Yun Chu Ling

Chapter 429: Slipping Out of the Palace Again

After the morning court session ended.

Yun Chu gathered a group of trusted aides for discussions in Kunning Palace.

Chu Hongyu obediently attended lessons in the Imperial Study, which concluded after half a shichen.

Ouyang Ye always taught this way—he only instructed for half a shichen, leaving more time for students to contemplate and comprehend on their own.

"All of you, come here." Chu Hongyu crooked his finger. "How about sneaking out of the palace?"

Hearing this, a group of half-grown children all grew excited.

Last time, they had followed the young Emperor out of the palace every day to play at the Minister of Works' residence. They had expected punishment when the adults found out, but to their surprise, each of them was praised instead. The things they had researched with the Emperor were actually deployed on the Eastern Tomb Kingdom's battlefield and proved highly effective.

They were eager to undertake another grand endeavor.

"Your Majesty, where are we sneaking off to?"

"What are we doing this time? Tell us quickly, Your Majesty!"

"I'll go inform my father first, so the Imperial Guards won't stop us from leaving the palace."

The children huddled together, whispering incessantly.

Before long, nine young eunuchs appeared in the palace, pushing vegetable carts as they exited through a side gate.

Once outside, the group climbed into a pre-arranged carriage and changed into coarse cloth garments. Were it not for their pale complexions, they would have looked like ordinary commoners.

Chu Hongyu rubbed his hand on the ground and smeared dirt on his face.

The other eight study companions immediately followed his example.

When the group reached the city gate, they found it tightly shut.

Lin Dongdong patted his chest confidently. "I know the guard on duty—he's also from our Lin family. I'll have him..."

Chu Hongyu shook his head. "We're traveling in secret. The fewer people who know, the better. Follow me—I know a place where we can exit the city."

The nine arrived at the western part of the city, generally inhabited by relatively impoverished commoners. The area appeared somewhat chaotic, with many commoners gathered in the streets discussing anxiously.

"When will the city gate open?"

"We commoners just want a taste of Sweet Dew. Why is the court doing this?"

"If only the Heavenly Maiden could fly—she'd soar into the city and bestow Sweet Dew upon us."

"..."

Lin Dongdong whispered to Chu Hongyu, "Does Your Majesty also want to drink Sweet Dew?"

Chu Hongyu shook his head.

He knew exactly what Sweet Dew was. His specific purpose in leaving the palace was to test the antidote's efficacy, ensuring complete success.

He led the group to the city wall perimeter, where lush plants grew thickly. Parting the wild grass, he pressed inward until he discovered a low dog hole.

"Heavens, there's actually a small opening here!"

"How did Your Majesty know about this exit?"

Chu Hongyu coughed lightly. "I stumbled upon it by accident."

In truth, back when his father was still a prince, he had secretly dug this dog hole for sneaking out of the capital to play. He had blocked it from inside with several bricks, making it undetectable. Even if discovered, the hole was too small for adults to crawl through.

He instructed, "Lin Dongdong, remove the bricks."

Lin Dongdong immediately crouched down, sticking his bottom out as he pulled the bricks out one by one from inside.

Then he crawled through first, with the others quickly following.

The last study companion, serving as rear guard, similarly stuck his bottom out as he replaced the bricks and concealed the spot with weeds, leaving no trace of abnormality.After crawling out, they found themselves in the western outskirts of the capital, densely wooded and disorienting for the children. Having been here before, Chu Hongyu led his retinue of study companions along the familiar path toward the main city gate.

The children walked too slowly, but fortunately Chen San knew his family owned an estate nearby. They borrowed a carriage and arrived at Cheng Wang's encampment in less than half an hour.

A vast expanse of tents stretched before them, swarming with people. Adults stood listlessly, seemingly aimless, while children clustered in small groups playing with mud.

Chu Hongyu rested his chin on his hand and declared, "You lot, find a way to lure those children over."

Lin Dongdong widened his eyes. "What does Your Majesty intend to do?"

"I brought all these snacks to share with them, of course." Chu Hongyu smiled. "These are all my subjects—I should treat them well."

Among the eight study companions, two older boys had been carrying bundles filled with various pastries. These were prepared overnight by the imperial kitchen under Chu Hongyu's orders. While the chefs worked, he had secretly mixed medicinal powder into the flour. Now was the moment to test its effects.

Soon, the study companions returned with over twenty children in tow.

These children had traveled far from Ningzhou, their clothes long reduced to tatters. Their parents had brought dried rations, but those were exhausted long ago. Aside from a daily bowl of Sweet Dew, no provisions were distributed from above. For days, they had survived by digging for wild vegetables, growing faint with hunger...

When Chu Hongyu produced a bundle of pastries, the children's eyes lit up, swallowing hard with uncontrollable anticipation.

"Come closer," Chu Hongyu beckoned cheerfully. "I'll ask you a few questions. Answer truthfully, and you'll get these treats."

The children nodded eagerly like pounding garlic.

"Why did you follow everyone to the capital?"

"Don't know."

"What do your parents and all these people do every day?"

"Don't know."

"Has Cheng Wang told you what to do next?"

"Don't know."

Chu Hongyu: "..."

No matter what he asked, the children knew nothing.

Chen San whispered, "They're just ignorant commoners, bewitched by the Heavenly Maiden into following."

His father often lamented at home about these unyielding civilians—impossible to drive away or punish—now the court's most pressing issue.

Unable to extract useful information, Chu Hongyu had the pastries distributed. Each child received five or six pieces, some tucking them carefully into their clothing, reluctant to eat them immediately.

After consuming the treats, the children's expressions shifted noticeably. Their previously dull, bewildered eyes gradually cleared as they glanced around, seemingly puzzled about why they had come here.

"Next, I need your cooperation with something," Chu Hongyu said, clasping his hands behind his back as he addressed the group. "Spread a message secretly among the crowd: starting tomorrow, someone will be distributing congee in the western part of the city."

At the mention of congee, the children licked their lips—they hadn't tasted rice in far too long.

With this task completed, Chu Hongyu prepared to return to the palace. He needed to swiftly arrange the congee distribution. As long as everyone received a bowl, the poison would be neutralized, and Cheng Wang would lose his hold over these commoners.Just as he was about to enter the city, he heard a voice behind him: "Isn't that the Empe... mmm!"

He turned around and saw Xie Xian being muffled by Jiang Yiniang, with Jiang Yiniang's adopted son Xu Ti standing nearby.

When Jiang Yiniang saw Chu Hongyu dressed in commoner's clothing, she realized the young Emperor was traveling incognito and naturally couldn't reveal his identity.

With some urgency in her expression, she said: "Could we speak privately for a moment?"

Chu Hongyu nodded and told his attendant: "Wait for me over there."