Lu Huating’s smile faded, and the deep darkness seeping from his pupils startled Cuiyu.

“Chief Administrator,” he rose to his feet. Xiao Yunru called out to stop him, “Qing Niang is acting according to our agreement. She must have already left the city by now. You needn’t go verify it.”

She continued speaking in detail, but Lu Huating no longer needed to listen.

The formation of flower-carrying palace maids, Zheng Zhiyi’s unusual behavior—all these details connected in his mind, enough for him to understand the cause and effect.

This was the agreement between Qun Qing and Xiao Yunru.

Zheng Zhiyi also knew about this matter. She wasn’t targeting Xiao Yunru—they were helping her.

As early as the Shangyuan Festival when Qun Qing visited her family, he should have realized that someone prepared to die in the palace would never go see relatives outside the palace.

No. Rather, when she first gave up on Princess Bao’an and chose to go to Qingxuan Pavilion, she had already begun preparing to leave the palace.

“Doesn’t the Chief Administrator want leverage against me? Why the rush?”

“I can’t run away anyway.”

…

This round, he had lost.

Lu Huating asked, “Where is she going after leaving the city?”

“She’s going to get married. She must be far from Chang’an by now. Achieving victory without bloodshed—the Chief Administrator should understand that Qing Niang’s departure is her wish, and it’s good for both you and me.” Xiao Yunru said.

The implication was that he shouldn’t stir up more trouble.

How could Lu Huating not understand this reasoning? He remained silent for two breaths, then looked toward the physician taking Xiao Yunru’s pulse and administering acupuncture. The physician’s expression was stiff, sweat forming on his forehead, as if he had discovered some abnormality but dared not speak.

Xiao Yunru’s expression remained calm: “Pregnancy and childbirth are matters between husband and wife. The specific details, this palace will discuss with San Lang. Now that Prince Zhao has returned and shares defense duties with San Lang, Prince Yan’s manor is going through troubled times. The Chief Administrator need not worry about harem affairs—just focus on governmental matters.”

She seemed to have some hidden difficulty. Lu Huating had no interest in probing. He only instructed the physician not to harm Princess Yan’s body, then quickly left the inner hall.

The palace buildings’ flying eaves stretched continuously. It was just after noon, the hour when nobles took their afternoon rest. Several palace maids carrying trays passed by. Lu Huating crossed paths with them, his gaze sweeping across their unfamiliar faces before looking ahead.

He would never again have the chance to encounter that face.

“Go to the medical ward and check if the clinic we visited has closed,” he said to Juan Su, who had caught up with him.

By evening, Juan Su reported: “It’s indeed closed. That young physician is gone too. This subordinate asked every neighboring household—no one knows where he went.”

Documents had already piled up beside Lu Huating. The lamplight illuminated his handsome profile. He still appeared nonchalant, but his review speed was much slower than usual.

Setting fire to her betrothed in the morning, then the two of them leaving together in the afternoon—that young physician was indeed the most important lover.

Lu Huating suddenly asked, “Can men marry before reaching adulthood?”

“In Chang’an, it seems they cannot…” Juan Su said, “But in poor, remote areas, there’s probably no such rule.”

Zhu Su, standing to the side watching them, couldn’t help but interrupt: “Should we pursue them?”

“Considering she likely exchanged travel permits from the Ministry of Finance, we could catch up by following the permits. If we pursue now, we can still bring her back.”

Behind the large desk, however, Lu Huating said nothing. After a long moment, he smiled: “Exhausting oneself completely, like wading through a mire, carrying a torch through the night—what good is that? Having escaped, we should congratulate her.”

Juan Su and Zhu Su exchanged glances, both falling silent for a moment, hearing only the sound of wind against the window lattice.

Then came a woman’s loud voice: “What’s wrong with wanting to tour San Lang’s residence? I’ve been sitting in that sedan for so long my legs are numb. Is this how Lu Qi Lang treats guests? Why won’t you let this palace enter?”

A palace maid ran in to announce: “Chief Administrator, Princess Danyang has arrived.”

Lu Huating dipped his brush in ink and smiled: “Tell the princess that I’m in a bad mood today. Never mind hosting guests—even if a mosquito flew in, I would mind.”

He raised his eyes. Someone had already entered his room first. Su Run wore white robes, his eyes showing some fear. He gathered his courage and performed a civil official’s bow: “Princess Manor’s Marshal Su Run pays respects to the Chief Administrator.”

Su Run looked back, “It was this subordinate who asked the princess to accompany me. Please don’t redirect your anger toward the princess, Chief Administrator. This subordinate comes today for two matters. First, to thank the Chief Administrator for saving my life that day.”

“You’re thanking the wrong person, aren’t you?” Lu Huating noticed he had even been promoted and smiled faintly. “I didn’t intend to save you.”

Su Run paused, then took out a wooden box from his sleeve and placed it on the desk: “This subordinate cannot repay Qing Niang’s kindness. What she entrusted to me, this subordinate must complete today. She asked me to personally deliver this to the Chief Administrator.”

Lu Huating stared at that box, then, as if sensing something, looked toward Su Run. Among so many admirers at her feet, she had made arrangements with all of them, yet left him without saying goodbye.

He thought she would leave without a single word.

He had indeed been manipulated by Qun Qing, and at this moment, could only hold his breath and wait for his own sentence.

“She said she’s no longer fighting. The mountains are high and the waters long—please take care of yourself, Chief Administrator.”

The smile on Lu Huating’s face disappeared again.

He didn’t even notice when Su Run and Danyang left. He pushed open the box lid. A clear fragrance struck his face. Inside lay half of a cut pill.

Juan Su said quietly, “Why is there only half?”

The other half was probably given to Li Xuan.

Lu Huating glanced at it with a cold smile, then closed the wooden box and set it aside: “Call the imperial physician.”

The imperial physician entered the hall. Lu Huating pushed the wooden box toward him: “Test the pill in this box to see if it’s poisonous.”

The physician was about to examine it when Lu Huating suddenly said, “Never mind.”

With that, amid everyone’s exclamations, he picked up that half Hanxiang Pill and placed it directly in his mouth.

Then he pushed open the window. The damp wind stirred his jet-black hair at the temples.

Outside, heavy rain was falling. Dense threads of rain poured down into the endless night, obscurely with no destination.

He waited for the pain of poisoning to arrive, but instead felt the pill dissolve into his body, transforming into wisps of fragrance that seeped into his lungs, then rose upward, gently wrapping around the pain at his temple acupoint.

The rain poured down. The physician and the shadow guards stood behind him in panic. Nothing happened.

She had given him the real antidote.

Qun Qing had truly left.

“Bring me a qin,” he said.

Lu Huating rarely played the qin normally, so much so that a thick layer of dust had accumulated on the strings. He took a plain cloth and carefully wiped away the dust before sitting before the window with the instrument, completely disregarding the splashing rain. Under his fingers came a sound like flowing water, mixing and colliding with the rain, making it almost impossible to tell what was being played.

By nighttime, he had a dream.

In the dream, Qun Qing walked beside him carrying a lantern. They maintained a distant separation between them. He wanted to return, but Qun Qing said, “Let’s walk to that bridge before parting.”

So they crossed the bridge. Qun Qing said, “Let’s pass through the woods before parting.”

So they silently passed through the forest. Qun Qing said again, “Let’s walk to Delin Hall before parting.”

They walked like this, one stretch after another.

This time, he waited for her to speak. He anticipated her speaking. But Qun Qing disappeared. Only he remained, walking alone in the vast darkness.

…

Lu Huating’s hand pressed against the strings, stopping the qin’s sound: “I’ll give her three days to run.”

Juan Su thought to himself, in three days, a boat could reach Jiangnan Circuit—

Due to the sudden rain in the evening, the cargo boat began to pitch and sway.

Qun Qing hadn’t eaten anything substantial for a day and night. Because of the boat’s rocking, she felt even more unbearable and unable to rest.

Fang Xie embraced her from behind: “Elder Sister, I gave some silver to the workers on the boat and exchanged it for an empty bunk in their quarters. If you lie down and rest for a while, you might feel better.”

Qun Qing agreed. The two of them, bent over in the swaying, supported each other as they walked to where the workers stayed.

At this hour, the boat workers hadn’t yet rested. They sat bare-chested in small groups, throwing dice and playing card games, seemingly long accustomed to boat travel, still shouting boisterously amid the pitching. Wine sellers walked back and forth selling alcohol—some workers bought it, while others just shooed them away.

Qun Qing noticed many pairs of eyes lingering on her neck and body.

She hadn’t changed clothes and was dressed as a young married woman. Obviously, on boats, there were only men—there was no female company.

However, these people quickly withdrew their gazes with apprehension.

Qun Qing turned to look behind her but didn’t see anything. Perhaps seasickness had affected her reaction. She only saw Fang Xie’s chin as he supported her more tightly: “Elder Sister, what are you looking at?”

“I want to buy some wine,” she said, enduring the dizziness. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to sleep when night comes.”

That wine seller had sharp ears and walked directly toward her.

Qun Qing caught a familiar fragrance, like countless flower petals floating before her eyes: “Floating Begonia Reflecting Snow.”

“The lady has taste. This is Jiangnan wine. Not many in Chang’an know about Floating Begonia Reflecting Snow.” The wine seller was overjoyed, “But the wine is too strong, lady, you…”

Qun Qing was already taking out money.

She wanted exactly that—strong wine.

Fang Xie merely gazed at her in a daze for a moment while she selected the wine. As a physician, he surprisingly didn’t try to stop her, instead taking the wine pouch for her: “That’s fine. If you’re drunk, you’ll sleep more soundly. I’ll wake you when dawn comes.”

Fang Xie lifted the oilcloth curtain. This bunk was unexpectedly spacious and clean. Qun Qing sat on the bunk and opened the wine pouch, drinking down half of it in one breath.

She felt flames suddenly ignite within her body.

The fragrance surrounded her nostrils. Many vivid images flashed through Qun Qing’s mind: rolling lanterns, udumbara flowers, leaping dragon dances, mandarin oranges rolling on the ground.

The most dangerous and magnificent colors she had ever seen were left behind with Chang’an City in the river waters, until only this fragrance remained, lingering endlessly around her.

Having lost consciousness, she indeed no longer felt dizzy or nauseous. She vaguely felt Fang Xie place her on the bed, cover her with a quilt, then use his hand to tuck the hair from her face behind her ear, seemingly gazing at her for a long time.

Qun Qing lay on the bunk. At first she slept deeply for a moment, then gradually could hear the movements around her, and her mind became clearer.

What was this Floating Begonia Reflecting Snow about?

She was somewhat confused. Why did Lu Huating love drinking this wine? So after getting drunk, one was actually still conscious, unable to fall into deep sleep.

Even people’s breathing, the friction of clothing, distant coughing sounds—all entered her ears clearly.

Since she wasn’t seasick for now, Qun Qing lay quietly, treating it as rest.

Soon, she heard the oilcloth being lifted and footsteps entering. These two people were both experts in their field, well-trained, their footsteps extremely light, but she could still distinguish them. Her heart involuntarily tensed, fearing that if they had ill intentions, Fang Xie alone couldn’t resist.

“This boat has been controlled by our subordinates. Please be at ease, Your Highness,” one person said quietly.

The other person said, “It’s just that Physician Li’s corpse still hasn’t been found.”

Then, Qun Qing heard a voice she would never forget for the rest of her life. It was Fang Xie’s voice, coming from beside her, low and indifferent: “If it can’t be found, then forget it. Return first. We’ll discuss it after meeting the Zen master.”