In the Lu residence, Lu Wan-er was walking back and forth in the room, speaking coquettishly to Lu Furen, “Mother, I want to take a look at His Highness. One does not know how his injuries are. What if the injury is serious?”
Lu Furen consoled her, “How can it be serious? If it is serious, then one would definitely look around for doctors. Currently there is no information from the Prince residence at all, so one thinks that it is alright. So why do you need to join the bustle?”
“But my heart is very restless.” Lu Wan-er said, “It is all that Shen Miao to blame. She is indeed a misfortune star. She just married over and His Highness the Prince of First Rank fell into such misfortune. She is one who curse one’s husband and it is better to divorce her earlier. If one were to keep on be entangled with her then His Highness would have more misfortune.”
Lu Furen smiled and said, “Yes. Yes. Yes. But currently you cannot go over. After Prince Rui’s health recovers a little, just let your Oldest Sister to think of a way to let both of you meet. One cannot seek for trouble at this moment.
Ly Wan-er said unhappily, “Mother cannot deceive me.”
After Lu Wan-er left, Lu Furen’s smile sank and she instructed the maid by her side, “Watch after Young Lady carefully and do not let her out the door these few days. If Master’s plans are disrupted, I will hold you all accountable.” When she spoke at the end, her tone became harsh and her expression was ruthless, exactly like the fierce General Lu Zheng Xuan.
The maids quickly lowered their head and complied.
However at the other side, in the residence of the Prime Minister, Ye Furen was also talking to Master Ye about this matter.
Ye Furen was playing chess with Master Ye. Ye Mao Chun and Lu Zhen Xuan were completely different. Lu Zheng Xuan was a typical martial practitioner and with one glance, one could tell that he grew up fighting with others. His eyebrows were suffocating and he had a fierce appearance that even little kids would cry due to fright. Ye Mao Chun had a fair appearance and also looked harmless but had a scholarly appearance.
However this Prime Minister could make the officials in Long Ye dared not act rashly towards despite having a lack of descendants. Even Emperor Yong Le dared not shed all pretense of cordiality, thus he was not as harmless as he appeared to be.
Ye Furen place a chess piece down and smiled, “This residence of Prince Rui is like a iron bucket. Currently there are no news and one do not kno what is the situation with Prince Rui. I cannot eat properly or sleep properly. It is really frustrating.”
“Don’t Furen already have a plan in your heart? Why still worry about it?” Ye Mao Chun smiled and followed by placing a chess piece down.
Ye Furen looked at him with blame. She was not a dainty twenty years old female thus it was somewhat uncomfortable for her to put up such an act. Ye Furen did not notice it and place another chess piece down and said, “No news means bad news. Prince Rui is such a showoff so if he could see other, he would definitely come out. For him not to appear after so long, it is most likely he is unable to do so.”
Ye Mao Chun smiled, “Perhaps it is to confuse others.”
“Master is underestimating this Qie and teasing this Qie.” Ye Furen said, “This is definitely not a lie.”
“Oh? Why is it so?”
Ye Furen looked at the chessboard and said, “One do not know about the residence of Prince Rui’s end but the Emperor did not hid it. Isn’t he currently starting to deal with the Lu family? Seeing how heavy the Emperor’s hands are, Prince Rui’s injuries are not light.”
Ye Mao Chun laughed out happily, “So Furen can see things so clearly. I am clearly embarrassed that Furen is able to see clearly the matters of court. Then why not Furen guess what do I plan to do?”
Ye Furen lowered her head and laughed, “This is difficult to say, one has to see what happens to Prince Rui.” See that Ye Mao Chun did not deny it, Ye Furen felt that she had spoken correctly and continued, “The Emperor and the Lu family had been playing with one another for so many years and these days even want to pull our Ye family in but we are not fools. How would one be used as rafts? When the sandpiper and clam war together, it is the fisherman that catches both, so just let the Emperor and Lu family fight. Previously Prince Rui was present so we sided the Emperor and is happy to be good to the Emperor but If this time Prince Rui is unable to escape from this, the Emperor is alone and the world will still be controlled by the Lu family.”
“It is only one Prince Rui, how is that incredulous as you said?” Ye Mao Chun smiled lightly.
“Prince Rui is a powerful person.” Ye Furen smiled too, “Done Master also feel so?”
Ye Mao Chun paused his chess movement s for a bit and looked at Ye Furen meaningfully, “Ye Furen seems to always be able to guess my heart. However does Furen think that Prince Rui can escape this calamity?”
Ye Furen thought for a long time and said five words (actually four words in original text), “Difficult to avoid this calamity.”
Ye Mao Chun looked at her.
“Does Master still remember two years ago when Prince Rui returned to Long Ye? At that time he was seriously injured. The Emperor was able to hide it from other was unable to conceal it from us. At that time one had though that Prince Rui would lack the strength to reverse the situation but one did not know what good fortune he had gotten and survived it. Afterwards he used his own power to mess up the situation in court.” Ye Furen smiled, “But one would not be that lucky twice. The last time it was the Gods that protected him but this time, who would be protecting him? From the beginning it was already destined that Prince Rui would not have any future. One can escape two years ago but unable to escape two years later.”
“Really?” Ye Mao Chun quickly followed Ye Furen and placed a chess piece down, “I however thought the exact opposite of you. Two years ago Prince Rui’s medication was ineffective but at the end did not die so one’s fate is already determined in the beginning. Prince Rui would definitely have a future, he had escape two years ago and would definitely escape two years later.”
Ye Furen did not get angry when she heard of it but also did not rebut Ye Mao Chun, “Let’s wait and see.”
Ye Furen also laughed and placed the last chess piece down, “Furen seemed to have lost.”
Ye Furen took a look. It was really the case and thus she said in a spoilt manner, “It is not right for Master to talk to Qie when playing chess. One round again.”
However Ye Mao Chun shook his head and smiled, “Another day. Today one will be testing Hong Guang’s homework and it is almost time.”
Ye Fure quickly said, “Then may Master leave first, Hong Huang’s homework is important.”
Ye Mao Chun got up and leave. When Ye Furen saw Master Ye leaving figure, her expression gradually became cold and very ugly and her mouth became sharper, “Only a cripple. So what if one has great erudition and knowledge, one only can hide in the residence for one’s another life.” She felt indignant and unable to calm herself down thus she swept the chess pieces onto the floor and said lowly, “Exactly the same as that fox vixen.”
The maids that were serving in the room dared not moved as everyone knew that Ye Furen dislike that Young Master Ye the most. Ye Hong Guang was born from that concubine and raised under Ye Furen’s name but was un unhealthy Di son, Ye family only descendent.
The morning light was so weak that when it shines through the branches and onto the ground, it was only a few threads of silver, making it look good. In the dark night, this small little silver sunlight drove away the darkness. Even though it was only a few, it was gratifying to one’s heart.
Hui Xiang and Ba Jiao stopped and durned around to support Shen Miao and Luo Tan who still had their eyes blindfolded, before saying to Shen Miao, “Furen, the skies have brightened.”
If one did not see it personally, Hui Xiang and the few of them would not have thought that Shen Miao, a high born young lady, could actually walk the entire night in an uninhabited forest with them. Hui Xiang had been speicially trained and would not feel tired but Luo Tan, who had martial arts foundation, was already so tired that the words sleepiness was written on her face, but Shen Miao was still wide awake and clear minded.
Hui Xiang and Cong Yang were whispering in their hearts. Could it be that this Furen also practiced martial arts so she had such a strong willpower?
In fact, they were thinking too much. It was just that when Shen Miao was in the Cold Palace, Mei Furen and other concubines would find trouble for her. Situations where one threw stones when one was down, were not uncommon in the Palace so when she washed clothes at night, she would need to wash throughout the entire night. Moreover the situation was currently urgent and she wholeheartedly want to get out of the forest, so how could she worry about being sleepy?
“How long have we walked?” Shen Miao asked.
“Replying to Furen.” Cong Yang said, “After walking for a night, we have walked very far but based on the markings that was left behind, one had not seen the second marking so we are not walking in rounds.” He then said, “The concept of masking one eyes is indeed good. It seems that we were conceived by our own eyes.”
“But these forests looked exactly the same as before.” Luo Tan was already powerless.
“Continue walking.” Shen Miao said, “One have already walk this far, the end point can be reached.”
Hui Xiang was startled a bit and did not say anything this time. During the night, they had tried a few time to get Shen Miao to stop but not only Shen Miao did not listen to them, she seemed to be annoyed by it and scolded them. It was them, from Mo Yun Army, which was used to be unbridled, was actually behaving like mouse that saw a cat after being scolded by Shen Miao. Hui Xiang and Cong Yang were bewildered in their heart. This Furen looked gentle and easy to speak with but once she gets angry, why was she so scary?
Even Empress Xian De in the Palace would not be that scary and imposing.
The few of them continued following behind Shen Miao. Luo Tan was somewhat dispirited. No matter how much martial arts skills she practiced, it could not be compared to Hui Xiang and the rest and was not like Shen Miao who had experienced hardship so she was currently stubbornly pushing forward and widen her eyes to find something to distract herself
With such an action, she discovered that there was something unusual. She pulled Shen Miao, “There are flowers here. During the journey just now, one did not see any flowers at all.”
Everyone was stunned and came over to look. Indeed so, there were small flowers at the bushes and one would not notice if they did not pay any attention.
Mo Qing suddenly frowned, “It seems that there are chickens calling.”
Hui Xiang, Ba Jiao and Cong Yang had higher martial arts skills and they perked up their ears to listen and finally said, “That is correct.”
“How would there be chickens calling?” Shen Miao muttered to herself, “Could it be that there is a house in front?” She then continued, “Stop looking and let’s walk. Since there are sounds, then the exit is nearby. We will soon be able to get out of this forest.”
When everyone heard that they would be walking out of this forest, their fighting spirits were up and they immediately regroup. This time their luck was good and after walking half an incense (modern timing: 15 mins), they felt that the tree branches were getting thicker and the forest were not as dense as before. More sunlight started shining in and it made one feel comfortable.
“It seems that one would really be able to get out.” Luo Tan’s sleepiness was swept away by the excitement, “Let’s walk faster.” Before her voice lands, she saw the end of the forest and there was a path. Everyone looked at one another while Shen Miao took the lead and walk on it.
Walking along the road, there was a garden at the end and even though it was a garden, there were flowers and vegetables that was planted. Even though it was a messy arrangement, it was planted by someone who did not maintain it well. Thus the plants grew wildly and it became a mess.
However despite this, there was a house behind it.
The house was built from thatched and it was crumbling, as if the roof could be blown away by the wind. As everyone went forward, Ba Jiao ran in and came out shaking her head, “Furen, there is no one inside.”
A trace of disappointment appeared in Luo Tan’s eyes, “How can there be no one?”
This was very different from what they had imagined. They had not expected that the place where a Superior One was staying would be this dilapidated. It was discouraging that there was no one around at all.
Shen Miao said, “The plants are still here and it does not look like there would not be anyone. Wait here then, someone would appear.”
Before the voice landed, one heard a broken voice, “Oh? A noble guest has arrived. Deeply welcome your presence. Deeply welcome your presence.”
Everyone turned back together. Shen Miao saw that person’s face and could not help but be startled as her voice cracked up, “It is you.”
Ba Jiao asked, “Furen is acquainted?”
That smilling middle-aged man who was clad in a tattered Taoist priest robes and this was exactly the person that accepted Shen Miao’s golden peanut at Ming Qi’s Pu Tuo Monastery and said that ‘even though a Phoneix’s destiny is good, it is a pity to be imprison for a lifetime’. This was the Taoist priest that also made a divination that ‘the past is like a dream, avoid entanglement’ and ‘out of the depths of misfortune comes bliss, the auspicious portent (direct translation from Chinese is Purple Cloud) comes from the East’.
