Chapter 209 – Escape

Zhuang Zhan took the memorial with both hands and read it carefully, his expression calm. “The memorial is excellent, the writing forceful, the reasoning clear. When it is made public tomorrow, it will surely shock the world. But it doesn’t quite match my usual style, so I’ll need to refine it a bit. Since this is such a glorious matter for our family, I must treat it with due respect. However, since this matter is of great importance, may I ask Uncle, have you informed Grandfather?”

Zhuang Renshao replied, “This is your grandfather’s wish. He was furious when he thought you had given in. It was I who repeatedly persuaded him that you’re not the type to seek advantage or avoid harm, and that you’re modest and cautious, always mindful of the bigger picture. How could you not know the foundation upon which the Zhuang family stands? Perhaps you’ve been enduring humiliation for a greater purpose. Now it turns out you’re indeed a good child, and it wasn’t in vain that I overcame opposition to bring you back into the clan and hired a renowned teacher to instruct you in morality and literature. Indeed, you’ve achieved fame overnight, a loyal and righteous minister whose name will be recorded in history, and it wasn’t for nothing that you came into this world.”

Zhuang Zhan said solemnly, “Since it is the elders’ command and a matter of righteousness, how could I refuse? Your nephew dare not spare his own life nor linger with his family. I only ask that the Zhuang family treat Aunt kindly. Time is short, please allow me to bathe and change into plain clothes, burn incense to soothe my mind, and write the memorial by hand.”

Seeing Zhuang Zhan’s calm and elegant demeanor, and how his clear speech remained unchanged from before, even as he faced the collapse of Mount Tai without a change in expression, Zhuang Renshao found himself somewhat admiring him. “Go ahead. Zhirong and Zhiyun will accompany you. Since this concerns the integrity of the family, there must be no mistakes. They should help you bathe; it’s only proper.”

Zhuang Zhan nodded and bowed respectfully. “Please, Uncle, feel free to do as you please. If there’s anything needed, just instruct the servants.” He then rose gracefully, and his two cousins indeed led a group of tall, sturdy servants with him into the inner courtyard. They watched as he calmly selected a set of plain robes, ordered hot water to be heated, and had the room cleaned thoroughly. Incense was lit, and he truly appeared ready to face death calmly. His two cousins stood guard at the door with their servants, waiting for him to finish bathing and changing.

Zhuang Renshao picked up a book in the study and began reading, but suddenly heard a loud bang! Alarmed, he rushed out and asked, “What happened!”

Zhuang Zhirong hurried over with people and reported, “Zhuang Zhan actually hid a grenade inside, ignited it with a candle, and walked out. We feared the grenade in his hand and let him escape through the destroyed wall!”

Zhuang Renshao’s face twisted in anger. “Son of a concubine, refusing to die quietly. What about the people outside the wall? Chase him!”

Zhuang Zhirong replied, “The wall collapsed suddenly, and the guards outside were caught off guard and dodged. He took advantage of the chaos to run away, but he must have been injured and can’t have gone far! Zhiyun has taken people to pursue him, but we fear that the noise might attract the patrolling soldiers of the Five-City Military Office.”

Zhuang Renshao gritted his teeth. “Chase him first! Send an experienced steward here to say that we accidentally lit firecrackers. Give them plenty of money to send the soldiers away.”

He led a group of people out angrily towards the breach in the wall. Someone had already brought a horse for him, and he leapt onto it. Fortunately, Zhuang Zhan liked peace and quiet, and this residence was near the rear mountain of Chunming Lake. They pursued him without alarming anyone.

Indeed, it wasn’t long before they caught Zhuang Zhan, whose arm had been injured by the explosion. He was held down by servants with his mouth gagged. He was wearing plain clothes, blood flowed from his arm, and he looked utterly disheveled. Zhuang Renshao came over and looked at him under the lantern light, sneering. “You didn’t know your place. In that case, we’ll have to burn you alive.”

Zhuang Zhan’s face was ashen, and he closed his eyes, unable to speak. Zhuang Renshao ordered, “Take him back!”

Suddenly, they heard a voice ahead asking, “Who are you?”

Zhuang Renshao was startled and quickly looked over. A green-clothed carriage was approaching on the riverside path. It wasn’t particularly luxurious and lacked an emblem, but it was accompanied by many attendants, all carrying swords. He quickly gave a signal, and Zhuang Zhirong covered Zhuang Zhan’s head and face with a cloak. Zhuang Renshao went forward and bowed to the carriage, smiling. “We’re just catching a runaway slave. Nothing to worry about.”

The carriage stopped, and a page lifted the curtain. Inside was a young master, his eyes bright, dressed in a pink robe that shone like spring peach blossoms. A beautiful jade hung from his waist, exuding a noble and wealthy aura. This was Xu Chun, who had just returned to the capital.

Xu Chun glanced at their large group and asked him, “I seemed to hear the sound of an explosion just now. Was that you?”

Zhuang Renshao, seeing that it was a wealthy young master, hastily explained, “I apologize for disturbing you, Young Master. It wasn’t a fire weapon. The runaway slave lured bandits and set off firecrackers to escape. Nothing else happened.”

Xu Chun looked at the “runaway slave” who was restrained. He was dressed in plain clothes, his raven hair was loose, and his bare feet were still visible. In the night, his skin could be seen to be as white as jade. Hearing his voice, he suddenly struggled, then was harshly subdued by the servant.

Xu Chun felt something stir within him, asking, “Is this the captured runaway slave? He seems quite beautiful. With his body half-exposed by the ropes, there’s a certain allure. Let me see his face. Will you sell him? Since he’s already escaped, why not sell him to me? I’ll pay a high price.”

Hearing this licentious young master’s shameless tone, Zhuang Renshao was greatly enraged, but in the capital, one never knew if the people one encountered were mere fish or dragons. He could only suppress his anger. “This runaway slave is injured and can’t serve a nobleman. Moreover, he’s committed a serious crime, and we must immediately deliver him to the authorities. His mother is also at home, and we’ll have to take her contract and charge her with a crime. It’s late, so please return, Young Master.”

When he mentioned his mother, the runaway slave suddenly stopped struggling, lowering his head as if resigned to his fate. But Xu Chun, who had been on the battlefield, could smell the faint scent of blood and gunpowder.

Xu Chun raised his eyebrows slightly, twirling his fan in his hand. “I have a quirk in my life that if someone won’t give me something, I want it even more. Come, my men, snatch this boy for me. I’m determined to have him today.”

Zhuang Renshao was taken aback, but he saw that this wastrel’s casual words summoned a group of guards from the darkness. They were tall and powerful, like wolves and tigers, and drew their swords as they charged at them.

Zhuang Renshao had brought dozens of strong servants tonight, but under the onslaught of these guards, they were powerless to fight back. In just a moment, Zhuang Zhan had been snatched away. A page even held a torch to illuminate his face while the guards checked, loudly reporting to the pink-robed wastrel, “Young Master! He’s indeed very beautiful! You have good taste, Young Master!”

Xu Chun went over with a smile and met Zhuang Zhan’s gaze, showing a hint of surprise. Zhuang Zhan knew that the other party had recognized him but still felt some shame and closed his eyes. Xu Chun laughed frivolously. “Indeed a beauty, exactly what I like. Take him back.”

Zhuang Renshao nearly exploded with anger but could only step forward urgently. “Young Master, if you want beautiful boys, I have several pairs at home, all younger and more beautiful than this runaway slave. Please show mercy and release him to us. Tomorrow, I’ll personally deliver the beautiful boys to your mansion, alright?”

Xu Chun grinned like a rascal. “How can that be? I know you hypocritical scholars would definitely come after me tomorrow to make a fuss and get my father to discipline me. I’m determined to have him today. What can you do about it?” With that, he smiled and returned to the carriage. His guards took the person openly, and they left just like that!

The page even warned them, “Don’t follow us! Otherwise, you’ll be killed without mercy! My young master can kill someone, and the Prefectural Governor wouldn’t dare to question him! Death would be in vain!”

Zhuang Renshao was so angry that he almost fainted, but he didn’t dare to chase after them. Then, a steward came over from the residence, carefully reporting, “Master, the general of the Five-City Military Office has arrived. He immediately identified it as a bomb and insists on seeing the head of the household. What should we do?”

Zhuang Renshao clenched his teeth. “Let’s file a complaint. A court official, Zhuang Zhan, the number one scholar, was kidnapped by a wealthy family using explosives to break through the wall. Have portraits drawn of that young master and have the Military Office and Prefectural Governor investigate. It’s likely that once Zhuang Zhan is found, he won’t have the face to say anything. Under the feet of the Son of Heaven, there’s such a bold and presumptuous noble young master. This shows that the country is on the verge of turmoil and that demons are rampant!”

Zhuang Zhirong whispered, “But with this, the task Grandfather entrusted to us may change. This storm sweeping the city… When the time comes, even if something happens, people will only guess that he was captured by a noble and humiliated… That’s why he committed suicide…” There would be no talk of righteousness. This matter was supposed to be handled properly.

Zhuang Renshao stomped his foot. “Why didn’t you watch him more closely? If we had known, we should have tied him up and forced him to take medicine right away! Bastard born of a concubine!”

Zhuang Zhirong and Zhuang Zhiyun exchanged glances, muttering inwardly that it was Zhuang Renshao himself who said that writing the memorial and drugging him would be best. But it wasn’t appropriate to say those things now.

Zhuang Renshao clearly felt guilty, saying, “They won’t have gone far. Have the soldiers of the Military Office chase after them. They’ll definitely catch up. He’s injured, so he’ll still be in our grasp. When the time comes, we’ll deal with it. That noble young master seems to be afraid of his father. Once we find him, we’ll just say it was a misunderstanding.”

The group dejectedly returned to Zhuang Zhan’s residence and indeed reported it to the Five-City Military Office.

The kidnapping of a court-appointed official, the number one scholar, was a major event. The patrol leader of the Military Office didn’t dare to hide it. While dispatching patrols along the road to pursue, he also reported to the Prefectural Governor.

Right near Chunming Lake and the imperial palace, a court-appointed official, Zhuang Zhan of a prestigious family, had been kidnapped. Immediately, all the soldiers of the Military Office were mobilized, investigating throughout the night. Yet strangely, the group of wastrel young masters mentioned by Zhuang Renshao vanished like ghosts and left no trace.

On this side, Zhuang Zhan, saved by his political enemy, was filled with mixed feelings. Hearing a guard ask Xu Chun, “With such a commotion, the Five-City Military Office will probably come to ask questions soon. Shall we turn back to the quarter?”

Xu Chun thought for a moment and shook his head. “Go to the bookshop.” If Jiu-ge knew he was bringing such an annoying person back to Zhuzhi Workshop, where their relationship began, he would certainly be jealous. Furthermore, there were too many personal items there, including Jiu-ge’s belongings, books he often read, and scattered writings. Zhuang Zhan was too cunning to be underestimated.

The guard hesitated for a moment and asked, “It’s far.” Xu Chun instructed, “Have Little Qi report that I won’t be able to make it tonight because of this incident.” The guard complied and withdrew.

Zhuang Zhan was then placed on the carriage, his ropes untied. Xu Chun noticed the blood on his arm and ordered, “Call Donghai to dress the wound.”

Zhuang Zhan hadn’t expected the carriage to be so spacious and comfortable on the outside. Even the young doctor called “Donghai” who came to bandage his arm didn’t make the three of them feel cramped inside.

He was laid on the opposite soft couch, covered with a soft silk cushion. A soft fox fur blanket draped casually over him. The carriage was lined with brocade flower carpets, and a white tiger skin was placed over the footrest area. The curtains were adorned with magnificent jade beads and eight treasures. On the central table lay a Ding kiln teapot and cups, and even fresh blooming roses with tender petals intact, still bearing dewdrops.

Donghai came in response and simply bandaged Zhuang Zhan’s arm. Xu Chun asked, “How’s the injury?”

Donghai replied, “It’s fine, just a flesh wound. But since it’s caused by gunpowder, the wound will be hard to heal. Internal medication and external application will probably take about a month to fully recover.”

Xu Chun leaned against the carriage. He was obviously dressed up. His attire was splendid and fragrant, and his clothing emitted a deep and tranquil scent. Zhuang Zhan knew this was an extremely precious fragrance. Aristocratic families loved elegance, but they wouldn’t use such expensive fragrances daily. Why was he dressed so neatly and brightly in the middle of the night? Who was he going to meet?

But Xu Chun asked him, “What happened, Scholar Zhuang? Do you need me to report it to the authorities?”

Zhuang Zhan had already weighed his options and made a decision. Seeing that his wounds had been treated, he suddenly paid a grand homage. “My Lord, for your rescue tonight, I dare not speak of repayment, only to repay you slowly in the future.”

Seeing Zhuang Zhan bow deeply, Xu Chun sat there without moving, accepting the salute without avoiding it. He laughed. “I deserve this bow. After all, you’ve caused me to break my promise and miss an appointment tonight. I wonder what kind of people dared to kidnap a court-appointed official under the feet of the Son of Heaven? Could it be your enemies? I have a small house where I can accommodate you. Will you go to the authorities tomorrow?”

Zhuang Zhan smiled bitterly. “I dare not report it to the authorities. This is a family matter. To be honest, the elders in my family despise me for offending His Majesty and for shamelessly building new-style schools, tarnishing the reputation of the Zhuang family. They ordered me to die in an attempt to persuade His Majesty, even writing the memorial for me. Although I was unwilling, my birth mother is in the Zhuang family, and by their decree, death was expected of me. But His Majesty has been gracious to me, and I ultimately didn’t want to force His Majesty with my death. Luckily, I had hidden a grenade, so I ignited it and broke through the wall to escape. I originally thought that even if I died, such a loud noise would cause the court to notice something strange and realize that it wasn’t my intention. I never expected to be fortunate enough to encounter My Lord, who saved this lowly official’s life.”

“Every action, every meal, is predestined. Thinking back on how Zhuang once targeted My Lord, I am now saved by My Lord in times of crisis. I am ashamed, I am ashamed!”

Xu Chun had just returned from Jinhaiwei and had been very busy, only briefly skimming the gazettes. How could he know about the upheaval Xie Yi had caused in the court these days, let alone that Zhuang Zhan had been severely reprimanded by Xie Yi? He was very surprised and asked, “What did you die to persuade him about? Why die to persuade him? Just for opposing the new-style schools?” His voice couldn’t help but rise in astonishment. “Was it necessary?”

Looking at Lord Linhai, Zhuang Zhan had previously believed that he was a man of deep scheming, skilled in court intrigue. He never expected that at this moment, his face was full of confusion, as if he really couldn’t understand the life-or-death struggle between political opponents in the court.

Like Lord Linhai now, if he had really died tonight, it was likely that when he received the news, he would also be astonished and ask, “Was it necessary?”

And the Emperor, how could the Emperor care about his life or death? Those who died in an attempt to persuade the emperor often only earned a line of ink in history books. How could they ever truly move the Son of Heaven high above?

A sudden wave of sadness filled his heart. He was treated by his family as a pawn. He had struggled bitterly for half his life to become the most useful pawn, and then his family wanted to use him as a pawn to destroy everything together, to become the most potent weapon to attack the Emperor. Lord Linhai, however, apparently had the support of the Imperial Family, which allowed him to fully display his aspirations and talents, to achieve success with every move, and to have a brilliant future and a bright and smooth path.

He felt some shame. Clearly, he had just been rescued without prejudice by the person in front of him, yet he still couldn’t help but envy him, suppressing the bitterness in his heart. He pulled out the memorial from his chest and handed it to Lord Linhai with both hands. Xu Chun took it, opened it, and gave a cold laugh, putting it back in his sleeve. He planned to share this masterpiece with Jiu-ge tomorrow. He wondered what Jiu-ge was doing now?

Seeing that Xu Chun didn’t return it to him, Zhuang Zhan also knew that it was rare for the other party to have a handle, naturally not returning it to him. This was also a gesture to gain his trust. He knelt down again. “I have another request to make of My Lord.”

Xu Chun said, “Speak.”

Zhuang Zhan said, “My birth mother is in the Zhuang family in Yangzhou. Since I’m unwilling to die in an attempt to persuade the Emperor, I’m sure I’ll be expelled from the clan. I’m afraid she’ll be implicated. Now, my uncle doesn’t know that you saved me. He probably still thinks it’s some noble young master and hasn’t reacted yet, and is probably still delaying in the capital for a few days. I request that My Lord lend me some guards and a steam-powered ship. I’ll rush to Yangzhou via the canal tonight. Before my family realizes what’s happening, I’ll take my mother away, so she won’t be used as leverage. Please assist me, My Lord.”

Xu Chun was somewhat impressed. “You do have a quick wit, and you’re also filial. No wonder the Emperor said your talent is rare, it’s just not put to proper use. Fine, I’ll help you to the end. It’s fortunate that you met me. I happen to have a ship and manpower. If it were someone else, it wouldn’t be so smooth. At least, getting out of the city would involve countless checkpoints and require temporary scheduling of ships, manpower, and guards. Who else could accomplish this? If his mother were in the main branch of the Zhuang family, he would indeed probably end up dead.”

This Scholar Zhuang was truly lucky, Xu Chun thought. He was also a young number one scholar, and his writing was so good that even Jiu-ge cherished his talent. He couldn’t help feeling a little sour, thinking that tonight he had missed his appointment to save this number one scholar chosen by imperial decree. He couldn’t just demand compensation for breaking the appointment.

Thinking about it, Xu Chun’s face flushed slightly, resenting that Zhuang Zhan had ruined tonight’s rendezvous. The longer they were apart, the deeper their longing grew. Tonight, they should have been drinking soup together…

Zhuang Zhan bowed respectfully. “My Lord’s life-saving grace, I’ll never forget. Tonight, I was fortunate to meet My Lord. It was a twist of fate, destined in the stars. Zhuang dares not defy heaven’s will.”