◎When the hibiscus flowers bloom, I’ll bring Qingqing home◎

When the spring wind rises again in the future, the dragon flag will fly once more at the border.

Under the desperate circumstances of friends and family dead, wounded, or imprisoned, with enemies on all sides, Cui Qingping still hadn’t given up, maintaining such hopes for the future.

He didn’t choose to turn his troops toward his homeland to seek survival, nor did he sit and wait for death, but instead found a path of unknown life and death from this narrow gap.

And those hundreds of thousands of people followed such grand aspirations.

They didn’t raise their swords against their homeland, but with such nearly sacrificial loyalty, they hoped that the ruler and ministers of the Eastern Capital might someday learn the truth.

Cui Qingping didn’t rebel, and the soldiers of the ten border cities—they defended until the very last moment, they didn’t surrender.

So Cui Qingping of that year had to return no matter what.

Clearly, he had already left the battlefield, clearly with his abilities as a grandmaster, as long as he didn’t return, no one could do anything to him.

Clearly knowing the Eastern Capital was already a trap, clearly knowing the imperial palace was a place of no return, yet he still went back.

Because what he carried were the hopes of nearly a hundred thousand people.

The iron box he left behind wasn’t to vindicate the dead, but to give the living a path home.

He hoped that if he failed in the Eastern Capital, someday, in his homeland, there could be someone who would hold this roster and guide each person listed back home.

Even if they could only return as bones, they would still return to their homeland.

Luo Wanqing felt her eyes sting. She turned to look at the roster on the table, walked over, picked up the book, and opened it to see the names inside.

Liu Hei

Wang Hu

Zhang Qingshan

Zhao Jiu

…

Name after name—she didn’t recognize them, didn’t know them, had never met them. Those names were quietly recorded in this roster.

And the owners of these names were perhaps waiting at the foot of Tianshan, waiting for a military order six years overdue, waiting for the spring wind of Great Xia’s Jiangnan to blow across the northwestern plains again, and in that verdant expanse, for Great Xia’s dragon flag to rise again.

“Young Master…”

Luo Wanqing turned her head, restraining her emotions, and spoke hoarsely: “We need to go back and report this matter…”

“Do you know why this iron box had to be sent to Jiangnan alone with layers of encryption?”

Xie Heng interrupted her. He looked calmly at the topographical map, his whole being displaying an extraordinary calm.

Luo Wanqing was startled, then saw Xie Heng walk forward and say calmly: “Because back then, if His Majesty had been willing to send troops, this army would have been Great Xia’s blade hanging over the Northern Rong’s head. But if His Majesty treasured his reputation and preferred to sacrifice ten cities rather than send troops—”

As Xie Heng spoke, he raised his hand to touch the marked location on the map: “Then this army’s existence would be a great worry for His Majesty and those who plotted against the Cui clan back then. As long as they knew the army’s location, they would immediately tell the Northern Rong, providing troops and provisions, doing everything possible to ensure this army never existed.”

“And His Majesty didn’t send troops back then.” Luo Wanqing understood. “So this iron box was left by Minister Cui for capable people to find another way.”

“His Majesty has never mentioned this army to me. After Uncle entered the palace, he probably didn’t tell His Majesty these people had gone through Tianshan, only confirmed that His Majesty would send troops.”

With that, Xie Heng smiled: “His Majesty became suspicious of Uncle, but hadn’t Uncle also developed misgivings? Regardless of who was right or wrong, both had already made their choices.” Xie Heng’s tone was light: “So we can’t gamble on His Majesty anymore.”

“Then what does Young Master intend?”

Luo Wanqing knew Xie Heng wouldn’t just abandon these people, but if they didn’t tell Li Zong and rely on the court, with Great Xia now separated from these people by the ten border cities and the Northern Rong, how could they bring these people back?

Xie Heng didn’t answer. Looking at the map, he only said slowly: “The northern territory is vast with sparse cities. Once in the north, as long as they avoid confrontation with the Northern Rong’s main forces and find a place to settle, they’ll have a way to survive.”

As Xie Heng spoke, he analyzed: “Uncle traveled widely in his youth and had good relations with the Western Regions’ Kunlun Palace. This route should be one he learned about when visiting Kunlun Palace. Kunlun Palace might be willing to help them. But Tianshan is bitterly cold, not a normal route. For a hundred thousand people to pass through there, perhaps not one in ten would survive upon arrival. The Northern Rong probably didn’t continue pursuing from Que City for this reason. When they set out, they only had ten days’ provisions, needing to secure food and military supplies along the way. After arrival, it’s unknown how Kunlun Palace would handle them. Six years,” Xie Heng murmured, somewhat confused himself, “are they still alive?”

“Young Master means we need to first confirm how many survived, where they are, then find a way to bring them back.”

Luo Wanqing calmly continued.

Hearing her words, Xie Heng turned to look at her.

He immediately understood Luo Wanqing’s meaning.

Confirm how many survived—no matter how many, no matter what condition, they had to bring those people back to their homeland.

Xie Heng quietly looked at Luo Wanqing. After a long while, he smiled: “Yes.”

With that, he walked back to the table and picked up the letters—all correspondence between Li Zong and Cui Qingping from back then. He opened them one by one.

Cui Qingping’s pleas for rescue comprised the vast majority. When he reached the last two letters, Xie Heng finally saw the one he had memorized countless times.

“The Northern Rong invade, your subject defends against foreign enemies externally and tigers and leopards internally. If there is discord between ruler and subject, your subject cannot accomplish much alone. I hope Your Majesty will think thrice and act cautiously, treating me with tolerance and forgiveness.”

The sentence ended there, completely lacking the line from the letter Li Zong had shown him: “If the heir apparent is not of Cui blood, your subject’s protection of Great Xia will be difficult to secure.”

Seeing this letter, his long-standing doubts were instantly resolved.

“So that’s how it was.”

Xie Heng murmured, his tone already devoid of emotional fluctuation.

There was indeed such a letter, and that letter was real, so the handwriting, private seal, and secret code were all complete.

The only problem was that last sentence.

But once someone had verified the handwriting at the beginning, they wouldn’t continue to pay attention to every character. Having a master forger add one more sentence wasn’t difficult.

This letter, after Cui Muhua’s death, destroyed Li Zong’s trust in Cui Qingping and ignited Li Zong’s long-accumulated resentment toward Cui Qingping.

Thus, the final letter—

Xie Heng opened it. This was Li Zong’s only reply among all the correspondence.

It read: “A subject doesn’t oppose his ruler, a ruler doesn’t become suspicious. The entire Cui clan has been imprisoned. Defend the border, don’t deceive or conceal, hand over the location of the gunpowder depot, and past grievances will be forgiven.”

“What’s the gunpowder depot?” Looking at the letter, Luo Wanqing blurted out.

Xie Heng didn’t speak. After a long while, he said, “The day my mother entered the palace, there were explosive sounds in the palace. Later, when I investigated the case, the scene described by explosion witnesses was extremely terrifying, requiring large amounts of gunpowder to cause such destruction.”

“If His Majesty believed the Cui clan had mass-produced such gunpowder,” Xie Heng looked up at Luo Wanqing, “then no ruler wouldn’t want such a thing, and no ruler could tolerate subjects possessing such a thing.”

“But did the Cui clan have it?”

Luo Wanqing frowned. Xie Heng chuckled: “If they truly had such a thing, why would they have fallen to such a state?”

With that, Xie Heng repackaged the letters one by one, speaking wearily: “His Majesty back then probably thought Uncle didn’t use this thing at the border because the gunpowder depot was within Heyu Pass, and Heyu Pass’s blockade prevented Uncle from transporting the gunpowder to the battlefield in time. He treated the iron box Uncle sent from the border as the location of the gunpowder depot, so he kept investigating.”

“What about Li Guiyu?”

Luo Wanqing frowned: “Why was Li Guiyu so persistent about this iron box? Did he also think it was a gunpowder depot? But if he thought it was gunpowder, why did he give up when my father committed suicide in prison?”

She had never been able to understand this.

If Li Guiyu thought this was evidence of the Wang and Zheng families’ collaboration with the enemy, or if he also knew about the gunpowder depot’s existence, he should have insisted on finding the item, whether to use it as leverage against the Wang and Zheng families or to obtain the gunpowder depot. He couldn’t have given up so easily.

Yet he chose to accept Luo Qushu’s suicide.

He watched Luo Qushu kill himself with pottery shards, and afterward let dust return to dust and earth to earth. He knew she had a chance to find the box, yet still let her leave for Lingnan.

Only when she returned and began searching for the Xuantian Box again in Jiangnan under Xie Heng’s guidance did Li Guiyu resume his investigation.

Hearing her question, Xie Heng didn’t speak. After thinking for a moment, he handed Cui Qingping’s military journal to Luo Wanqing, saying calmly: “Turn to the last page.”

Luo Wanqing puzzledly took the military journal and opened it to the last page. The last line was in Cui Qingping’s extremely hasty handwriting.

“July 14th, ninety thousand troops withdrew, Third Prince opened the city gates.”

This final stroke was written extremely hastily, clearly a sudden event.

Luo Wanqing stared blankly at this last line, hearing Xie Heng say calmly: “Because in his eyes, this was neither evidence of the Wang and Zheng families’ crimes nor the location of a gunpowder depot, but his crime. He only needed it to never see daylight again—that was enough.”

So, after confirming that only Luo Qushu could find and open this box, Li Guiyu accepted Luo Qushu’s suicide to end everything.

“He…”

Luo Wanqing opened her mouth, momentarily unable to speak: “He… why… was it voluntary or the Wang family…”

“Before the Third Prince left the Eastern Capital, I occasionally interacted with him.” Xie Heng looked up at Luo Wanqing without any emotion, stating, “The Third Prince was a gentleman.”

Yet that gentleman died at the border.

Died in everyone’s abandonment, died in the death of his last close relative.

Why open the city gates?

Because once the gates opened, after the Cui clan’s downfall, the Wang family would become the top aristocratic family in court. Even if Li Shengzhao lived, he couldn’t continue as Crown Prince.

As long as Li Guiyu returned alive, with honor, family support, ability, skills, and qualifications, he would be the perfect candidate for heir apparent.

So her father had to die, and Luo Qushu, holding the Xuantian Box, had to die.

Luo Wanqing understood in an instant. She couldn’t help clenching her fists, feeling unable to breathe.

She had once resented, resented that Li Guiyu hadn’t chosen her.

He clearly could have chosen to stay in Jiangnan, to remain Jiang Shaoyan forever, but he chose to give up.

But at this moment, she suddenly understood.

Li Guiyu could never have remained Jiang Shaoyan.

During those five years in Jiangnan, he had no choice.

From the moment he opened the city gates, he was destined to walk this path paved with countless bones, either to be recorded in history or to be reviled for eternity.

From when Luo Qushu went to Jiangnan, attracting everyone’s attention and making everyone think he was the box’s recipient, regardless of whether Luo Qushu had killed Jiang Fengwan, Li Guiyu couldn’t let him live.

Jiang Shaoyan was always just a dream shared by Luo Wanqing and Li Guiyu, like Cui Heng wasn’t a choice; this person could never exist long-term.

Someday, the dream would end, and people would break. Li Guiyu would always be Li Guiyu.

Xie Heng would always be Xie Heng.

Luo Wanqing didn’t know why she thought of Xie Heng at this moment.

She suppressed her churning emotions, looking at the person before her who remained impassive, and said with some difficulty: “I… I understand. Now that we know the truth,” Luo Wanqing looked up at Xie Heng, her eyes full of sharpness, “what does Young Master plan to do next?”

Xie Heng gazed into her eyes. Luo Wanqing thought and said, “If His Majesty can’t be relied upon, these items absolutely cannot be handed to the Eastern Capital. Evidence of Wang and Zheng collaboration with enemies—if His Majesty is unwilling to acknowledge it, Li Guiyu is betting that Young Master won’t dare submit it…”

“Go to sleep.”

Xie Heng suddenly interrupted her. Luo Wanqing was startled, then saw Xie Heng smile and say gently, “This matter isn’t urgent. Don’t make decisions when unclear, having not slept all night—you should rest first. I’ll have someone notify Qin Huaiyu to withdraw from the Matchmaker Temple and gambling house, don’t worry.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing gradually realized Xie Heng was right—she was too anxious.

Such a major matter indeed shouldn’t have decisions made in this state.

She nodded somewhat confusedly. Xie Heng turned to look at the letters in his hand, his tone calm: “Go back yourself. I’ll look at these more.”

“Yes.”

Luo Wanqing instinctively responded and turned to leave. But after two steps, she felt something was wrong.

She turned back to see Xie Heng still standing before the map. Lamplight illuminated his pure white single garment, his figure blocking Great Xia on the map, standing opposite the vast desert plains of the Northern Rong.

He held Cui Qingping’s letters, his entire being appearing exceptionally cold, as if he were a shell drained of joy, anger, love, and hatred, standing silently at the table.

Luo Wanqing didn’t know why, but seeing Xie Heng’s shadow covering the map, she vaguely felt unease shrouding her heart.

Seeing she wasn’t leaving, Xie Heng turned to look at her and smiled: “What’s wrong?”

“Young Master…” Luo Wanqing hesitated, but didn’t know what to say.

What was wrong?

She didn’t know either.

She only looked at Xie Heng before her—smiling on the surface but with eyes so cold they held no emotion—and felt her heart panic and grow cold.

She wanted to step forward and grab him, but intuitively felt that the current Xie Heng didn’t want anyone’s approach.

Seeing her silence, Xie Heng didn’t rush her.

And Luo Wanqing gradually calmed in his silence. Seeing his gentle expression and quiet features, she felt she was overthinking. She could only nod respectfully: “I’ll take my leave first. If Young Master needs anything, please be sure to inform your subordinate.”

With that, Luo Wanqing turned and walked out. Xie Heng watched her leave without saying more.

When the sound of the secret chamber closing came, Xie Heng took out a small bottle from his sleeve and poured out a handful of datura incense.

He appeared extremely calm, but didn’t distinguish how many pills were in his hand before stuffing them all into his mouth.

Datura incense filled his mouth as he watched blood color spread before his eyes.

In his eyes was that silk map, the map appearing clearly in detail before him. Blood colored the land on the map, spreading to the palace. He saw the blood-stained green bricks when his mother committed suicide, the heads of the Cui clan falling one by one at the execution ground…

He laughed softly and closed his eyes.

Before his eyes was the day he exchanged news of the Empress and Crown Prince to leave the palace, when his cherished qin fell to the ground with a resounding crash in the rain during everyone’s pushing and shoving.

Strings broken, qin shattered, never to return.

“Now that we know the truth, what does Young Master plan to do next?”

What to do next?

How could he dare tell Luo Wanqing what he planned to do?

The gentleman with a heart of jade and qin had died with the Cui Qingping of that year in the Eastern Capital in the eighth year of Changshun. The current him—how was he different from Li Guiyu?

“When the spring wind rises again in the future, the dragon flag will fly once more at the border.”

Xie Heng covered his eyes with his hand and laughed loudly.

Uncle…

Someone like you couldn’t survive. In the mire of the Great Xia, only someone like Xie Heng could survive.

What could lift Great Xia’s dragon flag was never spring wind, but the cold, knife-like storms of the Eastern Capital, cutting bone and flesh, so that Jiangnan’s gentle moon could blow across the northwestern yellow sands.

Luo Wanqing left Xie Heng’s room and returned to her own. Indeed, exhausted from a full day and night, the moment her head touched the pillow, she fell asleep.

When she woke, it was already afternoon. She lay quietly in bed, gazing at the bed curtains somewhat blankly, her mind recalling everything discovered from last night to this morning.

Her father’s letter was still beside her pillow, and she was much clearer-headed.

Yesterday, there had been too many clues with no time to think. Now lying quietly, having extracted herself from too many complex emotions, she finally had a chance to slowly sort through yesterday’s information and what had happened.

Based on yesterday’s information, she finally understood her father’s true cause of death and finally understood why, in her previous life, even after Li Guiyu ascended the throne, he never vindicated the Cui clan.

He couldn’t vindicate the Cui clan because he was one of the culprits.

Killing Jiang Fengwan was indeed a thorn in Li Guiyu’s heart, but Li Guiyu ultimately opening the city gates, with Cui Qingping’s military journal recording this event and sending both the journal and iron box to Jiangnan without Li Guiyu being able to intercept them—this was her father’s true cause of death.

Her father was a triple agent, arranged by “the Pavilion” to enter the Wang family, then by the Wang family to enter the Cui clan.

But ultimately, he chose to stand with Cui Qingping.

Who was “the Pavilion”?

Luo Wanqing couldn’t help speculating, carefully considering all the players in this game.

The Wang family, Cui family, Zheng family, His Majesty… perhaps others existed. Each seemed to have the possibility of being “the Pavilion.”

In that border battle, this “Pavilion” remained neutral throughout, only requiring her father to continuously transmit information. Finally, “the Pavilion” cared only about Cui Qingping’s iron box. Did they know from the beginning that Cui Qingping would reach this point?

Or did they think Cui Qingping’s iron box contained something they wanted?

Luo Wanqing couldn’t quite understand, but she knew that currently, the most important thing wasn’t who “the Pavilion” was, but what Xie Heng planned to do next.

The facts were now clear. Wang Shenfeng and Zheng Pingsheng’s documents collaborating with enemies, along with other aristocratic families involved in plotting against the Cui clan, were already in the box. Cui Qingping’s military journal, her father’s letter, plus the currently imprisoned Zhao Bing in the Supervision Department, and surviving soldiers from Liufeng Island—witnesses and evidence were sufficient to prove the Cui family’s innocence back then.

But what after proving it?

The Cui family was gone, the Wang and Zheng families held military power—would His Majesty anger two families for the sake of one case?

Li Zong wouldn’t.

Li Guiyu was currently so quiet precisely because he was certain Xie Heng wouldn’t submit the items.

If this evidence were submitted, Li Zong would only make it disappear completely and begin suspecting Xie Heng.

Whether Xie Heng, now knowing the truth, would continue serving him.

But if Li Zong wouldn’t vindicate them, how would Xie Heng deal with the Wang and Zheng families? How would he make Li Zong willing to send troops, capture the ten border cities, and welcome back the Cui clan’s army?

Though Xie Heng was Director of the Supervision Department, the Supervision Department was scattered throughout the country. If Li Zong hadn’t given him authority to mobilize all Supervision Department personnel, Xie Heng had no complete army, and he had no money or provisions…

He killed Zheng Pingsheng.

This thought flashed by, and Luo Wanqing instantly recalled the last three crimes of Xie Heng she remembered.

“Assassinating Minister of Justice Zheng Pingsheng”

“Abuse of military force, bringing chaos to Si Province”

“Plotting to harm the entire Zheng clan”

Si Province was precisely the prefecture behind the ten border cities, also the main area controlled by the Zheng family. If Xie Heng could control Si Province and station troops there, welcoming back the Cui clan’s army would be much easier.

But…

In her previous life’s dream, he was reviled by the world for this.

In that previous life, Zheng Pingsheng was assassinated in the Eastern Capital. Upon Zheng Pingsheng’s death, the Zheng clan rebelled. Xie Heng led troops to suppress them, fighting a great battle in Si Province. Ultimately, Xie Heng won, and Zheng clan corpses hung from trees along the road.

Si Province’s people experienced warfare, becoming displaced refugees. Later investigation revealed Zheng Pingsheng was personally assassinated by Xie Heng—all the disaster’s source was Xie Heng.

At that time, streets and alleys were filled with songs cursing him.

Though welcoming back the Cui clan’s army was important, if the price was tens of millions of people in Si Province, or even the peace of all Great Xia’s people, she thought this wasn’t a choice the Xie Heng she now knew would make.

Moreover, if so, he would certainly die.

No ruler, for the sake of reputation, could keep such a minister covered in infamy.

But if he didn’t kill Zheng Pingsheng, what did Xie Heng plan to do?

And…

Luo Wanqing frowned, unable to help wondering—Li Shengzhao was still alive now.

Since Li Shengzhao was alive, why had Xie Heng let Li Guiyu ascend the throne in the previous life?

What exactly happened in the previous life?

Luo Wanqing lay in bed thinking quietly for a while, never finding an answer. After a moment, she heard knocking outside and Zhuque’s voice: “Inspector Liu?”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing quickly got up and responded, then began dressing.

Hearing Luo Wanqing’s voice, Zhuque wasn’t rushed, standing at the door: “Inspector Liu, don’t hurry. I’m here to convey Young Master’s message, inviting you to dine together in the dining hall shortly.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing was somewhat surprised. She hadn’t expected Xie Heng to so openly invite her to dine together.

But hearing no unusual tone in Zhuque’s voice, she felt she might be making too much of it.

After responding with thanks, Zhuque left first. Luo Wanqing quickly washed and hurried over.

Arriving at the dining hall, Luo Wanqing saw Baili, Zhuque, and others coming out. Seeing her arrive, they smiled and greeted her, then left on their own.

Luo Wanqing walked puzzledly into the dining hall to see only Xie Heng and Wei Qianqiu remaining, along with several servants.

The dining hall had individual small tables. Xie Heng sat in the high seat, the food at his table barely touched. Other small tables held only some leftover food being cleared by servants.

Wei Qianqiu had finished eating. Seeing Luo Wanqing enter, he smiled and nodded in greeting: “Inspector Liu.”

“Young Master, Dr. Wei.”

Luo Wanqing bowed to both. Xie Heng nodded and had Luo Wanqing sit at the small table to his left, saying gently, “Today Xuanshan, Baili, and others are returning to the Eastern Capital, so we had a simple meal together.”

Xie Heng explained, and Luo Wanqing understood why Zhuque calling her to dine hadn’t seemed unusual—everyone eating together was nothing special.

Only she arrived late, so it became her dining with Xie Heng.

Luo Wanqing respectfully thanked him. Xie Heng nodded, and they ate together.

He seemed to have deliberately waited for her. Once she arrived, the food on his table quickly disappeared.

Luo Wanqing secretly glanced at him eating. He made no sound while eating. After they quietly finished, Xie Heng had servants clear the tables. Servants brought tea and withdrew, leaving only the two of them and Wei Qianqiu in the room.

Xie Heng methodically wiped his hands with a warm, damp cloth, saying to Wei Qianqiu: “Go examine her meridians. She seems to have used medicine to deliberately suppress meridian growth.”

Hearing this, Wei Qianqiu looked surprised but said nothing more, rising to come to Luo Wanqing’s side.

Luo Wanqing sensibly placed her hand on the table for Wei Qianqiu’s examination, understanding in her heart that Xie Heng had taken to heart what her father’s letter said last night.

Wei Qianqiu held her pulse for diagnosis for a long time, saying slowly: “There are indeed signs of medicine use. Logically, Inspector Liu’s meridians should be more flexible and broader. However, she should have stopped the medicine some time ago, so the drug’s effects aren’t as significant now.”

“Not as significant means there’s still an effect?” Xie Heng caught the key point.

Wei Qianqiu shook his head, only saying: “From the situation, Inspector Liu’s meridians are recovering after stopping the medicine. However, rather than worrying about this, Young Master should worry that Inspector Liu’s internal energy is too mixed—she’ll need some time to digest it properly.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing understood what Wei Qianqiu meant.

Her internal energy originally came from Zhang Jiuran. Later, after her cultivation and practicing the Yin-Yang Sun-Moon Scripture with Xie Heng, plus recently absorbing Xie Minran’s internal energy, several streams of internal energy were now mixed in her body. If she were an ordinary martial artist, her meridians would have burst long ago, causing death.

“I understand.” Xie Heng nodded, then looked up at Wei Qianqiu: “Go rest first.”

“Yes.”

Wei Qianqiu stood up and bowed to leave. Luo Wanqing was about to see him off when she saw Wei Qianqiu pick up his medicine box and turn to remind Xie Heng: “Young Master, come to me when you finish the medicine. Given you two’s current situation, yin-yang harmony and increased cultivation would be quite beneficial. Especially for Inspector Liu’s internal energy…”

“You can leave now.”

Xie Heng looked up and interrupted Wei Qianqiu.

Wei Qianqiu paused, then said with some regret: “My suggestions are all from a medical perspective.”

“Out.”

Xie Heng emphasized. Wei Qianqiu smiled warmly at Luo Wanqing, then picked up his medicine box and turned to leave.

After Wei Qianqiu left, Luo Wanqing knelt back in place. Wei Qianqiu’s words made her somewhat embarrassed, but she didn’t show it on her face, pretending to be calm as she sipped tea, thinking how to broach the subject.

But before she could speak, Xie Heng rose and came before her, placing down a map and a token, his tone somewhat gentler: “This is Dao Sect’s map and passage token.”

Luo Wanqing was startled. She looked up at Xie Heng to see him looking at her with some reluctance: “Dao Sect lives in seclusion in the mountains and wilderness, not asking about worldly affairs. My master, Dao Sect’s leader Yunhezi, is familiar with all internal energy techniques under heaven. Dao Sect has medicinal springs for clearing meridians. For your current physical condition, going to Dao Sect for recuperation couldn’t be more suitable.”

“Young Master mean?” Luo Wanqing asked incredulously, “You want me to go to Dao Sect now?”

“Yes.”

“When can I return to the Eastern Capital?”

Luo Wanqing continued pressing.

Xie Heng remained silent.

Luo Wanqing felt uneasy in her heart. She suddenly realized something and emphasized: “Young Master, you can’t deceive me again. When can I return to the Eastern Capital?”

Hearing this, Xie Heng’s gaze flickered.

He looked at Luo Wanqing’s eyes, sharp and clear as a blade, smiled, and raised his hand, stroking into her hair.

“When hibiscus flowers bloom again throughout the ten border cities,” he spoke seriously yet gently, “I’ll bring Qingqing home.”

Author’s Note:

[Mini Theater 1]

Wei Qianqiu: “Your dual cultivation is beneficial for physical health.”

Xie Heng: “Qingqing, for your health, I want to…”

Luo Wanqing: “It’s daytime…”

Xie Heng: “Send you to Dao Sect.”

Luo Wanqing: “??? What madness has seized you?”

[Mini Theater 2]

Xie Heng: “When hibiscus flowers bloom again throughout the ten border cities, I’ll bring Qingqing home.”

Li Guiyu: “Immediately order all hibiscus flowers in the ten border cities to be uprooted.”