Chapter 123.

According to Yin Chengjing’s plan, he and Yao Shi were supposed to pose as a regular couple, traveling south to Guangdong by passenger boat under the protection of their trusted followers. Meanwhile, the rest of the group would split into several smaller factions to confuse and mislead any pursuing forces, eventually regrouping in Guangdong to meet up with him.

Even though there were coastal restrictions, the high profits from overseas trade meant some smugglers still managed to set sail. The coast was also filled with pirates and foreign traders, a real mess of all kinds of people. In the chaos, it was like a needle in a haystack trying to find someone. Besides, Yin Chengjing had some assets stashed in Guangdong, giving him a shot at a comeback.

The sudden stir in Yao Shi's pregnancy was an unexpected complication. Once the turmoil in the palace subsided, it was only a matter of time before someone came looking for him. Every minute they delayed made the chances of being caught rise. But the unborn child still had value—if it were lost, it would make it harder to cover their tracks in the future.

Besides, the Yao family still had their uses.

There were still people who stuck by him, partly because they had already been dragged into this mess and had no way out, but also because they were hoping for his resurgence, to rise up with him.

But if his secret was exposed, those who were still loyal would likely scatter to save their own skins.

Weighing the pros and cons in his mind, Yin Chengjing's expression softened. He pulled his wife into his arms like a protective husband and, in a soothing tone, asked, "Was the carriage too bumpy just now?" He gently helped Yao Shi sit on a large stone near the dock. "The boat isn’t here yet, so sit and rest for a while."

Yao Shi, clutching her stomach, curled into his embrace, her eyes downcast as she anxiously scanned her surroundings, her heart pounding in her chest.

Her hand trembled around her belly, her face growing even paler, making the lie seem more convincing.

Yin Chengjing didn’t suspect anything. Furrowing his brow, he considered that they might need to find a doctor soon—he didn’t want anything going wrong.

As he was lost in thought, several boats appeared in the river, slowly heading toward the dock.

By this point, the sky was starting to lighten. Early travelers had gathered at the dock, watching the approaching boats. Birds took off from the dark woods behind them.

When the boats docked, the waiting citizens moved toward the ships, but then a large group of armored soldiers suddenly spilled out from the boats.

Ordinary people instinctively feared the soldiers and quickly parted, clearing the way. Yin Chengjing’s heart skipped a beat when he saw the soldiers, and he instinctively looked for a way to retreat. But with so many soldiers and no horses to escape on, there was nowhere to run.

Yin Chengjing clenched Yao Shi’s hand tightly, pulling her along, lowering their heads as they mingled with the frightened crowd, trying to blend in.

But then, at the worst possible moment, Yao Shi suddenly cried out in pain, "Husband, my stomach hurts so much."

Her voice instantly drew the attention of the soldiers. The leader narrowed his eyes at her, scanning Yin Chengjing briefly, clearly not recognizing him.

The officer was a stranger, which meant he hadn’t seen Yin Chengjing before. Yin Chengjing felt a brief flicker of hope, thinking maybe these soldiers weren’t after him.

"Catch the fugitive! Everyone, show your identification!" The soldiers took control of the dock, beginning to check everyone’s papers one by one.

When it was Yin Chengjing's turn, he pushed Yao Shi forward.

The identification papers had been prepared in advance, and the soldiers didn’t find anything suspicious.

Yao Shi, her hands trembling, stepped forward, her fingers turning white from the pressure. The officer took the papers, inspecting them with a practiced eye. Yao Shi wasn’t sure whether these soldiers were part of the rescue team or not. In her nervousness, she absentmindedly rubbed her stomach. Just as she was about to test them with a secret code, the officer suddenly snapped the papers shut and barked, "Arrest them!"

Yao Shi’s heart skipped a beat when she realized the words weren’t meant for her. The officers surrounding the ferry quickly moved to trap Yin Chengjing and his group.

Yin Chengjing’s face went pale. He was about to make a last-ditch effort to fight his way out, but then he heard someone telling another, “The rebel has been captured, head to the Palace and report immediately.”

One of the officers immediately took off.

His slim chance of escape was gone. Yin Chengjing dropped the pretense and turned his cold gaze to the captain. “Prince An’s men? How the hell did you know I’d take this route?”

He had assumed they’d split their forces to confuse him and allow an easy getaway, and had even disguised himself to avoid detection. He thought it was foolproof, yet here he was, caught just a step away from freedom.

His eyes swept over the soldiers, then rested on Yao Shi, who seemed to have let out a breath of relief. He understood everything in an instant. His eyes burned with rage. “It’s you?!”

“Bitch! You sold me out too?!”

His words hit Yao Shi like a slap. She shuddered but straightened her fragile back, glaring at him with contempt. “You bastard, you should’ve been abandoned by everyone a long time ago!”

Ever since she learned the truth and had been confined, every day had been a tightrope walk. When Prince An’s men approached her, she didn’t hesitate to agree. She couldn’t stand living like this anymore—constantly tortured, bearing the child, and stuck in his web. She’d rather take the chance to die fighting than continue being his puppet.

Even if it meant death, it had to be better than living like a walking corpse!

Yao Shi met Yin Chengjing’s savage gaze, remembering the time when Uju stabbed him. She knew now that he was nothing special. She couldn’t be as ruthless as Uju to hurt him, but she’d live to see the bastard get what was coming to him.

“I’ll get rid of this child, then I’ll live on and watch you die,” Yao Shi said, tucking the stray hair behind her ear, and showing him a cold, pale smile.

Yin Chengjing was quickly dragged off by the soldiers. The people who had verified their papers boarded the ferry.

In the end, only Yao Shi remained.

The officer in charge, clearly following orders, handed her a set of papers and a stack of banknotes. “This is the identity document and money the prince prepared for you. He’s also purchased a house in Jiangnan, and the deed is included.” He then nodded at a kind-looking soldier. “He will escort you south.”

Yao Shi took the documents and the money with trembling hands, hesitating before asking, “What about the Prince’s residence...?”

“When the Third Prince fled, he set fire to the Prince’s residence. Both the Third Prince’s wife and his concubine perished in the flames.”

Yao Shi let out a slow breath of relief, then thought about her mother and brother. She closed her eyes, knowing she could never go back to her family. With no choice, she allowed herself to be escorted aboard another ship.

Once the last of the passenger ships had left the docks, the captain didn’t leave. Instead, he followed orders and began making new arrangements.

*

The Eastern Bureau guards tracked the trail relentlessly, finally cornering Wu Zhu deep in the forest.

After escaping, Wu Zhu had gotten lost in the pitch-black woods. She didn’t know the capital at all, let alone the area beyond. Too scared to run blindly, she waited until the faint light of dawn, then followed the horse tracks back to where she had rested, hoping to hold out.

Lucky for her, she still had some worth. The Eastern Bureau guards followed her marks to find her.

The leader, a seasoned officer, saw she was alone, his brows furrowed. "Where’s the Third Prince?"

Uju pointed to the cart tracks on the ground. "I ran off, and Yin Chengjing took his people that way."

They had no choice but to bring her along, following the trail of tracks. But when they reached the ferry, all they found were a few scattered villagers waiting for a boat.

In the nearby woods, they found abandoned horses and a cart. Clearly, Yin Chengjing’s group had already taken a boat and left ahead of them.

The officer quickly dispatched a team to follow to the next ferry, while he took Uju back to report to Xue Shu.

*

Meanwhile, in the Qianqing Palace, Yin Chengyu, Yin Ciguang, and the other officials waited outside the hall. The inner chamber was guarded by the two eunuchs, Xue Shu and Gao Xian. Only the imperial doctors were allowed in.

Emperor Longfeng had been unconscious in the water for half the night, and the entire Imperial Medical Department had been working around the clock. After a night of shifting doctors, they barely managed to pull him back from the brink of death.

In early summer, the sun rose early, and when it finally reached the roof, the chief doctor wiped his sweat and came out with the first words: "Your Majesty has awoken." The second was directed to Gao Xian: "His Majesty wishes for you to enter."

Xue Shu raised an eyebrow, glancing at Gao Xian, then silently exchanged looks with Yin Chengyu.

Gao Xian was inside for a quarter of an hour before emerging, relaying the message: "His Majesty still needs rest. The Crown Prince, the first prince, and the officials can return and rest now." He handed Yin Ciguang a token: "His Majesty has appointed Prince An to temporarily take over the palace's defense."

When Yin Ciguang took the token, he mouthed silently: "It’s done."

It’s done.

Yin Ciguang lowered his gaze and slipped the token into his sleeve.

With the Emperor's orders, the officials left one by one. No one stayed in the outer hall any longer.

Once all the courtiers had gone, Yin Chengyu and Xue Shu stepped out together. With the Emperor gravely ill, they no longer had to worry about appearances. Yin Ciguang followed closely behind them. As they walked, Yin Chengyu overheard him giving instructions to Gao Xian about reconfiguring the palace’s defenses, tightening the city’s security, and searching for traitors.

Yin Chengyu frowned, waiting where he stood.

Yin Ciguang approached him and greeted him formally: "Does His Highness the Crown Prince wish to speak?"

"Just what the hell are you trying to do?" Yin Chengyu asked, looking at him with confusion. He realized now that he didn’t really understand his older brother at all.

But their past interactions had never shown a hint of insincerity.

If it were all just an act, Yin Ciguang had played it too convincingly.

"Naturally, I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do," Yin Ciguang said with a smile, his expression unexpectedly calm.

Yin Chengyu stared at him for a long time before turning and walking away. Xue Shu followed closely, casting one last sharp glance at Yin Ciguang, his eyes filled with intense, possessive aggression.

Back at Ciqing Palace, Xue Shu finally spoke of Uju and Yin Chengjing’s situation.

"The Third Prince’s mansion was burned to the ground, which saved us the trouble. Get Uku sent off to Oirat as soon as possible. Right now, Muduo and Mubai’er are losing the fight for the throne, so sending Uju there at this time is perfect."

They had a plan for Uju’s destination, but what really threw Yin Chengyu off was that Yin Chengjing had managed to slip away.

"Taking a southbound passenger ship, Yin Chengjing didn’t want to attract attention, so he definitely couldn’t have brought many people with him. But for someone to take such a risky move, there’s got to be something else backing him," Yin Chengyu analyzed sharply.

"Uju said that when they left the farm last night, they were followed by quite a few people. Today, the patrols have been searching everywhere, and they’ve caught a few groups trying to throw off the trail. These guys confessed that Yin Chengjing has secretly hoarded five thousand troops. Those troops have now split up and are heading south to join him. Looks like he’s planning to make a comeback in the south."

"Letting the tiger back in the mountains is a damn disaster waiting to happen. If Yin Chengjing gets to the south, we’ll be powerless to stop him," Yin Chengyu said, frustration in his voice. "Get your ass moving. Immediately rally more men from the capital army and send them to the key water and land forts along the way to cut off his escape route. We need to capture Yin Chengjing, no matter what."

Xue Shu, fully aware of the danger of Yin Chengjing making it to the south, wasted no time. He immediately mounted his horse and rode off toward the capital camp to mobilize more troops. As he rode, he ordered patrols to hunt down any rebels in his path. At the same time, he dispatched messengers to the local governors along the route, urging them to block the southern route before it was too late.

*

Because the Third Prince attempted to rebel, the capital has gone into full lockdown, and the atmosphere has become tense.

Emperor Longfeng is gravely ill, yet the crown prince, still holds power. Lately, though, the emperor has been summoning high-ranking officials frequently, with Prince An, ways by his side, which has left the court uneasy. Everyone senses something is off, like the sky is about to crack open.

Yin Chengyu has also sensed that Yin Ciguang is scheming something.

Gong Hongfei has been locked away in prison, and now the palace defenses are under Yin Ciguang’s control. Yin Chengyu hasn’t openly interfered, but he’s been getting plenty of whispers—Yin Ciguang’s movements are suspiciously frequent and not quite right.

As he thinks about Yin Ciguang’s next move, he can’t shake the feeling he’s overlooking something crucial. Slowly, he replays the events of that night in his mind: Yin Chengjing’s attempted coup, the emperor falling into the water, Yin Ciguang rescuing him, and Yin Chengjing’s escape… All the details flood his mind, and suddenly, the most important point hits him—Gao Xian is a petty, self-serving man. What could have possibly motivated him to side with Yin Ciguang?

Only the throne.

Gao Xian has always had a feud with Xue Shu, and he knows damn well that if he ascended the throne, Xue Shu wouldn’t let him get away with it. So, his allegiance to Yin Ciguang wasn’t surprising, but what’s shocking is how obedient he’s been.

For a cautious man like Gao Xian, he should’ve played both sides, keeping leverage over both Yin Ciguang and Yin Chengjing. But instead, he’s thrown all his chips behind Yin Ciguang without hesitation, meaning there’s something powerful enough to lure him into taking such a risk.

Yin Chengyu’s thoughts race. After coming to a realization, he immediately rushes out of the palace to meet Uju for confirmation. Uju, who’s temporarily staying at a residence outside the palace, is about to leave for Oirat the next day.

Seeing him suddenly show up, Wu Zhu looks puzzled. “Your Highness, is there something else you need to tell me?”

But Yin Chengyu cuts straight to the point, asking about Yao Shi: “When I asked you to get close to Yao Shi, did you notice anything unusual?”

Uju scoffs. “Unusual? Yao Shi’s always been timid and spineless. I tried a few times to test her cooperation, but she always brushed me off.”

“That’s not right.” Yin Chengyu shakes his head. “After realizing the truth, she had her maid buy a bunch of medicinal herbs from several pharmacies to make abortion pills. That’s not the act of a simple, submissive coward.”

Someone like her might hesitate when an opportunity arises, but she shouldn’t outright reject it. Unless she already has another way out.

He keeps pressing her, “You mentioned there were a lot of guards escorting you from the farm that night. Can you estimate how many?”

Uju shakes her head. “It was too chaotic, and the sounds were all mixed up. I can’t say for sure, but there were definitely a lot of them.”

“Could it have been 5,000?” Yin Chengyu presses again.

“No way.” Wu Zhu is a seasoned warrior, familiar with battles. She’s firm as she says, “I can’t be certain of the number, but it wasn’t anything close to 5,000. If I remember correctly, the sound of the hooves didn’t suggest more than 1,000.”

Yin Chengyu’s face tightens. He recalls what Xue Shu had told him—Yin Chengjing still secretly keeps 5,000 troops.

It’s a trap.

Someone deliberately leaked the information about Yin Chengjing keeping 5,000 soldiers, just to make him waste manpower hunting him down.

With palace defenses tightening and the city’s security ramping up, it all becomes clear to him.

Looks like Yin Ciguang is trying to pull off the same palace coup, but unlike Yin Chengjing, he’s not stupid.

After parting with Uju, Yin Chengyu rushes back to Ciqing Palace, ordering a messenger to immediately leave the city and inform Xue Shu. He also summons Wei Xihe, who had been left behind by Xue Shu before he took his troops out.

“How many troops are still available from the East and West Bureau?” Yin Chengyu demands.

“Two thousand were transferred from the capital’s camp. The imperial guards only took half, so there are still over 10,000 left,” Wei Xihe responds.

“10,000 should be enough to hold out until Xue Shu gets back,” Yin Chengyu thinks, formulating a plan. He gives the orders to Wei Xihe, who quickly leaves to carry them out.

Yin Chengyu looks towards Qianqing Palace. Something still doesn’t sit right with him, and despite his growing doubts about Yin Ciguang, his instincts tell him to play it safe.

Wei Xihe moves quickly, but Yin Ciguang is one step ahead.

That evening, Gao Xian arrives with the emperor’s decree—Yin Chengyu is under house arrest in Ciqing Palace.

As the imperial guards lock down the palace, Yin Chengyu stands unfazed at the door, not showing any sign of panic. “What crime have I committed to deserve house arrest?”

Gao Xian sneers, arrogantly lifting his chin. “This is the emperor’s order. I don’t know how you angered him.”

“Then let me go to Father Emperor and explain myself,” Yin Chengyu steps forward, his bodyguards, menacing, drawing their blades.

“Are you defying the emperor’s decree?” Gao Xian smirks, almost enjoying the tension. “I’ve got to announce the decree outside, so I won’t waste more time here.”

Yin Chengyu is merely testing him. Seeing Gao Xian’s response, he waves a hand. His guards sheathe their swords and fall back with him into Ciqing Palace.

Later that evening, word arrives—Gao Xian has left the palace, summoning all the key officials to meet with the emperor.

It’s the same damn setup as Yin Chengjing’s coup, but this time, Gao Xian really does have the emperor’s decree in hand.

The situation in Qianqing Palace is unclear. Yin Chengyu weighs his options, waiting and watching, not rushing into action.

*

In the Yongxi Palace, Yin Ciguang, dressed in white, was burning paper money.

Gao Xian approached, glancing at his calm expression, and felt a growing sense of satisfaction for having placed his bet on the right person. Who would’ve guessed that a seemingly gentle and harmless guy like this could bring the Crown Prince down in the dirt?

He walked up behind Yin Ciguang and bowed, “The longer the night, the more dreams. Why doesn’t His Highness just kill him outright?”

Yin Ciguang slowly turned his face, watching the flames devour the last piece of paper money before responding. “Let’s not talk about the Crown Prince’s reputation. If I killed him directly, it’d cause too much scandal. And Xue Shu took over twenty thousand men out of the capital. If the Crown Prince were dead, you think you could stop that crazy dog from going wild?”

Gao Xian hadn’t considered that angle, and quickly praised him, “As expected, His Highness thinks of everything.”

Yin Ciguang stood up, extending his hand toward him. “Where’s the imperial edict?”

Gao Xian pulled the edict from his sleeve and handed it over. Yin Ciguang glanced at it, then tucked it into his sleeve—this was the document that Emperor Longfeng had written the day he woke up after the near-drowning, summoning Gao Xian to the palace.

A sneer curled on his lips as he turned to leave. “Let’s go see Yin Chengjing first.”

Yin Chengjing and the Consort De were locked up together.

Since the day they were captured at the river crossing, he had been locked up for three days without food or water, starving.

When Yin Ciguang appeared, Yin Chengjing didn’t even flinch. He weakly lifted his eyelids, filled with resentment and unwillingness. He’d thought about the consequences of failure, but never imagined he would lose to someone like this frail fool!

Neither the mother nor the son had the strength to speak, and Yin Ciguang remained silent as well.

He stood outside the cell for a long time before giving the order. “Bring them out.”

The two hadn’t eaten in three days, their bodies weak from hunger. The personal guards easily brought them out, following Yin Ciguang as he walked.

With the palace guards now under his control, Yin Ciguang moved through the palace without obstruction.

He took them to Qianqing Palace.

Since he had saved the Emperor’s life without hesitation, Emperor Longfeng trusted no one else. He clung to Yin Ciguang like a lifeline and followed his every command.

Yin Ciguang entered the inner hall, motioning for the servants and doctors to leave, then personally woke the slumbering Emperor.

“Father, take a look at who’s here.”

Emperor Longfeng groggily opened his eyes and saw the Consort De and her son standing behind Yin Ciguang.

Memories of how they had once harmed him flooded his mind, and rage flared in his eyes. Struggling to sit up, he cursed in a slurred voice, “Bitch! Bastards!”

Yin Ciguang smiled smugly and waited for him to finish before continuing, “I brought them here so you could personally take revenge.”

The Emperor looked confused, seemingly not understanding what “personally taking revenge” meant. With difficulty, he muttered, “Kill them all…”

Yin Ciguang didn’t respond directly but turned to Yin Chengjing and the Consort De. “From now on, you two will stay in Qianqing Palace and atone for your sins.” With the confused stares of the other three, he calmly added, “The moment you’ve redeemed yourselves, that’s when you can leave.”

Without waiting for them to comprehend, he ordered the shackles removed from the Consort De and Yin Chengjing and had the guards withdraw.

Standing outside, he slowly closed the palace doors, his hands pressing against the panels. As if remembering something, he added, “Oh, I almost forgot to mention, only the person who atones first will be able to leave this door.”

The doors shut, and the sound of the lock clicking echoed clearly inside the room.

Consort De, still trying to process, turned to Yin Chengjing. “What does he mean?”

Yin Chengjing twisted his face in frustration, hissing, “He’s forcing us to kill each other. Only one of us will make it out alive!”

———TN: "Xue Shu, get your ass back here now—your wife’s throne is about to be snatched right out from under him!"