Chapter 58

Towards Qingxi

On both sides of Sifang Bridge, there were still very few Qi soldiers on patrol. Many carriages, carrying high-ranking officials and nobles, had already stopped by the shore, waiting for the painting boat to dock.

Secret sentries were hidden in various locations, and more soldiers had disguised themselves as commoners, scattered throughout the area.

Gu Sha stood in the lookout tower, observing the movements in the streets below.

The painting boat was approaching the Sifang Bridge lock, and Gu Sha grew increasingly tense.

“Archers, prepare.”

Countless archers, hidden in the night shadows, crouched along the eaves, their bows lined up.

On the street near Sifang Bridge, a carriage slowly passed through the crowded crowd—it was the carriage of the governor of Lidufu, Huang Yankun.

Inside the carriage sat Xie Sui’an and Huang Yankun.

Xie Sui’an was crying softly, wiping her tears, while Huang Yankun, with a smug expression, reached out and comfortingly put his arm around her shoulder. “The great Pang Da died for the country, which is admirable, but Miss Xie’s life must go on, right? Tonight, let’s go on a painting boat ride down the river to relax.”

Coincidentally, after receiving an invitation from Wanyan Jun to board the painting boat, Huang Yankun’s carriage nearly collided with the disoriented Xie Sui’an when it passed near the Xie family. After noticing the distressed beauty, Huang Yankun, of course, took great care to console her. Upon asking, he learned that the news of Pang Yu’s death had just arrived at Wang Xuewu that day.

Seizing the opportunity, Huang Yankun invited Xie Sui’an into the carriage.

Xie Sui’an raised her tear-streaked, red eyes and asked, “Aren’t the Qi people blocking the Quling River? How can this painting boat still get out?”

Huang Yankun smiled smugly. “Of course. The lock at Sifang Bridge is under my jurisdiction. If I tell them to open it, they have to open it. Once Miss Xie gets on the painting boat, you can rest well and enjoy the scenery of the Yangtze River tomorrow. Isn’t that wonderful?”

“Indeed, very beautiful,” Xie Sui’an looked up at Huang Yankun, her lips curling into a pitiful smile, but her eyes suddenly turned cold. “But unfortunately, you won’t be able to see it.”

Huang Yankun sensed something was wrong and was about to speak when a cold flash of light cut through the air.

A dagger had plunged into his chest with precision. He tried to scream, but all that came out was blood. His body convulsed, and in no time, he lay still.

Xie Sui’an, with an expressionless face, took the governor’s token from his waist. She then pulled the dagger out, wiped it clean on his robe, and tucked it back into her sleeve.

Her eyes were still red, but her actions were smooth and swift, as though she had done this countless times.

“Scum.”

Xie Sui’an sneered at the lifeless Huang Yankun and spat softly.

The carriage shook and turned a corner, entering a blind spot in the view.

A figure slipped out of the carriage window and silently ducked into an alley.

The coachman seemed entirely unaware of what had happened and continued driving forward.

…

In the control room by the Sifang Bridge lock, everyone was already on high alert.

At this moment, the lock was open.

A leader moved through the room, giving orders in a loud voice: “General Gu Sha has issued orders. As soon as the fireworks light up over the river, immediately close the lock and make sure no ship goes out! It cannot be early, nor can it be late. Everyone, keep the tension tight!”

Xie Sui’an had already changed into the uniform of a soldier and appeared at the entrance of the control room. The guard, about to stop her for questioning, immediately let her pass when she showed Huang Yankun’s token.

Just as Huang Yankun had said, the people controlling the lock were still his own men. The Qi people were not yet able to figure out these things, so they had fully entrusted him with the responsibility. Here, the soldiers treated the token as if it were from the governor himself. As long as Xie Sui’an claimed she was sent by the governor to supervise the area, no one dared to neglect her.

Xie Sui’an walked silently inward, heading towards the stone chamber at the deepest part, where the mechanical gears controlling the lock were located. The area was damp, with river water seeping in and pooling on the ground.

She quietly picked up a small stone and, with a flick of her finger, precisely lodged it into the second gear.

________________________________________

On the painting boat, the atmosphere remained lively with music and dancing.

The lanterns along the corridor swayed with the rocking of the boat, and the carved window panes cast intricate shadows that danced on the floor. As people passed, they climbed onto others, their footsteps fading before quietly settling back onto the ground.

Nan Yi followed behind Song Muchuan, her mind alert and on edge, constantly scanning the area in case anyone suspicious emerged and jeopardized their plan. Fortunately, they were in the corridor near the cabins, where most guests were gathered in the main hall, so there were few people passing through.

Unable to hold back, Nan Yi asked, “Mr. Song, where are we going? Is there anything I can help with?”

Song Muchuan finally stopped, checking the area to ensure no one was around. He opened a door and gestured for Nan Yi to enter.

“Madam, this way.”

They entered a storage room filled with miscellaneous items.

Once inside, Song Muchuan solemnly cupped his hands and said, “Madam, earlier it was too crowded to speak. Miss Six entrusted me with sending you out of Lidufu.”

Nan Yi was stunned. She almost forgot that Xie Sui’an had promised her that after saving her uncle, she would help her leave Lidufu.

But when Xie Que Shan had seen through her, she had assumed that Xie Sui’an had no way of helping anymore. She had resigned herself to living day by day, abandoning difficulties when they arose and looking for other alternatives.

She looked at Song Muchuan, wondering if the only variable was him. Had he also played a part in this?

Song Muchuan met her gaze openly and explained calmly, “Madam, you need not worry. Everything is arranged. News of your sudden illness will spread from Wang Xuewu, and fearing contagion, you will move to an estate outside the city. After some time, it will be said that you died suddenly, and no one will look for you anymore.”

“But…”

Nan Yi suddenly remembered Xie Que Shan sitting among the lanterns. She had said she would go back and make lanterns with him.

“As for Xie Que Shan, Madam need not worry. He is backed by the Qi people’s power, and his reach does not extend to Jiangnan. Once you reach Jinling, he will never be able to find you.”

Swaying between the options, Nan Yi felt a pull.

She had stayed by Xie Que Shan’s side, hoping that one day he would fulfill his promise and let her go. Now that the end was in sight, why not take the step forward?

There was no reason to refuse.

Her heart pounded. She knew clearly that running away now would mean betraying Xie Que Shan. But so what if she betrayed him? She was just a little scoundrel, a heartless and ungrateful fence-sitter. If she had the chance and didn’t take it, was she some kind of masochist, staying by his side?

“He really... won’t find me?” she asked again.

“Madam, trust me,” Song Muchuan replied.

He turned and pulled a prepared bundle from a box in the corner.

“Miss Six has already arranged a new identity and credentials for you. There is also some money inside. She couldn’t deliver it personally, so she asked me to convey her thanks to you. The mountains are high and the rivers long. Please take care, Madam.”

Nan Yi felt a slight soreness in her nose.

The best Xie Sui’an in the world, even though she was so sad, still spread sunshine to others. But in the end, it was through deceiving her that Xie Sui’an had done all this for her.

And as for Song Muchuan... although he said it was all Xie Sui’an’s idea, she knew it wasn’t easy for him to help her leave. He must have put in a lot of effort as well.

At what should have been a moment of triumph, Nan Yi instead felt guilty and unworthy. A person like her, so pitiful, what merit did she have to deserve the help of these noble individuals?

“Mr. Song, do you know what kind of person I am?”

Song Muchuan met her gaze. Since boarding the boat, she had been extremely cautious, always on alert and seemingly ready to protect him, like a small animal poised to strike. But at this moment, he saw a certain weakness in her eyes.

He knew what kind of person she was—an illegitimate daughter of the Qin family, a girl who grew up on the streets, surviving through trickery and deception. He could even imagine that she might have deceived Miss Six in some way to make her go to such lengths to help her.

But he didn’t mind. What she didn’t know was that, at any moment, she radiated an innocent and unaware beauty, a wild vitality that grew like grass in the spring wind.

She was the spring breeze, and also the wild grass, beautiful in its unstoppable spread.

Everyone has a love for beauty. His small selfishness in this position was to protect that light.

“All I know,” he said, looking at her with gentle yet firm eyes, “is that the world is filthy, and Madam, you wish to go to Qingxi.”

His amber eyes, clear like a pool of freshwater, were honest, sincere, and kind.

His words gave her great strength. The uncertainty and fear about the future, as well as her disappointment in herself, were gently brushed away by his words.

He understood the deepest desire in her heart. He knew she didn’t want to be tainted by the filth of the world.

There are people in this world who are like lofty mountains and clear winds, meant to be admired and trusted by all. Why should she abandon this mountain that she could rely on and return to the hellish world?

“Mr. Song, thank you. Please send me away.”

Song Muchuan opened the window. At that moment, a small firework exploded above the river.

The signal had been sent.

Nan Yi vaguely heard a loud uproar coming from the shore, with someone hysterically shouting, “Close the gate! Close the gate!”

But the painting boat did not stop, heading straight for the bridge tunnel of the lock.

At that moment, on the shore, Hu Sha finally realized that this was a feint within a feint. The so-called King Ling’an was just a ruse, he would never show up. They, the fools, had opened the gates for the enemy to escape.

Hu Sha could only hope for the lock to close quickly to stop the painting boat, but the gate remained motionless.

A soldier, panting heavily, ran up to report, “General, the mechanism at the gate seems to be broken...”

Hu Sha was enraged, grabbing someone by the collar and angrily demanding, “Where is Huang Yankun?! Isn’t he in charge? Where is he?!”

At that moment, the governor’s carriage finally arrived, moving slowly. Hu Sha pushed through the crowd, striding towards the carriage, but suddenly his steps froze.

He saw blood dripping from the bottom of the carriage, falling drop by drop onto the ground. The driver lifted the curtain, revealing the lifeless body of Huang Yankun inside.

Hu Sha was stunned. He had been thoroughly outmaneuvered by an unseen enemy! Furious, he commanded, “Shoot arrows! Quickly, shoot arrows! Stop that painting boat!”

But the expected rain of arrows did not come. A nearby soldier trembled and replied, “G-General, the painting boat is carrying Lord Wanyan’s honored guests…”

Hu Sha, beside himself with rage, kicked the soldier into the river. But there was nothing more he could do. He could only watch helplessly as the painting boat drifted downstream, passing through the lock.