The carriage moved further away. Nan Zhiyun lifted the curtain and realized she had truly left the palace. The expected sense of relief did not come; instead, she felt a strange emptiness. Where to go now? The General's residence? What about the Empress Dowager? When she left, she didn't know…
Just as Nan Zhiyun's heart felt hollow, the carriage suddenly stopped. She was puzzled. Qian Xia parted the curtain to look, noticing that the alley was deserted and the coachman had disappeared. Nan Zhiyun saw it too, and her heart tightened.
"Your Highness, do not be afraid. This servant will go down and check." Although Qian Xia was also a little worried, she tried to comfort Nan Zhiyun.
Nan Zhiyun nodded. Qian Xia alighted from the carriage, but after waiting for a while, Nan Zhiyun heard no sound. Just as she was about to lift the curtain to see, the carriage started moving again. Nan Zhiyun sensed something was wrong, and Qian Xia had not returned.
Nan Zhiyun lifted the curtain and saw the coachman outside. It seemed to be the same person as before. "Where is Qian Xia? Where are you taking me?" Nan Zhiyun asked.
The coachman did not answer, and Nan Zhiyun felt a sense of foreboding.
"Stop!" Nan Zhiyun shouted.
"I told you to stop!" Nan Zhiyun panicked. She didn't know where she was. There was no one around, and the silence was terrifying. Nan Zhiyun felt uneasy. Was this Yu Jingchen's new tactic? What did he want to do?
The carriage's speed was not fast, and it hadn't gone too far. Just as Nan Zhiyun was unsure what to do, the carriage finally stopped.
The coachman did not linger. After stopping the carriage, he left. Nan Zhiyun dared not move inside the carriage, but she was afraid of discovering something unexpected later, so she mustered her courage and alighted.
She looked around. There was truly no one there. She didn't even know where she was. Nan Zhiyun suddenly felt a surge of fear.
At that moment, there seemed to be movement nearby. Then, Nan Zhiyun saw several masked figures approach. Was this... arranged by Yu Jingchen? Did he want to get rid of her this way?
"What do you want? Did Yu Jingchen send you?" Nan Zhiyun was almost certain. She even called Yu Jingchen's name directly.
"Consort Shu should have stayed in the palace. Since you chose to come out, you must come with us." The leader of the masked figures said, then moved forward to seize Nan Zhiyun.
Nan Zhiyun was powerless. How could she resist them? She slowly retreated, still afraid. She didn't know what she would face next. Nan Zhiyun wanted to call for help, but there was no one around. Her heart felt like it would leap out of her chest. How could they let her escape? Just as they were about to touch Nan Zhiyun, the attacker was struck by a palm and sent flying, dying on the spot.
Nan Zhiyun turned and saw Yu Jingchen, dressed in ordinary clothes. What was going on? Why was he here? And weren't these people sent by him?
The remaining masked men, seeing this situation, clearly showed shock in their eyes and immediately tried to retreat. But how could Yu Jingchen let these people escape under his nose? As they were about to leave, hidden guards emerged. In a flash, they were all slain.
Nan Zhiyun watched this scene, her heart pounding. She had been truly terrified moments ago. Yu Jingchen walked towards her unhurriedly. Nan Zhiyun looked at him, "You arranged this, didn't you?" Tears welled in her eyes.
"Do you think it was necessary?" Yu Jingchen countered.
"Besides you, who else would it be?" Nan Zhiyun was convinced.
"Those people were Yu Jing'an's men. They have been watching you for a long time." Yu Jingchen said, his tone calm.
Yu Jing'an? Nan Zhiyun was confused. What did this mean?
"Your father will be returning to the capital soon. Yu Jing'an will also be back before the Mid-Autumn Festival," Yu Jingchen said. Nan Zhiyun did not understand the implication.
"Nan Zhiyun, you are truly foolish if I call you that. Your father's only weakness is you. Don't you think you are being watched from all angles?" Yu Jingchen asked, looking at her.
Nan Zhiyun clenched her fist. So it wasn't Yu Jingchen's people? But...
"Those people were indeed not arranged by me, but I knew of their existence long ago. Ever since you left the palace, they have been following you. Can you guess why?" Yu Jingchen continued to ask. Nan Zhiyun remained silent.
"Nan Zhiyun, since you insist on causing trouble and leaving the palace, why don't you see for yourself if you have the ability to protect yourself? Are you truly safe after leaving the palace? When Nan Su returns, do you think you will be a burden?" Yu Jingchen bombarded Nan Zhiyun with a series of questions, leaving her stunned.
"Perhaps you think they only want your father's military power. Once your father returns and hands over his command, you can all leave peacefully and live your own lives. But..." Yu Jingchen's tone shifted.
"If something had happened to you just now, what do you think the consequences would have been? Even if your father handed over his command, would everything truly be peaceful? Your father commands five hundred thousand soldiers. Do you think it's just a matter of a military token? Nan Zhiyun, can you not be so foolish? Can't you think a little more? Do you think leaving the palace is enough? Do you think you can live the life you desire after leaving the palace? Do you think your family will be safe after leaving the palace?" Yu Jingchen admonished Nan Zhiyun unmercifully.
Nan Zhiyun was speechless. It didn't seem like the truth, yet she couldn't find a point to refute.
"The reason I didn't stop what just happened at the beginning was so you could see for yourself if your surroundings were truly safe. So, have you seen clearly now?" Yu Jingchen asked again.
Nan Zhiyun never gave an answer. Perhaps she already had an answer in her heart, but she was unwilling to accept it.
"In today's world, do you truly believe there is peace? You wish to leave the palace and live a carefree life with your father. But have you considered your current position, and your father's position? Can you truly ensure your safe escape? Once you've entered the whirlpool, can you really break free completely?" Yu Jingchen's words, though not harsh, were still stinging. Today, Yu Jingchen had used this small incident to make Nan Zhiyun confront reality.