Duke Yan led the Ruler of Eastern Lin and the others out of the Capital in a panicked flight.
Their horses and carriages raced through the night until the sky turned the pale white of a fish's belly.
"Whoa-!"
The Ruler of Eastern Lin abruptly reined in his horse. Only then did he seem to wake from a dream, turning back to demand urgently of Duke Yan:
"Consort Jing and my Imperial Princes and Princesses are still at the Embassy in the Capital. You brought me fleeing in such haste-if anything happens to them, I will hold you responsible!"
The situation had been so chaotic that he had failed to remember his child and consort were still at the Embassy.
After all, with something as perilous as a Palace Coup, how could he have brought women and children into the palace?
Now that he had fled in panic, he had no idea how Great Xia would treat East Lin's Imperial Prince and consort.
Though the Ruler of Eastern Lin felt little affection for Consort Jing, he had only this one Imperial Prince. If the prince met with disaster in Great Xia or was detained as a hostage, where would that leave his dignity?
Princess Liuli was a girl and could never inherit the throne, but she was still the child he had fathered with the Sovereign's Wife. If he abandoned her in Great Xia, how would he explain himself to his wife?
More importantly, Yuanbao was still in the Capital. He had to get his hands on Yuanbao, whatever means it took.
He would bring this reincarnation of Wushuang back to East Lin!
"Rest assured, Sovereign. I will immediately send men to slip into the Capital and bring the consort and Imperial Prince out safely!" Duke Yan proposed decisively, only