Xie Yong guarded the carriage while Xie Yuchan happily ran into the inn to eat, loudly ordering food. The waiter listed several dishes, but Xie Yuchan wrinkled her nose in disgust. "These are disgusting! It's crab season, isn't it? Bring me eight Golden Dragon Crab, Emerald Pearl Soup Dumplings, Fresh Mushroom Heart Soup, Slow-cooked Deer Tendon, and Red Bean Pastry. Brew some Maojian tea. That's all for now."
"Miss, are you joking?" the waiter asked incredulously. "This is an inn, not a fancy restaurant in the capital. Our chefs don't know how to cook those elaborate dishes."
Xie Yuchan responded matter-of-factly, "Then they should learn! Otherwise, serving such awful food, how can you make any money?"
The innkeeper, annoyed, approached and said, "Excuse me, miss, are you here to eat or cause trouble? Crabs don't exist in Yanzhou. You must be living in a bubble, lacking basic knowledge."
Xie Yuchan exploded, "How dare you! Do you know who I am?"
The innkeeper and waiter exchanged amused glances. "Who are you? The Empress Dowager?" the innkeeper joked.
Xie Yuchan slammed her palms on the table and stood up, shouting, "I'm the Princess Consort! All of Yanzhou belongs to my husband! Daring to offend me means certain death for you all!"
The innkeeper and waiter burst out laughing. Xie Yuchan's face turned red with fury. Just as she was about to speak, a cold voice called out from behind, "Xie Yuchan!"
Cui Yi, enraged, emerged from a corner of the hall. "It's you! Who released you?"
Xie Yuchan trembled in fear, turning to see Cui Yi standing beside a woman dressed in exotic attire. "Yingge, I..." she stammered, trying to explain her presence. Desperately, she deflected attention, accusing Sang Duo, "And who is this woman? Your new lover? Yingge, how could you have me and still look for others?"
Before she could finish, Sang Duo whistled, and Nayan, the gyrfalcon perched on her shoulder, swooped down and viciously pecked at Xie Yuchan's face, causing her to scream in agony.
"This is the infamous Xie Yuchan? Truly, fame doesn't live up to reality," Sang Duo remarked, calling Nayan back to her shoulder.
Xie Yuchan collapsed to the ground, clutching her torn lip, screaming in pain. The waiter and innkeeper stood frozen in shock.
Cui Yi's dark eyes fixed on Xie Yuchan, devoid of sympathy or compassion. Her unexpected appearance implied significant trouble. Xie Yuchan should have been locked up in the Prince's residence, yet she was now at an inn a hundred miles away. Something must have gone terribly wrong in the residence.
"How did this happen, Yuchan?" Xie Yong rushed in, freezing upon seeing Cui Yi.
Cui Yi squinted his eyes, "Xie Zichang." Xie Yong felt a chill down his spine and immediately turned to run out, but Cui Yi wasn't about to let him go. He shouted, "Watch her!" and chased after him.
Sang Duo sat leisurely at the table, eating calmly, while Xie Yuchan cried loudly and tried to crawl away. Sang Duo pulled out a small knife from her boot and with a thud, nailed Xie Yuchan's right foot to the floor. The innkeeper and the waiter both jumped in fright and hid behind the counter, fearing they might get caught in the crossfire.
Cui Yi chased Xie Yong out of the post station. Xie Yong was already weak with fear and couldn't run far. Cui Yi didn't think he could escape anyway. However, Xie Yong stumbled to a carriage, reached inside, and dragged out the bound Chiyun.
Chiyun: "Woo woo—!"
Cui Yi was stunned; with his wife in the other man's hands, even if he had the power to turn the world upside down, he couldn't use it.
"Don't come any closer!" Xie Yong held Chiyun by the neck with one hand and drew a hidden dagger with the other, trembling as he backed away. "If you take one more step, I'll kill her!"
Cui Yi exploded in rage, "You dare?!"
Xie Yong staggered backward, holding Chiyun, his fingers slick with sweat, clenching and unclenching around the dagger. Cui Yi stood six or seven feet away, wanting to rush forward to save her but afraid Xie Yong would act desperately, killing Chiyun if he couldn't escape. This situation was dragging on, and Xie Yong, knowing he was doomed, couldn't negotiate for his life.
The standoff became eerily tense. Cui Yi licked his lips, his eyes fixed on Xie Yong's hands, slightly crouching like a hunting leopard. He moved sideways, inching closer almost imperceptibly.
Suddenly, Xie Yong screamed, "Don't come any closer! Back off!" As he raised the dagger to cut Chiyun's neck, his hand shook so violently that instead of cutting her throat, he sliced open her right collarbone, causing blood to gush out immediately.
Cui Yi instantly lost his temper and roared, charging forward without thinking. Chiyun, unable to lower her head due to being choked, felt a sharp pain on her collarbone and saw Cui Yi rushing towards her like a mad beast. She closed her eyes tightly, tilted her head, and slumped down, pretending to be dead.
When Xie Yong realized the person in his arms had gone limp, he looked down and saw blood soaking half of her clothes. Realizing he had no protection left, he quickly abandoned her and tried to run. Without hesitation, Cui Yi pounced, grabbed Xie Yong by the hair, and smashed his head against the carriage wheel, killing him instantly.
"Chiyun... Chiyun!" After dealing with Xie Yong, Cui Yi stood there panting, then remembered Chiyun lying motionless on the ground. He rushed over to pick her up, "Chiyun, how are you?"
Chiyun, who had been keeping her eyes tightly shut, opened one eye slightly and said, "Woo woo..."
Cui Yi, sweating profusely, exclaimed, "What did you say? I can't hear you clearly!"
Chiyun nearly spat out blood—how could she speak clearly with a gag in her mouth? Fortunately, Cui Yi soon realized the issue and removed the cloth. Chiyun exhaled deeply, stuck out her tongue, and said, "I'm fine, just a scratch. Stop the bleeding, and please untie me; this position is hurting my waist."
Cui Yi turned to grab the dagger to cut the ropes. When Chiyun looked in that direction, she saw Xie Yong's head with a gaping hole, brain matter mixed with blood, which reminded her of Shan Jian's words about "white brains drizzled with syrup."
The cut on her collarbone wasn't deep, and after pressing a cloth to it, the bleeding stopped. However, moving her neck and arm would be uncomfortable for a while. Seeing Cui Yi still looking terrified, she smiled, "It's nothing, just a scratch. It'll heal in a few days."
Cui Yi's face remained grim as he helped her stand up. Chiyun rubbed her numb legs and walked back into the inn, "Luckily we found each other, or I wouldn't have made it."
"If you were..." Cui Yi started to say something but thought better of it, changing the subject, "I would make the entire Xie family pay." Then, reconsidering, he cautiously asked, "Killing Xie Yong... won't cause trouble, will it?"
Chiyun sighed, "We've already killed him. Given what he did, he deserved to die early. We'll handle it later. By the way, where's Miss Xie?"
As they entered the inn, another scream echoed. Chiyun hurried in, clutching her wound.
Xie Yuchan, previously torn apart by Nayan and now nailed to the floor by Sang Duo, continued to cry uncontrollably, blood pooling around her foot. The few remaining diners had long fled in terror.
Sang Duo stood on Xie Yuchan's shoulder, looking like a bully oppressing an innocent. Seeing Chiyun and Cui Yi enter, she proudly declared, "Chiyun sister! Look! I avenged you!"
Chiyun nodded, smiling bitterly. Cui Yi asked, "How should we deal with her? Your call."
At this point, Xie Yuchan realized her dire situation. Her beauty was ruined, her foot crippled, and her brother likely dead.
"Yingrong brother, Yingrong brother, don't abandon me! Don't abandon me! I love you so much, I'd give everything to you. Please don't leave me!" Xie Yuchan crawled toward Cui Yi, grabbing his boots with her bloody hands, sobbing.
Cui Yi snorted derisively and shook her off. Xie Yuchan then crawled toward Chiyun, "Miss Changsun..."
Chiyun stepped back, "Her Highness must have forgotten, I was disowned by the Changsun family. Now, I'm just Chiyun."
Xie Yuchan corrected herself, "Miss Chiyun..."
Sang Duo scoffed behind them, "Miss? Chiyun sister is married with children. You're not like her."
This comment was particularly cruel, as Xie Yuchan had been a virgin for six months since marrying into the Wu王府, with Cui Yi never touching her. Calling her a princess was an understatement.
Xie Yuchan shivered all over, unable to speak.
"I was wrong before..." Xie Yuchan whimpered.
"So you finally admit it," Chiyun chuckled. "Well, since you realize your mistake at death's door, given that you haven't done anything unforgivable to the prince, I'll give you a quick death."
Xie Yuchan's eyes widened in horror. Chiyun knelt down, pulled out the dagger from her foot, causing Xie Yuchan to scream in agony.
"Xie Yong, son of Prefect Xie Xiaozhi, conspired with the Northern Di, betrayed the Great Chu, kidnapped his own sister—the Princess Consort Xie Yuchan secretly escaped through Tiger Rush Pass, intending to offer herself to King Huerhana of the Northern Di. Her sister resisted to the death, committing suicide. Amidst the chaos, her body was lost, leaving only her belongings for a symbolic tomb in Yanzhou. Given her impurity in life..."
Chiyun slowly spoke these cruel words, the bloody dagger flashing menacingly. Xie Yuchan's lips turned pale, shaking her head, "I don't want to die... I don't want to die! Yingrong brother, save me! Save..."
Blood splattered onto Chiyun's already stained front, and Xie Yuchan fell forward, lifeless. Chiyun calmly stood up, "She will not be allowed to rest in the imperial mausoleum."
Three days later, the Wu Wang returned to Yanzhou.
Had Xie Yong known the paths better and taken shortcuts, and had Xie Yuchan not caused a scene at the inn, Chiyun might not have been rescued so easily. Thus, the plan was doomed from the start.
Baili Zan sighed, "Madam, it's good to see you safe. Those siblings deserved their fate. Now that we have a proper reason, it's easier to explain to the Xie family. At least we don't have to live under a cloud anymore."
Chiyun nodded, "Thank you, Master Baili."
During her absence, everyone in Yanzhou was on edge, especially Baili Zan, who feared Cui Yi's wrath upon his return. Since the idea to test Xie Yong came from him, he hadn't slept for days, dark circles under his eyes like a panda.
Everyone was anxious, including the usually carefree Shan Jian. However, when they welcomed the Wu Wang back, their fears dissipated. Not only had Cui Yi brought Yang Qiong back alive, but he also miraculously saved Chiyun. Everyone genuinely admired his luck.
"Is Xiaoqiu okay? Xie Yong said he left her somewhere. Did anyone look for her?" Chiyun asked worriedly.
Cao Qian replied, "Madam, please rest assured. Xiaoqiu is safe. The day after you disappeared, farmers outside the city found her unconscious at their doorstep and brought her in for treatment. Patrol soldiers recognized her and took her back. Aunt Nongyue is taking care of her."
Chiyun sighed in relief. Sang Duo came forward, holding her arm, "Chiyun sister, you should rest. You're injured."
Everyone was startled, "Madam, you're hurt?"
Chiyun waved dismissively, "Just a minor injury. Nothing serious. Everyone, back to work. I need to check on Xiaoqian."
After Chiyun left, four guards who had failed to protect her stood nervously outside the palace gates. Cui Yi grunted, "Since Madam is safe and sound, I won't punish you this time. Dismissed!"
They all breathed a sigh of relief, thanked him, and hurried away.
"Yuanke, wait a moment," E Cheng heard Cui Yi calling him and obediently turned back.
E Cheng asked cautiously, "Your Majesty, what is your command?"
Cui Yi's expression was serious, "How is General E lately?"
E Cheng frowned, "Not too well. His injuries from his younger years are catching up with him. He often coughs now. Thank you for asking."
Cui Yi nodded silently, remembering E Chong's gray beard and gaunt face. "You disobeyed his wishes to help me. You'll probably be scolded when you return."
Unexpectedly, E Cheng replied, "My father sent me here. He said national duty surpasses personal grievances. To neglect Yanzhou's safety because of dissatisfaction with the late emperor would be immoral."
"Ah, I see," Cui Yi sighed in relief. "General E has a loyal heart, but Father Emperor... Never mind. Since you're here, stay and serve loyally. I won't mistreat you."
E Cheng hesitated, "Your Majesty, my father asked me to assist in defending Tiger Rush Pass until you returned or the Northern Di retreated. Then, I am to return."
Cui Yi sighed heavily, "Stand up. General E has retired and wants a peaceful life. Understandable. How many men did you bring? Any casualties? Claim the compensation from Wen Yu. I'll have Chiyun select some medicinal herbs for you to take back as gratitude from Yanzhou's people."
E Cheng bowed apologetically, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Chiyun had been missing for several days, and Xiao Cuiqian missed both parents terribly. Nongyue managed to calm her down, preventing any health issues. After changing her bandages and clothes, Chiyun went to see her daughter. Xiao Cuiqian immediately reached out for her mother, babbling happily.
Nongyue explained, "Madam, during your absence, the little miss cried a lot, as if sensing something was wrong. Indeed, daughters are close to their mothers."
Chiyun kissed her daughter's cheek, whispering, "Xiaoqian, Mama's little treasure, Mama won't leave you."
For the first time in days, Chiyun spent the morning playing with her daughter. With the courtyard swept clean, she supported Xiao Cuiqian as she learned to walk.
By lunchtime, Cui Yi returned from the camp and joined them. Xiao Cuiqian ran clumsily toward him, falling after a few steps. Cui Yi moved to help, but Chiyun stopped him, "Let her get up herself. Xiaoqian, kiss Daddy."
Xiao Cuiqian, puzzled, looked at her mother and then at her father, who was eagerly waiting. She pushed herself up and took a wobbly step.
Chiyun followed closely, watching carefully.
Step by step, Xiao Cuiqian made her way to Cui Yi, falling once more but getting up on her own. Finally, she reached him and leaped into his arms.
Cui Yi beamed, lifting her high, "Good job! My little sweetheart, come give Daddy a kiss." He nuzzled her with his stubbly face, making Xiao Cuiqian laugh and swat at him.
Chiyun laughed, unable to stop. A servant asked if they should eat, and Chiyun agreed, "Time for lunch."
Xiao Cuiqian, riding on Cui Yi's shoulders, galloped around excitedly. Cui Yi carried her inside, heedless of the low doorway.
"Hold on! Watch out for the door!" Chiyun rushed after them, relieved that Xiao Cuiqian was short enough to avoid hitting her head.
The family sat down to eat. Chiyun fed Xiao Cuiqian while eating herself and chatting with Cui Yi. The rule of silence during meals was nonexistent in the Wu Wang Palace.
"Afterward, remember to choose some good medicine for E Cheng to take back," Cui Yi reminded her.
Chiyun nodded, "I've never met General E, nor do I know much about General E Cheng. What happened between them and the late emperor?"
Cui Yi recounted the story of how E Chong, once a celebrated general, refused an appointment to tutor the young prince, leading to his exile to Yanzhou. Years later, E Chong's letter criticizing the new queen's actions was intercepted, causing further disgrace.
Chiyun listened intently, "Despite his hardships, General E loved the people of Yanzhou and sent his son to help defend Tiger Rush Pass. That's commendable."