Chapter 57

Zhao Rongzhang smiled and said, “But you did manage to escape.”

Yet after speaking, she fell silent.

“The Princess only had Mysterious Cat by her side. They fled all the way, facing life and death multiple times, yet were never truly captured. As for me, I merely used some small tricks, altered my appearance, and evaded search after search.

“The Ming County Official’s attitude was also ambiguous. As soon as you boarded the Imperial Ship where Ren Ping was, his men caught up. The Grand Empress Dowager ordered Ren Ping to capture you on her behalf, but it was only a simple verbal decree.”

Zhao Rongzhang lowered her gaze and fiddled with the taro.

How could she not notice the strangeness along the way? From the moment the marriage alliance procession was ambushed, she knew that she and the Grand Empress Dowager were enemies.

“Is the Grand Empress Dowager… trying to temper the Princess?”

Zhao Rongzhang truly laughed this time. “Hmph. She has Zhao Zhu. Why would she need to temper me?”

Zhao Rongzhang patted the dust off her hands and lay down to sleep. “Don’t overthink it. We can’t stay here for long either. After resting for a bit, we’ll set off to find Su Tan.”

Ming Luo swallowed the words she had been holding back and obediently tidied up the fire, curling up in a protective posture in front of the Princess.

Zhao Rongzhang lay on the rush mat, gazing at the firelight and Ming Luo’s back, unable to fall asleep for a while. She turned over to face the boundless darkness, her thoughts heavy.

Suddenly, a warm, damp cloth touched her fingers. Zhao Rongzhang’s eyelashes trembled as she felt her hand gently lifted, the cloth soaked in warm water pressed against her palm. He was wiping her hands. After finishing one hand, he took the other. Zhao Rongzhang was clearly awake but didn’t want to stir.

She had to tightly shut her eyes to control her trembling eyelashes. She hesitated, unsure whether to call out to him and speak with him.

But what would she say?

In truth, there was nothing to say.

What could she possibly have to say to a Shadow Guard, to a mute?

After he finished wiping both hands, Zhao Rongzhang opened her mouth. Before any sound could escape, she suddenly felt him steady her shoulder. This unexpected gesture made her immediately close her mouth.

Little Mute was likely leaning over at this moment. His fingertips rested on her shoulder blade, so lightly she could barely feel them. Zhao Rongzhang easily guessed he was about to wipe her face, as his hand holding the damp cloth had already gently touched her chin.

But it was also possible he intended to kiss her.

Ming Luo probably wasn’t fully asleep either. Like them, half her mind was lost in dreams while the other half remained alert to reality. Zhao Rongzhang heard her begin to stir as if about to turn over.

Zhao Rongzhang felt deeply embarrassed. She felt she was doing something utterly unbecoming of her status, and being discovered by Ming Luo would be humiliating. Yet, she didn’t want to push Little Mute away either.

Just as her inner turmoil was about to peak, Little Mute’s soft, cool lips descended. They lightly brushed against hers before retreating.

No one added firewood to the fire, and it eventually burned out. Zhao Rongzhang and Ming Luo “woke up” in tacit understanding. The sky was still pitch black, the moon had shifted to the west, and a heartless rooster crowed in the distance.

Zhao Rongzhang rubbed her face and, together with Ming Luo, tidied up the fire before setting off. Little Mute stayed behind in the shadows to handle the aftermath.

Su Tan’s current identity was that of a bhikkhuni, cultivating at Qingshan Nunnery. Named after the green mountains, Qingshan Nunnery was newly built just two years ago, so few locals even knew of its existence.

However, there are far too many mountains in the world named “Green Mountain.” In Jiangnan alone, almost every county has one or two. If Zhao Rongzhang had to rely solely on the map in her mind to search, the difficulty would be considerable. Fortunately, with the information Ming Luo had gathered over these days, they were able to follow the clues, and soon Zhao Rongzhang narrowed the direction to a suburban area not far away.

Two days later, deep in the night, Zhao Rongzhang and Ming Luo, supporting each other, finally arrived at the foot of that Green Mountain.

Farmhouses stood neatly at the base, with occasional barks of dogs. Looking up, under the cold moonlight and amidst the green trees and red maples, the outline of a mountain gate could faintly be seen.

Although it was early autumn, the temperature in Jiangnan was unpredictable. A single rain could freeze a person stiff at night. Zhao Rongzhang dared not rush forward and asked Guan Xuan to find a place to rest.

Entering the resting cave, Zhao Rongzhang skillfully lit a fire with a fire striker and built a bonfire.

Whether she could gain Su Tan’s full support would be a crucial factor in determining her future fate. The world was on the brink of chaos, and whether she wanted to claim a territory for herself or seek an alliance with Prince Su, she needed her own forces.

But if Su Tan could not be of use to her… Zhao Rongzhang looked up at the overlapping mountains before her.

“The ruler’s flaw lies in trusting others.” The great loss she suffered in Hongfu Prefecture must not be repeated here.

She had to test her…

But could human hearts withstand testing? This was the question she had been pondering all along.

She wanted a lot—not just Su Tan’s help.

Zhao Rongzhang stared at the fire. The flames swayed wildly in the wind, displaying a sense of chaotic disorder.

The destination was right before her, yet she found herself unwilling to ascend the mountain.

Zhao Rongzhang said to Ming Luo, “Let’s go back.”

“What?”

Zhao Rongzhang said seriously, “These past two days, I’ve been thinking about whether it’s more important for me to trust Aunt Tan absolutely or for Aunt Tan to trust me absolutely. But the truth is, both are empty talk. My desire to test her shows I don’t trust her enough. And Aunt Tan likely knew I was in Jiangnan long ago, probably watching as I drew closer and closer, yet she never came to find me. That shows she doesn’t trust me.”

Ming Luo said, “But from either of your perspectives, it’s understandable.”

“It’s not enough. Being understandable isn’t enough. You and Shuang An, your mothers, and even my mother—when it came to seizing power, none of you ever made decisions that were merely ‘understandable.'”

Ming Luo was stunned.

“My Mother Consort was a madwoman, yet all of you willingly followed her. Why? Because there are things only a madwoman dares to do, only a madwoman can accomplish. Once a person becomes too rational, too adept at weighing pros and cons, they will inevitably prioritize caution and safety. In times like these, that won’t lead to success. If Su Tan is such a person, then I don’t need her.”

“What does the Princess plan to do?”

The Princess had already lain down. “I haven’t decided yet. I’m tired, I’m sleepy. I’ll think about it after I wake up.”

Ming Luo was left with a heart full of worries, while she was about to sleep peacefully. All Ming Luo could do was sigh, “My Princess…”

Halfway through her sleep, Zhao Rongzhang was awakened by the aroma of meat. Turning her face toward the bonfire, she saw Little Cat’s figure. Groggily, she murmured, “So hungry…”

Guan Xuan tilted her neck slightly.

At that moment, Ming Luo turned over, leaving only her back to them.

Little Mute came over, picked up the cotton blanket, and wrapped Zhao Rongzhang from head to toe, gripping the fabric at her jaw tightly. Zhao Rongzhang sighed, “Are you trying to suffocate me?”

Only then did Guan Xuan slightly loosen his fingers. He looked at her, the emotions in his eyes flowing vividly like a stream.

Guan Xuan brought over the wild rabbit he had roasted and held it to the princess’s lips. As he watched her eat, he gently brushed aside her hair.

While eating, Zhao Rongzhang pushed the rabbit meat aside, leaned close to his ear, and whispered very softly, “I have a plan, and I need your help.”

The princess’s breath tickled his ear. Guan Xuan blushed and glanced at her sideways.

“I want everyone to know where I am—including Su Tan, the Grand Empress Dowager, Zhao Jue, Prince Su, and Ren Ping.”

In truth, she had already made up her mind long ago, but she hadn’t told Ming Luo directly, fearing her worry or that someone might overhear.

Whether they wanted her dead or alive, she wanted them all to come to her. The reasoning was obvious—to lure the snake out of its hole, one must first dangle a sufficiently tempting bait. That bait was Zhao Rongzhang herself. She wanted to see whether Su Tan would choose to watch calmly from the sidelines or take the risk to acknowledge her.

By being completely honest with each other and sharing the risks, Zhao Rongzhang firmly believed that only such cooperation could truly carve out a path of her own.

Even if the gamble failed, it wouldn’t be a loss—at the very least, it would force all the factions to reveal themselves.

As for how to expose herself…

The best way, of course, was to expose him, who was always by her side like a shadow.

Guan Xuan listened quietly until she finished speaking, brushed away the stray hairs by her lips, and nodded gently.

After daybreak, Zhao Rongzhang and Ming Luo tidied up the cave together and began retracing their steps back the way they came. Once they left the small mountain village, Zhao Rongzhang looked back toward the direction of Qingshan Nunnery, though the mountain gate was no longer clearly visible. She glanced around and pointed to a small town not far away. “Let’s stay there for a few days, lay low, and think about our next move.”

Upon entering the town, Zhao Rongzhang used the travel permit Little Mute had previously obtained and the money she had earned from gathering crabs to rent a small earthen hut in a secluded spot. Ming Luo looked around, set down her belongings, and eyed the princess, who was sprawled lazily on the bed, before tentatively asking, “Has Your Highness already made a decision?”

“What makes you say that?”

“Your Highness has always been impatient. If you hadn’t made up your mind, you’d rather think while traveling. But today, you rented this place for an entire month, which means not only have you made a decision, but you also have a long-term, well-thought-out plan.”

Zong Rongzhang buried her face in the bedding and chuckled softly. “Yes.”

“Your Highness doesn’t plan to tell me?” Ming Luo dusted off the cabinet door, put away all the luggage, and then tidied up the nearby stove, her hands never stopping. “But you’ve already told him everything, haven’t you?”

Her words carried a hint of bitterness. Zhao Rongzhang turned to look at her and remained silent.

Ming Luo sensed something and slowed her movements.

The stove was lit, and the room gradually warmed up. The kettle was filled and placed on the stove to boil, soon bubbling with a gentle “gurgle.”

Ming Luo thought of the princess’s words last night about trust and distrust, as well as the unusual signs today. For instance, the wild fruits and game that would often appear quietly by the princess’s pillow had not appeared even once today. And during their journey today, the princess no longer glanced back from time to time as she had before.

Ming Luo voiced her incredulous speculation, “Is the Princess having Mysterious Cat draw Su Tan’s attention? Using Ren Ping and those Death Warriors? And the restless Prince Su? But once he’s exposed, those Death Warriors…”

“Have you always known about the existence of those Death Warriors?” Zhao Rongzhang suddenly asked, “From the day Guan Xuan left the Shadow Pavilion, you’ve been preparing to kill him?”

This “you” referred not only to her and Shuang An but also to Su Xianghe and Consort Ling.

Ming Luo hesitated, then nodded, “After all, he was someone cultivated by Xianhuang. Consort Ling had no choice but to be wary for your sake.”

“He carries Gu poison, so he was never able to betray me in the first place,” the Princess closed her eyes, her tone ambiguous, “Instead, it’s the things you nurtured that are now being used by treacherous people to harm me.”

Ming Luo was left speechless, but she couldn’t hide her concern, “This decision is too dangerous. If something happens to him, the Princess will lose her most useful blade and shield. What will you do then?”

Zhao Rongzhang slowly sat up from the bed, staring at the steam rising from the kettle, and fell silent once more.

She was indeed afraid of his death, reluctant to let him die, but she also clung to the hope that he wouldn’t die. Taking a step back, even if she had known in advance that doing this would lead to his death, she wouldn’t have changed her decision. To achieve great things, she was willing to sacrifice even her own life, let alone his.