Very quickly, Jingrong truly gave the order to depart.

It seemed quite hasty.

His subordinate guards were also swift, packing everything up within the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

At the yamen’s main gate, Jingrong stood there watching as items were loaded onto the carts one by one.

Lang Bo, having finished his tasks, asked curiously, “Your Highness, didn’t you say we would wait for the newly appointed official to arrive before leaving?”

“No need to wait anymore.”

“Yes.”

“Additionally, first have the yamen’s legal secretary take over matters. We’ll discuss it when the new county magistrate arrives.”

“Yes.”

As Jingrong spoke, his eyes grew increasingly deep.

After everything was prepared and ready, those who should mount horses had all mounted.

Tang Si, however, shamelessly insisted on boarding Ji Yunshu’s carriage.

But—

She was grabbed by Muruo like lifting a small chicken and directly thrown into his carriage.

“Don’t disturb others!”

“Let go! I want to sit with A’Ji.”

“If you want to follow us, you’d better behave. Otherwise, we’ll throw you out.”

“Let go!”

She was so angry her teeth itched, but she had already been tossed onto the carriage.

From inside Muruo’s carriage came a sentence: “If you want to learn medicine, don’t make a racket. The noise makes people’s eardrums hurt.”

Tang Si was unwilling, but she truly did want to learn medicine from him.

So she could only endure it.

Ji Yunshu brought Wei Yi aboard the carriage as well, and Jingrong followed.

The three traveled together.

As soon as they boarded, Wei Yi leaned on Ji Yunshu’s shoulder to rest. Those profound eyes were open, yet without any focal point, not knowing where they were looking.

Ji Yunshu let him be like this, adjusting the cloak on his body for him.

She also reached out to feel his forehead, discovering his fever had subsided.

Only then did she feel at ease.

However, thinking of what Muruo had said earlier, she found it completely incomprehensible.

Jingrong observed her actions, unable to describe what he felt!

Ji Yunshu seemed to remember something and suddenly asked Jingrong, “Why didn’t I see Auntie Xie just now?”

“She’s already gone ahead to the royal estate. Along this journey, who knows how much more time will be delayed, so I ordered people to escort her there first.”

She nodded!

Soon, the carriage convoy departed from Anfu County.

However, Zhao Huai and the others who had been following behind naturally kept up as well.

This sticky plaster simply couldn’t be shaken off!

But unexpectedly, not long after the group left the city gate, dark clouds pressed down and rain began to fall.

Completely unexpected!

In the sixth month, continuous rain—this rainfall had already been falling intermittently for nearly seven or eight days.

It showed every sign of continuing indefinitely!

After the carriage convoy left Anfu, what had been light rain gradually became a torrential downpour.

The entire atmosphere was always damp, making people feel very uncomfortable.

Because they had delayed many hours in Anfu, along this journey, in order to expedite their travel, Jingrong ordered them to make haste with horses and whips. They rarely rested on the road, spending most of their time in the carriages.

Along the way, Wei Yi didn’t speak!

Jingrong occasionally said a word or two, but they were all inconsequential remarks!

Ji Yunshu sat silently.

But Muruo and Tang Si’s carriage was like a battlefield.

Sometimes sounds of quarreling came out, sometimes sounds of laughter.

However, Tang Si always seized on phrases like “I’m your lifesaver” to stuff all of Muruo’s words back down his throat.

In the end, he could only suffer in silence.

Of course, there was a short stretch of road where the two were quiet.

Because they shared the same hobby—drinking!

The scent of alcohol drifted outside, mixing with the smell of earth, surprisingly giving people a feeling of returning home.

Outside the carriages, Lang Bo and those guards wore straw capes and bamboo hats, riding horses carefully through the mountains in the torrential rain. Fierce winds howled all around. Even the iron cavalry warhorses couldn’t bear it. The heavy rain densely pounded the mountains, washing the view increasingly blurry and unclear. The carriage convoy moved slower and slower, proceeding with utmost caution with every inch of road.

A stalwart guard beside them asked, “Guard Lang, how much longer until we reach the relay station? If this continues, I’m afraid it won’t work.”

His resonant, bell-like voice was washed soft and powerless by the rain.

Lang Bo looked at the hazy mountain scenery in the distance, using his soaked sleeve to wipe his rain-drenched face.

He said, “Up ahead is the boundary of Beiliang.”

Beiliang?

Then traveling another half day’s journey would bring them to Jinjiang.

That guard, upon hearing this, glanced back at the carriages and said, “Doesn’t that mean we’re almost at Jinjiang? That’s Master Ji’s hometown.”

This remark happened to carry quite loudly through the rain.

The accompanying guards all heard it and smiled without speaking.

Their prince’s inclination toward cut sleeves was something everyone saw clearly.

Lang Bo glared at them. “All of you focus your spirits and travel properly. Don’t think about such nonsensical things.”

Only then did the laughter abruptly stop!

The carriage convoy traveled for about another incense stick’s worth of time before reaching the outskirts of Beiliang.

By the roadside stood a large stone with the two characters “Beiliang” prominently written on it.

Lang Bo called out to those in the carriage, “Your Highness, we’ve reached Beiliang.”

Hearing this!

From inside the carriage came a voice: “The rain makes the road slippery. Be careful.”

“Yes.”

Inside the carriage!

Jingrong sat upright with a cold expression.

The carriage jolted continuously, yet he was completely unaffected.

Because of the rain’s oppressive dampness, Ji Yunshu only felt heaviness in her chest.

Listening to the thunderous rain outside and Lang Bo’s words just now, her heart tightened even more.

So quickly, they had arrived at Jinjiang?

She lifted the curtain to look outside. The pouring rain outside almost obscured the view.

Rain immediately rushed in with the cold wind.

Striking her delicate face.

Seeing this, Jingrong was just about to raise his hand—

But unexpectedly, he was a step slower than Wei Yi.

Wei Yi grasped Ji Yunshu’s hand, saying, “Shu’er, don’t catch cold.”

As he spoke, he pulled her hand back.

In that moment, Jingrong’s expression was far from good.

“Thud!”

The carriage suddenly jolted.

Accompanied by a horse’s neighing sound, the entire carriage tilted slightly to one side.

Ji Yunshu’s body suddenly leaned sideways, crashing into Jingrong’s embrace.

Jingrong’s arms wrapped around her, firmly protecting her.

Outside came Lang Bo’s voice again: “Your Highness, the carriage wheel has sunk into the mud.”

Jingrong’s brows furrowed tightly!

After helping Ji Yunshu sit properly, he lifted the curtain to look outside.

Outside, thunder and rain mingled. The muddy road was flowing with yellow water.

Like the scene of a flood disaster.

And because of the carriage’s tilt, rainwater poured from top to bottom through the carriage window into the carriage, as if it would flood the entire interior.

“Solve it quickly,” he ordered.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Lang Bo gave orders for all those guards to dismount and push the carriage.

They pushed for a long time, the carriage swaying back and forth—

The wheel rolled around in the muddy pit, but ultimately couldn’t roll out.

The horses neighed wildly with exertion, mingling with the rain sounds, shaking the heavens.

There was truly no other way!

Lang Bo said, “Your Highness, the carriage wheel can’t get out. You may need to get out of the carriage first.”

So Jingrong took Ji Yunshu and Wei Yi out of the carriage.

They held umbrellas to shelter from the rain.

But the rain was too heavy—their clothes were already soaked halfway through.

Jingrong, disregarding everyone’s gazes, directly pulled Ji Yunshu into his embrace.

Tang Si from the carriage behind also jumped down, holding an umbrella, still clutching a pancake in her hand as she ate.

Standing to one side as if watching an entertaining show!

Ji Yunshu nestled in Jingrong’s embrace without resistance.

She only glanced forward and said, “Since we’ve already reached the Beiliang boundary, traveling just a short distance further should bring us to Yi Zhuang.”

Yi Zhuang?

All eyes looked toward her in unison.

Ji Yunshu explained, “The Yi Zhuang that Fu Bo watches over.”