The sun gradually moved westward as Master Zhao Jiu walked in.

He wore a faded blue short jacket with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a cloth belt around his waist, looking both nimble and capable. “Have you packed? We need to leave!”

Fu Tingyun had been struggling with this matter all afternoon and showed hesitation upon hearing his words.

Master Zhao Jiu pressed his lips together, and after a while, finally said: “These two issues don’t conflict—you can first settle in Weinan. Once your father and mother know you’re still alive, they will certainly come to find you. By then, you can directly ask them about anything, and you’ll have someone to discuss your future with. Moreover, your body is still weak and not suitable for sleeping outdoors. With your uncle and aunt’s care, you can recover more quickly.”

Most importantly, Master Zhao Jiu and she had met by chance. He had not only saved her life but had also given her so much help when his circumstances were difficult. He had already done all he could, and she shouldn’t burden him further.

With these thoughts, Fu Tingyun gathered her spirits, nodded, and picked up the bundle by her pillow: “Then let’s go!”

Master Zhao Jiu stood motionless, giving her a somewhat strange glance: “You should change your appearance.”

Fu Tingyun was quite surprised and looked down at her clothes.

She wore a pale white fine cotton shirt and a plain bright blue sixteen-panel skirt, with a bright blue kerchief tied around her head. She wore no jewelry, was clean and neat, and saw nothing inappropriate.

She looked at him puzzled.

Her skin was like jade, her black hair like ink, her soft red lips as bright as summer pomegranate flowers, charming and beautiful like the pleasant breeze of May. Yet her almond eyes were as clear as mountain spring water, seemingly unaware of her beauty, adding a touch of elegance to her allure, which made her all the more captivating.

Master Zhao Jiu sighed inwardly and said: “First, find a cloth to wrap around your head, then change into clothes of a darker color.” Then, noticing her hand holding the bundle, white and delicate like mutton-fat jade, he added, “Wrap your hands with the kerchief too!”

When visiting relatives and friends, Fu Tingyun had seen those degraded people through the green gauze windows of her carriage. They all wore dark clothes, covered their heads, wore straw sandals or went barefoot, with dust in their hair and on their faces, looking filthy.

“Are you asking me to disguise myself as one of the degraded class?” she hesitated. “The authorities are usually unkind to them…”

This way, their chances of being searched would increase significantly.

“There are refugees everywhere now. There have been uprisings in Anhua, Heshui, Longxi, and Anding. Those yamen runners wouldn’t dare to search! The more elegantly dressed you are, the more likely you’ll be robbed. Once someone is robbed, those starving people will catch wind and attack in groups. Two hands cannot fend off four fists; I might not be able to protect you then. Your current appearance is too eye-catching!”

Fu Tingyun’s cheeks reddened slightly.

She truly was useless, even causing trouble on a simple journey.

She quickly nodded.

Master Zhao Jiu stepped out.

Fu Tingyun changed her clothes as instructed and carefully examined herself, feeling there were no flaws, then called out, “Master Nine.”

Master Zhao Jiu walked in, with A-Sen, dressed similarly to him, following behind.

Seeing Fu Tingyun, A-Sen’s eyes widened slightly.

The dark, coarse cloth garments made her face appear even more luminous, like jade.

Master Zhao Jiu looked somewhat helpless and gave a light cough, instructing Fu Tingyun: “Don’t look around too much, try to keep your head down, and if anyone speaks to you, don’t respond. I’ll handle it. It’s best not to let people see your face.”

A-Sen, startled by that cough as if waking from a dream, hurriedly gathered the bamboo mat, ceramic pillow, drinking cup, and chopsticks Fu Tingyun had used and took them outside.

Fu Tingyun felt somewhat bitter inside.

He was afraid she might be recognized, wasn’t he?

She never thought there would come a day when Fu Tingyun would have to hide herself. Indeed, one should never be too proud in words or actions.

She lowered her head and responded with a “Yes,” her voice muffled, her mood low.

Master Zhao Jiu didn’t know why she felt this way, nor did he want to know—he only needed to safely deliver this woman to her uncle’s home in Weinan, and he would have fulfilled his task. Then he would leave Shaanxi. From then on, they would be worlds apart, never to meet again.

He turned and walked out.

Fu Tingyun composed herself and followed.

Outside the dilapidated temple was a grove. Unlike the lush greenery of Biyun Temple, the trees here seemed parched, their branches drooping, covered with a layer of gray dust, appearing dejected.

A-Sen was loading the items Fu Tingyun had used onto a small single-wheeled cart parked in front of the temple.

The evening glow tinted their faces and the grove red, adding a sense of desolation.

“Let’s go!” Master Zhao Jiu’s voice sounded tense and melancholic. “This is not a place to linger. After they’ve eaten bran and wild vegetables, they’ll start eating roots and bark.”

Fu Tingyun was shocked: “No, that can’t be!”

“Why not?” A-Sen came over. “I’ve even seen people eating soil!” He had already tied everything down securely. “Master, can we leave now?” he muttered, “Such a big grove with only the three of us, I feel uneasy—it would be terrible if those refugees found us.”

Master Zhao Jiu said nothing, walked over, and hung the cart straps around his neck, then said to Fu Tingyun: “You sit here.”

“Ah!” Fu Tingyun’s eyes widened.

This type of single-wheeled cart was commonly used in rural areas, with only a frame and no propulsion system other than the person pushing the wooden wheel in front. Unlike horses, mules, or donkeys, it relied solely on human power.

She hadn’t expected him to push her.

“I’d like to find you a carriage,” he said blandly, “but at a time like this, any living creature has gone into someone’s stomach. You’ll have to make do!”

It sounded as if she was being picky.

“That’s not what I meant!” Fu Tingyun quickly explained. “I saw A-Sen loading things onto the cart, so I thought it was for carrying goods!”

Hearing his name mentioned, A-Sen squinted his eyes and smiled, pointing at the cart: “The things are piled on the right side, the left is for you to sit.” He added, “I’ve laid a padded blanket, it definitely won’t be hard.” Then he looked at her eagerly, with an expression that seemed to say, “Sit down quickly, it’s very comfortable.”

Fu Tingyun still hesitated.

Although she wasn’t as plump as her Sixth Sister, she wasn’t as slender as her Seventh Sister either. The right side was already piled with various items, and with her added, she wasn’t sure if he could push it. What if she fell… She remembered the time she fell from the old locust tree after being frightened by Master Zhao Jiu, her body aching for several days, and she felt apprehensive.

Master Zhao Jiu, however, grew impatient with her hesitation and glanced at her obliquely: “Do you want to walk to Weinan?”

“No…” With things said this far, and him being so kind, despite her concerns, Fu Tingyun could only steel herself and sit down.

“Let’s go!” A-Sen exclaimed excitedly as he ran ahead, taking the lead onto a dirt road beside the grove.

Master Zhao Jiu pushed the cart behind him.

The cart jolted so much that it felt like she might be thrown off at any moment. The wheels ground against the earth, raising yellow dust that went straight into her nose.

Fu Tingyun was very uncomfortable and could only hold her bundle tightly in her arms.

Master Zhao Jiu quietly reminded her: “Hold onto the rope tying the goods.”

Fu Tingyun quickly responded with an “Oh” and immediately grabbed the rope.

Finding support, she could sit more steadily.

After leaving the grove, they reached a post road.

The road was level and spacious, incomparable to the dirt path.

Fu Tingyun finally had a sense of sitting in a vehicle.

She observed the surrounding scenery.

Fields lined both sides of the road, and in the distance, she could see several farmhouses and tall trees rising above the rooftops. It was already dusk, yet no cooking smoke could be seen. There were no crops in the fields; the yellow soil was cracked, and no water could be seen in the small ditches beside the fields. Everything around was silent, without a sound, making walking on the road feel eerie.

“How did it become so dry?” Fu Tingyun exclaimed. “Will there be no harvest this year?”

Although she grew up in seclusion, she had been raised to be a household mistress and knew something of the matters of the manors. A year without harvest meant only reduced income for her, but for those who lived by farming, it was a matter of life and death. Although she had heard that Qingyang and Gongchang were experiencing severe drought, and refugees were everywhere in Shangzhou and Tongzhou, her daily life continued as usual, and those were just hearsay. Now seeing it with her own eyes, she was naturally shocked.

Master Zhao Jiu remained silent.

A-Sen, however, said quietly: “A few days ago, selling a person could get you three bowls of white flour, but these days, no one will buy even if it’s free. One can only watch helplessly as they starve to death…”

This was something Fu Tingyun could not imagine.

“Why doesn’t the government open the granaries to distribute grain?” Fu Tingyun felt her voice becoming somewhat shrill.

No one answered her, only the “clunk” sound of the cart wheels on the ground.

Fu Tingyun turned back to look at Master Zhao Jiu.

His expression was calm, but his tightened jaw betrayed his mood.

For some reason, Fu Tingyun felt relieved,x and her mood became more peaceful.

Without an imperial edict, local officials wouldn’t dare open granaries to distribute grain at will.

“The Provincial Governor should have memorialized to the Emperor to send officials to Shaanxi to oversee the refugee situation,” she said. “Otherwise, if anything happens, he would also be held accountable.”

Master Zhao Jiu, pushing the cart with his eyes fixed ahead, acted as if he hadn’t heard her words.

Fu Tingyun waited for a long time without receiving a response and turned away somewhat disappointed.

“The Emperor is determined to be a sage ruler of civil virtue and military achievement for all ages,” came his flat, almost rigid voice from behind. “Since the military campaign in Hetao in the 28th year of Xiping, grain requisitions have amounted to no less than ten million dan. Shaanxi, being a grain-producing region, has been requisitioned even more frequently. Shaanxi’s Provincial Governor Dong Hanwen is a disciple of the former Grand Secretary of the Hanlin Academy and Minister of Rites Mo Yingbo. Mo Yingbo has a rift with the current Grand Secretary Shen Shichong, so Dong Hanwen can only cater to the Emperor’s wishes to maintain his position. Before the new grain was even stored, the existing reserves were sent north. Now with the severe drought, even if he wanted to open the granaries, I fear there would be no grain to distribute!”

This was not information an ordinary person would know or be able to speak about!

Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but ask: “What does Master Nine do for a living?”

“I’m nothing but a wandering brute roaming the jianghu!” As Master Zhao Jiu spoke, a mocking smile flashed across his lips. “I just hear talk of court affairs in teahouses and parrot what others say. Young lady, just listen and forget it, don’t take it to heart.”

Is that so?

Fu Tingyun remained silent.

If one day someone asked her who she was, she would probably have to answer in the same way he did!

Suddenly, she felt he was very close to her.