Taking advantage of Qiu Sanniang conversing with Fourth Madam, Xiao Yi forcibly chased Lu Ju to Sanniang’s carriage, saying she wanted to sit with Mo Zi instead.

Mo Zi glanced at the more spacious and comfortable carriage canopy ahead, shrugged her shoulders, and asked no questions.

Finding this amusing, Xiao Yi also shrugged her shoulders and said nothing more.

For the farewell, Zhang Shi didn’t come. Her absence came as no surprise to Qiu Sanniang. Fourth Madam came instead, saying Zhang Shi was feeling unwell, so she was sent to see them off in her place. Qiu Sanniang didn’t believe it either.

After that night, the conflict between Qiu Sanniang and Zhang Shi had become utterly obvious. Neither woman had any intention of reconciliation. This was a high-stakes game where only one could win—no need for pretense anymore, no need for deception.

Regarding this journey to Cinian Hermitage, Mo Zi knew Qiu Sanniang felt somewhat reluctant. Though she had come to terms with it and was sincerely going to pray for her father’s safety, visiting Madam Wei was merely incidental. Yet her state of mind, especially upon seeing the occasional smiles Fourth Madam directed at her, suddenly stirred a resolve to fight with her back against the wall. But she didn’t understand why she had this feeling—as if it were an instinct inherent to this body, a vigilance toward danger, as though thorns were growing from her spine.

Fourth Madam held Qiu Sanniang’s hand, chattering away. The wind carried the words to Mo Zi’s ears—admonitions for Qiu Sanniang to take care of her health while away from home, and to just ask if she needed anything, as she would send someone to deliver it. She sounded less like a sister-in-law and more like an elder sister-in-law.

Mo Zi could hear it, and so could Qiu Sanniang. She raised an eyebrow, only thanking her for that box of snow lotus seeds and nothing else, saying only that she needed to depart.

This was Qiu Sanniang’s proud nature—she would rather deal with cunning merchants than engage in petty schemes with women. As she put it, what good did winning a verbal sparring match once or twice do? Would it put silver in her pocket or make anyone like her more?

Fourth Madam still smiled warmly as before, personally taking Qiu Sanniang’s hand to help her board the carriage.

“Third Miss, Fourth Madam.” Granny An arrived with a group of maids and servant women. “Madam says Third Miss’s filial conduct has moved heaven itself, and Master’s illness will surely be cured. She also says Third Miss has too few people attending to her, so she had me select some quick and capable ones to bring along for Miss’s use.”

Mo Zi, who had been leaning against the carriage shaft, straightened up. Why send them now when they were about to leave, instead of earlier? They only had four carriages to begin with. The front and rear carried guards and luggage, while the middle ones were for Qiu Sanniang and the maids. She did a quick count—five or six junior maids, five or six servant women, and two older women. How were they to accommodate everyone? Even if they could manage it, most would likely serve as Zhang Shi’s ears and eyes rather than truly following Qiu Sanniang’s orders.

“Please tell Mother I appreciate her kind intentions. However, I’m going to perform a filial rite. Buddhist hermitages are places of tranquility and shouldn’t be disturbed by noise and commotion. Though I have few maids with me, they’ve served me since childhood. Each can do the work of four or five, and they’re very capable,” Qiu Sanniang said, looking down at Granny An from her elevated position, her words brooking no refusal.

“But… Miss, you’re a lady of noble birth. How can you manage with only four maids?” Granny An quailed under Qiu Sanniang’s sharp gaze but feared failing to answer to Zhang Shi.

“When I say they’re not needed, they’re not needed. I can only mobilize four carriages, and they’re already crowded with people and belongings. Should I sit there staring at seven or eight maids?” After finishing, Qiu Sanniang paid no more attention. Bai He lifted the blue cloth curtain, and she bent to enter.

Almost simultaneously, a lazy “Let’s go” came from inside. The sharp-eared driver immediately called out. The four carriages departed one after another, wheels rumbling, hooves clopping, and soon turned out of the alley.

Fourth Madam glanced at Granny An, seeing her downcast, unlucky expression, and said, “Can good things come from acting in haste?”

Granny An wore a mournful face. “Madam only gave the order at the last minute. I was already flustered just selecting people—how could I think about whether there were enough carriages? Fourth Madam, Madam has been in poor spirits these past few days. Please put in a good word for this old servant. Or should I arrange for carriages now and hurry to catch up?”

“What use would arranging them now serve? Once Third Miss gets inside, she need only tell the nuns there’s no extra room for lodging, and they can be sent right back. Forget it—it’s not entirely your fault. Who rushes things like this? I’ll try to speak to Madam on your behalf.” Fourth Madam actually felt her mother-in-law had been thoughtless.

The group closed the main gate and headed toward the main courtyard.

Having traveled outside frequently, Mo Zi had no interest in sneaking peeks through the curtain. She sat in the carriage with Xiao Yi, chatting intermittently.

Listening carefully, it was rather interesting.

“Xiao Yi, is Miss afraid I’ll run away?” Is that why she had this martial arts expert follow her?

“Yes.” This one was honest.

“If I wanted to run, wouldn’t I have done so earlier?” Why wait until today?

“Before, you hadn’t been beaten.” After being beaten, she would run too.

“Oh.” So that’s how it was.

“Mm.” Exactly so.

“Don’t worry, if I ran, I’d become an illegal immigrant.” She wouldn’t run for now.

“…” This one didn’t understand.

Time to change the subject then.

“Thirsty?” Showing some concern, she pulled a small bundle from the large pack behind her.

“A little.” Eyes widening, the bundle contained three small wooden “posts” turned upside down, with large bellies and thin necks.

“What would you like to drink? Water? Sweet soup? Or wine?” Those slender white fingers pointed at each one in turn.

“Wine… If you just leave them like that, won’t they spill?” Her eyes rolled around following the three small posts, unable to find a stopper or lid.

“They won’t if screwed tight.” Her hand turned counterclockwise several times, the bottle cap loosened, and she poured a small cup of wine into a cup.

“What is this thing?” She accepted the wine cup but stared at the post’s cap, smacking her lips.

“Only one cup, so Miss doesn’t smell the alcohol on you.” Without answering, she first gave this warning, then twisted the cap back on. When the bottle was turned upside down, not a single drop leaked.

“Looks more useful than a stopper.” It was sweet rice wine, but she wasn’t picky as long as it was alcohol.

“This is called a bottle cap.” Application of modern knowledge.

“…” Not bad.

When you take from someone, you owe them.

“Sealed with a bottle cap, it preserves longer than an ordinary stopper.” And so the trap was laid.

“And it never leaks no matter what.” She shook the bottle vigorously in her hand.

“If you like it, I can give it to you.” The bait was set.

“Then give it to me.” She took the bait.

“When Miss doesn’t order it in the future, but I need to scale a high wall—?” Here it came.

“Once or twice, I’ll help you.” Her loyalty could be proven—she was willing to turn a blind eye twice.

“It’s settled then.” She wasn’t greedy, and she was patient.

“…” Fallen into the trap, she pondered the bottle cap’s mechanism.

They spoke no more the rest of the way.

When the driver said they’d arrived, the martial arts expert jumped down from the carriage, and the one without martial arts climbed down.

Green mountains and clear waters suddenly burst into view. Great trees blocking the sky with crisscrossing branches and leaves, their roots covered in damp blue moss. Beside the hermitage, a small stream flowed down from the mountaintop, trickling along, so clear that fish were visible. Nameless little flowers, pink and yellow, bloomed together in a riot of brilliant color. Though the marketplace that had grown lively because of this temple and hermitage was not far away, it seemed separated by a transparent barrier, leaving this place uniquely tranquil and serene.

“I wish to dwell with you in this landscape, gathering flowers at dawn and dusk, singing to morning drums, listening to evening bells…”

Who was it? Who was it? Speaking so sorrowfully in her mind.

Mo Zi clutched her head, half-crouching, moaning in pain.