Murong Jin slipped into the shadows near the city gate.Xue Liulan had been fast. The four gates of Jindu were sealed, the guards checking everyone.
"Halt! What's your business?" A guard blocked a young woman.
"I… I'm going to the temple to offer incense," she stammered.
"Incense? Praying for a husband?" Several soldiers surrounded her, leering. She shrank back, bumping into one of them.
"Mmm, smells good." He lifted a lock of her hair and sniffed it.
She blushed crimson, clutching her robes.
"Hahaha! Shy, are we?" The men laughed.
Murong Jin frowned. Her hand went to her sword hilt. Then, an idea struck.
She grabbed a pot of boiling water from a nearby tea stall, tied a handkerchief over her face, and marched into the crowd.
She moved fast. Before they noticed, she was among them.
"Call yourselves men? Bullying a girl?" She stood beside the woman, the steaming kettle in her hand.
"Who are you?"
"Some brat playing hero?" A soldier reached for her shoulder.
She sidestepped, swinging the kettle. Boiling water sprayed over them like rain.
Screams erupted. In the steam and confusion, Murong Jin grabbed the girl's arm and slipped through the gap.
While the gate was in chaos, she dragged the girl out of the city, stopping only when they reached the edge of a forest.
"Follow this path to the temple," she said, pointing. "Farewell."
"Benefactor!" The girl grabbed her sleeve. "Thank you! Please, tell me your name. I will set up a tablet for you and pray for your long life."
"No need." Murong Jin pulled off her mask. "I have urgent business."
She turned and vanished into the woods. She had to reach Wuchuan. It was reckless, but she couldn't sit by while her father was in danger.
"It was the Empress." Li Yan punched his palm. "Quick, send men to chase her!"
"No need." Xue Liulan stood, his face calm. "If she wants to leave, binding her won't stop her. She'll just escape again."
"But… let her go?" Li Yan stared at him. "The road is dangerous."
"I know." Xue Liulan turned to him. "I leave Jindu in your hands."
"What?" Li Yan's eyes bulged. "Your Majesty, you aren't planning to go with her?"
Xue Liulan smiled carelessly. "Since I can't persuade her to come back, I have no choice."
"But Your Majesty…" Li Yan grabbed his arm. "You have court every day. Memorials. The harem. How can you hide this from Guo Shangzhong? If anything happens to you, the dynasty will fall!"
"I've ordered the memorials sent to you. If you can't decide, ask my fourth brother. I've left an edict in the Imperial Study. It says I'm bored and going out for a walk." He pushed Li Yan into a chair. "I heard the women of Jiangnan are beautiful. I'm going incognito to find some new concubines."
A dissolute tyrant! Li Yan cursed inwardly. Xue Liulan gets to run off and be a hero, while he, the Prime Minister, is left holding the bag, praying the dynasty doesn't collapse.
"Qi'er is with my fourth brother. You don't need to worry about him." Xue Liulan paused at the door.
Li Yan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. At least he wasn't responsible for the little prince.
Xue Liulan changed into plain clothes. White robes under a thin violet gauze, a jade belt concealing his soft sword. His hair bound high, ribbons fluttering. Just like when he had planned to roam the world with his brother.
He had only ever planned to run away with two people. His brother, for his health. And Murong Jin, because she was never meant for a cage.
Murong Jin walked through the dark forest. The moon was hidden by leaves, the path dim. She had to keep moving. Staying put meant becoming a meal for wolves.
Their howls echoed in the distance, chilling her blood. She quickened her pace.
A sudden woosh behind her. She stopped by a tree, hand on her hilt.
Silence. Not even a wolf howl. The wind rustled the leaves, making the night seem darker, quieter.
Imagination? She relaxed slightly. Even if Xue Liulan had sent men, they wouldn't hurt her.
She walked on. But the feeling of being followed persisted until dawn. Near, then far. A shadow at the corner of her eye.
At the fifth stop, she found a ruined temple. Shelter for the night.
She checked the surroundings. Empty. She reached for the door.
A chill on her neck. She dodged, spinning, her sword flashing out. A cold arc of steel cut through the moonlight.
Nothing. Just a shadow.
The figure landed ten paces away, silent as a ghost.
"Who are you?" She lowered her sword, studying him. Black cloak, face hidden. A thin blade attached to his forearm, looking like part of his flesh.
She had never seen such a weapon. Her heart trembled. She was out of practice, and this was a master.
He didn't answer. He stood still, his eyes hidden in the shadow of his hood, fixed on her like a leopard waiting for its prey to falter.
"You must be a top assassin. We have no grudge. Are you here for money?" It had to be Guo Shangzhong. He had moved fast.
He tensed. Before she could blink, he was rushing toward her.
She dodged, stepping back, kicking off the doorframe to flip onto the eaves, then dropping into the clearing.
She was panting. He was silent, a specter without substance.
"To die here, before I even reach Wuchuan…" She took a deep breath, steadying herself. She would fight to the end.
Sensing her resolve, he snorted coldly. He raised his left fist to his right shoulder, revealing the gleam of the blade on his arm.
Wind moved. He struck.