◎Let Go◎

Hearing this answer, Luo Wanqing wasn’t sure whether he was telling the truth or lying.

Zhuque coughed lightly, then explained: “Well, there are still several days left, and we can’t possibly go without eating the whole time. Since it’s all drugged food anyway, eating a little won’t hurt. You eat first, then I eat; I eat first, then you eat. We’ll watch over each other—this is a strategy.”

“Oh,” Luo Wanqing nodded, then flattered him: “Zhuque Envoy speaks truly.”

“I’ve eaten my fill and slept well.”

Zhuque kept a straight face and said seriously, “You eat and then sleep.”

Luo Wanqing held the steamed bun that had just been delivered, thought momentarily, and agreed that Zhuque’s reasoning made sense. She first fed him some water, secretly loosened his ropes, then ate a steamed bun and fell asleep.

The two took turns eating and sleeping each day. By the day they were to leave the Eastern Capital, Luo Wanqing felt as though she had gained weight.

That day during daylight, neither of them ate, only pretending to be unconscious, lying together with all the other people who were to be transported out. When evening came, they heard someone open the door. The old woman who had tricked Luo Wanqing walked in and said coldly, “Carry them out.”

After speaking, people came in, bound everyone in the room, and carried them out.

Once loaded onto the cart, these people locked the cart doors and windows, and then the cart began swaying and moving. When they heard the cart leave the city, Luo Wanqing opened her eyes to see Zhuque lying across from her, using his hands bound in front to make a “shh” gesture.

Luo Wanqing said nothing. Zhuque sat up, and she watched as he twisted his wrists and squeezed his hands out of the ropes.

He moved to the window, pressed his ear to listen, and after confirming no one was outside, he took out a blade from inside his wrist, inserted it into the window crack, and lifted, flicking away the latch outside the window. He opened a crack from the outside window to look out, then walked to Luo Wanqing’s side and whispered: “The scouts confirmed the message—Li Guiyu will return via the official road tonight. As soon as I see his carriage from afar, I’ll jump from the cart and run into the woods to avoid being seen by them. You just follow and jump, running toward Li Guiyu’s direction. These human traffickers will chase you, so just cry for help loudly.”

“Won’t this be too obvious?”

Luo Wanqing frowned.

Li Guiyu was extremely cautious. If she actively approached him, would Li Guiyu help her?

“He might not help.”

Zhuque glanced at Luo Wanqing, then said: “But there’s someone in his carriage who will help.”

“Who?”

Luo Wanqing was puzzled. Zhuque rolled his eyes, as if thinking of an extremely troublesome person, and said helplessly: “Zhang Yiran.”

Luo Wanqing was stunned and couldn’t help asking: “Zhang Yiran?”

“You’ve heard of him, too, right? The one who started writing memorials to impeach people everywhere as soon as he entered the Censorate, and even wrote memorials scolding His Majesty.” Zhuque whispered with Luo Wanqing, “He even impeached our young master. Everyone else gets promoted along the way, but he gets demoted all the way. If not for his teacher’s regard for him, he would have been sent to some remote backwater long ago. Don’t worry, with him there, he’ll help.”

“How would he be with Li Guiyu?”

Luo Wanqing didn’t understand. Zhuque said helplessly: “Young master said that although he’s not well-liked, his teacher is the Censor-in-Chief, and His Majesty quite likes him. If he changes his temperament in the future, he still has prospects. That Li Guiyu has been living off being the Zheng family’s son-in-law, so he has to win over some people, right? This Zhang Yiran is at a low point now, but has a future ahead of him—if Li Guiyu doesn’t win him over, who will he win over? These past few days, he’s been repairing waterways in the suburbs. Young master calculated the timing and blocked his path. He’s bound to encounter Li Guiyu, and with such a good opportunity, Li Guiyu will let him onto the carriage to sell him a favor.”

Luo Wanqing understood—Xie Heng had arranged every link properly.

“Oh, and also,” Zhuque added, “Young master also said that just looking at your face, Li Guiyu might not necessarily escort you. But as long as you lean closer to Zhang Yiran, he’ll escort you back alone. However, be careful on the road—he might kill you.”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing couldn’t help frowning: “Such an important matter, and the young master didn’t instruct me personally?”

“Young master muttered this privately,” Zhuque immediately became alert and warned, “You must never tell young master that I said these things.”

Xie Heng muttered such things privately?

Luo Wanqing found it somewhat hard to imagine, and why didn’t Xie Heng tell her about this matter?

“Well,” Zhuque saw Luo Wanqing’s puzzled expression and explained awkwardly, “Actually, our Supervision Department rarely has female inspectors use honey traps. This time it’s also unavoidable. Young master probably felt that asking you to actively approach Zhang Yiran was somewhat excessive. Don’t worry, once we eliminate Li Guiyu, there won’t be such situations anymore.”

Zhuque said earnestly, “We usually rely on strength to speak—fighting and killing!”

Luo Wanqing was startled, then laughed and said seriously: “Once I entered the Supervision Department, I became a person of the Supervision Department. Everything is mission-first. This small matter is not worth mentioning.”

Zhuque still seemed somewhat embarrassed. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly went quiet, then closed his eyes and listened intently for a moment. Luo Wanqing only saw his ears move, then he opened his eyes and notified her: “Someone’s coming. I’ll go down first to look. If it’s them, I’ll shout ‘run,’ and you jump from the cart.”

“Alright.”

With that, Zhuque walked to the door, crouched down to flick away the latch outside the cart door, then turned back and said: “I’m leaving.”

The latch fell to the ground, instantly startling the people outside. At this moment, Zhuque had already kicked open the door and leaped down!

The cart continued racing forward. Luo Wanqing saw many people charging toward Zhuque. Zhuque glanced into the distance, confirmed the carriage markings, then shouted “Run!” before turning and rushing toward the dense forest!

The human traffickers followed Zhuque into the forest. Luo Wanqing seized the opportunity to stand up and leap from the cart, rolling on the ground to cushion her momentum before being discovered. The old woman sitting on another cart saw her jump down and shouted: “Catch that woman! She’s valuable!”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing immediately turned around and rushed toward the slowly approaching carriage on the road, running while shouting: “Help! Noble sir, save me!”

She ran extremely fast, her voice exceptionally sharp in the night. The human traffickers pursued relentlessly behind her. Luo Wanqing dared not let them catch up, yet also dared not let people see her martial arts foundation. She suppressed all her internal energy and ran until she was gasping for breath, as if her life hung by a thread, crying out: “I am from a good family, with an elderly mother at home. They want to sell me—please have mercy, noble sir! Save me! Save me!”

These words carried to the carriage, where Zhang Yiran was respectfully playing chess with Li Guiyu.

He had originally been returning from repairing waterways. Having no carriage, he walked daily. On his return, the wooden bridge he usually crossed was damaged, so he had to detour via the official road. This detour happened to coincide with the Third Prince’s return from inspection.

This prince had always been gentle and courteous to worthy men. Seeing him walking, he invited him to share the carriage.

Zhang Yiran initially wanted to refuse, but the other party invited him repeatedly, and he couldn’t refuse too insistently, so he had to board the carriage. However, he dared not become too close to Li Guiyu, so he could only remain silent and play chess to pass the time.

Fortunately, Li Guiyu didn’t seem to have any intention of pressuring him. When he remained silent, Li Guiyu accompanied him in chess, occasionally saying a word or two, making the atmosphere quite comfortable, like a spring breeze.

It was just Li Guiyu’s turn to place a stone. He was supporting his forehead in thought when he heard a woman’s cry for help from outside. The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but was too sharp to hear clearly.

The moment the voice appeared, Li Guiyu paused, then calmed down again.

During those days, he would sometimes think of her voice in an instant.

They had been together too long.

He had always thought that parting from her was no big matter.

At first, it indeed was so. Parting, not seeing each other—he thought of her going far to Lingnan, each living in peace, which was also a kind of ending.

Although he occasionally thought of her, he also felt that such an ending was already quite good.

But somehow, she died.

Clearly, her death should have been a joyful thing, yet when she died, when he felt everything was settled and need not be pursued further, he suddenly began to miss her.

It started when he was carving her memorial tablet. He carved her name stroke by stroke, and with each cut, each stroke, he would think of her.

He would remember that afternoon when, after experiencing life-and-death bloodshed, he stood in Yangzhou’s peaceful courtyard, watching the young woman stand before him, blushing as she introduced herself: “I still haven’t told you my name. I’m called Luo Wanqing. What about you?”

He would remember her walking ahead of him, gently looking up to take down a flower lantern, turning to ask him: “Shaoyan, do you want one?” that instant.

He would remember her sitting in the room, earnestly writing prescriptions, saying she wanted to be a good physician and save more people, during those nights.

He would remember her behind his back, secretly embroidering a pouch stitch by stitch, during those times.

When he finished carving her memorial tablet, he felt he had used great strength. The carving knife cut his palm, and blood spilled on her name.

He couldn’t speak, just felt as if a hole had been dug in his heart.

It was what he had sought, yet it carried the pain of howling wind cutting through.

After that, it was every day, every night, every moment.

Sometimes he would wake up at night, wondering where she was, and if she were buried in the earth, would she be afraid of the dark?

She had always needed a light to sleep since childhood. Only after he came and promised to guard at her window did she gradually get used to sleeping with the light off.

Because every time she called, he would answer her.

Thinking this way, he seemed to hear Luo Wanqing’s voice, cat-like and uneasy, calling him: “Shaoyan?”

He couldn’t help but answer, afraid she would be scared.

But soon, he realized this was wrong.

When she called him, only he could hear. If he always answered like this, people would discover his abnormality.

So he discussed with her that when she called him, he would touch the sachet she had given him, treating it as his response to her.

Luo Wanqing didn’t say whether she agreed or not, so he took it as her agreement.

At this moment, hearing that cry for help, he unconsciously touched the sachet, then heard Zhang Yiran frown with a serious expression and ask: “Your Highness, did you hear any sound?”

Li Guiyu paused. The two then realized this sound was becoming clearer.

The woman seemed to have been caught up to, crying urgently: “Let go of me! Let me go!”

Zhang Yiran immediately stood up. Li Guiyu quickly said, “Master Zhang!”

Zhang Yiran turned back. Li Guiyu listened to the woman’s words, pondering as he spoke: “A woman suddenly appearing on the road crying for help in the deep of night—we should still be careful.”

“This…”

Zhang Yiran thought for a moment, then said: “But we also cannot ignore it. I’ll go take a look.”

“Master Zhang,” Li Guiyu lowered his eyes, looking at the chess board, drawing out his voice to remind: “Those who can kidnap people in the Eastern Capital have some connections behind them. Are you certain you want to get involved in this matter?”

Hearing this, Zhang Yiran’s expression turned cold, and he only said: “Your Highness may choose not to intervene, but I will.”

With that, Zhang Yiran stopped the carriage, lifted the door curtain, and went out, shouting: “Stop!”

Luo Wanqing had already been caught by the human traffickers. She was being dragged back when she heard this shout of “Stop!” Luo Wanqing urgently looked up toward Zhang Yiran: “Sir, save me!”

When Luo Wanqing looked up, Zhang Yiran was startled, then dared not look anymore. He averted his gaze, jumped down from the carriage, walked to the human traffickers, and said coldly: “Why are you binding people?”

“We’re binding our own woman for adultery—is it your place to interfere?”

The human trafficker looked Zhang Yiran up and down, then angrily shouted: “Get lost!”

With that, they dragged Luo Wanqing away. Zhang Yiran grabbed hold of Luo Wanqing and said sternly, “Even if she were your wife, if there was adultery, it should be reported to the authorities for handling. Where is the reason for private punishment? Moreover, what proof do you have that she is your wife?”

“Sir, I don’t know him.”

Luo Wanqing immediately grabbed Zhang Yiran, her eyes full of pleading, crying urgently: “Sir, I am the daughter of a nearby hunter. I came to the Eastern Capital to get medicine for my mother. My mother is still waiting for me at home…”

“Nonsense…”

“Let go!”

Zhang Yiran kicked one of the burly men and yanked Luo Wanqing over forcefully.

He pulled too hard, and Luo Wanqing almost fell. Zhang Yiran quickly supported her. Luo Wanqing naturally leaned against Zhang Yiran, her whole body trembling as if extremely frightened.

Zhang Yiran’s body stiffened. He couldn’t help but step back one pace, creating distance from Luo Wanqing, then stared at the group of human traffickers and said: “This is the Eastern Capital—it won’t tolerate your presumption! If she is your wife, come with this official to the authorities to check and verify, and this official will escort you back. If she is not your wife, and you forcibly seize a civilian woman in broad daylight, do you still have any regard for the law?!”

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing quietly looked up at Zhang Yiran.

Last time, he had scolded her the same way. It seemed he was quite fair in dealing with bandits.

However, the other party didn’t buy his approach. They sneered and only said: “Refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit—attack!”

With that, everyone lunged toward Zhang Yiran. Zhang Yiran protected Luo Wanqing and shouted: “How dare you!”

The other party completely ignored his words. Surrounding the two people, they raised their knives and slashed.

The blade light swung down toward Zhang Yiran. Zhang Yiran’s eyes widened, and he completely forgot to dodge, only instinctively raising his hands to protect Luo Wanqing. Luo Wanqing’s expression turned slightly cold. She embraced Zhang Yiran and retreated a small step. At this moment, a cold arrow flew straight out from the carriage, striking right between the bandit’s eyebrows.

Everyone instantly froze. Then they heard the sound of carriage curtains being rolled up. Everyone looked together to see a young man in azure brocade robes and jade crown step out from the carriage, supporting himself on the carriage rail.

He calmly raised his head and looked toward everyone.

With one glance, he saw that woman being protected in Zhang Yiran’s embrace.

That face he had accompanied for many years, that he thought of day and night, was turning back in another man’s arms, looking toward him with panic as if she didn’t recognize him at all.

In an instant, his heart felt pierced. His pupils contracted sharply. He gripped the carriage rail tightly and unconsciously shouted coldly: “Let go!”

—

**Author’s Note:**

**[Mini Theater]**

Zhuque: “Young master muttered this privately.”

Luo Wanqing: “Why didn’t he tell me?”

Xie Heng: “Tell you? Tell you what? Tell you that leaning more into Zhang Yiran’s embrace can effectively increase Li Guiyu’s rage buff? I would never say such words to you even if I died!”