Chapter 27: Turning Back

It was still the middle of the night, but sleep was impossible.

Elder Yue said, "Princess, the claws of the pseudo-emperor are pursuing us relentlessly, and this is no place to linger. Why not travel through the night to reach Yingshui Prefecture as soon as possible? That way, we can rendezvous with the reinforcements."

Princess Dongyang lowered her head in thought for a moment, then suddenly asked Qin Sang, "Master Qin, based on your knowledge, how many assassins has the Jiangshan Pavilion gathered in Three Witches City?"

Qin Sang shook his head cautiously. "I am unsure, but likely at least dozens."

Princess Dongyang nodded. "Master Qin killed two, yet only ten appeared this time. This suggests our tracks have not been completely leaked. Either the Jiangshan Pavilion assassins have split their forces, or most of them were fought to the death by Granny Li and the others. Elder Yue, what if we turn back to Three Witches City tonight?"

Elder Yue's expression changed drastically upon hearing this. "Princess, absolutely not! Three Witches City is already a den of tigers and wolves. It is highly probable that the Prince of Zhenshui has defected to the pseudo-emperor. All other guards have been assassinated, leaving only us. If we encounter an ambush, even if we fight to the death, I cannot guarantee your safety. I would be unable to face the Prince!"

Princess Dongyang smiled faintly. "How can one achieve great things without risking one's life? If even you, Elder Yue, do not dare let me return to Three Witches City, the pseudo-emperor's claws certainly won't expect it. As for the Prince of Zhenshui, I do not believe he has necessarily defected; otherwise, the pseudo-emperor would not have resorted to such underhanded tactics."

Before Elder Yue could speak again, Princess Dongyang shook her head. "There is no need for further persuasion, Elder Yue; my mind is made up. Commander Bai, you and Guard Zhou shall share a horse. Take the severed arm and return to Three Witches City immediately. There is an imperial physician in the Prince of Zhenshui's manor; perhaps the limb can be reattached."

Bai Jianglan hurriedly responded, "Yes!"

The horses were still available. Despite being a woman, Princess Dongyang showed no sign of fragility; she mounted her horse and rode without pause. By dawn, they reached the North Gate of Three Witches City.

As expected, they did not encounter any Jiangshan Pavilion assassins on the road.

Like the South Gate, the North Gate had side gates that were open. Being familiar with the area, Qin Sang helped Princess Dongyang and the others blend into a merchant caravan by splitting them up. Only Water Monkey's injuries were too conspicuous, so Qin Sang found a secluded courtyard outside the city to stay behind and care for him, while Princess Dongyang, Elder Yue, and Bai Jianglan went to see the Prince of Zhenshui.

Exhausted and heavily wounded, Water Monkey fell into a deep sleep.

Qin Sang sat in the courtyard, waiting for news from the Princess while remaining vigilant of any movement outside, always prepared to flee.

From the brief words exchanged between Princess Dongyang and Elder Yue, Qin Sang could roughly discern the situation. The "pseudo-emperor" they spoke of was likely the current Emperor of the Great Sui, and the Jiangshan Pavilion was originally the Emperor's own organization—no wonder they dared to assassinate a Governor in broad daylight.

It was said that the Prince of Dongyang and the current Emperor were full siblings, with the Prince of Dongyang being the elder brother. However, after the late Emperor passed away, the younger brother ascended the throne while the elder brother was relegated to the rank of Prince, a violation of traditional ethics.

There must have been much friction between them, though outsiders found it difficult to know the inner details.

Currently, the Great Sui was plagued by constant natural disasters, and the four northern prefectures were rife with rebellions, with weapons clashing everywhere in total chaos.

With the Great Sui appearing to teeter on the brink of collapse and its foundations unstable, rumors circulated among the people that the new Emperor was lawless. It was likely that the Prince of Dongyang saw an opportunity and could no longer endure the isolation. The fact that Princess Dongyang, Granny Li, and Elder Yue referred to the Jiangshan Pavilion as the "claws of the pseudo-emperor" was clear evidence.

If the Prince of Dongyang were to raise the banner of crusading against the pseudo-emperor, his first priority would be to win over the Prince of Zhenshui.

The Zhenshui Prefecture and Dongyang Prefecture were interdependent, standing together in the south of the Great Sui. If the Prince of Zhenshui were not brought onto his side, the Prince of Dongyang's rear would be unstable, making it impossible to discuss sending troops to fight the rebels.

Princess Dongyang had risked her life to come to Three Witches City alone, likely to persuade the Prince of Zhenshui. Unexpectedly, word had leaked mid-journey, allowing the Jiangshan Pavilion to learn of it and order an interception.

In the current Great Sui, one could not tell how many undercurrents were surging.

Qin Sang, initially ignorant of the situation, had inadvertently boarded the "rebel ship" of the Prince of Dongyang. There had been opportunities to escape, yet he had chosen to stay.

His goal had never changed. He cared nothing for whether the Emperor of Great Sui was the Prince of Dongyang or the current Sovereign; what he wanted was to find a shortcut to contact the Immortal Master.

As the saying goes, "heroes arise in chaotic times," and joining the Prince of Dongyang's rebellion was undoubtedly a good opportunity.

Now, it all depended on whether Princess Dongyang could persuade the Prince of Zhenshui.

If she failed, she would be doomed, but he would not stay to die with her. At worst, he would kill his way out and flee to another country.

By noon, Qin Sang suddenly heard footsteps heading straight for the small courtyard. He stood up alertly and listened.

There was talking, but it did not sound like a tense confrontation.

Qin Sang set Yan Wang aside. A moment later, the courtyard gate pushed inward. Leading the way were Bai Jianglan and an elderly man carrying a medicine box. Princess Dongyang walked alongside a richly dressed middle-aged man, speaking intimately with a calm expression.

Only then did Qin Sang breathe a sigh of relief. He called Yan Wang back and stepped forward to greet them.

The person speaking to Princess Dongyang was none other than the Prince of Zhenshui himself. The man beside Bai Jianglan was the imperial physician of the Prince's manor. After examining Water Monkey's wound, the physician stroked his long beard, inspected the severed arm for a long time, and shook his head. "Reporting to Your Highness and the Princess, this severed limb is severely damaged and lacks vitality. Furthermore, too much time has passed; I fear it cannot be reattached."

Bai Jianglan's eyes suddenly dimmed.

Princess Dongyang said, "Then I must trouble the imperial physician to stop Guard Zhou's bleeding and treat the wound properly to ensure his life is not in danger."

"As you command!"

The physician opened his medicine box and began treating the wound.

The Prince of Zhenshui said from the side, "Do not worry, Niece Anning. Imperial Physician Wang possesses divine medical skills and will surely save this brave man's life. I have prepared fine wine and a feast; why don't you come to the manor with me to dine and rest?"

"Thank you, Uncle," Princess Dongyang performed a respectful bow, her voice carrying a hint of exhaustion. "Anning only came to visit Uncle in secret; there is no need for such extravagance. Now that my mind is at ease, I must trouble Uncle to send someone to escort me back to Dongyang Prefecture. Otherwise, my father will worry for my safety and grow anxious, which would be unfilial of me."

The Prince of Zhenshui said indignantly, "I did not expect a mere wandering assassin organization to dare stir up trouble in Zhenshui Prefecture and assassinate nobility. I have already ordered a sweep of the entire prefecture to ensure none of them are left alive, to provide an explanation to my elder brother and Niece Anning! Since Anning insists on returning... Men! Prepare a large ship, arrange a banquet on board, and send word to General Zhao to dispatch his most elite troops to escort the Princess back to Dongyang Prefecture. If even a single hair on the Princess's head is harmed on the journey, I will hold him accountable!"

"Yes!"

...

Qin Sang shared a carriage with Bai Jianglan and Water Monkey, escorted by elite guards. As they passed Mount Cuiming, Qin Sang lifted the carriage curtain to look out.

Since his own future was uncertain, he did not go to disturb them.

They boarded the ship and traveled along the river, arriving at Chun City, the capital of Dongyang Prefecture, three days later.

Following Princess Dongyang, Qin Sang was escorted back to the royal manor under heavy guard. As he observed the scenery along the way, he felt that the customs and atmosphere of Chun City were quite different from those of Three Witches City.

(End of Chapter)