Wang Xiang never expected he would dare intercept the Eastern Palace’s people. His face darkened as he reminded him: “Chief Administrator Lu, I’m acting on the Crown Prince’s orders. Does Prince Yan’s manor intend to bypass the Crown Prince?”

However, Lu Huating didn’t dismount: “Chief Clerk Wang, are you carrying an oral decree or a written decree?”

“This… I carry the Crown Prince’s oral decree.”

Lu Huating took out two pages of paper from his bosom and unfolded them before him: “I have the spy’s signed confession and Prince Yan’s written decree. According to Great Chen law, when the heir apparent’s garrison soldiers arrest someone, the documents must be complete. Otherwise, it’s detaining innocent citizens. Does Chief Clerk Wang wish to place the Crown Prince in an unjust position?”

Wang Xiang had only received one sentence from Li Xuan before galloping over. How could he have anticipated Lu Huating would come prepared: “I’m also just doing my duty. Why must Chief Administrator Lu deliberately make things difficult? Our goal is the same.”

Water dripped from Lu Huating’s temples, falling from his jaw. He reined in his horse: “Prince Yan’s manor is responsible for compiling Great Chen law. We truly have no reason to knowingly break the law. Go back and complete the documents, then come. I absolutely won’t make things difficult.”

Wang Xiang’s subordinate garrison soldiers grew restless. Unable to think of a rebuttal for the moment, Wang Xiang raised his hand to stop them.

Lu Huating dismounted on his own and walked toward Qun Qing.

On the drifting, swaying wooden boat, her sky-blue dress was already soaked through, clinging tightly to her body. Her jet-black hair stuck to her porcelain-white face, rainwater continuously dripping from her eyelashes, like a shattered Guanyin statue.

Then Lu Huating’s gaze fell on the fish-killing youth’s face beside her. This youth was using clothing to block the rain, pressed close to her. He made eye contact with a pair of clear, large eyes.

Not the young physician, but also quite handsome.

Lu Huating hesitated for an instant, then looked at Qun Qing’s somber face.

Qun Qing finally raised her eyes to look at him.

The first thing she saw was Lu Huating’s jaw dripping with water. Galloping in such rain, how disheveled. Competing with the Crown Prince—she really couldn’t find a reason: “I already said I have no intention of competing with you. What meaning is there in the Chief Administrator capturing me?”

“You say you’re not fighting, so you’re not fighting?” Lu Huating’s smiling eyes were both tender and cruel.

“The medicine I entrusted Su Run to deliver—didn’t the Chief Administrator receive it?”

“The lady’s bargaining chips are insufficient,” Lu Huating said.

Not expecting he still wanted a whole pill, Qun Qing paused, coldly laughing inwardly.

He crouched down and grasped her wrist through his sleeve. Qun Qing struggled. Lu Huating only gripped tighter. He pulled up her sleeve and, taking the shackles Juan Su handed over, skillfully locked them on her wrists.

“Does the Chief Administrator truly want to torture me?” Qun Qing no longer struggled, letting the cool metal lock onto her skin as she said lightly, “When the time comes, I’ll come find you.”

“When will you come find me?” Lu Huating raised his eyes to look at her.

“After settling the Crown Prince’s matter.” She glanced at Wang Xiang. That Li Xuan could dispatch so many people to catch up meant the worst outcome she had anticipated had occurred.

Her defection must have been discovered by the “Tian” in the palace, who reported her identity to Li Xuan.

The Eastern Palace had sent dozens of garrison soldiers—clearly Li Xuan’s fury was immense. He was determined to take her.

“The lady enjoys deceiving people with lies.” Yet Lu Huating, as if not seeing this, locked the shackles with a “click,” then pulled down her sleeves, thoroughly covering the shackles. “I don’t believe you.”

Wang Xiang’s troops had already surrounded this shoreline. Lu Huating stood up, his back to everyone: “My prisoner. I’d like to see who dares touch her.”

His voice wasn’t loud but carried considerable coldness.

Qun Qing’s hands were bound by the icy, heavy weight. Not knowing what Lu Huating intended, her heart instead grew more settled.

She had a premonition—she wouldn’t die for now, and she wouldn’t have to return to face Li Xuan’s interrogation.

Wang Xiang said, “Chief Administrator, this makes it impossible for me to report back.”

Lu Huating turned around: “If I were you, I would have turned back earlier to get the documents. By now I’d already be halfway back.”

Wang Xiang’s face turned ashen. He stared at him for a moment, then led his people away: “Let’s go.”

Qun Qing said, “Unrelated parties—please let them go, Chief Administrator.”

“Who are the unrelated parties?” Lu Huating said.

Qun Qing had already said to the fish-killing youth: “In my bundle there’s a yellow pouch. Open it yourself and take it with you.”

The pouch the youth extracted according to her instructions was heavy. Lu Huating looked—it was clearly all the silver coins Qun Qing had brought.

This money should have originally been for purchasing a residence after leaving the palace.

“Wait a moment,” Lu Huating said.

Qun Qing said, “He still has parents at home.”

“My family’s long gone,” the fish-killing youth quietly objected. “If I had parents, who’d need to make a living on boats?”

“Bring him along too,” Lu Huating said.

At the ferry landing, passenger boats swayed at anchor.

Several people abandoned their horses and boarded a boat. Qun Qing sat down quietly and closed her eyes, not saying a word. Her lip color was already distinctly pale. Lu Huating glanced once, stood up, and went around behind a pillar to quietly say to Juan Su and Zhu Su keeping watch there: “Go get some sugar water.”

Hearing this request, both their mouths simultaneously gaped open.

Lu Huating was puzzled: “What’s wrong? Don’t you understand human speech?”

With great difficulty, Zhu Su begged a small bowl of brown sugar water from a woman carrying an infant.

Because her hands were bound, Lu Huating brought the bowl to Qun Qing’s lips.

“What is it?” Qun Qing said.

Lu Huating’s dark eyes held amusement: “It’s poison.”

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Qun Qing opened her mouth and drank it clean, only noticing the aftertaste was somewhat sweet. Seeing her lack of hesitation, Lu Huating’s expression changed slightly as he smiled: “What happened with that young physician to make you like this, lady?”

Qun Qing didn’t speak. Only after a moment, her stomach churned violently, and she turned to vomit directly into the river.

Lu Huating’s expression changed. Wen Su ran out from hiding, embraced her body, and rubbed her back: “Chief Administrator, Qing Niang is severely seasick.”

Lu Huating saw Qun Qing was like a fish out of water, her eyes extremely dark: “Find a secluded place, remove the shackles, change out of the wet clothes, and lean her against a pillar.”

Wen Su helped Qun Qing away. After a while, she ran back out: “Qing Niang seems very uncomfortable.”

Lu Huating walked over. Where Wen Su had found that pillar, Qun Qing had already collapsed sideways, curled up on the ground.

He bent down several times to gather her up. Qun Qing couldn’t lean properly, so he simply lifted his robe and sat on the ground, letting her lean sideways in his embrace.

The instant he held Qun Qing on his lap, Lu Huating discovered she was light and soft, suddenly reminding him of the day in the fourth year of Shenglin when he collected her corpse. Lu Huating lowered his lashes. His left hand drew out from beneath her layered skirts, held her loosely, and slowly peeled a mandarin orange.

That mandarin orange was right beside her pale face.

Qun Qing only felt waves of sour fragrance striking her, stopping the dizziness. Truly exhausted to the extreme, she fell directly into unconscious sleep.

In the bizarre and colorful dream, she saw her mother’s face.

Zhu Ying, while making decorative knots, said coldly: “What use is crying? Figure out this chess game, then you can go eat.”

She was locked in a dark embroidery room, holding a white piece in her hand, tears streaming down her entire small face.

On the table was only a chess manual and a chess board.

Her mother looked at the white piece in her hand: “No one cares about the life or death of a chess piece. If you want to live, besides carving out a path for yourself, there’s no other way.”

Shi Yuming knocked at the door outside: “Mother, Mother, your pot is burning!”

Zhu Ying’s expression changed. She immediately stood and turned to leave. Because of the injury on her foot, she walked very slowly.

Qun Qing looked at her mother’s back. She didn’t know why Shi Yuming didn’t have to play chess and could eat, while only she had to endure this torment.

However, in the darkness, a beautiful hand slowly appeared and placed a black piece on the board.

Qun Qing, sobbing, put down the white piece.

The opponent played extremely well. Playing against him required complete concentration. Back and forth, without realizing it, she stopped her tears, emptying the entire chess basket to the bottom.

Who knows how much time passed—daylight came. Sunlight illuminated the embroidery room, evaporating the aggrieved emotions completely.

She suddenly discovered she had won the chess game, carved out a path to survival.

Her mother most disliked young ladies crying and whimpering. If her mother were here, she probably couldn’t bear to see her grieving in place.

Qun Qing opened her eyes. Sunlight fell on her eyelids. She was startled to realize she had slept through the night.

Moving slightly, she froze.

Lu Huating’s outer robe covered her body. Beside her hand lay a dried mandarin orange peel.

She only heard the fish-killing youth’s voice ring out cheerfully: “We’ve reached Jiangnan Circuit!”

Volume Two: Blade on the String