As she spoke, she picked up the bird meat and lowered her head to eat, but in an instant, she remembered the people she had killed earlier, and felt her stomach churning.

In her past practice of medicine, it wasn’t that she hadn’t seen blood, but killing was ultimately different.

She felt hungry on one hand, yet nauseous on the other. After struggling for a moment, Qin Jue beside her suddenly said, “You just woke up, can’t you eat meat? Do you want some fruit?”

Luo Wanqing looked up and saw Qin Jue’s fair hand offering her a small fruit. Qin Jue explained, “There’s not much to eat in winter, so make do with this wild fruit.”

Luo Wanqing wasn’t picky either. She put down the roasted bird, took the wild fruit, and gently bit into it.

Qin Jue observed her and probed, “Is this your first time killing someone?”

The wild fruit was sour and astringent, but it made Luo Wanqing feel much more comfortable. She lowered her head, gnawing on the fruit, and ignored Qin Jue.

Knowing she wouldn’t respond to this topic, Qin Jue fell silent and only looked around. “If we walk another five li ahead, there’s a town. Tomorrow we’ll go get some clothes together, then head to the Eastern Capital together?”

Hearing his words, Luo Wanqing finished the fruit, looked up, and surveyed the surroundings. “Where is this? How long was I unconscious? Where are the others?”

“This is the wilderness twenty li away from the inn. You were unconscious for a day and a night. The others are either dead or fled.”

Qin Jue held the roasted bird in his hand, tearing off a leg and chewing the meat casually. “After you fainted, I carried you back to the inn, but it had been burned down. The officials were gone, corpses everywhere. I was afraid those assassins would catch up, so I took you and ran.”

Speaking of this, Qin Jue seemed to remember something and asked curiously, “Last night you kept trying to shake me off, and when you saw the assassins, you even told them to make way to kill me. How were you so certain they wanted to kill me?”

“Why do you ask so many questions?” Luo Wanqing looked up impatiently.

Qin Jue smiled, “I’m curious. You seem to know a lot.”

“They’ve been following us all along. I don’t have such formidable enemies.”

Luo Wanqing explained, and Qin Jue nodded, accepting this explanation. He said earnestly, “That’s true.”

Then he frowned, seeming puzzled, “So they came to kill me?”

Luo Wanqing said nothing, merely glanced at him indifferently.

She didn’t quite believe this person was unaware of his situation. During her time in the water dungeon, she had nearly memorized the genealogies of all the prominent families in the jianghu and court, and was very clear about the identity of the person before her.

The Qin family of Jiangnan was the largest aristocratic clan in the south. This family had deep connections with the Cui family, one of the four great noble houses. Five years ago, the Cui family betrayed the country, surrendering without a fight and献出边境十城给外敌. Later, when the Cui family fell, the Qin family was also implicated. All clan members of fourth rank and above who held positions in the Eastern Capital resigned and returned to Jiangnan, disappearing from court ever since.

Until last year, a memorial from the Censorate accused the Qin family of privately stockpiling troops and grain, secretly forging weapons and armor. His Majesty was furious and charged them with treason, arresting the Qin family’s sons and bringing the family head Qin Wenyan to the Eastern Capital for trial.

This case dragged on for a long time. When Luo Wanqing was imprisoned, the Qin family’s verdict had just been handed down: Qin Wenyan’s branch would have all males executed and females sent to the pleasure quarters, while other clan members would be spared due to non-involvement.

Unfortunately, by this time, most of the Qin family members couldn’t endure the prison’s torment and had died one after another, leaving only Qin Wenyan’s branch, with only the legitimate son Qin Jue still alive.

For such a person to claim he didn’t know these assassins came to kill him, she didn’t believe it.

But since he wouldn’t say, she wouldn’t expose him either. Ultimately, it had nothing to do with her.

She would part ways with him once she had rested.

Her thoughts seemed too obvious, as Qin Jue beside her seemed to notice. He turned to look at her and asked carefully, “Xiniang, even in this situation, you still plan to abandon me?”

“Call me Miss Liu,” Luo Wanqing finished the last bite of meat, patted her hands, and reminded him, “We’re not familiar with each other.”

“Don’t be like that,” Qin Jue showed a regretful expression, “We’ve at least shared hardships.”

“I was dragged into this by you, not seeking to share hardships with you.”

Luo Wanqing began putting on her shoes while speaking, “You know you’re dragging me down, so don’t delay my journey. There are only two months left until the Supervision Department’s examination. You take your broad road, I’ll cross my single-plank bridge. Until we meet again by fate.”

With that, Luo Wanqing stood up. Having nothing to take, she looked up at the stars in the sky, vaguely recognizing the Big Dipper, and walked toward the north it indicated.

Behind her, Qin Jue watched her direction and couldn’t help but remind her, “Xiniang.”

“Goodbye.”

“That’s south.”

These words made Luo Wanqing freeze.

She stood in place, only then remembering that after being imprisoned for so long, she had forgotten that she had never traveled alone, let alone knew how to navigate.

Although in her dream she had lived in Lingnan for ten years, she had always lived in one area, so small that she never needed to distinguish directions. Using stars to determine direction was something she only knew how to do in theory, but had never practiced.

She stood on the original path for a while, then Qin Jue tentatively said behind her, “I have a very good sense of direction.”

Luo Wanqing said nothing.

Qin Jue continued, “I also cook well and am familiar with various martial techniques. With your terrible blade work, don’t you want to improve? Look how well we coordinated when I taught you to fight the black bear?”

Luo Wanqing closed her eyes and calmed herself. If Qin Jue weren’t being hunted by Fengyu Pavilion, she might have been tempted by these conditions, but…

“Oh, and,” Qin Jue seemed to know what she was thinking and reminded her, “Why don’t you sit down and circulate your qi to feel how the meridians I repaired for you are doing?”

Luo Wanqing was startled, then remembered the excruciating pain in her meridians before she fainted.

Realizing what Qin Jue meant, she quickly sat cross-legged. After circulating her true qi for one complete cycle, she opened her eyes in astonishment.

“How does it feel?”

Qin Jue came around to face her with the roasted bird, observing her as if he already knew the result.

Luo Wanqing looked up at him with a complex expression and spoke truthfully, “There’s a section of meridians where it doesn’t hurt when true qi passes through.”

This was completely different from her previous experience of circulating internal energy. Before, whenever she circulated internal energy, she would feel tearing pain wherever the true qi passed. But now there was a section of meridians that seemed like a channel someone had repaired, exceptionally smooth. True qi flowed through gently, even bringing a warm, comfortable sensation.

“Then that’s right,” Qin Jue nodded and explained, “Your internal true qi is abundant, but your meridians don’t match at all. Your meridians seem to have been forcibly stretched open, so they’re almost completely damaged. If you use your internal energy a few more times like last night, you’ll be finished.”

Luo Wanqing said nothing. She knew everything Qin Jue was saying.

But she had no choice. What wasn’t originally hers would always come with a price. She was staying alive thanks to the Jiuxiang Ningshen Pill given to her by people from the Supervision Department. Now that her meridians were damaged, it was only natural.

“What do you want?” Luo Wanqing understood what Qin Jue meant by saying so much. If he could help her repair one section of meridians, he could repair all of them. He was saying so much because he must want something in return.

Seeing her ask so directly, Qin Jue showed some sadness, “Why put it so coldly? I helped repair your meridians, but repairing them once consumes enormous energy. You know my physical condition,” Qin Jue said, raising his hand to his chest and sighing, “It’s not good. To completely restore your meridians won’t be something that can be done quickly.”

“You want to travel with me?” Luo Wanqing understood his meaning and stared at him quietly.

Qin Jue nodded, “Naturally.”

“To the Eastern Capital, to take the Supervision Department exam?”

“Correct.”

Luo Wanqing fell silent and thought quietly for a while.

Being with Qin Jue was certainly dangerous, but she had already fought with people from Fengyu Pavilion. If Fengyu Pavilion wanted to hold her accountable, they would come soon. If Fengyu Pavilion didn’t come, it meant they considered her to be carrying out her mission and probably wouldn’t come again.

Qin Jue wouldn’t die—not in the previous life, and not in this life either. What she needed to do was protect herself. Although the risk was great, if Qin Jue could help her repair her meridians completely, then she would never have any more worries.

Moreover, looking at Qin Jue’s attitude, even if she refused, he would probably pester her relentlessly, and she would find it hard to shake him off.

After weighing her options, Luo Wanqing finally decided to take the gamble.

After all, nothing was more tempting than strengthening herself.

But out of caution, she asked again, “Why do you want to follow me?”

“You’re capable,” Qin Jue said half-truthfully, “You saw it yourself—I’m not good at fighting. If I don’t rely on you, who can I rely on?”

Luo Wanqing said nothing. She went through his words once and understood.

The person before her, whether due to serious injuries affecting his abilities or being hunted, would indeed face danger on the road to the Eastern Capital without finding help. If he wanted help, it naturally had to be mutually beneficial. Those too strong, he couldn’t help much; those too weak couldn’t help him much. Only someone like her—she wanted his help repairing her meridians and had some martial skills. Moreover, he probably also valued Liu Xiniang’s internal energy. Both sides had what the other needed, which gave him peace of mind.

A lotus tongue and a seven-aperture heart—after such a great disaster befell his family, he could remain composed without showing the slightest sign. He was indeed talented.

Thinking of his family’s situation and then of herself, Luo Wanqing couldn’t help asking, “So when I bring you to the Supervision Department, what do you plan to do?”

“Enter the Supervision Department and become one of their people.”

“And then?” Luo Wanqing pressed.

Qin Jue was startled, seemingly not expecting Luo Wanqing to ask this. He thought for a moment, smiled lightly, looked up toward the Eastern Capital, and said calmly, “Clear my Qin family’s name.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing’s heartstrings trembled.

She quietly gazed at the young man before her and only asked, “Your family was wronged?”

“Aristocratic power struggles,” Qin Jue said indifferently, “Just trumped-up charges.”

Then Qin Jue turned to look at her and smiled again, “Xiniang asks so many questions—are you planning to travel with me?”

Luo Wanqing was silent for a while, then said, “Call me Miss Liu.”

“Hm?”

“Repair my meridians completely before we reach the Eastern Capital.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t look at him. She got up, walked back to the fire, picked up the roasted bird that had been set aside, and put it back over the fire to warm.

After eating a sour fruit to suppress it, her nausea had eased considerably. She didn’t want to indulge the physical discomfort brought by this emotion. She had to eat meat—eating meat would give her strength, make her robust, and give her a better chance of completing the remaining journey.

While roasting the meat, she said, “I’ll go with you.”

“Eh?” Qin Jue was somewhat surprised, “Xi… “

“Miss Liu.”

Luo Wanqing interrupted him, emphasizing the proper address.

Qin Jue had no choice but to follow Luo Wanqing’s words and confirm, “Miss Liu has agreed?”

“Mm.”

“Then I’m relieved.” Qin Jue was quite happy, but then he thought and said, “How did Miss suddenly agree? Just now, you seemed completely unwilling to have anything to do with me.”

Luo Wanqing didn’t immediately reply. When the roasted bird was warmed, she took it down and said lightly, “Do you know what’s most annoying about being around you?”

“What?” Qin Jue didn’t understand.

Luo Wanqing smelled the roasted bird, adjusted to the meat’s aroma, suppressed her nauseous feeling, bit into it, and said softly, “Being too perceptive and suspicious, making people disgusted.”

This made Qin Jue choke, understanding that his excessive questioning had annoyed Luo Wanqing.

He hesitated for a moment, laughed awkwardly, then said, “Alright, I won’t ask so many questions in the future. But—”

Hearing these two words, Luo Wanqing immediately cast a cold glance over.

Qin Jue spoke extremely quickly, rapidly saying before Luo Wanqing could interrupt him, “One last question!”

Luo Wanqing paused her actions and finally said, “Speak.”

“What’s the deal with your internal energy?”

Luo Wanqing looked up. Qin Jue said seriously, “I feel like this internal energy doesn’t seem to be yours?”