Volume 1, Chapter 45: Has It Started Snowing at Hengyang Pass?

"Crown Princess, shall we rest a few more days outside?" Lüliu asked as she massaged Xie Shu's shoulders. Nearby, Baizhi was playing with a chessboard, where a chaotic assortment of white pieces completely surrounded a single black piece in a haphazard mess.

Xie Shu closed her eyes to rest, wrapping herself in two layers of blankets to keep warm. She had indeed caught a chill, and her entire body ached uncomfortably, but she still shook her head slightly and replied, "No need, we will head back by dinner time. I'm still craving that braised pork."

Besides, she had to go back and check on Ning Rongsheng!

Though she had deliberately aimed the short arrow slightly off course the day before, the pool of blood on the ground was something she had seen clearly.

Hmph, did they really take her for some clueless fool who had made no preparations at all?

"But if we return to the Marquis's Mansion, the Crown Prince will surely not let the Crown Princess off easily!" At the mere thought of the previous night's events, Lüliu was filled with anxiety. Since Ning Rongsheng was full of despicable tricks, she was terrified that Xie Shu would fall victim to the villain's schemes once more.

Xie Shu patted the hand that Lüliu was using to knead her shoulder and comforted her, "When soldiers come, block them with armor; when water comes, earth will dam it. Am I really going to be afraid of a eunuch?"

Baizhi tilted her head, her big eyes wide with confusion as she asked, "What eunuch?"

Just as Lüliu was wondering how to explain, Steward Jiang's voice came from outside the door to report, "Crown Princess, Steward Chen is here."

Steward Chen looked travel-worn, wearing a padded gray cotton coat with mud splattered all along his trouser hems.

"Is there news?" Xie Shu straightened up and quickly asked.

"Border scouts have reported that the Great General is making a desperate last stand defending Hengyang Pass, and has been under siege for many days now. The Young General's whereabouts are unknown, and now an urgent imperial decree has summoned him back to the capital. I'm afraid the Great General will find it difficult to extricate himself in time, and those civil officials and court ministers will surely impeach the Xie family in the main hall for deliberately delaying military strategy!" Steward Chen grew more agitated as he spoke. The war in the northern frontier was raging fiercely; it was bad enough that the imperial court was sending no reinforcements, but now they wanted to swap out the commander at the eleventh hour! How could this be allowed?

The anxiety in Xie Shu's eyes deepened. The battle of Hengyang Pass was of the utmost importance! In her past life, heavy snow had blanketed Hengyang Pass, subjecting the soldiers to bitter, bone-chilling cold. With insufficient rations, they had been forced to resort to eating grass roots just to survive.

"Has it started snowing at Hengyang Pass?" Xie Shu hurriedly pressed.

"Not yet." Steward Chen shook his head.

"Then there is still time." Xie Shu opened her palm and handed over a heavy vault key.

Steward Chen asked in astonishment, "Isn't this the Crown Princess's dowry?"

It was the key to the Changhe Bank, which oversaw thirteen branches across the Great Yan dynasty, two of which happened to be located in Xuancheng, not far from the northern frontier.

"The lives of the soldiers of Great Yan and my father all rest in your hands now." Xie Shu bowed deeply to Steward Chen, then called out toward the front, "Uncle Li, I must ask you to make this trip together with Steward Chen."

"Understood! Given the Crown Princess's great righteousness, even if I have to grind these old bones to dust, I will make sure the provisions are delivered!" Steward Chen accepted the key. Though he was old, he had guarded the battlefield for fifteen years and was the most familiar with the terrain of the northern frontier.

"Leave immediately." Xie Shu glanced at Steward Chen's attire. "Your current outfit is just right."

Steward Chen had indeed disguised himself before leaving the residence today, though he had not expected Xie Shu to be in such urgent haste.

"Rest assured," Xie Shu knew Steward Chen's concerns. "There are people within the General's Mansion to handle things."

As for the hidden agents planted inside the General's Mansion, they had to let the tigers return to the mountains before they could catch them all in one net.

"Yes." Steward Chen acknowledged the order and, along with Uncle Li, drove the carriage away from the capital under the cover of night.

News from Wenying had not yet arrived.

A ripple stirred in Xie Shu's heart, and she could only pray that Wenying would reach Hengyang Pass in time.

At the city gate checkpoint.

Lin Sheng was meticulously inspecting everyone entering and leaving the city one by one. After all, since that person had escaped last night, he was bound to use every possible means to hunt them down and bring them back.

"Next," shouted the gate guard.

"Wait." Lin Sheng glanced over. When he recognized the two people before him, his brow furrowed slightly, and after a moment of hesitation, he waved them through. "Go ahead."

Both Steward Chen and Uncle Li let out deep sighs of relief, having feared they would be stopped just then! Fortunately, their travel permits were forged to perfection! Say what you will, but their Second Master had no other notable skills, yet his talent for producing forgeries was truly peerless.

Upon returning to the Capital Magistrate's Office, Lin Sheng hurried to report to Zhou Xunli, "Lord Magistrate, the people from the Xie family have left the capital."

"Keep an eye on them." By the oil lamp, Zhou Xunli raised a hand to flip through the case files, then suddenly asked, "Has there been any movement at the Marquis of Chenglen's Mansion?"

"The Crown Prince went to the Deng Family Medical Hall. This morning, a mysterious and massive fire broke out there, but Dr. Zheng has vanished without a trace, and I have already sent men to investigate." Unexplained fires in the capital were no small matter, and Lin Sheng had been summoned to help fight the blaze since early morning, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

Now, prompted by Zhou Xunli's question, Lin Sheng formed a suspicion and asked, "Oh? Could this fire..."

"Go and find out where Ning Rongsheng was injured." Zhou Xunli recalled that when he rescued Xie Shu that day, there had been a pool of fresh blood on the ground.

"Yes." Lin Sheng hastily accepted the command.

He had no idea what kind of bad luck he had run into lately, but every single time trouble arose, he kept bumping into those two from the Xie and Ning families.

As dusk deepened, Xie Shu carried a lantern, walking leisurely. She had originally expected Ning Rongsheng to block her doorway seeking revenge!

To her surprise, he lacked the courage to even show his face.

Then again, he was probably off somewhere trying to figure out how to treat his wounds.

"Crown Princess, watch your step." With the night growing heavy, it was easy to slip, and Lüliu offered a gentle reminder.

As they walked, however, the two of them caught the faint sound of sobbing whispers.

"Who is there?" Xie Shu called out softly.

Behind the rockery, a woman's figure was stretched long by the lantern's glow. When half of her body emerged, Xie Shu recognized her with familiar eyes. "Qiuyue?"

"This maid greets the Crown Princess, wishing the Crown Princess well." Qiuyue let out a couple of whimpers, tears welling in the corners of her eyes, yet she maintained proper etiquette, lowering her head and bowing to pay her respects to Xie Shu.

Seeing that she couldn't stop crying, Xie Shu couldn't help asking, "What is the matter? Why are you crying like this?"

Lüliu raised the lantern higher. As the light drew closer, Xie Shu finally noticed the swollen, red palm print on Qiuyue's face.

"Were you beaten?" Seeing that Qiuyue did not dare to speak, Xie Shu guessed aloud, "Did Madam Li hit you? Or was it Ning Rongsheng?"

As a domestic servant, being beaten a couple of times by her masters was only to be expected. Qiuyue waved her hands repeatedly and said, "The masters were having a bad day and took their frustration out on us, it's nothing."

"It was just this maid taking a wrong turn earlier and disturbing the Crown Princess." Qiuyue shrank back, hiding herself further behind the rockery. "I beg the Crown Princess not to blame me."

Seeing Qiuyue acting so cautiously, Lüliu felt a surge of injustice on her behalf. "We all serve our masters, but the Crown Princess never takes her bad moods out on us! In my opinion, those masters of yours are all heartless wretches to punish people so arbitrarily!"

Seeing Qiuyue standing there on tenterhooks, unable to find a comfortable footing, Xie Shu suddenly spoke up, "Why don't you come and follow me?"

Qiuyue froze in place. She looked up timidly, a flash of anticipation crossing her eyes before instantly fading into despair. "Madam... surely will not agree."

"How is that difficult?" Xie Shu smiled. "If you come with me right now, can she possibly barge into my courtyard to snatch someone back?"

"Lüliu, send someone to the Chenxiang Pavilion to deliver a word. I want this person." Xie Shu swept her long sleeve, grabbed Qiuyue by the sleeve, and led her toward Ruyi Courtyard. "Don't worry, I am the Crown Princess after all!"

Upon returning to Ruyi Courtyard, Mammy Wang had already prepared dinner and was waiting. Seeing Qiuyue standing by to serve, Xie Shu pulled her down to sit as well. "Your eyes are swollen from crying. Sit down and eat first; once your stomach is full, you'll be in shape to work tomorrow."

Overwhelmed with emotion, Qiuyue almost burst into tears all over again.

Seeing her pitiful and lingering demeanor, Lüliu felt a headache coming on. Why did her young miss insist on taking in stray souls wherever she went?

Past the third watch, the night grew murky and deep, until everyone in the courtyard had fallen into a sound sleep.

Only then did Qiuyue step cautiously along a small path in Ruyi Courtyard toward the courtyard wall. Making sure no one was around, she rolled up an embroidered handkerchief from her sleeve and tossed it right over the top of the wall.

Outside the wall, someone caught the object and hurried away into the night.