The Child Emperor - Chapter 124: Scouting Ahead

Jin Chuiduo grew tired of hiding indoors every day, never seeing the light of day. This was the life she had led in the Marquis’s residence – confined within its walls, rarely venturing beyond the courtyard to practice archery. At those moments, she wished for freedom from this cage.

However, reality proved even more restricting than her home. The small room confined her, and every step outside drew countless curious glances. Despite her preparedness, everyone addressed her as “Empress,” each showing sincere respect without a hint of mockery. Frustrated, she found solace in staying indoors as much as possible.

Tonight, she decided to scout ahead.

After nightfall, hearing no footsteps outside, Jin Chuiduo said to her servant Qingting, “Do not open the door for anyone. If necessary… use a command arrow to make them leave.”

“Miss, where are you going?”

“I’m scouting ahead to find a way to get away from this place and get to the steppes.”

“Didn’t the Emperor say he would send us on ourway?”

“Don’t believe their words. First, he is not the Emperor; he merely held the title once. Second, we have our own hands and feet, why should we rely on him? He should focus on saving his own life.”

“But what if he becomes Emperor again? Miss, wouldn’t you…”

Jin Chuiduo had already left, and Qingting whispered, “Miss is fit to be an Empress.”

In the deep of night, Jin Chuiduo carried only a dagger. She had no intention of fighting anyone; she just sought an escape route.

The village should have had patrols, as Jin Chunbao had arranged things. However, as soon as those militia members had a chance, they found a comfortable spot to sleep, thinking that with guards outside the village, there was no need for them to toil through the night.

Jin Chuiduo encountered no obstacles, except for avoiding those who slept soundly under the open sky on the grass.

She found the stable with five horses inside, peacefully grazing without panic at the sight of a person.

“I’ll take all these horses,” she decided.

Moving to the village gate, the guards here were relatively more diligent. At least two stood at the entrance, dozing off though vigilant. Walking out boldly from here was impossible.

However, there were many gaps in the village walls, away from the guards’ line of sight. Jin Chuiduo found a spot and slipped through, easily expanding the gap to allow the horses to pass.

“Is this still considered a village?” Jin Chuiduo whispered. She hadn’t walked far before entering a thicket of reeds. The rustling sound continued, assaulting her ears. Looking ahead—though looking ahead wasn’t possible here—she had to guard against the swaying reeds hitting her eyes.

Afraid to proceed, she retreated to the edge of a fence and moved along it slowly, growing increasingly impatient. If she continued this way, she would eventually reach the village gate and be discovered.

The village was slightly elevated, and as Jin Chuiduo took an unstable step, she slid down, staining her clothes. Frustration mounting, she decided to return the way she came, wake up her maidservant and her second elder brother Jin Chunzhong, seize the horses, and forcefully break out of the village. Just as she was about to do so, she heard voices nearby and decided to lie low.

Indeed, two figures emerged from the reeds, oblivious to Jin Chuiduo, their attention focused on observing the village.

“This is it. The guards seem lax,” one person remarked.

“Should we go in and see how many people are there?”

“Are you crazy? Just report a thousand.”

“Alright, I’ll listen to you.”

“Nonsense. We investigated the situation together and counted the numbers, finding that there are over a thousand people in total. The leader resides in the largest house in the center. There are three layers of sentries outside the village. Everyone inside is asleep. Understand? We’ll share the credit for success and the blame for mistakes.”

“Yes, understood.”

After observing for a while, the two turned and returned to the reed thicket. Jin Chuiduo slowly stood up, retracing her steps back to the village. Not long after leaving, she heard footsteps and hurriedly hid behind a wall.

Her eldest brother, Jin Chunbao, Zhang Yanghao, and others walked side by side and stopped at a crossroads. Jin Chunbao distributed more than ten command arrows, whispering, “These people are easy to deceive. If anyone questions, just explain. No more killing, okay?”

The five went in different directions.

Jin Chuiduo’s heart pounded as she swiftly approached her room, keeping close to the wall. She knocked softly.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me.”

This time, Qingting didn’t ask much and immediately opened the door, pulling her mistress inside. She whispered, “You scared me. The eldest young master came just now. I thought we couldn’t hide it, but he only wanted arrows…”

“You gave him the arrows?”

“Yes, otherwise, he wouldn’t leave.”

Jin Chuiduo bit her lip in silence. Qingting touched her mistress and exclaimed, “Miss, did you fall into the water? You’re covered in wet soil.”

“Never mind that. Get ready quickly. We’re leaving soon.”

“Now?”

“Yes, we can’t stay here. Someone outside is planning to attack the village, and trouble brews inside. If we don’t run now, it’ll be too late. Wake up my second elder brother. We’re seizing the horses and escaping.”

“Someone is planning to attack the village, and we… aren’t we staying to help?”

“Don’t bother with such matters.”

“But, the Emperor is a good person, and the villagers here are all kind. They gave us the cleanest room, and every time they bring food, they are polite. If Miss takes an extra bite, they are all delighted…”

Jin Chuiduo pushed the maid away.

“Miss…”

“I’ll inform that old fisherman. You stay here and don’t let anyone in.”

Jin Chuiduo left the room again. The residence of Chao Yongsi, the old fisherman, served as the village’s meeting hall. She knew where it was and walked over. She lightly knocked on the door. No one answered. Just as she was about to knock again, she found the door was slightly ajar.

After hesitating for a moment, she pushed the door open and immediately closed it behind her. The room was pitch black, and she couldn’t see anything.

“Old fisherman, Chao Yongsi, Master Chao…” Jin Chuiduo called out several times, receiving no response. After listening carefully for a while, not even the sound of snoring could be heard.

“No more killing,” Jin Chuiduo remembered her elder brother’s words. A chill ran through her heart, finally understanding who had been killed. She quietly left the room.

People were moving in the village, evidently a result of Jin Chunbao and the others spreading orders. It hadn’t reached this side yet. Jin Chuiduo returned to her quarters, and Qingting had been waiting at the door. Upon seeing her, she immediately opened it.

“Have you told Grandpa Chao?”

Jin Chuiduo calmed herself dowsn, “He’s dead.”

Qingting gasped, “How could this happen?”

“Hush, bring me my bow.”

Qingting groped in the dark to fetch the bow, handing it to her mistress, “Who did it?”

“Don’t worry about that. Do we have arrows?” Jin Chuiduo skillfully bent the slack bowstring, but the bow alone wasn’t enough; she needed arrows.

“No, I gave all of them to the Eldest Young Master in a hurry.”

Jin Chuiduo turned to look outside through the crack in the door. More people were moving in the village, and more had been awakened. There was a brief uproar, but soon, everything fell silent.

What was her eldest brother doing? Jin Chuiduo didn’t know. All she knew was that the Riverside Village faced internal and external threats. It was on the verge of being attacked, and perhaps her eldest brother had conspired with external enemies…

“Go and get my second elder brother.” Jin Chuiduo’s heart shook, wondering if he was in danger. She immediately dismissed this thought. Although her eldest brother and second elder brother were not born of the same mother, if something had happened to the second elder brother, the eldest brother wouldn’t stay calm.

“Why do I have to go?” Qingting didn’t want to go out.

“I need to change clothes.” Jin Chuiduo pushed the maid out, groped her way to the bed-stove, found a bundle, and pulled out a clean set of clothes. She changed as quickly as possible.

After waiting for a while, Qingting returned, softly calling “Miss.” After getting a response, she let Jin Chunzhong in.

“What’s going on? Are we running away again? I think the Weary Marquis…” Jin Chunzhong said.

“Somebody is planning to attack the village. Big brother and the others might have defected.”

Jin Chunzhong was stunned for a moment. “How is that possible?”

“Don’t believe me? Then go back to sleep. When the people outside break in, come find me.”

“No, no, I believe you. But how could big brother…”

Qingting spoke for him, “It must be your father who ordered him. The Eldest Young Master always listens to him.”

“Don’t waste time on idle words. Think about what to do.” Jin Chuiduo urged.

Qingting was not a person with many ideas while Jin Chunzhong lacked quick thinking. The two remained silent for a while, so Jin Chuiduo had to say, “Dawn is approaching. I think the enemy outside will attack at dawn. Second brother, go wake everyone up and be on guard. Also, try to get back my arrows. Avoid big brother if you can.”

“Ah, but I don’t know many people…” Jin Chunzhong hadn’t interacted much with the militia since he had gone to deliver the letter for the Weary Marquis.

Jin Chuiduo said, “Take Qingting with you. Find those villagers that she knows.”

“Right, we owe the villagers many favors; we can repay them all at once.” Qingting immediately pushed the door open and left.

Jin Chunzhong had no choice but to follow.

Restless in her room, Jin Chuiduo waited for a while, then pushed the door open and quickly reached her father’s door. She knocked softly, and a clear voice from inside responded, “Who is it?”

“Father, it’s me. Big brother sent me.”

The door opened, and Marquis Guiyi wore a shocked expression. “I told him I’d inform you later…”

Jin Chuiduo pushed her father inside with a swift motion, then followed. She bent her bow and drew the string, saying, “Stay still. Even in the dark, I can shoot accurately.”

Others might doubt such a claim, but coming from Jin Chuiduo, it was believable. The three wives and concubines, who hadn’t slept, huddled together on the bed-stove, shivering. Marquis Guiyi dared not move and angrily said, “You, are you mad?”

“Father, who are you planning to ally with this time?”

Marquis Guiyi fell silent for a moment. He was close enough to vaguely sense that there were no arrows on his daughter’s bow, but the night was too dark, and he couldn’t be certain. “Prince Donghai and the Cui clan will ensure our safety. We won’t go to the steppes, we can stay in the Capital.”

“Are you not tired of being a pawn? How could you trust the Cui clan?”

“Without Prince Du, our family is worth nothing to the steppes!” Duke Guiyi was even angrier. “It’s your fault for killing Chai Yun and forcing the Jin family into a dead end!”

Jin Chuiduo didn’t argue. She said, “Father, please go and get my eldest brother. I’ll wait here. If something happens, I’ll shoot these three first, then take my own life.”

The three wives and concubines hugged each other tighter, their teeth chattering, but they dared not make a sound.

Marquis Guiyi took a step forward and threw a command arrow to his daughter. “What disloyal and unfilial behavior. If you have the guts, kill me first. Take this command arrow and go by yourself… Huh?”

Marquis Guiyi, who had shown some courage only when protecting his concubines, now realized that his daughter was holding an empty bow.

Jin Chuiduo took the command arrow, said, “Thank you,” turned, and left the room. “Just hide here, Father. When chaos breaks out, I can’t protect you.”

Holding a bow and arrow, Jin Chuiduo no longer hid but walked boldly forward.

Suddenly, the sounds of battle outside the village shook the sky.

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