Within a mere quarter of an hour, the victor and vanquished were decided. The Black Armored Dragon and Tiger Guards lay sprawled on the ground, while the mansion guards remained unscathed. Everyone was astonished by the swift turn of events.
The old Princess Consort, a woman of experience, showed no outward emotion. Reflecting on the previous Dragon and Tiger Guards, she concluded that this batch was rather subpar.
Chu Chaojin, blinded, caused the fighting to cease. A smug smile perpetually graced his face, as if he were a king, fist clenched, looking down from on high.
"Mother Consort, face reality. What I want is for no one to stop me. Let's go!"
Silence descended instantly. No one pushed his wheelchair forward. Chu Chaojin found this peculiar and anxiously called out the name of the Dragon and Tiger Guard leader.
"Guards, seize this rebellious son."
"Impossible, impossible. How could the Dragon and Tiger Guards fail so easily? You all want to harm me, you're all lying to me."
"Don't come near, don't come near! I am the Regent's heir. You servants dare to touch me, and your heads will roll."
He looked around, wishing he could stand up immediately. His palms rested helplessly on the wheelchair's wheels, eager to escape this place.
But fate was not on his side, and the wheelchair flipped over. He landed face-first, a pathetic sight, moaning in pain, all semblance of his former elegance and nobility gone.
Several people rushed forward. The mansion guard captain immediately presented the tiger tally and the dragon and tiger tokens to the old Princess Consort. The old Princess Consort knelt and solemnly handed the items to Chu Chaoyun.
"Chaoyun, the future of the Chu family rests with you."
Chu Chaoyun received the items with both hands. "This son will not fail Mother's expectations. The Chu family's interests will always come first."
The old Princess Consort stroked his head. "Good child."
With a look from the old Princess Consort, someone immediately came to escort Jun Jiuli and Chu Chaoyun away. The old Princess Consort had secretly tested Chu Chaoyun several times and believed he would do well.
Allowing Chu Chaoyun to personally deal with Chu Chaojin would establish his authority, but he was still too young. The old Princess Consort was reluctant to let him bear a bad reputation, so she decided to handle Chu Chaojin herself.
Chu Chaojin, for his own selfish gain, disregarded the Chu family members. His surname was stripped, and he was forbidden from enjoying any benefits as a member of the Chu family. He was exiled to a manor outside the capital for supervision, with only Moying left to care for him.
Moying's martial arts had been crippled, and he was now left to his fate in the dungeon. When brought out, he was near death. The mansion physician hastily applied some medicine.
A squad of ten mansion guards arrived, shoving the two into a carriage. Their return was no longer possible; their survival depended entirely on luck.
Chu Chaojin initially continued to curse, claiming the old Princess Consort had no right to dispose of him this way. However, no one paid him any mind, which was a more unbearable feeling than being cursed back.
Blind and unable to do anything, he remained in a state of high alert. Once in the carriage, his mouth was gagged. The bumpy ride caused him to vomit, the stench seeping through the cloth.
Moying, unable to move due to the stench, was disgusted. If anything happened to Chu Chaojin, he would also perish. Thus, he could only offer careful comfort and guidance, hoping Chu Chaojin would endure longer.
Jun Jiuli took the opportunity to switch back the genuine military tally. Her previous actions were indeed unnecessary. Now, she spent her days teaching Chu Chaoyun martial arts, military strategy, and the art of leadership. Chu Chaoyun was happily occupied every day, never complaining.
Life in the Chu mansion continued peacefully. Xiao Cui loitered around the prince's mansion gates several times but could not relay any messages. Zhao Haitang was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. Her wedding date with the Second Prince had already been set.
With Chu Chaojin's situation uncertain, she lived in constant fear. The mere thought of the Second Prince's despicable actions sent tremors through her body.
Without the Chu family's military power, how could she possibly bring down the Second Prince? Seeing her distress, Jun Jiuli kindly allowed Xiao Cui to send a message back.
"What did you say? Chaojin was sent to the manor!"
"Absolutely true. The Young County Princess said it herself. Miss, what should we do now?"
Zhao Haitang paced back and forth. "Don't panic, don't panic. Zhao Haitang, you are no longer the frail, delicate woman of your past life. You will surely find a way."
"Miss, what's wrong with the Second Prince? With Young Master Chu in such a predicament, Miss will surely regret this in the future. This servant is only looking out for you. The Second Prince represents a great future!"
"Xiao Cui, you don't understand. If I cannot marry the person I love, I have no interest in any future, no matter how bright. When you meet your beloved, you will understand my feelings now."
Xiao Cui looked bewildered and knew it was best not to persuade further. She was ambitious and wished to enter the Second Prince's mansion with Zhao Haitang to forge a path for herself.
Seeing Zhao Haitang's current state, Xiao Cui realized she had to make new plans. Zhao Haitang found Xiao Cui's lingering presence bothersome and sent her away.
She idly picked up a storybook. The plot was a cliché about a wealthy young lady who defied her family for love and eloped with a poor scholar.
Zhao Haitang became increasingly engrossed, memorizing all the escape tactics of the wealthy young lady. A blueprint for success was already forming in her mind, and she giggled foolishly.
Shui Wa: "This heroine's brain isn't functioning correctly."
Jun Jiuli: "After rebirth, she could deal with minor characters like Aunt Song and Zhao Youlan only because her identity provided an advantage. For major matters, she relied entirely on Chu Chaojin. What kind of heroine is this? Indeed, rebirth can't cure a love-struck mind; she was simply obsessed with the Second Prince in her past life and is obsessed with Chu Chaojin in this one."
"I bet she'll escape within three days. Host, wanna bet? Three raw stones (๑❛ᴗ❛๑)."
"No bet."
"Why not?"
"Because you don't have any."
"..."
As expected, Zhao Haitang began to act according to the storybook. She handed over all the manageable dowry from her mother to Xiao Cui for sale. She packed all her beloved jewelry and prepared plenty of dry rations.
Xiao Cui went to procure travel permits, while Zhao Haitang went to her father's study and cried for a while. She successfully managed to get her hands on the Prime Minister's token, of course, all of this was made possible by Jun Jiuli's silent escort for both of them.
Taking advantage of the maids' inattention in the courtyard, the two successfully escaped their compound. Jun Jiuli had them knock out the guards, and the two successfully fled.
The Prime Minister had gone to court early and did not discover these events. The guards, refreshed after a night's sleep, had no idea they had been drugged the previous night.
The two waited until dawn to rent a carriage. They changed out of their night clothes into normal attire and cautiously made their way to the city gate. Upon presenting the token, they were quickly allowed to pass.
The Prime Minister, upon discovering their escape, was frantic and immediately dispatched people to pursue them. However, they always managed to narrowly avoid them, and the matter could not be kept secret for long. The Prime Minister spent his days contemplating solutions, appearing much older.