Cai Wei circled around, and once she confirmed no one was chasing her, she hurried towards their rendezvous point. They dared not return to Prince Yang’s mansion directly, fearing discovery by the Emperor's spies. Moreover, Chen Renjie could not appear in public for a while, so it was better to remain hidden.
Fifty miles outside the capital lay rolling mountains, and Wu Caiwei’s destination was nestled within them. Prince Yang had specially established a farmhouse there for his wife. A few hidden guards, disguised as farmers, lived on the premises, ready for any emergency. This was the first time Yang Hanye utilized the small courtyard to rescue Chen Renjie. As he entered, the hidden guards couldn't help but reveal a hint of joy. Despite their brief interactions, they could see that he always put them first, charging ahead himself when danger arose. They had long been cold and detached, but even they weren't foolish enough not to be moved.
Although she knew of his formidable martial arts, seeing him still caused some worry. Chen Renjie felt the same; he had always been at ease with Wu Caiwei, but with things unresolved, his heart remained restless.
As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. They hadn't seen each other for a long time, and upon meeting, tears welled up in their eyes. Their gaze was solely on each other as they rushed forward and embraced tightly. When they finally came to their senses, they found they were alone in the room. The others, with keen observation, had already quietly withdrawn.
However, having lived so many lives, they had witnessed all sorts of scenes. There was only a moment of awkwardness before they resumed as if nothing had happened, sitting together to recount their recent experiences.
As they talked, they lost track of time. Wu Caiwei casually looked up and realized it was already dawn.
They exchanged a look and, with unspoken understanding, went into the courtyard. It was then that they meticulously surveyed their surroundings. If all went as planned, Chen Renjie would be living here for a considerable time.
When they had finished their tour, both inside and out, and returned, they found that a meal had been laid out. From Wu Caiwei's observations, the servants here possessed no small amount of martial skill, which eased her mind considerably.
“Since they have rendered us such great assistance, they clearly wish for us to be loyal to him wholeheartedly. If you encounter any difficulties, you can send someone to find me. While I may not match your martial arts or medical skills, I believe my experience in court affairs and military strategy is superior to yours, and I might be able to devise unique solutions.” Having spent so many years together, there was no need for politeness. Wu Caiwei simply nodded.
This time, he had made thorough preparations. He quickly took out the bundle he was carrying. Upon opening it, Wu Caiwei saw a collection of items. Although she had great faith in Yang Hanye's arrangements, she did not wish to entrust another's life entirely to him. After all, even people could be negligent. Only by having the ability to protect oneself could one save a life at a critical moment.
“As expected, you understand me best. But rest assured, the people here should be able to go out. If anything is needed, I will have them go and purchase it. During this time, I will definitely focus on researching more life-saving items.” Chen Renjie breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving the items. Ever since he was unable to practice martial arts, he felt a sense of insecurity without some medicinal powders on him. This time, Wu Caiwei had provided him with just that. Truly, their hearts were in perfect sync.
“Alright, I will leave shortly. Before I go, I will instruct them. I will visit you when I have the time. You only need to hide here for two years. After two years, we will be free.” Wu Caiwei looked at him reluctantly. Though she wished to linger with him longer, she had many matters to attend to and could not delay.
As he rode his horse towards the entrance of the capital, he noticed that the city was much more heavily guarded than usual. After undergoing a thorough inspection, he finally made his way freely onto the streets, listening to the hushed conversations of the people along the way.
Due to the noise of the street, the voices of those discussing were involuntarily lowered. He strained his ears, but after several attempts, he still couldn't discern what they were saying. He decided to stop his horse beneath a teahouse and entered the main hall, taking a seat in a corner. He ordered tea and cupped his ear to listen.
The atmosphere was tense, and naturally, no one dared to speak loudly. Even the curious only whispered their discussions, barely audible to others. Wu Caiwei, with her sharp hearing, could catch some fragments, but they were limited to the conversations of those nearby.
“Last night, there was a massive fire in the sky. I heard the clashing of weapons. Do you think something happened?”
“Even though your home is close to that area, you can’t hear every sound. If you really heard the sound of weapons, it means the disturbance last night was enormous. It’s most likely that someone tried to intercept the prisoners, but whether they succeeded is unknown.”
“Judging by the court’s actions today, it seems they did succeed. If they hadn’t, the court wouldn’t be making such a fuss.”
“That’s not necessarily true. What if they didn’t intercept them, but the people who were supposed to be intercepted escaped? The officials would still be pursuing them.”
After listening for a long time, Wu Caiwei hadn’t heard any useful information. She paid for her tea, retrieved her horse, and slowly headed east towards Fuzhou. As soon as she reached the gate, the guards recognized her and quickly took her horse, greeting her respectfully.
Without a word, Wu Caiwei went to Yang Hanye’s study, wanting to know the latest developments. Seeing her, Yang Hanye knew what she wanted to ask and spoke directly, “After your escape, the jailers discovered a body in the cell. Unfortunately, the body was already charred beyond recognition, making it impossible to determine its original appearance. It couldn’t prove that person was truly Chen Renjie. To leave no stone unturned in apprehending anyone from the Chen family, the Emperor ordered a city-wide search.”
Wu Caiwei truly hadn't expected the Emperor’s hatred for the Chen family to be so profound. She felt fortunate that she had taken the risk based on his words earlier; otherwise, sending someone to plead for mercy would have led to an even worse situation.
Meanwhile, in the imperial prison, the Chen family was in an uproar. “Father, did you see? That person wasn’t Fifth Brother. Although the charred body bears a strong resemblance to him, it can deceive others, but not us who are most familiar with him. He escaped on his own and didn’t take us with him.” The second son of the Chen family’s heart sank to the bottom, filled with despair. He had originally thought that given Chen Renjie’s cowardly nature, he would absolutely obey his father and would have taken them with him if he were to escape. He never expected him to flee alone, leaving them behind. The thought gnawed at him. If it weren't for his consideration for his father, he would have rushed forward and revealed the truth to them.
“What nonsense are you spouting? That person was Chen Renjie! How could I not recognize my own son? You say you are familiar with him, but in reality, you have only spent a few days with him. Every time you saw him, you either beat him or bullied him.” Elder Chen also had his own unspoken grievances. How could his sons see what he couldn't? Yet, he was also secretly delighted. Regardless, at least a single sprout remained for the Chen family.