. It was Zhou You, leading dozens of cavalry, emerging from the cracks in the city gate ruins and catching up to them.

Li Xuan placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, saying in a deep voice, “What, General Zhou, do you intend to keep us here?”

As he spoke, the Imperial Guards simultaneously drew their swords, their expressions cold and silent.

Someone licked their cracked lips, ready to kill at any moment.

Zhou You sat on his horse, observing the Imperial Guards with interest, then burst out laughing. “When the Imperial Guards arrived, you wore silver armor and looked magnificent, but I, Zhou, never paid you any mind. Now that the Imperial Guards are covered in dust, I, Zhou, actually have a bit more respect for you.”

With that, he dismounted, led his horse closer, and handed the reins to Li Xuan. “The journey is long; having a horse will make it easier. We shall meet again.”

Li Xuan and the Imperial Guards were stunned.

They watched as the border army soldiers all dismounted, handing their reins to each of them. “We shall meet again!”

The Imperial Guards were momentarily flustered, only able to stiffly accept the reins and instinctively say, “We shall meet again.”

The border army soldiers left their horses and strode back into the ancient and majestic Guyuan city, like a group of prisoners voluntarily returning to exile.

Li Xuan mounted his horse, looking back at Guyuan city. They had only been here for twenty-odd days, yet it felt like years.

He looked with reluctance for a long time before turning his horse to leave.

“We shall meet again.”