maidservant

"My Lady," Yun Shan looked flustered, her voice trembling slightly with nervousness. She quickly leaned close to Lin Yu's ear and spoke anxiously in a low voice:

"If the rebels really force the emperor to abdicate, the two princes can no longer stay in our palace!" The anxiety in his words was like a boiling flame, burning the air as if it was about to burn.

Lin Yu's body shook violently, and she subconsciously hugged the prince beside her tightly, as if she wanted to use her body to build an indestructible barrier for them.

Seeing this, Yunshan took a deep breath and then quickly said:
"Your Majesty, why don't you have the deputy commander of the Imperial Guard escort you and the princes out through the side tunnel of the west corner gate? Once you're out, go find the old man who tends the horses. Do you remember him? He's the one the Marquis's wife specially arranged for during the turmoil in the Eastern Palace."

"There is a gourd hanging on his door. As long as the queen sees the gourd, she will find the person." Yunshan added, urging Lin Yu to make a decision as soon as possible.

However, this was truly a matter of life and death for himself and his son, and it also involved the only two princes of Dali. Lin Yu frowned, his heart in deep turmoil and struggle.

She knew very well that once she took this step, there would be no turning back. However, if she did not take the risk and stayed in the palace which could be breached by the rebels at any time, the lives of the princes would be in imminent danger.

Beads of sweat unconsciously appeared on her forehead. She couldn't afford to lose this bet.

Lin Yu and Yun Shan exchanged glances, each with deep worry in their eyes, and they stopped talking.

"Your Majesty may have been ambushed as well," Yun Shan said, breaking the silence. Her voice was low and filled with worry. "It's been so long, and there's still no news."

This terrible speculation was like a huge rock, weighing heavily on Lin Yu's heart.

The emperor led most of his troops out of the palace to worship his ancestors. It should have been a safe journey, but now there is no news at all. He must have encountered an extremely difficult situation and may have been caught in a tough battle.

Time passed slowly in anxiety, and a cup of tea passed quietly.

Lin Yu bit her lower lip so hard that her teeth almost dug into her skin. Finally, she took a deep breath, made up her mind, looked at Yun Shan and the deputy commander of the Yulin Guard, and lowered her voice to order:

"You two take the two princes and immediately go out through the side hole of the west corner gate and find the old man who raises horses."

Yunshan was shocked when she heard this and hurriedly urged, "My Queen, please come with us. It's too dangerous here!"

Lin Yu shook his head slightly, his eyes filled with determination. "I must stay in the palace. If I leave, once the rebels discover that the prince and I are gone, they will surely launch a massive hunt, and everyone will be in danger. If I stay, I can stabilize the situation and buy you more time."

Yunshan's eyes were red. She understood that what Lin Yu said made sense, so she could only nod heavily and kneel down to swear that she would protect the prince and return safely.

After getting up, several people hurriedly prepared.

Yunshan took out the small packet of "Concentration and Resting Powder" from her bosom with trembling hands. This is a medicine made by carefully grinding and mixing many medicinal herbs such as Datura flowers and Albizia julibrissin bark, which can make people fall asleep quickly.

She carefully mixed the powder into warm water and coaxed the two young princes to drink it. Watching the princes' tender faces gradually become tired and slowly fall asleep, Lin Yu's heart was filled with bitterness and worry.

Time was pressing, so Yunshan and the deputy general didn't dare delay. They quickly changed into the peasant clothes they had prepared, and then put on the eunuch uniforms on top. The rough fabric rubbed against their skin, causing a strange discomfort.

Yunjin and the others also took off the gorgeous attire for the two princes, picked out two brown and black clothes, and dressed them hurriedly.

Several people tiptoed to the west door of Liuhua Palace. The door lock collided with a slight sound, which made people frightened.

After finally opening a small opening, they nervously glanced around, making sure no one was watching. Then they hurriedly asked Yunshan and the lieutenant to carry the child out. Using the shadow of the wall as a guide, they hunched over, shoving their way through the brush. The branches scratched Yunshan's hands, leaving streaks of blood.

They took every step carefully, fearing that even the slightest noise would attract the rebels. Their breathing was rapid and heavy, their clothes soaked with sweat, and their backs were cold.

Finally, they arrived at the cave at the west corner gate. The entrance was narrow and dark, and filled with a damp and decaying smell.

They held the child tightly and crawled sideways into the cave.

The cave was small and cramped, and he had to protect the child. He felt a piercing pain in his hands, but he didn't dare to stop for a moment.

After climbing out of the palace, without even taking a moment to catch their breath, the two quickly took off their outer eunuch uniforms, stuffed them into the cave, and covered the entrance with grass.

The two men revealed the farmer's clothes they had already put on underneath. They gently picked up the sleeping prince and looked up.

Outside the palace gate, there was already a deafening roar of killing and chaos.

Thick smoke billowed into the air, flames dyed the sky red. Soldiers and rebels intertwined, swords flashed, and shouts and screams rose and fell.

The night was as dark as ink, thick and indissoluble. Yunshan and the deputy general, holding the prince, hurried through the darkness until they finally reached the door with the gourd hanging on it.

Yunshan raised her hand and knocked on the door panel five times, three times lightly. This was the secret signal agreed upon with the old man who raised horses.

The door creaked open slowly. The old man stuck out his scarred face, saw the two of them, nodded slightly, and stepped aside to let them in.

In the stable, two sturdy horses were paddling their hooves restlessly. The old man quickly handed the reins to the lieutenant.

The deputy general looked around and saw people crowding in the streets and alleys, and the shouting and killing sounds were getting closer and closer. The rebels must be guarding the street corners.

His heart sank, knowing full well that there was no chance of success in escaping the encirclement on horseback with two young princes. After a brief moment of reflection, he decisively changed his plan.

The old man brought a few people into the house, moved the large vat in the corner, revealing a secret door underneath, and motioned them to hide inside.

Yunshan and the other girl understood what he meant, and carefully carried the prince as they climbed up the narrow ladder into the granary. The air was filled with the aroma of food, and in the darkness, only their rapid breathing could be heard.

After the deputy general went up, he covered the jar again, asked the old man to extinguish the candle, and the two of them stayed in the yard together.

The sounds of fighting and shouting gradually became clearer, like a surging tide, approaching the small house one wave after another, each sound piercing the ear and gripping the heart.

Yunshan huddled in the dark granary, the air filled with the smell of fermenting grain. The two princes in her arms were still asleep, their tender faces unclear in the darkness, but it filled her heart with endless pity.

She subconsciously tightened her arms, widened her eyes, and stared at the secret door above her head, as if guarding against danger that might arise at any time. Her spirit was as tense as a fully drawn bowstring, as if it would break in the next second.

(End of this chapter)