Chapter 376 – The Earthquake in Dongqing (Part 8)
Jiang Pengji scoffed coldly, “I won’t leave, even if that Emperor really relocates his capital.”
Huang Song wore a complex expression; the Jiang Pengji before him was completely different from the one he knew. She tore off her usual lazy and aloof facade, revealing her most aggressive side, which was refreshing to witness. This version of Jiang Pengji was even more admirable to him, yet her choice also left him feeling regretful.
Huang Song advised her softly, genuinely considering her best interests, “Whether you want to leave or not, it’s probably not your decision to make. When the Emperor is enraged, blood will flow like rivers, and that’s not a joke… If you don’t leave now, you might really end up under house arrest later.”
The Emperor was doing everything he could, taking indirect routes to keep the noble families captive. Now that an earthquake had struck the capital, the situation was unfavorable for him, and he wouldn’t easily let go of his hostages. If the noble families acted rashly, sacrifices would likely be needed to set an example.
The earthquake had just happened; the Emperor was busy dealing with the chaos. If Jiang Pengji packed her things and fled overnight, as long as she entered the Chongzhou territory, she would basically be safe. Even if the Emperor pursued her later, the Governor Liu Zhi would be able to shield her.
The situation in Dongqing was already dire, and with the sudden earthquake, if the Emperor wanted to secure his dynasty, he couldn’t take reckless actions right now.
However, if Jiang Pengji didn’t leave now, when the capital was relocated, she would truly become a hostage and lose her freedom.
“Don’t worry, I have a plan.” Jiang Pengji scanned the surroundings, where smoke and dust filled the air, and ruins lay everywhere. The atmosphere was suffocating to her, “I understand the concerns you have. Since I’ve dared to stay, how could I not have some dependability?”
If the Emperor truly wanted to relocate, she wouldn’t hesitate to take all the remaining citizens of the capital with her.
She had originally wanted to slow down her pace, conspire in secret, and take her time.
But the stupidity of her opponents pushed her to her limits.
The only problem she faced now was rather awkward—money and grain were secondary; the key issue was a lack of manpower.
If Huang Song hadn’t arrived, she would have considered privately asking him for assistance—whether he could spare some manpower to help… Although he’s just a lower official in the capital’s patrol, he had many people under his command, but looking at it now, it was probably impossible.
It’s not that Huang Song wasn’t kind; he was just doing his duty, forced to allocate limited resources and energy to help the high nobility, carrying out tasks assigned from above. Since eunuchs sought to stand out in the court, it was even harder for them than for the average person.
He had compassion for the common people, but the circumstances were so harsh that he felt powerless.
If only he had troops on hand, she wouldn’t be so short on people.
Seeing Jiang Pengji so determined, Huang Song sighed inwardly, knowing he couldn’t persuade her.
“You came to find Huaiyu and Huaijing, right? They’re inside…”
Jiang Pengji had already guessed the reason for Huang Song’s visit—secretly notifying them to escape the capital as soon as possible and return to their family, where they would be completely safe. However, while Huang Song had good intentions, the two Feng brothers were not ordinary; each had their own opinions.
Huang Song looked embarrassed, noticing Jiang Pengji’s displeasure. He could only bow his head in apology and move past her to find the Feng brothers.
After Huang Song left, Xu Ke said, “Young Master, I’ll go back and make arrangements.”
“Mm, Big White, you ride first. It’s clever; if you encounter mobs on the road, it can help you avoid danger safely.”
Xu Ke took the reins of Big White and mounted with practiced ease, “Thank you!”
This little girl had quite the attitude; if it hadn’t been for wanting to find Jiang Pengji, Big White wouldn’t have allowed Xu Ke to ride on its back at all.
Now that Jiang Pengji had given him permission face-to-face, Xu Ke was no longer shunned by Big White.
Jiang Pengji lingered for a moment before seeing Huang Song return expressionlessly. The two nodded at each other as they passed by, before resuming their own tasks. As a member of the capital’s patrol, Huang Song had the duty to rescue the trapped nobility and ensure their safety.
Jiang Pengji set up her tent quite sturdily; it could accommodate three adults without feeling cramped.
After having some nutritious soup, Wei Jingxian was already asleep inside the tent, and newborn Changsheng had just finished his first milk and was soundly asleep.
Feng Jin couldn’t help but feel heartbroken.
To ensure this child was well cared for, he had traveled around and selected three wet nurses, all physically healthy and with ample milk, well-mannered, and properly educated.
However, after the earthquake last night, one had died, and the other two were injured and could not breastfeed.
But they couldn’t allow the child to starve just because there were no wet nurses, could they?
Seeing their daughter wailing, Wei Jingxian could only timidly suggest, asking for permission to nurse the baby herself.
The little one had just been born, and when crying, it would tremble slightly, weak as a newborn kitten. Just hearing it made her heart ache.
Feng Jin’s face darkened.
Not because of Wei Jingxian’s suggestion, but out of genuine concern for the child and his wife.
In high noble families, which mother would be reduced to being a wet nurse?
Wei Jingxian wasn’t just a regular noblewoman; she was the proper wife of the Feng family!
Having a noblewoman act as a wet nurse and breastfeed the baby herself was such a huge indignity!
However, Jiang Pengji mentioned that breastfeeding was better for the child and made it easier to raise, which somewhat eased his expression.
Yet, his mood didn’t last long before Huang Song arrived.
The news he brought made his heart sink, the scenery around him seemed dark and threatening, nearly making him choke on his breath.
Ordinary people couldn’t see the underlying issues, but how could Feng Jin miss the hidden agenda?
The Emperor intended to abandon the capital and relocate elsewhere!
Huang Song didn’t wait for Feng Jin’s reply; time was of the essence, delaying even a moment was unacceptable. He wished he could divide himself into thousands of pieces… to find a moment to send a warning, clearly showing how much he regarded Feng Jue as a close friend.
“Lan Ting? Why are you back?”
Hearing a noise, Feng Jin looked up to see Jiang Pengji, who had said her goodbyes earlier, returning.
“On the road, I ran into Bo Gao… the Emperor is likely planning to abandon the capital and relocate…”
Feng Jin forced a tight smile; Jiang Pengji’s thoughts were in line with his.
Now he had two paths ahead of him.
First, do nothing and wait for the Emperor’s men to come collect him and continue being a hostage of the Feng family. But Feng Jin was no ordinary person; how could he not see how perilous this route was? It was not just imprisonment; it was worse than imprisonment. Once he reached the new capital, he might truly become a prisoner.
Second, seize the opportunity to pack up their belongings and escape with his wife and child.
If Jingxian hadn’t given birth yet or if she were still early in her pregnancy, he could have tried to take the second option.
However, fate was unkind. Now that the child had just been born, she couldn’t withstand the rigors of travel, much less face the unknown dangers ahead—perhaps bandits forced to rob due to hunger or an angry mob… No matter which, he couldn’t afford to gamble.
Comparing the two options, the first was actually safer.
Feng Jin was a true kind-hearted gentleman; for the sake of his wife and daughter, he was willing to sacrifice his temporary freedom to protect his family.
Yet, Jiang Pengji provided him with a third option.
