The lodging Governor Chen Wei of Ping Province arranged for Wen Yu was a private residence behind the government office.

This mansion originally belonged to a wealthy merchant magnate in the city. Later, after committing offenses, his property was confiscated and sealed. Because the mansion was built quite exquisitely and separated from the government office by only a back alley, after being appropriated by the government, the authorities didn’t resell it. Instead, after renovating it, they used it to receive imperial envoys from the court.

Twilight deepened. A row of stone-built lamp posts in the courtyard had already lit up, their hazy glow mingling with the lamplight under the eaves in complementary brilliance.

Chen Wei led Wen Yu toward the main courtyard, saying: “This mansion has five courtyards. The front two courtyards have already housed quite a few ministers who came to pledge allegiance after seeing your denunciation of Pei Song and call for talented individuals. The back three courtyards are still empty. You can stay in the main courtyard, and your personal attendants can be housed in the front and back courtyards.”

As he spoke, he also nodded and smiled at Xiao Li.

Xiao Li followed behind Wen Yu with an indifferent expression. Because his build and appearance were both too outstanding, and he had an unflustered demeanor that made his depths difficult to fathom at first, Chen Wei and the others who didn’t know the truth all assumed he was a personal guard Wen Yu had brought from Prince Changlian’s manor.

From the moment they entered the city, Wen Yu had noticed that Li Xun and the others seemed to have arranged Xiao Li back by her side for her convenience in giving orders.

She had originally wanted to introduce Xiao Li to Ping Province’s military camp, but now it was already late, many important matters still hadn’t been discussed, and it wouldn’t be appropriate to rashly mention introducing Xiao Li.

Moreover, since Chen Wei had already made arrangements, distancing Xiao Li at this moment would make the “coldness” too obvious.

She merely wanted the boundaries between them to become clearer. If her attitude caused subordinates to misunderstand her intentions, and after she left Ping Province, Xiao Li was ostracized and mistreated, that wasn’t what she wanted to see.

Therefore, Wen Yu didn’t say much more, essentially acquiescing. Only when entering the fourth courtyard—the main one—did she ask: “Besides Minister Li and the others, have any other confidants from Prince Changlian’s manor come seeking us?”

Chen Wei shook his head: “Brother Li Xun and his group were the first batch to escape from Fengyang. Many generals and manor death-sworn warriors traveling with them died at the hands of pursuers. After that, Pei Song strengthened surveillance of the captured manor aides and household guards, and no more manor veterans escaped.”

Following behind, Li Xun seemed to recall something and said: “The Crown Prince Consort had a pair of twin martial maids. When the heir grandson was thrown to his death by Pei Song’s running dogs, one died protecting the heir grandson. The other was severely wounded. The Crown Prince Consort had her follow us south to find the Wengzhu…”

Wen Yu immediately turned her eyes: “You mean Zhao Bai and Can Ye?”

Li Xun quickly said: “Yes, yes! The one who came to Ping Province with us is Miss Zhao Bai. But she already had severe injuries in Fengyang. Later, on the journey south, we encountered pursuers several times. Miss Zhao Bai added new injuries protecting us. After arriving in Ping Province, she’s been recuperating but hasn’t recovered, which is why she didn’t accompany me to Xin Province to find you, Wengzhu.”

Wen Yu seemed to contemplate something thoughtfully, then said: “Bring her to my courtyard. I’ll see her later this evening.”

Chen Wei clasped his hands in acknowledgment.

Everything in the main courtyard had already been arranged by Chen Wei. The servants assigned were all sensible and clever. Wen Yu hadn’t brought many people with her—they didn’t need to occupy both front and back courtyards to accommodate everyone.

After Chen Wei escorted her to the main courtyard, he withdrew first. Those remaining were all Wen Yu’s own people, and she could arrange their lodgings as she pleased.

Wen Yu’s gaze swept over the maids standing in a respectful row with lowered heads in the main courtyard. She said to Xiao Li: “You may temporarily stay in the east wing of this courtyard.”

Xiao Li was quite surprised. He raised his head to look at Wen Yu, but she had already entered the main building surrounded by maids, leaving him only a view of her towering cloud-like coiffure and trailing hem.

Xiao Li stared at that receding figure for a while before returning to the room Wen Yu had indicated for him.

—

Six panels of gauze screens created another realm around the bathtub in the bathing chamber. Plain soft silk sleeping robes draped over the screen.

Steam rising from the bathtub slightly dampened Wen Yu’s temple hair. She raised her snow-white arms, water droplets falling from them, and lightly pressed her temple with a furrowed brow.

Her head throbbed intensely—her chronic headache seemed to have flared up again.

After two consecutive days of traveling, her body was already quite fatigued, but the string in her mind was wound too tight, preventing even a trace of drowsiness.

From the moment she stepped into Ping Province City, pressure had enveloped her like an ever-present net.

Henceforth, she would no longer lurk in darkness waiting for opportunities, but be exposed to everyone’s eyes.

Among those ministers who came to pledge allegiance, many were certainly loyalists, but there would inevitably also be those who wavered, or those sent by others as planted agents.

Of these people, which could be used and which couldn’t—she still had no firm assessment in her heart. This was the source of her hidden anxiety.

Just now, asking Chen Wei if there were any other manor confidants in Ping Province was to quickly gather people she could trust.

Moreover… since initially becoming separated from the confidants traveling with her, she’d been trying to contact them all along.

In Yong City, she’d tried using embroidered handkerchiefs and clothing patterns to transmit messages. Later, with Minister Zhou’s support, before arranging her journey south, Minister Zhou had also helped her contact her confidants, yet still no news came back.

In Xin Province, having Zhao Youcai and others use the manor’s secret emblem as a military flag for conscription actually involved an element of gambling.

She simply thought that since she and Xiao Li, pursued all the way by Pei Song’s hawks and hounds, could reach Xin Province, if other manor veterans had headed to Ping Province, even if they hadn’t yet arrived, they should be somewhere nearby.

Unexpectedly, what the secret emblem on that military flag attracted were aides who had escaped from Fengyang, not the confidants from whom she’d been separated.

Wen Yu’s fingertips pressing her temple paused slightly as an ominous speculation suddenly arose in her heart: Could it be that those confidants who had initially accompanied her toward Southern Chen had all already met with mishap?

Her eyes condensed slightly, her lips pressing tighter.

She scooped up water from the bathtub and splashed it on her face, forcing herself to calm down.

Right now, everything seemed to be getting on track, but this was precisely when undercurrents in Ping Province surged most urgently.

Because once her alliance with Southern Chen was established, Ping Province would have backing again. Those aristocratic families that Pei Song or Wei Qishan could win over wouldn’t dare act presumptuously anymore.

Before the alliance was established, if she encountered assassination or the like, it would undoubtedly be the most effective means of thoroughly disrupting Ping Province.

Wen Yu slowly closed her eyes.

The calmer things seemed, the less she could let down her guard.

At this moment, she had few confidants she could completely trust. When Xiao Li’s face subconsciously surfaced in Wen Yu’s mind as someone to whom she could truly entrust her back without defenses, she was so startled that her eyes snapped open instantly.

When had she unconsciously come to trust and rely on him to this extent?

She’d clearly made plans to properly settle him in Ping Province, yet when considering people she could use, the first one she thought of was still him.

In this moment, Wen Yu suddenly felt somewhat at a loss.

It was a habit she herself hadn’t realized.

“Wengzhu, Miss Zhao Bai has arrived.” A maid’s respectful voice came from outside the bathing chamber.

“Have her wait a moment. I’ll come out shortly.” Wen Yu barely steadied her composure and rose amid the sound of splashing water.

Since Zhao Bai was one of her own, Wen Yu dressed much more casually when meeting her, even leaving her slightly damp black hair loose.

Zhao Bai, however, was as proper as she’d been in the manor before, wearing a white robe with black armor and narrow sleeves. Her features were delicate, but her brows and eyes were like an unsheathed blade, carrying an air of cold aloofness that warned others to keep their distance.

When Wen Yu emerged from the inner chamber, Zhao Bai had already respectfully bowed with cupped fists. Only when lowering her eyes did she conceal the trace of redness in them: “Zhao Bai greets the Wengzhu.”

Seeing the pallor on her face tinged with illness, Wen Yu knew it must be due to the unhealed old injuries Li Xun had mentioned.

She gestured for Zhao Bai to sit: “You’re injured. Don’t stand long. Please sit and speak.”

Zhao Bai refused to sit: “Propriety cannot be abandoned. The Crown Prince Consort instructed this servant that after finding the Wengzhu, I should henceforth serve at the Wengzhu’s side. From now on, you are this servant’s master.”

This cold yet stubborn temperament was exactly as Wen Yu remembered.

Zhao Bai and her twin sister Can Ye were both military household orphans adopted by Wen Yu’s father king. Because the sisters were exceptionally talented, they passed the manor’s shadow guard selection. After Wen Yu’s elder brother married, he gave them to his wife, Jiang Yichu.

Whenever Wen Yu used to visit her brother and sister-in-law’s courtyard to see her nephew and niece, it was always Can Ye who chattered non-stop. Zhao Bai was consistently taciturn, but her work put even Wen Yu’s father king and mother consort at ease.

Back then, Wen Yu also had two martial maids of her own. When she was playful, she often pulled them together to kick shuttlecocks. When the shuttlecock landed on the roof, the martial maids could use lightness skills to flip onto the roof and retrieve it for her.

Can Ye occasionally couldn’t resist joining them, but whenever Zhao Bai appeared, the martial maids would become proper like mice seeing a cat.

Wen Yu’s father king had witnessed this several times and, pointing at Zhao Bai, shook his head at her brother with a laugh, saying that having her serve as a martial maid in the manor was rather a waste of her talents.

There were many female generals in court. Reportedly, her brother later considered recommending Zhao Bai for the military, but Zhao Bai herself was unwilling, saying she only wished to remain by her sister-in-law’s side in loyal service.

Sister-in-law had indeed treated Zhao Bai and Can Ye very well.

Recalling these past events, Wen Yu’s heart grew slightly bitter. She asked: “How is sister-in-law?”

Zhao Bai answered: “When this servant traveled south with Minister Li and others, the Crown Prince Consort and young masters were already confined in Lanxing Pavilion. When this servant infiltrated at night to see the Crown Prince Consort, she told me that if I found you, I should tell you not to worry about her and the young masters. She will protect them well. On your journey to Southern Chen, across ten thousand li of mountain passes with tigers and wolves prowling all around, you must take greater care.”

“Sister-in-law…” Wen Yu’s eyes dimmed, revealing some sorrow.

Zhao Bai glanced at Wen Yu’s profile, then lowered her eyes and continued: “After arriving in Ping Province, I used the contact method agreed upon with the Crown Prince Consort before heading south to send her a letter. I received a reply recently. The Crown Prince Consort said Pei Song’s identity seems unusual, but she hasn’t yet discovered exactly who he is.”

Wen Yu hadn’t expected that Jiang Yichu had also discovered anomalies in Pei Song’s background. She said: “Regarding Pei Song’s true identity, when I passed through Tong City, I encountered the Feng family’s daughter. From her I learned it seems related to the Qin family, but I don’t know much about Qin-surnamed officials in court. The situation on the road was urgent then, so I didn’t continue investigating. Now that it’s safe, I’ll naturally arrange people to investigate. Sister-in-law is in the tiger’s den—tell her not to take risks. Protecting herself and A Yin is enough. I will certainly bring her and A Yin back.”

Zhao Bai recalled that when she came over just now, she hadn’t seen any familiar faces from the manor around Wen Yu. She said: “All factions have extended their reach into Ping Province. The Wengzhu should be extra cautious here.”

Wen Yu looked at her: “I summoned you today indeed because I have another matter to ask.”

“You escorted many manor aides south. After arriving in Ping Province, you’ve also spent some time with them. What are those people like?”

Zhao Bai immediately understood the subtext of Wen Yu’s words and said: “The strategists each have different temperaments—this servant dares not speak rashly. But Minister Li Xun, Minister Li Yao… Ministers Fang Zhizong, Liu Chong, He Kuan—all have upright characters. Among them, some even fell gravely ill from grief over the Prince and Crown Prince’s deaths, or served as bait to shake off pursuers on the road. This servant believes they are unwaveringly loyal to the manor and can be used by the Wengzhu at present.”

Wen Yu nodded: “Tomorrow I’ll properly meet these ministers you’ve mentioned. It’s getting late. Go rest. You don’t need to return to your previous lodging—just stay in this courtyard.”

Zhao Bai naturally understood the intent behind Wen Yu’s arrangements.

When Wen Yu called a maid to lead her to her room, she was startled to realize Wen Yu seemed not to have even one of her own maids by her side. Appearing casual, she asked: “Where are those serving closely by the Wengzhu’s side?”

The guiding maid respectfully answered: “Besides one personal guard, the Wengzhu brought no one else to stay here.”

Zhao Bai’s footsteps paused, but then thinking it over—though she and the manor aides had faced pursuit multiple times during their escape, Wen Yu’s journey must have been even more difficult. How could she still travel with a retinue of servants?

Though regarding the personal guard by the Wengzhu’s side—why hadn’t the Wengzhu mentioned them just now?

Zhao Bai instinctively assumed the person should also be from the manor. Being from the manor, they should recognize her. She intended to seek them out to ask how the Wengzhu had managed throughout this journey.

Just as she was about to ask the guiding maid where the Wengzhu’s personal guard resided, she heard the door to the east wing open.

Walking out was a youth with broad shoulders and long legs, his face truly handsome. Having just bathed, moisture clung to his hair, making some damp strands droop over his forehead. Combined with those fierce yet striking eyes, he looked like a wolf cub—making Zhao Bai feel the impulse to draw her blade in just one meeting of gazes.

Her hand instinctively reached for her waist, grasping at empty air before remembering she hadn’t worn her blade for this visit to Wen Yu.

Xiao Li also saw Zhao Bai. He didn’t know who she was, but seeing her emerge from Wen Yu’s room and recalling Wen Yu’s earlier instruction to the Ping Province governor about meeting a manor confidant, he guessed this should be that person.

He sensed her hostility and wariness, frowning slightly, but didn’t pay it much mind. Carrying his change of clothes, he left.

Zhao Bai watched his tall receding figure, her brows furrowing deeply.

Chen Wei and Li Xun were men, naturally not thinking of such meticulous details.

But she immediately thought—when the Wengzhu was evading pursuit, if only this person was by her side, wouldn’t this entire flight have been fraught with many inconveniences?!