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The merchant ship entered the sea, gradually leaving Ningchuan behind.
After the chaos, calm slowly returned to the ship. Mu Peixuan had always known this journey wouldn’t be peaceful, but he never expected someone to be waiting for them in Ningchuan. Both the yamen runners and the soldiers were clearly prepared.
Yet, for some reason, they showed no intention of pursuing them to the death.
They had hidden their tracks along the way, watching the vast blue waves by day and the moon rising over the sea by night, avoiding many hidden dangers. It felt almost like a leisurely trip, enjoying a rare sense of ease, with all thoughts of the Yellow Springs, King Xin, and the young Emperor buried beneath the sound of the undulating waves. Now, this ambush had suddenly jolted Mu Peixuan awake.
“What are you thinking about?” Duan Linzhou asked.
Mu Peixuan collected himself, shook his head, and said, “I’m thinking that the Ningchuan soldiers must be King Xin’s people.”
Since the world fell into chaos, peasant uprisings had been constant, fueling the ambitions of various feudal lords with military power. King Xin held Yuzhou, and Yuzhou and Yuezhou had always been wealthy regions, also bordering Cangzhou, the granary. This gave him a significant geographical advantage. Now, with King Xin welcoming the young Emperor and establishing the capital in Yu’an, he had quite the posture of holding the Son of Heaven hostage to command the feudal lords. It was hardly surprising that his influence extended to Yuezhou.
Duan Linzhou commented, “If it truly is King Xin, for him to be so eager to act against you now seems a bit too hasty.”
“Among the feudal kings of Daliang, King Xin holds significant military power and is the most overbearing. Even the late emperor was quite displeased with King Xin during his time.”
The late emperor passed away too early, without any chance to act against King Xin. As for the current young emperor, not only is he too young to govern personally, but he is now in Yu’an as well, which is no different from being in a tiger’s den. Even if he possessed some strategies, he would likely find it difficult to implement them.
Duan Linzhou understood his meaning. After a brief thought, he smiled and said, “Chaos also presents opportunities. Although our current emperor is young, judging by his decisive action in executing Prime Minister Lin to appease public anger, we know he’s no ordinary person.”
“Though Yu’an is King Xin’s territory, the young emperor didn’t come alone,” Duan Linzhou, deeply understanding human nature and keenly perceptive of current affairs, slowly continued, “Along with the young emperor came the noble officials from Liangdu. They are not to be trifled with.”
Duan Linzhou chuckled, “Perhaps he can even use this chaotic situation to open a new chapter and become the one who controls the game.”
Mu Peixuan recalled the young crown prince he had met years ago. At that time, the late emperor was still alive, and the young crown prince was only six or seven years old, a time of innocence and playfulness. In just four or five years, everything had changed.
Human affairs are indeed unpredictable.
Their trip to Ningchuan exposed their whereabouts. After a brief discussion, Mu Peixuan and Duan Linzhou decided to switch to an overland route. Now close to Yuzhou, their conspicuous arrival might make cautious individuals hesitant to act recklessly. When Mu Peixuan and his group initially took the waterway, Fu Yue, the leader of the Black Armored Iron Cavalry, led his chosen elite, with a subordinate named Gu Yunzhen, who resembled Mu Peixuan, impersonating him and commanding the main army that traveled by land. The Black Armored Iron Cavalry had its own communication methods, and Duan Linzhou had already informed Mu Peixuan of their planned route, thus maintaining continuous contact.
Mu Peixuan and his group left Ningchuan, disembarking at a small dock and immediately switching to fast horses.
They had left Ruizhou in mid-December, and during their arduous journey, they were still at sea on New Year’s Eve. Conditions at sea were primitive compared to land, but New Year’s Eve was a significant occasion. Zhang Chao and Jiang Yu, accustomed to life at sea, were prepared. They had the sailors hang red paper cuts and “Fu[mfn]Good fortune[/mfn]” characters early and even invited Mu Peixuan and Duan Linzhou to write some festive couplets to paste inside the cabin.
Despite being on the ship, the New Year’s Eve dinner was as lavish as possible. As the sun began to set, a light snow fell, and by the time they had drunk three rounds of wine, the snow had grown heavier.
Snowflakes, like willow catkins, drifted down across the sky, as if countless stars were falling within reach, dazzling and mesmerizing. When Mu Peixuan noticed, he mysteriously pulled Duan Linzhou out of the cabin, not forgetting to wrap a thick cloak around him.
The two were caught off guard by the swirling snow.
It was warm in the cabin, and having drunk some wine, both their cheeks were slightly flushed. A bright moon hung high in the sky, and red lanterns adorned the ship, casting a hazy glow. Amidst the misty snow and moonlight, Duan Linzhou laughed softly and sighed, “It’s truly beautiful.”
Mu Peixuan also smiled. He tightly grasped Duan Linzhou’s hand, thinking, This is his and Duan Linzhou’s second New Year together. The first time they celebrated, they had just gotten married, and there was still a bit of awkwardness and discomfort between them. Mu Peixuan chuckled to himself, then said, “Duan Linzhou, this is our second year together.”
Duan Linzhou paused, realizing it was true, Mu Peixuan leaned in, kissed his lips, and whispered, “There will be many, many more ‘second years’ in the future.”
His lips pressed against Duan Linzhou’s. The young man’s breath was warm, his lips warm too, mingled with the rich scent of wine. It was a tender kiss, as if he simply wanted to linger close to him. In that instant, Duan Linzhou’s heart boiled over. An unprecedented flutter, like firecrackers igniting, exploded in his chest, making his organs faintly ache. For some reason, Duan Linzhou’s eyes welled up, and he felt like crying.
This really made no sense.
Duan Linzhou closed his burning eyelids and let his tongue explore Mu Peixuan’s mouth.
Their journey overland was also far from peaceful. Disguised as traveling merchants, their group of about a hundred people was well-equipped with weapons. While petty roadside criminals dared not provoke them, they couldn’t deter bandits driven by greed. The imperial court was now too preoccupied to manage itself, and the garrisons stationed in various regions were in disarray, with several mutinies already occurring. They largely turned a blind eye to the roving bandits.
Mu Peixuan and Duan Linzhou’s journey was difficult. Although they didn’t face large armies directly, the relentless attacks from small groups of bandits and outlaws clearly showed the signs of a chaotic era. During this time, Mu Peixuan and his group encountered a band of over five hundred outlaws. Upon engaging them, they realized both sides were concealing their true strength. This group of outlaws was clearly not ordinary; their attacks and retreats were highly organized. Mu Peixuan, having grown up immersed in military affairs, quickly understood the true identity of these “outlaws” after a moment’s thought.
For a moment, Mu Peixuan felt utterly absurd, shocked, and enraged. He had grown up in military camps, taught from childhood that joining the army meant defending a region, and even if buried in the green hills, there would be no regrets. He had never imagined a day when the blades in soldiers’ hands would not be turned outward but would instead be used by bandits, wielded against the common people.
Mu Peixuan didn’t know whether to be angry at these soldiers for their self-degradation or at the declining Liang court, which had allowed the situation to become so chaotic that the nation itself was failing, and everyone lived in fear.
This band of outlaws nearly caused Mu Peixuan and his group significant trouble. Although Mu Peixuan and Duan Linzhou’s personal guards were fewer in number than the outlaws, they were all elites, preventing the outlaws from overwhelming them quickly.
The leader of this outlaw band was quite decisive; seeing that a stalemate was futile, they quickly retreated.
In the biting cold of winter, traveling quickly and facing both overt and covert attacks was arduous. Although Duan Linzhou’s health had greatly improved after a period of recuperation, he still couldn’t endure such relentless strain and developed a low fever on the way. Mu Peixuan had constantly worried that Duan Linzhou’s body couldn’t take it, and seeing his condition, he became deeply anxious. He had already been somewhat hesitant about Duan Linzhou accompanying him to Yu’an, and this situation only increased his vexation. Duan Linzhou seemed to sense his mood, letting out a soft sigh and saying, “Is Xiao Junwang perhaps displeased with my weak body, finding it a burden?”
Mu Peixuan was taken aback. He looked at Duan Linzhou; although his words were a jest as usual, Mu Peixuan keenly detected a deeply hidden unease and embarrassment, which stirred a pang of sorrow and tenderness in his heart. Having spent these days constantly together, though Duan Linzhou didn’t say it, Mu Peixuan knew how cautious, even meticulous, Duan Linzhou was, fearing he would become a burden to them.
The Duan Linzhou he knew was unrestrained, full of pride. When has he ever been like this?
Mu Peixuan held his hand, bringing it to his lips and lightly biting it, saying, “This is me being heartbroken for you.” Duan Linzhou’s pale cheeks were flushed with an unhealthy red due to his low fever, and his eyes were clouded with sickness. Mu Peixuan instinctively wrapped the cloak tighter around him and whispered, “I don’t even have enough time to cherish you; how could I ever dislike you?”
Duan Linzhou looked at Mu Peixuan, perhaps liking to make him feel a mix of hope and fear. When he learned there was a chance for his survival, he was overjoyed. But when that glimmer of hope required Mu Peixuan to brave danger for him, he became somewhat hesitant. He couldn’t bear to stay in Ruizhou, simply waiting while Mu Peixuan ventured alone into such perilous territory. Going together, he worried he would become a burden to Mu Peixuan and implicate him instead. He was always decisive, and such indecisiveness and wavering were truly unlike him.
Indeed, sorrow and fear arise from love. Duan Linzhou, who was mentally exhausted, was filled with chaotic thoughts, yet he still clutched Mu Peixuan’s fingers. “If one is free from love, if one is free from love, free from love…” Those words spun in Duan Linzhou’s mind. As he finally drifted into a deep sleep, Duan Linzhou wondered, Free from what love?
Whether it was sorrow or fear, it all stemmed from Mu Peixuan. If Mu Peixuan was happy, then all sorrow and fear would be sweet to him.
But—if he were to die, if he were to die…
