The servant led the carriage out. Wei Rao helped Lu Zhuo up, but instead of going inside, he sat in the driver’s seat beside where the cart driver would sit.

Wei Rao looked at him in astonishment.

Lu Zhuo smiled: “My legs are inconvenient, and I can’t sleep peacefully. You go inside and rest first.”

Driving only required Lu Zhuo to crack the whip, truly not requiring much effort, and Fei Mo was so obedient to him.

Wei Rao was no longer polite and crawled into the carriage.

The street was already pitch black. Lu Zhuo bought two lanterns from the proprietress to hang on both sides of the carriage. The commotion upstairs grew increasingly intense. Lu Zhuo’s face remained expressionless as he drove Fei Mo away.

Only after the carriage left the small town did Wei Rao take out her washed men’s clothing and undergarments from her bundle and hang them outside the windows on both sides. With the wind blowing all night, they would surely be dry by morning.

The narrow couch inside the carriage was uncomfortable to sleep on. Wei Rao thought for a moment, placed her bundle under the narrow couch, and tried lying down. Her legs from the knees down extended out through the front carriage door.

This was most suitable – no matter how deeply she slept, she wouldn’t have to worry about rolling off the narrow couch when the carriage jolted. The only drawback was that it wasn’t elegant. But in the pitch darkness, who would know except Lu Zhuo? And as for Lu Zhuo, Wei Rao had never intended to act like a virtuous lady in front of him from the beginning, so naturally, she wasn’t afraid.

“I’ll sleep the first half of the night, then we’ll switch for the second half,” Wei Rao said, yawning.

Lu Zhuo glanced at her skirt hem and agreed.

Fei Mo walked very steadily, the carriage swaying gently. Wei Rao was exhausted and soon fell asleep.

The long night was deep. Wei Rao didn’t even turn over once during her sleep until Lu Zhuo poked her calf with the whip handle to wake her.

Wei Rao sat up abruptly!

Lu Zhuo promptly said from outside: “We’re almost at Jin City.”

Jin City?

Wei Rao stuck her head out of the carriage door and discovered that dawn was already breaking. A magnificent city sat majestically ahead, and on the official road leading to the city gate, several carriages and scattered vendors carrying goods were distributed along the way, just waiting for the city gate to open before entering.

So she had slept the entire night, and Lu Zhuo had driven the carriage all night?

Wei Rao looked at Lu Zhuo in disbelief.

Lu Zhuo gazed ahead and smiled faintly: “We’re almost there. Let me handle this last stretch, so you won’t have to change back into men’s clothing.”

At the mention of men’s clothing, Wei Rao quickly looked for her robes and undergarments that had been hanging outside the carriage windows. She couldn’t find them on either side. Scanning inside the carriage, she discovered that both sets of clothing had been collected by Lu Zhuo and were folded and placed inside by the carriage door. He must have been afraid that clothes hanging outside would be seen by distant travelers and merchants.

Wei Rao was quite annoyed. How had she slept so deeply?

Putting the dried men’s clothing back in her bundle, Wei Rao sat inside by the carriage door and asked Lu Zhuo, “How are your wounds?”

Lu Zhuo said, “Not bad. I changed the medicine. I’m just a bit hungry. There should be a morning market inside the city gate. What would you like to eat?”

Wei Rao’s stomach immediately growled twice.

How could she not be hungry? Not to mention the long journey they had traveled, that battle in the grove had nearly exhausted all her strength. She had planned to fill her stomach at the inn last night, but after eating just a few bites, crude language began coming from next door.

After a whole night, Wei Rao’s stomach had become flat.

When the carriage reached the city gate, it had already opened.

After queuing for a while, Lu Zhuo showed his waist token, and the city guards immediately let their carriage through.

Wei Rao hid behind the carriage curtain and saw steamed buns being sold on one side. The buns exposed in the steamer were as big as bowls. She asked Lu Zhuo for two meat buns.

Lu Zhuo stopped the carriage. Sitting up there without moving, he tossed a piece of broken silver to the vendor and asked for four meat buns. Just eating buns wouldn’t be filling enough – this was just to fill their stomachs first, then they’d eat noodle soup when they returned to the post house.

The vendor brought over four large buns with a beaming smile.

Lu Zhuo stuffed an oil paper package through the carriage door.

Wei Rao grabbed it and ate, not caring whether it burned her mouth.

Returning to the post house, Zhao Song, Zhao Bai, and Bitao had all been worried all night. Both masters had said they would return by last night at the latest.

Lu Zhuo drove the carriage directly to the front of the separate courtyard where they were staying. Without waiting for Zhao Song to come forward, he stepped down with his right leg first, jumping off the carriage.

Wei Rao was just leaning out when she saw this and frowned, afraid Lu Zhuo was forcing himself. She instructed Zhao Song: “His Lordship has a leg injury. Help His Lordship inside.”

Zhao Song and Zhao Bai’s faces went white. Without another word, they ran over and supported Lu Zhuo on both sides, helping him inside.

“Miss, are you alright?” Bitao came forward to support her mistress with concern.

Wei Rao jumped down from the carriage and said in a low voice: “I’m fine. Mine and His Lordship’s bundles are inside – take them in. Also, tell the kitchen to prepare water, and hurry up with breakfast preparations. Also…”

Before she could finish, Zhao Bai ran back, bowed to her, and looking at Fei Mo said: “Young Madam, His Lordship asked me to tend to Fei Mo.”

Wei Rao nodded. Of course – Fei Mo had traveled for a day and night. If Lu Zhuo didn’t feel sorry for the horse, she certainly would.

After Zhao Bai left, Bitao held the two bundles and asked quietly: “Miss, what other instructions did you have just now?”

Wei Rao smiled and said, “His Lordship and I have reconciled. Let’s just pretend the previous matters never happened.”

The seventh day of the fifth month – this was the last day Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo’s party would stay at the Jin City post house.

In the early morning, the couple returned from outside. After eating a meal together, they separated. Lu Zhuo went to the back courtyard to catch up on sleep and rest, while Wei Rao stayed in the front courtyard, entertaining the local officials who came to give the couple a farewell feast.

At noon, Lu Zhuo woke up. In the evening, he still had to take Wei Rao to the prefect’s house for a farewell banquet.

As an official, he could never avoid these social obligations, even with an injury.

Lu Zhuo couldn’t possibly reveal that he had been ambushed by assassins, so he had no other reason to refuse the prefect’s kind gesture.

Of course, this was only Lu Zhuo’s thinking.

When Wei Rao heard him say he was going to attend a banquet at the prefect’s house, she laughed and stared at Lu Zhuo’s left leg: “Your leg can’t exert any force right now. If you go there, to avoid showing any traces, you’d have to walk normally. What if the wound tears open? Don’t say it’s just a minor injury – don’t forget why you were bedridden last year. Now it’s the blazing summer heat, wounds are more prone to festering. If you end up lame, what will Old Madam think?”

Lu Zhuo sat in the armchair opposite, listening to her rapid-fire questioning – fierce yet charming, with concern for him in her words. He felt that the pain in his leg didn’t hurt at all anymore. Only… “If I don’t go, what excuse should I use? I already accepted his invitation earlier.”

Wei Rao: “Just say you got drunk last night and accidentally twisted your foot when dismounting.”

Lu Zhuo’s expression changed slightly. As a mighty general, such an excuse would be somewhat disgraceful.

Wei Rao could tell what he was thinking at a glance: “Is a little face more important, or is your leg more important? Your Lordship, don’t forget – if you return to the capital with an injury, Old Madam will question me about the reason.”

Lu Zhuo had no choice but to call Zhao Song in and have him make a trip to the prefect’s house.

Zhao Song received the order with a stern expression, but as soon as he left the hall, the corners of his mouth split into a grin. Although the Young Madam’s tone sounded fierce, it was effective! His Lordship, who was so stubborn and face-conscious, actually truly listened to the Young Madam. Thinking back to how the two masters had ignored each other before leaving, Zhao Song guessed that during those past few days, His Lordship must have humbled himself considerably to please the Young Madam to earn her concern today.

When the prefect heard that Lu Zhuo had twisted his foot, he immediately brought a group of officials to the post house to visit. Lu Zhuo sat in his chair, smiling as he dealt with them.

Early the next morning, the party set off.

Lu Zhuo and Wei Rao sat in the carriage, meeting up with eight hundred recruits led by eight Shenwu Army captains outside the city gate.

Lu Zhuo’s wounds needed to be dressed three times daily.

Wei Rao had only helped him change dressings once when she pulled out the arrow. At that time, the clothing around his wounds had been cut away, so no other areas needed to be exposed. Now, when he needed to change dressings, he couldn’t very well cut up perfectly good clothing. The leg wound was convenient – just roll up the pant leg. But the shoulder wound required removing half his robe.

Whenever he needed to change dressings, Wei Rao would turn her back.

If it were like the journey here with fewer people, Wei Rao would get out and run alongside on horseback for a while. But now with nearly a thousand recruits following behind, thinking of her agreement with Lu Zhuo, Wei Rao obediently stayed inside the carriage to avoid being judged by those recruits, which would damage Lu Zhuo’s dignity as Deputy General of the Shenwu Army.

“Why aren’t you going out to ride anymore?”

After she had been cooped up for four days straight, Lu Zhuo asked curiously. The past four days had been blazingly hot – she might have feared getting sunburned. But today had been overcast all along, with wind too.

Was it because of losing the jujube-red horse?

“You can ride Fei Mo.”

Wei Rao listlessly leaned against the corner of the carriage, eyes closed: “With so many recruits, doesn’t Your Lordship mind your wife showing her face in public?”

Lu Zhuo hadn’t expected this to be her reason.

What Lu Zhuo belatedly realized was that he didn’t seem to mind anymore, though the veil would still need to be worn. Those recruits were all young, hot-blooded, and vigorous. Some farm boys might never have even seen ordinary beauties. If they saw Wei Rao, Lu Zhuo could control their eyes and mouths, but not their hearts or even their dreams.

The weather is nice today. If you want to ride, I can accompany you for a while,” Lu Zhuo said, glancing at her fair, tender face as he spoke toward the carriage door.

Wei Rao’s eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes slightly. Across from her was Lu Zhuo’s handsome, gentle face.

This fellow’s attitude had suddenly improved. Was it because she had saved his life, or was Lu Zhuo still trying to please her, wanting to become a true husband and wife with her so he wouldn’t have to worry about her complaining to his mother or worry about his mother whispering in Emperor Yuanjia’s ear?

Wei Rao dared not become a true husband and wife with Lu Zhuo.

She had originally married into the Lu family, hoping to use Duke Ying Mansion’s reputation to make the Empress Dowager wary. Now Wei Rao knew that Duke Ying Mansion’s reputation wasn’t that formidable after all – there were still people secretly scheming to have Lu Zhuo killed. This assassination attempt had failed, but who knew when a second attempt might come? If Lu Zhuo’s luck were a bit worse, he might even die before the Empress Dowager.

“Never mind, it looks like it might rain.”

Wei Rao glanced outside the window and chose to continue dozing.

Not long after she spoke, it indeed began to rain. The raindrops grew from small to large, pattering against the carriage windows.

The carriage picked up speed as the recruits ran frantically in the rain, seeking shelter.

Outside was chaos, yet Lu Zhuo’s thoughts were entirely in this small carriage compartment, on Wei Rao’s slender little hand supporting herself against the carriage wall.

What should he do to make her willing to trust him and accept him?