Jun You Ji Fou

Chapter 88

On the previous day.

In the side hall, Li Yanzhen stood on the corridor, gazing up at the sycamore branches in a trance. Su Shiyu had quietly left, but the question lingered in his ears.

—"Your Majesty, do you still long to be a carefree craftsman outside the palace?"

He stood in silence for a moment, then turned back into the hall. Lu Qinghe was tidying up his old paintings on the table, carefully storing them one by one. Hearing footsteps, she turned to look, "Your Majesty, I just brewed some tea, it's over there."

Li Yanzhen made a sound of acknowledgment, but his feet didn't move. He watched her busily at work, picked up a painting and unfolded it. Suddenly, his hand paused, and he remained motionless for a long time. Li Yanzhen stepped past her shoulder, seeing a plethora of peach blossoms in full bloom, vibrant in red, and couldn't help but speak, "Qinghe."

"I..." He looked at Lu Qinghe, turned around hesitantly, and said, "I want to tell you something."

Lu Qinghe nodded, "Alright, go ahead."

"I'm leaving Chang'an."

"Yes, I know." Lu Qinghe smiled, "I overheard the conversation between Sir Su and you. It's good that you can leave safely. These paintings are almost packed, I'll arrange your luggage later."

However, Li Yanzhen shook his head and continued, "I grew up in the palace since childhood, never went to many places outside, know little about martial arts, and relied on Sir Su and Sir Chu for political matters. Although I've read many books, I'm not proficient, and my only skill is in carving and painting, barely passable..."

He spoke slowly, carefully weighing each word. Lu Qinghe listened with a puzzled expression but didn't interrupt.

"...I know very little about the outside world. I can't compare to your broad experiences from traveling. " Li Yanzhen looked at her, smiled faintly, "I've never been to Dongting in Jiangnan, never seen Changbai Snow Mountain. Would you be willing to accompany me for a second time?"

Lu Qinghe suddenly froze, looking at him without saying a word.

Li Yanzhen continued slowly, "Don't worry, I'll be very careful, won't cause you trouble, and won't let you suffer. If the journey is difficult, you can use these paintings to exchange for some money. If that's not enough, I can also carve something..."

"I'm willing," Lu Qinghe interrupted his words, somewhat choked but brightly smiling, "I'm willing, very willing!"

Li Yanzhen smiled, approached her, and gently embraced her. She raised her hands and hugged him, holding back tears while smiling, "Luckily, it's not too late. Let's move quickly on our journey so we can catch the flowers in Jiangnan."

Li Yanzhen nodded and said, "Yes."

As dawn approached, the person who was supposed to pick them up from the palace arrived.

With the Western Ling Army approaching, more and more people in Chang'an wanted to escape. The military leader struggled to stop them, but with a helpless return to the palace, he received a response of "let them go if they want to." Consequently, he simply opened the city gates and let them pass without inspection.

They blended in with the crowd and left the city in an inconspicuous carriage. After circling around to ensure safety, they stopped in a remote area on the outskirts of the city.

As soon as Li Yanzhen got off the carriage, he saw Su Shiyu waiting there and couldn't help but smile, "I didn't expect you to personally come to see me off."

"It's only proper," Su Shiyu raised his hand, indicating another more spacious carriage behind him, "The silver coins are ready, and the coachmen have some martial skills. They should be able to escort you without any problems. If you need anything else, you can contact me."