Escape

Wang Beiwang's head buzzed as if struck by five bolts of thunder. His face went instantly pale, and he stood frozen in place. Wang Xiu had been chosen by the court? The proclamation had only gone up yesterday, and already today they were rounding up boys and girls? Then again, even in a feudal society, such a thing was an utterly conscience-free atrocity. Naturally, speed was of the essence; the longer it dragged on, the greater the resistance would become. In the dungeon, Zhang Yuanqing overheard their conversation, and his heart sank. In his mind flashed the image of that timid little girl with her pleasing, hopeful gaze. "Why did they choose Xiu'er? Why Xiu'er..." Wang Beiwang's expression twisted. A rage hot enough to scorch reason flared in his chest, licking at his soul, causing his hands and feet to spasm from fury. In fact, after the court posted the proclamation, the Azure Dragon Gang had held an emergency meeting, planning to lie in ambush along the official roads leading into the capital. Their goal was to intercept the soldiers sent to round up the children and rescue them. In their eyes, the court would never gather children from inside the city to serve as human sacrifices. City lives were more precious than those of country bumpkins—or so the shallow preconceptions of most people in this era went. Wang Beiwang had volunteered for the mission. Knowing the danger, he had returned home to see his parents and leave behind his savings. He had never imagined in his wildest dreams that Xiu'er would be the one picked. With bloodshot eyes, Wang Beiwang began walking out, a fire burning within him that wished to scorch and destroy everything. "Wait!" From behind came the shout of the fatuous monarch, Zhao Shun: "Have you forgotten Elder Xu's orders?" Wang Beiwang halted, his face twisting again. He rushed back like a madman, his voice harsh and furious: "Fatuous monarch! All of this started because of you! I'll kill you right now, and then I won't have to guard you anymore! You're dead either way sooner or later, so why wait for the Sect Master to execute you? After that, I'll go rescue Xiu'er, and whoever tries to stop me dies! Damn this court, damn you, fatuous monarch, and damn this rotten world!" Amidst his enraged curses, Wang Beiwang fished out a key, unlocked the iron door, and unslung the sword from his back with murder in his eyes. The bright steel blade thrust straight for the throat. Zhang Yuanqing raised his head, completely fearless. "I can save Xiu'er." The sword tip froze less than half an inch from his neck. Zhang Yuanqing repeated, "I can save Xiu'er, but under one condition: you have to get me out of here." Wang Beiwang glared at him viciously, nudging the tip forward until it pricked against Zhang Yuanqing's Adam's apple. "Trying to trick me into letting you out? Do you take me for a fool?" "Then you can kill me right now and go rescue Wang Xiu all by yourself," Zhang Yuanqing said in a rapid rush, terrified this furious madman might actually run him through. "When that happens, you'll die, Xiu'er will die, and your parents will die too! "Don't you find it strange? Why was Xiu'er chosen? It means the court wants to hold the Heaven-Worship Ceremony as quickly as possible to make it a done deal, which is why they're picking boys and girls from inside the city rather than the countryside villages. "The war between the Northern and Southern Dynasties is raging fiercely, and the common folk outside the city have fled south in droves, causing a severe drop in population. Gathering three hundred boys and girls would require scouring village after village. From issuing the order, to carrying out the operation, to transporting them all back to the capital—it all takes time, not to mention the risk of unexpected incidents along the way." Wang Beiwang said coldly, "That's it?" To him, these were facts anyone could piece together with a moment's thought. Zhang Yuanqing's tone remained calm. "What I'm trying to tell you is that the court places immense importance on this Heaven-Worship Ceremony. With your mediocre swordsmanship, you expect to rescue Xiu'er? No, you'll only drag Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang down with you." Wang Beiwang's expression froze. Zhang Yuanqing struck while the iron was hot. "Only I can save Xiu'er, because I am the reigning Son of Heaven, the supreme sovereign. Get me out of here, and I will help you save Xiu'er." Hesitation showed on Wang Beiwang's face as he weighed the options. Suddenly, he sneered. "Fatuous monarch, you're just trying to bewitch me into helping you escape. If I actually believe you, you'll just butcher the hound once the hare is caught. Stay right here and wait to die. I'll save Xiu'er myself." With that, he sheathed his sword and strode away. Zhang Yuanqing shouted at his retreating back, "Fool! I left the imperial palace two days ago!" Wang Beiwang stopped in his tracks, standing as rigid as a statue. After a long moment, he spun around, gritting his teeth. "Fatuous monarch, if you dare deceive me, I will hunt you down to heaven above and the underworld below to slaughter you!" He immediately unlocked the shackles on Jiang Jingwei and Zhang Yuanqing. Seizing Zhang Yuanqing in one hand and Jiang Jingwei in the other, he strode out. Leaving the estate's built-in dungeon, they arrived in the backyard. Wang Beiwang tossed the two back into the carriage, laid the wooden boards back in place with A'niu's help, and led the carriage through the gate. Outside lay a secluded alley—the rear entrance of the estate. Uncle Wang was standing right out front, his face full of anxiety. Seeing Wang Beiwang emerge, he rushed up in panic. "Beiwang, Xiu'er was taken away by the soldiers!" Wang Beiwang grunted in acknowledgment. "I already know, Dad. I'll get Xiu'er back. Go on home." After a moment's thought, being rather poor at offering comfort, he added, "Don't worry. The Azure Dragon Gang will definitely not sit by and do nothing." Uncle Wang clutched his arm tightly. "You must save Xiu'er!" Bidding farewell to his father, Wang Beiwang led the carriage onto the main street, clopping toward the inner city. Tianji Tower was located in the inner city. Inside the carriage, Zhang Yuanqing forced himself to sit up. The effects of the Tendon-Relaxing Powder had worn off, and he had regained a bit of mobility. However, with his acupoints sealed, every motion brought agonizing pain, stiff and obstructed, like someone whose legs had gone completely numb from squatting over a latrine for too long. "Are you heading to the inner city?" Zhang Yuanqing asked. "You promised to help me save Xiu'er. If you break your word, I'll execute you on the spot," Wang Beiwang said coldly. "Do you know where Xiu'er is?" "How hard can that be? A little inquiry will find out." Zhang Yuanqing chuckled. "It seems you don't understand my situation at all. Didn't Elder Xu tell you? Then let me fill you in..." He laid out the entire sequence of events: how the Zheng family had attempted to assassinate the emperor in a rebellion, and how he had fled the imperial palace to wander among the commoners. Wang Beiwang yanked hard on the reins, halting the carriage. He threw open the curtain, eyes wide. "Is that true?" Zhang Yuanqing gestured down at himself. "Otherwise, why do you think I've ended up in such a state? Taking me to save Wang Xiu right now would be like throwing meat buns to a dog—a one-way trip to doom." Wang Beiwang glared at him for a dozen seconds before hissing through clenched teeth, "Fatuous monarch, you played me!" "Calm down." The corner of Zhang Yuanqing's mouth curled upward. "Cousin, a Swordsman must learn to control his temper. To accomplish great things, one must remain unshaken in the face of crisis and fearless in the face of danger." Wang Beiwang sneered. "You certainly weren't singing that tune when you were begging me for mercy during the day." Taking a deep breath, he rested his hand on his hilt. "Then what do we do now? You'd better give me a satisfactory answer, or blood will spill within five paces!" Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the bustling street and said calmly, "Keep driving. Don't stop, or the city guards might come over to question us." Wang Beiwang had no choice but to flick the reins and continue onward. Zhang Yuanqing lowered the carriage window curtain and said, "To save Xiu'er and the three hundred boys and girls, I must step forward personally. But it cannot be resolved in private. Doing so would only give the Zheng family an excuse to murder me and cover their tracks. It must be done in broad daylight, before the civil and military officials and the people of the capital. "Therefore, the day of the Heaven-Worship Ceremony is when I make my appearance. Cousin, you'll have to wait a little longer." Zhang Yuanqing smiled. "Don't worry about me playing tricks. As an emperor on the run, I'm too busy hiding to pull anything, and my safety depends entirely on you. Protect me through tonight, and I will help you rescue Xiu'er." Wang Beiwang remained silent, pondering for a solid seven or eight minutes before finally saying, "I'll trust you this once." He had actually realized he had been trapped. The fatuous monarch Zhao Shun had not mentioned any of these details while sweet-talking him in the dungeon. Once he brought him out of Elder Xu's residence, there was no turning back. He could only rely on this monarch. Fortunately, the man couldn't carry a load on his shoulders or lift a heavy weight with his hands; his life remained in Wang Beiwang's grasp, which was his only bargaining chip. Inside the carriage, sensing Wang Beiwang's wary emotions, Zhang Yuanqing smiled self-deprecatingly. The persona of Zhao Shun truly was hated by all. Anyone who saw him wanted to spit on him a few times. Thus, he felt no anger toward Wang Beiwang's harsh attitude. Wang Beiwang had a decent heart and was a young chivalrous soul with genuine patriotism and compassion for the common people. That was why Zhang Yuanqing had promised to save Wang Xiu. Of course, saving Wang Xiu was also his method for breaking the stalemate. He needed to appear at the Heaven-Worship Ceremony to stop the farce before the assembled officials and the populace of the capital, winning their hearts. "Where are we heading now?" Zhang Yuanqing asked. Wang Beiwang thought for a moment. "I have a hideout in the western part of the city. I use it when fleeing from enemies seeking vengeance. It's very discreet; no one knows about it." The carriage pulled over, turned around, and headed toward the west of the city. The capital of the Southern Dynasty was vast. The carriage traveled for a full half-hour before reaching the western district, stopping outside Wang Beiwang's hideout. It was a small courtyard constructed of grey bricks, looking rather drab overall. The courtyard wall was severely weathered, pitted with numerous eroded depressions. The courtyard gate was too narrow to accommodate a carriage. Wang Beiwang unhitched the carriage, separating the horses from the cart. Leaving the carriage outside, he led the horses into the yard. By now it was midday. Jiang Jingwei's belly was sticking to her back with hunger, and she was clamoring for food. Wang Beiwang had a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Taking Zhang Yuanqing along, he went to the street and bought steamed buns, pig's head meat, beef, and other provisions, and the three of them made do to fill their bellies. "Cousin, we're grasshoppers tied to the same string now. Tell me first: will the Azure Dragon Gang hold you accountable for taking me out without permission?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, patting his stomach contentedly. "None of your business." Wang Beiwang brushed off the question coldly and went into the yard to feed the horses. Zhang Yuanqing ordered Jiang Jingwei to boil water while he sat by the table to digest his meal and kill time. Plans couldn't keep up with changes. He no longer intended to venture into the inner city tonight to meet up with his teammates at Tianji Tower. Given the current circumstances, running around outside held far too many variables. The western part of the city was relatively remote and not a primary area for strict inspection by the city guard, making it much safer. Laying low tonight would allow him to complete the side quest tomorrow morning and restore his Saint-stage strength. From escaping the palace, to running into Wang Beiwang, to the present—repeatedly falling into dire peril and ending up a prisoner had left him utterly exhausted. From the courtyard came the voices of Jiang Jingwei and Wang Beiwang: "Hey, big brother, can you teach me how to seal acupoints?" "You practice a fire-attribute art, yet you don't know how to seal acupoints?" "I only know how to brawl. I don't know anything else." "You don't seem very good at brawling either." "Let's go, then!" Thudding sounds of flesh hitting flesh echoed from the yard. A dozen seconds later, Wang Beiwang snorted coldly: "Not much skill, but plenty of temper." Refusing to accept defeat, Jiang Jingwei fought him again. A moment later, she walked into the room carrying a kettle of hot water, her face bruised and swollen. Zhang Yuanqing mocked, "You haven't even finished your side quest yet, which makes you equivalent to a Level 1 Transcendent. What are you trying to prove?" Jiang Jingwei snapped, "If I kill you, my side quest will be complete!" Zhang Yuanqing hastily soothed her. "I'll find a way to bring you back to our faction." *** At dusk, after searching the inner city all day without finding a single clue, Guan Ya returned to Yang Manor. She first went to Yang Zheng's study, but after receiving the reply that they had "not found His Majesty," she left in disappointment. Just then, she saw a servant running over in haste, reporting: "Empress, there is a woman outside seeking an audience. She claims to be an old acquaintance of yours, surnamed Xie!" *Surnamed Xie?* Guan Ya's heart stirred. "Bring her to the outer hall to see me." A few minutes later, Guan Ya, waiting in the outer hall, saw the servant lead in a plain-looking young woman. Guan Ya dismissed the servant and scrutinized the young woman, who was scrutinizing her in return. After sizing each other up for a moment, Guan Ya ventured, "Lingxi?" Hearing that, the young woman broke into a delighted smile. "Sister Guan Ya? You really are Empress Yang!" Guan Ya smiled faintly. "Yuanshi is the emperor and I am the empress. Isn't that only natural?" The plain-featured Xie Lingxi nodded vigorously. "I'm Brother Yuanshi's imperial consort!" The smile on Guan Ya's face froze. "Let's talk business. Where are the others?" she asked. Xie Lingxi shook her head. "I don't know. I didn't escape the palace that night; instead, I disguised myself and hid in the imperial harem. Today, I knocked out an Imperial Guard, put on his uniform, and slipped out of the palace." She recounted everything from the night of the assassination, her character quests, and Brother Yuanshi's analysis of the dungeon's plot, leaving nothing out. "No wonder Yuanshi ended up in such a miserable state—his level was sealed," Guan Ya said, coming to an understanding. "After escaping the palace, where did you plan to rendezvous?" Xie Lingxi said, "We aren't familiar with the capital, so we agreed to meet at Tianji Tower. Sister Guan Ya, are you coming with us?" Guan Ya shook her head. "It's almost dark, and the city has a curfew. We'll talk about it tomorrow." *** The next morning. From his light sleep, Zhang Yuanqing heard the familiar dungeon chime ring in his ear: [Ding! Congratulations on completing the side quest: Survive for 72 hours.]