Being entangled with this Miss Chu was truly troublesome.

A’Jiu’s face was full of annoyance. Under everyone’s gazes, he stubbornly showed no reaction, as if his name wasn’t A’Jiu.

“A’Jiu,” Chu Zhao called again. “I want to speak with A’Jiu.”

The scarred military officer’s gaze over there was practically like knives. Zhang Gu really couldn’t withstand it anymore. No matter what, he was the leader of this postal soldier team. Whatever trouble arose, he couldn’t escape it.

“Go quickly,” he reached out and poked A’Jiu. “Don’t let this A—Miss Chu keep calling!”

Only then did A’Jiu reluctantly walk over.

Chu Zhao grabbed him: “Come with me.” Without allowing discussion, she pulled A’Jiu into the hall.

The people in the courtyard lost their target. Not comfortable staring at the hall, they could only let their gazes wander aimlessly.

Vice General Zhong looked toward Xiao Xun, seeing him with a smile at the corner of his mouth, seemingly unsurprised by Miss Chu and A’Jiu’s actions—it seemed that besides hitting Miss Liang, Miss A’Zhao had other incidents?

“These must be the postal soldiers escorting Miss Chu?” he said, looking toward Zhang Gu and the others.

His journey was rushed. He only needed to confirm the miss was safe. He hadn’t planned to question these postal soldiers—in his eyes, these people didn’t amount to much.

But now it seemed they actually did amount to something.

Zhang Gu quickly bowed: “Yes, we’re delivering military household registries to Yunzhong Commandery.” As he spoke, he moved to take out the registry from his pack.

General Zhong raised his hand to stop him: “This isn’t something I can look at, nor dare I inquire about it.” He smiled what he thought was kindly. “How did you encounter our miss?”

He had come in haste. Young Master Chu’s letter was both rambling and unclear. Apart from complaints throughout, there wasn’t much useful information.

Zhang Gu looked at the scarred face’s fierce smile, his heart troubled.

These soldiers and officers who had spent years in the border commanderies all came from licking blood from knife edges, especially Chu Ling’s troops. The officers were unruly and rebellious, and naturally the soldiers were too. The great generals in Yunzhong Commandery all avoided Chu Ling. He never expected that he, an outsider postal soldier, would become entangled with Chu Ling. Even more unfortunately, even now, his mind was still confused.

How the people in the courtyard sorted out what had happened didn’t concern Chu Zhao and A’Jiu in the hall.

“I’m not someone who fears trouble,” A’Jiu looked at Chu Zhao, speaking directly. “Even if it’s General Chu, I don’t care.”

Chu Zhao looked at him, seeming somewhat dazed, not speaking.

“So you want to create the illusion that we’re involved in an improper relationship,” A’Jiu said indifferently. “I won’t care at all. Don’t think you can threaten me with romantic matters.”

Chu Zhao couldn’t help laughing. She still didn’t know why she laughed—clearly now was truly not a time for laughter.

Actually, she didn’t know why she had called A’Jiu over either. At that moment, it just came out.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I don’t intend to threaten you. My father has made his decision—he won’t let me go back, so I can’t go back.”

A’Jiu raised his eyebrows. Was this a new way of playing pitiful?

He said with a mocking smile: “If you’re not threatening me, why call me over? There are so many people. If you called Brother Zhang and thanked him, your father’s people would see it and remember the kindness. That would be good deeds bringing good rewards.”

Chu Zhao said: “Even if I don’t say it, my father will remember his kindness.” As for calling A’Jiu, perhaps it was because he had seen through her earliest.

She had put on so many acts, thought of so many methods to get this far, only to end up with a wasted effort.

She couldn’t make a scene anymore. First was Father’s attitude, second was what Uncle Zhong had blurted out—if she insisted on going back, the pursuers from behind were already close and would certainly follow to the border commandery.

Her cousin didn’t matter—he was a fool—but among those following were people from the court, the Court of Judicial Review, the Court of Imperial Attendants. Who knew what schemes they harbored? If they discovered Father was ill, it would disrupt Father’s arrangements.

In her previous life, she had already disrupted Father’s arrangements and cut off Father’s path to survival. In this life, she couldn’t be so reckless again.

But should she just go back like this?

Chu Zhao raised her head to look outside. Although she still needed to travel more than ten days, for her who had walked a lifetime of ten years, it was truly just within reach—

Her tears slowly fell.

A’Jiu frowned with disdain. Playing pitiful again, except this kind of silent pitifulness made people feel very uncomfortable. He averted his gaze.

“You and I don’t know each other,” he said. “And don’t think that seeing that letter means anything. I have nothing to do with General Chu Ling. Your father-daughter matters have nothing to do with me, and I won’t interfere.”

Chu Zhao asked: “I want to write a letter to my father. Can you help deliver it?”

A’Jiu said with a mocking smile: “Miss Chu, what are you saying? Do you need me to deliver it? Your father’s person came himself.”

True. Chu Zhao fell silent, then gave a self-mocking smile.

“Write your letter,” A’Jiu said generously. “I’ll go help you call that officer over.”

This favor he could still do.

He lifted his foot to leave. The girl called out “A’Jiu” again from behind.

Was there no end? A flash of malice crossed A’Jiu’s eyes. He wasn’t some kind-hearted person. Just as he was about to say something, the girl’s voice came.

“Young Master A’Jiu, I haven’t seen what it’s like when a dying mother has no one to entrust her child to, but I know what it’s like when a child yearns for their parent but cannot see them.”

The girl’s voice wasn’t soft as before, but rather carried a hoarseness. Hearing it was like a knife scraping—what it was like when a child yearned for their parent but couldn’t see them, he naturally knew even better. A’Jiu lowered his long lashes.

He didn’t turn back. He lifted his foot, stepped over the threshold, and left.

……

……

Vice General Zhong didn’t hear any particularly dangerous topics. This postal soldier called A’Jiu had opposed taking Chu Zhao from the beginning, leading to constant disputes with Miss Chu on the journey.

What Zhang Gu said was indeed fact. As for those words about life and death at the riverside, those were also during disputes—what exactly they were arguing about, let them say it themselves.

Xiao Xun said even less. When they were talking, he even withdrew, adopting an attitude of not meddling.

Soon A’Jiu came out, and Chu Zhao made no more scenes. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Zhang Gu and the others looked at A’Jiu differently now. This lad was still formidable—who knew what he said to pacify the young lady? Tsk tsk tsk, young ladies of this age truly only had eyes for their lovers.

A’Jiu saw their expressions and rolled his eyes, too lazy to explain.

Although Vice General Zhong felt the postal soldiers’ expressions were strange, he didn’t pursue it further, only inviting them to travel together.

Since they were all going to Yunzhong Commandery, Zhang Gu naturally couldn’t refuse.

Chu Zhao wrote a letter and had Vice General Zhong take it to her father.

“A’Zhao, don’t worry,” Vice General Zhong accepted the letter, looking at the girl’s face that was calm to the point of heartbreak. He actually felt Chu Zhao making a scene would be better. “The General will soon come to the capital to reunite with you.”

Chu Zhao made a sound of acknowledgment and nodded: “This time I’ll work hard. I’ll definitely wait for Father.”

These words sounded somewhat strange, but perhaps the girl’s emotions were very poor. Vice General Zhong sighed inwardly, but what could he do? He had to follow the General’s orders.

“I entrust Miss Chu to Your Highness,” he bowed to Xiao Xun again.

Xiao Xun was about to speak when Chu Zhao spoke first: “Don’t worry, Uncle Zhong. My eldest cousin is coming to fetch me.”

Xiao Xun smiled and said nothing more.

General Zhong also said nothing further. To avoid staying a moment longer and softening enough to change his mind, he raised his whip and spurred his horse into a gallop. Zhang Gu and the others followed behind. On the main road outside the small town, dust clouds billowed.

Perhaps because of Vice General Zhong’s presence, A’Jiu this time didn’t walk at the very front. At the rear of the formation, he casually controlled his horse. For some reason, he couldn’t help looking back. He could faintly see the girl’s figure, standing and gazing.

So far away that he couldn’t see her face clearly, yet he felt the girl was very sad.

How absurd! What was so rare about sadness? He was sad too!

A’Jiu withdrew his gaze and cracked his whip sharply in the air.

The horse neighed and galloped like lightning, passing the postal soldiers, passing Vice General Zhong and his troops, taking the lead far ahead.