◎To Eastern Capital◎

Luo Wanqing’s eyes widened.

Seeing her expression, Qin Jue laughed, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

Luo Wanqing heard Qin Jue bidding farewell to the household master in the courtyard. For a moment, she couldn’t quite react. When she heard the sound of someone riding away on horseback, she finally realized that Qin Jue had left.

She leaned against the table, turned to look out the window, and saw from outside that person’s retreating figure on horseback, not even turning back once.

She suddenly felt Qin Jue was right – she was indeed easily soft-hearted.

If she weren’t easily soft-hearted, she wouldn’t be so easily deceived. The only consolation now was probably that the first time she’d been deceived since becoming Liu Xiniang, she’d encountered a relatively good person.

Qin Jue had taught her much. This was also a lesson – the affairs of this world were truly far more complex than she had imagined.

She took a deep breath, not dwelling further on this person. He was a liar anyway, and overthinking was useless.

She turned her thoughts back to Qin Jue’s earlier words. Jiushuang was a woman?

Was he deceiving her again?

But thinking about it, she felt it should be correct.

That person at the inn was very likely not Jiushuang. According to what Liu Xiniang had said, Jiushuang was elusive, rarely seen by anyone. She hadn’t paid special attention either, so she had no information about Jiushuang. Only when she was imprisoned did she hear about Jiushuang’s capture because it was such a sensation.

Precisely because Liu Xiniang had no information about Jiushuang, she was forced to inquire in the death row, where almost no one had seen her.

How could such a low-profile person, when officials were helping to hide identity information, actively expose herself in a crowd?

Jiushuang wouldn’t expose herself, but news of her imprisonment was already known to many. In a situation where the Supervision Department required team formation, if someone took the opportunity to claim they were Jiushuang, they would certainly gain much support and favor. As long as no one else denied it, few would dare challenge “Jiushuang.” Impersonating Jiushuang would at least bring many benefits on the road to Eastern Capital.

As for whether it would attract enemies, those people might not have considered it at all, or perhaps they had considered it and didn’t care.

If that swordsman wasn’t Jiushuang, and Jiushuang was a woman, then why had someone told her Jiushuang was a man?

Who had told her this?

Luo Wanqing recalled and suddenly realized that when she had inquired about Jiushuang in death row, no one had responded for a long time.

Until one day, when someone was beating Zhao Yuyan, she intervened. That woman, to repay the favor, timidly told her that Jiushuang was a scholarly man, saying Jiushuang had once saved her, and she thought Luo Wanqing was seeking revenge, so she hadn’t dared speak before.

If Jiushuang was a woman and Zhao Yuyan had lied to her, then who Jiushuang was became much clearer.

Having figured this out, Luo Wanqing suddenly found the Supervision Department’s assessment quite interesting.

She pondered for a while, then walked to the table to examine what Qin Jue had left her. This person was extremely thoughtful, even leaving two maps – one of Eastern Capital and one of Eastern Capital. The Eastern Capital map even had a red line marking the route to the Supervision Department with annotations, as if afraid she wouldn’t recognize it.

He left a note with a line written on it:

“First day of the third month, You hour, must reach the Supervision Department”

Luo Wanqing held the note, thought for a moment, put it in her bosom, walked out the door, chatted briefly with the household master, confirmed the time, and discovered there were less than sixteen days left to reach Eastern Capital.

Hearing this timeframe, Luo Wanqing nearly choked.

Originally, taking official roads to the Eastern Capital would barely allow arrival in two months. Later, without travel permits, they had to cross mountains and ridges. The two of them traveled day and night, barely covering nearly half the journey in almost a month. When she asked how long she’d been unconscious, Qin Jue said seven days, and she hadn’t thought much of it. Only now did she realize this wasn’t seven days at all – it was twelve days!

February only has twenty-nine days. Having spent twelve days, only seventeen remained for her to complete the last half of the journey.

She couldn’t understand why Qin Jue had lied again, and couldn’t help asking the hostess during dinner, “Sister, was I unconscious for twelve days?”

“I’m not quite sure,” the hostess shook her head, “I just know that for the first five days, your husband barely left the house, staying in the room the whole time. During those days, several people came to the courtyard to brew medicine. Your husband would occasionally come out to get medicine. When he opened the door, I sneaked a look – his face looked terrible. Later, when your husband came out, those people left. You seemed to be awake then? I heard you crying, screaming quite intensely.”

Luo Wanqing’s face stiffened. The hostess smiled, “Your husband is extremely good to you. When the weather was nice, he even carried you outside to get sun. I saw him comb your hair too. You slept so many days, yet you stayed clean – he must have taken very good care of you. I’ve never seen such a attentive husband.”

Listening to this, Luo Wanqing nodded somewhat awkwardly, “Ah, he is quite good.”

Seeing this, the hostess beckoned her, “Eat more, nourish your body. Those bandits were too much, a young woman like you…”

The hostess spoke, seeming to feel she’d said something inappropriate, and stood up, “I’ve cooked some more dishes, let me get them for you.”

After the hostess left, Luo Wanqing ate while realizing Qin Jue hadn’t exactly lied to her.

She’d been unconscious for seven days, but the time she was awake and screaming during the actual bone restructuring was the other time.

He hadn’t deliberately drugged her either – the process was probably indeed unbearable, painful to the point where she lost consciousness.

Not knowing what embarrassing things she’d done during bone restructuring, Luo Wanqing felt restless. Thinking further, if Qin Jue hadn’t left the house for five days, that meant he’d probably spent five days just restructuring her bones.

Being a physician herself, she knew very clearly that for ordinary people, a broken spine meant being crippled – where was there any talk of breaking and reshaping bones?

These martial artists’ seemingly incredible methods all relied on protecting with true qi.

When she was unconscious, only Qin Jue could protect her. Using true qi for five consecutive days to so precisely control and protect another person’s bones – even if Qin Jue was a top master, he probably couldn’t bear it.

She suddenly felt that her single “thank you” was too light. If they met again in Eastern Capital…

She should thank him properly.

Thinking of Eastern Capital, Luo Wanqing smiled, stopped thinking about miscellaneous matters, quickly finished eating, packed her luggage, bid farewell to the household, and set off.

Everything Qin Jue gave was of good quality. She carried it all on her back. With only seventeen days to Eastern Capital, she had no travel permits and couldn’t take official roads. Crossing mountains and ridges all the way, at normal speed, it would be impossible to arrive. She could only run frantically, traveling day and night, running and flying each day.

To save time, she didn’t eat anything requiring fire. Passing mountain dwellings, she’d catch a few birds or rabbits to trade for dry rations, or just eat fruit.

Running like this for sixteen consecutive days, she finally reached the mountains not far from Eastern Capital’s outskirts. With just one night remaining, she could reach Eastern Capital.

However, having just recovered from a serious injury, traveling for days without proper food, she was exhausted. Walking along, she couldn’t support herself anymore. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed directly to the ground.

She couldn’t tell if she was unconscious from exhaustion or fainting.

When she woke up, it seemed a heavy rain had passed. Day was bright, she lay on a pile of dead leaves in the forest, surrounded by fresh grass fragrance.

She supported herself up, looked at the sky, calculated the time, couldn’t help but widen her eyes, quickly got up, took some herbs from her bosom, and ate while urgently rushing out.

Running and flying along, she pondered the most crucial problem – how exactly should she enter Eastern Capital?

She’d collapsed at dusk last night, and now it was morning, meaning she’d slept one night.

Originally she’d planned to reach Eastern Capital before dark according to her previous pace, then use the cover of darkness to leap over the city wall.

But now it was broad daylight. Not only had she not reached Eastern Capital, but in such daylight, if she leaped over the wall directly, the whole city would probably see her.

Direct wall-leaping wouldn’t work. Another conventional method was stealing identity documents.

But according to her memories of living in Eastern Capital years ago, she remembered Eastern Capital’s entry and exit differed from ordinary cities. Ordinary cities relied on documents alone, but Eastern Capital required comparing the portrait on documents with the person’s actual appearance.

The only way to escape this restriction was to be an official’s female family member.

In Eastern Capital, a falling brick could kill three sixth-rank officials. You could never predict who exactly you might be crossing. So generally, gate guards were much more lenient with officials.

Therefore, now she had only one possible way to sneak into Eastern Capital:

Hijack an official’s carriage and disguise herself as an official’s female family member to get in.

Moreover, she couldn’t rob too high-ranking an official – otherwise, she couldn’t handle it, and it would easily cause great trouble.

An official, but a minor official – with all these conditional restrictions, Luo Wanqing’s head was spinning.

She ran frantically to not far from Eastern Capital’s outskirts, then began hiding, waiting for passing carriages.

She didn’t dare get too close to the capital, where there were too many people to act. She chose a relatively quiet road and began watching every carriage that passed.

Wealthy-born officials mostly rode their family carriages, but some officials who passed imperial examinations, having little family wealth, generally rode government carriages for long journeys. This type of carriage had distinctive government markings, easily recognizable. Officials riding such carriages generally held lower positions and posed no great threat.

However, such officials were rarely encountered. Luo Wanqing waited from noon to the afternoon. Watching time pass bit by bit, she gritted her teeth and was about to decide that if necessary, she’d steal documents and try her luck, or just force her way through, when a carriage bearing government insignia finally appeared in her view.

The carriage was medium-sized, followed by four government officers, slowly making its way through the mountains.

Seeing this, Luo Wanqing immediately became alert, crouching as she approached through the forest, then suddenly leaped out, striking two officers’ pressure points with her hand!

The officers ahead noticed and immediately drew swords to turn back, but before they could cry out, Luo Wanqing struck their pressure points with her blade handle, freezing them in place.

Then she leaped onto the carriage. The moment she got on, someone inside hastily drew a sword, but the attacker was an ordinary person. Luo Wanqing grabbed his hand, pressed his hand to thrust the sword back in, saying coldly, “Listen to me if you want to live.”

The young man whose hand she held looked up, revealing a refined face.

He wore crimson official robes, which made his skin appear especially fair. His scholarly face had upright features, roughly matching what people considered the ideal scholar’s appearance.

Only those eyes always made Luo Wanqing feel familiar. Looking carefully, they seemed somewhat similar to Liu Xiniang’s eye shape.

He stared coldly at Luo Wanqing, showing no fear whatsoever, like a minister about to dash his head against the palace gates, coldly rebuking, “At the emperor’s feet, hijacking officials, brandishing weapons – aren’t you afraid to die?”

This scolding left Luo Wanqing somewhat stunned, not understanding where this person got the confidence to lecture her at such a time.

But she reacted quickly, swiftly drawing her sword to his throat, saying coldly, “I’m a death row prisoner – what do I fear from death? Listen to me and I guarantee you’ll live.”

“Bandit scoundrel, don’t think you can force me into wrongdoing.”

Hearing this, the young man was completely unmoved, placing both hands on his knees, sitting upright with dignity, calmly saying, “I have no fear of death.”

Luo Wanqing paused, not expecting to encounter such a stubborn fool.

She couldn’t kill him. After hesitating briefly, she thought, then turned her sword tip toward the outside of the carriage, saying indifferently, “If you won’t listen to me, I’ll start by killing those four at the door first. You don’t want to live, but others still have wives and children.”

Hearing this, the young man was startled. He seemed prepared for death, but hadn’t expected Luo Wanqing to target others first.

Luo Wanqing was somewhat amused by his reaction. She placed the sword back at the young man’s throat, suggesting, “Don’t be nervous. I’m a death row prisoner taking the Supervision Department exam. I could have escaped on the road, but I want to become an official, so I came back specifically. It’s just that I can’t enter the city without travel permits, so I want to disguise myself as your female family member to get in. I have no ill intentions and don’t plan to hurt anyone. If you don’t trust me, after I enter the city, you can report to the authorities to arrest me.”

Hearing this, the young man’s expression shifted slightly, but he still pressed his lips without speaking.

Luo Wanqing continued persuading, “I know you have principles and won’t associate with bandits, but observing your young age, you should still have parents and relatives to care for. If not for yourself, think of your family.”

Listening, the young man’s clenched fists relaxed somewhat, as if thinking of someone, lowering his eyes.

Seeing he was moved by her words, Luo Wanqing became happy, sheathing her sword, “Then it’s settled. Have them escort us into the city.”

Speaking, Luo Wanqing jumped down from the carriage, released the officers’ pressure points. Before they could react, she immediately returned to the carriage, taking a dagger and pressing it against the young man’s abdomen.

“Sir!”

The officers, released from the pressure points, immediately rushed toward the carriage, intending to rescue him.

The young man, sensing the blade at his abdomen, said stiffly, “She’s my female family member.”

With these words, the officers were stunned. The young man clenched his fists but spoke flawlessly, “I was traveling, and she missed me greatly – just a joke. Resume the journey, don’t mind me.”

Hearing this, the officers looked at each other, then pretended to know nothing, responding and resuming the journey.

They were only assigned to protect the official. Since their superior had given orders, they did not need to invite trouble and risk their lives.

Luo Wanqing sat in the carriage. Seeing the situation stabilize, she relaxed considerably. Thinking she’d need to pretend to be this person’s female family member, she immediately said, “Turn around first, I need to change clothes.”

Hearing this, the young man looked both angry and shocked, urgently saying, “You have no shame…”

Before finishing, Luo Wanqing struck his pressure points, turning him around.

The young man heard rustling sounds behind him, enduring his anger with closed eyes.

Luo Wanqing changed into the women’s clothing Qin Jue had bought her earlier. Having no hairpins, she simply let her hair hang loose and took a veil to cover half her face.

But the burn scars at her eye corners were still visible – one glance would reveal the abnormality.

She searched through the carriage, asking, “Is there any cinnabar?”

“In the drawer.”

The young man seemed to be using tremendous willpower to endure her.

Luo Wanqing found the cinnabar following his words, took out a brush, and then realized she had no mirror. After hesitating briefly, she released the young man’s pressure points, turning him back around.

The young man kept his eyes tightly closed. Luo Wanqing stuffed the brush in his hand, commanding, “Open your eyes, help me paint a flower in my eye.”

The young man gripped the brush, saying coldly, “I can’t paint.”

“Can you paint with those people’s blood outside?” Luo Wanqing glanced outside, asking mockingly.

The young man angrily opened his eyes, “You!”

Luo Wanqing looked up at him seriously, “Stop putting on airs with me. I tell you to paint, so paint!”

The young man seemed to be infuriated by her, his chest heaving violently. After a long while, he finally said through gritted teeth, “Sit down!”

Speaking, he turned to dab cinnabar, looking up at Luo Wanqing, “Paint where?”

“I have injuries around my eye corner, cover them.”

Luo Wanqing turned her face aside, pointing at the scars and commanding. The young man pressed his lips, holding the brush and quickly sketching.

Luo Wanqing felt this person was truly angry. She glanced at him sideways, slowly asking, “What’s your name? What position do you hold?”

The young man didn’t speak. Luo Wanqing threatened, “Those officers outside…”

“Ministry of Works Vice Minister,” the young man finally spoke, saying coldly, “Zhang Yiran.”

Author’s Note:

[Mini Theater 1]

Someone: “I just told you not to casually talk to men, and you immediately put on clothes I gave you and pose as someone’s female family member?!”

Luo Wanqing: “Hmm? Didn’t you just say not to trust others too easily and let people be good to me? When did you say not to talk to men?”

Someone: “…”

Luo Wanqing: “Look, I was super fierce to him, even put a knife to his throat. (Proud)”

[Mini Theater 2]

Zhang Yiran: “I painted plum blossoms on the young lady’s face. Does Inspector Xie think they look good?”

Xie Heng: “Stop painting such nonsense on her face, or you’ll take a trip to the imperial prison.”