Chapter 77

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Chapter 77: Title

"What happened? Why did they want to kill you?" Gu Hengbo asked, her mind wandering. She had always thought Lianyang was being chased by the rebels in Liangzhou, but it seemed there was more to it now. She was tired of all this; after leaving, she decided she would never return.

Lianyang had superficial wounds; they were deep enough to cause significant blood loss, but thankfully, his muscles and bones were unharmed. Gu Cheng had prepared well, and a few people helped Lianyang bandage his wounds in the carriage, allowing him to rest and gradually recover. Even though Gu Hengbo’s presence surprised him, he said nothing and asked no questions.

"I know these people; they want to kill me and Lian Chen. If it weren’t for my injury, my brother diverted them away. Otherwise…"

Gu Hengbo caught the inconsistency in his words. "You mean Lian Chen led them away?"

Lianyang nodded gently. "This was all planned; my brother drew them away, where there’s an ambush, so they can’t escape. Just have the royal aunt take me to the inn."

Gu Hengbo frowned. "I’m no longer Prince Rong’s princess, so I’m certainly not your royal aunt; just call me by my name."

Lianyang shook his head. "I know about Ning Yu. She was brought back by my father during the chaotic war and has served him all these years. Marrying Ning Yu isn’t the royal uncle’s intention; don’t let your feelings get in the way."

Gu Hengbo shot him a glare. She didn’t care how Ning Yu had entered the family; she wanted to leave, and it wasn’t a decision she made today. However, she wouldn’t say this out loud; even her mother was in the dark. "Sigh, this is between us. You don’t need to persuade me; I will not go back. You must not tell anyone. I see you as a friend, and I saved you, don’t forget that!"

Lianyang forced a smile. "I won’t say anything, but you need to think this through. If you’re caught again, you’ll face charges."

"I know what you’re worried about. Don’t worry. I’ve come this far without them following me, which means your royal uncle doesn’t take me seriously. She probably wishes me to leave. What did you just say about an inn? In Liangzhou? We must be close then. You can tell Xiao Tang about the route," Gu Hengbo said, pulling back the carriage curtain and calling out to Xiao Tang outside.

Seeing this, Qingfeng’s eyes flickered with unnoticeable doubt; she felt something was off but couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. After a moment, she tugged at Gu Hengbo’s sleeve, whispering, "Miss, it’s quite chaotic over in Liangzhou right now. It’s very dangerous for us to go there."

Lianyang glanced at her but did not speak.

Gu Hengbo shrugged it off. "What else can we do? We can’t exactly have the Second Prince elope with us, can we?"

Madam Dou furrowed her brows at Gu Hengbo’s words.

Qingfeng opened her mouth but ultimately stayed silent.

Lianyang gave an embarrassed smile. "Seems like I’ve caused you all quite a bit of trouble. Qingfeng is right; Liangzhou isn’t safe right now. Why don’t you just drop me off at the city gate? I can manage to get back on my own."

Gu Hengbo rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, please! If you could walk back in your state, pigs would be flying. Stop worrying! If I say we’re taking you back, we’re taking you back. End of discussion!"

Her words, though harsh, carried an unexpected warmth. Lianyang’s emotions were a tangled mess—an indescribable feeling spreading through him, uncontrollable and suffocating.

Noticing Lianyang’s pale face, Gu Hengbo reached out and touched his forehead, her voice laced with concern. "Why are you sweating so much? Feeling unwell again?"

Lianyang shook his head, signaling he was fine.

As the carriage neared Liangzhou, Xiao Tang suddenly halted. Gu Hengbo stepped out and was immediately stunned by the sight before her—a large crowd of people, laden with bundles, rushing toward them. She stood there, speechless.

The others peeked out from the carriage. Qingfeng took in the scene and muttered, "This looks like a mass exodus!"

Xiao Tang was the first to act. He jumped down and approached a young man, asking a few questions. The young man looked distressed. "Ah, don’t even ask! The city’s in chaos—burning, killing, looting everywhere. The rebels are growing in number, and now there’s a plague. If we don’t run, we’re dead!"

Lianyang leaned out, coughing. "Brother, what about the troops stationed in the city?"

The young man sighed. "Since the plague started, half the army has pulled out. They said another troop from Pingzhou would come to handle it, but there’s been no word yet. Aside from those quarantined, it’s just us common folk left. We had no choice but to flee. You’re heading into the city? I’d suggest you turn back while you still can." With that, the young man hurried off with his family.

Gu Hengbo glanced at the crowd, then back at Lianyang. "You’re not with Lian Chen?"

Lianyang nodded. "We thought it best to split up in case something happened. He stayed in Liangzhou, and I remained in Pingzhou. If we hadn’t both been targeted, we wouldn’t have come up with this plan, and we wouldn’t have run into you."

Gu Hengbo sighed. "This plague… it’s just a pestilence, nothing more. I’m no saint, and I don’t know a thing about medicine! I want to live a few more years! With all this chaos, Lian Chen’s gone missing, and your father must have heard by now. Don’t worry too much. How about this: come with us to the Northern Region. Once you’re healed, you can return. I won’t stop you. Sound good?"

"Miss, perhaps that’s not appropriate. You just said the Second Prince is…"

Gu Hengbo waved her hand impatiently. "Don’t make it sound like I’m kidnapping him! He’s injured! He can’t go into Liangzhou now. Are we just supposed to leave him out here to fend for himself? This is all Lian Chen’s fault for being so irresponsible!"

Madam Dou nodded in agreement. "Meisheng is right; the Second Prince is injured. This is our only option."

Lianyang tried to speak, but Gu Hengbo cut him off. "It’s settled. I saved your life, so just focus on healing. Our priority is to get to the Northern Region as fast as possible. After that, we can rest easy. It’s decided! Xiao Tang, turn the carriage around; we’re taking another route. According to my brother, we should be able to relax in a hot bath in two days."

*

Inside the largest gambling house in Dongyin’s royal city, the noise was deafening. The Fula Gambling House had just reopened after being shut down for a few days. At first, no one dared to enter due to the earlier chaos, but gradually, a few brave souls ventured in, followed by a flood of others. Most believed that since the First Prince was Prince Rong’s nephew, things would eventually settle down despite the earlier troubles.

In a private room on the second floor, a handsome man in a moon-white robe sat calmly, sipping tea with a faint smile. "The royal city is getting livelier."

A middle-aged man sitting nearby wiped sweat from his brow, nodding hastily. He couldn’t understand why the gambling house’s owner had suddenly appeared, leaving him unsure whether to sit or stand.

Lian Yue took a gentle sip of tea and spoke lightly. "I’m here for a simple reason today. Boss Lin, do you recall what I asked of you last time?"

The middle-aged man looked puzzled. "What does the First Prince mean?"

Lian Yue chuckled softly. "Boss Lin, you forget so easily. I need you to negotiate with Jiang Ying for me. Last time, there was an unexpected complication, but now I’m giving you another chance. Your rewards will be substantial."

The middle-aged man nearly slipped off his chair, panic written across his face. "First Prince, this… this is a capital offense! I have an elderly parent and young children at home. Perhaps it would be better to let someone else handle this!"

Lian Yue’s gaze turned icy. "A capital offense? Hmph, do you think this is treason?"

"N-no! Please, First Prince, calm down! I… I truly can’t do this!" The middle-aged man couldn’t sit still any longer and dropped to his knees.

Lian Yue gave him a dismissive look. "Useless. Someone!"

As soon as he spoke, two men in gray entered the room. "First Prince."

Lian Yue sipped his tea, not even glancing at the middle-aged man. "Feed Ah Yuan well, and you’ll be handsomely rewarded." (Ah Yuan is a snake.)

"Yes."

Before the middle-aged man could shout, one of the gray-clothed men pressed a pressure point and dragged him out.

"Why so angry?" a deep male voice asked.

Lian Yue set his teacup down. "Lian Chen and Lianyang are in Liangzhou, which is in the grip of a plague. They’ll be lucky to survive. The princess at the royal uncle’s residence is missing, and we don’t know if she’s alive or dead. The situation is dire. Several concubines in the palace have fallen ill; you can imagine how my father is handling it. This is a perfect opportunity."

The man beside him gave him a meaningful look. "In my humble opinion, it’s still not the right time."

Lian Yue shook his head. "I’ve already discussed it with the Duke of Beiyuan. Don’t worry. If things don’t go as planned, it won’t just be Liangzhou—the entire sixteen provinces will be in chaos."

The man frowned. "It’s his own territory, yet he’s willing to go this far. Even if the plan succeeds, the Duke of Beiyuan can’t be left alive."

Lian Yue smirked. "No need to worry. When the time comes, I’ll be the one calling the shots. Not just the Duke of Beiyuan—the Southern Region, Western Peak, and Eastern Distance won’t escape either."

The man nodded. "The First Prince is right. But honestly, I think the most troublesome one isn’t these four lords."

Lian Yue raised an eyebrow. "The royal uncle?"

The man nodded. "Prince Rong may be a woman, but she was ruthless against her own brothers when helping the emperor seize the throne. Even without military power now…"

"I know what you’re saying. I have other plans for the royal uncle. Also, about Gu Meisheng—look into it. Fell off a cliff? Hmph, only that old fool Gu would believe that. Let me know what you find. Her life might still be useful."