Chapter 61: Throwing Himself Straight into Xiao Yan’s Arms

Chapter 61: Threw Himself Straight into Xiao Yan's Arms

Seeing his father, the emotions Liu Qingci had been holding back finally burst forth.

"Father… you have suffered…" he choked out between sobs, "I'm fine, and Mother and Sister are also fine, don't worry…"

"Good, good… as long as you are all well, that's all I need to know."

"You must take care in the North! The weather is freezing, you… you…" A thousand words were stuck in his throat, Liu Qingci didn't know where to begin.

"I know." Liu Wenyuan interrupted him, his voice steady, "Qingci, listen to me."

He paused, his eyes quickly glanced at Xiao Yan standing in the distance, then back to his son, lowering his voice even further:

"Remember this, no matter what, you must protect yourself first. I trust in your judgment and smarts. Regarding the Liu family's affairs, do not make any rash moves until you are absolutely certain."

Liu Qingci nodded: "I know, Father."

"Now that you are in Prince Yu's mansion…" Liu Wenyuan sighed with difficulty, his tone filled only with deep helplessness, "I can no longer help you. You'll have to figure it out on your own."

Having seen him today, although Liu Wenyuan had not yet spoken with Prince Yu, after decades at court as Chancellor, Liu, he had honed his ability to read people. The Prince Yu in front of him now, in demeanor and aura, was utterly unlike the one he remembered.

With time short, Liu Wenyuan had no chance to delve into the reasons behind this.

From now on, his son, still green in the ways of the world, would have to walk this path alone.

"Do not trust others too easily; always have a way out." That was all he could advise.

Liu Qingci listened earnestly: "I'll keep that in mind, Father."

On the other side, the escorts waiting with their backs turned began to pace restlessly, glancing back frequently as if impatient.

Just as the lead escort hesitated whether to step forward and urge them on, someone gave his shoulder a firm, measured pat.

The escort jolted, spinning around to find His Highness Prince Yu standing beside him as if out of nowhere, one arm casually draped over his shoulder in a manner that seemed almost familiar.

This gesture made every muscle tense up in the escort's body, cold sweat pouring down.

"P-Prince Yu…" the escort's voice cracked and his legs went weak.

Xiao Yan gave a sly half-smile, leaning in closer and lowering his voice so only they could hear: "Friend, tell me… Liu Wenyuan has committed such a great crime, yet the Emperor did not order his execution, only sentencing him to exile. What does that mean?"

The escort was taken aback, shaking his head blankly.

How could a nobody like him dare to guess at the Emperor's will?

Besides, even if he tried, he couldn't figure it out.

Xiao Yan tightened his grip on the escort's shoulder, pulling him even closer: "It means that in His Majesty's heart, he still values the old bond between ruler and subject with Premier Liu, leaving some leeway."

He paused, looking at the escort's face that showed he only half got it, lowering his voice further, with a chilling, almost hypnotic threat: "In this court, things can flip overnight. Who can say for sure? What if, one day, an imperial decree grants a general amnesty, or… Premier Liu's case takes a turn, or even gets fully overturned?"

The escort's pupils contracted sharply, his breath catching.

Xiao Yan continued, slow and deliberate, each word like hailstones striking the escort's chest: "Or perhaps, no need to overturn the case. Maybe in three or five years, the Emperor remembers this former minister, feels a pang of compassion, and issues a gracious edict to bring him back to the capital to live out his days in honor—that's not impossible. The emperor's mind is hard to read; who knows about the future?"

He changed his tone sharply, his voice turning sharp: "But if anything were to go wrong on the road to exile, and when the Emperor wants to find him, he can't…"

Xiao Yan paused again, released his hold, stepped half a pace back, and let his eyes drift over the escort's ashen face. His tone returned to calm, but had even more weight to it: "Tell me, then—who would the emperor's old feelings and guilt be aimed at?"

The escort felt like he'd been hit by a ton of bricks, instantly drenched in sweat.

He had thought that he and his men were just handling the escort. They had escorted many exiled criminals before; people freezing to death or falling ill on the road were common occurrences—life and death were matters of fate.

But he never imagined there were so many unseen angles!

Thinking it over carefully, the escort realized Prince Yu made perfect sense. They had been thinking too naively!

If not for Prince Yu's warning, if something went wrong, it'd cost them, the lowly guards, their heads!

"I… I understand now! Thanks for the heads-up, Your Highness!" the escort's voice trembled with lingering fear, bowing hastily, "Lord Liu is elderly and deserves extra care on the road! I'll be extra careful and ensure Lord Liu arrives safely in the North!"

Xiao Yan was satisfied, patting the escort's shoulder meaningfully, as if to say the guy was quick on the uptake.

While the escort was still flustered, Xiao Yan pulled a heavy silk pouch from his robe and tossed it over.

The escort caught it quickly, holding it in his hands and opening it.

It was stuffed full of silver ingots.

"The conditions on this journey are harsh. Let everyone eat well and stay warm," Xiao Yan said.

The escort stared at the pile of gleaming silver, his eyes wide.

This amount was enough for their entire team to make several round trips in comfort!

"Your Highness is most generous! I'm truly grateful!" He bowed obsequiously, "I swear I will treat Lord Liu—no, Chancellor Liu—like a saint! I won't let anything happen to him on the road!"

Xiao Yan gave a slight smirk: "That's good to hear."

Time was almost up.

Liu Qingci bid farewell to Liu Wenyuan, standing in the cold wind, staring straight at his father's receding figure.

That figure shrank into a blurry dot in the distance, eventually vanishing completely into the darkness of the night.

Only the howling wind remained, and the slender silhouette that seemed as if it might be swept away by the bitter gusts at any moment.

A fiercer gust of wind swept across without warning, whipping up dead leaves and, with a sudden gust, lifting the hood of the moon-white cloak from Liu Qingci's head.

Xiao Yan stood a few paces behind him, watching as his black mane of hair was instantly torn loose by the gale, wildly flying around a pale, almost transparent face.

Liu Qingci seemed oblivious, still stubbornly gazing straight ahead.

Xiao Yan stepped up, smoothed his wild strands, replaced the hood, and tied the two ribbons loosely under his chin.

While doing so, he said, "I just asked the accompanying physician. Chancellor Liu's body suffered some in prison, but his constitution is still sound; nothing serious."

His voice was low, mingled with the wind.

Liu Qingci shuddered violently, slowly raising his head to look at Xiao Yan, so close.

His eyes, without warning, instantly reddened.

Liu Qingci said nothing, only staggered forward one step.

Then, he threw himself straight into Xiao Yan's arms.