Li Mianyu struggled like a dying fish.
Yan Shi frowned but did not loosen his grip, only glancing briefly behind him before slightly slowing his pace.
Qingling had already breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the young Dark Guard, no more than seventeen or eighteen, lift Li Mianyu and walk away.
She hurried to catch up.
But the young guard’s speed was swift, and Qingling panted heavily, barely managing to keep pace.
Hearing Li Mianyu’s startled cry, she quickly called out, “Princess, he’s not an assassin. He’s a Dark Guard assigned by the Emperor to escort you—his name is Yan Shi.”
Beside her, Yao Fang nodded vigorously, “Yes, yes, Princess, Yan Shi is highly skilled and is under the Emperor’s orders to protect you out of the palace!!”
No matter how much Li Mianyu struggled, the Dark Guard’s build was steady and unyielding.
Instead, she wore herself out and gasped for breath, her stomach aching from pressing against his solid shoulder.
“What proof do you have?”
Li Mianyu refused to believe so easily. How could someone sent by Imperial Grandfather be so disrespectful!
Yan Shi took something off his belt and handed it to her with his other hand.
Li Mianyu looked down and saw that the slender hand was holding a copper waist token.
She took it and examined it carefully, recognizing it as the token held by the Dark Guards personally kept by Imperial Grandfather.
She had seen one when she was a child visiting Imperial Grandfather.
The token was engraved with the guard’s name and bore the unique Qilin Emblem belonging to the Li Clan royal family.
If the token lives, so does the person.
If the token dies, so does the person.
The name engraved on this token was Yan Shi.
“Put me down. I can walk myself.”
Now knowing he was sent by Imperial Grandfather, Li Mianyu gave up her fight.
She punched the guard’s back and threw the token back to him, scolding.
Yan Shi caught the token without a flicker of emotion.
He was already carrying Li Mianyu through corridors and paths, avoiding people until they reached the end of a palace lane, where the view opened wide, revealing panicked palace people and, faintly, the chaotic Imperial Army weaving through them.
He took a step back and glanced at Qingling.
Qingling’s face was pale as she watched the rampaging soldiers chase palace people, blood staining the garden paths of Cangyu Palace.
Beautiful palace people were being crushed beneath, abused.
Only that morning, Cangyu Palace had still been peaceful and serene. But in the blink of an eye, everything had changed.
“Where is the Ningguo Princess? Tell me!”
The soldiers grabbed a fleeing palace person at random.
Qingling recognized the person as the same one Cui Gongzi mentioned hadn’t delivered the letter earlier.
The palace person’s face was pale, lips trembling, “She escaped. I saw Aunt Qingling take the Princess away.”
“In which direction?!”
The soldier’s voice was fierce.
“I…I don’t know.”
The palace person stammered, only to scream sharply a moment later.
The soldier severed her palm and snarled, “Speak the truth!”
Li Mianyu heard the commotion and stiffened, chilled to the bone.
She remained still on Yan Shi’s shoulder, not daring to even breathe.
Qingling snapped back to reality.
The only prince in the palace at this time was the unloved, fifteen-year-old Twelfth Prince.
The Princess was the Emperor’s most beloved granddaughter, famous for her beauty.
She knew all too well what fate awaited the Princess if captured.
Her mind flickered to the Late Crown Prince and Late Crown Princess, tears welling in her eyes.
Quickly, she shoved the bundle in her hands into Yan Shi’s, deciding swiftly, “You must take the Princess out of the palace. Protect her as the Emperor ordered.”
Dark Guards were agile, capable of scaling rooftops and moving swiftly — palace people like her and Yao Fang could never keep up and would only slow them down.
“Auntie…”
Li Mianyu’s voice trembled as she looked up at Qingling, her face miserable.
Qingling shushed her with a finger.
“Princess, Yan Shi is a Dark Guard and can ensure your safe escape. I know the palace restrictions better than you do. I and Yao Fang will go seek the Emperor now.”
She stepped back, giving Li Mianyu one last warm smile, then turned to lead Yao Fang down another path.
“Auntie!”
Li Mianyu’s breathing was ragged but she dared only whisper, tears streaming, “Don’t leave!”
Yan Shi slung the bundle over his arm and, without waiting for Li Mianyu to recover, lightly leapt into a nearby courtyard.
He was extremely familiar with the palace’s winding narrow paths, moving with nimble grace as he carried her through corridors, avoiding the Imperial Army.
They finally arrived at a forbidden area near the palace gates—deserted and quiet.
Li Mianyu looked up and silently cried even harder.
This was Qingfeng Terrace, her late father’s favorite summer pavilion for cooling off.
After he passed, Imperial Grandfather had sealed it off; no one was allowed to enter.
Yan Shi led her into a secluded hall.
When he pushed open the door, a cloud of dust fell.
Li Mianyu was caught unprepared and coughed, but at last she was set down on the floor.
A dizzy haze overtook her, her legs weak; she nearly collapsed, but the young guard’s long arms caught her and pulled her into his embrace.
Her nose bumped painfully against his chest, tears flowing freely.
Before Li Mianyu could scold him, Yan Shi glanced down at her and withdrew his arms.
He locked the door and then pulled her arm to lead her deeper into the inner chamber.
Still dazed, Li Mianyu staggered to keep up.
Dust and tears stained her pale, delicate face, now mottled like a spotted cat.
She wondered where this Dark Guard was taking her.
Yan Shi went straight to the bed and tapped at its corners.
Through blurry eyes, Li Mianyu took in the young guard’s features—only a few years older than her, dressed in a black ritual sleeved martial robe, his jet-black hair tied in a ponytail, thick eyebrows slanting sharply toward his temples, radiating sharpness.
Before she could look longer, the bed creaked and shifted.
A narrow passage appeared beneath the bed, just large enough for one person.
Yan Shi looked back at her, dark eyes moist and steady.
“I’ll go down first. I’ll wait for you below.”
Li Mianyu blinked, eyes red, choking on her words.
“There’s a secret tunnel here…then why doesn’t Imperial Grandfather come himself?”
She already knew the answer.
Yet the thought that she could leave through this tunnel while Imperial Grandfather remained behind—perhaps captured and humiliated by the rebels—made her unable to move.
Besides, it was pitch black inside, and she couldn’t see what might lie within…
She wanted to stay and share his fate.
Yan Shi’s voice was calm.
“Tai Ji Palace has another secret passage leading out. This one was dug by the Late Crown Prince when he was young to sneak out for fun; it only leads to the palace gate.”
Li Mianyu, almost of age, had never imagined her refined, composed, and steady father had been so mischievous and bold as a youth, digging tunnels in the palace.
And Imperial Grandfather had tacitly allowed it.
No matter what, this was something left behind by her father.
Tears filled her eyes as she finally gave in, “You go first.”
Yan Shi glanced at her and then leapt down.
Soon she heard his voice from below: “I’ll catch you, Princess.”
She took a deep breath, still scared, but comforted somewhat by the thought of his tall, strong figure.
Eyes brimming with tears, she bit her lip and jumped down.
Just as expected, Yan Shi caught her steadily.
She grasped his shoulder as they landed.
He found the wall and pressed a protrusion.
The bed panel slid shut again.
The passage was utterly dark.
Li Mianyu’s anxiety rose.
She raised a trembling hand, voice cracking with tears, “I can’t see at night.”
Yan Shi’s voice came quickly, “I’ll carry you.”
He gripped her wrist firmly.
“Come.”
Li Mianyu sniffled softly, tracing the guard’s hand slowly.
He bent down; her fingers slid from his wrist to his shoulder and neck.
Yan Shi quickly stood, hooking her legs with his arms, then strode through the narrow tunnel.
Li Mianyu couldn’t help but glance back.
She saw nothing—not the tunnel her father had dug, nor the current palace.
She thought of Aunt Qingling and Imperial Grandfather, her heart aching, tears streaming as she buried her face in the guard’s neck.
The tunnel was silent and unobstructed, and they soon reached its end.
Faint light leaked through the cracks of a stone blocking the way.
The tunnel narrowed, forcing them to crawl.
Yan Shi crouched and crawled forward. Li Mianyu knelt, her knees scraped raw on the rough sand and stones, but she didn’t stop, following him.
At the stone barrier, Yan Shi listened carefully to the outside before moving the stone aside and peeking out. He quickly crawled out.
“Princess, you can come out now.”
Biting her lip, Li Mianyu crawled out cautiously.
The sudden light was harsh on her eyes.
Once she adjusted and stood steady, she realized they were at the palace gate’s farthest west corner.
The tunnel looked like a dog’s hole.
The stone was replaced, leaving no obvious exit.
Outside, the palace gate was swarmed with rebels, a dense mass causing panic.
Li Mianyu dared not look long and followed Yan Shi quickly into the crowd.
Though she wore a plain dress, it was still palace attire.
When they entered an alley, Yan Shi grabbed a dress hanging on a bamboo pole outside a household.
Li Mianyu panicked, “Why are you stealing someone’s clothes?”
Yan Shi was silent for a moment, then said, “Palace clothes.”
Li Mianyu looked down at her own dress and bit her lip.
Indeed, palace garments differed from commoners’.
She took the dress but insisted on leaving some silver coins from her bundle, refusing to take it without payment.
Yan Shi didn’t open the bundle but pulled out some copper coins from his pouch and laid them down.
Li Mianyu, never having bought things herself, relaxed on seeing the coins.
She asked him to face away and guard the spot closely, threatening, “Don’t peek!”
They were in a shadowy alley, with piles of junk offering some cover.
Once Yan Shi turned, Li Mianyu quickly shed her palace robes.
Though Qingling had helped her dress inside, this simple garment was something she could manage herself.
The fabric was coarse, making her skin itch.
She looked down and smoothed the hem.
“Done.”
Yan Shi changed into rough cloth clothing.
Seeing the princess’s transformed appearance—from elegant palace attire to a scruffy but spirited village girl—he pointed at her Imperial Jade Hairpin and took out a cloth.
“Use this to wrap your hair.”
Li Mianyu understood, removed the hairpin, and took the cloth.
But unsure how to tie her long black hair, she looked at Yan Shi.
“I don’t know how. Help me.”
Without hesitation, Yan Shi moved behind her, deftly braiding her hair, then taking a ribbon from his pouch to secure it, and finally wrapping it with the blue cloth.
Li Mianyu touched it, still red-eyed, and glanced at Yan Shi gratefully.
He bundled the palace dress and hid it in the junk, then carefully took the jade hairpin.
They pressed on toward the city gate.
Outside the city, Li Mianyu was like a lost, helpless little white rabbit.
Everything was strange.
Passing armored soldiers made her heart race.
She clung tightly to Yan Shi’s sleeve, and when fear overwhelmed her, she grasped it.
Yan Shi glanced at her but said nothing.
Near the gate, Li Mianyu suddenly covered her nose.
Quietly, she said, “What’s that smell? It’s horrible!”
Yan Shi’s gaze landed on a nearby manure cart and its two pushers.
“Manure cart.”
Li Mianyu grimaced and clamped her mouth and nose tightly.
The rebels had come prepared, and with the Zhao King and others acting as inside men to open the gates, no wholesale slaughter occurred.
So city order wasn’t completely chaotic, but the gate was strictly guarded.
Li Mianyu barely glanced at the guards before Yan Shi pulled her into a corner to hide.
“Now what?”
Li Mianyu’s heart pounded wildly.
Yan Shi watched the gate for a moment, then scanned the surroundings.
Taking Li Mianyu’s wrist, he dodged through the crowd to the back of a tavern.
The tavern was closed today, the courtyard empty.
Near the kitchen, several vegetable bins and carts were stacked.
Yan Shi pointed at the bins and calmly said, “Princess, please get inside.”
His tone was calm, but Li Mianyu gasped, eyes still wet with tears.
She pointed at the foul-smelling bins, covered with slimy rotten leaves, soaking wet.
She couldn’t imagine what awaited her inside.
She was allowed to enter the dark secret passage because it was her father’s doing.
But these bins were not.
Why should she suffer so?
Her lip trembled as she pinched her nose, lifting her chin in stubborn fury.
Tears of righteous anger filled her eyes.
“If I have to crawl inside this to survive, I’d rather die!”
She could always return to Imperial Grandfather!
Though she hadn’t entered the bin yet, the mere thought was almost death itself.
She was her father and mother’s only daughter, the Ningguo Princess appointed by Imperial Grandfather.
How could she stoop to such filth just to survive?
Yan Shi waited silently for her outburst to pass before speaking softly, “Princess, do you remember the manure cart earlier?”
Of course she did.
Hearing the Dark Guard mention it made the stench return in her mind—a death on top of death.
He continued, “That was the palace’s manure cart. Earlier, I saw the Twelfth Prince sneak out hidden inside it.”
Li Mianyu’s mind went blank.
She stared at the vegetable bin and suddenly felt a spark of life.
The vegetable bin was better than the manure cart.
It wasn’t impossible to survive here.
Still, she hesitated a moment more, steeling herself.
Then she threatened Yan Shi, “You mustn’t tell anyone I crawled in here.”
“I won’t,” the guard nodded seriously.
She made him turn his back, then clamped her nose and climbed into the bin.
Yan Shi helped her sit and placed her bundle inside too.
Then, from the kitchen, he gathered some vegetable leaves and spread them over her.
Li Mianyu snapped angrily, standing up.
“How dare you! What are you doing?”
Yan Shi’s dark eyes regarded her calmly.
“The Twelfth Prince was hidden in the manure.”
Li Mianyu glanced at the leaves in his hand—better than water, she supposed.
But as she sat again, the humiliation burned.
Tears streamed as she watched him layer rotten leaves over her without mercy.
“I don’t need this many!”
“The Twelfth Prince’s manure water overflowed over his head.”
“How do you know that?”
“The manure leaked through the cracks.”
Li Mianyu closed her eyes, letting the foul odor engulf her.
Tears silently fell.
She swore once she was safe, she would stay far from this Dark Guard, pretending she had never experienced any of this horror.
Yan Shi finished, checked the leaves covered bin, sealed it, then lifted the bucket onto the cart.
He copied the action with two more bins, then opened the kitchen door and searched around but found no dry food.
Finding only a fire striker, he prepared to move out.
The cart bounced on uneven roads outside the palace, rougher than inside.
Each jolt unsettled Li Mianyu, forcing her hand off her nose to steady herself on the bin’s side. Instantly, sticky rotten leaves pressed against her face, coating it in filth.
The stench hit hard.
Li Mianyu held her breath, gasping once she couldn’t anymore, her head spinning, face pale.
Yan Shi pushed the cart toward the gate, slightly hunched, his handsome face strangely ordinary among the crowd.
He queued patiently with the masses.
Any pretty girl approaching was stopped and taken aside for questioning.
Yan Shi lowered his eyes, expression unchanged.
Their turn neared, but the cart’s wheel suddenly dropped into a stone groove in the pavement.
He glanced down but quickly pushed forward.
But inside, Li Mianyu could not ignore it.
The cart jolted hard; her mouth opened accidentally and a slippery rotten leaf sneaked inside.
She tried spitting it out but her tongue touched something soft and moving.
Her whole body stiffened; a chill surged from the crown of her head.
“Open the lid!” a rebel’s cold voice commanded.
Yan Shi nodded silently, bent down, and opened the lid.
Li Mianyu’s head swam as light flooded in.
She tried to stand but the guard’s sword stabbed carelessly inside the bin.
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