Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

Finally leaving the suffocating ship, the ship swayed gently with the current, as if leaving the thrilling confrontation just now far behind.

Qian Ming was the first to lose his curiosity. He approached Zhang Jingwei, who was standing at the bow of the boat, gazing at the rolling river. He lowered his voice and asked, "Young Master, what did you talk about with the Prince of Jin just now on the boat? You looked a little off when you came out."

Zhang Jingwei withdrew his gaze, forcing a relaxed smile onto his face, as if to let all the heaviness flow away like the river. He turned and addressed the crowd that had gathered around him, especially Huangfu Ling, who was staring intently at him. He spoke in a deliberately raised, joyful tone, "It's nothing, just a deal. And there's some fantastic news—His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin knows the whereabouts of 'Qilin Blood'!"

"Really?!" Huangfu Ling's beautiful eyes widened instantly when she heard that, and she exclaimed in disbelief, with trembling hope in her voice.

Zhang Jingwei pulled her tightly into his arms, tightening his grip as if to melt her into his body. His chin rested against the top of her head, his voice a little hoarse with excitement, yet filled with unquestionable determination: "Really! My Ling'er... is saved! We must be saved!"

Feeling the scorching heat of his chest and the pounding of his heart, Huangfu Ling, after her initial surprise, keenly sensed something was amiss. She gently pushed him away, tilted her head upward, and gazed into his eyes, a look that seemed to penetrate his very heart. "Husband, please don't lie to me. The Prince of Jin... how could a man like him easily share such precious information with us? What... what did you offer in exchange?" She knew her husband, and she also understood the rules of conduct of those in power.

Zhang Jingwei looked into her clear and worried eyes. He knew he couldn't hide it from her, so he stopped trying to hide it. He said frankly, his tone as relaxed as if he was talking about a trivial matter: "It's no big deal. I just exchanged it for 'Jun Xing'."

"Military march?!"

Those two words resonated like thunder on the deck. Qian Ming, Liang Dahai, Ding Xu, and the others gasped almost simultaneously, their faces filled with shock and disbelief. Even the usually composed Yuan Liang's pupils suddenly contracted.

Huangfu Ling was so anxious that she broke free from his arms in an instant, grabbed his arm, and her voice changed: "You are confused! Husband! Junxing... How could Junxing exchange it for a bottle of medicine that you don't even know if it will be useful?! That is your hard work, the hope of so many people in Yunzhou!"

Zhang Jingwei pulled her into his arms again, this time with even greater force, not allowing her to break free. He lowered his head and whispered in her ear, his tone gentle yet filled with an unshakable persistence: "Ling'er, that's not just medicine... it's our future." His hand gently caressed her still flat belly, his movements incredibly gentle, yet filled with infinite pity and hope. "As long as you're here, any price is worth it."

Huangfu Ling was struck by the deep affection and weight contained in his words and actions. Her eyes instantly turned red and her voice choked with sobs: "But...but is this really worth it? For an illusory hope..."

"It's worth it!" Zhang Jingwei interrupted her firmly, even showing an almost wild smile on his face, "It's worth it! It couldn't be more cost-effective! If the military bank is gone, I can build it again! But there is only one Ling'er in this world!"

He raised his head, his eyes swept over his subordinates who were still in shock, and his tone suddenly became domineering and unquestionable: "What's more, that military operation was founded by me, Zhang Jingwei! I have the final say! Even if I'm in a good mood tomorrow and want to exchange it for a pile of shit, who can stop me as long as I want?!" The words were vulgar, but with a sense of arrogance that no one else could do it but me.

Yuan Liang, who had been silent the entire time, now frowned. He couldn't help but step forward and cautiously warned, "Sir! I dare to say this! I need to think this through! The King of Jin is a man of deep thoughts. What if... what if he doesn't have any reliable information, or that 'Qilin Blood' is completely fabricated and just a scam to gain military support? Wouldn't that mean we'd lose both the lady and the troops?"

Zhang Jingwei looked at Yuan Liang, his eyes sharp, but his tone was strangely firm. "Tang Jing, I understand your concerns. But don't worry, it won't happen." He paused, as if trying to convince Yuan Liang, but also as if trying to convince himself, "Sima Xuan is a prince after all, a member of the royal family, a vassal king! No matter how shameless or ambitious he is, he should at least have some dignity, right? He would pull off such a trick, deceiving me with completely false news? He wouldn't be so despicable. It doesn't suit his status. This news must have some truth to it."

Yuan Liang opened his mouth, wanting to persuade him again: "Sir, you can only know a person's face but not his heart, especially when he is a member of the royal family... It is better to be cautious. Why don't we first..."

"Alright, Tang Jing," Zhang Jingwei waved his hand, interrupting him. He clearly didn't want to dwell on the issue any further. "I'll be cautious. The most urgent thing is to leave this dangerous place as soon as possible. Let's find a small boat, squeeze in, and get to Taiyuan first, and then we'll discuss the next steps."

At this moment, Qian Ming pointed to a medium-sized passenger ship tied to the shore not far away and said, "Young Master, there's no need to look for another one. Look, that ship over there is the one the King of Jin's men pointed out to us. They said it's already been prepared to take us north."

Everyone looked in the direction Qian Ming pointed and saw a sturdy-looking boat with several silent boatmen on board. Zhang Jingwei looked at the boat, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he had a deeper understanding of the King of Jin's meticulous actions. He nodded:

"In that case, then... let's get on board."

……

One day later, Taiyuan City.

Zhang Jingwei and his group had just entered the city gate and hadn't walked far when they saw Cui Yi and Li Can hurriedly approaching. Cui Yi, with a slightly awkward yet somewhat flattering smile on his face, greeted them from a distance with a bow: "Brother Jingwei! Sister-in-law! I've finally waited for you!"

Huangfu Ling looked at Cui Yi, feeling a familiar look. She frowned slightly in thought. Cui Yi's face grew even more awkward when he saw this. He quickly offered an explanation, his tone clearly apologetic. "Uh... Sister-in-law, that day on the street... I was blind and ignorant. I'm so sorry for offending you. Please be magnanimous and don't take it personally!"

His reminder immediately made Huangfu Ling remember something. His eyes instantly turned cold, and his tone was also chilling: "Oh - I remember now. You are the scoundrel who brought a team of imperial guards and tried to 'make friends' with me on the street, but I ended up beating him up."

"No, no, no, no!" Cui Yi was so scared that he kept waving his hands, sweat almost coming out of his forehead, "Misunderstanding! What a huge misunderstanding! Sister-in-law, I was really... really bewildered, and I have no ill intentions! I just... I just wanted to get to know you, but the way is wrong, the way is wrong!" He looked at Li Can beside him as if asking for help.

Huangfu Ling ignored his explanation and glared at Zhang Jingwei, her tone filled with dissatisfaction and a hint of resentment: "What kind of friends are you making? They are all shady people."

Zhang Jingwei spread his hands helplessly and drew a line in a calm tone: "Ling'er, don't get me wrong. This Mr. Cui is not a friend. At most... he is just someone he knows." He deliberately emphasized the word "know", and his intention of alienation was obvious.

Cui Yi became even more anxious when he heard this, almost jumping up and down: "No, Brother Jingwei! Sister-in-law! I know I was wrong, I really know I was wrong! Please don't look at me like that, I'm so scared!" He tugged at the sleeve of Li Can, who had been silent all the time, and said, "Brother Can! My good brother! Please say something for me! You were there that day, you know I was just a jeer-mouthed person, I didn't mean any harm!"

Li Can was swayed by Cui Yi's pull. He sighed, took a step forward, and looked at Zhang Jingwei with a complicated look. His tone was steady but with a subtle solemnity: "Brother Jingwei, sister-in-law, let bygones be bygones. Brother Cui... was indeed a bit reckless, but he is not a wicked person. You've had a hard time on this journey. Why don't you take a rest first? Then... I'll take you out of the city."

"Escort us out of the city?" Zhang Jingwei keenly caught the unusualness in Li Can's words. He swept his sharp eyes across Li Can and Cui Yi's faces, thinking of Jin Wang Sima Xuan's actions that seemed to know everything. An idea flashed into his mind like lightning. His face instantly darkened, and his voice became a little colder.

"It seems that Prince Jin... has known my whereabouts for a long time, and even predicted that we would return to Taiyuan. And you..." His gaze finally fixed on Li Can's face, with a trace of heartache and realization of being concealed by someone he trusted, "You... are members of Prince Jin's party?"

Facing Zhang Jingwei's piercing gaze, Li Can's face flashed with a hint of guilt, but it was quickly replaced by determination. He lowered his voice and spoke faster, "Brother Jingwei, now is not the time to discuss this. The situation is complicated and cannot be explained in a few words. In the future...if there is a chance, I will definitely explain it to you clearly. Right now, the most important thing is your safety. Let's leave Taiyuan first!"

"Explain?" Zhang Jingwei sneered. The little friendship he had in his heart seemed a little ridiculous at this moment. He flatly refused, "No need! Since we don't share the same ideals, we can't work together. I won't bother you two with the matter of leaving the city!"

He stopped looking at Li Can and Cui Yi and turned directly to Qian Ming behind him, giving a crisp order: "Qian Ming! Take your men to the Caohang warehouse immediately, find our horses, and then meet us directly outside the north city gate! We will return to Yunzhou by the same route!"

"Yes! Young Master!" Qian Ming also noticed that the atmosphere was not right. Without hesitation, he immediately pointed at a few people, turned around and quickly left in the direction of Caohang.

Zhang Jingwei, with Huangfu Ling and the rest of the people, walked past Li Can and Cui Yi with an expressionless face and went straight towards the north gate, leaving Li Can standing there with a complicated expression and Cui Yi slapping his head in annoyance.