Chu Zhao walked slowly down the street, A’Le watching her carefully. “Miss, please don’t be angry.”

“Angry?” Chu Zhao laughed. “I’m not angry. Why would I be angry with them?”

When it came down to it, it was nothing more than petty quarrels and disdain between girls. Compared to the life-and-death conspiracies she had experienced, it was nothing at all.

She wouldn’t get angry over such trivial matters.

“I’m thinking that I must return to the border commandery as soon as possible,” Chu Zhao said.

The appearance of Third Young Master Xie in the capital reminded her of events that would happen in the future, and made her urgently want to see her father again.

Besides asking about her mother’s affairs, there was another matter.

In that previous life, the Xie clan’s reason for rebellion was that Xiao Xun had obtained his position improperly, colluding with treacherous people to seize the imperial throne.

The treacherous person was her father, Chu Ling.

The Xie clan said that the Third Prince had slaughtered the entire Eastern Palace, but in fact the Crown Prince’s son had been rescued and entrusted to Chu Ling, only to be murdered through a conspiracy between Chu Ling and Prince Zhongshan.

Otherwise, it would never have been Prince Zhongshan’s heir’s turn to inherit the throne.

This was the deal between Chu Ling and Prince Zhongshan, and the evidence was that she had become Empress.

How utterly ridiculous. She had dismissed such absurd claims as a joke. The Xie clan, unable to find a genuine reason for rebellion, had fabricated this wild story.

What kind of person was her father, Chu Ling? A disgraced official. Even if the young prince had been rescued, he would never have been entrusted to her father.

His Majesty and the Crown Prince probably didn’t even remember who her father was.

But now, she felt she needed to reconsider—

In any case, there were too many unresolved questions. She had to see her father. She couldn’t stay in the capital any longer.

A’Le didn’t know how many thoughts had passed through her miss’s mind in that instant. She gripped Chu Zhao’s hand tightly. “Miss, don’t worry. We’ll think of another way.”

Chu Zhao came back to her senses. Another way. She thought for a moment and said, “The best way is still to find A’Jiu.”

A’Jiu? A’Le momentarily couldn’t even remember who that was. Why was she suddenly talking about A’Jiu?

The miss actually still remembered this person?

Just as she was about to speak, a hesitant voice came from nearby.

“Chu, Miss Chu?”

Miss Chu? Who are they calling? A’Le looked over, and Chu Zhao had already called out happily, “Officer Zhang!”

By a general store entrance on the side of the street stood two men carrying bags large and small. Though they had been the first to speak, when the girl looked over and called out, their expressions showed some evasion.

“It really is Miss Chu,” Zhang Gu said. “We just, just called out casually. If it’s inappropriate, we’ll leave right away.”

By “inappropriate,” he meant that the circumstances of their acquaintance weren’t exactly glorious. For a young lady, such matters were better left unmentioned.

Earlier, walking out of the general store, they had seen these two girls. Though their attire was completely different from the A’Fu and A’Le of before, because the memory was so vivid, they had recognized them at a glance.

Zhang Gu couldn’t help but call out, but after calling out, he regretted it. Would this girl want them to recognize her?

He hadn’t expected that Chu Zhao’s expression showed neither anger nor distance, but overwhelming joy.

This made him somewhat happy again. This girl didn’t disdain him.

“Officer Zhang.” Chu Zhao walked up to them. “I was just thinking of you all—where’s A’Jiu?”

Uh, Zhang Gu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Seeing the girl look left and right behind them, her eyes bright and shining, full of anticipation.

She wasn’t thinking of them, but of A’Jiu.

These lovers had been forcibly separated during their journey. Their marriage arrangement had fallen through, hadn’t it?

…

…

Zhang Gu looked at the girl’s excited and joyful expression, feeling somewhat sympathetic. Life was like this—things wouldn’t always go as wished. Young people would eventually have to accept this fact.

“Miss Chu,” he said quietly, “A’Jiu isn’t with us anymore.”

Chu Zhao was stunned. Not here anymore—what did that mean?

“He didn’t come out with you?” she asked, then said happily, “That’s fine. I’ll go with you to find him.”

Zhang Gu’s expression grew even more sympathetic. “Miss Chu, he, he’s no longer a courier soldier.”

No longer a courier soldier? Chu Zhao was surprised. “Then what is he doing?” Though it didn’t really matter. After all, he was familiar with the courier soldiers and could find a way. She urged Zhang Gu again, “I’ll go see him and ask.”

“Miss Chu,” Zhang Gu said quietly, getting all the words out in one breath so the girl wouldn’t have a chance to imagine further. “He left. He’s not at the courier station. We don’t know where he went. After we returned, we haven’t seen him again.”

Chu Zhao understood. She recalled what Zhang Gu had said before—A’Jiu was being punished, so after completing this assignment, he had left.

No, her eyes darkened. A’Jiu wasn’t being punished. He was delivering messages, concealing his identity to deliver secret messages to her father. Once the assignment was complete, it was over.

“Where is his home?” she asked.

Zhang Gu shook his head. “He joined the courier station midway. We don’t know where he’s from, much less where his home is.” At this point, he felt somewhat melancholy. “We don’t know if we’ll ever see him again.”

This young fellow seemed very annoying, yet strangely likable.

If you treated him well, he would treat you well in return. If you treated him badly, he would make sure you felt doubly bad.

Chu Zhao’s heart also felt lost. Then he would be hard to find. Having completed his mission and concealed his identity, in a capital this large, how could she possibly find him?

Uncle certainly wouldn’t help her send messages to her father anymore.

If she gave a letter to Zhang Gu and these courier soldiers, Uncle would surely obstruct it. These ordinary courier soldiers didn’t have the authority to make such decisions.

Only A’Jiu.

That wicked, heartless, cunning, merciless scoundrel.

She should be wary of this A’Jiu, yet she felt that in the entire capital, the only person she could trust and who could truly help her was him.

Chu Zhao’s eyes momentarily grew vacant.

“Miss, Miss Chu.” Seeing the girl’s expression, Zhang Gu felt heartbroken. Alas, what a sin. “Don’t be sad.”

He blurted out a promise.

“I’ll try to find him. If I can find him, I’ll tell him you’re looking for him.”

Chu Zhao thanked him sincerely. “Officer Zhang, you truly are a good person.”

This lowly courier soldier she had encountered by chance on the road was better than all the people she had met in her previous life.

“It seems Heaven has taken pity on me, letting me meet good people like Officer Zhang and the others.”

With that, she curtsied to Zhang Gu.

A’Le hurriedly followed with a solemn bow.

Zhang Gu was flustered. “What are you saying? You’re too polite, too polite. It’s only proper, only proper.”

“Then I’ll trouble Officer Zhang to keep this in mind for me,” Chu Zhao said. She told Zhang Gu where they lived, then pointed to A’Le. “Just find her when the time comes. She’s often out and about.”

Zhang Gu nodded. A’Le bowed to Zhang Gu again, and the master and servant took their leave.

Watching the girl walk away looking dejected, Zhang Gu muttered “what a sin” again.

His companion coughed lightly beside him. “Brother Zhang, aren’t you helping people conduct a secret romance?”

Uh, Zhang Gu stammered, “No such thing, no, don’t talk nonsense, there’s no secret romance—”

His companion looked at him teasingly without speaking.

Zhang Gu said helplessly, “I just feel sorry for this child. I’m just helping pass along a message. Whether they meet or not, I don’t care.”

His companion clapped him on the shoulder. “All right, I understand. Brother Zhang is a good person.”

Zhang Gu spat twice, and the two continued on their way.

“But I was really happy to run into Miss Chu today.”

“Miss Chu didn’t avoid us when she saw us. She didn’t disdain us at all.”

“That’s right. Though at first glance, Miss Chu looked quite fierce, as if she’d just been in a fight with someone.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. How could Miss Chu be fighting all the time?”

…

…

The Elegant Interest Pavilion had become somewhat empty. The afternoon session had ended and the evening session hadn’t yet begun, but those young men in the first-floor hall still hadn’t left, even though the food and wine were long gone.

Xie Yanlai was no longer covering his head with a tablecloth, but reclined lazily, calling to the server. “Come, come, bring more food and wine.”

Before the server could respond, the young men stood up helplessly. “When exactly are you planning to leave?”

Xie Yanlai thought for a moment. “After dark. It’s so bright outside—not safe.”

What nonsense. If there really was any danger, it would be you making others unsafe. The young men finally couldn’t hold back. “You just stay here then. We’re leaving.”

Though Xie Yanlai was addressed as Young Master Xie, his birth mother was lowborn, and he had been acknowledged by the Xie family only midway through his life. For the rest of his days, he would at most rely on the family, have enough to eat and wear, and idle away his time. He would never have any prospects.

They were different. They were proper young masters who would seek their fortunes in the future and make names for themselves.

Playing around with Xie Yanlai was to establish connections with the Xie family. They couldn’t really just fool around with him recklessly.

The young men left in a flurry, leaving only Xie Yanlai behind.

The server asked tentatively, “Young master, do you still want food and wine?”

Xie Yanlai glanced at him and tossed a bag of money on the table. “Why not? Can’t this young master afford it?”

This young master really had a temper. The server quickly nodded and bowed obsequiously, loudly calling for the best food and wine. As he was about to leave, he was called back.

“The people who were fighting on the second floor earlier—her surname is Chu, right?”

The server quickly confirmed it was, casually asking, “Do you know her, young master? Miss Chu—”

His words were cut off by Xie Yanlai’s impatient interruption. “How would I know her!”

Young Master Chu Ke hadn’t quite reached the level of being famous throughout the capital yet, but if you didn’t know her, you didn’t know her—why be so fierce about it? Everyone said Third Young Master Xie was kind and good-natured, but this Young Master Xie was certainly not kind. The server was about to leave with mumbled acknowledgments when he was called back again.

Xie Yanlai waved his hand and tossed over another bag of money.

“Find someone to come and tell me in detail how the fight on the second floor happened.”

Oh my, the server happily caught the money. There was such a good deal? These rich young masters were truly unfathomable. Earlier during the fight, he didn’t go watch, but now he was spending money to hear about it. Was this having money with nowhere to spend it?

“Right away—young master, please wait—wine, food, a storyteller, and entertainment, coming right up—”