Xie Ming

Things have two sides, and words have two ends.

Enough of this rambling; let's leave aside the military situation in the north for now.

They can coexist without conflict. Now, let's talk about Hangzhou. The fleeing emperor and his court officials are in a state of chaos and panic, and no one has any plan or method to deal with the situation.

The enemy's forces were overwhelming. By the 25th, Bahana's vanguard had reached the vicinity of Yuhang.

At this time, it had been more than ten days since the Nanjing officials had dragged the Hongguang Emperor into Hangzhou to flee.

However, since they were traveling south with their families, they were essentially fleeing for their lives.

I cannot compare myself to the discipline and pace of a common soldier.

Therefore, many people ran away or littered along the way.

Many important officials' families, and even half of the palace staff, were scattered and disorganized as they fled south, unable to take care of themselves.

Even in the last few days, there have been continuous attempts to catch up with the enemy and enter Hangzhou. It is truly heartbreaking to see them struggling to survive amidst the chaos and disaster.

Everything's in chaos!
If you can take care of the head, you'll have to take care of the feet.

Meanwhile, at the pass, there is a story to tell.

In the inner palace, Consort Hui, Shen Yuzhen, who was the one Xiao Lang was most concerned about and who was pregnant for ten months, and Consort An, Dong Ruining, also fell behind halfway and ran away, unable to keep up.

Until the 24th and 25th of the lunar calendar, the two sisters who had gone through hardships with these two concubines were still missing and their fate was unknown.

Thinking of Yuzhen, she has come a long way, enduring hardship and displacement.

After fleeing the Duke of Beijing's mansion, he eventually arrived in Nanjing, but had not yet enjoyed two years of peace.

Now, things have gotten even worse; he's fled south to Hangzhou, but his whereabouts are unknown along the way.

With her due date approaching, and amidst this chaotic and war-torn land, what would become of her if she were to fall into enemy hands?
Among the women of the imperial harem in Hangzhou Prefecture, Empress Chen Wanxuan and Consort Tang Nianci were among the lucky ones who entered the city safely with the entourage.

Now, seeing that Consort Hui and Consort An are missing, Empress You, being a kind and gentle person, is very worried.

It should be noted that along this route, the barbarian cavalry mostly harassed the enemy from behind.

Among the mercenary groups and guilds throughout the southern border, there are also many rebellious and unruly individuals.

Chen Wanxuan had heard it firsthand: Zhao Sinan, the former Consort Zhao in the palace, was raped and mutilated by the city's soldiers who had rebelled while she was traveling in Yuhang.

He was later found to be completely insane and could no longer recognize people after being rescued.

The Empress, a model of virtue for the nation, was deeply concerned about the safety of her ancestors and imperial offspring.

The others are fine, but right now Consort Hui, Shen Yuzhen, is pregnant with the emperor's child.

If this lineage were to be severed, it would be a disservice to our ancestors and a waste of our nation and its people.

Therefore, after careful consideration, given that Emperor Hongguang was struggling to cope, Hangzhou was in chaos, and the court officials were harboring ulterior motives, Empress Chen Wanxuan insisted on going to the cabinet to explain the situation.

If Consort Hui and Consort An are not found, the imperial line will be severed, a matter of great importance concerning the fate of the nation.

However, given the current situation, not to mention the cabinet, all officials at all levels are worried and regretful that they themselves are in danger of losing their jobs.

When a country is on the verge of collapse and a family is in ruins, who would really care about such matters?

Chen Wanxuan reasoned with him and appealed to his emotions, blocking the cabinet members for a long time and pouring out his heart. Only after much pleading and cajoling was he able to get Qiu Weizhen, who was still the head of the cabinet at the time, to reveal his true colors.

Consort Hui is concerned about the imperial heir in her womb, and her delivery is imminent.

He also harbored selfish thoughts, feeling that if he could successfully give birth to a prince, he would have many more options. So he reluctantly agreed to this arrangement, determined to send troops north to rescue him.

After all, he could now see that Emperor Hongguang, Zhu Cilang, was nearing his end and beyond medical help.

If one of them were to suddenly die, given the current situation of the three young princes succeeding each other, who knows what kind of monsters they might become.

Despite his youthful age, Zhu Cijiong was full of vigor and ambition.

However, he was too violent in temperament to be persuaded or taught.

If this son is insisted on succeeding to the throne, then none of the Southern Party members will have a good outcome.

To have a backup plan, the Empress's mention of Consort Hui's matter is perhaps the perfect opportunity. Therefore, Qiu Weizhen feigned reluctance, but in reality, he had already made his plans.

After the Empress finished her formalities, she immediately summoned the guards along with the other officials.

Originally, Liu Wenbing and Gong Yonggu had already clearly understood Zhu Cijiong's intentions. So they used excuses, saying that Yuhang had fallen to the enemy and that if they took the initiative to attack, they might not be able to protect their troops, and thus resisted.

However, Mei Cheng'an, the garrison commander who had met Xiao Jingchuan at Xihua Gate on the Mid-Autumn Festival, volunteered for the mission with a resolute attitude.

He had no time to speak frankly, and wanted to lead his five hundred men out of the city to search for them.

Upon hearing this, many of the remaining people present were taken aback.

Both Liu Hou and Gong Fuma looked rather grim.

However, it is clear that Mei Cheng'an has made up his mind.

Fearing his request would be rejected, he, who was usually a quiet and reserved person, made excuses again.

Speaking of the two concubines, their whereabouts have been lost in the vicinity of Yuhang. Moreover, the Empress had given prior instructions, and an insider reported that Consort Hui, being six months pregnant, was traveling slowly. She was chased and blocked on the road in Yuhang, which forced her to turn in the wrong direction. She was probably heading towards the Tianmu Mountain area, hoping to escape disaster by entering the mountains.

This makes target searching more convenient.

After he said that, others had no idea what to do, but Qiu Weizhen was delighted.

Besides, what time is it now?

Even if there are other hidden reasons behind this person's willingness to take on the role, given the current situation, there's no time to dwell on such things.

Therefore, disregarding the astonishment of Liu and Gong, the head of the cabinet, Qiu Weizhen, took the lead in recommending Mei Cheng'an.

He was permitted to bring his troops and set off immediately to search for the person to the north.

In contrast, on the 24th, Xiao Jingchuan in the north had already caught up with them from Nanjing and was heading south.

Around noon that day, the lead rider team arrived at the west of Huzhou.

Under the scorching sun, he took the lead, intending to find the west gate to enter the city and meet his sworn brother Yuan Ping to discuss future plans.

However, just as he was driving his horse into the pass, he spotted a familiar face among the refugees at the city gate.

The boy was dressed in tattered clothes and looked quite disheveled. His left foot was crooked, and he was struggling to put weight on the ground.

It seems that Xu has suffered a fall and injury.

"Little Haruko?!"

Upon taking aim, Xiao was momentarily stunned. He muttered something to himself, then pulled on the reins and stared intently.

This Xiao Chunzi, to be honest, isn't exactly an outsider.

He was the head eunuch on duty at the Rouyi Hall in the rear court of the Nanming Palace, where Consort Hui, Yuzhen, resided.

He is also quite loyal and kind, and he is quite capable by Yu-zhen's side.

When there were occasional external errands, Yuzhen entrusted them to him with peace of mind.

Last year, Xiao Jin was granted the title of Duke. On the day of his wedding to Yu'e, he had spoken to her in the palace.

After that, Yuzhen sent him to visit the Duke of Jingguo's mansion several times.

Help the two sisters secretly deliver some personal items.

Xiao was initially not entirely at ease and had Qiu Zhizhong secretly investigate the man's background.

She is a pure-hearted child, not yet fourteen, from a poor family, which is why she was castrated and entered the palace.

He was usually diligent in his duties. After being assigned to Rouyi Palace and serving by Yuzhen's side, he was very dutiful and considerate, so Xiao always had a good impression of him.

Unexpectedly, time flies, and more than a year has passed since I led troops out in the field. Today, I actually ran into this place.

Lost in thought, Xiao Lang unconsciously furrowed his brows and became anxious.

Could it be that something went wrong with Yu-zhen?
(End of this chapter)