Jifeng and the imposter were sent back to their residences under guard, and the crowd was like ants on a hot pan, filled with fear.
The Emperor of Chu had already sent a letter to the Emperor of Chen, awaiting his explanation. The Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War had been active recently, with provisions already being transported to the border.
It was now impossible to send any more letters. Fortunately, after the previous beheading incident, Jifeng had sent a letter to the King of Chen explaining the current situation.
The King of Chen was extremely anxious. The fake was about to be exposed, and the whereabouts of the real one were unknown.
It was clear that the State of Chu had the moral high ground; they had a legitimate reason for their actions. If Chen were to attack without restraint, how could it possibly withstand Chu's might?
After much deliberation, the only course of action was to offer an apology and send a person back. The matter of the fake hostage would be suppressed, with outright denial of any wrongdoing, claiming it was all a misunderstanding.
The King of Chen's letter of apology arrived quickly. The Emperor, upon seeing the list of gifts, was somewhat appeased.
The next day, the soldiers guarding the hostage's mansion were withdrawn, and Jifeng received a reply. The imposter was dead, and the household was in deep mourning, clad in white.
From then on, it was widely known throughout the realm that Chen's Third Prince, Chen Jiayu, had passed away. The Emperor of Chu, in his benevolence, had dispatched troops to assist in transporting the body back to Chen.
Chen would also send a princess for a marriage alliance and their Fifth Prince, who would remain in Chu from then on.
The Emperor cared not for birth order, as long as he was a son of the King of Chen. A large sum of money and two hostages had diffused this crisis.
Many people in the hostage's mansion suffered greatly from torture, their networks collapsing and years of planning coming to naught.
Now, they were all dejected, numbly awaiting the arrival of the Fifth Prince. They had no idea what their future held, lost and confused.
Chen Jiayu had been feeling uneasy lately, and Jun Jiuli deliberately leaked information to him. Being confined was boring, and a man of ambition needed a new territory.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, you wouldn't believe it. The blood in the marketplace took three days to wash away. What were they even trying to achieve? They were Chu citizens too."
"Alas, what else could it be? Power and money, that's all. Greed knows no bounds. Now look, they've all gone to report to King Yama."
...
Chen Jiayu felt as though his heart were being scratched by a cat; he desperately wanted to know the full picture of the entire affair.
After that day, he deliberately appeared before Qiu He. He began to provoke her subtly, even confessing his identity.
Qiu He would secretly bring him food and save money to buy him medicine, her heart aching at the sight of his injured face.
She thought that kindness in times of hardship was the most precious, and she began to dream of becoming a princess consort, willing even to be a concubine.
Chen Jiayu, having observed her beforehand, had already understood Qiu He's character. Seducing her was a simple matter. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"Brother Jia, I've found out."
"Shh, keep your voice down. Don't wake up Zhao Jingwan."
Qiu He blinked her big eyes, cute as she covered her mouth and playfully stuck out her tongue.
Chen Jiayu feigned affection as he stroked her head. With Qiu He's help, he hadn't been so smelly lately.
"Don't worry, Brother Jia. The sleeping medicine I bought is genuine. But it's still thoughtful of you, Brother Jia, to be cautious."
Chen Jiayu nodded, "Qiu He, you're so smart."
"Hehe, Qiu He is very happy to be able to help Brother Jia. Those officials who were beheaded... the evidence was conclusive, and it was General Zhao himself who submitted it."
Chen Jiayu's face instantly darkened. His carefully cultivated network of contacts over the years was now completely destroyed.
"Brother Jia, I know you must be very sad right now. But if you keep the green hills, you'll never worry about firewood. You're so capable, you'll definitely turn things around in the future."
"Then has my disappearance been exposed?"
"Yes, yes. People outside all think you're dead. The Emperor of Chen is sending a hostage and a princess, and they are already on their way."
Chen Jiayu didn't care which brother or sister suffered; all he could think about was his father, the Emperor, abandoning him.
"Brother Jia, don't lose heart. As long as you can return to Chen, there is hope for everything."
"Yes, you're right. I still have hope. I am my father's most beloved prince. As long as I can get back alive, everything can be redone."
"Mhm, I believe you can do it."
"Xiao He, thank you for believing in me and for risking so much with me. When I get out of this muddy predicament, I will surely give you a good life."
Qiu He lowered her head shyly, her eyes filled with longing.
The guards outside Hantan Courtyard had become much more lax. Chen Jiayu tested the situation a few times before daring to take a risk.
He had a plan. Now that Chen's spies had been eliminated, it was normal for Zhao Junqian to lower his guard.
Changing into a maid's attire, he stealthily followed Qiu He to the kitchen's backyard.
Enduring the sour stench, he hid in the slop bucket. His body had not yet recovered, and he wasn't confident he could get out intact on his own.
He had no choice but to find this method. It had taken him great effort to bypass the guards outside Hantan Courtyard and reach the kitchen.
When they reached the gate, the guards, disgusted by the smell, let them pass without individual inspection. Chen Jiayu secretly climbed out while the person carrying the slop bucket went to relieve himself.
He avoided people as much as possible and, after much hardship, arrived at the back courtyard of the hostage's mansion. A secret tunnel was dug here, known only to his trusted confidants.
He waited in the dark alley, covering his face. Passersby mistook him for a beggar. Some even gave him a few copper coins, shaking their heads at the sight of him.
Chen Jiayu felt as though he had been stripped naked and put on display, his shame overwhelming him.
Finally, as night fell, he seized the opportunity when the monitoring guards were changing shifts and, with a surge of determination, entered the hostage's mansion.
Returning to a familiar environment, he was so overcome with emotion that he felt like crying. Jifeng sensed something amiss in the room and immediately rushed in.
He didn't recognize the dirty person before him as his own once-radiant master, and pointed his sword at Chen Jiayu.
"Who are you? How did you get in?"
"Jifeng, it's me. Make arrangements for me. I need to return to Chen."
Jifeng's face lit up with excitement, "Yes, your subordinate will arrange it immediately."
He walked out excitedly. His master had returned, his master was alive. This was truly the best news. Everyone would be less dejected upon hearing it.
He immediately arranged for hot water to be brought in. Chen Jiayu sank into the large bathtub. The hot water washed away the dirt, and he finally felt alive.
He scrubbed so hard he wished he could shed a layer of skin, washing himself five or six times. He couldn't be sure if it was psychological, but he felt a faint odor lingering.
Only after Jifeng repeatedly assured him that there was no smell did he feel somewhat at ease. He asked Jifeng to prepare a table of good wine and food, and ate his fill.
Later that evening, a doctor was called to examine his face. The doctor was also at a loss, but assured them that it was not life-threatening, which finally relieved their worried hearts.
"It's all my fault for being useless. Master has suffered these past few days."
"It's not your fault. I underestimated that old fox Zhao Junqian."
He touched his rotting cheek, his eyes filled with malice.
"A true gentleman never forgets a grudge. Zhao Junqian, you wait. How are the preparations for my return home coming along?"
"Your subordinate has made all the necessary arrangements. We can depart at any time. When the time comes, Master wearing a human skin mask will be unrecognizable."
"I also want to take someone with me. You also arrange a suitable identity for her."
"Who does Master wish to take?"
"Zhao Jingwan. This woman is very interesting. I feel she will be of great help to my ambition, but it will take some effort to bring her out."
"It is Jifeng's honor to serve Master. Please, Master, command me. I will go through fire and water for you, without hesitation."
"I have a plan. You will personally lead people to carry it out. Success is the only option, failure is not permitted."
"Yes."