A few days later, Huo Jue finished purchasing furs and was leaving Jin City.

He came to the inn to bid farewell.

Lu Zhuo was at the military camp, so Wei Rao received her cousin in the front hall.

Though reluctant to part, everyone had grown up now. Her cousin had to help her uncle share the business burdens – how could he linger anywhere for too long?

After drinking a bowl of tea, Huo Jue was ready to depart. Wei Rao accompanied her cousin to the outside of the inn.

“Raorao, don’t be so willful in the future. Your path is different from ours. Think three times before acting on anything.”

This was the last thing Huo Jue said to Wei Rao before getting in his carriage.

Wei Rao understood her cousin was referring to her dressing as a man to observe his business dealings.

Wei Rao still believed that after meeting those merchants once, they definitely wouldn’t recognize her if they saw her again. But considering Lu Zhuo’s perspective, his concerns were completely reasonable. At least before the two divorced, she could ride horses and hunt, but she shouldn’t put Lu Zhuo at risk of being mocked as a cuckold.

In this matter, she had indeed been inappropriate.

After her cousin left, Wei Rao never went out alone again, nor did she ever dress as a man again. She would either wear a veil and stroll in the inn’s garden, or accept Yang Yan’s invitations to visit the Yang family.

During this period, Lu Zhuo remained at the military camp.

April was finally coming to an end, and the Dragon Boat Festival was approaching soon. According to the news, Zhao Song revealed to Bitao, the recruit selection would end on the second day of the fifth month. Starting from the third, there would be a five-day holiday. All recruits would return to camp before sunset on the seventh, and everyone would depart for the capital early on the eighth.

Wei Rao’s heart began to feel restless.

She had traveled all this way to Jin City just to see her mother. After waiting two months, she would finally go to the Xing Palace.

Now she was in Jin City, only half a day’s ride from the West Mountain Xing Palace. She also held the imperial edict sealed by Emperor Yuanjia. Everything was ready – only Lu Zhuo was needed.

He had even kept his promise to host her cousin for dinner. For such an important matter as accompanying her to the Xing Palace, he probably wouldn’t go back on his word.

Wei Rao prepared three sets of clothes: one set of men’s clothing she had never worn in Jin City for riding back and forth, and two sets of women’s clothing for staying at the Xing Palace.

Wei Rao also went to the stable to see her date-red steed. The horse had been well cared for by the inn’s servants – its coat was glossy. Wei Rao petted it again and again, as if she were already sitting on horseback, galloping toward the Xing Palace.

On the evening of the second day, Lu Zhuo returned to the inn.

After a full day of training, he was covered in sweat. Without needing instructions, Zhao Song had already ordered water to be prepared.

Closing the door to the inner room, Lu Zhuo removed his robes and first stood outside to wipe his entire body with a wet cloth, removing the sweat smell, before stepping into the bathtub and leaning against its edge with his eyes closed.

His long, solid arms rested on either side, his jade-like chest and abdomen faintly visible in the water. Water droplets rolled down his slightly flushed face. After a month of blazing sun with the recruits, his handsome face had darkened by three parts, creating a clear demarcation line at his collarbone. However, this tanning didn’t diminish his handsomeness – instead, it added the cold severity common to military generals, making the gentle, refined heir of Duke Ying more like his other identity: deputy general of the Shenwu Army.

He remained soaking in the water, as if asleep.

The water in the tub gradually cooled. When the sunset outside the window faded and night was about to fall, Lu Zhuo opened his eyes and left the bathtub.

Moments later, he appeared in the hall dressed in white robes, properly attired.

Zhao Song and Zhao Bai were both waiting for his instructions.

Lu Zhuo took a sip of tea and said, “Prepare dinner.”

Zhao Bai immediately went to the kitchen to give orders.

Zhao Song looked at his master, not believing that was all he had to say.

Lu Zhuo glanced at him: “Invite the young mistress over.”

Zhao Song felt relieved. The young master liked the young mistress so much – how could he ignore her completely?

He slipped through the small door of the back courtyard and saw Bitao standing in the yard. Zhao Song beckoned to her.

Bitao immediately ran over.

Zhao Song smiled: “The young master has returned and requests the young mistress to come over.”

Bitao had given up hope for her mistress and the young master. Previously, every time the young master offended the mistress, he would find ways to coax her forgiveness, which was why Bitao and Liu Ya thought this fake marriage might become real someday. But this time, for a whole month, the young master had stayed at the military camp without returning once. Bitao was only grateful that her mistress had never fallen in love; otherwise, being so coldly ignored by the young master would have been heartbreaking.

If not for her mistress asking her to watch for the young master’s return today, Bitao wouldn’t even want to see Zhao Song.

After hearing Zhao Song’s words, Bitao didn’t delay. She left Zhao Song and went to the inner room to inform her mistress.

Zhao Song scratched his head, feeling like an ant was crawling in his heart. Whenever the young master and young mistress quarreled, Bitao seemed to dislike them too.

He didn’t like this and only hoped the young master and young mistress would make up quickly.

Wei Rao had been waiting for news of Lu Zhuo all day, because tomorrow was the day they had agreed to depart.

As soon as Lu Zhuo returned, Wei Rao’s heart calmed. Lu Zhuo still owed her one thing – if he wanted to back out of the Xing Palace appointment, she would use that matter to make him honor it.

Wei Rao came to the front courtyard just as the kitchen was bringing Lu Zhuo’s meal and setting it on the table.

Seeing her, Lu Zhuo smiled: “I returned suddenly. Has Madam already eaten?”

He smiled so beautifully that the little maid serving dinner secretly glanced back and forth between the young master and young mistress. During this month, almost all the inn’s servants knew the young master and young mistress had quarreled, and they were all guessing when the two would make up.

Wei Rao smiled: “Not knowing the young master would return, I’ve already eaten.”

Lu Zhuo nodded and signaled for the maids to withdraw.

Zhao Song and Zhao Bai stood guard on either side outside.

Wei Rao stood in the center of the hall, patiently watching Lu Zhuo – not smiling, not angry, not anxious, just waiting for an answer.

The way she looked at Lu Zhuo was like looking at someone who had merely traveled with her for a while, as if nothing else had happened between them, as if after completing this final journey together, she would bid farewell without looking back.

Lu Zhuo lowered his eyes: “Rest early. We depart before dawn tomorrow.”

Wei Rao smiled and curtsied: “Thank you, young master.”

Having gotten her answer, Wei Rao turned and left.

Lu Zhuo looked at the meal before him and only picked up his chopsticks after a long while.

Outside the door, Zhao Song and Zhao Bai looked at each other. Two sentences – after not seeing each other for a month, the young master and young mistress had only exchanged two sentences, one of which was a meaningless social courtesy.

Before dawn, Wei Rao was already up. Bitao had received instructions the night before and crawled out of bed to help her mistress arrange her hair.

“Miss, what’s going on between you and the young master? You’ll be gone for three days – I couldn’t sleep last night.” Bitao asked with dark circles under her eyes, because last night her mistress had suddenly packed a small bundle, saying she was going sightseeing with the young master alone, not bringing a single servant.

Bitao couldn’t imagine her mistress and the young master traveling together – would they go their separate ways, ignoring each other?

Wei Rao smiled: “Don’t worry, we’ll be back on the evening of the sixth.”

Bitao couldn’t get any information and gave up helplessly.

Wei Rao came to the front courtyard. Lu Zhuo was already waiting, wearing a gray-blue brocade robe that looked more like white in the dim light.

The two horses had already been led outside the inn by Zhao Song.

The two mounted their horses separately. Wei Rao gripped the reins and looked down at Zhao Song: “During these three days, please look after Bitao for me.”

Zhao Song respectfully accepted the order.

Wei Rao spurred her horse and galloped out with a smile.

When the two reached the city gate, it had just opened. The gate guards already recognized Lu Zhuo and let them pass directly.

After leaving the city gate, the view suddenly opened up. Wei Rao slowed down and turned to Lu Zhuo: “Please lead the way, young master.”

She didn’t know how to get to the West Mountain Xing Palace.

Lu Zhuo had already inquired clearly and spurred his horse to lead the way.

Fei Mo ran very fast, so Lu Zhuo deliberately slowed down to prevent Wei Rao’s horse from falling behind.

Wei Rao silently maintained a distance of two horse lengths from him.

The two rode from just before dawn until the sun was high in the sky, without saying a single word.

Passing by a stream, Lu Zhuo stopped his horse: “Rest for fifteen minutes.”

After continuous galloping, both people and horses were tired. The Xing Palace could be reached in half a day – there was no need to rush.

Wei Rao patted her date-red horse’s neck, jumped down, and led the horse to drink at the stream.

The summer sun was scorching. Wei Rao wore a veil to avoid being tanned. She treasured her beauty and didn’t want to get as dark as Lu Zhuo.

While the horse drank water, Wei Rao had been bouncing for over an hour and felt uncomfortable below. Not wanting to sit anymore, she walked around in the shade of trees along the bank with her back to the light. Wild grass grew along the bank, tall enough to cover her ankles. Various colored small flowers bloomed in the grass, and grasshoppers would jump up where Wei Rao passed.

This reminded Wei Rao of her maternal grandmother’s estate. She had come to visit her mother, but this was the first time she’d been away from home for so long. Wei Rao missed her maternal grandmother, and her grandmother too.

“Think three times before acting on anything.”

Her cousin’s words suddenly echoed in her ears again. Wei Rao paused and looked toward the sparkling water surface.

She could quickly divorce Lu Zhuo and leave the capital to travel and see the world outside. But Grandmother and maternal grandmother were both old – would they feel at ease with her wandering outside? Maternal grandmother might understand her thoughts, but what about Grandmother? Grandmother had favored and protected her for so many years, and First Aunt already had complaints. If she left the capital bearing mockery, what would First Aunt whisper in Grandmother’s ear? While she was experiencing different customs and cultures outside, would Grandmother and maternal grandmother worry that she wasn’t eating or dressing well?

She had grown up in the love of these two elders. Setting aside the maternal grandmother for now, the thing that had made Grandmother happiest in all these years was her becoming “a real husband and wife” with Lu Zhuo. Before leaving the capital, she had even brought Lu Zhuo to perform a scene in front of Grandmother. If she told Grandmother she wanted a divorce as soon as she returned to the capital, could Grandmother bear such a blow?

Wei Rao turned her head. In her peripheral vision, Lu Zhuo was leaning against a tree trunk facing the stream, seemingly resting with his eyes closed.

Wei Rao wanted to laugh. She had proposed the divorce – if she changed her mind so quickly, Lu Zhuo would surely mock her endlessly.

Forget it. There were still over ten days before returning to the capital. Even if she wanted to change her mind, it wouldn’t be too late to do so before entering the city.

After resting enough, the two mounted their horses and continued.

The Xing Palace was built for emperors and royal family members to escape the summer heat and rest. To avoid being disturbed by common people and mountain folk, it was built in a narrow valley, constructed following the mountain’s natural contours. The closer to the Xing Palace, the closer to the mountains. The official road was laid along the mountain, winding like a snake, with mountain ridges on one side and a rushing river on the other.

Near noon, the sun was even more scorching, but it was much cooler in the mountains. After riding up a slope, Wei Rao looked down and saw palace buildings standing ahead – the Xing Palace was before her eyes.

Sweat rolled down her cheeks, and Wei Rao wiped it with a handkerchief.

“Shall we go now, or find a place to rest and freshen up first?” Lu Zhuo turned his horse around and came to her side to ask.

Wei Rao didn’t want to see her mother looking so disheveled.

Touching the bundle behind her, Wei Rao pointed to the forest ahead: “Let’s rest for a while.”

She needed to change into women’s clothing.