Qi Yanzhou rose from the bed. Using the light filtering in from outside, he lit the spare oil lamp in the corner of the room.
He set the lamp on the table and looked toward Ye Chutang, who was sitting on the bed.
“When Xi Ze went to Southern Xinjiang, he had already made arrangements for someone to meet us. But under Heaven, all the land belongs to the emperor.”
The people Xi Ze had arranged to receive them were limited in number, while the emperor’s men were everywhere.
Ye Chutang got out of bed and asked as she dressed, “Will the witch doctor be able to meet us before your poison flares up?”
Qi Yanzhou had wanted to say that there would be no problem.
But when he met Ye Chutang’s warning gaze, he told her the truth.
“There’s a fifty-fifty chance.”
After receiving Xi Ze’s first letter, he had stationed experts all along the route north, doing everything he could to ensure that Aman and Xi Ze could catch up with the exiled procession as quickly as possible.
He had done all he could. The rest was up to fate.
After getting dressed, Ye Chutang walked to the round table and pointed at the place circled in charcoal: Ji Province.
“We’ll stop here and wait for the witch doctor to join us.”
Then she asked Qi Yanzhou, “Do you know where they are now?”
Qi Yanzhou had not received a letter from Xi Ze in half a month and could only estimate his approximate location.
He circled an area with his finger.
“Somewhere around here.”
Seeing that the location he indicated was too vague, Ye Chutang picked up the charcoal pencil from the table.
She drew a route from the capital to Ji Province.
“The witch doctor definitely hasn’t reached the capital yet. This is the shortest route to Ji Province. Arrange enough men to ensure she can get there safely.”
Even if the witch doctor could not reach Ji Province in time, she would still be able to follow the route and find them.
Looking at Ye Chutang’s worried expression, Qi Yanzhou patted her head.
“All right. I’ll have Nan Xiao take care of it.”
With that, he pulled Ye Chutang into his arms and placed a hand over her slightly rounded belly.
“Atang, nothing will happen to me. I’ll watch our child be born, and I’ll grow old with you.”
“Save that speech for after you’ve cured your fire poison.”
Ye Chutang turned to face Qi Yanzhou and gave him a playful wink.
“If you die, I certainly won’t observe widowhood for the rest of my life. I’ll remarry. If you don’t want your child calling another man ‘Father,’ then you’d better stay alive.”
“All right, I promise!”
Qi Yanzhou put away the map and went to put on his outer robe.
Ye Chutang finished packing their luggage, and the two of them went downstairs to wash up.
Everyone filled their water skins with well water.
The weather was growing hotter and hotter, and their daily water consumption had increased dramatically.
Yet because of the drought, it was difficult to find places to replenish their supplies along the road.
Thus, everyone carried at least four water skins to prevent thirst and dehydration.
The post-station clerk knew that the exiled procession would set out at the mao hour, so he had the station workers rise an hour early to prepare breakfast.
There was millet porridge, meat buns, and pickles—enough for everyone to eat their fill.
Although the Chen and Ye families did not get any meat buns, they were given thick millet porridge.
They ate like starving men reborn, finishing bowl after bowl.
The weather was growing hotter by the day.
When they set out, the post-station clerk handed the provisions he had prepared to Wu Chenggang.
“The prefect specifically ordered us to prepare these.”
There were no hard-to-swallow black-flour buns. Even the worst of the provisions were multigrain steamed buns.
There were also vegetable buns, meat buns, meat pies, and some meat paste.
The post-station clerk even had his men bring over two baskets of vegetables.
One basket contained various kinds of fresh vegetables.
The other was lined with mats made of reed flowers. Ice had been placed at the bottom, with preserved meat and vegetables on top. They would keep for two days.
Wu Chenggang accepted everything.
“Please convey my thanks to the prefect on my behalf.”
Then he had his men carry the food and vegetables onto the carts.
“Set out!”
When the exiled procession left, Dingzhou City—which should have been shrouded in darkness—was lit up from end to end, with the people turning out to see them off.
As usual, many people spontaneously brought gifts for the Qi family.
There was not only food and clothing, but also silver and copper coins.
The people believed that if the Qi family wanted to overthrow the dynasty, they would need plenty of money to recruit soldiers and buy horses.
Qi Yanzhou accepted some vegetables as a token gesture, but not a single copper coin.
“The drought will continue. Everyone, make sure you store up plenty of water.”
“Master Qi, Madam Qi, you must stay safe!”
Amid the people’s heartfelt wishes, the exiled procession left Dingzhou City.
After they left the city, Sun Chu handed Ye Chutang several thousand-tael banknotes.
“This is the money from selling that box of rare treasures. I had the shopkeeper round it off—four thousand taels in total.”
Ye Chutang accepted the money, then asked Sun Chu about the businesses he had under his name.
Sun Chu was quite pleased with the enterprise he had built up and spoke about it at length.
Watching the two of them chatting so merrily, Old Madam Qi felt a hint of worry.
She grabbed Qi Yanzhou by the arm.
“Azhou, your mother needs to tell you something.”
Qi Yanzhou rarely saw his mother look so solemn. Cooperating with her, he slowed his pace until they gradually fell to the rear of the procession.
“Mother, what is it?”
Old Madam Qi stared at the back of Sun Chu’s head and whispered, “Zhou’er, be careful around Young Master Sun. He’s always hovering around Tang’er lately, grinning so broadly his face is about to split.”
Qi Yanzhou had not noticed anything improper between Ye Chutang and Sun Chu.
He felt there must have been some reason for his mother’s impression.
“Mother, aren’t you overthinking this?”
Seeing that her son did not take her concern seriously, Old Madam Qi immediately told him about the note Ye Chutang had taken from Sun Chu, as well as the two of them being alone together in a room.
“Zhou’er, I trust Tang’er very much, and I know she understands propriety. But Young Master Sun clearly doesn’t know how to avoid suspicion. You need to talk to him.”
Qi Yanzhou did not know what had happened between Ye Chutang and Sun Chu.
But he trusted Ye Chutang absolutely.
“Mother, let this concern end here. Even if you’re only targeting Sun Chu, it’s still disrespectful to Atang.”
Old Madam Qi naturally knew that it was wrong to make unfounded guesses about others.
But wasn’t she only worried that her daughter-in-law might be led astray?
“Your mother understands. I won’t make baseless accusations again, but you should still keep an eye on things.”
After saying that, the mother and son who had fallen behind hurried to catch up with the procession.
After walking for over an hour, Han Chong found a shady spot and had everyone stop to rest.
Qi Yanzhou took the opportunity to go and see Nan Xiao.
Nan Xiao’s skin had peeled from the sun, leaving his face red and black in patches.
Before Qi Yanzhou could say anything, he immediately took out a newly arrived letter and handed it over.
“Master, this is a letter from Xi Ze.”
Finding a cure for Qi Yanzhou’s fire poison was the concern closest to his loyal subordinate’s heart.
Qi Yanzhou wanted to live, and more than anyone, he was concerned about the movements of Xi Ze and the witch doctor.
He immediately took the letter and opened it.
