"So... your topic is something about the departed Emperor?"
"Precisely!" Bao Mei said enthusiastically. She started her story, "Well, when he was still alive, Hongwu Emperor had a concubine surnamed Hu... ah! Similar to Ma'am Nayin's surname!..." She squealed softly.
"Will... Ma'am Nayin encounter the same destiny as that Consort Hu?..." Ma Ya asked in fear.
"What's wrong?! What's actually going on?! Tell me!" Wu Qi insisted, he was also scared.
"Well, just put it briefly. This Consort Hu had actually married someone else, but the Emperor took her by force to become his concubine. It is unclear whether Consort Hu and the Emperor loved each other or not, but from their relationship a son was born. However one day, Hongwu Emperor found that the corpse of an aborted baby was floating around the river. Without thinking any longer he soon accused Consort Hu of doing it, and killed her."
The silence afterward was so cold as if it could freeze the bones.
"So... Consort Hu... died?" Wu Qi whispered.
"Yes."
"The Emperor... kills her so easily?..."
"You don't know Hongwu Emperor's temper? It's a very easy thing for him to do the killing. Even more, a single kill order from him would kill thousands to tens of thousands of people."
"About that... I've heard about that... but how can he kill his own concubine?... And, how can he kill a woman who is apparently weak and fragile?..."
"The Hongwu Emperor would not care with whom he killed. If he wanted to kill a person, then he would kill him for sure. He has even executed five thousand court ladies by Flaying."
"What?!?" Wu Qi screamed - he covered his mouth with hands. "Why did he do that?!"
"Dunno," Bao Mei shook her head. "I guess, he disregarded women. Maybe hated, maybe disregarded, or maybe both of it. You know the Practice of Xunzang?"
"Human sacrifice? When an emperor dies, someone has to die to accompany him?"
"Correct. Hongwu Emperor forced dozens of young girls to be killed and buried with him while his funeral took place."
"I... never know about that... my God... the departed Emperor is apparently very cruel..." Wu Qi shook his head. "But... hasn't it already passed? After all, he has died, it shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"Blood is thicker than water, right?"
Wu Qi suddenly shuddered. "You mean... Zhou Wang will be as cruel as his father?"
Bao Mei snorted. "You have watched the hard evidence by yourself?"
"Actually, what I usually watch is, Zhou Wang is very kind and merciful..." But suddenly Wu Qi remembered, Zhu Su had ever committed atrocities several times. For example, during Jingnan Campaign he agreed to spread the disease that had killed many people. Then, while he interrogated Huan Shikang and his cronies, he ordered Chen Xinyi to torture them by using the Method of Jinyiwei. Zhou Wang also let his daughters torment Hu Wang Fei if I didn't immediately help her... and right now...
He was forced to agree with Bao Mei. One hundred percent, without any doubt.
"The Hongwu Emperor has been infamous for always torturing his prisoners brutally before killing them, he doesn't want his captives to die easily... what a terrible mindset!" Bao Mei shuddered. "That kind of insane mindset usually runs in the family. We must manage to help Ma'am Nayin run away. Otherwise... uh!"
"We also must manage to escape, Mei! Hongwu Emperor can be so cruel towards women, he would be even crueler against his enemies. And Bai Lian Jiao, is a mortal enemy that the government is eager to destroy at all costs." Xu Gechang said seriously.
Everyone shivered in horror.
"But, where must we run away?" Ma Ya thought. "We have to plan carefully for that."
"We should go to a place far away from here. If not to the north, then to the south."
"The northern area is very cold! My friend said, you have to wear thick clothes up to several layers. I'm afraid that I can't bear it. I don't agree to go north," Ma Ya expressed her opinion.
"Then, go to the south. The southern area is also warmer." Wei Han thought. "But, where should we go?.."
"To Yunnan?" Ma Ya's eyes suddenly sparkled. "Who told me at that time, hmm? They said Yunnan is so beautiful. Lijiang, Dali, Lanyue Valley, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain?..."
"I disagree," said Wu Qi suddenly. Everyone stared at him. "We both come from Yunnan. Zhou Wang also knows Yunnan very well. I won't be surprised that if he decides to send troops out of the city, the first area they'll go to is Yunnan."
"Don't only think about fun, Sis! Remember, we are running away!" Xu Gechang poked his wife.
"What if we go to Guangdong?"
Bao Mei said excitedly. Everyone looked at her. "Guangdong is also the southern area, it is not cold and we can only wear one layer of clothes in winter. Also, Guangdong is on the coast, directly adjacent to the sea. Ah! I think, Guangdong is more romantic than Yunnan, there is a beach. I've never seen the sea. I want to see it!"
The others looked at each.
"Eh, that's a good idea."
"I never see the sea, either."
"All this time we live in Kaifeng which locates in Central Plain, no any sea here. Only land everywhere."
Wu Qi considered in his mind. That was right, it seemed that he had not yet explored much more on the beach either, since Yunnan was not directly adjacent to the sea. He only had an opportunity to see the sea while accompanying Zhu Su watched Admiral Zheng He and his troops anchor off in Fujian, only that. The rest, he only heard what people said. That the beach has sand, that there are strange beach animals such as crabs and shells, that the seawater can roll and that is called waves... it was no more than the kind of rumors, but he never saw it by himself. He wanted to watch those "all the people said" in person, indeed.
This fleeing idea began to sound interesting to him. Slowly, he nodded.
"Very good. I agree. His Highness is unfamiliar with the area of Guangdong at all. I'll bet he's never gone there. Guangdong is a safe place for us to go to."
"Or maybe he won't even guess that we're going there? Ming is too large anyway, not to mention its satellite countries. We can run anywhere, right?" Wei Han said excitedly.
"Then, it's decided!" Xu Gechang exclaimed. He raised his hand. "We'll make it! Towards Guangdong!"
The others also raised their hands. Now the five of them shouted out loud. "Towards Guangdong! We'll make it!"
On the other hand, Hu Nayin remained unshakeable. She was still quiet, with an odd vacant gaze staring at the boundless night sky.