Wei Han spurred his horse into a gallop, quickly leaving Luo Sheng’s group far behind.

Ahead stretched the same unchanging green mountains and verdant trees.

The steed gradually slowed its pace.

The guard tugged the reins to draw closer, unable to restrain himself from voicing his confusion: “Master, what do you want with such a gaudy dagger?”

Wei Han’s expression remained impassive as he glanced at the guard, finding the dagger tucked in his bosom extremely uncomfortable.

How should he know what he wanted with this gaudy dagger!

When he brought up this dagger, it was originally to hint that he recognized Miss Luo as the masked woman from that night, wanting to see her panic and thereby further confirm his suspicions.

Who knew she would readily produce the dagger to sell it to him—thinking of this, Wei Han’s expression grew even colder.

“I can’t help feeling you got the short end of the deal. Though you didn’t spend money, you still have to do something for Miss Luo. If it were anyone else, they’d pay thirty thousand taels of silver asking you to do something and still couldn’t get you to agree.”

“Enough chatter! I have my own considerations.” Wei Han, unable to save face, coldly rebuked him.

Did this damned fool have to repeatedly remind him that he’d dug a pit and jumped into it himself?

The guard, however, misunderstood Wei Han’s meaning.

His own considerations?

Wait, was there something he’d overlooked?

Through the guard’s mind flashed the young lady’s delicate features.

That was it—he’d previously speculated that his master might harbor affection for Miss Luo, but hadn’t dared believe his master was such a shallow person. Now he had no choice but to believe it.

Otherwise, how could he explain why his master insisted on obtaining the young lady’s personal dagger?

Looking at his master’s stern profile, the guard’s eyes filled with admiration.

People said their master might die alone—what utter nonsense.

“Master, should we get a box made for the dagger Miss Luo gave you, to keep it safe?”

“Hm?” Wei Han turned his head to look at the guard, his eyes showing confusion.

It was one thing not to understand that girl, but why couldn’t he understand his own close guard anymore?

A dagger he’d reluctantly accepted—what was the point of getting a box for it?

Under Wei Han’s gaze, the guard chuckled: “This kind of love token—it wouldn’t do to lose it or have a gemstone fall off—”

Wei Han’s form jolted, then he spurred his horse and galloped away in a cloud of dust, leaving the guard with a nose full of dirt.

In the blink of an eye, three days had passed. Luo Sheng’s group grew farther and farther from Jinsha, and closer and closer to the capital.

This party now numbered only eight people—the four missing guards had been left in a previous town to recover from their injuries.

Sheng Sanlang quietly rubbed his stomach and sidled up to the carriage window: “Cousin, shouldn’t we eat something?”

Sob sob sob, he wanted roasted pork knuckle. If there was no roasted pork knuckle, even a pot of bone soup would do.

Hong Dou couldn’t help rolling her eyes: “Young Master Cousin, it hasn’t even been one hour since we ate breakfast.”

“Really?” Sheng Sanlang looked puzzled. “I feel like it’s been forever.”

Luo Sheng held the blue cloth curtain, raising her chin slightly: “Cousin, look at the sky. We’d better hurry along.”

Sheng Sanlang looked up to discover that at some point, the blue sky and white clouds had transformed into towering layers of clouds with winds rising and clouds surging.

On this journey they’d already encountered one rainstorm—traveling in the rain was no pleasant experience.

“Speed up a bit.” Sheng Sanlang called out.

The carriages and horses quickened their pace, but the sky changed even faster. What had just been a vast white sea of clouds suddenly became roiling dark clouds, with faint thunder rumbling.

Then a flash of lightning split the thick clouds, and rain as large as beans began to fall.

This rain came both urgent and heavy. An endless curtain of rain blurred the travelers’ vision, and the muddy road made the carriages and horses struggle inch by inch through the wind and rain.

“Cousin, I see a dwelling ahead. Let’s take shelter from the rain there.” Sheng Sanlang wiped away the rainwater and shouted loudly through the rain curtain.

Luo Sheng naturally wouldn’t object.

In these conditions, they couldn’t travel far anyway—it would only make everyone suffer needlessly.

With a goal in sight, everyone’s spirits lifted. The pace that had slowed due to the heavy rain quickened somewhat. When they reached the dwelling, they discovered it was a dilapidated temple.

Though it was a dilapidated temple, it was fine for sheltering from the rain, and saved them the trouble of seeking the owner’s permission.

The carriage stopped. Hong Dou held up an oiled-paper umbrella and was first to jump down, then turned to help Luo Sheng descend.

Xiu Yue followed close behind, holding a bamboo umbrella by herself.

Hong Dou shifted the umbrella more toward Luo Sheng, while shooting Xiu Yue a huge eye roll.

The young miss was playing favorites!

There were only two umbrellas stored in the carriage, yet the young miss had specifically brought one out for the ugly old woman to use.

She was clearly the most favored senior maid. Even when the young miss was sent away and the Grand Commander only allowed her to bring one servant, the young miss had chosen her.

She had properly won out over tears from little hooves like Kou’er and the others. What did this ugly old woman count for?

Ptui! A seller of tofu pudding!

The little maid’s heart seemed to be soaking and frying in a boiling pot of vinegar, and hadn’t calmed down even after entering the dilapidated temple.

The dilapidated temple had been abandoned for a long time—even the statue originally enshrined there had disappeared without a trace. The offering table lay overturned on the ground, missing one leg, while a considerable pile of dry firewood was heaped in the corner.

This dry firewood delighted Sheng Sanlang and the others, who hurriedly cleared a space and built up a fire.

Watching the leaping flames, Sheng Sanlang grinned at Luo Sheng: “Cousin, such a vigorous fire—it would be a waste to leave it idle. Why not set up a pot and cook something?”

Luo Sheng fell silent.

She hadn’t expected “leaving it idle” could be used this way.

Glancing around and seeing that apart from those who’d emerged from the carriage, everyone else was soaked through, Luo Sheng nodded: “Then let’s brew a pot of ginger tea to ward off the chill.”

Sheng Sanlang couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed, but thinking it over, being able to drink a few sips of sweet ginger tea on such a rainy day wasn’t bad either. He hurriedly directed two guards to fetch things from the carriage.

Before long, the rich aroma of ginger tea began wafting through the dilapidated temple, and the clothes on Sheng Sanlang and the others had dried halfway.

Hong Dou first filled a bowl for Luo Sheng, then filled bowls for Sheng Sanlang and the others one by one, and finally carried a bowl to drink with great satisfaction.

“Hong Dou, you’re one bowl short.” Luo Sheng held the scalding porcelain bowl and reminded her.

“One short? I don’t think so—” Hong Dou seemed to just notice Xiu Yue and slapped her forehead. “Oh my, I forgot about the ugly old woman. But you have hands and feet, Ugly Old Woman—you don’t mind serving yourself, do you?”

Drinking his ginger tea, Sheng Sanlang couldn’t help his lips twitching.

The little maid Hong Dou was only suited for hands-on-hips scolding—she was completely unsuited for acting.

Too exaggerated!

Xiu Yue, being over thirty years old, naturally wouldn’t quibble with a little girl. She silently filled a bowl of ginger tea and sat to one side drinking it.

Taking a sip of the honey-sweetened ginger tea, the corners of Xiu Yue’s eyes grew slightly moist.

Once, the Princess had also brewed ginger tea for the Princess Consort. Besides honey, the Princess also liked to add some white pepper powder, just like the bowl of ginger tea before her.

Luo Sheng suddenly glanced at Xiu Yue and asked: “Does Ugly Old Woman have a name?”

Xiu Yue’s hand paused, and she smiled: “This old woman is well along in years and looks like this—I’ve grown accustomed to people calling me Ugly Old Woman.”

Luo Sheng shook her head: “That won’t do. Since you’re following me now, having people call you that—I don’t like hearing it.”

Xiu Yue lowered her eyes: “Then please, Young Miss, bestow any name you wish.”

What did a name matter? She would forever be the Princess’s senior maid, Xiu Yue.

Luo Sheng drank the last sip of ginger tea and handed the bowl to Hong Dou: “Then let’s call you Xiu Gu.”