Phoenix said that all these years, on her parents’ death anniversary, Lian Yu had always brought Lianzi to pay respects.

After Phoenix left, she didn’t stay in the room waiting for Lian Yu. She went to find Wuqing.

She wanted Wuqing to accompany her to mourn her parents, but at Wuqing’s place, she only saw Tieshou, who said Wuqing had urgently left with Ah Qing and Wuming, telling him to inform her. Knowing she had fallen from her horse and been injured yesterday, he hadn’t gone to disturb her rest. Leng Xue had also left. Before Wuqing departed, he said nothing, but Leng Xue left her a letter.

Tieshou gave her the letter. Opening it, there were no other words, only: “Zhen’er, I’m going to find someone. I’ll come find you after I find them.”

“What mission is my brother executing?” she asked.

Tieshou hesitated: “Investigating a major serial murder case in the martial world. Young constables from the department brought news of new developments.”

“And Leng Xue? He said he’s looking for someone—do I know them?” She nodded and asked again.

This time Tieshou quickly shook his head: “I don’t know.”

Feng Suzhen felt somewhat disappointed. During her years away, Leng Xue seemed to have developed his own new life, leaving at any time. This was ultimately a good thing, but she distinctly felt something was wrong.

Leng Xue and Wuqing seemed to have left simultaneously, but by appearances, they had split into two groups, likely not for the same matter.

But if it were two separate matters, both occurring within these few days, the timing was too coincidental. She had mentioned earlier to both of them that she wanted to return to Huai County to pay respects to her parents, and both had agreed. Both were cold-natured people, yet when this matter was mentioned, both became quite emotional. Over the years, to avoid painful memories, neither had returned. This time, with her return, it was perfect.

Mourning her parents and Hong Xiao’s matter were top priorities for both men. Unless it was something more urgent, they definitely wouldn’t leave lightly. For something to make both simultaneously break their promise within such a short time, and be urgent enough, it could only be the same matter.

But if it was the same matter, why split into two groups?

She had previously worked on cases. While Tieshou’s words seemed unremarkable, when he mentioned the constable department case, that fleeting hesitation—ordinary people might not notice, but she saw it clearly.

Tieshou knew about Wuqing’s matter, but when mentioning Leng Xue, he was quite natural, as if he didn’t know. If it was the same matter, Leng Xue’s actions clearly bypassed them—why was that?

And if it was an ordinary murder case, what would Tieshou have to hesitate about with her?

Unless it was somehow related to her, but what could that be?

She had doubts in her heart but didn’t question Tieshou. If they wanted to hide it, no amount of questioning would yield results. Only by catching them off-guard—she knew that after she left, Tieshou would also secretly follow Wuqing. She pondered whether it would be better to have Xuanwu secretly follow to investigate, or to get him drunk with wine tonight and extract information while he was off-guard.

She remained composed, first taking her leave and going to Lian Xin’s room.

Unexpectedly, upon inquiry, Lian Xin had also left, having a maid pass along a message saying she’d return to see them after Lian Xi came back.

No wonder Lian Xin hadn’t come yesterday when she was recovering from her injury. This minor injury was certainly nothing, but Lian Xin would definitely be worried.

Why had several people all left at this crucial moment?

Lian Xin had now left the small imperial city and was currently on the road out of the main city. Passing through a forest area with a stream, the female attendant stopped.

She had Lian Xin dismount to rest.

Lian Xin was no longer the pampered person of the past—resting or not didn’t matter much. But seeing the sunlight reflecting on the water and stones outside, golden and sparkling, quite pleasing, she removed her shoes and socks and went down.

She called it playing, but in truth had not a trace of such mood.

She was leaving to avoid Wuqing—she had made a decision. However, she hadn’t expected that on the night he came to find her, he would be the first to mention leaving.

“I just received news. Constable department scouts report discovering her tracks in a small town. Normally, she left so quietly that day, not wanting us to find her. For her whereabouts to be exposed, there’s only one possibility—she encountered trouble. They say there’s a woman whose appearance closely resembles hers treating people, dressed simply, and she’s blind. She’s actually blind. I…” His voice grew slightly hoarse at this point.

“In this lifetime, I’ve owed you, and I’ve owed her. I’m determined to be with you, but given her current condition, I won’t hide from you—my heart aches. She was born to be strong. I need to find her. Only by personally finding her and confirming she’s safe can I return to find you. Only then can I be at peace.” He spoke softly, light rippling bit by bit in his usually dark, emotionless eyes.

She lowered her head, just seeing his tightly clenched fists, the taut tendons on his hands.

Her feelings at that moment were so complex.

What he said was what she had wanted to say to him. She had wanted to say, first find Xiao Zhou. She wanted to tell him, wait until Xiao Zhou finally let this matter go, wait until Xiao Zhou was also happy, and if he still liked her then, she would be with him. She would wait for him.

But she hadn’t expected that when he spoke these same words, with the same meaning and result, she would still be unable to help feeling terribly sad.

But with Xiao Zhou in such a state, her heart was also blocked with distress. So she said nothing, didn’t tell him her thoughts, only nodded: “Go then.”

He looked at her and asked: “Is there anything else you want to tell me?”

“No,” she said.

“Alright,” he nodded. “I’m leaving.”

She smiled and also said “alright.” Before he could turn around, she turned first. Her eyes were full of tears.

“Lian Xin.”

Suddenly, he called her from behind.

She turned slightly sideways, not facing him completely. She didn’t want him to see her disheveled appearance.

“I don’t know how long it will take to find her—maybe quickly, a month or two, maybe a long time, a year or two. If in the meantime you meet someone good, as long as you truly like them, you needn’t wait for me. But…”

In her blurred vision, he also turned halfway, but what came after “but,” he never finished.

She didn’t ask either, only nodded again: “Alright.”

He looked deeply at her once, then swiftly turned and left, white robes like snow, as hurried as when he had first arrived years ago.

If he had turned back again, he would have seen that this time, she hadn’t turned around. She watched his departing figure, silently weeping, quietly seeing him off.

She had once found it incredible why she had fallen in love with him. Perhaps it was their first meeting at the Imperial Academy, when she blocked Feng Suzhen from leaving and he, in his anger, risked being beaten by Chao Huang to personally cut her hair, provoking her.

Perhaps it was when she was molested by Mao Hui and Yu Jinglun, and he would rather suffer severe injuries than rescue her.

He had undoubtedly used her, but if he truly wanted revenge without regard for circumstances, when she was humiliated that day, silencing her for Mao and Yu would have been the best revenge against her mother.

He wasn’t like Su Su, but deep down he still carried a trace of the Feng family’s pride.

He wasn’t a good person. Neither had she been before. She had killed maids and lived capriciously and recklessly, until meeting a scholar who didn’t regard her seriously at the execution ground, until encountering the Magistrate’s Office, only then did she know that some people lived this way.

For others’ lives, they could stake everything they had.

Life—so light, yet so heavy.

She suddenly thought, perhaps she fell in love with him simply because she had been trapped in the deep palace since childhood, and her heart also yearned for a martial world where she could travel with sword in hand like him, unrestrained and free. Perhaps what she fell in love with was merely his lonely solitude, yet free and unbound.

But love was love. If there were reasons, it would be affection, not necessarily love. But love could be without reason, though some loyalties should be honored.

She hadn’t understood before, but now she knew—the three of them needed to be completely free of debt to each other.

There was something she hadn’t told him: she would wait. One year, two years, five years, ten years… But she didn’t want this to become his burden.

She would return here. And him?

The stream tinkled as another leaf fell into the water. She brushed off the remnants on her clothes, stood up, and said: “Let’s continue.”

“Princess, you never said where we’re going. Have you decided on a destination?” someone asked.

She looked at the ten highly skilled female attendants Lian Yu had bestowed upon her, smiled slightly: “I don’t know, but perhaps we can think as we go? Before that, you might teach me a move or two, so I can protect myself in the future and even help others when I see injustice?”

Everyone was puzzled and hesitant. The lead attendant stepped forward and loudly said “Yes, Princess.” She smiled and got into the carriage.

She didn’t know that on this journey, she would be drawn into the turbulent waves of both martial world and national affairs. She didn’t know they would meet again under completely unexpected circumstances.

When one story ends, another begins. Within are love, hate, joy, and sorrow—those unaware of being within it, those telling the story, and the observers. She didn’t know where the road ahead led or what would happen, but perhaps, besides waiting and grieving, she could do something more.

Upper Capital, Quan Manor.

Quan Feitong returned from court and immediately instructed the steward to prepare luggage—he would accompany the emperor on an incognito journey. Xue Zhu emerged from Tingtao Residence to see the entire manor in a bustling flurry.

Tingtao Residence housed the guests and disciples under the current Prime Minister—over a hundred elites were maintained there.

Xue Zhu was one of them.

But unlike other guests who schemed against each other, offered strategies, and sought advancement and connections, she had other purposes.