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"Lord Gu left us a secret signal, and we followed it to find you. When those cargo ships collided, Chang Ji knocked on Liu Ping's and my door. We were about to look for the young lady, but Chang Ji said Lord Gu had already gone and forcibly pulled us to jump off the ship," Luo Yan recounted, shooting a fierce glare at Chang Ji.

Chang Ji hadn't received a kind look from her throughout the journey. He still bore a wound on his neck inflicted by Luo Yan. Seeing that she was about to hold him accountable again, he quickly dodged her and reported to Gu Changjin, "My lord..."

Halfway through his words, his eyes met Gu Changjin's, and his tongue tied in a knot. He couldn't understand why his lord was looking at him with such a chilling gaze that made his scalp tingle.

Scanning over Chang Ji's injuries, Gu Changjin asked, "Are there any other wounds?"

Only then did Chang Ji realize that his lord was concerned about his well-being. He felt a bit embarrassed. With his rough skin and tough muscles, he had endured countless injuries since he was a child by his lord's side. Although last night's explosion from the pine tar ships almost knocked him out, these new injuries were minor compared to previous ones.

"My lord, don't worry, I'm fine," Chang Ji assessed Gu Changjin before continuing, "But my lord, where are you injured?"

Gu Changjin's complexion was grim. He was known for his endurance; even severe pain seemed like a light drizzle to him, and he rarely showed signs of discomfort.

Yet, Chang Ji could tell that his lord was in great pain now.

Noticing the concern in his gaze, Gu Changjin lifted the corners of his lips and said casually, "Just a minor injury, nothing serious."

He then asked, "How are the people on the passenger boat?"

Aside from their group, the boat was also occupied by Old Captain Guan and three sailors.

The previous night, when Gu Changjin sensed danger, he had instructed Chang Ji to gather Luan Yan and Liu Ping, taking them with the others to safety. Meanwhile, he went to rescue Rong Shu himself.

"Old Captain Guan and the two sailors are unharmed. I have settled them properly and just followed the signal you left to find you," replied his subordinate.

"Who else?" Gu Changjin inquired.

Chang Ji fell silent for a moment before replying, "Dead. The person was pierced through the back of the head by a metal spike and didn't survive."

Gu Changjin was quiet, then said after a while, "See to it that they're properly compensated. Give them extra silver. If they have parents, a spouse, or children, send someone to inform them that he died saving others, that he was a man of honor and loyalty."

Chang Ji acknowledged with a "Yes," then continued, "I secretly returned to the riverbank before dawn. There were four or five bodies floating in the water, likely the crew from the cargo ship. In addition, there were about ten more corpses on the riverbank. Judging by their clothing, they seemed to be part of the same group as the ship's crew. Most likely, they were sent to hunt us down, but for some reason, they all ended up dead."

"Were there any signs of a struggle?"

"Yes," Gu Changjin's gaze sharpened slightly. "Someone will be coming to fetch us soon."

Chang Ji furrowed his brow. "Who could it be? Not someone from the Liu Mo Hall, I hope?"

Gu Changjin replied coolly, "I'm not sure. It might be them, or perhaps someone from the Board of Censors, even possibly someone from the palace."

Someone from the palace?

Chang Ji's eyelids twitched. He wanted to ask why the palace would send someone, but Gu Changjin didn't give him the chance. After he finished speaking, he turned his gaze to the young lady not far away.

"Miss Rong, may I have a moment of your time indoors?"

Rong Shu was in the middle of listening to Luo Yan when she heard him and turned to look at him. As she hesitated, he added, "Others will be searching for us soon, and I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

With that, Rong Shu no longer hesitated and followed him into the house.

The fire inside had yet to die out, and two sets of clothes were neatly arranged on wooden stands on one side.

These were the outer robe and undergarment that Rong Shu had taken off Gu Changjin the previous night, which she had been drying for over two hours – they were now completely dry.

Catching sight of the garments out of the corner of her eye, Rong Shu suddenly recalled that there was a hidden pocket the size of a palm sewn inside the undergarment, containing a jade pendant.

It was clear that such a constantly carried jade pendant held great significance. To avoid any potential mishaps, she decided to take it out.

With this in mind, she promptly retrieved the pendant from her waistband and explained, "I removed it last night, fearing that it might get damaged. I hope you will forgive me, Your Excellency."

The pendant was an exceptionally rare and fine piece of Hetian jade with exceptional translucence, carved into the shape of a small Qilin. Next to the creature was the neatly inscribed character "Yan," signifying inkstone.

Gu Changjin took the jade pendant, gently tracing the character "yan" with his fingertip. Before his eyes, the lush green landscape of Floating Jade Mountain unfolded. He was born and raised there, familiar with every breeze and leaf.

Father often said that they three siblings were nurtured by this forest. They were its "trees," with roots buried deep in the earth, fearlessly weathering storms and standing tall towards the sun.

Even if one day they fell into a precipice or an abyss, as long as their roots held fast, they could flourish and grow upwards with vitality.

Being a person like a tree was Father's hope for them.

"Remember the secret I mentioned before? It's closely tied to this jade pendant," Gu Changjin looked at Rong Shu, speaking slowly and deliberately, "I have always been Gu Changjin."

Gu Changjin has always been Gu Changjin.

It was a spring night with rain tapping against the eaves.

In the Songsi Courtyard's large bed, these were the words Gu Yunzhi once whispered to her:

"Gu Yunzhi, I'll share a secret with you."

"Rong Zhaozhao, I have a secret for you too."

"What secret?"

"I am Gu Changjin, and I've always been."

Rong Shu remembered, vividly.

That night, not only did Gu Yunzhi reveal this to her, he also gently pecked her earlobe.

The hazy, drunken memories from that night suddenly became crystal clear.

Rong Shu lowered her gaze slightly and turned away, changing the subject. "My lord, you should change back into your clothes. I'll tidy up this place first."

As she spoke, she extinguished the fire and dragged the oilcloth over the pile of straw. She picked up the low table from the ground and returned it to its original spot. Once the room was nearly restored to its initial state, she took out a pouch filled with silver shards from her waist and placed it in the bamboo basket.