I eventually went back and had a peaceful night's sleep. The next morning, I rushed to the prison in a hurry and quietly brought the whole family out. I made the whole process look rather mysterious, insisting they wear hoods so no one would notice them.
I explained to them that the Crown Prince was away, and I had stayed up all night begging the Emperor, promising him a great many benefits before he finally agreed to trade them out. However, I told them the Emperor insisted that because they had indeed broken the law, he could not openly shelter them. Therefore, they would have to leave with me and could never appear in the Feng Imperial Dynasty again, lest it tarnish the Emperor's reputation. As I said this, I made a show of bowing toward the Imperial City.
The family had been left disoriented by this unprovoked disaster. They hadn’t even recovered their wits before being forced into exile. In the end, however, the outcome was good—at least the whole family was still together. This young fellow seemed like a decent and sentimental person; he had traveled great distances just because he was worried about his granddaughter, and in their moment of greatest danger, he had extended a helping hand. Judging by his attire, he didn't look like a poor man, so tagging along with them was fine. They were a family of physicians, after all, and could make a living anywhere, so they decisively agreed to come with me.
Chapter 185