Zhen Yaoting had arrived at Ci’en Temple early. He could hear the distant sounds of cymbals and wooden fish from the Grand Dharma Hall beyond the wall, knowing that the maid was inside, but he couldn’t gain entry. His heart felt like it was being clawed by cats. He wandered back and forth along the wall for a long time until he found a secluded corner where a locust tree grew, its branches extending over to the other side. Using both hands and feet, he climbed the tree, slowly made his way to the top of the wall, and with one leap, finally managed to jump down and enter. Concealed by trees, he stealthily made his way toward the main hall. As he got closer, he saw Pei family servants coming and going from the hall entrance, occasionally mixed with minor eunuchs from the palace. Not daring to approach rashly, he hid behind a massive stone stele by the path, poking his head out to look around. After waiting for a long time without seeing anyone, he was growing anxious when suddenly he spotted Yu Zhu and another maid walking out of the Dharma Hall carrying incense baskets, seemingly heading toward the main gate. Delighted, he kept his eyes fixed on her, and as she passed nearby, he carefully aimed and tossed a small pebble at her back.

Yu Zhu felt something lightly strike her from behind and instinctively turned around. To her shock, she saw a head poking out from behind the large stele and recognized the Zhen family’s son energetically waving at her. Puzzled, she hesitated, then turned to the maid beside her and said a few words, telling her to go to the incense hall first. After the maid left, she walked over and stopped by the path, asking: “Young Master Zhen, is there something you need?”

Seeing her stop before him, her eyes upon him, Zhen Yaoting’s heart began to beat faster. He quickly emerged from behind the stele and said in a low voice: “We’re leaving today. Just before boarding this morning, I suddenly remembered something. Last time, thanks to your help, I was able to see the Old Madam and clear my sister’s name. I realized I hadn’t properly thanked you yet, and if I left just like that, I’d feel uneasy. So I came here early specifically to express my gratitude.”

Yu Zhu’s first impression of Zhen Yaoting had been quite poor, finding him frivolous and impetuous. It was only after the last encounter when she saw him burst in before the Old Madam to stand up for his sister—though his actions were rash—that she was touched by his protective love for his sister. Thinking of her childhood family troubles, she felt that if she had had a brother like him, perhaps her circumstances might have been different. Since that day, her impression of him had improved somewhat. Now, seeing that he had specifically come all this way just to thank her, besides being surprised, she couldn’t help feeling moved.

Today, outsiders are not allowed in the Grand Dharma Hall. Recalling how he had been hiding behind the stele earlier, she guessed without asking that he must have entered by some side path to avoid being seen. Looking around, she lowered her voice and said: “It was nothing worth mentioning. Why did you come all this way just to thank me? You should hurry back. I have matters to attend to, so I must go now.”

She turned to leave after speaking.

Zhen Yaoting had traveled a great distance to get here and had finally managed to meet her. After barely exchanging a few words, seeing her about to leave, he panicked and grabbed her sleeve, pulling her behind the large stele where he had been hiding. Seeing her face flush crimson, seemingly angry, he quickly released her and apologized in a low voice: “Don’t be angry! I thought a simple thank you wasn’t enough, so I brought a small gift.” As he spoke, he took out a wrapped handkerchief, opened it to reveal a pair of jade bracelets—translucent throughout with excellent water-like quality—and held them out to Yu Zhu, saying: “Look, do you like them?”

Yu Zhu was astonished: “We’re neither relatives nor close friends. How could I accept such valuable gifts from you? Please put them away!”

Zhen Yaoting was quite straightforward. Hearing her refuse, he immediately put them away, then, as if performing a magic trick, produced an intricately carved small box: “I heard that last time you had someone buy Su He Xiang from a perfume shop. That’s not good. This box contains several pieces of ambergris. It’s not worth much money, but sister, you can use it to scent your clothes and handkerchiefs.”

Yu Zhu had no idea how he had managed to find out about such a thing. She was both amused and irritated, frowning as she said: “Young Master Zhen, I appreciate your kind intentions, but I can’t accept this. Our lady uses this very perfume. I’m merely a servant; how could I be worthy of using the same? Please leave quickly; it wouldn’t be good if someone saw you. I have matters to attend to, so I must go!”

Having said this, she stepped out from behind the stele and hurried toward the incense hall by the main gate.

Seeing her leave just like that, without accepting any of the gifts he had brought, Zhen Yaoting grew anxious and, disregarding everything else quickly emerged from behind the stele. Taking a few steps after her, he called out: “It’s not expensive! No one else would know. Why are you being like this? If you don’t dare use ambergris, I also have frozen dragon brain camphor! My sister usually doesn’t like to use perfume, but before coming to the capital this time, she specifically asked me to take a box of this from our storehouse. She didn’t want ambergris. My sister is a refined person, and since she likes it, you would probably like it too. Or I could go back now and get some frozen dragon brain camphor for you…”

This was the first time in Yu Zhu’s life that she had encountered such a person. She didn’t want to call out loudly for help, fearing it would embarrass both Madam Meng and Jia Fu, but if she didn’t, he would continue to pester her. Feeling both annoyed and embarrassed, hearing his voice growing louder, and knowing that this path was the main route from the gate to the Grand Dharma Hall, she feared someone might come along. She hurriedly stopped and was about to admonish him with a stern face when she looked up and unexpectedly saw the eldest master coming from the opposite direction, followed by Jia Fu and her maid. Greatly startled, she hastily went forward, called out “Eldest Master,” looked back at Zhen Yaoting, and tried to smooth things over: “I was just going to the incense hall to get incensed and happened to meet the Zhen family’s young master. We were talking about incense materials. He was just about to leave…”

Jia Fu had already spotted her brother. From Yu Zhu’s expression, she knew that he must have spoken without restraint and offended her.

But at this moment, that was completely unimportant.

She had heard what her brother had just said. Her heart was pounding heavily.

She steadied herself and quietly looked up at Pei You’an, who had stopped in front of her.

She hoped that he hadn’t paid attention to what her brother had said.

But soon, Jia Fu realized this was just wishful thinking on her part.

Pei You’an didn’t say anything but stopped walking. He turned his head and looked at her, his gaze falling on her face with an extremely peculiar expression.

Jia Fu’s face rapidly flushed red, so red it seemed blood might drip from it.

He looked at her for a moment, then slightly furrowed his brows.

Jia Fu’s heart beat even more intensely. Instinctively, she took a small step toward him and opened her mouth, but his expression had already returned to coldness.

He no longer looked at her but merely turned his head, nodded slightly to Yu Zhu, and then continued on his way.

She watched the gradually retreating figure ahead of her, frozen in place.

He now knew that she had lied to him that day.

She stood there in a daze, the flush rapidly fading from her face, which then turned pale. Her heart felt blocked, severely so.

“Sister? Why are you here?”

Zhen Yaoting’s voice sounded in her ear.

Jia Fu was finally called back to her senses. Suppressing the extreme sense of disappointment surging within her, she turned to Yu Zhu and said: “My brother left without telling my mother and just ran over here. If he has offended you, please forgive him, Yu Zhu.”

Seeing her poor complexion, Yu Zhu was in no mood to hold a grudge and concernedly asked: “What’s wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell? Let me help you inside to sit down and have some water.”

Jia Fu collected herself, shook her head, and forced a smile: “I’m fine. We’re leaving the capital today. We were just about to depart when we noticed my brother was missing, so I came to find him. If there’s nothing else, I’ll leave with my brother now. My mother is waiting. If anyone at the Old Madam’s place mentions this incident, please help put in a good word. My brother is too impetuous and has caused you much inconvenience.”

Hearing her say this, Yu Zhu didn’t press her to stay and said: “It’s no trouble. Let me see you out.”

Jia Fu looked at Zhen Yaoting, seeing he still seemed unwilling to leave. She suppressed her anger and said: “Brother, aren’t you going to leave? Mother was extremely worried earlier. Do you want to make her ill?”

Only then did Zhen Yaoting reluctantly follow Jia Fu outside. After leaving the Grand Dharma Hall, seeing his sister silently exit the temple gate with quick steps, seemingly angry, he caught up with her and muttered: “Didn’t I already leave a message? I know what I’m doing. Once I finished, I would have returned myself. There was no need for you to come rushing over like this…”

Jia Fu suddenly stopped walking and turned around: “Brother! I’m younger than you, so it’s not my place to lecture you. But when will you learn to be sensible? Do you know why Grandmother is determined to marry me into the Pei family? It’s because our family lacks a man who can stand up and support the household! Father is gone, and Mother is counting on you to establish yourself so she has someone to rely on in the future. You’re not young anymore, yet you still lack direction! I’ve also begged Grandmother to let me learn to manage affairs, but she wouldn’t allow it! You could easily share Mother’s burdens and help our Zhen family, yet you remain so frivolous and undisciplined! I truly hate that I wasn’t born a man…”

Jia Fu felt a wave of sadness, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Seeing his sister about to cry, Zhen Yaoting became anxious, surrounding her with words of comfort and calling himself a scoundrel. Jia Fu turned her head away, wiped away her tears, and boarded the carriage. Zhen Yaoting sighed in relief and quickly mounted his horse, following alongside back to the boat. When Madam Meng saw her son had been found, she learned that he had indeed sneaked off to Ci’en Temple to privately bother Yu Zhu. Fortunately, Yu Zhu was kind-hearted and didn’t hold it against him, helping to conceal the matter, so he didn’t lose face in front of the Old Madam and the Pei family. Madam Meng was extremely angry and seized a feather duster to beat him severely. Amid Mama Liu and others’ attempts to dissuade and restrain her, and in the chaos of the moment, the Zhen family’s large boat finally left the dock, beginning its journey south.

The waterways of the capital gradually receded behind them.

Jia Fu remembered clearly that not long ago, this very same boat had carried her along this same busy waterway slowly into the imperial city. Her mood then had been partly resolute, partly anxious, and partly uncertain about the unknown future.

At that time, she thought that if heaven was merciful and her luck was good enough to smoothly extricate herself from this engagement, how happy she would be.

But now, she couldn’t feel happy. For the first several consecutive days, her mood remained low, but not wanting her mother to notice, she forced a smile in her presence.

Later, as the days passed one by one, halfway through the journey, Jia Fu finally came to terms with it.

So be it. With the marriage ending this way, there would likely be little interaction with the Pei family in the future. As for Pei You’an, it was even less likely they would meet again. She had achieved her goal, and that was the greatest fortune. As for what he thought of her, whether his impression was good or bad, what did it matter?

In her previous life, they had been nothing more than chance encounters passing by each other, each following different life paths.

In this life, it would likely be the same.

Quanzhou was approaching. She still had many things to do. Moving forward and living her own life well—that was what mattered most.

Jia Fu’s mood gradually recovered from the initial disappointment and low spirits.

On this day, the boat passed by Fuming Island, which they had passed on their previous journey. It happened to be the last Buddhist ceremony at Guanyin Temple before the year’s end. Madam Meng decided to take her daughter to the island again to donate some lamp oil to the temple, so she ordered the boat to dock. She took her children and their attendants ashore and headed toward Guanyin Temple.

The island was filled with worshippers, and there should have been a lively ceremony. Unexpectedly, as they approached Guanyin Temple, they saw many worshippers rushing out of the temple gates, each with a look of terror on their faces. Madam Meng quickly sent Zhang Da to inquire about what was happening. Zhang Da soon returned, saying: “Madam, we can’t worship Buddha today! Let’s leave quickly! Many soldiers have come to arrest the monks in the temple, saying imperial fugitives are hiding among them!”

Madam Meng was startled, uttered a Buddhist prayer, and was about to leave. They had only walked a few steps when they heard a commotion behind them. The worshippers quickly made their way. Jia Fu turned her head and saw many soldiers emerging from the temple gate, among them Jinyiwei imperial guards with grim expressions, escorting seven or eight monks bound in iron chains. They were all young novices, no more than thirteen or fourteen years old. The soldiers were fierce and menacing. Some of the young novices were crying, shouting that they were wrongfully accused, while others were so frightened they collapsed to the ground, being forcibly dragged forward. The onlooking worshippers all turned ashen-faced, lowering their heads and not daring to breathe a sound. Only after the soldiers had escorted the young novices away did they begin to discuss, with all kinds of speculation.

What kind of imperial fugitives could these thirteen or fourteen-year-old novices be, that even the Jinyiwei had been mobilized? Madam Meng’s face turned pale, and she had no desire to linger any longer. After the soldiers’ boats departed, she hurriedly boarded their boat with Jia Fu and her children. Zhang Da ordered the crew to untie the mooring ropes. Just as the boat was preparing to leave the shore, they suddenly saw several people running to the edge of the shore. One of them called out to Zhang Da: “Hey! Is this boat going to Quanzhou? Our master also needs to go to Quanzhou for business. Today, while passing by Fuming Island, we originally intended to stop by and seek blessings for our old madam but unexpectedly encountered soldiers making arrests, and they requisitioned our boat. Would it be possible to take us along? We’ll pay you well!”

Jia Fu hadn’t yet entered the cabin and turned her head upon hearing the voice, casually glancing over.

Xiao Yintang!

She saw Xiao Yintang!

He was standing next to the person who had just called out, slightly squinting as he gazed at the official boats gradually disappearing in the distance. Though dressed as an ordinary person, she recognized him instantly.

Even if he were burned to ashes, she wouldn’t mistake him!

As if a thunderbolt had struck her from clear skies, Jia Fu stood frozen, her eyes wide, her heart pounding so wildly it almost leaped out of her throat.