Mu Yunjin slammed the door shut with a bang and stormed into her room. She opened the wardrobe and began selecting several pieces of clothing, starting to organize them.

“Hmph, so you won’t take me? Fine! I’ll just follow you on my own!” Mu Yunjin muttered as she folded clothes, angrily tossing several light outfits into a bundle.

After a while, Mu Yunjin had packed two large bundles of luggage. She looked around the room again, realized there was nothing else worth bringing, and finally stopped.

Walking to the door, Mu Yunjin opened a small window slightly and peered through the crack, observing the movements in the room diagonally opposite.

At this moment, Zixiang entered the room and was surprised to see Mu Yunjin crouching by the window, looking outside. “Young Miss, what are you looking at?”

Mu Yunjin came to her senses and signaled for her to be quiet. She whispered, “Chu Li is going to Qingzhou, and I’m planning to follow him.”

“What?” Zixiang’s mouth fell open. “Young Miss, Qingzhou is a harsh place, and now there’s flooding. It’s too dangerous. You shouldn’t go.”

“You don’t understand. It’s precisely because there’s flooding and it’s a harsh place that I need to go!” Mu Yunjin glanced at Zixiang.

Zixiang was puzzled, scratching her head. “Young Miss, I don’t quite understand.”

…

…

Seeing Zixiang’s curiosity rising again, Mu Yunjin smiled and casually offered an excuse. “With Chu Li not in the mansion, if anyone comes to make trouble for me, there won’t be anyone to protect me.”

Zixiang now understood and nodded knowingly. She noticed the luggage Mu Yunjin had already packed and helped her check it once more to see if anything was missing.

For the entire afternoon, Mu Yunjin moved a chair next to the window and carefully observed the activity across the way, afraid that Chu Li might leave early.

Until nightfall, Mu Yunjin didn’t see anything noteworthy.

Only when someone brought the evening meal to the room opposite did the door open, and Mu Yunjin noticed that Ding Xian had already changed from his usual armor into ordinary plain clothes.

Did this mean they were leaving overnight?

Mu Yunjin bit her lip and grabbed her two bundles, clutching them in her hands.

After sitting quietly by the window for another two hours, Mu Yunjin felt sore in her waist and back. She stood up, rubbed her waist, and paced back and forth in the room.

Estimating that Chu Li wasn’t leaving tonight, Mu Yunjin yawned and was preparing to go to sleep when she heard faint movements outside the door.

Mu Yunjin immediately went to the window and, through the crack, clearly saw two figures leaving Liquan Pavilion one after another.

They were leaving at night!

Mu Yunjin grabbed her bundles and immediately followed.

……

At the back door of the mansion.

“Your Highness, the provisions for the journey have all been transported, totaling twelve carts. The palace has assigned three hundred Imperial Guards to accompany us. Everyone has arrived. Can we set out now?”

Ding Xian pointed to the long queue already lined up at the back door.

Chu Li turned to look in the direction of Liquan Pavilion, his eyes indifferent. He nodded slightly. “Depart!”

Chu Li got into the carriage, and the group headed towards the city gates.

After the sound of carriages gradually faded away, Mu Yunjin crouched by the back door, peeking out half her body with a sly smile. She deliberately led out the blue steed that Chu Li had ridden before.

Mounted on the horse, Mu Yunjin looked at the long procession ahead and quietly followed at the rear.

When the procession stopped at the city gate, Mu Yunjin suddenly faced a dilemma. At this hour, the city gates should have been closed long ago.

Chu Li’s group was permitted to leave the city due to special circumstances, but what about her?

Mu Yunjin bit her lip, very much wanting to turn around and take a detour out of the city, but she did not know the route to Qingzhou. She feared that by the time she left the city, she would have lost track of Chu Li’s group, leaving her in difficulty.

Seeing that the procession ahead was almost completely checked and about to exit the city, Mu Yunjin frowned and simply dismounted, patting the blue steed’s head. “Be good now. You know the way back to the mansion, right? Go back on your own. I can’t take you with me.”

The blue steed looked at Mu Yunjin with longing eyes, then turned and ran back toward the Prince’s mansion.

Seeing this, Mu Yunjin exclaimed in admiration. This was truly a horse raised by Chu Li.

After the procession ahead had passed through the city gate and the gate was closed again, Mu Yunjin walked to a corner, tiptoed, used her lightness skills, and flew over the high city wall.

After leaving the city, the procession hadn’t gone far. Mu Yunjin occasionally used her lightness skills to hide, afraid of being discovered by the group ahead. Carrying two bundles was somewhat strenuous, and Mu Yunjin suddenly regretted letting the horse go.

Would she have to walk to Qingzhou?

Mu Yunjin sighed in despair.

After following like this for about an hour, it was already past midnight. The long procession had reached a desolate path with open, barren surroundings.

Mu Yunjin had been relying on trees for cover, but now with bare surroundings, she had to take small steps, conspicuously following not far from the procession.

“Awoooo—”

The stillness was broken by the howling of wolves.

Mu Yunjin felt a chill, hugging her arms and touching the goosebumps that had formed. The night wind blew against her body, making her shiver involuntarily.

Mu Yunjin cursed herself silently, wondering when she had become so timid.

As she was thinking, the procession ahead suddenly stopped. Ding Xian’s voice rang out from the front: “Everyone is tired. Let’s rest for a while and eat something.”

Mu Yunjin was stunned. Looking around, she found there was nowhere to hide, so she simply lay flat on the ground to make herself less noticeable.

Mu Yunjin lay there for a long time. The smell of food and the smoke from bonfires wafted from ahead. She touched her flat stomach and peeked, watching the activity ahead.

Now the Imperial Guards were all sitting on the ground, eating and warming themselves by the fire. Ding Xian sat leaning against the carriage. Mu Yunjin looked around but didn’t see Chu Li.

After waiting for who knows how long, the fires ahead died down, and the group stood up again, preparing to continue their journey.

Mu Yunjin also stood up, patted the dust off her body, picked up her bundles, and was about to follow when she felt a chill from behind.

Looking back, she saw several gray wolves with glowing green eyes standing behind her, baring their fangs and glaring at her fiercely.

Mu Yunjin stepped back, the phoenix-tail whip wrapped around her wrist twitching with readiness. She glanced at the procession that hadn’t gone far, feeling conflicted.

Today was truly a day of bad luck!

“Awoooo—”

“Awoooo—”

The wolf’s howls suddenly rang out, and Mu Yunjin frowned, looking worriedly at the procession behind her.

At this moment, the procession, hearing the wolf howls, had already stopped.

Seeing this, Mu Yunjin was greatly alarmed and immediately moved to the side to hide nervously, but the barren surroundings offered no shelter. She turned around anxiously, unable to find a hiding place.

“Who goes there?!” The Imperial Guards at the rear of the procession discovered Mu Yunjin’s movement. A group of them drew the swords from their waists and rushed toward her.

Realizing she had been discovered, Mu Yunjin stamped her foot. At this moment, the gray wolves, seeing Mu Yunjin move, howled and pounced on her.

Mu Yunjin immediately swung her whip, striking away the wolves that lunged forward. Seeing this, the remaining wolves dared not approach.

When she turned around, the Imperial Guards had already surrounded Mu Yunjin in a circle, each holding a sword, their gazes fixed on her.

“Who are you? Why are you skulking around here in the dead of night?” asked the lead Imperial Guard.

Mu Yunjin covered her face, her eyes darting around. Just as she was thinking of using her lightness skills to fly away, a surprised voice came from behind the Imperial Guards: “Princess Consort?”

Ding Xian walked through the group of Imperial Guards, leaned in close, and carefully examined Mu Yunjin.

Mu Yunjin snorted. Since she had been discovered, she no longer concealed herself. She glared at Ding Xian. “Yes, it’s me!”

“You…” Seeing that it was indeed Mu Yunjin, Ding Xian seemed as if he had seen a ghost and was momentarily speechless. Just then, another figure approached.

Chu Li walked over slowly, his thin lips pressed together, his cold gaze falling on Mu Yunjin. Through the moonlight and the faint firelight from behind, one could dimly see the person standing before him.

Mu Yunjin met Chu Li’s gaze. Afraid he would send her back, she took the initiative, stepped forward, and hugged his arm. “Oh, please take me with you! Without you in the mansion, I would surely lose my appetite and sleep. By the time you return, I might have died of weakness!”

“Pfft—” Ding Xian laughed, spoiling the atmosphere.

The Princess Consort’s ability to lie with a straight face was getting better and better.

Mu Yunjin glared at Ding Xian, who stopped laughing. He suddenly noticed that the Imperial Guards on the side were all lowering their heads, shoulders trembling.

Chu Li was truly at a loss with Mu Yunjin. He frowned, seeing her all dirty, feeling both annoyed and helpless.

“Truly a fool, refusing comfort,” Chu Li returned her words to her.

Seeing Chu Li relent, Mu Yunjin smiled happily and tossed her two bundles to Ding Xian. “Carry these for me!”

With those words, she turned and walked toward the carriage.

Chu Li watched Mu Yunjin’s receding figure and shook his head helplessly. “Continue the journey.”

……

After sitting in the carriage, Mu Yunjin let out a long, relieved breath. Using her lightness skills plus walking on foot for so long had left her legs extremely sore.

Leaning against the carriage, Mu Yunjin sat cross-legged, occasionally reaching down to massage her legs.

Chu Li handed over a paper-wrapped package and a flask of water.

Seeing this, Mu Yunjin blinked at Chu Li and took the food and water. “Chu Li, you’re so thoughtful.”

“Ahem.” Chu Li coughed lightly, his expression somewhat uncomfortable. “Stop the nonsense.”

“How long will it take to reach Qingzhou?” Mu Yunjin asked, eating and looking at the night outside.

“About three days,” Chu Li replied.

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin was startled and pouted. “Good thing you discovered me early. If I had to walk on foot for three days, I’d probably be ruined.”

Chu Li glanced at Mu Yunjin, looking at her plain white silk dress, now so dirty that its original appearance was indiscernible. Thinking of what she had just said, he couldn’t help but laugh softly.

Seeing Chu Li break into a smile, Mu Yunjin noticed his good mood, and her heart settled. She was content to follow Chu Li to Qingzhou.