Chapter 6: The Night Streets of Luoyang
Hurrying along with the donkey cart, Liu Bian took a few more steps forward, then turned his head to look back. He saw that the group of guards had turned off the street, their figures disappearing into another alley. Only then did he quickly turn around and run towards the place where Tang Ji was hiding
Why are you stopping here?" Approaching Liu Bian, the patrolling officer covered his nose with one hand, frowned, and scrutinized him from head to toe, saying irritably: "Leave quickly, do not linger on the street.
Seeing that Tang Ji was unable to stand up, Liu Bian bent down, extended one hand, grasped Tang Ji's arm, and pulled her upward. After lifting her a little, he swiftly inserted his other hand under her armpit, supporting her with both hands, and helped her to her feet
The street was very quiet, with only the sound of wheels grinding against the ground and the whistling of the wind as it swept past the two people.
"I am unclean, and I do not wish to dirty Your Majesty's hands." Tang Ji pursed her lips and shook her head vigorously. The fear she once felt in the palace had faded considerably. With a resolute expression, she said to Liu Bian, "Your Majesty could have left me behind and departed alone, yet you willingly chose to take the risk of bringing me along. With such loyalty from Your Majesty, I would gladly die a hundred or a thousand times! To leave with Your Majesty, even if it means wandering the world from now on, is a blessing for me."
Sitting limply on the ground, Tang Ji seemed to have not heard anything Liu Bian said, merely trembling all over.
As the capital of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Luoyang served as the political and cultural center of the nation, as well as a bustling commercial metropolis. On ordinary days, merchants from various regions continuously frequented the city, which was filled with numerous shops, showcasing a scene of prosperity. The entire marketplace of Luoyang was divided into the East and West Markets, along with several other districts, all organized in a well-structured manner
"Regarding the military vehicle, the wheel was somewhat loose just now." Liu Bian bent his body and said to the officer with a face full of anxiety, "I have already repaired it, and I will leave now"
Unlike the guards patrolling within the palace, this squad of patrollers does not have long red feathers inserted into their helmets, and the armor they wear is not as bright as that of the palace guards
With one hand supporting Tang Ji's waist and holding her close to help her steady herself on the carriage board, Liu Bian used his other hand to lift the lid of the night fragrance barrel where she had previously hidden, turning his face to nod at her.
Regarding the foul odor emanating from the barrel, Tang Ji still felt a lingering fear. When the lid was opened, she turned her head to glance at Liu Bian. Seeing the grave expression on Liu Bian's face, she seemed to muster a great deal of determination, gritting her teeth. With Liu Bian's assistance, she crawled toward the barrel.
Hiding in the tub of night fragrance, Tang Ji was nearly suffocated by the smoke. Upon hearing Liu Bian call her, she lowered the sleeve that was covering her nose, braced herself against the bottom of the tub, and struggled to stand up.
The wooden wheels rolled over the cobblestone pavement, producing a series of "clop clop" sounds. In the quiet long street, accompanied by the "whoosh" of the flags at the entrances of the shops on both sides fluttering in the wind, the sound of the wheels grinding against the road echoed far away
The Luoyang city before him was completely different from the Luoyang city Liu Bian had visited in his previous life. Walking on the streets, he could not find a trace of familiarity. He let Tang Ji walk slightly away from the night fragrance carriage, with one hand around her waist, supporting her body that was already somewhat unsteady on her legs as she walked. Relying on the scant information obtained from the coachman, he headed along the street towards Yongmen.
With both hands gripping the cart shaft and arms pushing down, Liu Bian leaped onto the donkey cart. One foot landed on the cart board between the two night fragrance barrels, while the other foot pressed against the cart shaft. Once he steadied himself, he bent down and extended a hand towards Tang Ji
If he were to hold Tang Ji in his arms like a couple, Liu Bian would undoubtedly feel a sense of guilt for being lewd towards a minor. After all, having been influenced by over two thousand years of ethical thought, he finds it difficult to accept the reality of the Eastern Han period, where girls were married off at a young age.
Seeing his actions, the officer quickly pinched his nose with one hand and waved the hand holding the badge at him, saying irritably: "You really are something. Although old Zhang is aged, he is usually quite clever. How could he have such a foolish grandson like you? I was merely asking casually, yet you took it seriously. You should hurry up and leave; do not linger here and leave a mess."
They have already left! Crouching down, Liu Bian gently spoke to Tang Ji, placing his hands on her shoulders: "There are patrols within the city as well. Wearing this eunuch's attire while walking on the streets is rather conspicuous. I apologize for the inconvenience, but please hide in the barrel for a while. Once we are out of the city, everything will be fine."
Standing beside the car, Tang Ji looked up at Liu Bian in the vehicle, hesitantly placing one small hand in his palm
Holding Tang Ji's hand, Liu Bian exerted a slight force on her arm and pulled her onto the donkey cart
With Liu Bian's assistance, Tang Ji stood up, facing the night wind and taking a breath of air that was not overly foul. She coughed violently a few times, her delicate face turning slightly red from the strain.
Hurry up! The officer waved his hand in annoyance, pinched his nose, and proceeded straight ahead with the patrol.
Upon leaving the palace, following the information obtained from the coachman, Liu Bian hurriedly drove the donkey cart along the official road within the city, heading straight towards the western market
Liu Bian lifted Tang Ji, with one arm around her waist and the other hand grasping her arm, wrapping it around his neck, supporting her as they walked towards the night fragrance carriage that was parked by the roadside
"I am not wronged." The Tang princess looked up at Liu Bian, shaking her head resolutely. Then she lowered her head, tears in her eyes, and softly said: "Your Majesty does not mind the filth, personally driving the carriage to help me escape from the deep palace. How could I dare to despise the filth?"
As they walked, the officer occasionally turned his head to look left and right. When the patrol passed by the place where Tang Ji was hiding, Liu Bian, standing beside the donkey cart, felt as if his heart had risen to his throat. It was only after the group had walked past that he let out a sigh of relief
With Liu Bian's support, Tang Ji walked more than ten steps, and her emotions had calmed down somewhat. She pressed her lips tightly together and gently murmured a soft "mm" while lowering her head
Concealing Tang Ji, Liu Bian hurried back to the donkey cart, urged the cart forward for more than ten steps, and then squatted down beside the wheel, using both hands to shake it vigorously a few times.
Upon reaching the side of the vehicle, Liu Bian first released his hand to allow Tang Ji to stand properly. He then placed both hands on her shoulders and softly said to her: "I know you are very scared, but the more frightened you are right now, the easier it is for others to capture you. Please endure a little longer and stay in the barrel for a while; I will take you out very soon, do you understand?"
Liu Bian reached out and gently stroked her hair twice, then said nothing more. He extended both arms under her armpits and lifted her up.
Oh! The patrol team has moved a bit farther away. Liu Bian shouted twice in a loud voice, cracked the whip, and made a gesture as if to urge the donkey cart to continue moving forward
Perhaps feeling a bit dazed from the smoke, Tang Ji struggled a couple of times but was unable to stand up successfully. She lifted her head and looked at Liu Bian with a pair of pleading eyes filled with a sense of helplessness.
After turning down a street, he looked back and saw that the palace was completely obscured by a row of shops. Liu Bian stopped the donkey pulling the cart, climbed onto the cart by gripping the yoke with both hands, opened the lid of the wooden barrel where Tang Ji was hiding, and quietly said to the curled-up Tang Ji: "Come out and get some fresh air"
As one of the largest commercial trading venues in the city, the West Market is impressively grand in scale. The streets of the West Market crisscross in all directions, with shops and warehouses lined up in succession. Although it is now late at night and there are no pedestrians on the streets, the flags fluttering at the entrances of the shops on both sides of the road reveal how bustling and prosperous this place is during the day
Liu Bian let out a soft sigh, not withdrawing his hand that was gently stroking Tang Ji's hair. He simply said to her in a low voice: "We have not yet left Luoyang City, nor have we escaped from Dong Zhuo's clutches. Soon, you will have to endure hiding in the barrel."
If the military officer does not mind the filth, I shall open the lid of the barrel for your inspection! Although Tang Ji was hidden inside the barrel, Liu Bian still maintained a calm demeanor. As he responded, he walked to the side of the cart, grasped the yoke with both hands, and disregarding the overwhelming stench, reached out to lift the lid of the night fragrance barrel beside the yoke.
Upon reaching the place where Lady Tang was hiding, Liu Bian found her already collapsed on the ground, her whole body trembling uncontrollably
A series of "whoosh" sounds of footsteps echoed in Liu Bian's ears. He quickly pulled Tang Ji to the side of the road, allowing her to hide in the dark corner, and raised a finger to her, signaling her to be silent.
Riding in a donkey cart, Liu Bian did not travel very quickly. As he held onto Tang Ji and moved forward, he carefully listened to the sounds around him.
Looking at Tang Ji's somewhat pale face, which had been affected by the night fragrance, Liu Bian truly wanted to hold her, who was still slightly out of breath, in his arms. However, upon realizing that she was only twelve or thirteen years old, he found it difficult to proceed.
Squatting on the ground, with both hands supporting the wheel, Liu Bian shook it a few more times. He turned his head to glance at the approaching patrol team. Seeing that the group was getting closer, he stood up, turned his back to the donkey cart, and slightly bent his body, waiting for the patrol team to pass in front of him
Thank you, officer. After receiving the badge from the officer, Liu Bian first secured the badge around his waist. He then gently flicked the whip, producing a sharp "crack" sound, as he urged the three donkeys pulling the cart. With the entire line of palace guards watching, he walked out of the palace at a leisurely pace
As he shook the wheel, the synchronized sound of footsteps grew closer. A patrol of more than ten soldiers appeared on the street shrouded in darkness, walking towards him.
"Let's go for a walk!" Liu Bian reached out and pulled Tang Ji out of the night fragrance barrel, jumping down from the donkey cart together. Once they stood firm on the ground, he gently stroked her little head and said, "You have really endured a lot. In order for me to survive, I have made you suffer so many grievances as well."
Upon hearing these words, Liu Bian felt a sudden sense of relief in his heart, yet there was no sign of this on his face. He merely bent slightly at the waist, adopting a demeanor of utmost respect and fear, and expressed his gratitude to the officer and the guards at the palace gate, saying: "Thank you, military gentlemen. I shall take the cart out at once to avoid disturbing you all."