Early the next morning, Li Cheng ran off to find Ji Yinshu.

Just as he was about to knock on the door, it suddenly opened.

He saw Song Zhi emerging with a thick, yellowed book tucked under his arm, about to head out.

Because his head was lowered, he nearly collided with Li Cheng.

When he looked up, he got quite a fright.

“Young Master Cheng? You… why have you come?”

Li Cheng stretched his neck to peer inside, asking as he did so, “Where are they?”

“Not here.”

“Not here?”

“They left early this morning.”

“Left? Where did they go?”

Song Zhi shook his head. “Not sure, but it seems… they went to look for something.”

“Look for something?” Li Cheng’s heart leaped with joy. Could it be that his elder sister had truly guessed correctly? He then fixed his gaze on the bookworm before him and asked, “Where are you going?”

Song Zhi replied, “I’m going to walk around the streets, planning to buy a few books to read. I always feel my knowledge is shallow—I really should supplement it.”

“Oh! Then go buy your books. I’ll just go inside and wait for them myself.”

“Mm…”

Before Song Zhi could react, Li Cheng had already pushed past him and entered.

As if it were his own home.

Of course, Song Zhi couldn’t really say anything. He could only remind him, “Then when Young Master Cheng leaves, remember to close the door for me.”

Li Cheng chuckled. “This place is so remote, and there’s nothing important inside anyway. Even thieves wouldn’t bother coming.”

Song Zhi: “…”

He stood there in a daze.

After a good while, he finally said, “The things may not be expensive, but they’re all very precious! I still have several books in my room that are no longer available on the market. Previously, someone tried to buy them from me and even offered a high price, but I couldn’t bear to part with them and kept them with me all this time. If a thief really did break in and stole my books, then I…”

Before he could finish speaking, Li Cheng raised his hand to interrupt, his face full of disdain. “Stop, stop, stop. I get it. I’ll definitely close the door for you when I leave. Are you satisfied now? Hurry up and go buy your books. If you go too late, someone else will buy them first.”

“Young Master Cheng is right! I must hurry.”

“Go on, go on.”

Song Zhi left, clutching his book.

Li Cheng’s face was full of speechlessness. He really couldn’t be bothered to talk to that bookworm.

He turned and headed toward the main hall, but before his feet could step inside, he stopped at the doorway.

His gaze swept around the interior in a circle.

A look of disgust crossed his face!

This place was truly shabby—there wasn’t even a cup of tea available.

It also had quite a dated feel to it!

He simply sat down on the corridor bench beside the courtyard to wait.

It was somewhat cold.

He could only pull his clothing tighter.

Little did he know that at this very moment, Ji Yinshu, Jingrong, and Bai Yin were currently sitting in a teahouse.

They had ordered several cups of tea.

Bai Yin had been wearing a somber expression the whole time. He glanced down at the street below a few times before saying to the two people across from him, “Yesterday I made inquiries all around Gaoding. Forget finding someone named Cha He—there isn’t even anyone with the surname Cha.”

No wonder he looked so troubled.

Ji Yinshu took a sip of tea.

He said doubtfully, “Could it be that this person called Cha He really did leave Gaoding long ago?”

“That’s a possibility.”

“But if that were truly the case, Third Master wouldn’t have been so certain in directing us to come straight to Gaoding to search.”

“But Gaoding doesn’t have anyone with this surname.” Bai Yin said.

Jingrong took up the conversation, saying, “Gaoding is so large—we couldn’t possibly find him in just one day. Since we’re already here, let’s search more carefully! Even if he truly has already left Gaoding, we still need to find a direction to pursue. We can’t just keep going in circles here forever. The longer we stay, the worse it is for us.”

Bai Yin nodded.

After the three of them finished eating.

They left the teahouse.

Planning to continue their search!

The streets of Gaoding were bustling with people coming and going, and there were many more scholars about as well.

Extremely lively!

Suddenly, the crowd in the distance began to surge and jostle.

Everyone rushed to the sides and forward.

“Ah!”

“Run quickly!”

The common people scattered in all directions.

What was happening over there?

They could hear a man shouting, “Get out of the way! Move aside! Everyone move!”

At the same time—

Accompanied by the sound of horse hooves, the neighing of horses, and the sound of wheels rolling over stone pavement.

Extremely urgent!

And getting closer and closer!

When the crowd was gradually forced apart, only then did the three of them—Jingrong and company—see a luxurious carriage hurtling out of control in their direction.

The horse seemed to have been startled and was galloping at full speed.

Some people couldn’t dodge in time and were directly knocked to the side by the carriage.

The stalls set up along the roadside were overturned one by one.

The entire street was thrown into complete chaos by that carriage.

Utter mayhem.

People were screaming continuously.

It was about to crash into even more people.

Jingrong and Bai Yin exchanged a glance, each understanding the other’s intention.

Immediately after, Jingrong turned his head and instructed Ji Yinshu, “You hurry and move to the side.”

Ji Yinshu nodded.

He retreated to one side.

Jingrong and Bai Yin then charged together toward the direction of the carriage.

The driver who had been steering the carriage had originally been terrified that the frenzied horse had trampled so many people. Good heavens, now there were actually two people who weren’t afraid of death charging straight toward them!

Were they trying to stage an insurance scam or something?

Really intent on running straight into danger?

No matter how hard the driver pulled on the reins, he couldn’t make the already out-of-control horse stop.

The fierce horse charged forward as if crazed.

It wouldn’t stop no matter what it crashed into.

It just kept charging!

The driver could only hurriedly grip the carriage seat to prevent himself from taking too terrible a fall in a moment.

Then he saw—

The horse was already bearing down on Bai Yin and Jingrong.

About to… crash into them!

Suddenly, the two men leaped up. Each with one hand seized the rope on the horse’s head.

The horse was thus obstructed, its front hooves forced to rear high!

The two still gripped the rope tightly. As the horse’s front hooves reared high, they also kicked off with both feet, their bodies completing a full flip in the air. When their feet landed, they exerted force through their wrists once more, forcefully pressing down the out-of-control horse as well.

The horse’s front hooves thus dropped to the ground on their knees.

This caused the entire carriage to tilt forward.

The driver cried out and was thrown directly from his seat to the ground.

Flat on his back.

Fortunately, he was unharmed!

But what no one had expected was—

There had actually been someone inside the carriage.

A figure in pink tumbled out from within the carriage.

“Ah!”

The young woman cried out in alarm.

Her body was about to hit the ground hard.

Jingrong saw this, released the horse’s reins, and immediately rushed forward to catch the young woman.

He held her safely and securely in his arms.

The young woman’s lovely face showed distress.

She was even more panic-stricken.

Her entire face had turned pale with fright.

The shock still lingered.

It wasn’t until her feet touched the ground that she calmed down considerably.

Her hands were clutched tightly against her chest.

When she looked up, she met Jingrong’s hawk-like, solemn gaze.

In that moment, the young woman froze.

The man’s features were deeply imprinted in her vision.

Jingrong noticed her strange look and only then realized he was still holding her.

He immediately released his hold.

Took a step back.

Asked, “Are you all right?”

The young woman clasped her hands tightly against her chest, gazing at him with her lovely eyes. She bit her lip and shook her head. “I’m fine.”

Her voice was soft and delicate, carrying a trace of timidity.

This young woman appeared to be only about seventeen years old.

Her entire person was like a pool of clear spring water, extremely bashful.