newbobooks Chapter 332 The seed has been planted, awaiting its sprouting.
Chapter 332 The seed has been planted, awaiting its sprouting.
Chu Ruohan stroked the baby in her womb and gently comforted her, "Don't be afraid, I won't let anyone hurt you."
In the darkness, she tried to remain calm and analyze her current situation.
Gu Chengyan impersonated Prince Su, murdered Consort Jing, framed her, and imprisoned her in the imperial prison.
At this moment, Gu Junze was surrounded by the Imperial Guards in the General's Mansion.
The situation was more critical than she had imagined.
She raised her head and, by the dim candlelight, surveyed the gloomy cell.
The damp stone walls, the rusty iron chains, and the seemingly impregnable prison door.
"Don't think this can trap me," she muttered to herself, a plan already taking shape in her mind.
Just then, footsteps sounded again outside the cell door, but much lighter than before.
Chu Ruohan looked up alertly and saw a thin eunuch cautiously appearing outside the fence.
“Madam Gu,” he lowered his voice, glancing nervously left and right, “open the cell door, and I’ll take you away.”
Chu Ruohan did not get up immediately, but instead cautiously examined the stranger: "Who are you?"
"I am Li Wang, a junior eunuch from the Imperial Household Department. I used to serve in the Cining Palace..."
"General Gu sent me to rescue you."
He pulled a key from his pocket and, with trembling hands, opened the cell door.
Chu Ruohan remained vigilant: "Where is General Gu?"
Li Wang avoided her gaze: "The general is trapped in the mansion, but he has already sent me to deliver a message—that you should go to Shuiyue Nunnery for temporary refuge, where someone will meet you."
Chu Ruohan remained unmoved: "How can you prove your credibility?"
The young eunuch was sweating profusely and took out a jade pendant from his pocket: "This is the general's token; you should recognize it."
Chu Ruohan accepted the jade pendant, which was a relic of Princess Anyang.
Gu Junze wouldn't just hand it over to anyone; it seems what he said was true.
"Let's go, Madam! The changing of the guard is approaching, we must hurry!"
Chu Ruohan followed Li Wang and quickly passed through the dark and damp tunnel.
"The exit is just ahead."
Li Wang pointed to a faint light ahead, "There will be a carriage waiting for you after you go out. It will take you directly to Shuiyue Nunnery."
Chu Ruohan calmly surveyed her surroundings, a lingering doubt in her heart.
They passed through the narrow exit, and sure enough, a simple carriage was parked in the night.
"Madam!" Yu Ling almost cried out in surprise when she saw Chu Ruohan, and quickly lowered her voice, "Get in the car quickly..."
Chu Ruohan then completely lowered her guard and quickly boarded the carriage.
Li Wang did not follow, but instead bowed and quickly disappeared into the night.
"How did you get here?" Chu Ruohan asked anxiously, her eyes full of questions.
Song Ruyan handed her a large cloak: "The general anticipated that you might be framed and had already prepared a backup plan."
"Is Junze alright?" Chu Ruohan asked anxiously, quickly putting on her cloak.
Yu Ling shook her head: "It's a long story. The general was trapped in the mansion, but that was just a facade. He secretly sent out shadow guards to control several key routes."
The carriage slowly started moving and drove into the night of the capital.
“Prince Su acted too quickly. No sooner had Consort Jing died than the imperial prison sent people to arrest you. The general had anticipated this and arranged for Li Wang to meet you in the palace in advance.”
"Doctor Qian has prepared everything at Shuiyue Nunnery, and Yingqing is also secretly escorting us."
Song Ruyan added while cautiously observing the view outside the window.
A knowing glint flashed in Chu Ruohan's eyes: "So, Gu Junze deliberately had the Imperial Guards surround the General's Mansion?"
Yu Ling nodded: "Yes, that's exactly what we want to do, so that Prince Su will think that the general is trapped and has no time to worry about your safety."
Chu Ruohan gently stroked her abdomen, a warm feeling welling up in her heart.
Even in such a dangerous situation, Gu Junze made such meticulous arrangements, putting her safety first.
“But,” Yu Ling said worriedly, “Prince Su is trying to kill you this time.”
"People in the manor say that rumors are circulating in the court that you plotted to murder Consort Jing..."
Chu Ruohan sneered: "Gu Chengyan is meticulous, but he doesn't know that we were prepared."
The carriage sped through the night, avoiding the city's main streets.
“There are many spies outside the Prince Su’s residence; we must proceed with caution.”
Song Ruyan lowered her voice, her short sword already half-drawn, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.
Chu Ruohan nodded, but her thoughts drifted to Gu Junze in the distance.
What should he be doing right now? Is he also worried about her?
A sharp arrow pierced the air and struck the carriage with a "whoosh".
"Giddy up!" the coachman shouted angrily, and the carriage sped away like an arrow.
Inside the car, Chu Ruohan crouched down, clutching her abdomen, listening to the sounds of battle approaching from outside.
"Chase her! We can't let her escape!"
The carriage swayed and bumped along the rugged road.
Chu Ruohan gripped the handle tightly, trying to steady herself.
Suddenly, a violent tremor, accompanied by the sound of wheels breaking, caused the carriage to overturn violently.
Chu Ruohan was thrown out of the carriage and landed hard on the ground.
A sharp pain shot through her abdomen, and she curled up in agony.
"Madam!" Yu Ling crawled out from under the car and helped Chu Ruohan up in a panic. "How are you? Are you alright?"
Chu Ruohan gritted her teeth, enduring the excruciating pain: "It's alright...keep going..."
"It's too late." Song Ruyan looked at the light of the torches in the distance, which were rapidly approaching.
Chu Ruohan managed to stand up; the pain in her abdomen had lessened somewhat.
Is there another way?
Song Ruyan pointed to a grove of trees by the roadside: "There's a path over there that leads to the outskirts, but it's difficult to walk..."
Chu Ruohan nodded, and Song Ruyan immediately said, "You guys go first, I'll cover the rear."
"Go together."
Song Ruyan had already climbed onto a tree ahead. "You guys go first, I'll catch up soon..."
Inside the general's mansion, the lights were on.
Gu Junze stood in the central courtyard, his face grim as he looked at the Imperial Guards outside the mansion gate.
Yingyi stood behind him and reported in a low voice: "The General's Mansion is surrounded by at least three hundred Imperial Guards."
Gu Junze's eyes flashed like knives: "Are the shadow guards all ready?"
"They are all waiting in the shadows, ready to act at any time."
Gu Junze hesitated for a moment: "Wait a little longer."
Yingyi said urgently, "General, the lady is still in prison, we..."
"I have already sent people to rescue her."
Gu Junze interrupted, turning and walking towards the inner room, "Wait for news."
Outside the mansion gate, the commander of the Imperial Guards shouted loudly, "Gu Junze! By imperial decree, hand over evidence of treason, or your property will be confiscated and you will be punished!"
Gu Junze sneered and ignored him.
Inside the room, a map of the capital city was spread out on the table. Gu Junze pointed to a location.
"Have the Third Prince's men already laid an ambush here?"
A scholar-like man nodded: "Reporting to the general, everything is ready, awaiting only your signal."
"Alright, tell the Third Prince it will happen tonight."
A cold glint flashed in Gu Junze's eyes. "Once Han'er has safely left the capital, we will begin our operation."