Chapter 73: Su Yunting and Prince of Chang Traveling Together

Su Yunting and Prince of Chang traveled the same road. For the first two days nothing happened, but on the third day, both of them thought: once tonight passed, the chances of pursuers catching up again would be slim.

Yet unexpectedly, what they had just calculated in the afternoon before evening even arrived, a band of men caught up to them.

This group acted without the slightest concealment, launching a direct attack on the convoy.

The reckless and desperate style of these men caught Lu Yide’s hired guards completely off guard.

Fortunately, there were still Prince of Chang’s guards. The moment those men came charging in, they could immediately launch a counterattack.

The “desperadoes,” seeing that the convoy was not easily broken through and the guards did not match their expectations, quickly lost the will to fight. Their leader whistled sharply, and they immediately retreated.

Lu Yide sat in the corner of the carriage, face pale as paper. He turned to Su Yunting, sitting across from him, and said, “T-this bunch of people is far too arrogant! We are traveling to the capital to sit for the exams! We must report this; we absolutely must report this to the officials!”

Su Yunting had experienced no shortage of assassination attempts in his past life. Compared to those, today’s ambush was crude to the point of laughable.

Yet now, he could no longer remain as calm as he once had.

Because now, he was a man with a home, with a wife. If something happened here, it would truly be a greater injustice than in his previous life.

Su Yunting, also crouched in the other corner, said to Lu Yide, “Brother Lu, this time, it’s I who have dragged you into this.”

Lu Yide: “Huh?”

Before Su Yunting could explain, outside, Zengxing’s voice came, “Master Su, the bandits have been repelled. Our young lord asks if you are unharmed?”

Hearing Zengxing’s voice, Su Yunting finally returned to his seat. He wanted to open the carriage window, but Zengxing held it shut.

So Su Yunting could only speak through the window, “I am fine. Is Elder Brother Wang safe and well?”

Zengxing: “Many thanks, Master Su. Our young lord is unharmed.”

Su Yunting wanted to go over, but Zengxing stopped him again, telling him to wait a while longer.

Only after Prince of Chang’s guards had scouted the surroundings once more and lifted the state of alert did Su Yunting immediately go to Prince of Chang’s carriage. Naturally, he had to offer his gratitude first.

Prince of Chang pulled him down to sit and asked him first, “Were you afraid?”

Su Yunting replied honestly, “At first I wasn’t, but when I thought of my family, this foolish younger brother realized I ought to cherish my life after all.”

Prince of Chang laughed at that. After the laugh, his expression grew serious again, and he asked,
“Do you regret it?”

Su Yunting answered without hesitation, “No regrets. The fact that they sent men to kill us is proof in itself that there is indeed a problem with the project!”

Prince of Chang first praised, “Well said.”

Then he asked, “Su Yunting, do you think they will come again later? Should we report this to the officials, or…?”

The intent to test him was obvious in Prince of Chang’s words.

Su Yunting collected his expression and answered solemnly, “At present, we have not yet left the southern territories. I think it best that we not report to the authorities for now.”

Prince of Chang felt satisfied hearing this, and pressed further, “By your reasoning, does that mean all the officials of the south are involved?”

Su Yunting only replied with one line, “Not participating does not mean one will not be held accountable.”

Any further detail would have been inappropriate.

Naturally, Prince of Chang did not probe further, and only discussed with Su Yunting the likelihood that more assassins would be sent.

In truth, there was little to debate, for they both agreed the enemy would surely send more men.

Thus their pace quickened noticeably, but even so, two days later they still faced a second ambush.

This time the attack came at night. The enemy arrived silently in numbers, and if not for their tight defenses, the enemy might indeed have succeeded.

Knowing that someone wanted his life, Su Yunting was already a light sleeper at night. At the faintest disturbance outside, he woke.

Beyond a single door, steel clashed against steel.

The fierce battle lasted less than half a quarter-hour before a whistle sounded again, and the sounds of combat began to recede.

The bandits had withdrawn. Su Yunting went into Prince of Chang’s quarters. As soon as he entered, he said, “Brother Wang, they’ve retreated again. I think there will be a next time.”

Prince of Chang nodded, agreeing with Su Yunting’s assessment.

Zengxing said, “My lord, the next time, who knows how many men they will send. This subordinate fears we may not be able to hold them off.”

Nearly having assassins at his very bedside tonight had angered Prince of Chang. He immediately ordered Zengxing to grind ink.

Prince of Chang was preparing to write a letter, so Su Yunting tactfully excused himself.

The next day they departed as usual.

Lu Yide tugged at his now-loosened clothes, cursed a long round at those inhuman corrupt officials, and once vented, turned to Su Yunting, “Are we really not going to report to the authorities? If there’s a next time, what if even Elder Brother Wang’s guards can’t hold them off?”

Yesterday, when Prince of Chang wrote that letter, Su Yunting already knew he was calling for outside reinforcements. His tense heart had relaxed considerably.

Now, hearing Lu Yide’s question, he replied, “Brother Wang’s family background is far from ordinary. Since yesterday he has already made arrangements, I believe our safety will no longer be an issue.”

Lu Yide: “What arrangements?”

Su Yunting only smiled and did not speak.

Although Lu Yide did not know what support that Prince Wang had, seeing Su Yunting’s calm demeanor lessened his worries somewhat.

After just one day, Su Yunting discovered that several other caravans had joined around their convoy. That evening, two of the caravans lodged at the same inn as theirs.

The following day, there were two different groups traveling together, and at night they stayed with Su Yunting’s group at a postal station.

If the enemy was determined to take his life, then tonight would be their last chance as by the next day, they would be leaving the southern territories.

As they were about to leave the south, the temperature was no longer as warm as before. Especially at night, even indoors required braziers to keep warm.

The night grew deeper, lights on every floor gradually went out, yet Su Yunting had no intention of sleeping.

In the darkness, he remained fully dressed.

From afar came the cry of a wild cat. Su Yunting’s spirit jolted. The men guarding outside had discovered something.

Immediately after, faint noises rose within the postal station. To the inattentive ear, they might seem like winter winds rattling doors and windows, but Su Yunting knew that those were guards in motion.

In the dark, the men surrounding the postal station silently nocked fire arrows to their bows, drew them to the fullest, and loosed.

Arrows streaked toward the rooms of the station, yet instead of crashing through windows, the fire arrows were cut down midair by blades flashing in the night.

The arrows dropped, and the flames at their tips were stamped out by those who had severed them.

The attackers were shocked. The defenders’ numbers were clearly far greater than in the previous two attacks.

The leader gave a low cry: “Retreat!”

But this retreat was unlike the last two. Their escape path had long since been blocked; someone was already waiting for them.

When the sounds of battle faded in the distance, Su Yunting slowly let out a long breath.

These past days, though Prince of Chang’s guards were there, until the danger was truly gone, he had not dared relax for even a moment.

Now, at last, it was over.

Prince of Chang had shielded him, and he himself had gained much. The letter Prince of Chang had written the other day was not merely a call for reinforcements but he must have had other arrangements in place.

Once they returned to the court, this would become another great political achievement.

Therefore, before reaching the capital, Prince of Chang would surely reveal his true identity to him.

The road ahead was finally safe.

…

Ever since Qiu Yurou dreamed of the postal station under fire arrow siege, her heart had felt as though pressed by a great stone.

She longed desperately to know Su Yunting’s condition. But this was not the modern era of instant communication.

She truly could not wait another day. Not knowing where he was did not matter, she could go directly to the capital.

If he was well, he would surely head to the capital to sit for the next year’s Spring Examination. If something had gone wrong… as an official examination candidate traveling to the capital, news of him would reach there sooner than it would back home.

It was already the twelfth lunar month. Qiu Yurou, preparing to travel to the capital, did not voice her worry to her younger siblings. The excuse she gave them was that she was going to inspect the restaurant location Young Master Xu had chosen.

No one suspected otherwise. Qiu Yurou set the date of departure, but that morning when she opened the door, she froze in place.

In a single night, the world had donned a thick coat of silver.

With heavy snow, travel was impossible.

During the days of waiting for the snow to melt, Qiu Yurou lived as though each day were a year. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw her beloved wounded, trapped, or even dead.

In her room she mechanically jumped rope, all to build stamina so that, when she finally set out, she would have enough strength to endure the hardship of the journey.

In her heart she gritted her teeth: when she saw him again, she would absolutely pound him a few times!

As for regretting not having stopped him from going that was something Qiu Yurou never thought.

Even if this journey really cost him his life, she could never have said the words to keep him home.

If he did lose his life, she only hoped they could have another life together.

If there were a next life, when he went south again, she would go with him; such days of anxiety were too unbearable.

This snowfall lasted until after the New Year before it finally melted.

On the sixth day of the first month, accompanied by a steward from the Xu household, Qiu Yurou hired an escort team and set out for the capital.

In early spring travel, no matter how she wished to hurry day and night, the weather was not hers to command. Stopping and starting, stumbling along, by the time they reached the capital, the Spring Examination had already begun.

At the Xu family’s secondary residence, before she even saw Young Master Xu, she heard his voice of congratulations:

“Madam Su, congratulations! On his way back from the south, Master Su happened to travel with Prince of Chang. Upon arriving in the capital, he went directly to stay at Prince of Chang’s residence!”

Qiu Yurou hurried forward a few steps, asking:], “You are certain my husband has already safely reached the capital?”

Young Master Xu replied, “Certain. Just yesterday, my men saw Master Su enter the examination hall with their own eyes.”

Hearing this, Qiu Yurou’s tightly bound heart finally loosened. Immediately after came dizziness, her body weak.

Fortunately, the maid who had traveled with her caught her in time, or she would have collapsed.

Qiu Yurou rested for two days straight. On the day the first exam session ended, before dawn she rode a carriage to wait outside the examination hall.

Because she came early, her carriage was well positioned, and able to see clearly the examinees as they exited.

As candidates trickled out, Qiu Yurou pulled the carriage window nearly shut, leaving only a slit through which she peered.

When she saw Su Yunting emerge from the hall, tears instantly welled and fell.

She closed the window, pressed her hands tightly over her mouth, suppressing any sound; afraid that if he somehow heard her, it might affect his performance in the next session.

In truth, in that noisy environment, across such a distance, even had she burst into loud sobs, Su Yunting would not likely have heard.

Her days of fear slowly released with her tears. Once steadied, she opened the window a crack again.

By then Su Yunting had already walked down the passageway. Qiu Yurou saw his study boy beside him, along with two strangers.

Those two must be Prince of Chang’s men.

Su Yunting was escorted into a lavish carriage. Before entering, he turned to look back.

Standing at the carriage, he surveyed the scene carefully, eyes searching.

Finding no trace of the person he longed for day and night, Su Yunting gave a wry smile and shook his head.

When he looked back, Qiu Yurou hastily ducked away.

Yet once he turned, she could not help leaning forward again, catching only his figure entering the carriage.

…

After finishing the final exam session, Su Yunting, utterly exhausted, returned to Prince of Chang’s residence. After washing up, he ate some light food and fell asleep.

For no reason at all, this sleep carried a deep sense of peace.

He did not know how long he slept, but when he opened his eyes, he actually saw the person he had longed for endlessly.

Su Yunting: “Am I still dreaming?”

Qiu Yurou let out a laugh.

Su Yunting sat bolt upright.

Qiu Yurou chided him, “Slow down, don’t get up so fast or you’ll make yourself dizzy!”

But Su Yunting felt no dizziness at all. He reached out and embraced his wife tightly. “Yurou, it’s really you!”

Qiu Yurou had long forgotten her earlier resolve to hit him first upon seeing him. She returned his embrace, saying, “If not me, then who else could it be?”

Once certain the woman in his arms was no fantasy, Su Yunting hugged her even tighter, calling her name again and again.

Qiu Yurou’s heart grew soft and sore under his voice.

She answered him each time.

Loosening his hold slightly, Su Yunting looked at her with solemn eyes and said, “From now on, let us never part again.”

Qiu Yurou smiled at him and replied softly, “All right.”