AUBTN -Chapter 387 The Last Way Out

Her voice was a little hoarse, and she hesitated as though she wanted to say something but couldn’t bring herself to.

“Of course! What else would I do?”

With reddened eyes, Yu Qing wrapped her arms around Su He’wan.

“You and Shen Fox are both leaving. Are you seriously going to leave me all alone in the capital, waiting for that old bastard Wen Xianzhong to capture me and have my head chopped off?” Yu Qing looked as though she was daring Su He’wan to even think about abandoning her.

“But, Qingqing…” Su He’wan was touched, but she was also deeply worried.

“Oh, stop with the ‘but’!” Yu Qing waved her hand dismissively.

Lu Yan also chimed in. “Qingqing is right. If we stay behind, we’ll be the first ones suspected. Rather than sit around waiting to die, we might as well leave together!”

“We’re all grasshoppers tied to the same rope now. None of us is getting away!”

Suddenly, Yu Qing slapped her thigh, her eyes lighting up as her imagination ran wild.

“Oh my god! Going on the run? Isn’t this basically a real-life version of My Fair Princess’s great escape?!”

Other than Su He’wan, who knew exactly what she was talking about, Lu Yan and Zhao Zhou were both completely baffled.

Su He’wan finally broke into laughter through her tears. “Only you could think of it that way. Is this really something to be excited about?”

“Of course! Their journey had plenty of twists and turns, just like ours, but they still got a happy ending in the end!”

“Also… also what Princess?” Lu Yan frowned slightly, looking at the two women suspiciously.

“That’s not important. What matters is that from now on, we can ride our horses across the land and share in all the splendor of this world! Wow, when you put it that way, this is seriously thrilling and exciting!”

The corner of Su He’wan’s mouth twitched involuntarily.

Lu Yan was infected by her enthusiasm.

“Well said! Ride our horses across the land and share in all the splendor of this world!”

However, he helplessly sighed before stepping forward. As usual, he reached out and pinched Yu Qing’s cheek, speaking with equal parts exasperation and amusement.

“Still, there is one thing Qingqing said that’s absolutely right. After what happened this time, Shen Jue and I have no place left in the imperial court. So now, you two are officially the protagonists of The Princess Consort’s Great Escape.”

Although he was smiling, there was an unmistakable determination deep within his eyes.

“All right.”

Su He’wan looked at Lu Yan, then at Yu Qing. The worry in her heart gradually gave way to a warmth she had never experienced before.

In this cold and ruthless world of political intrigue, she had always thought of herself as nothing more than a detached bystander passing through.

But now, she had a beloved, as well as a true friend who was willing to entrust her life and death to her.

“Then what about Uncle Lu if you leave?” Su He’wan suddenly seemed to remember something, and her expression immediately became worried.

Once Lu Yan broke Shen Jue out of prison and went on the run, the Lu family would be the first to bear the brunt of the Emperor’s fury.

At those words, Lu Yan’s eyes suddenly darkened.

His fist, hidden inside his sleeve, tightened slightly. A trace of struggle and guilt flashed across his face.

But soon, that struggle turned into resolute determination.

“I’ll arrange everything properly.” Lu Yan’s voice lowered.

“For the next two days, you two should secretly pack up your valuables and necessities and prepare yourselves for a life on the run. Tonight, I’m going back to the Lu residence.”

There were some things—and some farewells—that he had to face personally.

Night fell deeper.

The streets of the capital were deserted and quiet, with only the watchman’s calls echoing through the empty night sky.

At the Lu residence, in the study—

Lu Zhixing was dressed in plain, understated robes, sitting quietly in a grand armchair.

His temples were streaked with gray, and beneath the flickering candlelight, his face looked somewhat aged.

Before him, Lu Yan and Yu Qing were kneeling side by side on the ground.

Lu Zhixing looked at his son and daughter-in-law kneeling before him and remained silent for a long time.

After weathering countless storms in the imperial court, he had finally retired from office, only to face the greatest calamity of his life.

His son was about to become a fugitive, fleeing for his life!

“Is there really… no other way?”

After a long while, Lu Zhixing finally spoke slowly, letting out a deep sigh.

There was no rage, no reproach—only an indescribable weariness and desolation.

“Father, His Majesty has already set his mind on killing Shen Jue. Wen Xianzhong is fanning the flames behind the scenes, and the Tianji Pavilion has already laid an inescapable net.”

“There is a way, but we don’t have enough time. We can only save his life first and think of another solution afterward. I cannot stand by and watch him die.”

Hearing this, Yu Qing, who was beside him, nervously clenched the corner of her clothes.

Although she usually loved putting on an act, facing this stern father-in-law made her heart race with anxiety.

She was just about to say a few good words on Lu Yan’s behalf when Lu Yan gently pressed down on her hand.

Lu Yan looked at his father and gave a self-deprecating laugh.

“Father, actually, I used to hate him more than anyone. In my eyes, Shen Jue was a poisonous tumor that was throwing the imperial court into chaos. But after everything we went through together, I finally understood that deep down, he is far cleaner than those hypocrites in the court who are always spouting benevolence and morality.”

Lu Zhixing let out a heavy sigh.

“I won’t stop you. I only hope that you won’t regret your choice.”

“In a person’s lifetime, there must always be one friend worth risking your life for.”

Only at this moment did he realize that, without even noticing it, he had already come to regard the mortal enemy he had fought against for years as a true confidant—someone he would entrust his life to.

Lu Zhixing looked at his son.

He closed his eyes, hiding the gratification and emotion deep within them.

“Back then, the two of you fought in the capital as though you would not rest until one of you was dead. Who would have thought that now, when you have reached such a desperate situation, you would be willing to risk your life for him?”

Lu Zhixing opened his eyes again and looked at Lu Yan, his gaze filled with pride.

Lu Yan looked at his father, and his eyes grew slightly hot.

In an era where loyalty to the emperor and love of country were valued above everything else, he had made a choice that was virtually no different from betraying his country.

Yet his father not only did not blame him, but instead looked at him with pride!

“Father… I have been an unfilial son and dragged the Lu family into this.” Lu Yan’s voice was somewhat hoarse.

Lu Zhixing stood up and slowly walked over to the two of them. Bending down, he firmly took hold of Lu Yan and Yu Qing and helped them to their feet.

“Silly child, what are you talking about? How could you have dragged us into this?”

Lu Zhixing stroked his beard and chuckled. His smile carried a kind of open-mindedness that came from seeing through the ways of the world.

“Perhaps this is for the best. Leaving the imperial court behind and retiring from worldly affairs may not be a bad thing for you and Qingqing. I’ve spent more than half my life struggling in the imperial court, scheming against others and guarding against their schemes. I’m tired of it all, too.”

Seeing this, Yu Qing immediately came over cleverly and considerately began massaging Lu Zhixing’s shoulders.

“Father, don’t worry. Lu Yan and I will definitely take good care of ourselves from now on. Once the turmoil has settled down, we’ll come back for you immediately. Our whole family will be reunited!”

“Haha, good.” Lu Zhixing patted Yu Qing’s hand, his eyes filled with affection. “But you two don’t need to worry about me. I’ve actually been planning to return to my hometown of Jinling to enjoy my retirement. Your grandfather has already sent several letters urging me to come back!”

“When that time comes, all the storms and struggles of the imperial court will have nothing more to do with the Lu family.”

As he spoke, Lu Zhixing slowly reached into his robes and took out an ancient-looking jade pendant.

The jade was warm and smooth to the touch, carved with intricate auspicious cloud patterns.

“Xingzhi.”

Lu Zhixing’s expression became solemn as he placed the jade pendant into Lu Yan’s hand and cautioned him:

“This is the token representing the foundation of our Lu family in our hometown of Jinling. The Lu family originally made its fortune as merchants in Jinling. Although I later entered government service, your grandfather never abandoned the family’s businesses in secret.”

“With this token, you can obtain money, manpower, and information from any Lu Family Trading House anywhere in the world. This is our way out.”