Xiao Hei went to chase the couple, but Huangfu Yue did not immediately lead the people from the prince’s mansion to chase Xiao Hei. Instead, she stopped the carriage and ordered everyone to stop.
Everyone found it strange and didn't understand why she suddenly ordered a halt to their journey.
Huangfu Yue called everyone out of the carriages to her side and then told them that she had sent Xiao Hei to scout ahead, and through him, she learned that the Emperor had not only ordered the blockade of towns within a five-hundred-mile radius of the capital but also ordered checkpoints to be set up on all major and minor roads within that radius, with soldiers at the checkpoints rigorously questioning all passersby.
The people from the prince’s mansion immediately became flustered, each with a worried expression.
“What can we do now? There will be checkpoints all the way. If we are discovered by the soldiers at any checkpoint and deemed problematic, what if we are arrested?”
At once, everyone from the prince’s mansion became as restless as ants on a hot pan. Xu Yuqing anxiously cried out, “It’s over, it’s over,” while Yang Wanqian cried even harder, making both Madam Zheng and Huangfu Yue somewhat unable to bear it.
“Over nothing! Our Prince Dai’s mansion will not be over!” Madam Zheng glared unhappily at Xu Yuqing.
Xu Yuqing lowered her head and apologized somewhat unwillingly.
Madam Zheng looked at her young daughter-in-law. “Wanqian, why are you crying! With Yue’er here, she will find a way… Don’t cry at every turn. Crying too much is bad for your health and will affect the child in your belly.”
Yang Wanqian also lowered her head and apologized. The maid attending her quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears.
“Everyone, don’t worry, don’t panic, stay calm. As Grandmother said, I will find a way, and everything will be fine,” Huangfu Yue said to comfort everyone.
“I have already thought of a way. I know there’s a village nearby, hidden behind a mountain. We’ll go to the outskirts of that village now and hide behind the mountain, so we don’t get discovered by patrolling soldiers searching this area.
Once we reach the mountain behind the village and hide there for the night, you can sleep soundly and rest. When you wake up, we will have already traveled a great distance,” Huangfu Yue said.
“Yue’er, what do you mean by your last two sentences? What do you mean, ‘When you wake up, we will have already traveled a great distance’? Will we move while we are asleep?” Zhu Jiayi asked her sister-in-law, completely bewildered and confused.
Everyone else, except for Madam Zheng, was also confused and stared at Huangfu Yue with uncomprehending expressions.
“I can use the art of Shrinking Ground, but I can only use it at night, and only when you are all asleep and unaware of anything,” Huangfu Yue explained.
She suddenly remembered reading about an ancient technique called “Shrinking Ground” in a novel before. It was said that using this technique could shorten distances and achieve instantaneous long-distance travel, so she decided to tell everyone that she knew the “Shrinking Ground” technique.
“You can actually use the Shrinking Ground technique?!” Zhu Jiayi looked shocked. Everyone else also showed surprised expressions. Their looks clearly indicated that they had heard of the “Shrinking Ground” technique, and they were just surprised that Huangfu Yue knew it.
“Little Aunt, you’re so amazing, you know all sorts of magic!
In a story I heard before, there was also the Shrinking Ground technique. The Shrinking Ground technique in that story was incredibly powerful, it could shorten roads, turning a hundred li into one li,” Huangfu Xuan said, his mouth wide open in a look of awe, his eyes filled with admiration as he looked at Huangfu Yue.
Huangfu Xuan’s sisters had similar expressions, their mouths agape as they stared at Huangfu Yue in amazement, their eyes full of admiration.
Many servants also looked at Huangfu Yue with eyes and expressions full of admiration, feeling as if Huangfu Yue were an immortal.
“Hearing you say that, Yue’er, I feel relieved,” Zhu Jiayi patted her chest, breathed a sigh of relief, and smiled at her sister-in-law, her lips curved upwards.
“Let’s get moving. We need to hurry to the mountain behind the village to hide, so we don’t encounter any patrolling soldiers on the way,” Huangfu Yue said.
Everyone nodded. The people from the prince’s mansion immediately returned to their carriages. Feng Ruoyuan, leading his subordinates, mounted their horses. At Huangfu Yue’s command, they all followed Huangfu Yue to chase Xiao Hei…