The boats moved across the river’s surface at the swiftest of speeds. In this one small stretch of the world, however, a quiet had descended.

A gentle wind drifted across the river’s face, stirring the loose strands of their hair. In that single moment, something still and serene settled between them — as though the world had grown peaceful and beautiful.

Nanmeng Rong watched the shadow Jiu’er cast upon the deck — a faint and graceful silhouette that grew clearer and clearer in the deepening glow of the moon.

Much like her silhouette, something of her had grown clearer in his heart as well. And once it had become clear, he feared that in this lifetime, it could never truly be erased.

Everyone called him foolishly devoted and witless. Yet he had never felt there was anything so-called foolish or witless about himself.

He only followed the impulses of his own heart — doing things he might otherwise never dare to do in an entire lifetime, all for a woman who might never belong to him.

“Jiu’er.” He called to her suddenly.

Feng Jiu’er lifted her gaze to him. The solitary line of his profile gained a few shades of warmth in that moment — as though even in the gradually cooling air of the night, a trace of gentle heat had seeped through.

“What is it?” This man had always been a person of few words. Even when he had something to say, he did not necessarily choose to say it to her.

Yet at this moment, he seemed… as though he truly had a great deal to say?

“Nothing — only… I wanted to say: take care of yourself.” The night was growing hazy, and the road ahead did not appear very clear. But he knew the destination was nearly at hand.

A nameless urgency seized his heart and caught in his throat, making him cough. The coughing wouldn’t quite stop.

The sound of it bore the trembling quality of someone nursing internal injuries, and it struck an ache in Feng Jiu’er.

“Let me apply the needles. I will protect your vital energy.” She immediately moved to reach for her needle case.

But Nanmeng Rong said, “There is no need — we are nearly at the opposite bank. There is no time.”

“It will not take long.” Jiu’er was insistent. His injuries were truly serious. If the vital energy was not stabilized, she did not know whether things might continue to worsen.

“Truly there is no need. I am staying behind in the Imperial City, and in the days ahead there is little for me to do — I will only be helping you with small matters here and there. But it is different for you.”

As for what Nanmeng Rong called “small matters” — that was only by the measure of things in his own eyes. In his heart, every matter of Jiu’er’s was a great matter.

“Go on and attend to your affairs with peace of mind. I am here on the Imperial City’s side. When you return in the future, I will make sure you are not disappointed.”

“Nanmeng Rong…”

“The night air is cold and heavy with dew. Go inside the cabin.” Nanmeng Rong put his broad-brimmed hat back on, letting nothing of the feeling in his eyes be seen.

But in the state he was in now, how could Jiu’er bear to simply leave him here?

She drew a small bottle of medicine from her bag and held it out to him. “This medicine is something I compounded myself. It is no miracle cure, but it will fortify the foundation and replenish the vital energy. Take one pill before you sleep each night — you will recover.”

“All right.” Nanmeng Rong took the bottle, held it with care, and tucked it away before looking at her again. “Go inside the cabin.”

“I’ll keep you company for a while.” Jiu’er sat down on the deck not far from where he stood, watching the passing view of the river, and felt the turmoil in her heart slowly grow still.

In truth, Jiu’er herself knew — after this parting, she had no idea when there would be another chance to meet.

Since coming to this era, she had not made many friends. Yet one by one, each had proven worthy of deep and lasting friendship — Qiao Mu, Xiao Yingtao, Xing Zizhou, and Nanmeng Rong.

The boat continued its way across the river. Jiu’er found some topics to speak of, while Nanmeng Rong spent most of the time simply content to listen to her talk, whatever the subject.

By the end, she seemed to have noticed this as well — he was interested in everything she said. And so she kept talking, talking about her dreams, talking about what she wanted to do in the future.

Every person has their dream. Feng Jiu’er’s dream was a simple one: to grow her own influence, and bring everyone along with her to heal the world and save its people.

Medical clinics as a chain network, medicine suppliers as a chain enterprise — Nanmeng Rong wasn’t quite accustomed to hearing such things, yet somehow he seemed to understand it all.

This girl had a heart made for business — and no small amount of ambition either.

As he watched the young woman sitting upon the deck, he did nothing but listen in quiet stillness, then slipped his own outer robe off and draped it over her shoulders.

Time felt so very pleasant to him. But however pleasant, when the moment came to end, it had to end.

They had arrived.

Feng Jiu’er rose to her feet, lifted the robe from her own shoulders, and draped it back over his.

“Thank you. We must go now.”

Nanmeng Rong said nothing. He only fixed his gaze on her face.

Two sailors took up bamboo poles, preparing to bring the boat to a stop. Jiu’er exhaled, offered Nanmeng Rong a word to take care, and turned to leave.

“Jiu’er.” The man behind her called out suddenly.

Jiu’er paused in her steps. Before she could even turn around, he suddenly reached out his arms and pulled her into an embrace from behind.

Jiu’er’s heart lurched. On instinct she moved to push him away. “Nanmeng Rong…”

But he had already drawn his arms back and let her go. “Take care.”

After that, he turned his face away and looked no longer at her, only at the river.

Jiu’er pressed her lips together. At last, she stepped forward and left that place.

Only after they had all come down from the boat and set foot on the small path Nanmeng Rong had arranged in advance did Nanmeng Rong turn his head, watching that one silhouette walking among the group.

Leaving from here meant leaving the Imperial City’s bounds entirely. He could not follow them further on their journey. All he could do was pray — pray that she would be safe.

That small and slight silhouette in the darkness of the night grew more and more distant, more and more indistinct, until at last it vanished entirely. All that remained was the emptiness of the road, and the emptiness of the night.

Something struck Nanmeng Rong hard in the chest — a pain he could not name.

Had he, from the very beginning, maintained nothing but disdain and misunderstanding toward her, would it be a little less painful now?

Or if, from the very beginning, there had never been that imperial decree, never that ill-fated arranged betrothal — would his breathing now not feel so constricted, so tight it was nearly suffocating?

But without that imperial decree, he would never have come to know Feng Jiu’er.

Without knowing her, how would he have had the chance to discover, beneath that dazzling outer radiance, the kind and passionate heart within?

So he had no regrets. No regrets over this one encounter, and no regrets over this destined meeting that was never meant to bear fruit.

Jiu’er — may all be well with you. No matter what the road ahead holds, at the very least, I will remain here, and wait for your return…

……

After Feng Jiu’er and her companions left the Imperial City by waterway, they traveled a winding route and swiftly passed through several cities.

That very night, Xing Zizhou came hurrying back from up ahead.

“The Ninth Prince has arrived at Phoenix City.”

Hearing this news, everyone’s hearts surged with elation.

Xing Zizhou’s spirits also seemed particularly high. He continued, “Something seems to have happened on the Ruhé side — the campaign appears to have been delayed. It seems there are people within their ranks who do not approve of the Crown Prince’s plan for war.”

“The Crown Prince of Ruhé?” Feng Jiu’er’s brow furrowed.

“That is correct. This Crown Prince is the one who ignited this conflict.” Xing Zizhou relayed everything he had gathered, leaving nothing out. “The Ninth Prince’s greatest adversary in his journey to Phoenix City is also this man.”