33.
After Hai Lian returned to the embassy, he told Long Rong all the news he had found out. There was no invitation from Beihong today, and Long Rong re-read the letters sent by Berenxu and Faluco during this period. She put down the note in her hand, and pondered: "I know we have to go, but now I'm afraid that if they intend to detain us, what should they do if they imprison us immediately once they leak the word of leaving?"
"They'll try if they can," Hailian sneered, "Taiyan City is so big, can't I still hide a woman?"
"You can lead me out of Taiyan, but what about the others? What about the other envoys?" Long Rong shook his head, "Hailian, this is different from your galloping on the boundless sea."
"That's why I hate land."
But Long Rong laughed because of this complaint, her eyes were bright, "Anyway, now is not the time to go out of the city, let's wait for the opportunity. Since we brought everyone from the southern border to thousands of miles away, we have to go back with them. Otherwise , what qualifications do I have to enjoy the respect of my subordinates?"
Hai Lian frowned: "That's what I said, but this journey must be dangerous..."
"There can be casualties, but no abandonment."
Hai Lian pursed his lips, and after a moment of silence, he nodded: "Okay."
Since she wanted to escape from Taiyan, she had to make a plan. Her Royal Highness is as good as anyone in terms of knowledge and calculation, but this kind of life-and-death matter is completely at a loss. She pondered two ways, one because there are no tools, and the other is because the movement is too loud , were all rejected by Hailian. Hailian thought for a while, and suddenly said: "I do have a chance, I guess it will be easier to get out."
"Huh?" Long Rong looked at him.
"It's just a bit late." Hai Lian continued, "I remember when I was a child, there would be a city-wide outing in spring and autumn. In spring it was called Baili Taqing, and in autumn it was called Baili Tajin. The nine gates of the city will be opened, making it easier for people to come and go, and the interrogation will be much easier." Hai Lian thought of the boy from the cloth village he met during the day, and the promise he made, "I can ask someone for help."
"Are you sure the other party can trust you?"
"It can't be worse than the betrayal I encountered before." Hailian smiled bitterly.
Long Rong's lips parted slightly, she took a deep breath, and suddenly changed the subject, "As long as we can escape to the sea, you can guarantee that we will reach Jiumeng safely, right?"
"Yes." Hai Lian replied, "Just before I came back from the pier, I hired a caravan and asked them to deliver the letter to the shipyard in Kaqili Bay immediately. Ake and the others knew what to do after receiving the letter. Now that there is no map at hand, the young pirate simply pulled out his dagger and roughly drew the coastline on the table. The line of defense of the Yingcang Army."
"It's up to your Excellency the baron." Long Rong rolled his eyes, "I just need to remind you that the wood of this table is very precious. It is said that it was specially moved from Prince Beihong's treasury."
The Lord of the Sea snorted, and carved another crooked skeleton next to the coastline.
Outside the edge of the glazed window, the night of the first day of the new year fell.
33.
At this time, Taiyan City was still immersed in a joyful and peaceful atmosphere. The fireworks in the sky re-ignited, and there was a pungent smell of fire nitrate and phosphorus powder floating in the air, while Jiumeng City, thousands of miles away, was also filled with a tingling smell. Nose smell of gunpowder.
After Her Royal Highness left, the ladies in Chuizhi Court were also a little bored. Except for Haiyu and the three maids who cleaned in shifts, the other girls had returned to their parents to welcome the New Year before the Resurrection Festival, and Yonoel The Viscount and his wife are very quiet people, and they don't want to restrain Haiyu to socialize with them. Instead, they encourage her to take this opportunity to do more things she likes. So Haiyu stayed in Long Rong's bookstore except for accompanying the old couple to clean the dead son's grave on the Day of Resurrection.
Now she can understand several kinds of characters. Under the guidance of Long Rong, subjects such as mathematics and science have gradually caught up with the students of Chenming Palace. Although Hai Lian once joked that she might not be able to become a clerk in the future to support him Maybe she will become the first female math scientist in Tisu country, but she still asked people to expand a small volume of "Aurora Huangyun Book" for Haiyu to study and ponder. The girl forgot to sleep and eat during this time, throwing the paper all over the floor, so naturally she didn't notice what was going on outside the always quiet and quiet Chuizhi court.
"Miss Haiyu!"
There was a loud knock on the door, and the girl didn't lift her head: "Sister Minnie, you can put the dinner outside, I'll come out and get it later."
The voice outside the door was even more anxious: "Don't count your numbers! Something happened outside!"
Only then did Hai Yu stop writing. She grabbed the cotton coat on her lap and hurried over to open the door: "What happened?"
Minnie was out of breath, and Yelu was still on her body. Obviously, she had just rushed back from her beloved lover. She grabbed Hai Yu's hand and said anxiously, "There is a riot on the other side of the river!"
"riot?!"
"Don't you know?" Minnie screamed, "Suddenly a fire broke out in several places in the Mud District last night. Lord Flo and the Public Security Department sent people to put out the fire. The fire had already been extinguished at dawn, but I don’t know what happened, the poor people there clashed with the soldiers again, and several people died, just now, the people in the mud area have broken through the Reflection Bridge, and they are about to reach the Gray Magpie Tavern!”
Gray Magpie Tavern. Only four or five streets away from Chuizhi Court, the girl's face turned pale: "What are they going to do..."
"How do I know what they're going to do! I just know we have to run away!" Minnie said and was about to pull Haiyu downstairs, but the girl was grabbed by her and ran for a few steps before suddenly breaking free from her opponent's hand.
"Sister Minnie, you can run first," Hai Yu bit her lower lip, "I have to clean up the things here."
"You might be killed when the mob comes over in a while, so what do you care about these bastards!" Minnie hopped her feet anxiously.
"It's not a piece of shit. It's something Her Royal Highness told me to take care of before she left. I can't let her down." Haiyu said.
Minnie panted louder. She stared at the ink stains on the Dongzhou girl's face, and finally cursed Tisu angrily, "If I can't memorize this pile of rotten papers in a while, I'll die." Throw it in the trash!"
34.
"You said, the fire has already been extinguished, why hasn't my brother come back?"
Although the question was directed at Ding Leshui, Erika kept looking out of the window, and the lights under the mountain were shining like stars. "He promised me that he would take me to Amber Square to watch the fireworks today. He is a big liar."
"Brother Flo is not a liar, he must have other things." Ding Leshui said softly.
"If you don't keep your promise, you're a big liar!" Erica exclaimed angrily. I knew it would be better to go back to Qiyun City with my mother, and now he is bored at home throughout the New Year, looking at each other with a boring Dongzhou idiot. The other party can neither play gold and silver chess nor dance court dance. His face became more and more unhappy, he simply stood up from his seat, and stretched out his hand to Ding Leshui, "Don't wait for him, let's go out."
"Now?" Ding Leshui's eyes widened.
"That's right," Erika pouted, "I'll kick the drunk coachman up and let him take us to Amber Square."
Ding Leshui still remembered what Hailian told him before he left. The other party told him to listen to Flo's orders, but he didn't tell him to listen to Flo's younger brother. "His voice became smaller and smaller, and the last two words disappeared in his throat before he could utter them.
"What's unsafe, if you're afraid, I'll take the short firecracker from my brother's collection room, he taught me how to use it!" Erika made a face at him, "Coward." The other party had no time to stop it, and Erika had already run out the door.
Ding Leshui stood alone. He looked in the direction Erika left, and then looked back out the window.
The kid who had never spent Chinese New Year in Jiumeng City let out a doubtful grunt.
If the flames he saw raging on the other side of the river at midnight last night were not fireworks, then the fires blooming in Amber Square now are still not fireworks
But before he had time to think about it, there was a shrill scream outside the door, it was Erica.
Ding Leshui turned his head and ran towards the source of the sound.
He rushed downstairs in one breath, and by the light in the hall, he saw Erica standing at the door blankly with tears running down his face, while another person stood quietly outside the door.
"Brother Flo...?" Ding Leshui asked hesitantly.
He had never seen Flo in such a mess. The clothes of the young commander of the Guards had always been spotless, but now he was three points worse than the sloppiest pirate on the sea, and his handsome face was stained with blood.
Flo heard the whisper, looked up at Ding Leshui, and also saw the panic and anxiety in the boy's eyes, he subconsciously wiped his face, and smiled apologetically: "Sorry, I scared you two .It's not my blood."
"Brother..." Erica said in a panicked voice.
"Calm down," Flo knelt down and signaled his younger brother to take a deep breath, "Listen, now you are taking Ding Leshui to run down the mountain from the back door path, which is the one I used to take you to watch the puppet show secretly, avoiding your mother. Lu, do you remember?"
Erica was speechless.
"Breathe in again, yes, exhale," Flo said, looking Erika straight in the eyes, "Okay, tell me if you remember."
"I..." Erica tried to suppress her breath, and said with difficulty, "I remember."
"Very good." Flo glanced at the short-fired gun that Erica had just got in his hand, and couldn't help but smile, "You can take this." He took out a purse and fastened the button The long golden ribbon was also untied and stuffed into the younger brother's hand, "The carriage has stopped at the entrance of the yard. After you two go down the mountain, don't care what happened next to you. Go straight out of the city and go in the direction of Qiyun City."
"I can't do it..." Erica's voice was already crying, "I can't do it if you don't follow me..."
"I'm going to the palace to protect my king, this is what I should do, just like you should carry Ding Leshui like a man now, you know?" Time is running out, Flo beckoned, let Ding Leshui also walked in front of him, and he held the hands of the two boys firmly, as if to convey some kind of strength. After a long time, the young man raised a gentle smile.
"Happy New Years," Flo said, "and run away."