Chapter 816: Made Up Her Mind
Wanyan Zhang opened his eyes after a long while, as if having made some decision, "Let the soldiers withdraw."
The steward acknowledged with a nod and retreated out.
Wanyan Zhang looked down and stared at the sachet in his hand for a moment, then suddenly extended his hand over the fire basin beside the bed.
As long as he let go, the sachet would fall into the charcoal basin.
Wanyan Zhang’s hand lingered over the fire basin for a long time, but he eventually withdrew it in defeat.
The side gate of the Prince Mansion opened, and a galloping horse rushed out, heading towards the Zhaoti Temple with orders.
The steward came out and said to the vendors, "The Prince is considerate of you and has ordered the withdrawal of the soldiers guarding the Zhaoti Temple."
The vendors were surprised that their plea at the Prince Mansion truly worked, and each excitedly kowtowed on the ground, "Long live the Prince! Long live the Prince!"
"The Prince graces Da Jin with blessing!"
Jiang Youzhi squeezed into the crowd watching the commotion.
The peddler who had been persuading everywhere was Du Ruo.
The three-day period Yun Jiao had agreed upon with him had arrived, yet the soldiers at the Zhaoti Temple had not withdrawn. In desperation, he had Du Ruo rally these vendors to petition at the Prince Mansion.
Upon hearing the steward say the soldiers would withdraw, Jiang Youzhi squeezed out of the crowd and headed outside the city.
Jiang Youzhi reached the city gate just as the soldiers were returning.
He avoided them off to the side, and only after the soldiers had passed did he leave the city, heading towards Zhaoti Temple.
The monks at Zhaoti Temple were holding hoes, filling in the pit at the temple gate.
Jiang Youzhi set down the burden on his shoulder and quickly set up his small stall.
Once night fell, Jiang Youzhi collected his stall.
He wandered nearby, ate a steamed bun, and quickly climbed a large tree by the roadside opposite Zhaoti Temple, taking advantage of the darkness and the absence of people.
At this moment, in the medicine storeroom, Yun Jiao was holding You Er and looking at the clock/watch on the counter, hesitating to make a decision.
She knew that once she disappeared, Wanyan Zhang would surely search for her.
But she wasn’t certain how long Wanyan Zhang would continue searching.
Three days was a time frame she had originally devised herself, but at this point, she wasn’t sure if Wanyan Zhang had ordered the soldiers to withdraw.
If the soldiers hadn’t left, her appearance at the gate of Zhaoti Temple would be a trap she walked into on her own accord.
Even if she returned to the medicine storeroom, it would be too late; she couldn’t live in the storeroom forever, she had to come out eventually.
Yun Jiao put You Er down to sleep, then lay down herself.
But she couldn’t sleep either; she would rise after a while, look at the clock/watch, then lie back down.
After such tossing and turning, it quickly turned to midnight.
Yun Jiao was completely unable to sleep.
She knew, since she had told Jiang Youzhi three days, he would definitely be waiting for her after those three days.
With such cold weather, there wasn’t even a place to shield against wind and rain outside Zhaoti Temple; if it rained or snowed, someone could truly freeze to death.
Moreover, if she didn’t go out tonight, he would have to continue waiting tomorrow.
Watching the clock/watch, Yun Jiao suddenly made up her mind. She would wait until the hour of Chou, which is about two in the morning, to go out.
Even if there were soldiers outside, this was the time of night when people were most tired, most likely to sleep; the soldiers might not necessarily discover her.
Having resolved, Yun Jiao took out a dagger and hid it in her boot.
She wore a set of black men’s clothing, her hair tied in a man’s style, eyebrows painted thick, and eyes made droopy.
She was completely transformed from the celestial beauty she had been a few days ago.
Yun Jiao had great confidence in her disguise.
As long as she could escape tonight, she would be like a fish swimming in the sea, and it would be difficult for Wanyan Zhang to find her again.