There are many ways to sneak out of the imperial palace. One could drift downstream along the artificial river, or crawl out through the sewage channel, but such methods were too filthy for both Shangguan Fang'er and himself to bear.
Xiao Junbao chose the simplest and most brutal method.
To jump over the palace wall.
The night was deep, the evening breeze was gentle. In the most secluded corner of the cold palace, Zhang Junbao avoided all the guards and came to the foot of a wall.
Shangguan Fang'er followed him cautiously.
"Hmm, this is good!" Zhang Junbao gauged the height of the palace wall, hands on his hips. "Let's escape from here."
Shangguan Fang'er listened, then looked at the wall, several zhang high, and couldn't help but tremble. "Junbao girl, no, Young Master Xiao, if we jump from such a height, won't we... won't we be crippled?"
Xiao Junbao: "..."
You are the princess of Chen, and you don't trust this殿下 (Your Highness)?
"Get on!" Xiao Junbao crouched down and patted his shoulder. "Hold on tight, and don't move!"
Hmph, daring to look down on him, how infuriating.
Shangguan Fang'er hesitated for a moment. Just as she was about to climb onto Xiao Junbao's back, she suddenly heard footsteps not far away.
The sound grew closer and clearer, as if someone had been observing them.
Xiao Junbao's expression sharpened, and he narrowed his eyes. "Someone's here!"
He had just played a trick on the dog emperor. If they were caught at this juncture, he and Shangguan Fang'er wouldn't be able to leave alive.
After the sound, a figure slowly emerged from behind the bamboo forest.
The two stared intently and saw a tall woman slowly emerge.
She was wearing a faded ruqun, appearing to be in her early thirties. She was exquisitely beautiful, but her face was extremely haggard.
Her entire attire resembled that of an unwelcome palace maid, especially her mournful face, as if she had suffered immense grievances that no one could hear.
Xiao Junbao blinked and asked, "Who are you?"
After asking, he felt it was inappropriate. He was the one trespassing in the imperial palace. If anyone should ask, it should be the other party asking him.
But the woman didn't dwell on these details. Instead, she walked up to Xiao Junbao and said directly, "Can you take me out of the palace?"
Xiao Junbao: "???"
What's going on? Another concubine wants to defect?
Shangguan Fang'er reacted and tugged at Xiao Junbao. "This is the cold palace. She should be one of the dog emperor's unfavored concubines..."
What imperial harem doesn't have a few concubines who want to break free from their shackles and regain their freedom?
Xiao Junbao said "oh" and looked at the woman. "Sorry, I can only take one person out. I'll come back to save you next time!"
It's better to have one less trouble. He didn't want another burden.
Unexpectedly, the woman not only didn't panic but let out a cold laugh. "I heard that thieves broke into the palace tonight, and the Emperor was furious, vowing to catch the thief, flay them, and scatter their ashes. If I'm not mistaken, you are that little thief, aren't you?"
To be able to sneak into the palace, he must have some skill.
"So you want to report me?" Xiao Junbao's face darkened.
The woman suppressed her smile and said seriously, "If you take me out, I won't say a word. Otherwise, neither of us will have an easy time!"
Xiao Junbao: "..."
He really didn't check the almanac before going out today, to run into such bad luck.
"You're so beautiful, you must have a kind heart, right?" the woman praised.
Xiao Junbao frowned and patted his chest vigorously. "What girl? I'm a pure man. How about I take off my clothes for you to check?"
The woman: "..."
Good heavens, you little thief have quite the nerve to say such things to the Emperor's woman. Don't you want to live?
"So, are you going to help me or not?" the woman asked again.
Xiao Junbao looked troubled. He was very pressed for time. If he didn't escape soon, dawn would break.
Moreover, even if they escaped the palace, they might not be able to slip out of the capital.
Once Mingdi knew he had been tricked, he would definitely strengthen security and seal the city gates. By then, even if he had wings, he wouldn't be able to fly out.
"Young Master Xiao, why don't we... why don't we help her!" Shangguan Fang'er said softly.
It was just jumping over a wall, which wouldn't be difficult for him.
Xiao Junbao sighed, raised his chin, "Alright, once we're past this wall, you go your way, and I'll go mine. We'll have no further connection from now on..."
The woman's eyes flashed with a hint of imperceptible complexity. "Okay, I promise!"
So Xiao Junbao stretched his legs and then concentrated his energy. First, he carried Shangguan Fang'er out, and then he safely brought the woman outside the wall.
"My mission is complete, I'm leaving, goodbye forever!" Xiao Junbao waved his hand.
The woman stood in place, glancing around, her expression a little lost.
In this darkness, where could she, a woman, go?
"Young Master, wait!" the woman stopped Xiao Junbao, biting her lip. "I... I have one more request!"
Xiao Junbao: "???"
What else does she want?
Does she want him to treat her to a meal?
"Hurry up and say it, I'm in a hurry to leave the city..." Xiao Junbao put on his mask and popped a milk candy into his mouth.
He had brought a lot of snacks with him this time, all given to him by Xiao Jinheng.
There was milk tofu, milk candy, small milk cubes, as well as various beef jerky, lamb jerky, and fresh dried fish, etc.
Of course, these provisions from Xiao Jinheng were also "bestowed" upon him by Xiao Xi Tian.
The woman pondered for a long time before looking at Xiao Junbao. "Can you take me away from Yan Country?"
As long as she could escape this fiery pit, she was willing to pay any price.
"No, you're such a grown-up, how can you go back on your word?" Xiao Junbao said indignantly. "We clearly agreed just now that once we were past this wall, we would go our separate ways. Are you clinging to me now?"
Shangguan Fang'er was also a little puzzled. Who was this woman?
What was her identity in the Yan Country's imperial palace, and why was she so eager to escape?
Although the woman's face was haggard, her demeanor and way of speaking carried a sense of pressure.
It was as if someone in a high position had been suddenly cast into the abyss, but their core remained proud and self-reliant.
"Young Master, if you help me today, I will repay you with all my might in the future!" the woman said seriously.
Xiao Junbao heard this, exchanged a glance with Shangguan Fang'er, and then fell into a dilemma.