Qi Yu Ze dismounted from the carriage. Zhao Yan Luo, inside, covered himself with his cloak. "I'm not going out."
As Qi Yu Ze stepped out, a eunuch from the palace approached to read an imperial decree. The decree was simple: the two princes were to be released from the post station, and the Empress would personally see them off.
After the eunuch who read the decree left, Zhao Yan Luo couldn't help but poke his head out of the carriage. "Little Prince, you succeeded?"
Qi Yu Ze turned to look at him and sneered, "Do you want the Empress to know that you, Young Marquis Zhao, and I had already colluded?"
Zhao Yan Luo quickly lowered the carriage curtain. He had forgotten that they were still outside the palace.
Qi Yu Ze got back into the carriage and instructed the driver, "To the post station."
Upon arriving at the entrance of the post station, Qi Yu Ze alighted from the carriage. Seeing that the imperial guards at the entrance had not yet withdrawn, he stepped forward to speak. Just then, a clear, cold voice came from not far away, "Imperial guards, heed my command."
Zhao Yan Luo looked up and saw a slender figure approaching on horseback. "Retreat!"
As the figure drew nearer, Zhao Yan Luo trembled. "It's actually the Empress."
Behind the Empress was Ta Xue, who said coldly, "The imperial guards have retreated. Young Marquis, quickly take the two princes and leave!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Qi Yu Ze entered the post station. Qi Yu Ming and Qi Yu Heng were waiting there.
"Let's go!" Qi Yu Ze said indifferently.
Qi Yu Ming's expression turned displeased. "Just like that?"
Upon hearing this, Qi Yu Ze sneered, "Does the Second Prince wish to remain here?"
"You..." Qi Yu Ming pointed at Qi Yu Ze and said coldly, "Do you believe I will report back to the Emperor and have him punish you?"
"Oh really? If the Second Prince believes he can return safely, then by all means, let the Emperor punish this Prince!"
"You... what do you mean?" Qi Yu Ming couldn't help but take a step back.
Qi Yu Ze said coldly, "Exactly what the Second Prince is thinking."
Qi Yu Ming's face darkened. Qi Yu Heng spoke up, "Second Brother is straightforward. Little Prince, please don't mind him."
"I never mind, but I wonder if Her Majesty will mind."
Qi Yu Heng's expression turned somewhat awkward. He smiled, "Since Father Emperor was willing to exchange Mingxia Pass for my Second Brother and me, it shows that Father Emperor still cares about us."
Qi Yu Ze sneered, "If you want to leave, hurry up. A moment later, you might not be able to leave at all."
Saying this, without waiting for Qi Yu Ming and Qi Yu Heng behind him to speak, he was already the first to walk out of the post station.
Seeing this, Qi Yu Heng whispered, "Second Brother, a small impatience can disrupt a great plan. Be patient for now. After all, to return to Qi from here, we still need to rely on the reputation of the Little Prince of Nanping. Once we reach the capital, it will be Second Brother's world!"
Qi Yu Ming glanced at Qi Yu Heng and sneered, "Just worry about yourself."
Qi Yu Heng smiled and left.
Qi Yu Ming looked at Qi Yu Heng's retreating back and sneered, "He still wants to sow discord with me here. I'm not that foolish."
Ming Duan stepped forward and asked, "Your Highness, should we send the news back to Qi?"
Qi Yu Ming shook his head. "No need. As my third brother said, we really need Qi Yu Ze's protection on the road. After all, he was once the God of War of Qi."
Stepping out of the post station, Qi Yu Heng couldn't help but take a deep breath. "Why does it feel like I haven't seen sunlight for so long?"
A Ling said, "Your Highness has not come out for ten days."
"So it has been so long." Qi Yu Heng raised his eyes and looked at the girl on horseback. His gaze no longer held the ambition it once did. This Empress, he could not afford to provoke, nor could he afford to offend.
Qi Yu Ze still prepared carriages for the two princes. There was no time to delay, so he immediately ordered them to set off, fearing that delays would lead to further complications.
The Empress, guarding the city gate, whispered to Ta Xue beside her, "I wonder how things are on His Majesty's side?"
Yes, she was not the Empress, but Wu Hen. The true Empress was hidden on the road, intending to kill the two princes and frame the Little Prince of Nanping, thus causing internal strife in Qi.
Qi Yu Ze was riding his horse when someone behind him galloped over in a hurry. He turned back to see Zhao Yan Luo. When Zhao Yan Luo reached him, he couldn't help but say, "Young Marquis Zhao, are you truly not afraid of others knowing about your relationship with me?"
Zhao Yan Luo, tossed about by the galloping horse, said, "Little Prince, the Empress saw me just now without any change in her expression. I feel something is not right."
"Not right? How is it not right?" Qi Yu Ze asked.
Zhao Yan Luo whispered, "Does the Empress know about my cooperation with the Little Prince?"
"It's possible she knows." At this point, Qi Yu Ze no longer intended to hide it from Zhao Yan Luo.
Zhao Yan Luo's face changed dramatically upon hearing this. "Little Prince, you've really put me in a bind! You left, what will happen to me?"
"Just say you were threatened by me," Qi Yu Ze said coldly.
Zhao Yan Luo said, "But I feel as though the Empress looked at me as if she didn't recognize me."
Qi Yu Ze was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
"I just feel like the Empress looked at me strangely. If, as you said, the Empress knew about my cooperation with the Little Prince, what would her first reaction be?"
Qi Yu Ze fell silent. Given the Empress's personality, she would likely mock Zhao Yan Luo.
Suddenly, he remembered. The way the Empress looked at him seemed different from before. Could it be...
"Zhao Yan Luo, if the Second Prince and Third Prince die on this journey, who do you think the Emperor of Qi will suspect?"
Zhao Yan Luo looked at Qi Yu Ze. "Do I even need to ask? Of course, it would be you, the Little Prince of Nanping."
"Guards!" Qi Yu Ze said quickly.
Someone soon walked over. "Little Prince."
"Gather all personnel near the carriage. Report any anomalies to me immediately."
Seeing this, Zhao Yan Luo couldn't help but ask, "Little Prince, have you sensed something is amiss?"
Qi Yu Ze nodded. "I suspect that the person at the entrance of the post station was not the Empress at all."
"Not the Empress? Then who was it?" Zhao Yan Luo asked in shock.