Chapter 104: Riding the Wave!
Chapter 104: Riding the Wave!
Poor Fang Tinglan stared wide-eyed, watching her first kiss just vanish like that…
“You should open your mouth too!”
Yang Xin lifted his head and said with a serious face.
Fang Tinglan let out a flustered, indignant cry and pinched his waist hard, but all it earned her was the guy’s smug laughter.
“Bring the bow and arrow!”
Her cousin roared from below.
The next moment, Yang Xin, holding her with one arm, leaped up again amid this roar. His other hand grabbed a tree branch he had already chosen in mid-air, and then he swung forward like Tarzan, the two of them flying forward instantly. They swept past the household servants surrounding them and landed on the ground as the latter turned around in chaos.
Upon landing, Yang Xin sprinted forward at full speed.
Almost simultaneously, several household servants poured out from the moon gate ahead. Before they could react, Yang Xin crashed right into them, bowling them over amidst chaotic cries of pain. He barged into the moon gate like a charging wild bull and sped outward at full pace through the maze-like Fang Residence. Fang Tinglan in his arms had completely lost the ability for independent thought and was still instinctively pointing the way for him.
He was too fast.
The Fang family servants’ ability to raise an alarm was far slower than his speed.
Although there were countless household servants in the mansion, the vast majority had no idea what was happening, let alone reacted.
The end result was that, amid the chaos and uproar throughout the Fang estate, he charged unimpeded through one gate after another, dashed across courtyard after courtyard. Under the stunned gazes of servants and maids along the way, he charged all the way to the main gate. The old gatekeeper reacted quickly and tried to block him, but Yang Xin kicked him aside. Then he yanked open the main gate and rushed out. His horse was still outside, and there were few people around in the evening. Holding Fang Tinglan, he mounted the horse directly and vanished in a flash along the vast white street, amidst the shouts of the Fang family servants pouring out from behind.
It was only then that Fang Congzhe and his son came panting in pursuit.
“Father, what, what should we do?”
Fang Shihong asked his father apprehensively.
“What should we do? All you know is ‘what should we do’! Useless! Seal off the news. Anyone who dares to spread it gets beaten to death with clubs. Go see your aunt immediately and have her wait at the Yang residence. That damned bastard ran really fast, damn it. Ouch, my back!”
Fang Congzhe supported his old back and groaned.
With Grand Secretary Fang’s wisdom, he certainly knew this matter had to be covered up. Wanli would absolutely not have Yang Xin beheaded, at least not before the Liaodong war situation was resolved. So even if he caught Yang Xin, the result would only be watching Wanli give this guy some trivial punishment. And by then, Fang Tinglan’s reputation would be ruined, and the Fang family’s reputation would be even worse — their niece snatched from their home! Moreover, what would the two do after the snatching? A returned Fang Tinglan could no longer marry into any other powerful noble family. Apart from marrying Yang Xin, there was no other choice.
In short, this matter had to be kept secret.
Of course, how they handled it afterward was none of Yang Xin’s business!
He continued to gallop at full speed.
The setting sun bathed the snow-covered city, the white expanse reflecting the last glow of sunset. The snow-covered streets were deserted. They seemed to travel through a magnificent fairy-tale world. Fang Tinglan, shielded from the cold wind, held Yang Xin tightly. After over a decade of being a proper young lady, the only thrilling word in her mind now was ‘elopement.’
“Where are we going?”
Fang Tinglan looked up and asked.
“Taking you to a good place!”
Yang Xin said.
The latter obediently buried her head in his embrace again, bumping along on horseback. When Yang Xin suddenly stopped and she looked up again, she found they had reached Zhengyang Gate. Above them, the highest structure in the entire Capital City, the Zhengyang Gate tower, pierced the sky. Covered in snow, it was dyed red by the sunset…
“You, what do you want to do?”
Fang Tinglan, off the horse, gazed up at the towering gate tower and said.
Then Yang Xin picked her up again.
“Come, let’s go see the snowy view of the Capital City!”
Yang Xin said.
“That’s illegal!”
Fang Tinglan shot him a glare.
“It doesn’t count if no one catches you!”
Yang Xin said.
Holding Fang Tinglan, he immediately ascended the city wall.
There were guards here, of course.
The gates of the Inner City were guarded by eunuchs leading Imperial Bodyguard Battalions, but after a heavy snowfall, it was freezing cold — who was interested in coming out? Moreover, the sun had already set, and the entire Zhengyang Gate was shrouded in dusk. The Zhengyang Gate tower only appeared red because it was over forty meters high. Yang Xin, moving extremely fast, slipped into the gate tower in an instant. Inside was still empty, not a soul in sight. By now, Fang Tinglan was completely overwhelmed by the thrill of doing something wrong, letting him carry her on his back as he swiftly climbed inside the magnificent gate tower, reaching the top in no time.
As Yang Xin broke open the wooden wall on the side of the roof, they finally caught up with the last remnants of the sunset.
“Stand steady!”
Yang Xin steadied Fang Tinglan on the main beam of the top floor.
The latter looked excitedly at the vanishing magnificent red streak in the sky.
Suddenly, Yang Xin embraced her from behind. She instinctively turned her head…
“This time, open your mouth!”
Yang Xin said with a serious face.
Then he immediately lowered his head…
Half an hour later, the two criminals quietly slipped down from the city wall.
As for where they went next…
Of course, to get a room! Where else could they go? It’s not like they could find a place to have tea, right?
The next day, outside Chaoyang Gate.
“Eunuch Liu, should we still wait?”
Xu Xianchun leaned down and asked Liu Shimin inside the carriage.
“Of course we wait. Such good drama is my favorite. Speaking of which, our friend Brother Yang really is a fascinating fellow!”
Liu Shimin said with a smile.
Not far from them, a carriage stood still. The curtain was drawn, blocking the view inside, but Fang Shihong stood with a group of fully armed household servants guarding either side of the carriage, all glaring fiercely in this direction. Besides them, there were several sturdy female servants. Fang Tinglan’s little maid, He Xiang, was also there, looking around with an anxious face.
On the other side were Huang Ying and her father.
Yesterday afternoon, Huang Zhen had arrived at the Capital City with Li Rubai, of course, along with Yang Xin’s two red apples. However, Yang Xin was at the Imperial Palace at the time, and even Wei Zhongxian was there now. They formed the group facing off against the Fang family members. The two groups were on either side of the main road. In the middle of the road stood the waiting Imperial Guard. Everyone was waiting for the same target, though their respective purposes differed.
Now this was truly good drama.
The Fang family matter, of course, could not be kept secret.
Fang Congzhe had many political enemies at court. Who knew how many spies from various factions were hidden within the Fang Residence?
This was the current Chief Grand Secretary. Leaked from his home were all the secret intelligence of this vast empire, decisions that determined the fates of military and civil officials across the land.
Not just political enemies or other important regional officials, even merchants among the common folk would plant spies in the Fang family or bribe Fang family servants. Why were the unofficial gazettes so pervasive? Precisely because the homes of these high officials and nobles were already riddled with infiltration. By the time of the Great Qing, this situation became even more severe. Many decisions weren’t even known to those officials before well-informed merchants among the common folk already knew. The more powerful and prestigious the household, the more severe this infiltration.
The Fang Congzhe household was the same.
In fact, news of Yang Xin’s forceful abduction of Fang Tinglan from the Fang family — or simply their elopement — had already quietly spread within the city this morning. If before it was just a doubtful rumor, the scene before them now completely confirmed it. Especially since the old lady of the Fang family had personally visited the Yang residence last night. It was said the daughters-in-law she brought had even quarreled with Yang Xin’s cousin. Putting all this together, it proved one fact beyond doubt…
Yang Xin had eloped with Fang Tinglan.
The Fang family was here to wait and catch him, to prosecute him for the crime of forcibly seizing a woman.
“He’s coming!”
Xu Xianchun suddenly pointed east and said.
Everyone’s gaze instantly turned in that direction.
Then they saw, on the vast white snowy plain, a black horse trotting through the snow. On horseback, Yang Xin looked perfectly at ease, with no sense of being caught, instead wearing an expression of complete satisfaction. Behind him was a brilliant morning glow. In front of him was Fang Tinglan. The Fang family’s famously proper young lady was leaning gently in his embrace, like a little bride languid after her wedding night…
“Seize that damned scoundrel!”
Fang Shihong roared.
“Master Fang, what crime has Brother Yang committed?”
Eunuch Liu asked with a smile.
Fang Shihong was about to speak when the curtain of the carriage beside him was lifted. The old lady Fang whispered something. Fang Shihong quickly stopped his household servants. At the same time, little sister He Xiang went forward to meet them.
Yang Xin acted as if he didn’t see the scene before him. Holding Fang Tinglan, he walked to the roadside and then helped her down from the horse. Little sister He Xiang immediately went over to support her. Fang Tinglan lowered her head and said something to him softly. Yang Xin nodded. Then Fang Tinglan, supported by little sister He Xiang, walked toward her mother’s carriage. From beginning to end, she never looked up or paid attention to anyone else, though her steps were somewhat unsteady.
The old lady Fang looked at her daughter with a dark expression.
Especially her walking posture.
The old lady’s face grew even darker. Then she looked up and shot a murderous glance at Yang Xin. After her daughter entered the carriage, she immediately dropped the curtain.
Then the carriage drove straight away.
Fang Shihong pointed his sword at Yang Xin, but he didn’t dare do anything more. He led his household servants away quickly after the carriage. Yang Xin smiled, utterly unconcerned, and then walked directly up to Xu Xianchun under their strange gazes.
“We didn’t do anything!”
He stated frankly.
His expression was as innocent as a child saying he didn’t steal candy.
“Really didn’t do anything?”
Xu Xianchun and the other asked in unison, their tone skeptical.
“Really. Although we did get a room, the whole night she slept on the bed and I slept on the floor — not a hair out of place. We didn’t even take off our clothes. We are proper people, how could we do such a thing? Moreover, she is still in mourning. We must respect the spirit of the late Master Fang in heaven!”
Yang Xin declared righteously.
“Brother Yang truly is a gentleman who can stay virtuous in temptation!”
Xu Xianchun said with a laugh, sighing in admiration.
“One sleeping on the bed, one on the floor — truly comparable to the ancient Liu Xiahui!”
Eunuch Liu said with the same smile.