Seeing Shao Mingyuan’s sincere expression, Qiao Zhao reluctantly nodded and said indifferently, “Just this once, never again.”

She moved inward and sighed, “Hurry up and sleep.”

“You sleep first. I’ll sleep after you fall asleep.”

“You can’t sleep on the floor.”

“I promise not to sleep on the floor.”

Qiao Zhao looked at Shao Mingyuan and finally lowered her eyelids. “Fine, I’ll sleep first.”

If they kept going on like this, dawn would break soon.

Shao Mingyuan sat on the chair, silently watching the young woman’s back until her light, shallow breathing became steady, then he stood up and walked behind the screen.

A quarter of an hour later, the man who had washed his face with cold water finally emerged from behind the screen and gently lay down on the outer side of the bed.

The night passed without incident.

Early in the morning, Chen Guang came to report.

“General, following your instructions, I questioned the lodgers about why they came here, but those people looked nervous and I couldn’t get anything out of them.”

“Stop asking around.”

Chen Guang was startled.

Shao Mingyuan explained, “Last night we encountered Jiang Yuanchao from the Jinlin Guards. Given his alertness, deliberately probing would alert the enemy and cause unnecessary trouble.”

Chen Guang’s eyes suddenly widened as he muttered, “How could we run into him? He’s really like a lingering ghost!”

Hmph, he still remembered how that shameless Jiang Yuanchao once competed with him to be the coachman!

Shao Mingyuan frowned. “Watch your words and actions. Don’t let Jiang Yuanchao notice anything suspicious when he encounters you.”

“Yes.”

Seeing that business was concluded and Qiao Zhao was still packing her things inside, Chen Guang winked and said, “General, how was last night?”

Shao Mingyuan raised an eyebrow. “How was what?”

Chen Guang coughed and lowered his voice. “I mean last night.”

Shao Mingyuan’s ears faintly grew warm, his face darkened, and he scolded, “Mind your own business!”

“Oh my, General, last night was such a perfect romantic evening, didn’t you do anything?”

Shao Mingyuan’s peripheral vision quickly glanced at the doorway, and he said coldly, “Last night, there was torrential rain, where was the perfect romantic evening? If you keep talking nonsense, you’ll face military punishment!”

Chen Guang’s eyes widened, his face full of disappointment. “General, did you do nothing?”

How can you face your subordinate who spent the night sleeping with rats in the woodshed?

“Get lost!” Shao Mingyuan could bear it no longer and kicked Chen Guang.

The three left the inn, bought a small donkey for Qiao Zhao to ride, and headed out of the city toward Fuxing City.

This place wasn’t too far from Fuxing City. They chose not to hire a carriage to avoid leaving more traces. A coachman plus a carriage would be much more conspicuous than a small donkey.

Quite a few people were traveling by donkey on the road. Qiao Zhao sat on the donkey’s back, feeling deeply moved for a moment.

Shao Mingyuan, who was leading the rope, turned his head and asked, “First time riding a donkey?”

“Second time.”

Shao Mingyuan was slightly surprised.

Qiao Zhao smiled. “Didn’t Big Brother Chi and the others mention it to you?”

“Mention what?”

Miss Qiao said calmly, “When I was kidnapped, I rode a donkey.”

Shao Mingyuan awkwardly touched his nose.

It seemed his attempt to make amends had missed the mark again.

Seeing his expression, Qiao Zhao smiled. “Don’t worry, I don’t have any psychological trauma about donkeys.”

She was fortunate, not unfortunate, to have died and been reborn as Li Zhao.

“General, have you noticed that many more people are coming toward us than going in the direction of Fuxing City?”

Shao Mingyuan nodded. “Mm, go ask that grandfather and grandson resting under the tree.”

Chen Guang naturally understood Shao Mingyuan’s meaning.

The oncoming travelers all appeared to be from well-off families. Such people were highly wary of strangers, making it difficult to extract information from them. However, the grandfather and grandson resting under the big tree were dressed ordinarily, making it much easier to gather information from them.

“First Young Master, Second Young Master, let’s rest here for a bit.” Chen Guang raised his voice slightly, catching the attention of the grandfather and grandson.

Shao Mingyuan reached out to help Qiao Zhao down from the donkey. Chen Guang took the rope and tied the donkey to the tree.

The seven or eight-year-old boy rolled his eyes as he examined the pure-colored little donkey.

Chen Guang pulled out an oil paper package from his bosom and slowly unwrapped it, revealing golden honey twist candy.

The boy stared longingly and involuntarily swallowed his saliva.

Chen Guang glanced at the boy with a smile, used a handkerchief to pick up a piece of honey twist candy, and handed it to Qiao Zhao. “Second Young Master, have some candy.”

Qiao Zhao felt utterly helpless but showed no emotion on her face as she took the honey twist candy and bit into it.

The honey twist candy was very sweet and fragrant. Qiao Zhao couldn’t help but remember how, when she used to go to Shuying Nunnery, Binglu liked to use honey twist candy to coax the little novice Xuanjing.

It was just a few months ago, but thinking about it now feels like a lifetime ago. She wondered if the little novice’s front tooth had grown back yet.

As Qiao Zhao’s thoughts wandered, she ate the candy more earnestly, making the honey twist candy appear even more delicious.

The boy swallowed his saliva again.

The old man patted the boy’s head. “Have you rested enough?”

The boy shook his head, his gaze not leaving the candy in Chen Guang’s hand. “Grandpa, I want to rest a little longer.”

Chen Guang handed over a piece of honey twist candy with a smile. “Little brother, big brother treats you to candy.”

The old man quickly said, “That won’t do, that won’t do.”

Chen Guang directly placed the honey twist candy in the boy’s hand and laughed heartily. “Meeting is fate, it’s just a piece of candy, nothing worth mentioning. By the way, old sir, where are you coming from? Why don’t you hire a carriage with an old person and a child?”

Seeing his little grandson eating so sweetly, the old man stopped refusing and said rather embarrassedly, “This child is too greedy. We’re coming from Fuxing City, where we can’t afford to hire a carriage.”

“Oh, are carriages more expensive there than elsewhere?”

“I don’t know if they’re expensive elsewhere, but we people like us can’t afford the carriages in Fuxing City. There have been too many people hiring carriages these past few days.”

“No wonder we saw so many people coming from the direction of Fuxing City. Old sir, has something happened in Fuxing City?”

The old man’s eyes flickered as he asked in return, “Young man, are you going to Fuxing City?”

“Yes, our two young masters are going to Fuxing City to find our master.”

The old man fell silent and picked up his water gourd to drink several mouthfuls.

“Sigh, our master has been out for several months without any news. Madam has fallen ill from worry at home, so she sent the two young masters out. Old sir, has something happened in Fuxing City? If there’s anything we need to be careful about, please give us some guidance. We’re all young and afraid of getting into trouble when we’re away from home.”

As Chen Guang spoke, he stuffed the entire package of honey twist candy into the boy.

The boy happily began eating.

“Eat, eat, eat, all you know is foolish eating!” The old man scolded, but seeing his grandson eating so sweetly, he sighed and lowered his voice. “Young man, I advise you not to go to Fuxing City.”

“Old sir, you’re only telling us half the story, which makes us even more uncertain.” Chen Guang placed a piece of broken silver in the old man’s hand and said politely, “Old sir, you must help us.”

The old man hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, “Fuxing City is not peaceful.”