Chapter 73

After He Xinian left, Zhao Hongrun did not delay and led the clan guards to the Jade Crystal Pavilion.

He instructed the clan guards to keep watch in the garden outside the Jade Crystal Pavilion and entered alone.

As soon as he stepped into the front hall, he saw Princess Yulong sitting idly inside, her hand supporting her fragrant cheek, lost in thought.

Clearly, this princess was still unaware that the emperor was about to marry her off to the capital of Chu, a thousand miles away.

"Eldest Sister," Zhao Hongrun called softly.

Princess Yulong, whose reverie had been interrupted, raised her head and said anxiously, "Hongrun, you finally came. What's been going on recently? Your clan guards haven't been delivering Xinian's letters to me."

Are my clan guards not delivering them? It's just that He Xinian has no heart to write letters.

Zhao Hongrun smiled faintly, not bothering to explain, and pulled Princess Yulong's hand, leading her toward her bedroom.

Princess Yulong was greatly surprised, but seeing the serious look on Zhao Hongrun's face, she did not dare to ask further and let him lead her into the bedroom.

Once inside, Zhao Hongrun turned and closed the door, then whispered to Princess Yulong, "Eldest Sister, there's something I need to tell you, but you must promise not to scream."

Princess Yulong nodded, not knowing what was happening.

Seeing this, Zhao Hongrun handed her the letter of accusation.

Princess Yulong looked at Zhao Hongrun with confusion, then unfolded the letter. Instantly, her face turned pale, and she instinctively covered her mouth, her face full of disbelief.

"How could it be... How could it be..." she murmured in disbelief.

After a long while, she raised her head, her voice filled with the last bit of hope, and forced a smile, "Hongrun, are you playing a joke on your Eldest Sister? It must be, right?"

"..." Zhao Hongrun remained silent.

Seeing his expression, a look of sorrow flashed across Princess Yulong's face, and she seemed to lose all strength, collapsing to the ground.

Seeing this, Zhao Hongrun quickly helped Princess Yulong to the bed.

"I should have known..." Princess Yulong sat on the edge of the bed, her smile bitter.

After a long while, she asked with a bitter smile, "When did this happen?"

"About ten days ago. ... But now, the Chu envoy has already arrived in Yongqiu and will soon reach Daliang."

"Has... Has he found out?"

Zhao Hongrun naturally understood that the "he" Princess Yulong referred to was He Xinian and nodded.

Seeing this, Princess Yulong's face became even more sorrowful, and she said with a bitter smile, "No wonder I haven't received any letters these past few days..."

Zhao Hongrun gently patted her back, comforting her, "Let's not talk about this for now. Eldest Sister, I have a question for you, and you must answer me honestly."

"What is it?" Princess Yulong forced a bitter smile.

Zhao Hongrun pondered for a moment and then asked in a low voice, "Eldest Sister and He Xinian, how far have you two progressed?"

"Eh?" Seeing Zhao Hongrun suddenly ask this, Princess Yulong blushed slightly, but then her face turned bitter again, and she laughed, "Why are you asking this now?"

"Eldest Sister, don't interrupt me. ... Tell me, how far have you two progressed? Are you determined to marry only each other?"

"Is it really as you say, Hongrun... so... so..." Princess Yulong bit her lip, blushing, and said softly, "I just think he... he's not bad..."

"Then, Eldest Sister, are you willing to be with him?"

"Be with?"

Seeing that Zhao Hongrun said "be with" rather than "marry," Princess Yulong seemed to guess something, and her beautiful eyes flashed with a hint of surprise and comfort, "He... Could it be..."

Seeing this, Zhao Hongrun explained to Princess Yulong about his agreement with He Xinian and handed her a short letter He Xinian had left before leaving. This finally brought some color back to Princess Yulong's pale face.

"He... is willing to give up his family for me?" Princess Yulong murmured, clearly moved.

After a long while, she took a deep breath, "I want to go."

She had made up her mind, but the question was, how to go? Without help, she couldn't even leave the palace.

Princess Yulong looked at Zhao Hongrun, but several times she opened her mouth and couldn't say a word.

Because she knew that if Zhao Hongrun secretly helped her, and their father the emperor found out, her younger brother would surely be punished.

She didn't want her younger brother, who had always been good to her, to be implicated because of her.

Seeing her troubled expression, Zhao Hongrun smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll help you."

"..." Princess Yulong looked at Zhao Hongrun, moved, and hesitated, "But, Father will blame you..."

"Let him blame me. I've always been criticized for being unruly, and this won't make a difference. ... I don't want the only royal sister who is close to me to be married far away to Chu, never to return."

Princess Yulong felt a warm feeling in her heart and said sincerely, "Although I don't understand why you've always been so good to me, ... thank you, Hongrun."

...

Zhao Hongrun was silent for a moment, then smiled slightly and said in a low voice, "We shouldn't delay. Let's go... If we wait too long, we won't be able to leave the city."

"Um." Princess Yulong nodded nervously and quickly changed her clothes.

Seeing this, Zhao Hongrun stepped out of the Jade Crystal Pavilion and called for the clan guard Mu Qing, saying, "You go out of the palace first and drive the carriage to wait outside."

"Understood," Mu Qing nodded.

"High Kuo, Zhong Zhao, you go with Mu Qing. ... The rest, follow me."

The clan guards nodded and followed his orders.

Re-entering the Jade Crystal Pavilion, they happened to see Princess Yulong's personal maid Cui'er bringing tea. Zhao Hongrun gave Shen Yu a nod.

Shen Yu understood and walked a few steps to Cui'er, bowed, and said, "I'm sorry."

Before Cui'er could react, he stepped forward and struck her neck with a hand knife, knocking her out.

"Bind her," Zhao Hongrun ordered.

The clan guards, who already knew the plan, were not surprised. They entered the pavilion, knocked out the maids, tied them up with ropes, and gagged their mouths.

A short while later, Princess Yulong, dressed and ready, came out of her bedroom. Seeing her maids all knocked out and tied up, she was shocked.

"Hongrun? ... What are you doing?"

"I'm saving them," Zhao Hongrun explained, turning back. "If not, when you disappear, these people will surely be punished. ... Let's go."

Saying this, he pulled Princess Yulong's arm and walked out of the Jade Crystal Pavilion.

On the way to the palace gate, Zhao Hongrun noticed many eunuchs near the Jade Crystal Pavilion.

He knew these eunuchs were likely sent by his father the emperor to monitor the activities in the Jade Crystal Pavilion.

"Hey? Hongrun, someone is calling you."

Princess Yulong, who didn't understand the situation, noticed some small eunuchs chasing after them, shouting "Eighth Prince."

"Don't look back," Zhao Hongrun whispered to Princess Yulong and quickened his steps.

The group hurried to the palace gate. The palace guard commander, Jin Ju, saw the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun and his group approaching and was puzzled.

"It's already this late, and the Eighth Prince still wants to leave the palace?"

Muttering to himself, Jin Ju was about to greet the Eighth Prince when he noticed that today's Zhao Hongrun was acting strangely, ignoring him and leading his group out of the palace just as the gates were closing, leaving Jin Ju bewildered.

After leaving the palace, they didn't walk far before they saw clan guard Mu Qing waiting with a grand carriage.

This carriage was borrowed from Prince Yong's residence a few days ago by Zhao Hongrun. After all, while Zhao Hongrun was well-known in the palace, his fame in Daliang was far less than that of Prince Yong.

If they used Prince Yong's carriage to leave the city, no one would dare to stop them.

For this, Zhao Hongrun also had the clan guards borrow a pass from Prince Yong, which would allow them to enter and leave the city gates of Daliang even if they were closed, unless there was an emergency.

Sure enough, with Prince Yong's carriage and pass, Zhao Hongrun and his group left Daliang without any trouble, heading for the Ten Mile Pavilion in the southern suburbs.

However, among Zhao Hongrun's clan guards, Wei Jiao, Lu Mu, and Zhou Bo stayed behind. Zhao Hongrun had instructed them to wait outside He Xinian's residence and hand him a fast horse, also borrowed from Prince Yong's residence, as soon as he left.

Meanwhile, as Zhao Hongrun was already out of Daliang with Princess Yulong, He Xinian had just finished dinner with his family.

Perhaps this was his last meal in this family.

But just as he returned to his room, ready to sneak out of the He residence with his packed belongings, he heard a knock on his door.

He Xinian was startled and quickly hid his belongings under the bedding, then opened the door, feeling guilty.

To his surprise, outside the door were his father, He Yu, his mother, Zhang Shi, and his grandfather, He Xiangxu.

"Grandfather, Father, Mother," He Xinian greeted them one by one.

"What are you doing? Why do you look so nervous?" His father, He Yu, frowned and asked.

He Xinian, being only eighteen and planning such a shocking act as abducting a princess, was naturally nervous. He forced himself to say, "Son... Son isn't doing anything. ... What brings Grandfather, Father, and Mother here?"

"You tell her," He Yu, seemingly embarrassed to speak, said to his wife, Zhang Shi, and then looked around the room.

Seeing this, Zhang Shi pulled her son to sit on the bed and said kindly, "Xinian, your mother thinks you're old enough to find a wife. Your grandfather and father have obtained some portraits of eligible young ladies from the court. They are daughters of high-ranking officials. Take a look and see if any of them suit you."

As she spoke, Zhang Shi pushed the bedding aside, ready to unfold the portraits.

Unexpectedly, she touched the bag He Xinian had hidden under the bedding.

"What's this?"

Under He Xinian's shocked gaze, Zhang Shi curiously opened the bag.

"Clunk."

Prince Yong's pass fell from the open bag and landed on the floor beside the bed.

He Xinian felt his whole body stiffen.

"Hmm?"

He Yu walked over, picked up the pass, and examined it carefully, his expression changing.

"Xinian, why do you have Prince Yong's pass?"

He Xinian was speechless, unable to say a word.

ps: I have to go out tonight, so I'm posting this early to avoid keeping some readers waiting. In fact, He Xinian is just a supporting character to advance the plot.

...

Page AD starts

Page AD ends