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By the time dawn approached, reinforcements finally arrived. They captured all the assassins and rescued Shen Xiling and Qi Ying from the cave.
By then, Qingzhu was already dead.
Shen Xiling’s men found him in a secluded ravine far from the cave. When they discovered him, his body was riddled with sword wounds on both his front and back. His tendons in his hands and feet had been severed, indicating he had endured immense torture before his death. Perhaps he had been captured and interrogated, yet he refused to reveal Shen Xiling and Qi Ying’s hiding place, resulting in such grievous injuries.
He must have died alone and in great pain.
At that point, Shen Xiling could no longer shed tears; her eyes were completely dry. She stared silently at Qingzhu’s mutilated body for a long time before finally coming to her senses and ordered her men to bring him back.
She would find a fine coffin for him and take him back to Jiankang.
They were meant to be together—even one less person made them incomplete… She had to bring him back.
Take him home.
People in the business world possessed great influence and quickly arranged a safe haven for Shen Xiling while concealing their tracks. They found an ordinary gentry estate in the Xiangzhou area to temporarily reside in. Like a drop of water merging into a river, they instantly became untraceable.
Moreover, Shen Xiling’s people also managed to retrieve Bai Song.
He had been injured in the abdomen and left arm during the fight with the black-clad assassins at the inn. Fortunately, reinforcements arrived in time that night, so Bai Song’s injuries weren’t severe. With proper rest, he would recover without any threat to his life.
Upon hearing about Qingzhu’s death, Bai Song froze, remaining unresponsive for a long time. The scar on his left brow became even more pronounced, seemingly deep enough to expose the bone.
He opened his mouth but couldn’t utter a sound. After a while, he asked Shen Xiling, “…He’s dead?”
At that time, Shen Xiling’s serious injuries hadn’t healed yet, and the arrowhead buried in her body had only recently been removed. Her wound still throbbed with intense pain, and fresh blood seeped out whenever she moved. Yet this pain was nothing compared to the torment she felt over Qingzhu’s death.
She and Bai Song went together to pay respects to Qingzhu. Standing before his coffin, she said, “He left a message, saying he wanted to say hello to you… He hoped you’d visit him more often.”
By then, Bai Song’s expression had turned wooden. He stared blankly at the coffin for a long time, as if he still couldn’t believe that the person lying inside was Qingzhu. His brows furrowed deeply, and eventually, he pushed open the coffin lid to reveal Qingzhu’s face.
Shen Xiling had already arranged for someone to clean him up, wiping away all the bloodstains and dressing him in a brand-new green robe. Lying in the coffin, he appeared merely asleep, as if he would soon open his eyes again, continuing to make faces at Shen Xiling and complain to Bai Song about this and that.
But in reality, he would never wake up again.
He was dead.
With Bai Song’s sharp eye, he quickly noticed the abnormalities in Qingzhu’s hands and feet, understanding what he had endured before his death. His fists clenched tightly, crackling with tension. Shen Xiling could feel the suppressed rage within him, ready to explode at the slightest spark.
Through gritted teeth, he asked, “What about those people?”
Shen Xiling knew he was referring to the assassins who had pursued them and inflicted such harm on Qingzhu.
“They’re locked in the cellar at the back, being interrogated,” she replied truthfully. “If you want to oversee it personally… go ahead.”
Without another word, Bai Song turned and left immediately.
Shen Xiling sighed deeply, gazing at Qingzhu’s coffin and standing there for a long time.
They stayed at this mansion for several days. During this period, Qi Ying’s condition slightly improved. His fever had subsided, but he remained unconscious, lingering bedridden.
Shen Xiling, already frail, was now even weaker due to her serious injuries. However, she knew she couldn’t collapse—otherwise, no one would be able to handle the current mess. Despite sweating profusely from pain every day, she continued to attend to his affairs, sending her subordinates to gather news from Jiangzuo while also pressing Bai Song for information on Qi Ying’s plans before he fell ill.
She had to know; otherwise, his original plan couldn’t be continued. He had told her that this time, he couldn’t afford to lose. She had to find a way to turn the situation around.
However, Bai Song didn’t provide Shen Xiling with a satisfactory answer—not because he didn’t want to, but because he didn’t know.
Perhaps due to the enormity of the matter involved, Qi Ying had been particularly cautious. Even Bai Song, who had been by his side for many years, didn’t know the full scope of his plans. Bai Song was only responsible for arranging the southern route, knowing nothing else.
Shen Xiling furrowed her brows and thoughtfully asked, “If everything proceeded according to his plan, where should we be now?”
Bai Song hesitated, deliberating whether he should disclose everything to Shen Xiling. This would indeed violate Master’s instructions.
Shen Xiling’s voice grew stern, her expression extremely serious. She said, “Things have come to this point. He can do nothing now; only we can act on his behalf. If you keep silent, how can I help him? If he fails, can either of us bear the consequences?”
At that moment, she was still recovering from her serious injuries, appearing especially pale and fragile. Yet her demeanor exuded determination, not overly sharp or coercive, yet creating immense pressure—just like Qi Ying.
Bai Song couldn’t help but think silently: Ten years had swiftly passed. The little girl who once cried her heart out in the corner of the carriage when traveling north to Langya had now transformed into someone so composed and serene.
He felt some relief and much admiration.
Moved by Shen Xiling’s words, after some contemplation, he answered, “If things proceed normally, we should reach Yue’an in six days and Lujiang in fifteen days.”
Shen Xiling was stunned upon hearing this.
Yue’an? Lujiang?
A map immediately appeared in Shen Xiling’s mind.
Yue’an Prefecture was in Huo State, and Lujiang Prefecture was in Xiang State. Both states were adjacent, located west of Jiankang, far from Jiankang, and impossible to pass through.
Why did Qi Ying want to go there?
Six days to Yue’an, fifteen days to Lujiang—what about the nine days in between? From Yue’an to Lujiang, a fast horse could make it in one day, and even by carriage, five or six days would suffice. Why did he allocate nine extra days?
What was he going to do there?
Shen Xiling’s brows furrowed increasingly closer.
She fell into deep thought, and Bai Song couldn’t assist her further. Silently, he exited the room. Not long after, a servant came to report that Mr. Gong had sent her a letter containing the information she sought about Jiangzuo.
She immediately took the letter from the servant, dismissed everyone, and carefully read it.
The letter contained only two pieces of news:
First, the Yangtze River had entered its summer flood season, and recent floods had inundated the Huainan region, turning it into a vast expanse of water, causing widespread displacement among the populace. Second, the Liang Emperor, upon hearing the news, was shocked and distressed, initiating relief measures and planning to travel to Xiaoshan Mountain on the sixth day of the sixth month to perform sacrificial rites, praying for the well-being of Jiangzuo’s people.
Floods… Xiaoshan…
Every year in May and June, the Yangtze River faced the risk of levee breaches and flooding. According to past patterns, this typically occurred every five to six years. Shen Xiling remembered that the last major flood in Jiangzuo was two years ago. She recalled it clearly because many of her caravans had profited greatly by trading goods between the north and south at that time.
Only two years… had the levees breached again?
This wasn’t the most urgent issue. The critical matter was the emperor leaving Jiankang for Xiaoshan.
Xiaoshan was a sacred mountain for imperial sacrifices, renowned for the saying, “When Xiaoshan is settled, the world is at peace.” Imperial sacrifices at Xiaoshan were an ancient tradition, established even before the Southern Liang Dynasty. Throughout the dynasty’s over two hundred years, only two emperors had personally traveled to Xiaoshan for sacrifices, with others delegating officials to perform the rites on their behalf. Although the current flood situation in Jiangzuo might indeed be severe, was it truly necessary for the emperor himself to leave Jiankang?
More unsettling was the fact that Xiaoshan was in Xiang State, near Lujiang.
Shen Xiling’s heart suddenly raced!
She vaguely felt as if she had pulled back a corner of a grand curtain, and just glimpsing a fragment of the iceberg made her so tense she could hardly breathe!
She took a deep breath to calm herself and continued to think intently.
She recalled clearly hearing those who came to kill them mention “General Han” in the cave yesterday. It confirmed her earlier suspicion that the person wanting Qi Ying dead was indeed in Jiangzuo. The mountain fire in Shangjing was likely covered up by Gu Juhán or the Crown Prince of Wei, and General Han Shouye must have discovered that Qi Ying was still alive. Thus, after one failed attempt, he devised another plan to ambush him on his return journey south.
Though involved in commerce, Shen Xiling understood the inseparable connection between politics and business. She was deeply knowledgeable about the political situations of both northern and southern courts, especially the current state of Jiangzuo.
Han Shouye held significant military power, commanding 300,000 troops, along with countless disciples and allies, posing the greatest obstacle to the current emperor. The Qi family had fallen, and Shen Xiling understood that Qi Ying’s position must have changed, as did his relationship with the emperor. He had become a tool in Xiao Ziteng’s struggle against the aristocracy, which was why Han Shouye wanted him dead.
But if Qi Ying were in Jiangzuo, protected by the emperor above and supported by the Secretariat below, who could harm him? Han Shouye would have no opportunity to strike.
Therefore… therefore, Qi Ying personally came to escort the princess!
There must be Han Shouye’s machinations behind this!
Shen Xiling’s heart raced faster. The questions that had long puzzled her were unraveling like silk threads, revealing their true nature.
She felt ecstatic, yet simultaneously knew she had to steady her mind and continue thinking deeply.
Xiao Ziteng wasn’t a fool; matters concerning his ancestral legacy wouldn’t be taken lightly. Didn’t he know that once Qi Ying left Jiangzuo, he would face danger? Who would be there to assist him then?
Xiao Ziteng must have known, so why did he allow Qi Ying to personally escort the princess north?
Unless… unless this was part of a larger plan, prearranged by him…
Xiao Ziteng pretended to fall into Han Shouye’s trap and sent Qi Ying north, perhaps to lull Han Shouye into complacency—no, that wasn’t it. It was to divert Han Shouye’s attention to Qi Ying, buying time for his own actions!
What was he doing? What was he waiting for?
At this moment, Shen Xiling suddenly recalled Qi Ying’s unusual behavior during mid-May when summer began in the mountain retreat. His demeanor was notably different from usual, as if he were subtly awaiting a significant event.
Summer… summer was the flood season of the Yangtze River.
…What he awaited was clearly the flood!
This was a contest of political maneuvering! Qi Ying and Xiao Ziteng were in cahoots; they must have agreed to act during the summer Yangtze flood season. Even if the river didn’t breach naturally, they would find ways to sabotage the levees artificially—all to achieve one goal: leave Jiankang and head to Xiaoshan.
But why did Xiao Ziteng want to leave Jiankang?
Shen Xiling racked her brain, rapidly reviewing all her operations over the past five years, her merchants, their connections, the influential officials they associated with…
Influential officials…
…Zhao Qinghan!
He was Han Shouye’s disciple and currently held the authority over Jiankang’s defense!
Yes, that was it.
With Zhao Qinghan in control, Jiankang was essentially in Han Shouye’s hands. If Han Shouye harbored ambitions of rebellion, Jiankang would no longer be a safe haven for the emperor but rather a suffocating prison and a platform for execution. If Zhao Qinghan and Han Shouye coordinated an inside-out attack, Xiao Ziteng, even with wings, would find it hard to escape, making forced abdication highly probable!
Thus, he needed an opportunity to flee Jiankang!
It must be so!
Shen Xiling understood everything, fully comprehending…
Before her lay a monumental chessboard, a labyrinth jointly set by Qi Ying and the emperor. They intended to join forces at Xiaoshan to eliminate Han Shouye and consolidate military power!
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