Prince Yong's expression shifted for a moment before he slowly tightened his grip on the tiger tally. Looking up, he said, "Father, leaving the city at this moment will not be easy!"
"There is no need to leave the city."
Emperor Wenguang spoke in an easy tone. "Beneath Lüjing Lake in Yunmeng Garden lies a secret rift. One need only open it to reach Fenghou Crossing along Haixi Dao. From there, we can slip out of the convergence zone and take a boat straight to the West Continent."
Prince Yong's eyes widened. Lüjing Lake was the largest pleasure lake in the imperial gardens. He had visited it countless times. Back when he had tempered his muscles and bones, he had even chased and grappled with the white carp in the water; it could be said he was familiar with almost every stretch of that lake.
He had never imagined such a place existed beneath it.
Yet he remained uneasy. With the tiger tally in hand, however, he seemed to have grown bolder and dared to speak his mind.
"Father, forgive your son for speaking bluntly. From what I know, the nations of the West Continent are no longer what they once were. They harbor immense malice toward our imperial bloodline. Even if we reach the West Continent's convergence zone and seek out that Western emperor, our Yuan clan would merely be living under another's roof—I care little for myself, but I cannot bear to see Father suffer such indignity."
The present situation on the West Continent was indeed unlike the past. In the old era—more precisely, before the Grand Alliance—the geographic and technological barriers meant that even if communication occurred between the two continents, it was confined to formalities and commerce. Politically, there was virtually no impact, and military threats were out of the question.
Even though Xuanji martial artists could cross continents, their energy was directed mostly toward the convergence zones.
After all, an uninterrupted Period of Flux had not yet occurred back then, and no one knew when the Period of Cold Silence would arrive. No power was willing to clash head-on with a rival of comparable strength before exhausting its own resources.
Hence, for imperial descendants who fled there, the East Continent would generally not pursue them to the bitter end.
Now, however, things were different. Ever since the dawn of the new era, virtually all the world's nations had been established by overthrowing the former imperial houses. Although the Grand Alliance had collapsed, deep connections remained between them, leaving behind numerous international treaties—including an absolute refusal to harbor members of the former imperial clans.
That meant even if they departed the territory of Great Shun and reached the West Continent, they would still not be safe. What was more, was he supposed to go there merely to look to others for charity? He would never accept that; he would rather die on the battlefield.
Emperor Wenguang looked at him. "Prince Yong, saying this proves you possess genuine filial devotion, unlike those who merely flatter and placate me."
Prince Yong replied, "Father, I only spoke what was in my heart."
At that moment, the pressure on his wrist vanished. Emperor Wenguang had let go of him and slowly sat back.
Resting on the dragon throne, Emperor Wenguang said slowly, "Prince Yong, I will lay bare the truth to you. Going west is nothing more than a diversion.
"As early as the founding of our dynasty, Taizu took warning from the failures of past ages, knowing in his heart that no empire lasts forever. Even then, he was already pondering an escape route.
"By the reign of Taizong, our house finally opened a convergence zone deep beneath the sea in the far north. There, a palace capital was built, and a great secret treasury was established. More than two centuries have passed since then, and over a million subjects now dwell there—more than enough to offer our Yuan clan a temporary sanctuary."
Prince Yong was astonished. He had never dreamed the Yuan clan possessed such a retreat.
On second thought, it was still within a convergence zone. That made things much easier. Convergence zones possessed boundless resources and infinite territory; if they were truly just relocating to another region rather than departing for the old continents, the pretender court would have no way of tracking them.
He hurried to say, "So Taizu and Taizong possessed such foresight, and Father harbored such profound stratagems all along. It was your son who was shallow and ignorant."
Even so, he faintly grasped Emperor Wenguang's intention. Since this matter had been decided during the eras of Taizu and Taizong, it was not due to any loss of virtue by their descendants. They were merely following ancestral precedent; their actions were beyond reproach.
The thought alone made him feel vastly more at ease.
Emperor Wenguang said, "The pretender army's momentum is fierce, and its vanguard cannot be directly opposed. They will surely reach our gates tomorrow.
"The walls of Youdu are high and its fortifications deep; it can hold out for a few days. Once night falls today, I will order Prince Qiong to act as the vanguard, departing along the secret path toward Shipu Dao, where the pretender army will undoubtedly lay an ambush. Meanwhile, my imperial carriage will carry your imperial mother and you by light chariot, with you clearing the path through the outer wild tracts to bypass Haixi.
"Great General Yuchi will remain to defend the city. He is a loyal minister; I will permit him to hold out for three or four days before yielding to the pretenders. With those few days bought, you and I will have ample time to reach the deep palace of the northern sea."
Hearing this, Prince Yong felt the plan was indeed feasible. Moreover, the emperor entrusting him with the vital task of guarding the imperial carriage demonstrated profound trust. He cupped his fists with resounding resolve and said, "Your subject son obeys the imperial decree!"
Emperor Wenguang said, "Go then, Prince Yong. Do not disappoint me."
"Yes!"
Prince Yong's heart surged with excitement. Responding once more, he bowed with cupped hands and withdrew from Changlun Pavilion.
Emperor Wenguang watched his figure depart, then leaned slowly back against his seat, lost in thought. Within the hall, only an elderly eunuch remained standing beside the steps. He had not spoken a word throughout the entire exchange, and remained utterly silent now, his breathing inaudible, like a figure sculpted from clay and wood.
After a long silence, Emperor Wenguang suddenly asked, "Has an inquiry been sent to Huining Temple?"
The old eunuch seemed to come alive in an instant.
"Replying to Your Majesty: the inquiry was made. The Dharma Lord stated that their only concern is the communion of Chan consciousness and the worship of the Chan Lord. As for mundane affairs, they submit entirely to Your Majesty's judgment; it is not their place to intervene."
Emperor Wenguang said, "Oh? They will not intervene? Good. It is good that they do not. Let it be, then."
Seeing that the old eunuch had not stepped back, he asked, "Is there anything else?"
"Your Majesty, the Grand Secretaries recently submitted a memorial requesting an audience, stating that tomorrow's and the following day's defense arrangements must be discussed."
Emperor Wenguang said, "Tell the Grand Secretaries that I am well at ease entrusting these matters to them. Let them manage things as they see fit; there is no need to consult me further. Yet tell them not to overexert themselves, lest outsiders claim our Yuan clan treats its ministers harshly."
The old eunuch said, "This old servant has committed it to memory."
"Furthermore, instruct the ancestral sacrificial office to inquire and investigate. Prince Qiong has always possessed a frail constitution, and now that he has traveled far, see whether he brought back anything unclean. If not, appoint him to preside over the northern hunt tomorrow night, and see to it that he performs his duty well."
The old eunuch bowed. "This old servant obeys the decree."
Once the old eunuch withdrew, Emperor Wenguang turned around to gaze upon a painted scroll unrolled behind him. It depicted three thousand divine maidens and three thousand immortals welcoming the transcendent realms, with an immortal crane hovering above.
He leaned against the couch, his eyes fixed upon that crane, seemingly absorbed in contemplation.
Right then, a slender, porcelain-white, flawless hand reached out and rested upon his shoulder, gently kneading it.
At the same time, a delicate, supple voice whispered into his ear: "Your Majesty—"
Emperor Wenguang reached up and took the hand. With a gentle tug, a supple form slipped into his embrace.
The woman had lustrous black hair gathered into high coils, eyes like stars, and red lips; her face was exquisitely beautiful. Yet from beneath her ribs extended the slender body of a serpent, its scales gleaming like snow, its undulating tail vanishing behind the couch.
"Consort Teng."
Emperor Wenguang treated the slender serpent body as entirely ordinary. His eyes remained fixed upon the crane above as he spoke: "Go ask the gods and demons whether I can pass through this trial."
Consort Teng whispered softly, "Your Majesty's realm is for Your Majesty alone to decide. How could the gods and demons from beyond the heavens have any say in it?"
Emperor Wenguang gripped her hand tightly, his eyes narrowing. "Truly?"
Consort Teng said, "Your Majesty knows me well. How would I dare deceive Your Majesty?"
Emperor Wenguang let out a soft laugh. "Go, perform the Sinuous Shadow Dance you excel at the most."
Consort Teng smiled faintly. "Please wait a moment, Your Majesty." With that, her serpent body glided across the floor as she drew back. Before long, amidst the flickering candlelight, the silhouette of a beauty snake swayed behind the drapes to the chiming clatter of hanging ornaments.
After leaving Yunmeng Garden, thoughts raced uncontrollably through Prince Yong's mind.
From what Emperor Wenguang had said, it seemed only the emperor and the empress would travel together this time, leaving all other imperial sons behind—
He was the sixteenth son, yet only four elder brothers remained above him now. Most of the rest had died young or had been granted death for treason.
There was no need to mention Prince Qiong; Emperor Wenguang had never favored him, and this time he was clearly being cast aside as a pawn.
As for the remaining three, one had gone to Huining Temple to become a Chan practitioner, another spent his days indulging in wine and women with scandalous conduct that repeatedly drew Emperor Wenguang's reprimands, and the last... Prince Yong's eyes suddenly flickered with wary dread. That was Prince Lin, who shared the same bloodline as him, and had obtained it even earlier than he had.
Yet Prince Yong had never once seen this elder brother. In the past, he had even doubted whether such a person truly existed.
Only on one occasion, when passing by Caixiang Palace, had he heard roars and howls coming from within. At that time, his cultivation had still been shallow; the shockwaves had jarred his internal organs with sharp pain, causing him to vomit blood on the spot, and it had taken several days of recuperation after returning before he recovered.
Only later did he learn that that was where Prince Lin resided.
According to rumors circulating in private, Prince Lin might have lost his mind, having driven himself mad through his training. Fearing he might harm others, the imperial palace had summoned Xuanists of the Duanchen Sect to seal him within, forbidding him from stepping outside.
Yet other rumors claimed Prince Lin's secret cultivation method was simply unique, and that Emperor Wenguang invited gods and demons each day to provide him with guidance, making it impossible for outsiders to approach before his art reached completion.
Both explanations held some merit. Thus, the only ones currently possessing the potential to inherit the throne were himself and Prince Lin.
Although there were rumors that Yuan Congye might also be Emperor Wenguang's son, that man had no right to succeed to the throne and had already fallen on the front lines, meaning he posed no obstacle whatsoever.
Now that Emperor Wenguang had entrusted both the retreat route and command over the palace guard into his hands, the intention was self-evident. Even though national affairs were crumbling, after Emperor Wenguang's disclosure, he knew the Yuan clan was not without capital.
If they could truly preserve the imperial house's elite forces and find the old palace in the northern sea, then once the outer calamity arrived several years later, they could naturally lead their army on a counteroffensive. Restoring the realm at that time would be no difficult feat.
The more he thought about it, the faster his pace became. Right then, he heard the dull rumble of artillery fire from outside and paused slightly. The sound was closer than what he had heard during the first half of the night.
He could also see that the mooring towers across Youdu had lit up, and airships were beginning to ascend into the sky.
Pulling out his pocket watch to check the time, he saw that it was late in the hour of the Tiger; daybreak was barely an hour away. Today, the pretender army—and very likely that Grand General Xuanji of the pretender court—would arrive before the city walls.
He took a deep breath. Though he claimed to have no fear of battling that man, the moment the roar of artillery echoed, a shred of fear and doubt arose unbidden within him. Glancing toward the north a few more times, he abruptly quickened his stride toward the palace gates.
Chapter 1422