Chapter 23: In This Moment, They Only Had Each Other

The single sentence, “The true princess is with me,” sent the crowd into an uproar. Even Prince Ji couldn’t help but rise to his feet. When Yan Zhi’an spoke, a smile always lingered at the corners of her lips as she stood within the hall. She was renowned for her good temper, good upbringing, and good conduct. Today, a single sentence from her had effectively overturned his hand.

If it came down to a direct confrontation, Prince Ji believed these old foxes would rather trust the young Yan Zhi’an than him!

Prince Ji furrowed his brow and spoke: “Yan Zhi’an, do you know the consequences of the crime of deceiving the sovereign?”

“I entered the court at fourteen, and it has been fourteen years since. If I didn’t know the consequences of deceiving the sovereign, would I still be Yan Zhi’an?” Yan Zhi’an’s tone was flat.

Yan Zhi’an knew Prince Ji’s hand, but Prince Ji did not know Yan Zhi’an’s hand. Prince Ji was already growing somewhat tense, yet Yan Zhi’an remained calm and composed, meeting his gaze.

In terms of prestige, Prince Ji was far inferior to Yan Zhi’an. After all, who could rival the Yan family’s wealth that spanned the world? As for money, Yan Zhi’an disdained to be greedy. Thus, she was the incorruptible voice within the court.

In an instant, the difference between the two was clear for all to see.

The Right Prime Minister, Shangguan Li, who had been silent for a long time, rose to her feet. Her eyes were as deep and unruffled as the sea as she turned her gaze to Yan Zhi’an: “Left Prime Minister, you say the true princess is with you. May I ask, where is she?”

“Before the Right Prime Minister questions me, shouldn’t you first investigate the origins of this fake princess?”

Yan Zhi’an and Shangguan Li held equal standing. As the two clashed, everyone else fell silent in an instant, unwilling to offend either side.

Shangguan Li’s expression was calm. She turned and bowed to Her Majesty, then straightened and asked Yan Zhi’an: “Since the true princess is with you, Left Prime Minister, why have you only spoken of this today?”

“Princess Zhaohui has drifted through life since childhood, enduring all manner of hardship. When I found her, she had already taken vows at a temple, detached from worldly affairs. I feared Your Majesty would be grieved, so I kept this matter hidden.” Yan Zhi’an’s spine was straight, her figure resolute in the lamplight. “She does not concern herself with worldly matters, so how could I disrupt her path of cultivation for the sake of worldly affairs? I had thought this matter was over, but I never expected someone to come and impersonate her, defiling the princess’s reputation. Prince Ji, what is your intention here?”

Prince Ji’s face flushed red and then paled. He sneered: “How do you prove the princess before us is fake?”

Yan Zhi’an countered: “How do you prove she is real?”

Prince Ji’s nose twisted in fury.

At this moment, the Right Prime Minister spoke up: “Why not use the blood test to verify?”

“Absurd words, how can they be taken as truth?”

The Right Prime Minister’s words immediately drew Prince Ji’s objection. He looked at the two before him, singing in duet, nearly leading him into a ditch. He was displeased, and the Right Prime Minister smiled and said: “Why not first test Your Majesty and the Crown Prince? If the blood mingles, it proves trustworthy. If it does not mingle, then it is not trustworthy. Prince Ji, do not forget, the Crown Prince is still here.”

Upon hearing this, everyone voiced their agreement.

The young Crown Prince puffed out his chest and immediately stood up, intending to speak. But the Princess Zhaohui beside him rose and walked to the center, first bowing to the Female Emperor. “Your Majesty.”

The words had barely left her lips when she moved with lightning speed, appearing at Yan Zhi’an’s side in an instant. She pulled a hairpin from her hair and pressed it against Yan Zhi’an’s neck. The crowd was shocked, especially Xunqi, who immediately lunged forward.

“Whoever dares approach!” the fake princess roared.

Everyone in the hall turned pale. Xunqi panicked. Just then, a pair of warm hands grabbed her wrist. It was the Right Prime Minister, Shangguan Li, who gently coaxed her: “Don’t get close. She clearly knows martial arts.”

The fake princess’s Phantom Step just now had been very agile.

Hearing this, Xunqi involuntarily took a step back. The Female Emperor above slammed the table and rose: “Outrageous! Release the Left Prime Minister!”

“If I release her, I will die here today. Sima Shenrong!” The fake princess let out a cold laugh. The gold hairpin pressed forward another inch, cutting the skin on the Left Prime Minister’s neck. Blood flowed down the hairpin.

Xunqi’s heart clenched at the sight. The Right Prime Minister reached out to hold her back, but she cried urgently: “Let her go!”

Prince Ji lazily sat back down at this moment, a smile frozen at the corner of his lips: “If you kill the Left Prime Minister, you’ll die today as well.”

“Shut up!” Xunqi roared at Prince Ji. “Say one more word, and I’ll kill you!”

Being scolded by a child, Prince Ji felt indignation burning in his heart. He wanted to retort, but found the Female Emperor above staring at him coldly. He could only snort: “I won’t argue with a child.”

The hall was in chaos. Many people tried to persuade: “Release the Left Prime Minister, and we’ll let you go!”

“Release the Left Prime Minister!”

Even while being held hostage, Yan Zhi’an still wore a smile. She looked at Prince Ji: “Prince Ji, if I die, I will surely take you with me as my burial companion. After all, the fake princess was brought here by you.”

Prince Ji’s expression changed.

The fake princess pressed the hairpin in another inch. Yan Zhi’an let out a muffled groan of pain, then said faintly: “If I die, you die too. Why bother? Where do you want to go?”

“Sima Shenrong.” The fake princess did not answer Yan Zhi’an’s words. Instead, she looked at the Female Emperor before the throne and incited the crowd to rebel against her: “You killed your husband and seized power, disregarding human decency. Retribution will come to you sooner or later. Crown Prince, she killed your father. Crown Prince, you should avenge your father.”

In an instant, the chaotic hall fell silent. Everyone looked at the Crown Prince.

A complex expression appeared on the young Crown Prince’s face—sorrow, pity—but never hatred. He looked up at the fake princess: “I know you are fake. Release the Left Prime Minister, and I guarantee you will not die.”

“I don’t trust you. Your father’s killer is right in front of you. Go kill her!” The fake princess excitedly urged the Crown Prince. “He killed Emperor Ming, so she killed your father to avenge her husband.”

The moment these words were spoken, the faces of all the ministers changed drastically. The secrets of the Imperial Clan were being aired out in public, yet no one dared to refute. What if they angered her and she killed the Left Prime Minister in a fit of displeasure?

Xunqi broke free from the Right Prime Minister’s arm and rushed forward, staring anxiously at her mother. She shouted: “Whoever you are, I don’t care. But I know Prince Ji brought you here. If you dare harm my mother, I will kill Prince Ji’s entire family while I live. I’ll do anything. I killed a quack doctor last year.”

One had to admit, this statement made the Female Emperor laugh. To maintain her dignity, she pressed her lips together and lowered her head to hide her smile.

“What does that have to do with me? Yan Xunqi, don’t you dare sling mud at me. I was deceived by her too. She has a birthmark and a token.” Prince Ji bounced up from his seat again. “Your Majesty, you must do right by me!”

The Female Emperor waved her hand. “Shut up.” Then she looked at the fake princess: “Whatever you want, I will grant it. Release the Left Prime Minister.”

“I want a carriage, open the city gates, and let me out.” The fake princess’s face twisted savagely. “If you dare pursue me, I’ll die together with the Left Prime Minister.”

“Fine, I will grant your wish. Imperial Guard, prepare a carriage.” The Female Emperor agreed readily.

Xunqi stared anxiously at the wound on her mother’s neck. “You still need a driver. I’ll drive for you. I’m fourteen this year. Compared to others, you should feel safer with me.”

“No!”

“Absolutely not!”

The Female Emperor and Yan Zhi’an both shouted at Xunqi simultaneously. The Female Emperor walked down from the hall in agitation. As she descended, the Right Prime Minister blocked her path, looking at her with confusion.

Why was Her Majesty so anxious about Xunqi?

After being looked at by the Right Prime Minister, the Female Emperor involuntarily stopped. She forced a composed demeanor: “No. Xunqi, don’t act rashly. Your mother’s matters are not for you to meddle in.”

Xunqi turned a deaf ear. Her peripheral vision swept over the smug Prince Ji. Fearing he might pull something, she still chose to step forward: “See? Am I not the most suitable?”

Xunqi was small, a girl, with limited strength. Compared to adult men, she could indeed be more reassuring.

Prince Ji chimed in from the side: “Indeed. Young Mistress Yan, I must say you have a loving heart for your mother. If you sacrifice yourself for this, I will submit a memorial to commend you.”

“Shut up! Prince Ji, say one more word, and I’ll grant you mute medicine!” The Female Emperor roared, her anger nearly overwhelming her reason.

“Fine. I’ll take her.” The fake princess agreed, then ordered Xunqi: “Get in the carriage first.”

Xunqi swallowed hard, a chill running down her spine. She gave her mother one reluctant look, then immediately ran outside.

The Female Emperor wanted to refuse but it was already too late. Anger flashed in her eyes as she instructed Prince Ji: “Prince Ji, this is your doing. You will follow. If anything happens to the Left Prime Minister, I will have your entire household buried with her.”

The fake princess, holding the Left Prime Minister hostage, had already left the Grand Hall. No one dared to follow closely, only trailing from a distance.

The two boarded the carriage. Xunqi drove, the horse’s hooves clattering against the stone bricks as they quickly sped away from the Imperial Palace. Outside, Wushuang, having received the news, immediately led her people in pursuit. But she didn’t dare be conspicuous, so she could only follow from afar. Yet after chasing through two streets, the carriage vanished.

Wushuang had lost them. Even Prince Ji had lost them.

Xunqi drove fast, all the way out of the city gates. The pitch-black road was uneven, and the carriage jolted roughly.

The fake princess was dizzy from the shaking. She snapped: “How are you driving?”

“It’s dark and I can’t see clearly. There’s a forest up ahead. Why don’t we stop and rest?” Xunqi tested the waters. The moonlight was bright tonight, and the road was actually fairly smooth. She had deliberately aimed for the potholes. If they ran like this all night, they’d be dozens of li away.

“Drive properly. One more word of nonsense, and I’ll kill your mother.” The fake princess dared not relax, still pressing the gold hairpin against Yan Zhi’an’s neck.

But the carriage was too bumpy. Jolted back and forth, her body out of control, she could no longer hold the hairpin steady.

Passing over a pothole, there was a loud clatter. The fake princess was thrown against the carriage wall, and so was Yan Zhi’an. Both were dazed and dizzy from the impact.

At that moment, Xunqi squeezed inside. The carriage was still running.

Xunqi lunged forward, pressing down on the fake princess. Without hesitation, she drew a dagger and stabbed at the fake princess without blinking an eye, shouting: “Go now!”

They were on the main road, the horse galloping at full speed. They could still run for a stretch.

After a bout of rocking, Yan Zhi’an’s vision went black. Xunqi was fighting with the fake princess. Xunqi had a dagger, given to her by the Imperial Guard for protection before they left.

Xunqi had good endurance, and the fake princess was also trained in martial arts. The two fought desperately over the weapon. Then, a hairpin plunged into the fake princess’s throat. Blood splattered into Xunqi’s eyes.

The cramped carriage was filled with the stench of blood and decay. Xunqi had no time to speak. She grabbed Yan Zhi’an’s hand and pulled her toward the door. “Jump!”

She kicked open the carriage door. The horse was still running desperately forward. Xunqi wrapped her arms around Yan Zhi’an and leaped from the carriage.

In the darkness, the two tumbled to the ground in an embrace, rolling as the carriage sped off into the distance.

They rolled several times before coming to a stop at the roadside. Yan Zhi’an gasped in pain, her back scraping against the ground as she rolled, trembling with agony. The girl in her arms quickly scrambled up. “Mother, we can’t stay here. Let’s go up the mountain.”

If Prince Ji’s men came after them, wouldn’t they be walking right into the tiger’s den?

Yan Zhi’an was in too much pain to stand. She pushed the girl away. “You go first.”

Xunqi paused, gripping the other’s cold hand, insisting: “We go together.”

“Xunqi, you need to be decisive. I’ll only slow you down.” Yan Zhi’an tried to pull her hand free, but she was already exhausted. No matter how she tried, she couldn’t push the girl away. She said urgently: “Xunqi, I can wait for Wushuang to come.”

“I’m taking you with me.” Xunqi was so anxious she was crying. She crouched down, looking at the other in the moonlight. “I’m taking you. The madwoman is dead. You’re my only family left.”

Yan Zhi’an closed her eyes, overwhelming guilt flooding her. Her voice softened: “Xunqi, I am merely your guide.”

“Let’s go.” Xunqi insisted, taking her hand and pressing it to her own cheek. “Listen to me. I’m fourteen. The madwoman said that at fourteen, a person can be betrothed.”

Yan Zhi’an’s body was ice-cold. Her palm pressed against the girl’s soft cheek, the warmth seeping through her skin, making her feel utterly ashamed.

Xunqi, I am not your mother!

Under the hazy moonlight, Xunqi couldn’t see the guilt in her eyes. She struggled to her feet, her vision going black. Xunqi quickly wiped her tears. “I know this area well. I’ll carry you.”

Xunqi seemed to have an inexhaustible supply of energy. She easily hoisted Yan Zhi’an onto her back and, without looking back, headed toward the distant mountains.

In this moment, they only had each other.