Horses galloped past on the official road from time to time. In the pitch darkness, one couldn’t see clearly, only hear the rhythmic pounding of hooves, unable to tell who was passing.
Xunqi had long stopped paying attention to the official road. Under the cover of night, she trudged with effort toward the distant mountains. Only Yan Zhi’an kept looking back.
The two walked forward in the dark. Yan Zhi’an didn’t know the way; everywhere looked the same to her. But when she looked at Xunqi, the girl’s gaze was resolute.
In the dead of night, they entered the mountains and found a cave. Xunqi carefully set the woman down, then quickly started a fire. The fire wasn’t large, but it was enough to illuminate the small cave. As the flames rose, Yan Zhi’an finally took in her surroundings.
Beneath her was a pile of straw. There were no spare clothes to cover with. In front of her lay the ashes of burned firewood. Clearly, Xunqi had been here before.
Yan Zhi’an’s thoughts stirred. Her fingertips brushed over the wrinkles on her cuff, inadvertently aggravating the pain in her back. She let out a soft hiss. The girl by the fire turned to look at her. “Does it hurt?”
Does it hurt?
Yan Zhi’an didn’t want to answer that. When they jumped from the carriage, she had shielded Xunqi, landing on her back. Of course it hurt.
She didn’t answer. After lighting the fire, Xunqi wiped her hands and pulled a small bottle of medicine from her sleeve. Worriedly, she asked: “Why did you have to expose the fake princess?”
“In two more days, rumors of Princess Zhaohui’s vulgarity would have spread through the streets.” Yan Zhi’an’s expression was cold, her bright eyes reflecting the blazing firelight. “Xunqi, this fake princess has gotten in first. She will harm the true princess.”
Actually, the fake princess in the palace could have helped shield Xunqi from suspicion. Yan Zhi’an hadn’t wanted to touch her. But her mother’s reminder had struck her—this Princess Zhaohui was far too crude.
How could such a person compete with the Crown Prince? Look at how the Crown Prince had scolded the fake princess tonight. The difference between the two was already clear. If she didn’t expose her tonight, was she supposed to keep her until Qingming?
Yan Zhi’an knew tonight’s gamble was far too risky, but the arrow had been nocked and had to be loosed.
She sighed softly. Her whole body ached. She looked down to see the girl watching her with concern. Frost condensed in the girl’s eyes as she asked: “Is it true what the fake princess said tonight, that Her Majesty killed her husband to take the throne?”
“Nonsense.” Yan Zhi’an rebuked her in a low voice.
Xunqi crouched in front of her and pressed the medicine bottle into her palm. She suddenly noticed that the back of Yan Zhi’an’s hand was also scraped, a patch of red against the snow-white skin, a shocking sight.
The sight made her heart clench. The next moment, Yan Zhi’an reached out and pulled her up. “We’ll go back when it’s light.”
Yan Zhi’an didn’t care about her own injuries. Instead, she kept replaying the night’s events in her mind. If they returned safely, having removed the fake princess and destroyed Prince Ji’s prestige, then tonight’s impulsive act would not have been in vain.
She sighed. The girl picked up her hand, frost gathering in her eyes. Yan Zhi’an didn’t like being touched, nor did she like being stared at like this. She immediately withdrew her hand. “It’s nothing.”
Xunqi looked at her, her lips pressed into a thin line. Yan Zhi’an reached out and brushed Xunqi’s cheek, saying gently: “Worried about me?”
“Mm.” Xunqi nodded.
Yan Zhi’an smiled. Her gaze swept over Xunqi’s face before settling on the fire, her expression unreadable.
Xunqi waited a few breaths, but when her mother didn’t respond, she looked up.
Yan Zhi’an’s fine robes were tattered, yet her spine remained straight, her perseverance still visible. She looked bedraggled, but carried her own pride, which made Xunqi’s heart ache even more.
“Get some sleep. I’ll wake you at dawn.” Xunqi’s voice was low, clearly exhausted.
Yan Zhi’an shook her head. With injuries like hers, if she fell asleep, she might never wake. She endured the pain and shook her head. “No need. Tell me about your life these past years. I noticed you walked very steadily along the way. Do you often travel at night?”
“The madwoman and I lived in the mountains often, so I’ve walked many night roads. We didn’t stay in one place long—we moved frequently.” Xunqi sniffled, her voice nasal.
The mountains were silent, punctuated by the occasional roar of wild beasts, making the atmosphere even more eerie.
Xunqi looked at the wound on her neck, the blood already dried. “How about I apply some medicine for you? This medicine was given to me by the Imperial Guard.”
“Do you know what it is?” Yan Zhi’an asked in return.
Xunqi shook her head. Yan Zhi’an tossed the bottle into the fire. Xunqi let out a cry of dismay and lunged to retrieve it, but her hand was caught. “It’s already thrown away. Do you still want to pick it back up?”
“But what about your wounds?” Xunqi was frantic, her eyes glistening with tears.
Yan Zhi’an said: “What if it’s poisoned?”
Xunqi fell silent, staring at her helplessly. Yan Zhi’an sighed and pulled her back, soothing her: “Remember, in the capital, no one can be trusted. You can only trust yourself.”
“Can’t I even trust you?” Xunqi felt a sudden panic. The person who gave her the medicine hadn’t seemed like a bad person.
Hearing this, Yan Zhi’an smiled bitterly. Foolish child, I am the first one to deceive you. So don’t believe anyone’s words.
Yan Zhi’an didn’t answer her question. Instead, she urged: “Get some sleep. If you have no strength, how will we get back at dawn?” She had to admit, Xunqi was strong and steady, carrying her such a long distance.
What ordinary fourteen-year-old girl had that kind of strength? In such a dangerous situation, it would be good enough if she didn’t cry and wail, let alone have the strength to carry someone on her back.
Yan Zhi’an gestured for Xunqi to lie down, then glanced at the sky outside. It was pitch black, no telling when dawn would come. At least there was the fire to keep warm; the weather in March wasn’t cold.
Xunqi couldn’t argue. She lay down on the straw, tilting her head to look at the figure by the firelight—hazy and indistinct, yet radiant and beautiful.
“Close your eyes.” Yan Zhi’an was exhausted, but if she showed her fatigue, it would surely frighten Xunqi. She could only get Xunqi to sleep first.
Xunqi was restless. Seeing her pale complexion, she couldn’t help but get up again. “I’ll go find some medicinal herbs.”
“Lie down.”
Yan Zhi’an nearly lost her patience. Suppressing her discomfort, she called out: “We’ll talk about it at dawn.”
Xunqi didn’t dare disobey, but she was still worried. She took off her outer robe and spread it over the straw. “Let’s lie down together. I’m by the fire, so I won’t be cold.”
“You’re such a handful.” Yan Zhi’an found the child hard to fool, and she had no strength to fool her anyway. She could only go along with her wishes and lie down.
As her body relaxed, she couldn’t help but sigh softly. But when her back touched the ground, she winced in pain.
Xunqi quickly piled the straw together and helped her lie down properly. “Close your eyes and sleep. I’ll watch the fire and sleep soon after.”
The girl’s voice was soft, sweet and sticky, making Yan Zhi’an drowsy. Despite the pain all over her body, she fell asleep.
After she closed her eyes, a wave of blackness surged over her, quickly drowning her.
Seeing her asleep, Xunqi slowly let out a breath. She quietly added some firewood, making the fire burn brighter, so that she wouldn’t be cold, and her mother wouldn’t be cold either.
Noticing the firewood was running low, Xunqi crept out of the cave.
This place was secluded, far from the official road. Ordinary people wouldn’t find their way here.
On a dark, windy night, killing two or three people wouldn’t be discovered by anyone.
Wushuang led her people out of the city at full gallop. The court soldiers rode alongside them. After chasing for a long time, they found the shattered carriage by the roadside. The horse was nowhere to be found.
Prince Ji arrived first. A group of people held torches, illuminating the small area as bright as day.
The Right Prime Minister also arrived. She crouched down, examined the fake princess’s corpse, and pulled the hairpin from her neck, studying it closely. Prince Ji leaned in. “Who killed her?”
This person knew martial arts. He didn’t believe the frail, scholarly Yan Zhi’an had the skill to kill someone.
The Right Prime Minister examined the gold hairpin by the torchlight, then tucked it away. She said: “Wushuang, spread your people out and search for the Left Prime Minister.”
She ignored Prince Ji. Prince Ji had no way to deal with her either. He could only kick the corpse twice, feeling deeply unsatisfied. He turned to ask the Right Prime Minister: “The Left Prime Minister said she knows where the true princess is. Is that true?”
“She said it, and you believe it?” The Right Prime Minister, Shangguan Li, retorted coolly. “She was clearly bluffing the fake princess. You believed that too?”
Prince Ji frowned. He knew Yan Zhi’an was lying, but he couldn’t help feeling dejected. If this princess couldn’t be found, the Crown Prince’s position would be unstable.
Shangguan Li had no interest in the corpse. She called for her horse and said to Wushuang: “You search east, I’ll search west. Split up. Whoever finds her, release a signal. Remember, don’t let Prince Ji interfere.”
Since entering the court, Yan Zhi’an had been the Female Emperor’s trusted confidant. She had served the Female Emperor for years and was at odds with Prince Ji and other members of the Imperial Clan. If Prince Ji found her first, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t take the opportunity to kill her.
Therefore, they had to find her before Prince Ji did. She pulled on the reins and said to Wushuang: “Send people to guard the city gates. They might have gone back.”
“Thank you for the reminder, Right Prime Minister. I’ve already sent people to wait.” Wushuang bowed in gratitude. “I will remember your help, Right Prime Minister. The Left Prime Minister will be grateful to you as well.”
“No need. She and I merely share a hall.” Shangguan Li shook her head, then spurred her horse and rode away.
Under the cover of darkness, all sides were on the move. Everyone wanted to find the Left Prime Minister first, though each had different intentions.
The darkness receded. When the first rays of morning sunlight shone down, Yan Zhi’an slowly opened her eyes. Pain flooded over her like a tide. She suppressed the cry of pain in her throat and was surprised to find she was no longer in the cave—she was on Xunqi’s back.
“Where are we?”
“Two more hours and we’ll reach the city gate.” Xunqi’s voice was warm.
Yan Zhi’an frowned. She was about to get down and walk on her own when Xunqi suddenly spoke: “When the madwoman was gravely ill, I carried her into the city like this to find a physician. Unfortunately, we found a quack.”
Her words carried a deep helplessness that seized Yan Zhi’an by the throat. Xunqi said: “I know who you are, but please, next time think of me and Madam. You are not alone.”
“Are you lecturing me?” Yan Zhi’an was caught between laughter and tears. She tilted her head to look at the girl’s flushed cheeks. The skin on the back of Xunqi’s neck was fair, almost translucent in the morning sunlight, with tiny fine hairs clinging obediently to her skin.
Suddenly, Xunqi stopped. She set Yan Zhi’an down and stared at her with fury. Yan Zhi’an’s heart skipped a beat, as if she had committed some terrible crime.
“You haven’t done anything wrong?” Xunqi’s eyes were red. Setting aside all other purposes, after the danger of last night, who could say they had done nothing wrong?
Her temper was fierce, startling Yan Zhi’an. Yan Zhi’an turned to look at the open ground.
Xunqi stepped around to stand in front of her. “Say something!”
Seeing her this angry, Yan Zhi’an naturally understood her feelings. Helplessly, she met her gaze. Seeing the pain on her face, she said softly: “Xunqi, life is important, but there are many things in a person’s life that are more important than their own life.”
What was her life worth? Xunqi’s life was what mattered. What she regretted was involving Xunqi in this. If something had happened to her, she would never forgive herself.
Xunqi burst into tears. The girl in the morning light seemed to have suddenly grown up. She no longer argued, but cried loudly.
“Don’t… don’t cry.” Yan Zhi’an helplessly pressed her forehead, her head throbbing. She made up a lie on the spot: “I promise, there won’t be a next time, alright?”
