"Let's start from the Zhuma Ferry," Yan Aohan explained, his voice calm and precise. "We’ll take the Yao River directly to the Yonggang Pier. From there, we’ll switch to a passenger steamer and head straight to the Tian Market Pier. Once we disembark, a private car will take us to the Capital."
She paused, ensuring she understood the complexity of the plan. "At the same time, I will have people create a decoy. They will pretend you are taking a train to Hangzhou, then flying into the Capital from the Hangzhou airport. Both paths lead to the Capital, but one is a bright path, and the other is hidden. We will take the hidden path. By the time they realize the truth and follow the decoy to Hangzhou and then the Capital, we will already be settled and safe."
Zhu Yanyi chewed her noodles slowly, looking up with a frown. "Boats are slower than planes, aren't they?" she said simply. "The speed difference is too big."
Yan Aohan smiled gently. "Of course, boats are slower. But I will have the decoy group wander around Hangzhou for a while. If that’s not enough, I’ll create some small incidents to make it look like you went missing for a few days before returning. Then, you’ll go to the Capital. The goal is to ensure that by the time those people confirm your location, you and your family are already safe in the Capital."
Zhu Yanyi continued eating her noodles. After a long silence, she spoke again. "First, we need to decide when we leave, right?"
She sighed softly in her heart. She knew leaving was inevitable, but the thought of it made her feel sad and reluctant. That was why she asked.
Yan Aohan looked at her, his eyes serious and deep. "Ani, I know you don’t want to leave. You miss your parents, your friends, your relatives, and everything here. But Ani, you must understand: to keep what you love, you must first become strong. Right now, your power is not enough. It’s not just you—even Old Man Yao wouldn’t dare leave the Capital casually. There are people plotting in the shadows, especially some madmen."
Zhu Yanyi didn’t understand who the "madmen" were, but she understood the seriousness in Yan Aohan’s tone. It meant she truly could not stay in Sicheng Town anymore. She thought for a moment. "Zhang Haitao needs seven more days to be safely transferred. In seven days, her tongue will have fused enough, and the pain will pass. After that, she just needs good care. She can recover in the Capital. So, we need to stay here for seven more days."
"Good," Yan Aohan nodded. "I will make all the arrangements within these seven days. We will leave Sicheng Town on the night of the seventh day."
She reached out and gently patted her head. "Ani, spend these seven days well with Uncle Shunyao and the others. In the future, if you return, you can only come back quietly. Even then, you won’t be able to stay for long."
Zhu Yanyi nodded, showing she understood.
Knowing she had to leave Sicheng Town, Zhu Yanyi felt a bit listless in the following days. However, she cherished every minute and second spent with her parents, grandparents, and relatives.
Zhu Yanli and Zhu Zhibin were also affected by Zhu Yanyi’s mood. Thinking about the departure, they felt reluctant too. As a result, the spirits of the three siblings were all low.
Seeing this, Zhu Shunyao frowned slightly. They were his children, and he missed them too. But he hated seeing them so listless and unhappy.
That evening, after dinner, she decided to have Zhu Yanyi and her siblings follow her to the courtyard to cool off.
"Ani," Zhu Shunyao said, his voice warm but serious. "The Azure Sovereign Qingdi Group will announce its establishment on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month."
Recently, Zhu Shunyao had been busy organizing the affairs of the Azure Sovereign Qingdi Group.