This question, if answered poorly, could carry deadly risk.

“This…”

Jiang Xuening had been talking with Huang Qian along the way, responding to his probing, yet wasn’t at all worried about revealing flaws. After all, her affection for Zhang Zhe was genuine. She knew many things about him.

But his words made her heart skip a beat.

However, in just a moment, she had an idea.

Huang Qian and Feng Mingyu naturally had their schemes, both pondering who exactly that person mentioned in Mountain Man Du Jun’s letter was. Here, the most worth suspecting was none other than Zhang Zhe.

And Jiang Xuening, whom Zhang Zhe brought, was an even more unreasonable existence.

Who brings a younger sister when putting themselves in danger?

Truly perplexing.

But he hadn’t expected that after asking this, the young lady who’d been eloquent with witty remarks would lower that plain face, becoming hesitant, as if embarrassed to answer.

Huang Qian suddenly thought of something.

His expression became strange: “You and that Lord Zhang, could it be…”

Jiang Xuening lightly lowered her eyelids. No one saw the mockery hidden beneath those long lashes. In her heart, she thought—anyway, Zhang Zhe didn’t know about her nonsense, so she lightly bit her lip, yet with an extremely convincing shy and timid appearance, said softly: “My elder brother and I are mutually devoted. Unfortunately, our family forbids it. This elopement—fearing discovery—please ask the Hall Master to keep it secret and not spread it.”

Huang Qian: “…”

His whole person was as if suddenly struck by lightning. What the fuck did I just hear?!

After entering the city from the city gate, the Heavenly Doctrine side had already found an inn to lodge at.

Zhang Zhe and Feng Mingyu arrived earlier and were already sitting in the hall.

Huang Qian brought Jiang Xuening inside, his expression somewhat strange, especially when his gaze flicked toward Zhang Zhe.

After exchanging pleasantries on both sides, Feng Mingyu looked left and right, always feeling Huang Qian’s gaze at Zhang Zhe wasn’t right. He gave him a meaningful look and called him aside, frowning: “What’s wrong with you? We’re only suspicious of him now. How can you be so obvious? What if he’s not the mole—you let him know we suspect him, wouldn’t that offend even Mountain Man Du Jun? Did you find something out?”

Find something out?

Better not to mention this—once mentioned, Huang Qian’s whole person felt terrible.

He thought privately—I don’t want to look at Zhang Zhe like that either.

But who could imagine that someone who appeared so upright and proper outside would actually have, have that kind of thing with his own younger sister!

Simply worse than beasts!

Though Huang Qian was a jianghu person, he still understood the words “propriety and law.” He restrained himself, couldn’t restrain it, and said: “Mr. Feng, come closer…”

The two muttered together here.

Feng Mingyu’s expression changed several times.

Over there, Jiang Xuening felt no burden. Recalling Huang Qian’s expression when he’d heard her say “sibling elopement,” she couldn’t help wanting to laugh.

She clapped her hands, easily surveying this inn.

Entering Tongzhou city, it was already night.

When they walked through the city, most shops had already closed. Only a few still braved the cold wind, hawking wontons and dumplings. The way was quite desolate—only distant pleasure quarters were lively, naturally incomparable to the capital.

This inn also revealed some shabbiness.

The paint on the gate had peeled considerably. All furnishings were quite old without any other decorations. Only with New Year approaching, bright red fortune papers had been pasted on the door frame and by the stairway, seeping a few parts warm fervor into this freezing winter day.

Tongzhou was obviously an important Heavenly Doctrine stronghold. After entering this inn, these people visibly relaxed considerably, sitting down—those drinking wine drank wine, those talking talked.

The innkeeper didn’t ask their identities either, enthusiastically attending them throughout.

Fortunately, there were very few guests this season, so no one else noticed.

Zhang Zhe wasn’t blind. From the moment they passed through the city gate and regrouped with everyone, he sensed Huang Qian’s gaze toward him wasn’t right. But looking at Jiang Xuening, she appeared normal.

Now as Huang Qian and Feng Mingyu went aside to talk, he pulled Jiang Xuening over.

His expression became somewhat serious.

Zhang Zhe frowned, asking her: “What did Huang Qian ask you on the road?”

Jiang Xuening clasped her hands behind her back, appearing well-behaved, honestly saying: “He asked what relationship Lord Zhang and I have, and why Lord Zhang would bring me on such a dangerous operation.”

This was within Zhang Zhe’s expectations.

He asked again: “What did you say?”

Jiang Xuening became coy, lightly biting her lip, yet secretly observing Zhang Zhe’s demeanor. Seeing his stern rigidity no different from the previous life instead stirred her heart to tease and play with him more. So she blinked and said softly: “I told Hall Master Huang…”

She finished speaking.

Zhang Zhe’s mind went blank for a moment.

He lowered his eyes gazing at the young woman close before him, unable to react.

But Jiang Xuening thought he hadn’t heard clearly. Leaning closer, she wanted to repeat it, her voice also louder than before: “I just said we are sibling elope—”

Before the character “ment” could emerge, Zhang Zhe’s expression had already changed. Because she was very close to him, he directly raised his hand to cover that troublemaking mouth of hers. Between his long brows was already cold severity, carrying a few parts thin anger, rebuking: “Nonsense!”

On this bitter winter day, his palm was warm.

Jiang Xuening’s slightly cool cheeks absorbed his warmth. Her moist lips seemed to touch his palm. For that moment, she wanted to stick out her tongue to lick him, to see if he’d still dare cover her mouth.

But this old fossil Zhang Zhe would probably be scared to death by her.

So this thought turned in her heart but ultimately wasn’t put into practice. She only looked at him helplessly, appearing purely innocent as she blinked.

Thus Zhang Zhe realized his conduct was improper. He immediately wanted to release her, but before letting go, he kept a straight face warning her “don’t talk nonsense again.” Seeing her blink and agree, only then did he release his hand.

Jiang Xuening pretended not to know what she’d done: “Did I say something wrong?”

This attitude was obviously fake at first glance.

Zhang Zhe looked at her without half a trace of humor, saying: “Miss will marry in the future. A young lady’s reputation cannot be ruined. Such nonsense—what propriety is this?”

What propriety?

Anyway, she didn’t want to marry anyone else.

The phrase “if others won’t marry me, will you marry me then?” was right on her lips, nearly spoken, but ultimately fearing she’d anger him further and make him more unhappy, she restrained herself.

Standing before Zhang Zhe, she lowered her head aggrievedly, quietly defending herself: “Then what could I say? I couldn’t think of another excuse in the moment. What if I ruined things?”

Zhang Zhe knew how clever her mind was.

Though he now knew nine parts of her aggrieved appearance was feigned, Zhang Zhe held a breath stuck in his chest. Somehow it wouldn’t come out, only forcing himself to swallow it back, instead burning a patch of pain in his heart.

For a while, he gazed at her without speaking.

Jiang Xuening stared quietly at her toes, waiting for him to explode. But after ages without hearing a sound, she looked up to meet a pair of eyes that were clear and cool yet faintly hiding some restrained suffering. Her heart suddenly tightened, recalling times in her previous life when she’d disappointed him.

She’d always been heartless, yet suddenly panicked somewhat.

Her original intention to tease him immediately scattered completely. She actually became somewhat afraid, carefully reaching out to grasp the corner of his robe, softly admitting fault: “It’s all my fault, all my fault. I’ll never say it again. Whatever you tell me to say, I’ll say!”

Zhang Zhe fell silent without reason.

That hand tugging his robe corner seemed to tug his heart.

He thought—how could he lose his temper with her?

Lowering his eyelids, pausing, he only said: “They’ve begun suspecting me. Tomorrow we go to the branch hall. Tonight you feign illness. When day breaks tomorrow, go to Yongding Medicine Shop to see a doctor. The capital side should also have people searching for you, Miss. The court will naturally dispatch people to escort you.”

Tonight feign illness, tomorrow morning leave.

Jiang Xuening was stunned, still unwilling to release his robe corner, instinctively wanting to ask: “Then what about you?”

But just then, Feng Mingyu and Huang Qian had already walked over.

She could only give up.

Obviously having learned something from Huang Qian’s side, Feng Mingyu’s originally worldly smile held more forced elements. His gaze assessed Jiang Xuening and Zhang Zhe, unexpectedly discovering they were quite well-matched—talented man and beautiful woman.

Only unfortunately…

They were actually siblings.

Right now, one tugged the other’s robe corner, overly intimate. Didn’t that suggest something?

He’d wrongly thought along the way that this Zhang Zhe was truly a proper gentleman. Never expected…

One can’t judge by appearances.

But compared to Zhang Zhe’s nonsense about “my younger sister just happened to be going to Tongzhou,” obviously “sibling elopement” was more plausible.

Feng Mingyu naturally wouldn’t call them out explicitly, silently assuming Zhang Zhe also wanted face and found it difficult to speak of. So he only cupped his hands, inviting Zhang Zhe to go upstairs to a guest room together to discuss matters.

Zhang Zhe agreed.

But midway up the stairs, recalling Jiang Xuening’s nonsense with Huang Qian, unwilling to ruin her reputation, he inevitably wanted to clarify a few things with Feng Mingyu and Huang Qian. However, both Feng and Huang said “no problem, no problem, we never misunderstood—you siblings are perfectly innocent,” appearing very understanding of Zhang Zhe. Instead, Zhang Zhe completely lost words, understanding that saying more would be useless and would only make things darker.

Finally, he could only fall silent again.

Jiang Xuening naturally couldn’t follow them upstairs to discuss matters. Only watching Zhang Zhe’s back disappear around the corner did she turn, wanting to get something to eat at the inn.

But that Xiao Bao with the sky-pointing braid seemed to have been watching her all along.

Seeing her turn, he hurried to wave at her from beside a table, smiling cheerfully and very intimately calling: “Elder Sister, come here! There’s hot soup and roasted squab!”

Jiang Xuening only felt this child had been quite caring toward her along the way.

Sometimes passing water, sometimes passing dry rations. Though she’d always felt that black blob of ink in his hands that first night meeting aroused suspicion, she couldn’t very well refuse. So she sat over and thanked him: “Much obliged.”

Cold stars in the sky, north wind moaning.

Duke Dingguo Xiao Yuan led a mighty contingent galloping swiftly, finally arriving outside Tongzhou city.

The vanguard reined in their horses outside the city, coming up to report.

Young Xiao Ye also wore a sword riding on horseback, gazing at that city in the darkness nearby. He couldn’t help laughing, full of triumph: “Father is still brilliant. As the saying goes, wealth moves people’s hearts—money makes ghosts push millstones. What Heavenly Doctrine righteous men—aren’t they willing to spit out even their own lair’s location for a hundred or eighty taels of silver! This time we have many men. Taking these rebels is simply catching turtles in a jar—success at hand!”

“Hahaha…”

Xiao Yuan hadn’t led troops in battle for many years. This time, he’d found his general’s outfit and equipment, stroking his beard in great laughter: “This time, capturing rebels is a small matter. The important thing is using this opportunity to demonstrate loyalty before His Majesty and establish merit once, which is why we must beat Grand Tutor Xie to it. It’s not that this duke dislikes the man—truly the matter is urgent. Ye’er, do you know what’s outside Tongzhou city?”

He pointed toward the southeast direction.

Xiao Ye followed his pointing finger to look. Though under the pitch-black sky he saw nothing, he answered: “The Tongzhou main camp garrisoning a hundred thousand troops.”

Xiao Yuan’s gaze sharpened.

He gazed toward that direction like an old hawk choosing its prey, sinisterly about to extend its claws, saying: “With that old bastard Yan Mu’s fall and no more Marquis of Yongyi household, this Tongzhou main camp’s hundred thousand garrisoned troops lack a general to command them. His Majesty’s side is considering it too. But you also know—court has considerable criticism of our Xiao clan. The Empress Dowager also can’t show too much favoritism, so everything must have a justifiable reason. Right now is an extremely crucial moment. Destroying this Heavenly Doctrine Tongzhou branch hall, arresting who should be arrested, killing who should be killed—that establishes first merit!”

Xiao Ye was a wastrel. Hearing these words, he could hardly restrain himself, immediately becoming excited: “Then shall we enter the city now and kill to our hearts’ content?”

Xiao Yuan laughed: “This can’t be rushed.”

Then with a wave of his hand, he had the soldiers behind dismount to reorganize, saying: “No rush. Wait until tomorrow when the two Heavenly Doctrine groups plus those villains escaped from the imperial prison gather together. Then we’ll capture them all in one net, handling this matter beautifully.”

Xiao Ye immediately said: “Father is still brilliant!”

Xiao Yuan couldn’t help fantasizing about the magnificent scene when he alone commanded three military routes. Thus he laughed heartily with satisfaction.

Jiang Xuening was delicate and pampered, accustomed to good days. After days of rushing about, unable to sleep or eat well, finally relaxing somewhat in this inn, she rarely ate more, enjoying the wine and dishes the inn had prepared.

After attending to her, Xiao Bao went over to play dice with that group of Heavenly Doctrine people.

Recalling Zhang Zhe’s earlier words, her mind turned. She went upstairs, pondering methods to feign illness.

In childhood in the countryside, she’d seen quite a few traveling physicians. Her head held a jumble of miscellaneous knowledge.

A swindling Daoist had taught her a trick.

Hold a potato under your armpit and the pulse becomes undetectable, like having a strange illness.

Jiang Xuening thought privately—can’t catch wolves without sacrificing the child. Feigning illness had to be convincing. So she first rose and bolted the door, removed her body-warmed outer robe, pulled open the tightly closed window crack, and stood right in that draft. Before long, her face was already pale and bluish, shivering with cold. Then, hearing the noisy dice players outside scatter, she carefully opened the door and slipped downstairs to find the kitchen behind the inn.

Late at night, the surroundings all quieted.

Though she didn’t know exactly where in Tongzhou the Heavenly Doctrine branch hall was, those people would go tomorrow. This night, they had some scruples and didn’t carouse too late, all going to rest.

Only the number-one room under the character “tian” still had light.

Probably Zhang Zhe was still talking with Huang Qian and Feng Mingyu.

Inns under heaven all had similar layouts.

Jiang Xuening reached the kitchen without incident. Holding her breath and calming herself, looking left and right with no one around, she extended her hand to slowly push open both door panels, slipping nimbly inside, then closing the door.

The air actually drifted with some wine vapors.

Having wine in a kitchen was very normal.

She didn’t pay it any mind.

But she absolutely hadn’t expected that just as she turned around, a great force came upon her nape. It was a strong, powerful hand that heavily gripped her, while another hand swiftly covered her lips, pushing her against the door panel!

Jiang Xuening was scared half to death!

However, by the not-very-bright light from the not-quite-closed door crack, a flash went through her mind and she recognized him at once—

It was actually Meng Yang!

His eyes somber, his lips tightly pressed, his entire face filled with killing intent. Yet feeling the skin beneath his palm smooth and overly soft, he realized the person was a woman. His brows involuntarily knitted. With a thought, he recognized her: “It’s you?”

When Jiang Xuening first saw this person in prison, she’d felt danger.

However, not long ago by the bonfire when hearing this person speak of the Marquis of Yongyi household, she’d viewed him with some new respect. Right now not daring to speak, she only dared nod.

Meng Yang’s hair was disheveled. Watching her for a moment and discovering she truly had no intention of screaming, he released her, saying: “What are you doing here?”

Jiang Xuening lied: “I was hungry, came looking for food.”

Meng Yang sneered—whether believing it or not was unclear. Turning around, he actually groped in the dark at the stove and lifted up a wine jar to drink.

Thus Jiang Xuening knew this was a misunderstanding.

The other party in the dead of night was merely looking for wine to drink.

She couldn’t very well converse with this person either. Moreover, pondering that with someone beside her, finding something would be awkward in her movements. In the extremely weak light, she felt around for a potato, hesitating, not daring to pocket it.

Who’d have thought Meng Yang would glance at her in the darkness, his eyes flashing with sharp light, actually saying: “Even a young lady from a great family knows this kind of jianghu trick—you want to feign illness?”

Jiang Xuening’s hair stood on end instantly!

But Meng Yang only drank his wine on his own without intending to pay attention to others, saying: “You people, each harboring your own thoughts—could stage a whole opera. Take the potato and hurry off. Don’t obstruct this master’s drinking.”

Jiang Xuening went from shock to bewilderment.

Thinking it over, this person’s conduct was indeed strange. He also didn’t seem the type to band together with the Heavenly Doctrine side—probably that kind of wandering jianghu character who yielded to no one. She simply steeled herself, stuffed the potato in her sleeve, and made to leave.

But just as she turned, her footsteps paused again.

Jiang Xuening looked back at that shadow in the darkness, considering the idea that had just surfaced in her mind, yet somewhat hesitant.

Since his wife’s death, he lived in the world like a walking corpse. After killing his entire household, he felt not half a trace of guilt—only that locked in prison, there wasn’t much wine to drink.

That Master Xie in the capital often had people send him wine.

But Meng Yang knew that wine sent by people who seemed to be good people often couldn’t be drunk. So he’d never touched a drop.

He inexplicably laughed, seeing Jiang Xuening not leaving, and said: “You’re feigning illness to escape, right? That Lord Zhang is your lover—not leaving together?”

Jiang Xuening said: “Precisely because he won’t leave that I wonder whether I might ask Young Master Meng for help.”

Meng Yang was also born of a great household, but it had been long since anyone called him “Young Master Meng.”

He found it interesting: “You two are truly star-crossed lovers.”

Jiang Xuening thought privately that if she and Zhang Zhe were truly star-crossed lovers, it would be worth it—this rebirth wouldn’t have been in vain. But someone like Zhang Zhe was ultimately like the bright moon in the sky for her. Standing at the highest tower and reaching out, she could only touch a bit of light.

Her mood was low, yet she didn’t deny her heartfelt feelings.

Only saying: “I truly have feelings for Lord Zhang. I’ve heard Young Master Meng was also of excellent birth back then, committing serious crimes only to avenge your wife. Hearing what you said earlier by the bonfire for the Marquis of Yongyi household, I think you’re not truly a vicious villain. I’ve also heard your martial arts are formidable. Tomorrow still holds unknown dangers, so I’m being bold—I’d like to ask you to keep him safe. Only I don’t know what I could help you with…”

Actually asking him, such a serious criminal, to protect a court official?

Meng Yang nearly laughed aloud.

Yet seeing this young lady’s sincere devotion, he recalled that long ago there was also such a person who treated him truly. Thus he fell silent. Thinking again of that Zhang Zhe along the way, after a very long time, he suddenly said: “You’re willing to do this for that Lord Zhang, but what if he’s concealing things from you?”

His deceased wife had also hidden many things without telling him.

Later he learned—those were all “suffering.”

Jiang Xuening hadn’t expected Meng Yang to ask such a question. She only felt utterly confused, finding it extremely strange.

What could Zhang Zhe be hiding from her?

To the current Zhang Zhe, she was probably just a willful young miss who constantly caused him trouble—extremely vexing. They could barely exchange a few words, originally unfamiliar. Not knowing many things about Zhang Zhe was normal. But Zhang Zhe was forthright—absolutely not deserving any deliberate “concealment.”

She said: “How could that be possible?”

Thus Meng Yang laughed strangely.

But afterward he said nothing more, neither agreeing nor explicitly refusing.

Jiang Xuening waited ages without hearing his response. Her heart held a stifled breath. She stamped her foot and left.

Clutching that potato, she slipped back upstairs and lay down in her clothes.

Originally planning to sleep a while then feign illness at dawn according to plan, who could have imagined that sleeping until the latter half of night, in her daze she actually felt her whole body turning cold, her abdomen cramping in pain. The discomfort woke her. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat. Her entire person seemed to have contracted a serious illness!

Just standing by the window catching wind—at most catching a chill—how could she suddenly be like this?

She staggered up but discovered her limbs were weak.

No…

Not feigning illness—truly ill!

Jiang Xuening’s heart filled with stark fear. Walking two steps, she inadvertently knocked over a cup. “Crash”—it fell to the floor. In the pre-dawn stillness, the sound carried far, alarming nearby people.

In moments, someone knocked at the door—Zhang Zhe’s voice: “What’s happened?”

Jiang Xuening wanted to speak, but her throat was very hoarse.

Thus she heard a “bang”—someone kicked the door open. Three to five people came in together, including that Xiao Bao who’d earlier invited her to eat. Seeing her deathly pale complexion, he cried out: “Elder Sister, what’s wrong? What illness struck you?”