The Heavenly Doctrine decision-makers thus invited Zhang Zhe to go to a place with fewer people outside to talk. By their appearance, they were going to discuss some matters.

Zhang Zhe naturally wasn’t afraid.

He secretly still carried some Heavenly Doctrine tokens and secret letters searched from Master Gongyi’s person. He could use this opportunity to gain these people’s trust. He turned his head to instruct Jiang Xuening: “Don’t wander about. Wait for me to return.”

Seeing Jiang Xuening nod in agreement, he went with the others.

Jiang Xuening obeyed and didn’t wander about.

Only now it wasn’t like last night when it was dark and chaotic with no one paying attention. Now daylight was bright. Even with black ash smeared on her face, one could still tell her features were extremely good—the makings of a beauty. Xiao Dingfei had moreover exposed her identity as a young woman. Once Zhang Zhe left, everyone’s gazes swept toward her face.

Xiao Bao with his tuft standing straight up in the corner stared at her for quite a while.

After a moment, from who knows where, he found a water basin. He actually filled it with water from the stream and said to her with a grin: “So you’re actually Lord Zhang’s younger sister. We were remiss last night. Sister, would you like to wash your face?”

Jiang Xuening couldn’t help but pause.

She instinctively looked at Xiao Bao’s fingers. Probably having washed up in the early morning, the ink marks stained on his hands yesterday were already gone.

The other party looked at her with bright, shining eyes.

But her heart felt slightly wary.

Zhang Zhe had already given her an identity, saying she was his younger sister. This Xiao Bao of unknown background but ostensibly belonging to the Heavenly Doctrine had personally brought water—one really couldn’t help but speculate about his intention.

Turning her eyes to look, other people were also washing up by the stream.

They still had a journey ahead. If water was brought right to her face and she didn’t wash, continuing with a face full of black ash, it would seem like a guilty conscience, somewhat like “protesting too much,” and might even implicate Zhang Zhe by making people suspicious of him. Choosing the lesser of two evils, after a round of consideration in her heart, Jiang Xuening smiled composedly and calmly, thanked him warmly, and truly bent down to wash her face.

Xiao Bao then watched her with the same curiosity as street children watching a pretty girl, and didn’t leave.

The ice-cold stream water of early morning removed the dust and grime.

The young girl’s delicate, fair white face was revealed. Even without powder or rouge, in these desolate mountains and wilderness, she looked somewhat excessively beautiful.

Most of the other Heavenly Doctrine members and this portion of prisoners who’d run out of jail were crude men. The most beautiful they’d ordinarily seen were probably the neighbor’s girl or courtesans in pleasure houses painted with rouge and powder. When had they ever had the fortune to see such gorgeous beauty?

At one look, quite a few were stunned.

After seeing this face, Xiao Bao quietly furrowed his brows slightly, but no one noticed. Then he clapped his hands and happily cried out: “Sister is so beautiful!”

Jiang Xuening had wanted to take this opportunity to chat with this child for a few sentences and probe the truth.

Who would have thought, before she could even open her mouth, Xiao Bao had already slapped his own head, only saying “Oh no, I forgot something,” and actually ran off in a flash.

Everyone just thought the child had forgotten something and was rushing off busily to do it. No one paid attention.

But Jiang Xuening felt an indescribable wrongness in her heart. She didn’t go join the bustle over by the others, only paced out and looked from afar toward that dense forest where everyone had gone to discuss matters.

Her face was washed clean, water droplets still clinging to her brows and lashes making them damp. She still wore men’s robes that didn’t quite fit and were even somewhat overly simple, yet this increasingly made her like a lotus flower in clear water, with flowing divine light between her glances.

So when Zhang Zhe finished discussing with everyone and walked out from the dense forest, he discovered the situation seemed somewhat strange.

All along the way, people who saw him were actually all smiles, even somewhat attentive.

A bandit who had already changed out of his prison clothes actively handed him a flatbread as he passed, smiling: “Lord Zhang hasn’t eaten this morning yet, right? Have a little something first?”

Zhang Zhe glanced at him: “Thank you, but I’m not hungry.”

Another burly man with a knife scar carved across his face heartily approached: “Master Zhang truly possesses supernatural abilities. This old Qiu hasn’t seen such a formidable figure in a long time. Last night we misunderstood. Who would have thought that delicate little girl was actually your younger sister. You can rest assured—with us along this journey, we absolutely won’t let others harm a hair on her head.”

Zhang Zhe: “…”

Before he could answer, a Heavenly Doctrine member beside him who was organizing a saddle had already contemptuously scoffed and actually interjected: “What status is that young lady and what status are you? Wanting to eat swan meat, so impatient—aren’t you afraid of burning your mouth?”

That scarred burly man’s complexion instantly changed.

But Zhang Zhe finally understood a bit what play was being performed, because as he walked back and looked up, he’d already seen Jiang Xuening standing against the wall ahead. The young girl still wore his robes, but that palm-sized fair white little face had already been revealed. She was raising her eyes to look at those murals on the wall that had been eroded by wind and rain until they were almost gone. Daylight filtered through the mist, ethereally falling on the corners of her eyes and tips of her brows, making it impossible to look away.

Moreover, at this moment, there was also an eyesore of a figure beside her.

It was precisely that Master Dingfei of the Heavenly Doctrine who, when everyone was discussing matters, had looked bored and found an excuse to slip away.

Xiao Dingfei had absolutely no interest in the Heavenly Doctrine’s messy affairs. When he saw Zhang Zhe produce the token, he was absolutely certain that old turtle spawn Master Gongyi must have kicked the bucket. Thinking it over from all angles, he might as well go out for a stroll.

After all, in his heart, he was still thinking about the beauty outside.

When he walked back, he happened to see Jiang Xuening standing beneath that collapsed temple wall. For an instant, in a daze, he actually thought she was the Wushan Goddess from a painting and couldn’t help but sidle over.

The painted images outside the temple were nothing more than Buddha statues. Moreover, what had fallen had fallen, what had collapsed had collapsed, and the colors had long blurred together—not very clear to see.

What was so interesting about this?

Xiao Dingfei was unschooled and uneducated. He wanted to put on airs and chime in with a few sentences, but racking his brains, he couldn’t think of any good phrases. He simply struck up conversation extremely directly: “Does the young lady have interest in Buddhist studies?”

Jiang Xuening was merely waiting for Zhang Zhe. She also feared those from the Heavenly Doctrine and those who came out of the imperial prison, so it wasn’t good to get too close. Therefore, she simply stood beneath this wall to casually look around.

How could she be any learned scholar?

In her previous life, in the matter of being “unschooled and uneducated,” she was actually quite similar to Xiao Dingfei.

Earlier, from the corner of her eye, she’d already glimpsed Xiao Dingfei approaching. At this moment, hearing him speak to strike up conversation wasn’t surprising. In her heart, she sneered and deliberately acted as if she didn’t want to engage: “No interest.”

These few words gave absolutely no opening for conversation.

If it were someone else hearing this, they’d probably have choked to death long ago. But Xiao Dingfei after all wasn’t someone else.

His complexion didn’t change in the slightest. He actually clapped his hands with a laugh: “That’s just perfect. I also can’t understand any of it. Seeing these tiresome things, I find them annoying. I didn’t expect the young lady also isn’t interested. This is truly kindred spirits.”

After a lifetime apart, this person was still as thick-skinned as always.

Jiang Xuening took a step to the side and didn’t speak.

Xiao Dingfei then extremely naturally followed: “Does the young lady live in the capital? I also stayed in the capital for a period of time, yet I wasn’t able to hear of the young lady’s honored name. How remiss of me. My name is Dingfei. The young lady can address me directly by name. May I know how the young lady is called?”

Jiang Xuening raised her eyes but unexpectedly saw Zhang Zhe walking this way from behind Xiao Dingfei. Somehow she immediately thought of that phrase “younger sister” this person had said to others earlier. So she showed Xiao Dingfei a smile and said: “Lord Zhang’s surname is Zhang. I’m his younger sister. So what does Master Dingfei think I should be called?”

Xiao Dingfei: “…”

He’d asked that earlier precisely because he fundamentally didn’t believe the nonsense Zhang Zhe had said! As a result, he was instead choked back by Jiang Xuening using this reasoning. How frustrating!

He raised his hand to lightly push aside a wisp of hair hanging by his forehead, presenting a dashing and romantic appearance. He quickly adjusted the expression on his face and very directly said: “Then I wonder how old the young lady is, whether she’s betrothed, and how many people are in the family?”

Jiang Xuening’s gaze fell behind him. She didn’t speak.

Zhang Zhe had just arrived nearby and stopped, happening to hear Xiao Dingfei’s words. His face, which originally had no expression, appeared even more indifferent. His voice was cold as he said: “Master Dingfei asks far too much.”

Only then did Xiao Dingfei realize there was someone behind him.

His words had been overheard, but thinking it over, he truly wasn’t afraid of this person either.

Who told him to say this was his younger sister himself?

He turned around with a smile, his face showing complete sincerity. He actually didn’t get angry because of Zhang Zhe’s overly cold words, appearing extremely well-mannered as he said: “Not much, not much at all, not much in the slightest. Actually, this humble one is also not very old. My life’s major matter has also never been settled. It’s just that my background isn’t good and I have no relatives in my family, so I must plan everything for myself. Just now upon seeing your younger sister, I felt very much a kindred connection. Lord Zhang has come at just the right time. You should have your younger sister’s birth date and time, right?”

One only asks for birth date and time when proposing marriage…

This person’s abacus clacked very loudly!

Hearing this, Jiang Xuening couldn’t help but have the corners of her mouth twitch slightly.

Zhang Zhe’s impression of this person instantly worsened to the extreme. Between his brows and eyes was entirely frost-colored, exceptionally cold. He simply said: “Don’t know.”

Xiao Dingfei felt this made no sense: “She’s your younger sister. How could you not know?”

Zhang Zhe’s complexion worsened further.

Jiang Xuening watched and secretly laughed.

Zhang Zhe then didn’t look at Xiao Dingfei anymore. He lowered his eyelids and turned instead to her: “Let’s go.”

Somehow Jiang Xuening just became happy. Squinting her eyes, she smiled at Xiao Dingfei and also said “let’s go,” then walked directly past this person and followed Zhang Zhe’s steps.

The Heavenly Doctrine side had already finished discussing matters. They reckoned that with such a major incident as breaking into the imperial prison, the court would definitely send troops everywhere to search. Though their hiding place was remote, they would inevitably leave traces along the way. It was still safest to reach Tongzhou as quickly as possible.

So everyone would set out immediately.

Only those discussing the itinerary were all Heavenly Doctrine people. Those who’d run out from the imperial prison weren’t included. The Heavenly Doctrine side announced the plan without even asking their opinion, causing some with sensitive minds to secretly furrow their brows.

A few people couldn’t help but quietly look toward that Meng Yang.

Who would have thought that when Meng Yang rose from that corner, he appeared completely indifferent, as if going anywhere was going, without the slightest bit of opinion. He followed that group of Heavenly Doctrine people forward.

Horses were limited, but the Heavenly Doctrine side had already trusted Zhang Zhe and said he was handling matters for Master Gongyi the Recluse. They didn’t dare slight him, so they also allotted a horse to him.

Zhang Zhe was organizing the saddle.

Jiang Xuening stood obediently beside him with her hands behind her back, observing his expression, holding back laughter as she said: “Elder brother actually doesn’t know my birthday. This isn’t very good, is it?”

These words “elder brother” sounded normal, but actually carried a few traces of sarcastic and teasing flavor.

If Zhang Zhe didn’t know she was also reborn and returned, he might not hear the depths. But having understood her fairly well in the previous life and knowing her temperament, he heard she wasn’t very pleased.

Only he could only pretend not to know.

The hand gripping the reins paused. He said quietly: “An expedient measure. I ask Second Miss Jiang’s understanding.”

Jiang Xuening said: “But Lord Zhang has already said I’m your younger sister. If you don’t know my birthday, when others ask in the future, won’t the ruse be exposed?”

Zhang Zhe didn’t speak.

Jiang Xuening said: “Won’t Lord Zhang ask what my birthday is?”

Zhang Zhe still didn’t speak.

Jiang Xuening then felt aggrieved in her heart, but also didn’t dare use her willful temper from the previous life with him. She said pitifully: “My birthday is the sixteenth of the first month. There aren’t many days left now.”

Of course Zhang Zhe knew her birthday.

She was the Empress.

Every year on the sixteenth of the first month, even after Xiao Shu entered the palace, Shen Jie would always hold a palace banquet for her, invite theater troupes, hang palace lanterns throughout, and also have the scholars selected by the Hanlin Academy the previous year compose poems and essays for her. Civil and military officials were also willing to curry favor with the Emperor, presenting all kinds of rare treasures.

She was delighted to see treasures but found the verses and essays boring.

He had nothing but the clothes on his back and had nothing to present.

That evening in the Imperial Garden, there were jade-like trees, a feast of goblets and dishes, a gathering full of brilliant literary works, gathered eminent scholars—mostly people with official titles.

At that time, the Emperor sent people to bestow palace flowers.

His temperament was solitary—he came and went alone. Perhaps others didn’t like this, so they made fun of him, saying that most civil and military officials of the court came from the imperial examinations and had all worn flowers at the Qionglin Banquet. Only Vice Minister Zhang came from the administrative examination route and lacked this auspicious sign.

Shen Jie, having probably drunk quite a bit, actually laughingly had someone hand him one.

Among Great Qian literati, there were elegant types who also loved beauty and liked to wear flowers in their hair.

Zhang Zhe was not such a type.

He received that palace flower, thanked the imperial grace, and held it in his hand without wearing it.

When the banquet ended and people departed, because there were many matters, he stayed a moment longer, so he left somewhat late.

As a result, walking from the corridor, he ran into Jiang Xuening.

At that time, her cheeks were flushed red. Who knows where she’d come from—surprisingly, no palace attendants followed at her side. Her pair of clear, transparent eyes were misty and heavy, not looking very cheerful. But seeing him, that bit of vulnerability hid inside a thick shell. She said mockingly: “Other officials at least presented birthday gifts. Lord Zhang is quite something—a single card with congratulations and you’re done perfunctorily. Does this palace make you retreat three steps in avoidance like this?”

Zhang Zhe said: “This official is of humble means and has nothing to present.”

She seemed to only ask casually and had no intention of pursuing it.

Then her gaze shifted and she caught sight of the palace flower in his hand. Her expression thus changed somewhat. She actually asked him with a smile curling at the corners of her lips: “Humble means or not, but someone seems to like you.”

When the Emperor bestowed palace flowers earlier, Jiang Xuening hadn’t been present.

She must have misunderstood.

Zhang Zhe wanted to explain. However, just as he was about to open his mouth, he suddenly realized: Why would he want to explain?

Seeing him not speak, Jiang Xuening became even more annoyed, yet her face showed nothing of it. Step by step, she walked closer to him. A trace of a smile hung at the corners of her lips. She actually gently reached out and drew that palace flower from his hand.

Her fingers were slender and long—most beautiful.

Then she unhurriedly affixed that palace flower to her own head, where it bloomed tremblingly beside that golden hairpin with dangling ornaments. She said: “Thinking you also can’t produce any rare treasures, this palace will accept this flower. Does it look good?”

He didn’t know how to answer.

Jiang Xuening then said: “If you dare say ‘it doesn’t look good,’ this palace will go see His Majesty in a while and tell him someone in the palace has taken a fancy to you and privately gave you things.”

He was upright and proper—how could he fear her speaking nonsense?

Only at that moment, colorful palace lanterns hung in long strings along the corridor. Her figure in stately palace dress was lonely in the shadows. That palace flower affixed beside the golden hairpin with trembling tassels added a few traces of shockingly delicate beauty to her pale face, piercing his eyes.

Perhaps he was bewitched.

He actually didn’t explain, only said: “It looks good.”

Who would have expected that upon hearing this, Jiang Xuening’s complexion changed. That palace flower was actually coldly plucked off by her and flung right down at his feet. She sneered coldly at him: “So you really did get involved with some palace maid. I thought you Zhang Zhe were some upright gentleman!”

Having said this, she turned and left.

Only he remained standing alone in the corridor. After a long time, he picked up that flower from the ground.

Zhang Zhe had thought that scene was something he’d almost forgotten. At this moment, surfacing in his mind, it was clear down to every minute detail.

Jiang Xuening was still looking at him, secretly dissatisfied: “I’ve said it once. Has Lord Zhang remembered?”

Zhang Zhe thought: Your birthday—how could I not remember it?

But he only suppressed those tide-like thoughts and slowly said: “I’ve remembered.”