A friend?

The word “friend” was rather broad in scope—a single chance encounter could qualify someone as a friend, just as could a bond forged through life-and-death circumstances.

Ziqing was someone who valued loyalty and affection deeply; to her, the word “friend” carried real weight.

Racking her brain, she could only think of Situ Haonan. They weren’t yet close to the southern border gate, so it couldn’t be him—and besides, Hongyi knew him too. If anyone were looking for a friend, it should be Jun Beiyue they were seeking.

“When did you go and make friends?” Jun Beiyue teased.

Ziqing shot him a glance, saying nothing further as she stepped down from the carriage. Jun Beiyue followed close behind—whoever this person was, blocking their path at this moment surely had some purpose in mind!

Soon, they spotted the figure blocking the road ahead—dressed in white scholar’s robes, without a trace of the impoverished scholar’s shabbiness, looking instead like an elegant wandering swordsman of the martial world.

“That wretched scholar!” Ziqing muttered with displeasure, though her tone didn’t quite match any real irritation.

Jun Beiyue caught this, not stepping forward, continuing to tease instead. “Since when did that wretched scholar become your friend?”

“Heaven only knows,” Ziqing said, striding forward.

The moment Baili Weisheng spotted Ziqing, he hurried forward cheerfully, raising his hands in a bow from a considerable distance, looking for all the world as though he were the one welcoming guests.

“Little Qingqing, long time no see, what a coincidence!”

Long time no see? He’d already extorted her once back at the Prince Yao’s estate!

Ziqing forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, keeping her distance, saying bluntly, “Master Baili, what important business brings you looking for me?”

Baili Weisheng lowered his voice. “Little Qingqing, must you really be so unfriendly?”

Ziqing lowered her voice too. “Don’t you dare threaten me with the poison addiction again—it’s already been cured!”

A flicker of genuine concern crossed Baili Weisheng’s eyes, and he said quietly, “So the addiction really could be cured. Little Qingqing, you truly are remarkable!”

“Don’t you dare call me Little Qingqing!” Ziqing said, irritated.

“Has anyone else ever called you that?” Baili Weisheng continued, then suddenly raised his voice loudly. “Princess Yao, I do indeed have a rather important matter I’d like to discuss with you.”

Ziqing eyed him suspiciously, yet couldn’t quite dismiss him outright. Though this fellow dressed properly, his personality was anything but proper—yet she had to admit, ever since she’d known him, he had always helped her, and had even once saved Jun Beiyue’s life.

At that moment, Jun Beiyue slowly approached as well. Baili Weisheng hastily waved his wide sleeves, his movements appearing clumsy yet in truth conveying a lazy, unhurried bow. “Prince Yao, it’s been so long since we parted at Qinse Valley that day—this humble brother has missed you dearly!”

At these words, not only Ziqing but even Jun Beiyue couldn’t help rolling his eyes. Even among the most shameless people trying to curry favor through false familiarity, none had ever gone so far as to call themselves “humble brother” so brazenly!

“Are you certain you’re younger than this king?” Jun Beiyue asked coldly.

“This humble brother is seventeen this year—a year older than sister-in-law, three years younger than elder brother,” Baili Weisheng answered with perfect seriousness.

Sister-in-law? Elder brother?

The nerve of this man!

Jun Beiyue simply ignored the remark entirely, saying flatly, “Does Master Baili have some important matter to discuss with the Princess Consort?”

Baili Weisheng hesitated a moment before saying quietly, “Let’s discuss this inside the carriage.”

Jun Beiyue, like Ziqing, felt puzzled but didn’t press with excessive suspicion.

Having summoned Prince Baxian, provided guidance on the antidote to that drug-poison, affording such an expensive auction fee, coming back to life after drowning—there were simply too many mysterious things about this man that warranted investigation!

Heaven only knew what business this fellow might bring this time!

“Please,” Jun Beiyue said graciously, gesturing forward before turning to walk ahead himself.

Baili Weisheng didn’t mind at all, smiling as he extended a similar gesture toward Ziqing. “Sister-in-law, please…”

Ziqing immediately glared, nearly kicking out at him, but fortunately Baili Weisheng fled quickly, hurrying after Jun Beiyue instead!

Soon, all three had boarded the large carriage.

“Now, can you tell us?” Jun Beiyue asked flatly.

Baili Weisheng adopted a serious expression, coughing lightly a few times before saying, “Here’s the situation… I happen to… also be heading to Nanzhao, and happened to run into you both. Hehe… why don’t we travel together!”

Both Jun Beiyue and Ziqing were stunned—they truly hadn’t expected this to be the matter at hand.

“Nanzhao isn’t a place one can simply visit whenever one pleases,” Ziqing spoke up first—usually, whenever Jun Beiyue was present, she remained silent.

“I’ve been invited by Nanzhao’s Beast Clan,” Baili Weisheng said, hastily pulling an invitation letter from his sleeve, clearly worried they wouldn’t believe him.

Jun Beiyue didn’t need to look closely—a single glance at the envelope told him this was indeed an official invitation exclusive to Nanzhao’s royal household!

“The Beast Clan? What connection do you have with them?” Ziqing asked further.

“I’m a veterinarian! No matter what kind of beast or bird, whatever difficult ailment it might have, once it encounters me, I guarantee a cure! I’m practically an honored guest of the Beast Clan!” Baili Weisheng declared proudly.

Ziqing couldn’t help but glance at Jun Beiyue, only to see his handsome face had turned distinctly pale—hadn’t he once been the very subject of Baili Weisheng’s supposed medical expertise as well?

“The Beast Clan invited you to attend this wedding ceremony?” Jun Beiyue’s voice had clearly turned cold.

“No, not exactly. They invited me to treat an illness. Nanzhao has been experiencing extreme heat for over half a month now, and I heard a whole herd of elephants died from it. Prince Nanzhao is quite anxious about it—the Beast Clan chief reached out to me quite a while ago, though unfortunately, this invitation only just reached me now, alas…”

“Great Zhou’s southern border gate isn’t something one can simply pass through freely, and you’re not even a citizen of Great Zhou.”

To enter Nanzhao’s borders required an invitation from Nanzhao’s royal household, while exiting through Great Zhou’s southern frontier gate required permission from Great Zhou’s royal family—even someone of Chu Feiyan’s exalted status as princess was no exception, which was precisely why Chu Feiyan had needed to request safe passage in the first place!

Jun Beiyue was clearly testing him—he genuinely wasn’t certain whether Baili Weisheng was actually a citizen of Great Zhou.

“I am indeed!” Baili Weisheng immediately protested, reaching back into his wide sleeve, digging around for quite some time before finally producing a worn, yellowed booklet!

Jun Beiyue was actually more familiar with this particular item than with Nanzhao’s royal invitation letter!

This was the household registration booklet that every family in Great Zhou was required to possess—a symbol of Great Zhou citizenship.

Throughout the continent of Longyuan, only Great Zhou maintained such a system, specifically to ensure security at the southern border gate. Every booklet bore the official seal of the local magistrate’s office.

Ziqing was suspicious too, taking the booklet and flipping it open, only to discover this wasn’t an ordinary citizen’s household registration at all, but rather a registration document belonging to a particular sect.

This was precisely the “Dragon Gate Sect” that Baili Weisheng had mentioned back when Jun Beiyue had once invited him for drinks.

Ziqing couldn’t help but examine the official seal closely, though she couldn’t detect anything amiss beneath Jun Beiyue’s watchful eyes—his expression confirmed that this document was indeed genuine!

“As the ancients said, at home one relies on one’s brothers, but away from home, one relies on friends. Prince Yao, this humble one currently has no one to depend on, only the two of you as friends. The road to Nanzhao ahead is fraught with hardship and danger—I hope you might extend a helping hand and let this humble one accompany you.”

Baili Weisheng bowed again, his attitude seemingly half-joking, half-serious, leaving both Ziqing and Jun Beiyue thoroughly unable to read him!

A complex flicker crossed Jun Beiyue’s eyes as he replied with a teasing edge, “Master Baili speaks rather gravely. Within Great Zhou’s own territory, we enjoy an era of peace and prosperity—lost items go unclaimed on the roads, doors need not be locked at night. The path to Nanzhao is even safer still. What hardship, what danger, could there possibly be?”