In the thirteenth year of the Tianbao era: I became Yang Guozhong's eldest son.

Only Yang Xuan, Yan He, Wen Bo, and Cai Fan remained in the room.

As the sun rises higher, it gets closer and closer to the hour of Si (9-11 AM).

Yang Xuan knew that the real hurdle was not in the side courtyard, not in the sealed warehouse, and not in a nobody like Steward Zhou.

And at the moment of leaving the city.

If Yang Guozhong really wanted to embarrass him, he would never have just let him quietly roll out through the side door.

The final threshold lies before the gates of Chang'an.

Sure enough, before 9:00 AM, another message came from the front hall.

This time, it wasn't Steward Zhou who came.

Instead, he was one of Yang Guozhong's most trusted and trusted aides.

The visitor stood outside the courtyard, not even entering the gate, but simply broadcasting a message:

"His Majesty has decreed that the disgraced official Yang Xuan must leave the city through Anhua Gate at this very moment, without taking any detours or delays. Envoys from the Jingzhao Prefecture are already waiting along the way. If he fails to leave by the appointed time, His Majesty will personally submit a memorial to the throne, further punishing him for disobeying the imperial decree!"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the people in the courtyard all changed.

Anhua Gate.

That was the most frequently used gate for leaving the city and heading towards Jiannan, but it was also the gate with the most people and the most diverse crowds.

Yang Guozhong chose that location for the city gate, not for convenience.

It was clearly meant to show the entire city of Chang'an how the rebellious son of the Yang family endured the court flogging, received his demotion, and was then escorted out of the capital like a stray dog.

After hearing this, Yang Xuan let out a long sigh of relief.

"it is good."

Yanhe looked at him: "You still said it was a promise?"

"Of course."

"It would be pointless if he let us sneak out through the side door."

Yang Xuan, supporting himself on the edge of the couch, slowly sat up a little straighter.

The wound on his back immediately felt like it had been scorched again, the pain causing his vision to go black for a moment, but he still managed to hold on.

"If he wants me to lose face in front of Anhua Gate, then I will go."

"Not only do you have to go, but you also have to walk out in front of the entire city, with dignity and integrity."

Yan He paused for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Can you stand up?"

Yang Xuan looked at her and fell silent for a moment.

Then he laughed.

"Give him a hand, he shouldn't die yet."

Yanhe didn't say anything, but got up and walked to the edge of the bed, reaching out to support him.

Her movements were still not particularly graceful, but they were very steady.

With her help, Yang Xuan slowly stood up.

The wound on his back was pulled so hard it almost burst open, cold sweat instantly seeped out from his forehead, and his legs felt weak, but he still managed to stand up.

Wen Bo watched from the side and said in a low voice, "If you really can't hold on, it's fine to leave in the carriage."

"Of course I'll take the sleeper car."

Yang Xuan took a breath and looked at the increasingly bright sky outside the door.

"But before I leave Anhua Gate, I have to stand there and let them see me."

"Otherwise, they would really think that I was beaten out of the house with my spine broken."

Half an hour later.

The gate to the side courtyard opened.

In front was a modified blue-curtained carriage, followed by a secondary carriage carrying medicine, valuables, and dry rations.

Further on were two fine horses from Hexi, led by Pei Zhao himself. Cui Shen sat in the corner of the carriage with the account book in his pocket, while Afu trotted back and forth to take care of them. Wen Bo led two tight-lipped and quick-footed old servants to keep watch on both sides.

Yanhe did not ride in his own sedan chair.

She got into Yang Xuan's car.

This move was tantamount to making his stance crystal clear in front of everyone in the mansion.

Countless servants were hiding in the surrounding corridors, side gates, and passageways, peeping into the area.

Some were shocked, some were afraid, and some couldn't help but gasp inwardly.

This princess really did go with them.

The wheels rolled over the stone slabs, heading towards the gate of the mansion.

Once outside, the people from the Jingzhao Prefecture were indeed waiting for them.

The leader was a clerk named Du. When he saw the carriage coming out, he first looked at the number of carriages and horses, and then at the people accompanying him. Although he had a smile on his face, his eyes were not polite.

"Young Master Yang, you've made quite a grand display."

"The imperial edict is for demoting a county magistrate to a post outside the capital, not for him to establish a government in the border region. Isn't it a bit excessive to bring so many people and carriages?"

Yang Xuan, sitting inside the car, lifted the curtain upon hearing this.

A gust of wind blew, and his face remained pale, but his eyes were calm.

"Du the Registrar."

"What I brought were my wife, a roommate, medicine for my wounds, a carriage, and enough food to survive on the road."

"If you think these actions are also beyond the bounds of propriety, why don't you write a memorial for me now and submit it to the Emperor to ask—should a person who has received thirty strokes of the cane and been demoted to Yaozhou die on the way, or should he live to take up his post?"

Du Lushi's smile froze slightly.

He was originally ordered to keep things under control, but he never expected to actually bring the matter into the open.

Moreover, Yang Xuan made a huge splash in front of the emperor last night, and although he has lost power now, he is still very popular.

Who would dare to openly earn the reputation of "forcing a demoted official to his death on the way" at this time?

"You flatter me, sir," Du the registrar said, his smile fading slightly. "I'm merely asking a question as per protocol."

"Then let's not ask anymore," Yang Xuan said calmly. "Let's go."

The convoy started moving again.

We walked through the market and headed straight for Anhua Gate.

The closer you get to the city gate, the more people there are.

News travels faster than the wind in Chang'an.

The chaos that erupted in front of the emperor last night at the Hua'e Xianghui Tower has already spread throughout the city this morning.

Now that people hear that Yang's eldest son is to be escorted out of the city through Anhua Gate, many people are ostensibly passing by, but secretly they are all there to watch.

Someone was standing at the entrance of the teahouse.

Someone was leaning against the outside of the carriage shop.

Some people even stood on the side of the street, craning their necks to look in this direction.

"Is that Yang Xuan?"

"The one who splashed wine all over An Lushan's face in front of the emperor last night?"

"I heard he was beaten half to death and was actually demoted to Yaozhou."

"Prime Minister Yang is ruthless; he can just kick out his own son like that."

"What's the point of being ruthless? If we're not ruthless, the Yang family itself will be dragged into the mud."

Whispers drifted into the car on the wind.

Afu was so angry that his face turned red. He tried to glare back several times, but Cui Shen gently held him down each time.

Ignore it.

"The more we reason with them, the more they'll see what happens."

Pei Zhao rode beside him, his eyes sweeping across both sides like knives, causing many who wanted to get closer to shrink back.

By the time the car reached Anhua Gate, the sun was already high in the sky.

Beneath the massive city gate, shadows loomed heavy.

One more step forward and you're outside Chang'an.

One step further and there are still the gates of the capital, high walls, the imperial capital, and that deadly net that will slowly tighten.

At this moment, the guards, the merchants coming and going, and the onlookers all turned their attention to this place.

The constables from the Jingzhao Prefecture also stopped in their tracks, as if they wanted to show this scene to everyone.

Du Lushi turned around, his smile carrying a cold, businesslike air.

"Young Master Yang, we've arrived at Anhua Gate."

"I have been ordered to deliver you here, and I will not stay any longer."

"As is customary, we must ask the young master to get out of the carriage, verify his identity, register his travel permit, and then leave the city gate."

This was the final blow.

If Yang Xuan only dared to lie in the carriage and not show his face at this moment, then today's events at Anhua Gate would be considered a done deal—Yang's eldest son had been beaten, demoted, and didn't even have the courage to stand up and leave Chang'an.

There was a moment of silence inside the car.

Yanhe reached out and helped him up.

"Can we download it?"

Yang Xuan glanced at her and suddenly smiled.

"If no one died outside the building last night, we can't afford to lose face at the city gate today."

He raised his hand and lifted the curtain.

First, one foot was placed on the seat, then the other.

The wound on his back seemed to rupture at that moment, but Yang Xuan still managed to stand steadily with Yan He's help.

There was a sudden moment of silence in front of the city gate.

Many people didn't expect that he would actually be able to get off the bus standing up.

His face was white.

His body also appeared somewhat weak due to the injury.

But his back and waist did not collapse.

He raised his head, glanced at the towering Anhua Gate tower above him, then at the official road outside the gate that stretched towards Jiannan, before turning around to look at Chang'an City behind him.

The wind wasn't too strong today.

But the daylight outside the city gate was still dazzlingly bright.

In the morning light, Chang'an City remained magnificent, with its bustling markets and towering city walls, seemingly never to fall.

Who would have thought.

This once vibrant and prosperous capital city, in just two years, will be engulfed in war and rivers of blood.

Yang Xuan looked at the city and remained silent for a long time.

Others assumed he was too badly injured to continue or was resentful.

Only he himself knows.

He wasn't resentful.

He was taking notes.

Remember how you were "driven out" of this city today.

Also remember what identity you will have when you come back in the future.

Seeing Yang Xuan lost in thought, Du the registrar urged from the side, "Young Master Yang?"

Yang Xuan then withdrew his gaze and did not stop looking.

With Yanhe's help, he personally received the travel permit, verified his identity, and then boarded the vehicle again.

Before the curtain fell, he took one last look at the door.

"Walk."

He uttered a single word.

The wheels started turning again.

The green-curtained carriage rolled over the stone road under the city gate, and finally slowly drove out of Chang'an, accompanied by a secondary carriage, horses, and the first batch of civil and military officials who followed.

Outside Anhua Gate, the official road leads south.

Sunlight shone on the ruts, as if splitting a thin golden thread through the path of this poor but unyielding army.

Inside the car, Yang Xuan finally leaned back against the soft mattress and closed his eyes.

The pain in my back didn't lessen at all; on the contrary, it surged even more intensely because of the effort I had just put through.

But this time, his brow wasn't furrowed as tightly as it used to be.

Because he has already overcome the most difficult first hurdle.

Yanhe sat beside him, looking at the cold sweat that he couldn't suppress on his forehead, and said in a low voice, "You can lie down now."

Yang Xuan opened his eyes, turned his head to look at her, and smiled.

"What's wrong? You were so calm in front of the city gate just now, but now you're showing concern for people?"

Yanhe didn't respond to that, but simply placed a soft pillow that had been prepared beforehand behind his back, his movements still swift and efficient.

"Speak less."

"Say it again, then bring the medicine over."

Yang Xuan immediately shut up.

Outside the car, Afu rode on the side of the passenger car, looked back at Anhua Gate which was getting further and further away, and only when the gate tower was completely reduced to a line did he finally seem to breathe a sigh of relief and wipe his face hard.

"It's really out..."

Cui Shen, holding the account book, said in a low voice, "They've come out."

Pei Zhao, leading his horse, glanced back at Chang'an and suddenly grinned, saying, "The people in this city probably still think we're dogs that have been driven out."

Cui Shen said calmly, "It's pretty much the same as it is now."

Pei Zhao was about to scold him for being sarcastic.

But then Yang Xuan's voice suddenly came from inside the car.

Not tall, but stable.

There are two kinds of dogs.

"A child who gets kicked out of the house will just run away with their tail between their legs."

"Another one..."

He paused.

"I'll remember who kicked the door down, and one day I'll come back and bite them hard."

The people outside the car remained silent.

The next moment, Pei Zhao burst out laughing.

"good!"

"I like hearing that!"

Amid the laughter, Cui Shen lowered his head slightly, and a faint smile finally appeared on his lips.

Afu felt a surge of heat in his chest, and his eyes reddened again.

Heading south, we arrived at Yaozhou Salt Wells, a place of exile and plague, a rotten place no one wanted to go.

But I don't know why.

Once the carriage actually left the gates of Chang'an, the pent-up frustration they felt from being trampled on gradually eased.

They seemed to be driven out of the city, not a group of people waiting to die.

Rather, they were a group of people who finally managed to take the first step out of a dead end.

The official road stretched onward, and the sun rose higher and higher.

Chang'an receded into the distance behind us.