Chapter 113: The Escape

Once Mama Song suspected that what had appeared on Hongzheng was a reaction to the smallpox inoculation, she used Zisu’s fondness for the child as an excuse to have him stay in her room for two days. Yan Yan knew perfectly well that Mama Song was afraid that, if Hongzheng had been infected, Sweetheart and Hongzhang would be affected as well.

During those two days, Cui’er repeatedly went out in the middle of the night with Wu Tong to confirm the arrangements outside. Following Yan Yan’s plan, Wu Tong had rented a small house two streets away from the Ninth Prince’s residence. Since the night curfew in the Qing capital was strictly enforced, Wu Tong had to calculate precisely when each night watchman would pass before Yan Yan and the others could leave the estate safely.

A carriage would have been too conspicuous, so Yan Yan decided that they would walk there and wait until daybreak before taking a carriage elsewhere. But what were they to do about the children? Quite apart from whether Hongzheng had contracted the smallpox virus, carrying the children out of the residence in the middle of the night was dangerous enough. If they made even the slightest sound along the way, all of them would be doomed.

Yan Yan had been worrying over this for two days. She had considered many methods, such as covering the children’s mouths with her hands for a while or putting something between their teeth, but none of them was truly safe. In the end, she had no choice but to agree to give the children a small dose of sleeping medicine. At the very least, they had to survive this deadly crisis.

Yan Yan knew that once the Third Princess developed a fever, Lady Dong’e would do everything in her power to send an imperial physician to examine her child. Her reason would be entirely legitimate. Even if the servant guarding the gate tried to use the same excuse with which he had once stopped the Eighth Prince’s Consort, it might not work this time. Lady Dong’e could easily use such a pretext to obtain Consort Yi’s approval. Once Consort Yi’s order arrived, the gates would have to be opened.

Therefore, Yan Yan had to escape before that happened. She could not allow the children to fall into Lady Dong’e’s hands; otherwise, she might spend the rest of her life suffering the agony of losing them.

Fortunately, Hongzheng proved remarkably resilient. Ten days passed without the slightest sign of fever. After Mama Song told Yan Yan the news, she lowered her voice and said, “Side Consort, the incubation period after inoculation is generally around ten days. We must hasten our plans, because an imperial physician could enter the residence at any moment.”

Yan Yan nodded. She knew she had to make up her mind. “There’s no better day than today. We’ll leave tonight. Mama Song, you’ll be responsible for the children’s sleeping medicine. It must not affect them in the future.”

Mama Song smiled kindly. “Yes, Side Consort. You may rest assured. I have practiced medicine all my life. I know how to handle such a small matter.”

Only then did Yan Yan relax a little and send Cui’er to deliver the message to Wu Tong.

That evening, everything in Qimeng Garden appeared perfectly normal. Aunt Chen prepared several of her specialties, delighting everyone in the garden. Even Nanny He, who ordinarily paid great attention to her health, ate half a bowl of rice more than usual. None of them knew that Aunt Chen had already mixed sleeping medicine into the food—enough to keep them asleep until dawn.

After Cui’er confirmed that everyone was asleep, she began bundling the things they had quietly gathered over the past few days. Yan Yan had already instructed her to bring only what the children absolutely needed; everything else could be purchased later. Thus, there was not much luggage, though they did carry a considerable number of banknotes.

Aunt Chen had thoughtfully prepared pumpkin puree for the children as well, packing it into bamboo tubes in case the place Wu Tong had rented proved unsuitable and the children grew hungry. Yet no one could have imagined that, before the appointed time of their meeting with Wu Tong, a commotion would suddenly erupt outside the courtyard.

Cui’er sprang to her feet and stared at Yan Yan in shock. “Could they have brought an imperial physician?”

Yan Yan thought it highly possible too. She immediately picked up Sweetheart and said decisively, “We’re leaving now.”

Cui’er lifted Hongzheng, Aunt Chen took Hongzhang, and Mama Song led Zisu. Together, they hurried into the courtyard and headed toward the small gate leading to the Ninth Prince’s study.

Wu Tong had evidently sensed that something was wrong as well and was waiting outside. The moment he saw Yan Yan, he lowered his voice and said, “Side Consort, come this way quickly. We must get into the alley at once. I expect they’ll be here at this gate very soon.”

Yan Yan nodded and followed him swiftly into the narrow alley. Just as Mama Song, who was bringing up the rear, had carefully shut the small gate connecting to the Ninth Prince’s study, a violent pounding came from the main entrance of Qimeng Garden.

“Open the door! Open it quickly!”

Mama Song swallowed hard. Without another moment’s hesitation, she pulled Zisu into the alley.

Because the alley was part of an underground passage, the ground grew lower the farther they went. Wu Tong said to Yan Yan, “Side Consort, we’ll emerge onto the small street behind the Beile residence. The place I rented is near that street.”

Yan Yan nodded and said softly, “You’ve worked hard.”

Wu Tong was, in truth, deeply worried about Yan Yan’s plan. Even if they were fleeing, should they not go as far away as possible? How could they hide in a place so close to the Beile residence?

Meanwhile, after failing repeatedly to break open the gates of Qimeng Garden, Lady Dong’e eventually went there in person. Once she displayed Consort Yi’s authority, she ordered her men to smash the door down. She led a large group into the garden, but the moment they entered, they all froze.

Lady Dong’e searched every corner of the garden three times before finally saying in a chilling voice, “Good. Very good. They actually dared to…”

She did not finish the sentence. Instead, she immediately ordered a carriage prepared. She intended to enter the palace as soon as the city gates opened and report the situation to Consort Yi.

Eunuch Wang, who was in the Ninth Prince’s study, was also stunned by what had happened. Even so, he secretly dispatched two young eunuchs to send word to the Eighth Prince and the Tenth Prince.

An hour later, the Tenth Prince roared at the Eighth Prince in the Ninth Prince’s study. “Eighth Brother, even if you look down on Sister-in-law Yan, Ninth Brother loves her. If this matter reaches Consort Yi, then even if Sister-in-law Yan escapes with her life, she may never recover from the consequences.”

The Eighth Prince had never expected the Tenth Prince to say such a thing. He asked with an amused, helpless smile, “And what do you suggest, Tenth Brother?”

Rarely showing such decisiveness, the Tenth Prince replied, “Seal the matter immediately. No one is to reveal anything to the outside world, and Ninth Sister-in-law must not be allowed into the palace to inform Mother.”

“And then?”

For some reason, the Eighth Prince continued smiling as he asked the question.

The Tenth Prince glanced at him and lowered his voice. “When I left the residence, I sent a message to Ninth Brother by carrier pigeon. I think we’ll have his answer within three days. We can decide what to do after that.”

The Eighth Prince stared at him for a long while before waving his hand. “Very well. We’ll do as you suggest. As for Ninth Sister-in-law, I’ll have your sister-in-law speak with her. You needn’t worry.”

The Tenth Prince smiled again. “Take Lady Borjigit with her as well. The three of them have always been close. If they don’t help now, when will they?”