Chapter 20

Chapter 20

◎ To the Eastern Capital ◎

Luo Wanqing's eyes widened.

Qin Jue saw her reaction and chuckled, then turned and left without another word.

Luo Wanqing was still in a daze as she heard Qin Jue bid farewell to the host in the courtyard. It wasn't until she heard the sound of a horse galloping away that she realized Qin Jue had truly gone.

Leaning against the table, she turned her head to look out the window. Through it, she saw the figure of the man riding away, not once looking back.

Suddenly, she realized that Qin Jue was right; she was indeed too easily swayed by emotions.

If not for her soft heart, she wouldn't have been so easily deceived. The only solace now was that her first encounter with a fraud since taking on the identity of Liu Xiniang was with someone who seemed decent.

Qin Jue had taught her much, and this was one such lesson. People and their ways in this world were far more complicated than she had imagined.

She took a deep breath and decided not to dwell on the matter further. After all, he was a fraudster, and thinking about it would serve no purpose.

Her thoughts returned to Qin Jue's words earlier. Could Jiu Shuang really be a woman?

Was he deceiving her again?

But upon reflection, she felt it was likely true.

The person in the inn was probably not Jiu Shuang. According to Liu Xiniang's account, Jiu Shuang was an elusive figure, rarely seen by anyone. She hadn't paid much attention to him, so she knew next to nothing about him. It was only when Jiu Shuang was captured that the news became sensational, and she overheard bits and pieces.

Since Liu Xiniang lacked information on Jiu Shuang, she was forced to inquire in the prison, but even there, few had actually seen him.

Such a low-profile individual would never reveal themselves, especially with the authorities concealing their identity. So why would they expose themselves in public?

Even if Jiu Shuang didn't expose himself, news of her imprisonment had already spread. With the Censorate needing to form teams, someone might seize the opportunity to claim they were Jiu Shuang, gaining support and favor from others. As long as no one else contradicted them, few would dare challenge this "Jiu Shuang." Whoever pretended to be Jiu Shuang during the journey to the Eastern Capital would enjoy many benefits.

As for attracting enemies, these people might not have considered it, or perhaps they did and simply didn't care.

If the swordsman wasn't Jiu Shuang and Jiu Shuang was indeed a woman, then who told her that Jiu Shuang was a man?

Who could have said such a thing to her?

Recalling the past, Luo Wanqing suddenly realized that for a long time, no one had replied to her inquiries about Jiu Shuang in the death prison.

It was only when someone tried to assault Zhao Yuyan and she intervened that a grateful woman timidly told her that Jiu Shuang was a scholarly man. She mentioned that he had saved her before, and she had assumed he was seeking revenge, hence her silence.

If Jiu Shuang was a woman and Zhao Yuyan had lied to her, then the true identity of Jiu Shuang became clearer.

Luo Wanqing found the Inspectorate's test rather intriguing as this realization dawned on her.

After some contemplation, she walked over to the table and examined what Qin Jue had left behind. He was meticulous, even providing two maps – one for the journey to the Eastern Capital and another detailed map of the city itself. On the latter, a red line marked the route to the Inspectorate with notations, seemingly anticipating her unfamiliarity with the place.

A note was also left, containing a single line:

"Arrive at the Inspectorate on the first day of the third lunar month, in the evening."

Luo Wanqing held the note, pondered for a moment, and then tucked it into her chest. She stepped out and engaged in conversation with the host family, confirming the timeline. She discovered that they now had less than sixteen days left to reach the Eastern Capital.

Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing struggled to catch her breath.

Initially, reaching the Eastern Capital through official routes would have taken two months at best. Later, their journey became one of traversing mountains without permits, pushing themselves day and night to cover nearly half the distance in almost a month. Earlier, when she asked how long she had been unconscious, Qin Jue said seven days. Without much thought then, Luo Wanqing now realized that those were not seven days – they were twelve!

February has but twenty-nine days; twelve have elapsed, leaving her with seventeen more to traverse the remaining half of her journey.

Confused about Qin Jue's deception, she couldn't resist asking the lady of the house during their meal, "Sister, was I asleep for twelve days?"

"I'm not entirely sure," the lady shook her head, "but I know that for the first five days, your husband barely left the room. People came to the courtyard to prepare medicine, and your husband would occasionally come out to fetch some. When he opened the door, I secretly peeped, and his face looked terrible. Later, when your husband emerged, those people left, and it seemed like you were already awake then. I even heard you crying, it was quite intense."

Luo Wanqing's expression froze, and the lady chuckled, "Your husband is an excellent man. On sunny days, he'd carry you outside to bask in the sun. I even saw him combing your hair. Despite being asleep for so long, you're still very clean, which means he must have taken great care of you. I've never seen such a meticulous husband before."

Luo Wanqing nodded, feeling somewhat awkward, "Yes, he is indeed a good person."

Seeing this, the lady encouraged her, "Eat more, to help recover your strength. Those bandits were outrageous, for a young lady like you..."

As the lady spoke, she seemed to realize she had said something she shouldn't have and stood up, "I cooked some more dishes, let me get them for you."

After the lady left, Luo Wanqing continued eating, and she realized Qin Jue hadn't exactly lied to her.

She was unconscious for seven days, but the actual bone-setting process, where she was awake and crying in pain, occurred during the other times.

He didn't intentionally drug her; perhaps the procedure was genuinely unbearable, causing her so much agony that she lost consciousness.

Unsettled by the unknown indignities she might have endured during her bone-setting, Luo Wanqing found it difficult to sit still. Reflecting on Qin Jue's five-day confinement indoors, she deduced that he must have spent those days meticulously realigning her bones.

As a healer herself, she was well aware that an ordinary person would be incapacitated with a broken spine, let alone the notion of bone reshaping. The seemingly implausible practices of martial artists were all made possible through the protection of their vital energy.

During her unconscious state, only Qin Jue could have shielded her with such precision for five consecutive days. Even for an elite warrior like him, such an endeavor would undoubtedly take its toll.

She realized that her simple "thank you" seemed inadequate. If they were to meet again in the capital...

She vowed to express her gratitude properly.

At the thought of the capital, Luo Wanqing smiled and put aside any further distractions. She hastily finished her meal, packed her belongings, and bid farewell to her host before setting off.

Qin Jue had given her valuable items, all of which she carried with her. With only seventeen days left until her deadline, she lacked the necessary travel permits to use the main roads. Thus, she was forced to traverse mountainous terrain at an accelerated pace. Running and flying day and night, it would have been impossible to reach her destination at a normal pace.

To save time, she refrained from eating food that required cooking. Passing through rural areas, she would hunt for birds or rabbits to trade for provisions or simply eat fruits she found along the way.

After sixteen days of relentless running, she finally reached a mountain not far from the capital. With just one more night, she would arrive at her destination.

Having recently recovered from severe injuries, she had been traveling tirelessly for days with little sustenance. Her exhaustion eventually overtook her, and she collapsed to the ground, her eyes rolling back.

She couldn't discern whether she had simply fallen asleep from weariness or had actually lost consciousness.

When she awoke, it seemed as if a heavy rain had passed, and the sky was now brightly illuminated. She found herself sprawled on a bed of decayed leaves amidst the forest, surrounded by the fresh scent of grass.

Struggling to sit up, she glanced at the sky, calculated the time, and widened her eyes in alarm. Swiftly rising, she reached into her bosom for some herbs, munching on them as she hurriedly set off.

She ran and flew, simultaneously pondering the most pressing issue: how she would manage to enter the Eastern Capital.

Before she had fainted the previous night, it had been twilight, but now, dawn had broken. She had slept through the entire night.

Originally, her plan was to reach the Eastern Capital before dusk, then, under the cover of darkness, fly onto the city walls and leap across them.

But with the sun already high in the sky, not only had she failed to reach her destination, attempting to scale the wall in broad daylight would undoubtedly be seen by the entire city.

Scaling the wall directly was out of the question. Another conventional approach would be to steal an identity document.

However, drawing from her memories of living in the Eastern Capital years ago, she recalled that entry and exit procedures there were different from ordinary cities. While other cities relied solely on documents, the Eastern Capital required a comparison of the portrait on the document with the person's actual appearance.

The only ones capable of bypassing these constraints were the female relatives of officials.

In the Eastern Capital, a brick falling from the sky could hit three officials of the sixth rank. It was difficult to predict whom one might offend, so the guards at the gates typically showed leniency towards officials. Therefore, there was only one feasible way for her to infiltrate the city now:

She would hijack an official carriage and disguise herself as an official's female relative.

Moreover, she couldn't choose an official of too high a rank; if she failed, it would invite disaster. A minor official, then – these conditions made Luo Wanqing's head spin.

Rushing all the way to the outskirts of the Eastern Capital, she began to lay in wait, anticipating passing carriages.

She dared not get too close to the city, as the crowds made it difficult to act. She chose a quieter road and kept a keen eye on every carriage that passed by.

Wealthy officials usually traveled in their own carriages, but those who had risen through the ranks via the imperial examinations often didn't have much money. If they needed to travel long distances, they'd typically use carriages provided by the government. These carriages bore distinctive official markings, making them easy to spot. The officials who rode in them generally held low-ranking positions and posed little threat.

However, such officials were scarce. Luo Wanqing waited from midday until late afternoon, watching time slip away. She gritted her teeth, deciding that if all else failed, she'd try stealing an identity document to test her luck. If that didn't work, she'd force her way in. Just then, a carriage adorned with official insignia finally came into view.

The carriage was of moderate size, accompanied by four uniformed guards who strolled leisurely through the mountainous terrain.

Luo Wanqing, upon noticing this, instantly became alert. She crouched in the woods and then abruptly leaped out, swiftly pressing two of the guards into submission with her fingers!

The other soldiers in front sensed the commotion and immediately drew their swords, turning around. However, before they could even cry out, Luo Wanqing struck their pressure points with the hilt of her blade, rendering them immobile.

She then vaulted onto the carriage. The moment she boarded, someone inside hastily unsheathed a sword. It was evident that the attacker was an ordinary person. Luo Wanqing seized his wrist, forcing his hand to plunge the sword back into its scabbard as she coldly declared, "Listen to me if you want to live."

The young man, whose hand she held, lifted his head at her words, revealing a handsome face.

He was dressed in a scarlet official's robe that accentuated his exceptionally fair complexion. His scholarly appearance, with its refined features, epitomized the stereotype of a scholar in the minds of many. However, there was something about his eyes that seemed familiar to Luo Wanqing; they bore a resemblance to Liu Xiniang's eye shape.

He stared at Luo Wanqing with a cold gaze, fearless, like a minister about to sacrifice himself before the emperor's study, sternly rebuking, "In the shadow of the Son of Heaven, you dare to abduct officials and wield a sword with murderous intent. Are you not afraid of death?"

Luo Wanqing was momentarily taken aback by his words, perplexed as to where his audacity stemmed from. How could he still dare to reprimand her in such a situation?

Nonetheless, she reacted swiftly, drawing her sword and holding it against his throat, her voice equally cold, "I am a convicted criminal, what do I have to fear from death? Listen to me, and I promise you'll live."

"Roving bandits and scoundrels, don't dare to force me into rebellion."

The young man remained unperturbed upon hearing this. With his hands on his knees, he sat straight and composed, calmly responding, "I have no fear of death."

Luo Wanqing paused, not expecting to encounter such an obstinate person.

Killing him was also out of the question. After a moment of hesitation, she reconsidered and turned the tip of her sword outward, pointing at the four men outside the carriage. She said indifferently, "If you refuse to listen, I'll start with those four at the door. You may be willing to die, but others still have families to care for."

Hearing this, the young man was taken aback. He had prepared himself for death, but hadn't anticipated Luo Wanqing targeting others first.

Luo Wanqing was amused by his reaction. She returned the sword to rest lightly against the young man's neck and proposed amiably, "Don't be nervous. I'm an inmate destined for the Supervision Division's trial, who could have escaped along the way but chose not to because I aspire to become an official. I deliberately returned, albeit finding myself unable to enter the city due to lacking proper means. That's why I thought of masquerading as your family member to gain entry. I bear no ill will and have no intention of harming anyone. If you doubt my word, you can report me to the authorities once I'm inside the city; it won't be too late then."

The young man's expression flickered slightly upon hearing this, but he still kept his lips tightly sealed, not uttering a word.

Luo Wanqing persisted in her persuasion, "I know you have your integrity and wouldn't associate with bandits, but judging from your young age, I assume you still have parents or relatives who depend on you. Think not only for yourself, but also for your family."

The young man listened, his clenched fists loosening slightly as if he was reminded of someone. He cast his eyes down.

Noticing that she had succeeded in persuading him, Luo Wanqing brightened up and put away her sword. "Then it's settled. Let them escort us into the city."

Speaking thus, Luo Wanqing leaped down from the carriage, promptly unblocking the official's acupoints. Before the official could react, she swiftly returned to the carriage, seized a dagger, and pressed it against the young man's abdomen.

"Your Excellency!"

With his acupoints released, the official immediately scrambled back towards the carriage, intent on rescuing the youth.

The young man, sensing the dagger at his stomach, stammered stiffly, "She's a member of my family."

Upon hearing this, the official froze. The youth clenched his fists but lied flawlessly, "I'm away from home, and she has been missing me. It was just a jest. Let's proceed without further ado; there's no need to concern yourself with us."

Noticing the exchange, the officials exchanged glances before pretending ignorance and obediently resumed their journey. Their primary task was to protect the official, and since their superior had given the order, they saw no reason to provoke trouble.

Inside the carriage, Luo Wanqing, witnessing the situation stabilize, relaxed considerably. Considering the need to masquerade as this man's female relative, she promptly instructed, "Turn around first; I'll change my clothes."

Hearing this, the young man's face contorted in anger and shock. He hastily protested, "You have no sense of...,"

But before he could finish his sentence, Luo Wanqing swiftly tapped his acupoints, forcing him to turn around.

The young man heard rustling behind him and, with great effort, closed his eyes, enduring whatever was happening.

Luo Wanqing changed into the women's attire Qin Jue had purchased for her earlier. Without a hairpin, she let her hair flow freely and draped a veil over half of her face.

Still, the burns around her eyes were visible; anyone with a single glance could tell something was amiss.

She rummaged through the carriage, asking, "Do we have any cinnabar?"

"In the drawer."

It seemed that the young man was exerting immense self-control to tolerate her.

Following his instruction, Luo Wanqing found the cinnabar and took out a brush. Realizing she had no mirror, she hesitated for a moment before unblocking the young man's acupoints and turning him upright.

With his eyes tightly shut, Luo Wanqing stuffed the brush into his hand and commanded, "Open your eyes and draw a flower on my eyelid."

The young man held the brush, his voice cold, "I don't know how to paint."

"Would you know how to draw with the blood of someone outside?" Luo Wanqing glanced outside the carriage, taunting him with her question.

The young man angrily opened his eyes, "You!"

Luo Wanqing looked up at him seriously, "Don't act high and mighty with me, draw if I tell you to!"

Seemingly enraged by her, the young man's chest heaved violently. After a long while, he finally managed to suppress his voice, "Sit down!"

With that said, he turned his head to dip the brush in cinnabar, then looked at Luo Wanqing, "Where do you want me to draw?"

"There's a scar near my eye, cover it."

Luo Wanqing turned her face slightly, pointing at the scar and giving her command. The young man pursed his lips, swiftly sketching with the brush.

Feeling that he was truly angry, Luo Wanqing glanced at him sideways and leisurely asked, "What's your name? What position do you hold?"

The young man remained silent. Luo Wanqing threatened, "Those officials outside..."

"I'm the Vice Minister of Works," the young man finally spoke, his tone cold, "Zhang Yiran."

Author has something to say:

"Scenelet·1"

Someone: "I just told you not to talk to men casually, and now you're parading around in the clothes I gave you, mingling with other men's families?!"

Luo Wanqing: "Huh? Didn't you only say that I shouldn't easily trust others or let them get too close to me? You didn't mention anything about not talking to men, did you?"

Someone: "...."

Luo Wanqing: "See, I was super fierce with him, the knife was almost at his neck. (Proudly)"

"Mini-Theater·2"

Zhang Yiran: "How does the plum blossom I drew on her face look, Head Supervisor Xie?"

Xie Heng: "Stop putting all sorts of nonsense on her face. Otherwise, she'll have a visit to the Imperial Prison."