Chapter 47: The Pursuit

When Lu Zhi and his men arrived at the ferry crossing, the passenger ship had already been sailing for fifteen minutes.

The man’s face was cold and stern as he stared at the distant sail fading into the horizon. His eyes were like deep pools—dark and chilling. Gritting his teeth, he tossed the riding whip to a nearby guard.

The soldiers had dispersed, each taking portraits to search for people.

After a short while, Ning Wu returned.

“Sir, there’s an abandoned horse carriage over there.”

No sooner had he spoken than two soldiers came running.

“Report! Sir, two boatmen claim to have seen the two individuals in the portraits board the ship.”

The two boatmen who had been responsible for inspecting passengers were brought over. Seeing Lu Zhi, they bowed respectfully.

“Commander, we’ve seen the two persons depicted in these portraits,” they said.

Lu Zhi lowered his gaze, coldly asking, “Were there three women behind them?”

“Yes, yes. One was wearing a veil—it seemed she was a young lady of a prominent family.”

Lu Zhi’s eyes flickered coldly. He slightly raised his head and ordered Ning Wu, “Prepare the boat.”

*******

Dusk was approaching. The rosy glow spread across the sky, and the afterglow of the setting sun shimmered on the water’s surface. Nightfall would arrive soon.

Yan Xi sat by the window, her delicate hands prying open the small window, peering outside, though the shore was no longer visible.

Tao Hong whispered, “He probably won’t catch up, right? Even if he really pursues us, preparing the boat would take time—at least an hour slower than us...”

Qing Lian said nothing but shook her head. She held the window open, eyes constantly scanning outside. After Tao Hong finished speaking, her gaze shifted toward Miss Yan Xi.

The two maids looked at Yan Xi together.

Her eyes moved slowly, radiating a gentle light. She didn’t change her gaze or speak, lost in thought.

After a moment, she finally turned her eyes to Qing Lian and beckoned her closer to whisper in her ear.

Qing Lian leaned in, and Yan Xi spoke softly a few words.

Qing Lian nodded and went to find A Tai and the Yun siblings.

The three all glanced toward Yan Xi, nodding in acknowledgment.

Yan Xi returned the gesture.

After a while, the Yun siblings and A Tai left the second-floor cabin.

Yan Xi and the others shifted their gaze.

Master and servants exchanged a look but said nothing.

At that moment, Yan Xi looked toward the cabin.

The ship was large, and the cabin spacious.

There were about fifteen or sixteen wooden tables arranged in pairs facing each other.

Most tables were occupied, only a few were empty.

Those seated were dressed in fine silk and brocade, clearly wealthy passengers.

The ship had three decks: the second deck was ordinary, the third housed tea rooms with scenic views, and the first deck contained guest rooms.

She cautiously glanced at the other passengers. Most were chatting and laughing with companions, no one paying attention to her side.

After about fifteen minutes, Yun Shu returned and nodded to Yan Xi and the others.

They rose and followed her.

They went down to the first deck and entered a guest room with Yun Shu.

The room was small, with two beds and a table.

Upon entering, Yan Xi immediately had Qing Lian lock the door, then asked Tao Hong to open a trunk and take out cosmetics—rouge, powder, kohl, lipstick, and so forth.

“Quick, put makeup on the two of them.”

Tao Hong responded promptly and began applying makeup as instructed.

The Yun siblings said little, following her lead.

---

Yan Xi shared her thoughts.

“Lu Zhi will surely use portraits of you two siblings to search, A Tai might as well, though less likely. As for Qing Lian and Tao Hong, probably not...”

As for herself...

Yan Xi didn’t mention it, pausing slightly.

She felt Lu Zhi wouldn’t use her portrait to search.

Although Lu Wen Hui and Lin Yao’er meant nothing to Lu Zhi, his father had once used Qing Lian and Tao Hong’s portraits to search for people. Although Chang’an was thousands of miles away, many people traveled between it and Yangzhou.

Uncle Lu had once spent a thousand silver coins to find someone—a huge sum no one could ignore. It was better to avoid unnecessary trouble and prevent news from reaching Chang’an. Therefore, Lu Zhi would not use Qing Lian and Tao Hong’s portraits again.

Yan Xi continued in a hushed voice, “I had A Tai arrange a small boat. If I’m not mistaken, in about half an hour, we’ll pass through a mountain forest. You two should hide there for a couple of days, then switch to horses near Changzhou, travel by water, and cross stealthily by raft at night. Under no circumstances should you pass through the city gate. We will wait for you in Changzhou. If after half a month you arrive and find we haven’t come, then run—run as far as you can!”

She handed a bundle to the Yun siblings.

They opened it to find silver, steamed buns, and water.

“Young Mistress...” the Yun siblings’ eyes welled with tears, emotions overwhelming.

Yan Xi cut them off, lowering her voice even further.

“Lu Zhi will definitely pursue you! We cannot stay long on this ship. Soon, the four of us must escape. He is ruthless. If you fall into his hands, you won’t live. No matter what, I won’t let you risk your lives. Trust me—if fate wills it, we will meet again.”

Her words finished just as Qing Lian and Tao Hong completed the makeup for the Yun siblings. Without close scrutiny, their appearances were quite transformed.

The Yun siblings were at a loss for words; their lips trembled slightly, emotions conveyed only through their eyes.

Yun Sheng choked up, “If we meet again, our lives belong to Young Mistress.”

Yun Shu had already begun to weep.

Without the Young Mistress, she likely would have been gravely ill or even dead by now.

Yan Xi nodded silently.

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door.

Qing Lian asked, recognizing A Tai’s voice, and opened it.

A Tai entered and nodded to them.

Yan Xi let the Yun siblings leave.

Yun Shu looked back at her one last time, tearfully saying, “Young Mistress, take care.”

Yan Xi replied and urged them to leave quickly.

Once they had gone, she opened the window and gazed into the now dark sky outside.

They waited a long while until finally seeing distant mountains and, after some more time, a small wooden raft with two figures—the Yun siblings—visible in the dim light.

Yan Xi exhaled in relief.

The shore was not far; climbing the mountain, it would take only about fifteen minutes to reach land.

Yan Xi closed the window.

At that moment, A Tai returned.

They locked the door.

Tao Hong whispered, “Miss, what shall we do next?”

Yan Xi pondered a moment, then asked A Tai, “Did you inquire? Are you sure there will be a passenger ship from Taizhou meeting this one at night?”

A Tai replied, “Yes, around the hour of Hai.”

Yan Xi said, “Then we will wait until the hour of Hai.”

Upon hearing this, the two maids and A Tai understood her plan.

She intended to change ships to evade the first wave of searches and then return to Yangzhou.

Though risky, it was the only option.

They likely were not wanted at the moment and could return to Yangzhou to switch ships, confusing Lu Zhi.

A Tai left to wait for the hour of Hai and the other ship.

In the cabin, Tao Hong and Qing Lian kept the small window open, watching behind for any lights.

---

Everyone was on edge, fearing the light behind would appear first.

Time passed. As the hour of Hai neared, light finally appeared ahead.

A Tai hurried back.

Seeing him, the three immediately stood and followed him out.

Though it was the hour of Hai, most passengers in the cabin were still awake, with occasional laughter and chatter.

Yan Xi stepped out and saw the distant mountain shore and the large ship from Taizhou now docked, bound for Yangzhou.

Her heart raced wildly; she kept glancing back, fearing a sudden firelight behind, but thankfully, there was none.

The four waited early on the deck for the ship to come to a full stop.

After a long while, it finally did.

The docking place was a small mountain shore. Heading inland from the shore led to a small valley surrounded by mountains on three sides and water on one.

The valley was not large but wealthy from frequent travelers and docked ships. Everywhere was lush greenery, brightly lit with lanterns. Villagers and vendors waited on the shore, selling food, drinks, and local specialties.

Yan Xi and the others followed the crowd off the ship, pretending to browse and buy some items, taking in the night scene.

But soon, they lowered their heads and hastened toward the other large ship, quickly boarding it.

Almost simultaneously, as the four boarded, Yan Xi’s heart trembled, and she instinctively looked back, feeling a sudden sinking in her chest.

She was not alone; Qing Lian, Tao Hong, and A Tai felt it too.

Behind them, a great firelight flared—roughly forty or fifty ships were approaching from afar.

Leading them was a man in dark clothes standing at the prow. He was tall, imposing, with an arresting handsome face. If not Lu Zhi, then who?

Yan Xi’s heart plummeted like a bottomless pit, but fortunately, she had changed ships.

She immediately pushed A Tai, whispering three words: “Get off, run.”

A Tai understood her meaning.

She wanted him to slip away in the chaos and hide in the valley.

Later, if the men on the ship saw no women, Lu Zhi would not search thoroughly, giving him a chance to evade capture. But...

“I... I won’t get off... How can I abandon Miss? I won’t...” A Tai choked.

Yan Xi ordered sharply, “Hurry! If he catches you, you’ll die. If you die, how can I comfort Mother’s spirit in heaven? Get off!”

Before A Tai could say more, Qing Lian spoke up.

“What time is it? Listen to Miss and hurry...”

With red eyes, A Tai wiped fiercely at his tears, turned, bowed his head, and slipped away with the crowd.

Yan Xi and the other three went down a deck.

They had nowhere to go and didn’t know which guest room was empty.

By now, they could hear soldiers shouting outside—the other ship had been intercepted and boarded.

Yan Xi said to Qing Lian and Tao Hong, “You two leave too. We’ll split up and hide. If this ship manages to leave on time, we’ll regroup here in half an hour. If it’s also intercepted, you must protect yourselves and not worry about me...”

She understood the gravity of the situation—Lu Zhi would kill without hesitation.

Qing Lian and Tao Hong reluctantly agreed. At this moment, hesitation was impossible. Staying together would draw attention; splitting up was safer. They nodded with pain.

The four immediately parted ways.

*******

More than forty ships and over four hundred soldiers had surrounded both ships.

But Lu Zhi only ordered his men to board the ship they had originally pursued.

He stood in the shadows of the night, a faint smile slowly appearing in his dark, brooding eyes as he glanced toward the passenger ship from Taizhou heading for Yangzhou.

Beside him, Ning Wu asked, “Sir, should we search that one?”

Lu Zhi raised his hand to stop him, his smile lingering. Then, he stepped down and slowly approached the ship from Taizhou...