Quick Travel to the Clouds

Chapter 697 My Family 15

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it is the second month of the second month of the fifty-seventh year of Tai'an.

The sky over Kangzhao Kingdom seemed to have been torn apart and then stitched back together, and disasters followed one after another.

First, several terrifying earth dragons rose up from the northwest border, tearing apart mountains and rivers and shaking the capital.

The majestic palace walls of Kangdu were also cracked with jagged fissures, and glazed tiles fell like rain. The people were awakened from their sleep, and their cries of agony mingled with the sounds of collapsing buildings, echoing through the sky.

The disaster has not yet ended.

As soon as the earthquake stopped, it seemed as if the heavens were weeping, and torrential rain poured down like a celestial river overflowing its banks, lasting for more than a month.

The raging floodwaters breached the dikes, and the turbid waves rolled and swallowed countless fertile fields and villages.

People were displaced, starving corpses littered the roads, and fertile fields were turned into a vast swamp. What was once a prosperous land was now filled with sorrow and despair, and the people were living in misery.

What's even more terrifying is the collapse of people's hearts.

Tyranny, natural disasters, and famine piled up together, like countless sparks falling on a haystack.

Across the lands of Dakang, especially in the disaster-stricken north and the heart of the Central Plains, sparks of anger ignited, proclaiming "The Blue Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise!"—the banner of righteousness was raised high! Hungry and desperate refugees, fueled by resentment and despair, were incited by ambitious individuals, challenging the crumbling order of the dynasty.

Meanwhile, inside the Zichen Palace in Kangdu City, which symbolized supreme power, a completely different scene of collapse had already unfolded.

The emperor had been bedridden for half a year, vomiting blood incessantly. Now he was on his last legs, barely able to open his eyes. Memorials were piling up like mountains, and state affairs were running wild, beyond anyone's control.

The power of the empire became the hottest fuse, igniting the most burning desire for power in the hearts of several princes!

The eldest prince, being the eldest son, commands a portion of the imperial guards; the second prince, aided by his maternal relatives, is incredibly wealthy; the third prince is ruthless and secretly commands a private army…

The once solemn and majestic imperial city has now become a battlefield of fratricide.

The city gates opened and closed intermittently, and armored soldiers clashed and fought in the streets and alleys. The sounds of fighting, horses neighing, and people fleeing in terror never ceased day and night.

The once bustling capital of Kangdu was now a scene of clashing swords and flowing blood! The veil of splendor draped over the city had been torn away, revealing its monstrous nature beneath.

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In this despairing and clamorous world, the elegant courtyard of the Prince Chang Le's Mansion was unusually quiet. This quiet was not ordinary; it was the oppressive stillness before an impending storm. The servants walked quickly with their heads down, speaking in hushed tones, and even the birds in the garden seemed to sense the chilling atmosphere, daring not to chirp loudly.

Inside the carved window, Yun Chu did not look at the occasional glint of swords flashing across the night sky outside, but her fingertips unconsciously tapped lightly on a warm, smooth jade paperweight.

Before her lay a secret letter, recently sent back by her "spies"—in tiny characters, it clearly described the specific locations of the princes' troop movements, grain stockpiling, and even small-scale skirmishes inside and outside Kangdu City.

Behind the cold words lies a suffocating atmosphere of violence.

"Plop." A drop of ink quietly fell onto the edge of the letter.

Yun Chu slowly raised her eyes, her gaze devoid of any former naivety and vulnerability, replaced only by a heavy weight of worry and resolve. The eye of the storm was no place to linger. She unfolded a sheet of plain paper, dipped her brush in ink, and wrote with delicate yet powerful strokes:

Sister, please accept this:

Hearing the news of flooding in Jiangnan, my heart is filled with worry. The weather in Kangdu has been unfavorable lately, and I've caught a cold, which only intensifies my longing for my family. Our parents are also constantly concerned about you, my elder sister. I wish you good health, my sister. Respectfully yours,

This letter, seemingly a simple sisterly greeting, is actually full of veiled meaning. "Bad weather" alludes to the danger in Kangdu; "cold" is an excuse for her weakness; "longing" and "concern" point directly to the deepest concerns in her heart. She needs a sufficiently compelling and plausible reason to get her family away from this boiling cauldron of trouble immediately!

Yun Chu folded the letter and sealed it in a lacquered seal. She then summoned her trusted head maid and said, "Immediately send someone to deliver it to the Jiang family in Meizhou overnight. Make sure to express our longing for our relatives. Also, have Steward Lin prepare the best medicines, clothing, and silks to be loaded onto the carriage."

After the letter was sent, the atmosphere inside the mansion quietly became tense.

Yun Chu slowly walked towards her father's study. She didn't take out the cold intelligence report, but leaned against the door, coughed softly, and said with a slight tremor in her voice: "Father... I just read my sister's reply. The flood is severe, and the roads are probably difficult to travel... I'm... a little scared..." She raised her worried eyes to look at Tang Wencheng.

Tang Wencheng recognized that look all too well. It was the same worried and anxious look his daughter often had when she was ill. His heart tightened as well; he had also heard about the floods in Jiangnan. He looked at his wife, Du Feiqin.

Du Feiqin was incredibly astute; the moment her eyes met her husband's, she understood the undercurrents beneath her daughter's unspoken words.

The faint clanging of metal coming from outside seemed to confirm some kind of ominous sign.

Better safe than sorry! She made a quick decision: "Master, Kangdu City has indeed been quite unsettled lately. It's understandable that I'm worried about Mo'er!"

“We’re going back to Jiangnan! Firstly, to visit Mo’er and let her know we’re safe; secondly…” she lowered her voice even further, “to avoid the trouble in the capital! I’ll go arrange the carriages and valuables right away! We’ll only take our core servants, travel light, and the sooner the better!”

Packing their bags was as swift as a sudden storm.

This trip was far from the leisurely outings of the past.

The journey was fraught with peril. Dilapidated post stations, the cries of displaced people, and the occasional encounter with armed soldiers cast a heavy shadow of gloom over the traveler.

Even with the Tang family guards' utmost caution, the carriages were forced to trudge along the muddy and dilapidated roads, leaving long, deep tracks on the wheels, like markers of their escape. Tang Wencheng and Du Feiqin's expressions remained grave throughout.

After a difficult journey, when the familiar walls of Meizhou finally came into view, no one felt any relief.

Ragged, pale-faced disaster victims gathered in front of the city gate. They held broken bowls, huddled in the mud, their eyes filled with a deathly gray mix of numbness and despair.

The air was filled with a damp, musty smell, a fishy smell, and a faint... sense of despair.

The soldiers guarding the city imposed martial law and conducted thorough checks, their tense eyes scanning every person entering the city, guarding against any unrest caused by hunger.

The carriage slowly drove into the city.

The once gentle and serene "pearl of the water town" seems to be recovering from a serious illness, or perhaps still struggling with it.

The low-lying area was still flooded, with debris floating on it, emitting a pungent, putrid smell.

Many shops along the streets were closed, with signs on their doors reading "Damaged by flood and awaiting repair." Temporary shelters for disaster victims were everywhere, and the suppressed cries and weak wails of children tore at one's nerves.

The Tang family's carriages arrived at the temporary villa amidst a somber atmosphere. Tang Yunmo and Jiang Junyou, who had been eagerly awaiting their arrival, came out to greet them.

When Tang Yunmo saw her parents and younger sister, who looked slightly tired, being helped down from the carriage, tears welled up in her eyes instantly.

She could no longer care about her appearance and rushed forward to hug Yun Chu tightly, her voice choked with sobs: "Chu'er! Father! Mother! You've finally come safely! The matter in Kangdu... the disaster in Jiangnan... it scared me to death!"

"Alright, Mo'er, we're all safe and sound." Du Feiqin suppressed the shock in her heart, patting her daughter's back to comfort her, but her gaze became heavy as she swept over the disaster victims gathered at the nearby alley entrance.

Jiang Junyou helped his excited wife up and bowed to his parents-in-law and Yun Chu: "Father-in-law, mother-in-law, and second sister, you have had a long and arduous journey. Fortunately, you have arrived safely. In the current difficult situation, it is a great blessing that the whole family can be reunited here." His gentle face was also etched with the marks of time.

The atmosphere at the family dinner that evening was somber.

Tang Yunmo recounted the disaster situation in Meizhou. After the floodwaters receded, an epidemic broke out, grain prices soared, and the official granaries were already empty. Although the government was willing, it was powerless to help. People in the market were restless, and despair was spreading like poisonous weeds.

The palpable tension in the air could ignite a riot at any moment.

Yun Chu listened quietly. When her brother-in-law, Jiang Junyou, mentioned the government's manpower shortage and how wealthy families were keeping their doors tightly shut for self-preservation, her gaze slowly met that of her father, Tang Wencheng, and her mother, Du Feiqin. No words were needed; a tacit understanding quietly formed.