Chapter 262

Zhu Ti had cleared out the Embracing Chapter Palace, fearing that delaying too long would cause the incident to be exposed and prevent escape. So as the sun had just begun to set westward, the three of them disguised themselves as palace maids and approached a sturdy section of the palace wall, after all Zhu Ti didn't know how far Bai Li Jin's influence could reach inside the palace.

Who would have thought that before they even reached the agreed meeting point, they heard a commotion from afar, and Zhu Ti knew it was over.

It must be that something happened in the Embracing Chapter Palace.

She made a snap decision to abandon the original rendezvous point, taking the two of them west, and gave up exiting via the east palace wall. Along the way she knocked out several little eunuchs, found a concealed spot, climbed out to check the outside situation, confirmed no one was there, then went back in, carried Wei Zhaoyi out, and then the Fifth Princess.

Just as the Fifth Princess laid herself on Zhu Ti's back, she heard someone shout not far away: 'Who dares to climb over the palace wall!'

Zhu Ti could hear the Fifth Princess's nervous heartbeat, 'It's fine.' Zhu Ti spoke to comfort the little girl whose whole body was trembling.

Although they share the same mother, this child obviously lacks the Da Wang's strong heart. Today's ordeal is likely the most outrageous thing she has ever done in her life.

Zhu Ti, with her on his back, leapt and in a flash cleared the high palace wall; those chasing from below didn't even have time to nock an arrow before they were gone, let alone actually hit someone.

After landing, she immediately switched to carrying Wei Zhaoyi, one hand gripping the whip, the other holding the Fifth Princess, 'You're young, you'll have to run a stretch with me; we must leave the city tonight.'

Bai Li Jin probably already knew that people from Youzhou had entered the city.

Bai Li Jin also indeed knew.

This person has always been narrow-minded, and not only does he use that narrow-mindedness to gauge others, especially his several brothers.

Having learned from the lesson of Empress Cui's downfall, he had people keep watch on all relatives and friends connected to other feudal lords.

Now that they've all fled, he really has no restraint left in his hands.

He wouldn't have known unless he checked, but only yesterday did he discover that even the household of the Marquis of the Eastern Capital had run away!

For this matter he had already lost his temper once; today in the evening someone reported that a Youzhou merchant caravan had entered the city, and it was the very caravan delivering goods to the You King's shop.

Bai Li Jin immediately had a bad feeling; he ordered someone to check whether anyone had seen the Fifth Princess today. Indeed, a woman presented the You King's token to request an audience with the Fifth Princess of the Endless Palace, but only that woman entered; her two attendants remained at the palace gate.

Bai Li Jin immediately had someone make an excuse to go see the Fifth Princess, and sent someone to the palace gate to check whether that woman had come out.

The palace gate was nearby, so he soon learned that the woman had not come out, and her attendants, not waiting for her, had already left.

He immediately realized the situation was likely dire; sure enough, the people sent to inspect the rear palace reported that the Fifth Princess was not in the Endless Palace, nor was Wei Zhaoyi, and Bai Li Jin promptly smashed the desk in front of him.

"Bai Li Jing!! Excellent, truly the father emperor's good son! Before anything even happened, you've taken the princess and run?!"

Everyone in the room dared not breathe, and Bai Li Jin, unable to contain his hatred, kicked the already overturned desk again.

"You can't stand seeing me as the crown prince, can you! Old Three, I'll let you enjoy your leisure a few more days!"

Who would have thought the good news wasn't over yet? First, someone reported that two palace maids had been seen climbing over the west palace wall; he remained relatively calm, just as the people sent by the You King and the Fifth Princess...

Next, someone reported that rebels had entered the Embracing Chapter Palace, with countless guards and eunuchs knocked out, so there was no immediate report, and moreover, more than half of the things in Emperor Ningde's sleeping palace were gone.

That 'more than half' is a conservative estimate; what remains in the main hall are only wooden furniture and bedding that Zhu Ti considers junk, while all other furnishings have been swept away completely.

Bai Li Jin was still thinking, 'How could this be possible?' The imperial palace is now lax inside but tight outside; he doesn't believe anyone could carry out so much stuff.

However, it wasn't over yet; after another hour, someone reported that the emperor's private treasury was empty!

"Impossible!"

"The emperor's private treasury—how much stuff is that?!"

"That's the accumulation of three hundred years of the Bai Li clan, passed down generation to generation to the heirs, and now you're saying the emperor's private treasury is gone?!"

"Who hid it? Moving the private treasury by cart would also need a horse team, right? How could it just disappear?!"

He personally led people to the Embracing Chapter Palace; besides the guards, eunuchs, and palace maids kneeling all over the ground, the emptiness of the Embracing Chapter Palace was alarming.

Bai Li Jin nearly vomited blood; now that he's in Chang'an, this matter is truly inexplicable!

Moreover, he truly ached for those treasures.

Close the city gates! Don't even let a single bird fly out of Chang'an City—check it for me!

Unfortunately he discovered it too late; Zhu Ti had already taken the Fifth Princess and Wei Zhaoyi out through the West City Gate, successfully linking up with the reinforcements left behind at the West City Gate.

Wei Zhaoyi couldn't run, so Zhu Ti almost constantly carried her on his back, which was hard on the Fifth Princess.

She looked at the so-called reinforcements, then at Zhu Ti, "... just two?" Where was the promised strong force? Not even a carriage, or were the carriages all used to carry the loot?

The carriages in that Youzhou merchant house were surely being watched; Zhu Ti brought in only two owl cavalry, the rest were hired from the Mo Family Village warehouse outside the city.

Zhu Ti said solemnly: "Chang'an City has four gates." Each gate split into two makes eight, right!

Fifth Princess:...

Fortunately, once they were out of the gate there were carriages; they rushed all night to the rendezvous point, and by midnight the ten owl cavalry had finally assembled, marking half the mission complete.

The other half would be slow, after all the return speed would surely be delayed, since two ladies in the party had to ride in carriages.

That night Zhu Ti went to the manor to wake the Great King, informing him of the mission's progress—and that he had struck it rich.

The Great King had just heard Prince Yu causing a ruckus in the capital, furrowed his brow, and then heard the Head Steward's great surprise of having looted his father's private treasury.

He spent the day training at the Northern Great Camp and really hadn't looked at the warehouse.

Once this was opened, the newly unearthed treasures were simply endless.

Aside from the countless treasures in his father's private treasury, there were actually over three hundred thousand taels of gold!

"How does he have so much money? If he has so much money, why not take it out and spend it? Aren't the dikes short of funds for repairs?"

"This is probably his personal property, not part of state finances." Zhu Ti stated factually.

"We could also turn it over! My father couldn't possibly spend all this; we could hide it and leave it for the next successor?" Thinking this, the Great King suddenly grew happy—after all, it wouldn't be left to him, but now it's been taken lock, stock, and barrel!

Look at how well his father eats; the gold and jade ornaments in his private treasury are of a caliber the Great King had never seen when he was in the palace.

Besides the accumulated wealth of the Bai Li family over generations, there were also tribute offerings from local officials and some precious tribute items.

The Great King felt the joy of sudden wealth, not knowing what to do with all the money!

So much money, so many treasures!

The Langya Wang clan still had plenty of unsold feathers, after all he had no intention of using those things. Now his father's private treasury might as well be proudly added to his own personal petty treasury.

The Great King was extremely pleased with Zhu Ti!

He waved his small hand: "The output of the silver mine, you may take as you please!"