The dock was bustling with activity.

Many cargo ships and passenger boats were moored along the riverbank, crowding Jiahe Dock almost every day.

Ji Yunshu searched through several boats before finding a large ship heading to Liangzhou.

But the boatman said with difficulty: “Miss, I’m afraid this ship can’t take you today. Why don’t you come back tomorrow instead?”

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow—how many tomorrows are there?

She had already delayed again and again.

“Why not?”

“Today’s ship to Liangzhou was reserved by someone yesterday, so… there’s no way.”

Who was wealthy enough to reserve an entire two-level ship!

And there was only one ship to Liangzhou each day. If someone reserved it, it must have cost a large sum.

Ji Yunshu looked at the ship. Only a few people stood at the ship’s edge: “Boatman, I have urgent business in Liangzhou. Could you allow me aboard? I won’t take up much space.”

“Well…”

“I won’t disturb your passengers.”

This young lady was beautiful, and those lovely eyes combined with her slightly pleading tone involuntarily stirred a wave of pity and sympathy in one’s heart.

The boatman frowned miserably. Normally, he would definitely let this young lady board.

But today…

“Miss, don’t make things difficult for me. It’s really not possible. The young master inside said that aside from the few people who usually serve on the ship, no other idle persons can board. You’ll have to wait for a ship tomorrow.”

Ji Yunshu didn’t want to make things difficult for him, but waiting and waiting—if something else happened tomorrow, wouldn’t she be stuck here indefinitely?

With no other choice, she could only take the mountain road.

Risk it once.

She considered carefully and could only abandon the idea of taking the water route to Liangzhou.

Just as she was about to leave, a voice came from the large ship: “Let her come aboard.”

Hearing the voice, she looked up and saw Wen Che standing at the bow in splendid robes.

Though already in his thirties, he was quite handsome.

In those cold eyes shone an inexplicable melancholy.

This kind of person had a story behind him.

As Ji Yunshu looked at him, he also cast his gaze upon her eyes.

Yesterday they had met briefly, and the two hadn’t exchanged a single word.

But Ji Yunshu clearly felt this person was unfathomable.

And his thoughts were devious.

He was someone who planned far ahead and was cautious in all things!

So he was the one who had reserved the large ship!

But why was he here?

Hearing Wen Che’s words, the boatman quickly bent his waist and said: “Right, I’ll let this young lady board immediately.”

Wen Che then turned and entered the cabin.

He didn’t say another word.

Ji Yunshu’s heart was still puzzled as the boatman led her onto the ship.

But as soon as she boarded, she ran into Yi Wei’an.

He had been about to go check the stern.

“Wait.” He stopped the boatman and Ji Yunshu.

The boatman politely bent his waist.

“Didn’t I say no idle persons were allowed on board? Why are you still bringing people up?” Yi Wei’an’s tone was severe.

He looked Ji Yunshu up and down.

Guarding against any schemes this person might have.

Though Ji Yunshu kept her head slightly lowered, her gaze also swept over Yi Wei’an once.

This person… wasn’t he the general from that group of people she and Li Chuan had encountered in the desert?

Because the scar on Yi Wei’an’s face was too conspicuous!

Instantly recognizable.

The flag bearing the character “Jing” wasn’t currently displayed on the ship, so Ji Yunshu hadn’t known he was here before boarding!

Previously in the Nansai Desert, to prevent the desert bandits from getting ideas about plundering, they had hung the “Jing” flag as a warning to those people. But now that they’d reached Qujiang, displaying the flag would be too ostentatious and might even attract trouble.

So Yi Wei’an had ordered the flag taken down.

But how could this person be together with the two Wen brothers?

What was their relationship?

Could Wen Yu’s appearance in the desert be related to transporting Prince Jing’an’s remains?

Layers of confusion swirled through Ji Yunshu’s mind.

The boatman explained: “That Young Master Wen just now allowed this young lady to come aboard.”

“Hm?”

Had Wen Che gone mad?

Transporting Prince Jing’an was such an important matter—how could he let unrelated people board?

Yi Wei’an knew that only by safely transporting Prince Jing’an to Yanjing would he have a chance to remain in Yanjing.

Therefore, he was even more vigilant than the two Wen brothers.

But this young lady looked weak and delicate, and she was alone. She didn’t seem like someone “with ulterior motives”!

A woman—what trouble could she possibly cause?

Besides, it was Wen Che’s decision. He couldn’t very well drive her off now.

So he could only let it go.

“Fine, go on up.”

The boatman acknowledged and led Ji Yunshu inside.

Fortunately, Yi Wei’an hadn’t recognized her!

The boatman led her to a narrow compartment in the lower cabin.

“It takes five days to reach Liangzhou. Miss, you can rest here. Three meals a day will be delivered by someone.”

“Thank you.”

“Then I won’t disturb you. If you need anything, just speak up. I’ll be up above.” The boatman was very enthusiastic, the smile on his face not diminishing in the slightest. After all, this woman before him was indeed beautiful and captivating. Though he had sons and daughters, he was still a man at heart, and his body was still quite robust. It was natural for him to have some thoughts mixed in, but they weren’t bad intentions—he wouldn’t actually do anything improper or unreasonable.

When Ji Yunshu had boarded earlier, she noticed that although only a few people stood on deck, there were many people on the ship, all male.

She asked curiously: “Boatman, what kind of people are they? They don’t seem like ordinary merchants.”

The boatman said: “They’re indeed not merchants—they haven’t brought a single piece of cargo. But I’m not clear on their identities either. They paid money, so I took it! But the strange thing is, they’re carrying a coffin.”

“A coffin?”

Prince Jing’an’s coffin!

“Yes, and that coffin doesn’t look like something ordinary people could afford. Miss, these next few days if you don’t have anything to do, just stay down here peacefully and don’t go up.”

A reminder.

Ji Yunshu nodded: “I understand.”

“Then I’ll go now.”

After the boatman left, Ji Yunshu tidied up this narrow cabin to make herself more comfortable.

After seeing Ji Yunshu, Yi Wei’an went to find Wen Che.

Wen Che was drinking tea!

He asked Yi Wei’an: “Is everything arranged?”

“Everything’s arranged. We can depart immediately.”

“Thank you for your trouble, General Yi.”

“It’s all as it should be.” Yi Wei’an hesitated for a moment before asking, “General Wen, that young lady… what is she to you?”

Wen Che put down his teacup, his expression calm, knowing that the “young lady” he mentioned referred to Miss Ji.

It seemed they had just run into each other!

So he said: “I’m not actually familiar with that young lady. It’s just that she helped A-Yu in the Nansai Desert. Just now I heard she also needs to go to Liangzhou, but there’s only this one ship to Liangzhou, so I allowed her to board.” With this explanation, Yi Wei’an relaxed his guard somewhat.