Chapter 38
News of Li Xinjun’s disappearance reached the Emperor, who was enraged. He hadn’t expected her to run away to avoid marrying him, and the fact that she was in love with another woman, Song Ling, was a blow to his pride, both as a man and as the Emperor.
His fury knew no bounds. He had been hesitant to force Li Xinjun into marriage, but now, he issued a decree, ordering his men to find her and bring her back to the palace. He refused to believe that, as the Emperor, he couldn’t keep the woman he loved.
The palace was in an uproar. The officials, unaware of the true reason, only knew that Li Xinjun and Song Ling had disappeared during the night, and the Emperor was furious, demanding their immediate return.
Meanwhile, Li Xinjun and Song Ling, seeing that dawn was approaching and the city gates would soon open, gathered their belongings, eager to escape the capital. However, as they neared the gate, they found it heavily guarded by soldiers, who were meticulously inspecting everyone trying to leave the city.
Since the curfew had been lifted, the city gates were usually lightly guarded. This level of security was reserved for capturing dangerous criminals attempting to escape.
Li Xinjun, unsure what to do, was about to approach the guards and inquire when Song Ling pulled her back. She pointed to a notice board nearby, where their portraits were displayed. Although they couldn’t read the details from a distance, it was clear that the authorities were searching for them.
Li Xinjun realized that Hongli had discovered their escape. He must have found the letter she had left for her grandfather. She regretted her carelessness. She had forgotten that all the servants in the mansion were appointed by the Emperor.
They would undoubtedly report to him. She slapped her forehead, berating herself for her stupidity. Song Ling grabbed her hand, stopping her from hurting herself, and led her back to the abandoned house where they had spent the previous night.
“Sister Ling, I’m so sorry! It’s my fault! I shouldn’t have left that letter! I didn’t think they would find out so quickly. I’ve ruined everything!”
“Jun’er, don’t blame yourself. Don’t despair. We’ll find a way out of this.”
“Yes! We’ll fight our way out! I refuse to be captured!” Li Xinjun clenched her fists.
“Don’t be hasty. Let’s think this through. Maybe there’s another way.”
“What other way is there? Are we supposed to jump into the Yellow River and commit suicide for love?”
“That’s it! We can escape by water! The docks are vast, with many ships. If we can avoid the soldiers and sneak onto a ship, we can leave the capital.”
Li Xinjun’s flippant remark gave Song Ling an idea. They could escape by sea. After discussing the plan, they decided to head towards the docks. Although they didn’t know where the ships were headed, as long as they could escape the capital, they could figure out the rest later.
Grand General Duoluo, worried about Li Xinjun’s safety, had sent Brother Wu and Ah Qi to search for her, hoping to find her before the Emperor’s men did.
Brother Wu and Ah Qi split up, one searching the east gate, the other the north gate. They met at the south gate, shaking their heads, having found no trace of Li Xinjun or Song Ling. They then went to the west docks, although they doubted that Li Xinjun would choose to escape by water. The ships at the docks didn’t depart at night or early morning. They had to wait for high tide, usually leaving around midday.
Disheartened, they searched the docks, asking anyone they encountered if they had seen Li Xinjun or Song Ling. Brother Wu had known them for a while and, although unaware of their romantic relationship, he had noticed Li Xinjun’s special treatment of Song Ling. He had even teased her, saying she was acting like a lovesick wife waiting for her husband. He hadn’t realized that her feelings were truly romantic.
Although he didn’t approve of same-sex relationships, he couldn’t deny the undeniable bond between Li Xinjun and Song Ling. They seemed perfect for each other.
He had never imagined Li Xinjun submitting to any man, which was why he had often teased her about her unladylike behavior, saying she would never find a husband. Now, knowing that she was in love with Song Ling, it somehow made sense to him.
They searched high and low, but their efforts were futile. They hoped that their failure to find them was a good sign, perhaps indicating that they had already escaped during the night.
Li Xinjun and Song Ling, disguised as men, arrived at the docks, hoping to sneak onto a ship. However, they found the docks guarded by soldiers as well. Although there weren’t as many as at the city gates, it would still be difficult to avoid detection.
They spotted Brother Wu and Ah Qi searching for them. Li Xinjun, hiding nearby, observed them, noticing that they were acting discreetly, not alerting the soldiers. It didn’t seem like they were there to capture them. She gambled that her friendship with Brother Wu would outweigh his loyalty to the Emperor. She picked up a pebble and threw it at him.
Brother Wu, struck by the pebble, turned towards the direction it had come from and saw Li Xinjun and Song Ling hiding in a corner. He had known them for a long time and, despite their disguises, recognized them instantly.
He signaled for them to leave, following them discreetly when no one was looking. He entered an alleyway but couldn’t find them. As he looked around, he was suddenly pulled into a warehouse.
It was Li Xinjun. Brother Wu, relieved to see her safe, turned to Song Ling.
“Why are you still here? The Emperor knows about you two! The entire city is swarming with soldiers! He’s ordered them to capture you!”
“Brother Wu, it’s my fault! I shouldn’t have left that letter for Grandfather! I wasn’t thinking straight!”
“Sigh… The old general is worried sick about you both. He sent us to find you. He’s afraid you’ll get hurt.”
“Brother Wu, can you help us escape?”
“If it’s within my power, I will. What do you need me to do?”
“Thank you, Brother Wu! I need you to distract the soldiers so we can sneak onto a ship.”
“The ships here are all bound for foreign countries. Are you sure you want to board one? Maybe we should explore other options first?”
“There’s no time! I tried to escape through the city gates, but they’re heavily guarded. And even if we manage to get out of the city, as long as we’re within the empire’s borders, we could still be captured. He’s the Emperor, after all.”
“Little Jun, are you sure about this? Won’t you reconsider? Do you realize that once you leave, you can never come back? You’ll lose everything here.”
“Brother Wu, I’m an orphan. I have no family here, nothing to hold me back. You know that Sister Ling is the most important person in my life.”
Brother Wu looked at her resolute expression and then at their intertwined hands. He saw the same determination in Song Ling’s eyes. He sighed and nodded.
“Alright, if you’ve made up your mind, I, as your older brother, will support your decision. I hope you two will be happy. I’ll explain everything to your grandfather. Don’t worry.”
“Thank you, Brother Wu. We might never see each other again after this. Please take care of yourselves. Sister Ling and I will be fine.”
Tears welled up in Li Xinjun’s eyes as she hugged Brother Wu. His eyes also moistened as he patted her back gently. They discussed their escape plan, and then Brother Wu left the warehouse.
He returned to the docks and found Ah Qi, who immediately rushed over to him.
“Did you find them?”
“No, but wait! Aren’t those them over there? Let’s go!”
Brother Wu pointed in the direction behind Ah Qi. They both ran towards the figures in the distance, their voices attracting the attention of the soldiers, who joined the pursuit.
They ran for a while, searching for Li Xinjun and Song Ling. Ah Qi looked at Brother Wu, confused.
“Are you sure you saw them?”
“I’m positive! I wouldn’t mistake them for anyone else!”
“We were a bit loud. We’ve attracted a lot of attention. Maybe we should split up and distract them?”
“Okay, you go that way, and I’ll go this way. We’ll meet back at the Grand General’s Mansion.”
“Alright!”
Ah Qi, unaware of Brother Wu’s true intentions, ran in the opposite direction, hoping to find Li Xinjun and Song Ling. The soldiers followed him. Brother Wu, seeing that no one was watching him, doubled back and returned to the docks. He saw Li Xinjun and Song Ling blending into the crowd, about to board a ship. To ensure their escape, he approached the two remaining soldiers at the docks.
“Brothers, we think we’ve spotted Li Xinjun and Song Ling! We need reinforcements! Can you come with us?”
“Really? But we can’t leave this post unguarded. The Emperor ordered us to secure all exits and prevent the talented woman from escaping.”
“Are you stupid?! I just said we found them! What are you still doing here? If they escape because you delayed, you’ll be held responsible!”
The soldiers, intimidated by Brother Wu’s anger, glanced at each other and decided to follow him. Li Xinjun and Song Ling, who had almost escaped, were thwarted by the sudden appearance of a large group of soldiers.
“Li Xinjun! Stop right there! You can’t hide from me! If you return to me now, I promise to forgive you and let Song Ling go!”
Hongli, accompanied by his imperial guards, arrived at the docks. He saw Li Xinjun and Song Ling standing on the gangplank, their hands clasped tightly, and his anger surged.
The others, seeing the Emperor, immediately knelt and bowed their heads. Li Xinjun knew there was no escape. She looked at Song Ling and kissed her passionately before embracing her tightly.
She urged Song Ling to board the ship, promising that she would handle Hongli and that Song Ling shouldn’t worry. Song Ling hesitated, but Li Xinjun insisted, telling her that if she didn’t leave, neither of them would escape. Hongli would be even more enraged if he saw Song Ling.
Song Ling, her heart aching, obeyed, trusting that Li Xinjun wouldn’t betray her. She boarded the ship and, through the window, watched Li Xinjun, her eyes filled with tears. Li Xinjun straightened her back, turned to face Hongli, her expression defiant.
“Your Majesty, do you honor your word?”
“Of course. As the Emperor, I never break my promises.”
“Then let Song Ling go, and I’ll return with you!”
Song Ling, hearing Li Xinjun’s words, was about to jump off the ship, but Li Xinjun stopped her, shaking her head and mouthing the words,
“Trust me. I’ll come for you.”
Tears streaming down her face, Song Ling knelt on the deck. She trusted Li Xinjun, but the thought of being separated from her filled her with fear. She was afraid that Li Xinjun wouldn’t be able to escape, but she knew she had to leave, she couldn’t be a burden.
Li Xinjun, noticing General Henry on the ship, realized it was a British vessel. Henry stepped forward, looked at Li Xinjun, and then at the kneeling Song Ling. He helped Song Ling to her feet and said to Li Xinjun,
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of her.”
“Thank you, General Henry. I’ll come for her soon. Please keep her safe for me.”
“I will. I’ll be waiting.”
General Henry ordered the ship to depart. Li Xinjun watched as the ship sailed away, her heart heavy with worry. She waved to Song Ling and Henry until they were out of sight and then turned to face Hongli.
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